Our Veterans: Jeffery Ludwig, Labor Crew Chief
Published on November 11, 2025
Veterans Day is an opportunity to honor those who have previously served, or are currently serving, in the United States Armed Forces. In addition to thanking all Veterans for their service, we also want to highlight a few of our own. This year, we're continuing the "Our Veterans" series by highlighting a small number of the many Veterans who work for the City of Charlotte. Read or watch below as they share more about their time in the military and how they were able to transition to a career in public service.
Name: Jeffery Ludwig
Job Title: Labor Crew Chief, Solid Waste Services
MOS: Paratrooper
Branch: Army
Length of Service: Three years
Joined the City of Charlotte: 2007
Why did you want to join the military?
My dad was in the Army during Vietnam, so I just kind of had that "service thinking," you could say. I actually moved to the other side of the state and finished high school over there, and I just kind of got a good relationship with recruiters there. I already thought about doing that anyway and just went in.
What branch did you join and why?
Army. Well, the Marine Corps offered me, like, every job but a rocket scientist, but my dad wouldn’t put up with it [laughs]. He’d disowned me.
How was your experience as a paratrooper?
It’s not bad. It’s something. You learn how to hit the ground without breaking your ankles and stuff, which I still kind of use a lot that stuff that they taught us to do what I do now.
Do you remember your first experience jumping out of a plane?
I can’t say I remember it specifically, but we did our first jumps in the first week and everything, and it’s an interesting experience. I mean, you sit in the plane, they do their countdowns, you basically just kind of walk out on the static line, and you know, out of the plane you go. The next thing you know, you look up and your chute's open, and then you’re kind of looking down as you get closer to the ground, trying to see where you’re going to land and start getting your feet together and everything, so you can land and not break your knees or anything when you land on the ground.
When did you decide to leave the military?
My first enlistment was coming up, and honestly the military itself was great. It’s just the way it was being run at the time. It didn’t seem to me like it was something I wanted to continue doing.
What made you move to Charlotte?
I actually had a friend in my battalion that was from here, and I had come up here and visited a few times, and I made friends with some of his friends, and when it was time to get out, I just didn’t really want to go home. I figured, well, why not just try to see what I can do here, and if things don’t work out, I can always go home and start again. Then I met my wife, and the rest, as they say, is history.
What led you to work for the City of Charlotte?
Actually, I worked as a temp. I started back in 2007. I started as a temp for about three or four months through a place called Metro Staffing. I did yard waste two to three days a week and recycling two to three days a week. And then, not too long before, I got hired on permanently.
How does it feel saying you’ve worked for the City of Charlotte for 18 years?
It’s the longest position I’ve ever held. I came here, and it was almost like the military again. It was service-oriented, and I think that’s probably why I’ve been able to stay as long as I have.
What do you enjoy about your job?
I like the challenge. Leading the crews as opposed to doing my own work is a lot different, but that’s kind of what I was looking for.
What made you join the City of Charlotte’s Employee Resource Network, HUMVEE (Helping Uplift Military Veteran Employees through Engagement)?
I think it was mentioned at some required training that we had that they encouraged people to join. I happened to see the HUMVEE when it was first starting.
How important is having this space within the City of Charlotte?
I think it’s important for all of the employee relations networks, because they encourage people that don’t necessarily go with that particular organization. Like, they don’t specifically say you need to be a veteran to join HUMVEE, and I think that’s a good thing because people that don’t have any military experience can kind of... They can join, and they can learn. They can talk to veterans. They can kind of see what we go through. They can kind of see the types of things we can teach them, and they can teach us things, too.
What have you gained from your time in the Army and how has it helped with your role within the City of Charlotte?
I think it’s helped me be able to get along with pretty much anybody, depending on whatever their background is and stuff like that. I try to see things from their point of view as much as possible, and I try to help them see my point of view too. I think it just makes it a lot easier for me to relate to people, because I’ve had a lot of experience with that in the military.
How has the military changed your life?
It opened my eyes to a lot of differences in people. I grew up in a very small town. We didn’t have a lot of diversity in pretty much anything, and so because of that, when I first came into the military, I really just didn’t know a lot about people. I just tried to be open and learn as much as I could about different people. The country is a huge melting pot, and it’s a great thing because it’s what really makes us strong.
What’s next for you?
I plan to stay here till I’m 65, which I think will put me at about 32 or 33 years of service. So, I don’t plan on going anywhere unless they insist that I do.
Thank you for taking the time to get to know Jeffery Ludwig, one of the many Veterans who currently works at the City of Charlotte. To all our resident Veterans in the Queen City, we thank you for your service.