Courtesy of International Golf Maintenance (2)
As a child, Juan Palacios learned from his dad to work on classic car motors. He later worked as a mechanic in the Army, doing maintenance for combat units. Today, Palacios is an International Golf Maintenance equipment technician at Rose Hill Golf Club in Bluffton, South Carolina.
“I enjoy coming to work, working with the guys and being at the shop,” Palacios says. “When equipment breaks, I am dedicated to getting things fixed. My goal is to make my course and superintendent successful.”
IGM, which provides Rose Hill Golf Club’s management and course maintenance, has experienced success integrating the skills and work ethics of military veterans into golf course maintenance operations.
“Military veterans rely on hard work, communication and teamwork during their service,” IGM regional manager Tyler Minamyer says. “Our golf course superintendents need those values in their maintenance operations, and Juan has become a vital part of our Rose Hill maintenance team.”
Palacios is a decorated Army Combat Veteran, having served multiple tours in Kuwait and Iraq. He is a Bronze Star Medal recipient, among other recognitions. But after giving so much and witnessing so much suffering, Palacios found himself drained. He took a professional golf class in Bluffton and then started working as a caddie before joining the IGM team at Rose Hill.
Palacios admits to having great personal difficulty readjusting to life outside the military after his deployments. One thing that has helped is a place – and organization – known as OPFOB. “In a war zone, a FOB is a safe place,” Palacios says.
OPFOB, or Operation Patriot Forward Operating Base, is a nonprofit organization that exists on a large piece of property in South Carolina. Its mission is to create awareness of PTSD and suicide among veterans by offering a safe place for them to engage in activities with others who understand their experiences.
“I have more friends who have died by suicide than in combat,” Palacios says. “The FOB is there to let you know you’re not alone. We have coffee every Saturday in the barn area and invite everyone.”
After first being invited to the FOB by a friend, Palacios now serves on the nonprofit’s advisory board. As a part of the Rose Hill community, IGM has embraced OPFOB’s mission and committed fundraising dollars to the organization.
“It’s a logical connection because of the employment opportunities we can offer veterans and the skills they have to offer,” Minamyer says. “The golf course industry needs employees with those skill sets, and we can help vets acclimate in a great work environment.”
IGM employs veterans across the company in a variety of golf course maintenance roles. “We have a good number of veterans who have grown into supervisory and management positions in the company,” vice president of operations Steve Gano says.
Amy Dobson is the media content creator for International Golf Maintenance.
