Built to Serve: Sal Correa on Union Trades, Veterans, and Giving Back
For many veterans, service doesn’t end when the uniform comes off—it simply takes a new form.
For Sal Correa, an Air Force veteran and Organizer with BAC Local 7 Tile, Marble & Terrazzo, that service has continued for more than two decades through union labor, community engagement, and mentorship. As a proud recipient of the ULA Network Veterans Service Award, Sal represents what it means to build a career rooted in purpose.
“I’ve been very fortunate. It’s given me an excellent career, and I’ve had the opportunity to work throughout this beautiful city—seeing amazing places and meeting great people along the way.”
With 23 years in the trade, Sal credits Local 7 not only for providing stability and opportunity, but for creating a platform to give back. Through his involvement with the ULA Network and the Vets4Vets Community Construction Project, Sal is helping lead efforts to support aging veterans and the institutions that serve them.
Using Trade Skills to Strengthen Veteran Communities
Sal stresses that projects supporting VFWs and American Legion halls aren’t symbolic—they’re essential.
“It takes all of us to come together, put our hands together, and support these older veterans who’ve been in charge of these VFWs and American Legions.”
By applying the same skills used every day on job sites, union tradespeople can directly improve spaces that serve veterans and their families—while reinforcing the values of solidarity and service that both the military and unions share.
Creating Pathways for the Next Generation
Sal also highlights the importance of continuity: honoring those who served before us while preparing opportunities for veterans coming home today.
Programs like Helmets to Hardhats help transitioning service members move into union careers that offer family-sustaining wages, benefits, and long-term stability. At the same time, initiatives like Vets4Vets ensure veterans remain connected to their communities long after they’ve entered the workforce.
“We’re not only providing work—we’re giving veterans a way to give back.”
A Call to Action for Veterans in the Trades
Sal’s message is simple and powerful: get involved.
Whether through volunteering time, sharing skills, or mentoring the next generation, veterans in union trades have a unique opportunity to strengthen communities while honoring the legacy of service that brought them there in the first place.
At the ULA Network, we’re proud to stand alongside leaders like Sal Correa—whose career shows that when union labor and veteran service come together, the impact lasts far beyond the jobsite.
Support. Educate. Promote.
The ULA Network would like to thank our sponsors and supporters for believing in our mission to support educate and promote our union labor family and our communities. To learn more visit: https://www.ulanetwork.com/supporters
