Beneath the hum of the wire’s song, Where current and courage belong, We build more than lines through the sky We build men and women who know why. Each bolt, each splice, each careful turn, Holds lessons the fearless must learn. For safety is not just a rule we recite, It’s the promise we make to come home each night. The craft runs deep through sweat and flame, Through every storm our brothers came. With calloused hands and sharpened mind, We honor those who came behind. Accountability it’s the quiet creed, That grows from effort, word, and deed. It’s owning the moment, the miss, the win, And rising each day to begin again. Professionalism is more than a stance, It’s pride in your posture, your glance, your chance To teach, to guide, to pass the flame, So the trade forever bears our name. So stand tall, lineman, teacher, friend, For the lessons you give will never end. In every spark, in every plan, Lives the brotherhood and the making of a man. By Daniel Cooper, CUSP, IBEW 317 Journeyman Lineman

Very few times are we in the same book, same page, or wavelength. However, The more I read the more I know that wavelength I'm on and not alone. If this community is on the same book with where we need to be in this industry the more encouraged I'll become. Looking forward to more of this. Extremely similar to my Courage over Comfort series I've been writing and teaching to apprentices at the Apprenticeship. Felling Jazzed LFG!

Leaving the LCTT industry to trade saw for stick. Natural trees to man made and placed. I brought with me a brashness that comes with fighting a large corporation's union busting activities. Having nearly no hesitation to call Bull$hit on bad logic and bad leadership. I found and continue to find myself in situations where that trait will lose you favor with some, but to those who would not speak up and stand on principles its often admired. As a groundman I was placed on a safety committee where we had 4 management and 4 bargaining employees we would meet 1-2 times a week. Knowing nothing of the electric trade at that point. I got to watch and observe how each side treats and bargains even when it came to safety. -"We will get X if you do Y". It really shined a light on what I had suspected. From that moment I placed it in my heart as I will never bargain with the needs of my brothers. Since then I have turned down safety positions at some of the largest contractors because their values in the interview process simply was about value $$. -"If it dont make dollars it dont make sense." -"We are 16% profits this year and even if we have a fatality to close out the year we will get 3-4% and a pat on the back." Thank you for saying the -dont say that part outloud thing. Point is Be a brother have the courage to do the right thing. Keep the comfort away from me. Can't pay me enough to bite my tongue, it hurts too much.

First off — thank you. Every single one of you who stepped in here with me just took a leap most people talk about but never make. You showed up. You raised your hand. You said, “Yeah, I’m in. Let’s build something that actually matters.” We're a week into this thing. The First 250 are here; it's been incredible. This place? It’s a work in progress. Still rough around the edges. Still finding its footing. Just like everyone of us did when we first stepped into this trade, but that’s the beauty of it — we’re building it together, in real time, with real conversations and real truth. Several of the modules are filled, and I'm adding more content and programs as we grow. I can't say enough about how grateful I am for all of you. I don’t take it lightly. You could be anywhere else, listening to the same polished corporate noise we’ve all heard for years — but instead, you’re here helping build something raw, honest, and for the boots, not the optics. So settle in. Speak up. Contribute. Call bullshit when you see it. This is your community as much as mine. Welcome to Lineman Bull$hit Skool — where truth lives, we learn from each other, and we rise together. ~Kevin

It was August 23rd, 2020 at 9:45am. I'll never forget the date of that time. We had a three man crew and by 3 man I mean what it actually does not what companies think it means. Leadman, 2 Journeymen, 2 Hot Apprentices. We had been a crew for quite awhile, really had that good working relationship and trust between the 3 of us. We all knew each other's moves before we made them. We were "the crew". We had a pretty big hardening job. We could isolate a chuck of it but we were gonna do it hot because that's what this trade is. The day before we had sleeved out a set of switches and moved them a span for better access. Again, all hot with no issues. This day, we wanted the apprentices to come up with the plan. Tangent vertical pole with 3 phase break off also vertical on solid. 3 spans outside the sub. Had reclosing off (this circuit did not have hot line tag). Deenergized the break off (it was a tie for another circuit). We went to work. We were the crew that covered well and I mean cover for reach, extend, fall. The 6 foot bubble rule. We changed out the ridge iron and tied the neutral back in (shielded construction). Went down to our 1st phase. One bucket held the phase in the jib, the apprentices untied (journeyman in each bucket with one apprentice). Drove the phase out and the other bucket changed out the hardware and insulator. Drove the phase back in and tied it in. While the phase was being tied back in, the perform tie brushed the blanket that was covering the pole. I told them to not let the tie brush it, keep control. We were getting ready to move down to the next phase and we decided to go ahead and land our pole ground to the neutral. We were covering up well. My thought was you can't always cut the pole ground, we will teach them how to insulate for it. We went down to the next phase and did it the same way. As they were tieing the phase back in, the tie got away from the apprentice in my bucket. The blanket that was covering the pole was a little lower because they had drug the tie across it again. At the split second the apprentice in my bucket made contact with the pole ground, the apprentice in the other bucket started tieing in. I heard something, then the roar. At the split second the tie that got away from my apprentice and made contact with the pole ground, the other apprentice started tieing in. The roar was 795 burning down. The apprentice in the other bucket got the worst of it. He has flash burns on his face and hands. The apprentice in my bucket wasn't as bad though I will never forget her looking at me and I could visibly see her skin falling from around her face. Her face healed, his did not. Both weren't able to finish their apprenticeship and both lives were changed. Mine was to but differently. This was the moment where something changed in me. This all of a sudden became a different job. I had seen burn videos, watched and heard stories, but I had always in some way thought it would never happen on my watch. This job humbled me. From that day until I hang my tools up, I vowed to myself and the both of them, I would do anything and everything in my power to be a voice for change so "Not One More" will have to go through what they did. This is the incident that changed me and why I am that voice that doesn't give a shit who's feelings i hurt and not afraid to call anyone out on bullshit. This is why I am here and as involved as I am.