CAREFREE TRUTH
Carefree Truth #454
Carefree Truth
Issue #454, January 14, 2016
This is a departure for a Carefree Truth issue, but Herbert and I feel this is such a worthy endeavor that we decided to feature this new Carefree business in today's Carefree Truth. A major theme at our Carefree Veteran's Day event was the problem returning vets have finding work. It was repeatedly said that vets appreciate being thanked for their service, but the way to really thank them is to give them a job. Below is Bob's story.
Semper Fi!
Lyn Hitchon
VETSBuilt Contracting
Carefree, Arizona
Bob Jenkins graduated from High School and was going to head off to the University of Denver the following Fall. But something was itching at him so he took the summer and Fall semester to figure it out. He had a pretty good idea but wanted time to think about it. So without causing any provocation within his family, he joined the Marine Corps without anyone knowing.
Bob felt it was his duty to serve; his great Uncle Charlie, a Welsh immigrant, had served in the Marine Corps in WWI, his dad, Llewellyn (Lew) Jenkins served under Gen. George Patton at The Battle Of The Bulge in WWII, his older brother Tom is a Former Marine, his son William is a Navy Seabee. Although his younger brother DJ had open-heart surgery at 15, he still tried to join the Marine Corps at 18! (“The recruiter said he had the right attitude to be a Marine but just couldn’t get past the surgery… Go figure!”). Four generations of the Jenkins family have served in the United States military. Time to give back and help those who help all of us!
Bob graduated from Boot Camp at Parris Island SC and was handed orders to Twentynine Palms, CA. He immediately thought “Blonds, beaches and beer!” His “MOS” (Military Occupational Specialty “job”) was “1371” or “Combat Engineer”. “I thought I’d died and gone to heaven.” He remembers…
Bob reported to Twentynine Palms (the “Stumps”, or “The Moon with houses.” as it’s called by anyone who has ever been there…) and began work as a Combat Engineer. The Marine Corps Combat Engineers build and blow, in other words they have extensive training in demolitions and construction. They were called the Construction/Destruction guys.
When Bob was promoted to Cpl he was sent to Journeymen’s Combat Engineer School at Camp Lejeune, NC for four months, learning everything from C-4 demolition, landmines to building bridges, bunkers and buildings.
After being discharged from the Marine Corps Bob attended Northeastern University in Boston. After graduation, he worked for American Express, Polaroid, VTEL and VCON (he was on the 39th floor of WTC-1 on 9-11 when the first plane hit…); it was an epiphany, one that changed his life forever...
Bob bought his first “fixer-upper” in Stamford, CT for $80,000.00. He and his two partners “gutted” it and completely remodeled it and turned a nice profit. He was hooked… Since then Bob has bought and remodeled over 20 buildings in Charlestown MA (Boston) and has sold and built over 40 new homes including several highly custom homes in the >$1million range. But Bob saw the real estate bust in the late 80’s and saw it coming again, and like surviving in the Marine Corps, he grabbed a flack-jacket, helmet and ducked for cover… And now he’s back! “It’s not the hey-days but I see growth in the commercial and residential markets, and I expect with my Veteran status, we’ll see some good business. I genuinely think if it’s between helping veterans, people will step up to the plate and help.”
Bob and his younger brother “DJ” Jenkins started VETSBuilt Contracting in Carefree with the goal of finding and putting fellow veterans to work. “I know the mentality and ethos of Vets; they’re a different breed-of-cat, all they want is a fair shot! And we’re going to try to help!” DJ holds a current AZ real estate license and has been practicing locally for over 12 years. He knows the market very well and he knows land surveying. In a past-life DJ graduated from New England College with a degree in Economics, he worked for Bank of Boston for ten years and he knows finance/lending. He originally moved to AZ to attend Scottsdale Culinary School, now called “Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts” where he graduated 1st in his class…. Together they make a good team!
The goal of VETSBuilt is to hire veterans and put them back to work! “We will all wear a 'uniform' with the VETSBuilt logo and the America flag sewn on. We built a brotherhood in the service and bonded, I believe I can do it here as well; “Esprit de corps”! And even though it’s the Marine Corps motto: Semper Fidelis (Semper FI) means “Always Faithful”, Bob believes it translates to all vets under these circumstances too.
VETSBuilt has already teamed up with Alan Carlson a long-time local contractor and licensed engineer who is also bonded and insured. By teaming with Alan, VETSBuilt already has credibility and “past-performance” and can only grow and build from there!
Just prior to the holidays, Bob and DJ found a “green-builder” outside of Las Vegas, NV. These guys have a new and revolutionary game-changing, disruptive technology that could quite literally change the way we build houses in the US. VetsBuilt is currently talking with and negotiating a deal to be a builder/dealer in the southwest. Additionally, this company is extremely interested in finding land and building “green, off-the-grid” affordable homes for veterans and first-responders across the US. Ambitious plans but honorable ones… They also have found a way to make virtually any wall “bullet-proof” just by applying a “mix” so secure they will not file a patent for obvious reasons. “This is incredible” says Bob Jenkins; “I can’t wait to really start marketing this product soon.”
If you have a kitchen or bathroom that needs remodeling, looking for a safe-room or a 30,000 sqft building built, I hope you will remember VETSBuilt Contracting and call us; you’ll be helping yourself and those who have served you never expecting or asking for anything in return! But they need your help now…
Side note: Bob joined the group locally called MC-LEF Marine Corps Law Enforcement Foundation: http://www.mc-lef.org/
May 13th at Desert Ridge is a golf tournament that will have seven (7) Congressional Medal of Honor Winners present. These guys raise money for scholarships for the children of fallen Marines, law enforcement and First-Responders. They have raised over $36 Million and an astounding 98.4% goes to the children!!!
MC-LEF: Marine Corps – Law Enforcement Foundation
Thanks to generous donors, MC-LEF currently provides a $30,000 scholarship account for every child who loses a parent serving in the US Marine Corps
Semper Fi….
For more information about VETSBuilt, contact:
Bob Jenkins
Managing Partner
978-578-0647
DJ Jenkins
Managing Partner
480-748-0684
Semper Fi to our veterans...
Bob Jenkins
Managing Partner
VETSBUILT CONTRACTING
Veteran-Owned Small Business
978-578-0647
Bob@VETSBuilt.com
WE SUPPORT ALL VETERANS
