45:24
SUMMARY KEYWORDS
people, veterans, events, military, veteran service organizations, vets, transitioning, industry, linkedin, resources, brian, military spouses, volunteers, support, cma, companies, working, helping, weeks, service
SPEAKERS
Brian Arrington, Damon Pistulka
Damon Pistulka 00:01
All right, everyone, Welcome once again to the faces of business. I’m your host, Damon Pistulka. And with me today, I’ve got a very special guest. I’ve got Brian Arrington, from vets to industry. And I just want to mention really quickly what Vesta industry does. And I’m gonna let you tell us a lot more about it. But vest industry help veterans that are coming out of the military transition into the private sector.
They’ve got all kinds of free resources, they have advanced to help match vets coming out with employers with different kinds of opportunities, whether it be franchising, there’s just all kinds of things they help them. And I really love sharing Brian’s story, and how he came about and how he founded it. And I just want to get an update from Brian, learn a bit more about his background, be able to share it with people. And I’m just so excited to have you here today. I’m going to shut my mouth let you start talking, Brian, thanks so much.
Brian Arrington 01:02
Yeah, absolutely. I appreciate it. So my name is Brian Arrington, and I am the founder and president of vets to industry. And in order to tell you a little bit more about best industry what it is kind of have to go through a little bit of a background. Yeah, so it’s good. I retired from the Air Force One July 2019, after 20 years, one month and 12 days in service. But my transition story really started a year prior to that. Now is it 19 years senior noncommissioned officer in the Air Force. I was a military cop.
Yeah. And I came home from work one day. And I saw that there was this commercial line and never seen before they said, join us 550 million of us, and like, what the heck is this? And so I thought was this a job board? I had no idea. So I download the app and thought, you know, maybe I need a job board. Now. I’m a year out from getting out. Yeah, I didn’t know. So I download this app. And it turned out to be LinkedIn. I had never heard of it before. So I’m looking at
02:19
the app.
Brian Arrington 02:20
And I thought, okay, where’s the job board that can’t find it. So I type in veteran, and this basically, location popped up, say, veteran mentor network. And now before I had done this, you know, it always asks you your create your profile. So when I had built my profile, I asked you to give a photo. Now remember, I was a military cop? So like, I’m not putting my photo on this job board? Like, yeah, I’m gonna use this in 30 seconds. Why would I put my photo on there? Yeah, of course, I’m worried about anti-terrorism individual measures, right.
And so I don’t put a picture. I don’t put a headline, I don’t put the background. And I only put I wanted to be a marketing manager in Atlanta, Georgia, the bare minimum, right. Yeah. And so when I get to this group, this individual named top cow, which is that to me, and he is a program manager to manager, the group, he says, hey, it’s great to see a transitioning veteran, come and find us. In the in the group.
I said, Well, man, hey, you know, are transitioning veteran like, I don’t have that anywhere on my profile? Yes. You have no picture, no headline, background, no connections. So it’s a telltale sign that you are transitioning. I see guys, like Sherlock, like, I tried to be all coy with it and didn’t work. So he said, go ahead and tell everybody when you’re getting out. And what you want to do, and you’re going to have a mentor probably reach out to you very quickly. Now the group had 130,000 individuals in it. Now it’s got well over 140,000.
So I did I put in when I was retiring that next year, and within five minutes, an individual named Kenya Spratt reached out to him. And Kenya said, hey, it’s great to see that you’re transitioning, you’re retiring the same time I am. I’m an army seven Ranger out of Fort Benning, Georgia. And what was symbolic about that is I was at Morgan Robbins in Georgia. Yeah. But I had never been to Fort Benning. And he said, Are you going to CMA tomorrow? To CMA? What the heck is CMA? He says centaurea military lyase. Said, right, I’m not googling this. What the heck is in Toy military wise.
04:54
Yeah.
Brian Arrington 04:54
He says it’s a VSO. I said, Can you if you don’t start with These army acronyms and tell them what the thing is. It’s conversations over. Yes, I know. It’s not an army acronym. It’s a good guy don’t speak that dialect. Alright, I’m Air Force. And I said, What is a veteran? A BSL? He says it’s a veteran service organization. And what they do is they provide free service and benefits to veterans that are still in service members, and those who transitioned out and their families with free services and support. I said, How I never heard of this before. So I say, can you come tomorrow? So yeah, sure, I’ll come.
