Justin Gatlin served as an aircraft mechanic in the US Air Force and supervised a crew that performed more than a hundred F110 engine teardowns, inspections and build-ups in support of two F-16 Fighter Wings (flightline and engine back shop). He also worked the B-2 Stealth Bomber flightline as a jet engine mechanic. As a lead trainer for engine and work package final inspections, Gatlin ensured a near-100 percent pass rate. Serving in the Air Force for 8 years, he had a strong track record of accomplishments and was a go-to person for complex tasks.
His transition into civilian aerospace was “a rough landing,” he describes.
“I did not have anyone there to help guide me through the mindset change, and it became a slightly depressing reality. I went from overseeing a lot of great people and dozens of aircraft/engines, to just being a build mechanic without any purpose other than clocking in, turning wrenches and clocking out. Once I figured out no one was going to help me except me, I reached out to management to pull in more responsibilities and roles and show them what I am capable of due to what I learned while serving.”
Today Gatlin has made it his mission to assist veterans as they transition to civilian life. He helps them get established within the company, discusses veteran benefits and is there for them when they need to talk.
In civilian aerospace, Gatlin started as an auxiliary power unit (APU) build mechanic then worked as an operations manager for TurbineAero.
Iryna Andreyeva, senior manager, Customer Service and Program Management at TurbineAero, describes Gatlin as confident, great with people, and smart with numbers and processes. At TurbineAero, Gatlin managed a crew of 50+ mechanics, many of them much older and more experienced than he is, and, Andreyeva said, he was able to earn their respect and trust.
After 6 years at TurbineAero, Gatlin accepted a position as senior ISC production supervisor at Honeywell. The move took him from APUs to avionics.
