Overview:

Episode 154 of The Driller Newscast connects global climate urgency with real-world infrastructure work, starting with COP30’s message that water is now the frontline of the climate crisis. Brock Yordy then sits down with retired Army National Guard sergeant Shane Banks, who shares his path from Purdue engineering student to military well driller and water-wastewater construction leader.

Key points:

• COP30 underscores water as the defining climate challenge.
• Global droughts, floods, and water scarcity are reshaping infrastructure priorities.
• Veteran spotlight: Army National Guard sergeant and water pro Shane Banks.
• Leadership, safety, and adaptability from military service to construction.
• A call for cultural change following the workplace tragedy of Amber Czech.

Read on for a more detailed recap of our discussion this week.

Episode 154 of The Driller Newscast brings together two threads shaping today’s drilling and infrastructure world: the shifting global climate conversation coming out of COP30, and the everyday reality of water, wastewater, and construction professionals on the ground.

Host Brock Yordy opens the episode with a global look at the United Nations climate summit that just wrapped in Brazil, then pivots to an in-depth interview with Shane Banks, a retired U.S. Army National Guard sergeant and long-time water and wastewater construction expert. Together, the two explore how military service, groundwater science, construction, and the evolving identity of the drilling trades all intersect.

COP30: Climate Pressure Hits Home for the Water Industry

The episode begins with a sobering breakdown of the major takeaways from COP30. While the summit’s headline themes focused heavily on rainforest preservation, a global bioeconomy, and major financial restructuring to support climate adaptation, Brock hones in on a key message for the drilling community: 2025 has officially been declared the year water becomes the front line of the climate crisis.

Delegates forged a roadmap to mobilize climate finance at the trillion-dollar scale, a move meant to support developing nations grappling with worsening drought, flooding, and water scarcity. Brock stresses that these so-called “developing countries” aren’t abstract actors—they’re the regions already experiencing the extremes the U.S. water sector sees in smaller doses: extreme rainfall events, collapsing glaciers, seasonal unpredictability, overwhelmed watersheds, and degraded freshwater security.

He notes that worldwide, the planet’s “water towers”—glaciers that feed drinking water and agriculture for nearly 2 billion people—are disappearing faster than predicted. As a result, the world now faces a “dual crisis”: too much water in the form of catastrophic floods, and too little water in the form of megadroughts. And as climate patterns destabilize, the strain on groundwater systems, infrastructure, and water quality grows.

It’s a global story—but with very real local consequences for drillers, groundwater professionals, and water/wastewater operators across North America.

From Civil Engineer to Well Driller 

In honor of Veterans Month, Brock welcomes long-time colleague and Army National Guard veteran Shane Banks, whose 21-year military career included specialized work in engineering, construction, and water well drilling. Shane also built a parallel civilian career in water and wastewater infrastructure starting back in 1998—long before his military path took shape.

Shane’s story begins in Indiana, where he studied engineering at Purdue. Eventually shifting from electrical to civil with an environmental focus, he found his way into the construction world early on. But at 28—older than most new recruits—he made the decision that would shape the next two decades of his life.

“I didn’t want to look back 10 years later and regret not serving,” he explains. Thirteen months after he enlisted, 9/11 happened.

Shane’s technical background brought him into an Army engineer company, but fate intervened. When two long-serving NCOs in a water well detachment couldn’t deploy, Shane was involuntarily transferred into the slot—despite having little hands-on drilling experience at the time.

He jokes that what he did have was a copy of Driscoll’s Groundwater and Wells, which he bought for a civilian project in the 1990s and would end up using as a de facto textbook for years in the Guard. That transfer would define much of his career.

Shane deployed first to Iraq in 2003 using old George E. Failing rigs and outdated manuals—equipment and guidance that were never designed for the geology or operational realities of Southwest Asia. Later, after the modernization of the Guard’s well drilling program, he deployed again to the Horn of Africa, drilling in Djibouti and Ethiopia under dramatically different geological conditions. From volcanic formations to shallow desert basins, Shane saw first-hand how unpredictable water access becomes under stress.

Working in these environments reshaped his understanding of equipment maintenance, crew safety, and redundancy. “When you’re deployed, you can’t run to Home Depot,” he says. Every tool, spare part, gallon of rod grease, or safety measure had to be planned in advance. That mindset still guides him today as he manages complex plant operations and capital improvement projects.

Translating Military Leadership into Construction Leadership

Brock and Shane dive into the similarities between military leadership and running teams on water/wastewater projects. As a non-commissioned officer, Shane learned early that leadership isn’t one-size-fits-all. The construction industry struggles with this today as new generations enter the workforce with different expectations, communication styles, and motivations.

“You have to adapt your leadership style to the individual,” Shane says. Some respond to structure, others to mentorship or empowerment. Flexibility—not rigidity—is what drives retention.

Shane also stresses the value veterans bring to the construction world. Out of 17 million U.S. veterans, only about 500,000 work in construction. But veterans bring rare attributes: discipline, accountability, strategic thinking, and composure under pressure. Employers who fixate only on job match or MOS risk overlooking exceptional talent.

The Future of Water Infrastructure and the People Needed to Build It

The two close by discussing aging U.S. water infrastructure. In the West, Shane sees demand driven by growth; in the Midwest and East, systems have simply outlived their life expectancy. Decades-old valves, undocumented pipe runs, corroded connections—all are landmines for modern operators.

Shane’s advice: expect problems, plan for contingencies, and invest in knowledge. Skilled tradespeople and veterans are both critical to meeting the moment.

Brock closes the episode with a powerful reflection on the recent tragic death of 20-year-old welder Amber Czech, murdered at her jobsite by a coworker. Her death underscores the urgent need for cultural change, stronger protections, and zero-tolerance policies within industrial workplaces. “Everybody should feel safe. Everybody should come home,” he says.

It’s a stark reminder that as the industry works to recruit women, veterans, and young people, it must equally commit to protecting them.  

Thanks for joining us.

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