So I drive two and a half hours next day to the CMA. And that’s where my life changed. So I’m sitting in the seat, the first 30 minutes of class. And I learned that there’s over 40,000, veteran service organizations nationwide to provide free resources to currently serving military members, their families, and veterans. And in the PG version, I got upset. There’s a non PG version of that as well. And the reason why is I immediately started thinking back to 2002. And something miraculous happened to that. I made IE five. So for those of you who don’t know, II, five in the military is the first supervisory rank. Yep, we actually started getting your direct reports, we call them troops.
And all I could think about was, how many of those Airmen have I like get out the military since 2000, to this 2018 timeframe, without setting them up for success on the outside due to my own ignorance on all the free resources that were out there? And then it hit me in the gut. And I immediately started crying in this classroom, can you spread next to me? Because I realized, how many of these individuals are part of the 22 that have killed themselves a day since? Yeah, yeah, well unemployed or underemployed, or in substance abuse, or divorced or homeless or incarcerated, or any combination thereof.
And so looking at rest of the class was was great. I come home, and I said, I need to find out these about these 40,000 resources. And I’m looking, I’m googling veteran service organizations, military support, transitioning support, every keyword I can think of, and I can’t find a single site repository where all the free resources are co located. I thought this is asinine. How’s this like exists? As a ditch people seem very credible in the class. You don’t make up there’s 40,000 So yeah, yeah. So um, you know, I it’s not like I can do anything about it. I just don’t want to be so was unlike before with Kenya.
So I spend the next eight months on LinkedIn learning everything I possibly can about transitioning and resources from all the greats. Learning from Justin Pearson, shantay Hall, Daniel Savage, Corey Boatwright, Michael Quinn, Herb Thompson, Eric schlachter. And I’m digging deep. So eight months goes goes by so when our December of 2018. And something happened, I end up going viral. I did a post I said a veterans career opportunities post below your desired career roles, desired geographic locations, and when you could start working, and my friend will help you find a location in the states with a with a job.
And I only had 600 connections and that potion had died at impact. But instead, it went viral. In four weeks, we had 654,000 views on this one post it became a virtual career fair for four weeks straight. We have fortune 500 companies commenting on their with their open job requisitions we had transitioning service members and military spouse and veterans posting what they would like to do and we were connecting Well, I had to get volunteers to help me. We were connecting people in different threads and tagging them under under post jobs. And people were actually getting careers off of this one post.
It was amazing. But then, within the four weeks, we had veteran advocates finding our posts, and this is where another thing change. The veteran advocates started saying well have you used hire, hire Heroes, or hire heroes USA, or still serving veterans or bunker labs were rising or IBM F at a Syracuse. And you know, the answers that everybody was given? What’s that? Can I use that? You know? What? Where do I even find it? Some of these people were getting out that week. Yeah, they weren’t eligible for some of these things they never heard of. So I realize these people were me eight months ago, when Kenya spread asked me about CMA.
Yeah, people can’t wait for a resource library. They need one now. And they’re gonna become part of the 22 that kill themselves tomorrow. So I immediately reached out to seven people that were veterans, I did a Boolean search in LinkedIn. Yeah, that is with web design backgrounds. Okay, I send the same message to all. I said, I want to build the library of Atlantis for veterans, military spouses and dependent children. But I, but I don’t know how to build a website, where you can have a 20 minute call with me. And this one woman reached back out to me, her name is Bobby. And she get on the call. And I told her this story. And she said, at the end of 20 minutes, you had me at hello.
Not only will I build this for you, but I take out one pro bono client a quarter ever making my permanent Pro, permanent client from a pro pro bono client. And she’s been with us for two years, over two years now. Our website started with 72 resources that I had vetted and curated kind of like Jeff Bezos sending out his first books, right. Yeah, it was on. And now we have just under 1000 resources. Wow. We have just over 84 volunteers with some in the queue that are interviewing to volunteer with us. We have went and started our LinkedIn company page in August 2019.
So just after I got out of the way, and we now have over 43,000, LinkedIn followers, we’re the fastest growing nonprofit out there. We gain 1000 followers every seven to eight days on LinkedIn. It’s just amazing in the growth, it’s a community. It’s it’s just rapidly exploding grassroots. Yeah. We also put on COVID when COVID hit Yep. I was upset again. So we know that when I get upset, something happens. Yeah. And what happened was all the networking events were getting canceled. Yes. And but yet, transition service members were still getting out of the military.
