U.S. Army Veteran From Lake Elsinore Gives Kudos To Employer

Lake Elsinore and Waste Management of Southern California are welcoming back one of their own -- for good.

After 26 years in the U.S. Army, including repeated deployments to the Middle East beginning in 2003, David Hillyer is retiring from military duty but his commitments here at home continue.

According to Waste Management of Southern California, Hillyer, a Lake Elsinore resident, has reconvened his responsibilities as a full-time Waste Management operations manager at El Sobrante Landfill where he will oversee all disposal functions. 

"When the U.S. Army first deployed Hillyer to Iraq in 2003, local Waste Management leadership assured him that the company would support his military commitment along the way. From 2003-2004, Hillyer served his first deployment in Operation Iraqi Freedom where he was direct support to hauling tanks from Choate to Iraq," according to a released statement from the company.

Following this placement, Hillyer returned to El Sobrante Landfilll for two years as an operations manager. In 2007, the U.S. Army called him up once again. 

In 2009, he resumed his management position at El Sobrante Landfill for four months later to return to active duty from 2010-2011 as a mobility branch chief under Operation Enduring Freedom. Hillyer then was re-missioned to Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington from 2011-2013 where he oversaw all equipment and personnel leaving Afghanistan. 

After twenty-six years of active service, Hillyer retired from the U.S. Army on September 2013. 

“El Sobrante Landfill supported my family and me all these years when I was called to active duty and when I returned,” Hillyer said. “It was an awesome feeling knowing I had job security every time I came back home—I couldn’t ask for anything more.” 

"Waste Management provides support to employees, like Hillyer, who are activated as reserve/guard members and their immediate family members. Additionally, Waste Management employs more than 3,000 veterans, and, in 2012, U.S. Veterans Magazine named Waste Management one of the nation’s top 100 companies in recruiting veterans. The company’s veterans outreach effort includes sponsorships, donations and volunteerism to veteran organizations and advertising to military job seekers," the released statement from Waste Management continued.

News of Hillyer's return coincides with National Day of the Deployed Saturday, Oct. 26, which is meant to honor the nation’s deployed service men and women.