NextOp alumni comes full circle in career path

Written By Alicia Vial

Immigrant embraces opportunities as Marine, manager and artis

HOUSTON, TX — As a 19-year-old refugee, Gaw S. Jones, Jr., stepped onto American soil, resettling with his family from Freetown, Sierra Leone to New Jersey. The teenager, his mother and siblings lived in a refugee camp after civil war broke out in their native Liberia while his father sought political asylum in the United States.  

Today, the retired Marine serves as the workforce development manager at Brown & Root Industrial Services LLC, where he established a new career in 2019 through the workforce development program offered to enlisted veterans by Houston-based NextOp.

“I had no construction experience besides stacking cinder blocks as a kid. But, NextOp saw something in me,” Jones explains. “As a Marine infantryman, I blew things up. Now, I’m in an industry that builds things.”

While awaiting his discharge, Jones learned about an employment boot camp being offered by NextOp and the Construction and Maintenance Education Foundation. Working one-on-one with the NextOp employment coordinator, he crafted a resume that translated his skills as an operations chief, training people for combat, to the civilian workforce. Within three months, he was hired as a training coordinator at Brown & Root.

“Gaw is just one of our many success stories in assisting military veterans to secure meaningful careers after their service,” says NextOp Executive Director Shelby Mounts. “Not only has he flourished at Brown & Root, but he also maintains close ties to our organization as an Alumni Ambassador and member of our Board of Directors, reaching out to others about our unique employment program.”

Despite a 20-year career in the military, Jones actually never intended to be an active duty Marine. After his younger brother decided to join, he too considered signing up.

“However, I went in planning to be a reservist and didn’t realize I was actually signing up as active,” he recalls with a laugh. “Funny thing—that recruiter and I later became good friends.”

The brothers’ contact with the US Marine Corps traces back to the start of the war in Liberia. Marines were first to arrive to evacuate the US Embassy. When the war ended in 2003, Jones went back to his homeland as a Marine.

Aside from his career in the construction industry, the Friendswood resident also sees himself as an artist and farmer. He currently has oil and acrylic paintings at G. Lee Gallery in Galveston and often exhibits with fellow veterans at art shows.

As for the farmer, Jones plans to purchase 300 acres of land in Liberia, where he dreams of teaching people how to farm sustainably. In the future, he would also like to utilize his training in the construction industry to form a nonprofit that provides resources for building infrastructure in the country that he left as a 15-year-old kid, bringing him full circle from refugee to philanthropist.

Jones is among more than 4,000 enlisted veterans that NextOp has placed in civilian careers since 2014. Only about 25% of transitioning service members secure a new job before leaving the military. NextOp actively works with company recruiters and corporate leadership to ensure a smooth transition of military skills to the civilian workforce. To find out more information about NextOp and how it support veterans, please visit nextopv

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About NextOp
NextOp assists enlisted veterans in transitioning from military service to civilian careers. Through a unique workforce development program and wide-ranging resources, the 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization provides enlisted veterans with the necessary tools, training and support to thrive. Headquartered in Houston and with operations in New Orleans, Dallas-Fort Worth, Memphis and Huntsville, AL, NextOp tailors services to meet the specific needs and foster the professional growth of each individual candidate. For more information, visit https://nextopvets.org/

Alicia Vial

Alicia Vial is a New Orleans native with more than a decade of experience elevating client stories and leading crisis response. As the senior director of strategy, Alicia acts as a leader within the Gambel Communications team ensuring each agency team member is positioned to deliver strategic public relations services that meet the highest standards of the industry. In addition to supporting the agency’s long-term business growth and development, she coordinates day-to-day account services and oversees strategic direction while staying abreast of best practices and industry trends to provide innovative solutions to meet client’s needs.

Before joining Gambel Communications, Alicia served as the communications director for the Louisiana SPCA, the oldest and largest animal welfare organization in Louisiana that impacts more than 74,000 animals per year. During her nearly eight-year tenure, Alicia oversaw numerous crises, served on national communication taskforces, oversaw all aspects of internal and external relations and worked alongside the development department to raise critical funding. Prior to that, she worked in the fast-paced New Orleans hospitality industry focusing on digital public relations for multiple hotels.

Alicia is a member of the Public Relations Association of Louisiana (PRAL), Southern Public Relations Federation (SPRF), a board member of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) New Orleans Chapter and a member of the New Orleans Regional Leadership Institute. An accredited public relations practitioner (APR), Alicia is also certified in crisis communications, organizational leadership, content marketing and social media.

A well respected and trusted public relations practitioner, Alicia has been recognized by SPRF as a ‘Senior Practitioner of the Year’. Dubbed early on in her career as one to watch, she also received the ‘Rising Star’ award by PRAL and was profiled in St. Charles Avenue Magazine as part of their Young Bloods series. Most recently, she was recognized at PRSA’s annual Fleurish Awards and received four Awards of Excellence for her work along with the ‘Plate Spinner’ award for her efforts on the board of directors for the chapter.

An LSU graduate, Alicia received a bachelor's degree in mass communications with a concentration in public relations and minors in business administration and leadership development. She is a frequent speaker and presenter on public relations topics, most recently presenting at the Jefferson Economic Development Commission and SPRF annual conference.

When Alicia is not at work, you can find her at the ballpark with her three boys or cheering on the Tigers in Death Valley.

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