So I’m very active in the Atlanta community, which is where I live. And there’s tons of veteran resources here. So I’m involved in four block and bunker labs that lanta and in March, those started to cancel. They have closed down. Yeah. And all I could think of was all of these transition service members. Were losing the opportunity to talk to mentors, talk to recruiters and hiring managers, and veteran advocates and VSOs. What are they going to do? So at one o’clock in the morning, at the last event to happen before everything closes the bunker labs event, I came up with the best industry virtual networking circuit but and I went live with it a week and a half later.
And what it was was to bring companies together with veteran service organizations and universities and colleges directly to transitioning service members, and veterans and military spouses so they can meet talk, just for a few few minutes, just enough time to whet their beak to want to connect with each other late during the week. That first event went phenomenal. And now we’re on our 19th best industry virtual networking circuit event this Saturday. 2020 is amazing.
Damon Pistulka 14:55
That’s incredible, man. It’s incredible because you think that With with 40,000 VSOs, there would have been somebody, the VA, some somebody would have pulled these resources together already. But I just have to commend you, first of all, Brian for taking the initiative and pulling it together. I mean, because you obviously, this kind of a resource is helping a ton of veterans right now. And I’m so blessed to be able to just to let you speak about it and hear your story. Because it’s helping people. And and it’s easier getting people with the resources they need. Because if they don’t, they can end up the
15:46
122.
15:49
They don’t need to be.
Brian Arrington 15:52
Yeah, I know. One of the things that we need to offer is two different email addresses. One is our operations at vets industry.com, whatever, we’re turning into a link on our website. Cool. And that’s where people that need help with career opportunities in support. The other one is support at sng COMM And that’s for people to email, if they have hardships in their life.
Yeah. And the direct support, like if their house, you know, they’re, they’re, they’re running out of rent, they’re having issues or going to be homeless, if they need mental mental support for you domestic crisis, things of that nature, and then we can direct them to the resources in their location. Yeah. That can support them in, in whatever life needs that they’re they’re having.
Yeah, because what we want to do is create hope, bring hope. Yeah. Because the reason why people have difficulties, and take those to an extreme measure, is because of a lack of hope. If you can put resources in front of them, just a little glimmer of light, bring that hope to somebody, then they have a reason to go on. And so that’s why that’s industry. We bring opportunities, connections, success, but most importantly, hope. Yeah,
Damon Pistulka 17:47
yeah. Because you know, it, it brightens after the darkest time, it will brighten up after that if you have the right people to help you through it. And, and you’re just you’re you’re connecting the people and that’s why I’m so passionate about it and and just allowing your you to share your your, your story, and then how you’re helping people and oh, my goodness, you’re on your on your 19th event, which is awesome. I mean, I can’t imagine how many people have gone through that.
Brian Arrington 18:17
Yeah, so we have 500 people cap for each event. But it’s come and go as you please. So your we actually will have people come on go off and more people will jump in. So we actually get more than 500 people during the events. Wow, you only have 500 people at one given time at the event. So it’s really cool. Because we usually have a waiting list of people that want to come in. And they get to they get to come in. But we’ve actually had more than 19 events total. Because if you count our military spouse events that we have every quarter, yeah.
On top of the webinars that we’ve done teaching, in interviewing, resume writing, dress for success, financial literacy, you’re talking about we’ve had 30 virtual events. We have started that’s the industry. And it’s been amazing. We also will did in person events before COVID happened. None that we hosted ourselves. We’re too small, but we will lose it certain events. We’ve also gone to other organizations, events and booth and I don’t need I haven’t counted those in that 3030 minutes. Yeah, but yeah.
Damon Pistulka 19:47
That’s so great. That’s so great. And now now when vets to industry now you started this you have somebody help you got 84 volunteers. What is best industry How if someone is listening today? How can they help best industry?
Brian Arrington 20:05
Well, there’s a lot of different ways we some of you will appreciate this if you ever served in, in the Marines or army or Air Force, but I created vets industry, like a battle staff. So I have an s one through an s6. But I had to change all the names up when I started getting a lot of the military spouses. And apparently the Navy doesn’t use battle staffs. So I had to change everything from s one s six to HR, research, team operations, logistics, marketing, organizational development, and IT support.
