It all started with a love of video games and the community that comes with gaming. Created by Jarred Vickers and Ben Bolton in 2019, what was originally a Slack channel for the gamers in the company transitioned into a Discord server. Currently, the BRCC Discord Gaming channel hosts about 60 players within the company and holds an open invitation for any current employees and family members that want to join.
Paula Austin became a military spouse in August of 1999 when she married her then-husband, Ivan Garcia. His service started out active duty, but after three years, he transitioned to the National Guard. Garcia deployed three times with his Guard unit, twice to Iraq and then once to Afghanistan. The final deployment led to the beginning of Austin's journey as a caregiver and what eventually led her to the BRCC finance team.
As part of the events team, Michael Miears is lucky enough to travel the country and meet tons of people from different walks of life. A former infantryman, his work now takes him coast to coast, from NFL tailgates to Total Archery Challenges and Spartan Races, serving Black Rifle Coffee up to long-time fans and new BRCC followers alike.
Former Army Ranger turned BRCC Social Media Manager Luke Ryan recently published his debut novel, The First Marauder, a post-apocalyptic story set in Tampa, Florida. This is the first novel in the 'Post-Red' series that follows 15-year-old Tyler Ballard as he joins the East Tampa Militia Tyler's journey illustrates the discovery of war and those involved in it - from the soldiers in the dirt to the politicians barking orders and pulling strings.
This Bitters barista turned-lead retail-store opener says her favorite roasts are the Holiday Roast and AK-47 Espresso. Bethany Keen joined BRCC after five years in the Army, and when she’s not training up new-store staff, she’s crafting and creating (from macrame to rhinestone paint by numbers and everything in between).
With a second career as a Black Rifle Coffee franchise co-owner, Jarret Johnson has shown that he is dedicated to supporting the military community he lives among in Niceville, Florida.
In late January, Jarret Johnson was announced as a finalist for the NFL’s Salute to Service Award, which is presented by the United Services Automobile Association. The award comes with a $25,000 donation by the NFL to the award recipient’s military charity (or charities) of choice.
Miguel Leon spent 10 years as a Cav Scout in the Army, deploying to Iraq and then to Afghanistan before a deployment injury led to his cancer diagnosis. Fast-forward through time at a nonprofit and completing a bachelor’s and master’s degree, and Leon landed at Black Rifle Coffee Company in a fast-paced position as an executive assistant.
If you’re looking for the poster child for the military brat community, Black Rifle Coffee Company’s Shaunt’e Brinkley is your “it girl.”
Brinkley, one of the leaders of BRCC’s evening-shift customer service teams, grew up, quite literally, in the military — her dad served 20 years in the Navy. They moved from California to Virginia when Brinkley was 10 years old, and she spent the rest of her childhood in the same place.
