Published Jul 6, 2026, 5:00 AM EDT
GAF Roofing Academy is a tuition-free, hands-on program designed to train students in building roofing systems.
Ever wonder what it takes to become a roofer? Turns out, hundreds of service members are trying their hand at learning the trade of roof construction as a second career or as an additional source of income. To that end, there's an official Department of Defense accredited training program with a mission of helping active-duty and military veterans transition or supplement their military careers with a long-term civilian career in roofing. "I did a Google search and there was a training session here in Dallas-Fort Worth, but I missed it," Jacob Radford, a lead petty officer in the U.S. Navy, told Military.com. "A little more searching and I found out there was another training [session] in Georgetown, Texas, which is 3-and-a-half hours away. But I signed up."
Jacob Radford, a lead Navy petty officer, enrolled at GAF Roofing Academy to learn roofing as a skilled trade while serving in the Reserves. (Jacob Radford).
Radford's training program of choice—The GAF Roofing Academy—a tuition-free, no degree required, hands-on training program designed to equip participants with practical skills in building roofing systems, as well as in-home sales and restoration. While the program is open to everyone, since launching in 2020, the academy has trained 323 military service members with a 49.54% placement rate into roofing jobs. The program is affiliated with GAF, North America's largest roofing and waterproofing manufacturer. "I'm already in the field while serving in the Reserves. I own a commercial service company," Radford said, adding he took on the additional training to be more knowledgeable himself for the benefit of his company. "I don't like being in the dark whenever it comes to roofing and construction. "So, I figured I was humble enough to go back to the beginning and learn roofing from the bottom up and close the gaps in what I knew and didn't know."