So that’s how we’re, we’re functionally operated. And if people have specific skills, especially in marketing and sale operations, program management, process improvement, HR, we’re always taking out volunteers. And they can do that by going right to our website, best to WWW dot vets, the number two industry comm and go to the contact section, and go down to volunteering, they fill out the form, you don’t have to have done all of the networking events to volunteer, you only have to have done those to facilitate other networking events.
So please fill it out. And, and you’ll go right to our intake team for interviews, night and you’ll be able to use take the section that you want to go to and support and you decide how much time you want to devote each week to supporting this industry. So that’s one way. Other ways is we’re always looking for companies that would like to come and recruit from our events.
They’re always welcome. We have 33 companies coming on Saturday. A lot of them come many times to film all of our events. Yeah, but we’re looking 500 companies that come You know, all the time. And we have staffing firms and everything small and medium sized companies, everything in between. So that’s another thing if people would like to donate, you know, because we do have operating costs keep in writing, they can go to vets to industry, and this industry.com and go to the button says donate and you can set up a recurring donation of maybe $1 a month and and go for you one time donation or however you want to do it. Yeah. extremely helpful. And it’s all tax deductible.
Damon Pistulka 23:10
Yeah, we’re three.
23:12
Yep. based out of Georgia.
Damon Pistulka 23:14
Yeah, that’s awesome, man. So I got to believe with the with the hiring crunch that companies are have I know. And I work with a lot of manufacturing. And I hope that people that are listening today, if you’re a manufacturing business owner, you consider this best industry because you’re setting in front of a ready made audience of people that want to work, they want to come out they want to and I think of manufacturing as as there are so many highly skilled workers needed in manufacturing.
And I think that these people coming from the the military are used to following processes and procedures and part of a team and being part of a team, which, which really fits well, I think in that kind of a setting. So I hope that people are listening, I wanted to stop for a moment to talk about this, Brian and I were talking about earlier because I know from many conversations this year, and even last year that while COVID did a lot with some industries, manufacturers, a lot of them CAD to keep, keep working, keep building and hiring is extremely difficult.
And when you look at it, it This to me feels like a good a good fit and hopefully it is and hopefully someone listens and and reaches out to vets to industry and talks to Brian and can get to one of these events and maybe find some new employees that will will will help that veteran transitioning into the private sector. So yeah, I just just wanted to mention that a second. But you know, the one thing Brian that I think is amazing dude, is if you if someone looks at your profile, I mean, you you were doing all this stuff. You got an MBA from Syracuse and
24:58
I still working on it. Okay, you’re still
Damon Pistulka 25:00
working on it. You’re still working on it. So you’re doing that. And
Brian Arrington 25:05
that’s my second degree. Second Master’s. Yeah. A third one as well.
Damon Pistulka 25:09
Yeah. So you’re working on that. And then you turn around and you’re in. And you’ve got five kids at home, you we just talked about, you got one, one of your children is getting married this fall, or you’re a busy dude already, and you do this stuff. It’s amazing. It’s amazing. I just, I just think that it’s it’s really exceptional Dude, that you’ve been able to do this. And I can see where people get on board with it. And, and so what are your full time
25:39
day job?
Damon Pistulka 25:40
Yeah. And then you got full time day job, too. Yeah, I just want to make sure that people understand that you are working a job, we’re doing this and here on the air in Atlanta, it’s six o’clock at night, I had to schedule this stuff outside of work for you. And I knew it would work because of that. But you’re busy at work, too. So it’s it’s really commendable man that the time and dedication you’re putting into helping these veterans making this transition, because I think it’s something that most people don’t realize that that there are so many resources, but they probably are not nearly as utilized as they should be.
Brian Arrington 26:14
Absolutely, that people just don’t know, they exist. For those of you out there that are in the service, there’s so much outside the gates, there are companies, we’ve never heard of those companies, I’m still learning about two years out. And I’ll probably never learn about all the companies that actually exist. This, there’s companies that are parent companies that will be at career fairs that we go to. And we will bypass their their booths to go to the ones that we’ve heard of that are banners and on TVs.
