Podcast: Talking veteran issues with Nick Smith, a U.S. Marine turned International sensation

In this episode, Fleet Maintenance's resident vet John Hitch sat down with International's Nick Smith, a Marine who completed two tours in Iraq, to discuss the many benefits veterans bring to trucking, from leadership to grit, and how International sets its vets up for success.

John Hitch

Nov. 11, 2025

2 min read

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Whether they're in the bay or on the road, veterans have both the tangible and intangible skills to succeed in the transportation industry. Whatever the branch of service or mission given, service members by and large have been trained to think on the fly and get the job done no matter what, learn to follow and lead, and manage stress. They also know a thing or two about logistics and how to "hurry up and wait," making them well-suited to the transportation industry once their military service has ended.

In this special Veterans Day episode of The Fleet Lead, Fleet Maintenance's Editor-in-Chief John Hitch, a former U.S. Navy submariner, sat down with Nick Smith, the media relations manager at International and former Marine who did two combat tours in Iraq, to discuss his transition from the Corps to a top-notch trucking communicator, how vets in general can help reinforce your fleet or shop's ranks, as well as how to set them up for success.

We also get into how difficult life gets when the mission and adrenaline rushes are over and it's time to return to civilian life, and how trucking can be a lifeline to those who gave their best years to the nation and are desperate for purpose.

Listen on the player below:

Chapters:

Introduction - 00:40

Smith's role at International - 02:47

How veteran's experiences prepare them for work - 05:15

Smith's role and mentorship in the marines - 08:09

On leadership - 11:04

Support after service - 15:28

The stigma against veterans - 25:15

How to prepare for discharge - 31:26

Nick Smith's first public relations role was winning over Iraqi civilians.

International's media manager Nick Smith looking badass during the Iraq War. Journalists should remember this next time they ignore one of his emails.

Fleet Maintenance's editor-in-chief John Hitch trying his hardest to look badass on the USS Oklahoma City, which is extremely difficult to do in white polyester bellbottoms

About the Author

John Hitch

Editor-in-chief, Fleet Maintenance

John Hitch is the award-winning editor-in-chief of Fleet Maintenance, where his mission is to provide maintenance leaders and technicians with the the latest information on tools, strategies, and best practices to keep their fleets' commercial vehicles moving.

He is based out of Cleveland, Ohio, and has worked in the B2B journalism space for more than a decade. Hitch was previously senior editor for FleetOwner and before that was technology editor for IndustryWeek and and managing editor of New Equipment Digest.

Hitch graduated from Kent State University and was editor of the student magazine The Burr in 2009.

The former sonar technician served honorably aboard the fast-attack submarine USS Oklahoma City (SSN-723), where he participated in counter-drug ops, an under-ice expedition, and other missions he's not allowed to talk about for several more decades.