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| Nicholas with his grandmother |
Originally from Jamaica, he was drawn to military service after 9/11, inspired by a deep sense of duty. As a major in Architectural drafting at St. Petersburg College, he felt compelled to serve after watching the events unfold on 9/11 while practicing his landscaping freehand drawing at his drafting table. His patriotic spirit compelled him to serve, enlisting in the Army, initially without telling his family. He dreamed of joining the infantry and ultimately aspired to special forces. However, his non-US citizen status prevented him from a top-secret security clearance at the time, dashing those dreams. Nicholas joined the US Army Reserve in late 2001, shipping off to basic training in Fort Jackson, South Carolina in 2002.
Excelling in his aptitude tests, he qualified as an 88-Lima Watercraft Engineer, a demanding military occupation position. Watercraft Engineers are responsible for maintaining, diagnosing, and repairing US Army vessels’ propulsion engines, auxiliary systems, and various mechanical components. The mechanical training was rigorous, particularly managing the intricate mechanics of amphibious landings—skills with an 80% failure rate that demanded discipline and dedication. In December 2002, during a Christmas party at Fort Langley, he received deployment orders, and by January 2003, he was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom, serving on the US Army vessel Runnymede. His dedication spanned from 2002 to 2008.
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| Nicholas as a Mechanic |
When his military chapter closed, he sought civilian work that would build on his mechanical skills. The transition to union life and civilian mechanics had challenges, yet his military discipline and resilience carried him forward.
After joining HART,
he began as an apprentice since his previous experience was in watercraft
engineering, and he needed additional training to work on vehicles with wheels
and suspension. His hard work and skill quickly paid off, and he advanced to
Mechanic B in less than eight months. He continued to excel, eventually
becoming a lead mechanic and then a supervisor in 2015. After five years in
that role, he took on increasingly challenging positions, becoming Manager of
Technical Services in 2021 and Director of Fleet Maintenance in May 2023.
“Discipline, loyalty, integrity, and selfless service,” he says, “are values
you never let go of. In the military, you’re used to getting the job done
without delay. Civilian work requires a different pace, and adjusting was a big
change.”
Reflecting on his
time at HART, he feels that transit work is in his DNA. "There’s always
something new to learn," he explains. "When you understand the
day-to-day operations, you get a deeper respect for the work." The
camaraderie he experienced in the military is something he values deeply.
"In the military, your battle buddy becomes more valuable to you than
yourself. That sense of unity and focus is unmatched."
For him, being a veteran encapsulates all the values he carried from the Army. While he sometimes regrets not finishing his full-time in the military, he’s grateful for the skills and mindset it gave him, which shaped his journey at HART. "The Army gave me a skill set and a foundation that has guided my whole life. 9/11 changed everything for me—I was on track to be an architect, but I chose service. And I wouldn’t change that."
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| Nicholas Goulbourne, Director of Maintenance |