And we won’t even take the free stuff off of their cable, but they’re there to hire us. That was that was me. I wouldn’t focus total focus. And I wouldn’t, I was like, Don’t talk to me, don’t talk to me. Like, what was I doing? Go and talk to these companies? Because they are hiring. And they’re having trouble finding people. But it’s because nobody knows they exist. Yeah. I’m telling you these, some of them are parent companies of some of the biggest brands out there and you will never never know that they existed. So
Damon Pistulka 27:37
yeah, it’s it’s it’s cool as heck man and in your new right. It’s helping people feel comfortable about what what they need to do as they transition out. Because it’s not easy to to make that transition and start to look for a job sharks talk for those people and do that. And I have to imagine that there’s some of the service organizations that you had the veteran service organizations that are helping transitioning people, like you said, dress for success and writing your resume and doing that kind of stuff so they can get more comfortable with that. Absolutely.
Brian Arrington 28:09
Yeah, you know, there’s things that you have to get on LinkedIn. If you are not on LinkedIn, you have to make that your first day priority. Establish it, work on your branding, if you need help, then reach out to vets to industry. We have people that will help you in building your LinkedIn, you should definitely go to Michael Quinn’s workshop mastering LinkedIn. He is phenomenal.
He has a LinkedIn cheat sheet that you can get from our website. That’s very, yeah, if you go to our website, this industry COMM And you go to our Services tab, then you’ll see proven checklists. Yeah, and if you’re, if you’re starting off in transition, or even if you’re you’re halfway through it, you should definitely do the proven checklist in order and in that proven checklist is Michael Quinn’s LinkedIn cheat sheet. So it’s, it’s a great guide, it’s going to help you in every aspect of your transition, and whatever part of that journey you’re in.
Damon Pistulka 29:30
Wow. Yeah, that’s cool. Because it is, it is like, like you said, For as you were saying, you were focused because you knew exactly where you wanted to go and talk to people and and, and for others that are shy about what they wanted, or you know, or just just not used, because it’s not something you’re used to, right. It’s it’s you got to break out of that comfort zone a little bit and that help. Well, we’ll get you more comfortable with it, and get you through that and help into it. But like that’s the LinkedIn. I agree. I think coming out in establishing your LinkedIn profile so they can so someone could see your background a little bit more. It certainly helps. It certainly helps. Yeah, it
Brian Arrington 30:09
made sure there’s no military jargon on there. If you need help, you’re making it civilian eyes. That’s where you get our reach out to the veteran service organization, we can refer you to veteran service organizations that can help you do that. Even internally, our volunteers can help you do that. Because what you think is natural speak? Yeah. Trust me, it’s not.
Damon Pistulka 30:38
Yeah. Oh. Yeah. So now that now that we are we are hopefully in in Atlanta, you’ve been without, you’ve been out and about fairly normally for a while, I would assume. But
Brian Arrington 30:53
no, I actually have not. I am really fascinated. But I view the events haven’t really kicked off yet that the big event that I’m waiting for, with bated breath is in September that lanta the q3 summit is coming up. And that’s going to be in the Atlanta Hawks stadium. So I’m really looking forward to going back to that, and we’re going to boost their best and she’s going to have a booth there.
Yeah, so really excited. And let’s see in July, cannabis messenger who never met each other. Yeah. Except for one person. I’ve met Bobby young. Yeah, person. But I’m gonna be with nine other people that I haven’t met in DC, after the baby’s event. So the Academy of us Veterans Association, is having their annual veterans awards. And that’s an issue, we have tickets to go there. And I’m going to get to meet my as my volunteers.
Damon Pistulka 32:14
That’s awesome. That’s awesome.
32:16
Well, it’s the person
Damon Pistulka 32:18
I know, that’s crazy. It’s, it’s cool. It’s cool that you’ve been able to do this. And, you know, I think that it, you know, while COVID is horrible, in a lot of ways, the virtual part of this has probably helped you to connect more people faster, because of the virtual nature of it.
And that, hopefully, that that can continue, because if it makes you or allows you to help more people, that may be a good, you know, complimentary part to your in person events to because, you know, because somebody could be across the across the globe transitioning out. And you can still get on these virtual events. Because I mean, I could be moving back into Michigan or something, and I’m in, you know, I’m in Germany, or wherever the heck I’m at. And I can still do that this way. And that’s, that’s the beauty of that.
