How Former Army Reservist Jack B. Continues to Serve
By: Chelsey S., Sr Manager, Communications
In a now or never moment, Jack B. teamed up with Team Rubicon to help when disaster hit and hasn’t looked back.
Fort Worth-based financial consultant Jack B. credits his time in the Army Reserves with teaching him time management and delegation skills. Serving for 8 years, including a year-long deployment to Iraq in 2019, and leaving the Reserves as a Captain in 2022, Jack recalls being asked a lot of different things all the time.
“I certainly couldn’t do everything myself,” says Jack, who worked on an engineering and construction mission while deployed. “I had to rely on people in my unit, something I wasn’t necessarily used to doing. And that was a humbling experience. One that I’ve taken with me, and that has helped me.”
Continuing to serve
Jack left the Army Reserves two years ago, but the desire to serve has remained. In fact, it’s partly what drove him to a career as a financial consultant. He takes great pride in building relationships with his clients, and he says what he values most is seeing the ongoing impact that he’s able to have on their lives.
But sometimes, when service isn’t baked into the day-to-day, say through military service, or your job, it can be hard to build up the inertia to be that impact in your community. Even Jack found that to be true.
In 2018, while still in the military, Jack signed up for Team Rubicon[1], a veteran-led humanitarian organization, built to serve communities when disaster strikes. But for one reason or another, Jack never actually got involved.
“I always found excuses,” he says. “Then one day, I decided that I wasn’t going to find an excuse anymore.”
Springing into action
Late last August, when Jack found himself missing some of the comradery and structure he had in military, hurricane Idalia hit North Florida. He realized was now or never moment. So he sprang into action. With only a few days’ notice he joined Team Rubicon in Live Oak, Florida in early September. For a week, he was the boots on the ground, clearing trees from roads, and connecting community members with resources, receiving his first grey shirt, the volunteer t-shirts worn by Team Rubicon members that they say are “earned, not issued.”
And that was just a jumping off point for working with Team Rubicon. In January 2024 he helped rebuild a ramp for a disabled resident living in south Dallas. In February he picked up over 400 pounds of trash in Arlington, Texas. And in April he’s organized a joint volunteer event with the employees of his branch and Team Rubicon as part of Schwab volunteer week, Schwab’s annual week of service.
Even the helpers need help
Jack has found fulfillment in finally joining forces with Team Rubicon, but he knows he couldn’t do it without support, which he says primarily comes from his wife, Kayla, who takes care of his two-year-old daughter, Kinsley, while he is taking care of disasters.
At work, Jack was able to use eight hours of paid time off that Schwab offers every employee, in addition to earned vacation time for his trip to Florida. And he credits his branch manager and assistant branch manager for giving him the flexibility to make it all happen and supporting his clients while he’s away.
And as a veteran, Jack feels right at home at Schwab where he’s a member of Schwab’s Military Veteran’s Network employee resource group. In fact, “U.S. Veterans Magazine” named Schwab “Best of the Best 2023” in recognition for being a veteran friendly employer—a recognition Schwab has received since 2012.
It can take a community of support to support those that help the community, like Jack. And he’s only just beginning.
Visit Main Street Stories to learn how Jack balances being there for his clients and his community.
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