Photo from Chief Carriers Credit

Originally Posted On: https://theindependent.com/news/local/chief-carrier-employee-honored-for-helping-military-employee/article_f641a96e-7358-11ec-a4f7-cf3a7884e5d3.html

Mandee Lade, driver recruiter for Chief Carriers, takes the time to get to know all of her drivers, but one in particular made sure she was recognized for helping him. Driver Bobby Higgins nominated Lade for the Patriot Award, which is given to supervisors who make an extra effort to help employees involved with the National Guard and Army Reserves.

To Mandee Lade, adjusting one of her new drivers’ schedule to accommodate his Army National Guard requirements was just “doing (her) job.”

Bobby Higgins, the driver in question didn’t see it that way, so much so that he nominated Lede for the Patriot Award, which honors supervisors for supporting Guard and Reserve members or their families.

“She went above and beyond,” Higgins said.

Lade is a driver recruiter for Chief Carriers in Grand Island. Higgins was all set for orientation and training to start his new job driving for Chief, when it was discovered he had Army National Guard commitments falling between the two weeks.

Higgins, who lives nine hours away in Illinois, would have to be back home from Grand Island in time for National Guard duty. Lade said she offered to move his orientation and securement.

“He would have been through Guards, but he was adamant, no, I already made my commitment to you. Then I felt like it was my commitment to him to make sure that he got back for those things.”

“We just made sure that he got back so we could get him out early on Friday. He came in on Friday and did his written and his physical test here. He was gone at 11:30 so he could drive nine hours home and be fully charged to go into to the Guards them that Saturday morning.”

Higgins appreciated Lade’s efforts so much he nominated her for the Patriot Award, which is awarded under the umbrella of Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve. It is given to individual supervisors like Lade.

“I got an invite to my calendar, and that’s how I found out,” Lade said. She received her certificate at a special presentation.

Lade said she was surprised.

“(Higgins) definitely surprised me, for sure, for the small token that I did, and how it affected his life. I will be forever grateful to him.” Lade said she understands the struggles military families can have. “I come from a military background, too,” she explained. “My dad served in the Navy.”

Military or otherwise, Lade said treating her drivers with kindness and respect is something she strives for every day. “I didn’t really do anything different. Getting to know each and every driver is a passion of mine because it takes all different walks of life to become a truck driver. A lot of people think, ‘Oh, they’re just truck drivers. Well, they’re not. They actually fill your shelves and there are long hours and fighting the traffic and everything.’ Literally, America is moved by truck.”