Brian Arrington 33:07
Yeah. So every one of our events, we have people from all over the globe. Yeah, yeah. People will get up at two o’clock in the morning. And we’ll be on our calls. And it’s, it’s amazing, Chris, I’m looking at you. He knows. People in Germany and England. You’re calling in and Hawaii? Call and then. Yeah, you are events. It’s, it’s great. It’s wonderful.
Damon Pistulka 33:39
Yeah, that I just thought about that. As we were doing it. It’s like, you know, your that they’re everywhere, virtually everywhere.
Brian Arrington 33:45
We have ups for, for we’re calling for for the events? Yeah. Like, I can’t tell you where I’m at. But I wanted to be at this event. Yeah.
Damon Pistulka 34:01
That is so cool. Because again, I mean, it’s like anything, it’s that’s that’s a normal working environment for them. But to be able to jet and to come back with and connect with the people, for the vets industry events and connect with employers connect with the VSOs that you have available at that. That is got to be a very nice benefit from that. Yeah,
Brian Arrington 34:25
I just love that you’re any everyone that we can touch to make this you know, to bring them home. And just, you know if we can get them to another three weeks for the next one, because we have so many people that come You know, back. It’s almost a it’s so much of a community that they get their camaraderie. Yeah. So there’s people that literally can’t wait to the next one.
There’s people that will stay on our calls, the hired day tours. And they’re like, they want more. Yeah, we usually have about 100 people that stay on the entire six hours of the event. Wow. Some of them are recruiters. Yeah, they just they love the events so much that they stay for the happy hour. Yeah. where we live. So it’s, it’s like cheers virtual Cheers. Yeah, for those who don’t remember, the cheers was a TV show with people at a bar. Everybody knows your name? Google it. Zen. Yes.
Damon Pistulka 35:41
Yeah, there you go. There you go, if you haven’t seen it, but that’s it’s just, I mean, I just get I get so so excited talking to you, Brian. And obviously, I get a little choked up too, because I think about the, the the veterans that don’t find the help they need. And, and it is, it is a sad thing that that you’re helping people. And that’s a sad thing. But I’m so enthused and excited to hear how you’re helping people.
And I’m really excited to see the growth, the how it’s really taking off how you’ve been able to grow this thing virtually over the last year. And, and I’m really excited about that. And I hope that we’re connecting you through this live event with other employers with other maybe some VSOs that want to be a part of it volunteers that want to be a part of it.
It’s www dot vets to industry, the number two industry calm, and you got to reach out, get on there and help out when you can or how you can how ever you can because it’s the great thing. And and helping these vets come into the private sector, you get some good employees coming into the private sector this way, which I know a lot of people are looking for good employees and good people that can be with them long term. And I just think it’s just incredible what you’re doing. And I’m so happy to be able to talk about it with you. I’ve got one last thing to ask you, though. Because if we can, if we could make one thing happened for Vets the industry, what could we make happen?
Brian Arrington 37:11
I want to be in all the tech classes and first term centers on every base worldwide.
Damon Pistulka 37:21
Okay. So let’s see how we can make that happen. Because I tell you what
Brian Arrington 37:29
the knowledge does, it doesn’t matter if they just get in. Because administrative things gonna happen, medical things can happen within a year of being in and that 90 year old that plan to do 20 years because their grandpa or grandma or their father, you know, the big brother big sister did it now is out of the military, it has no idea what they want to do.
So they know that there’s free resources out there. And servicemembers while they’re in can actually get a free PTSD service animal, you know, if they want to. There’s so many different resources, free LinkedIn premium for military spouses, wherever they, whenever they PCs, you have the ability of reciprocity, across states for certifications for military spouses, if they’re lawyers, or doctors and nurses. So there’s so much out there that we need to spread the word and the only way to do that is getting on the basis.
Damon Pistulka 38:39
Getting on the bases. So what what has been your what has been your biggest challenges getting on every base?
Brian Arrington 38:48
I it takes a while to build relationships.
Damon Pistulka 38:52
Yes.
Brian Arrington 38:53
So, you know, we’re working the the angle of getting buy in from all of the taps managers that we get introduced to so I’m going the long game. Yeah. I’m building relationships with the basis that you come, or we find along the way, or events. And then we we actually cut one of the bases, we actually provide a one hour briefing about transitioning resources. So yeah, that’s been phenomenal. And that’s on our YouTube channel. So if anyone wants to take a look at the best industry YouTube channel, they’ll actually see us at Whiteman Air Force Base, doing one of our presentations.
