Army veteran Dalton Barker found himself suddenly without at job. He had recently transitioned from service, having been in the Army from 2017 to August 2024 including leading missions in the Middle East. He was medically retired and soon after leaving the Army found employment as an Operations Manager for a Target Warehouse in Tyler.
“He was terminated with no warning after a 90 day probation period,” said TVC Veteran Employment Services Rural Veteran Career Advisor and Navy veteran Terry Cole, pictured.
Barker met Cole at the American Job Center in Tyler in early December 2024 as he was seeking help with employment. During their initial meeting, it was determined that Barker had barriers to employment which qualified him under the Jobs for Veterans State Grant (JVSG) Program for individualized career services from Cole. Barker’s barriers to employment included service-connected disability, being a recently separated veteran and of low income.
An employment plan for Barker was created. Cole assisted him with his resume, job search training and interview skills to better his chances of finding suitable and gainful employment.
Barker, pictured, was hired as a General Manager with Starbucks of Tyler and started work on March 3, 2025, earning $69,000.00 annually plus bonuses.
“His excellence was recently recognized with an invitation to Starbucks’ prestigious Leadership Experience event in Las Vegas, NV – an honor reserved for top-performing managers nationwide,” said Cole.
