Veterans Day is important to the nuclear industry as nearly one in four nuclear workers have served in the military. To get a better sense of how nuclear energy and military service are connected, NEI’s Matt Wald spoke with Erin Lane, who serves in the Army Reserve and worked as a civil engineer at the Vogtle 3 and 4 reactors currently under construction in Georgia.
Lane commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army in 2013 upon completion of the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps program at Villanova University. She completed her degree in civil and environmental engineering and went straight to Plant Vogtle.
Today she works at Fort Belvoir, near Washington, D.C., in Army network modernization and cybersecurity. She currently holds the rank of captain, and serves as a company commander of a signal unit at Fort Gordon, near Augusta, a short 40 miles north of Vogtle.
What drew you to the military?
I come from an Army family. I have an older sister who also serves in the Army, and our grandfather was a decorated World War II Army officer. I’ve really come into myself by being in the military and learned a great deal about leadership and teamwork. I wish everybody could join the military to get a taste of the camaraderie that makes serving so special.
Is there a connection between being in military service and working in the nuclear energy industry?
They overlap. You have this great group of people and a mission bringing people together.
What I love about the Vogtle 3 and 4 project is that it’s really stimulating the local economy of Georgia by bringing thousands of jobs to people of all backgrounds and skill sets. When you’re living in Augusta, you not only know nuclear, you love it. Your neighbor, your sister or your brother is involved. It’s the same concept in and around military bases. You have that bond to one another, the similar lifestyle and mission-oriented mindset.
At Vogtle, I quickly bonded with other veterans and service members and it was refreshing to see that there were so many of us in the industry. It’s a welcoming place for those transitioning to civilian life, or who still serve in the Reserves, like I do.
Lane at the water intake structure for Vogtle 3 and 4 on the Savannah River.
Both the military and nuclear are dominated by men. What’s it like being a woman in those fields?
Shortly after I joined the service, women serving in technical roles was not as prevalent. Today’s Army is more progressive than it was even 10 years ago. It helped that I walked in my older sister’s footsteps and benefited from her encouragement. Gender nowadays is irrelevant. Instead, your credibility revolves around one question: are you a leader who is capable of accomplishing the mission set out before you? It’s the same in the nuclear energy field. A lot of women in the past paved the way for this, and I thank them for that.
What does Veterans Day mean to you?
It’s a tribute to all those vets who served. It is a special day for everyone to come together and recognize those who made the ultimate sacrifice; to reflect on the men and women who are serving now, especially those who can’t be at home to spend holidays with family. It’s a time to reflect on those who have dedicated their lives and careers to serving our country. Veteran’s Day serves as that humbling reminder to us all.