Damon Pistulka 39:45
That’s awesome. That’s awesome. So
Brian Arrington 39:48
my goal is to hit all 270,000 transitioning veterans and their families a year because that’s how many people separate or or retire every year, every year. So at minimum, we need to hit all 270,000 of them and their families before they get out of the military.
Damon Pistulka 40:11
Yeah. And that’s and you said, if you get into every base and and be in the taps the taps office to be to be there,
Brian Arrington 40:22
I will I will settle for that
Damon Pistulka 40:24
you’ll settle for that. So
Brian Arrington 40:26
I want to get into the first term centers to the Ombudsman, the first term airman centers, that’s you when they first get to their first duty station. So they can learn that there’s resources available for them while they’re in the military. And they’ll be safe when they decide because everybody gets out. Yep. And we’re there for them when they get out.
Damon Pistulka 40:52
Yeah, that’s awesome. Because that’s, that’s a great place to because if you if you’re talking to somebody when they first get in, so they understand that will help them and they could actually be working on some of this stuff while they’re in the military. But I think one of the things that you bring up that’s even even more relevant is if you get hurt, I mean, you can you can be working in office, shopping it in the military and get hurt and something I mean, have someone we know Joseph step key, he he hurt, hurt himself and had to be out.
And he was planning on staying and a lot longer than he did. And you know, it just happens, as you said. So that’s when you first set it, I was like, well, but you’re exactly right. It you just never know. So. So people are listening and hear part of the tab. So the first term centers and reach out to Brian, because they’re the best in industry, people, they’ve got it going on, they’re helping a lot of veterans with this transition.
And, and I just want to do everything I can to to make sure that we’re covering stuff today that if somebody hears it, we can make things happen. So I just man, I am so excited that that was able to do this with you, Brian. And I just thank you so much. Thank you for your service, first of all, but thank you so much for putting this together. Because like I said, you have six children, you’re working a full time job, you’re going to school. And then to do this on top of it. This was no like decision for you and your family to allow you to do this and take the time to do this. So I just want to say thank you.
Brian Arrington 42:31
It there. So I became an accidental entrepreneur. Because I was mad. And you know, I I didn’t know what was going to happen in my last this. I decided to do this six months before I got out the military. Yeah, e4 with my savings account.
42:54
Yeah, no.
Brian Arrington 42:57
I thought I was gonna I landed a job three weeks before I got out the military. So this was all on faith. And so, you know, it
43:07
was a
Damon Pistulka 43:10
we got lucky. It was meant to be man. It was meant to be because it’s the right thing. And that’s what
43:15
moves too much. Yeah.
Damon Pistulka 43:17
Yeah. Well, that’s awesome. Well, I just want to say thank you once again, Bryan. Bryan Arrington vets to the number two industry.com. Get on there. If you’re a company, get on one of their events, get out there and recruit some of these great veterans transitioning out, get on the website to learn more about resources if you are a veteran, and you want some help with transitioning with support with anything like that.
And also, if you want to donate to vets industry, who has over 84 volunteers now they’ve got almost 1000 free resources for veterans out there. They’re helping veterans with they put on over 30 free events for veterans over the last year. Help be a part of that. So thanks, Brian. I’m going to shut it down here on LinkedIn live but man you got me excited and makes me feel good that people like you are out there helping people the way you are.
Brian Arrington 44:16
Can I give them a contact me if they weren’t? You
Damon Pistulka 44:20
give me your contact information man.
Brian Arrington 44:22
If you’re a company or anyone that he just listed, contact me at Brian. b r i n dot Arrington A r r i n g t o n at vets to industry.com All right.
Damon Pistulka 44:44
Yep. And we’ll put that in the comments here on the LinkedIn posts and and we’ll do it on YouTube as well man because I tell you what, like I said companies get involved with should be involved with your recruiting. staffing firm should be involved with you people that want to help us volunteers, people that want to donate to get on and donate, and and help these veterans transitioning in the workforce, man.
45:07
Wonderful.
Damon Pistulka 45:08
All right. Have a great day, everyone. Thanks so much for listening on LinkedIn live and Facebook or YouTube, wherever the heck you’re listening. Thanks to Brian for taking time out from his evening and we’re going to be done for now.
