Rob Arndt turned hardship into purpose, shaping a mission that empowers veterans beyond their military service. After 14 years in the Marine Corps, he recognized the widespread underemployment of veterans—61% stuck in roles that fail to harness their skills. As the founder and CEO of Buffer Springs, Rob addresses the disconnect between military experience and civilian careers, dispelling misconceptions about service members' expertise. He highlights that only a fraction serve in direct combat roles, while most gain valuable skills in logistics, technology, and human resources. His work not only supports veterans but also helps businesses tap into an untapped reservoir of exceptional talent.
Buffer Springs goes beyond standard veteran employment programs by embracing the Japanese concept of Ikigai, guiding veterans toward careers aligned with their passion, talent, and market demand. Instead of merely reworking military resumes, Rob’s team fosters self-discovery, leading veterans to meaningful roles in corporate leadership, entrepreneurship, and more. His candid approach challenges conventional narratives, urging companies to hire veterans for their potential rather than patriotism. With 97 service members successfully placed, Rob’s mission is clear—bridging the gap between veterans and the careers they deserve. Learn more at buffersprings.com.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place
where local businesses andneighbors come together.
Here's your host, YvonneGodfrey.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Let's try to Welcome to the Good Neighbor Podcast,
where we shine a spotlight onlocal business throughout the
North Shore community.
Our mission is to connect thesebusinesses with their target
audience, whether individuals,homeowners, business or
corporation.
We want you to know about theincredible service and products
available right in yourneighborhood.
(00:32):
So join us as we explore thestories behind these businesses,
celebrate their success anddiscover how they contribute to
our vibrant community.
By supporting local enterprises, we foster economic growth and
build stronger, more connectedneighborhoods.
Please tune in and be inspiredby the remarkable business that
(00:53):
make the North Shore a greatplace to live and work.
Today, in our studio, I havethe distinct pleasure of
introducing your neighbor, RobArndt, owner of Buffer Springs.
Rob, how are you today?
Speaker 3 (01:08):
I am doing fantastic.
How about yourself?
Speaker 2 (01:10):
I am fantastic.
Thank you for asking so, rob.
Please tell our listeners aboutyour business.
Speaker 3 (01:18):
So my name is Rob Arndt.
I am the CEO and founder ofBuffer Springs.
We are a training andconsulting firm that specializes
in helping smart organizationsbuild effective, scalable and
sustainable military talentprograms and happy to be on the
program today.
Speaker 2 (01:34):
And we're happy to have you.
Can you elaborate a little bitmore about your service?
Speaker 3 (01:39):
Absolutely so.
I grew up in a place calledErie, Pennsylvania, didn't have
much opportunity, had a lot ofchallenges ahead of me and saw
the military as a way to get outof that and to create a better
future for myself.
So I enlisted into the UnitedStates Marine Corps back in 2000
.
In that time frame I was in theinitial invasion to Iraq.
(01:59):
I spent 14 years on the MarineCorps side doing various
different jobs before finding mycalling in recruiting and
retention.
I spent about seven years doingMarine Corps recruiting and
retention here in the greaterBoston area before deciding to
transition out to the civiliansector.
And in that time frame I had apretty turbulent transition
myself, moving from the militaryinto the civilian sector, and
(02:20):
couldn't really find a goodsolution for that, for service
members or for organizations toconnect with military talent or
to really understand and valueus.
And since I saw that void inthe market, I created Buffer
Springs.
After spending about sevenyears working with what I now
call competitors or other peoplethat are in our space, About
three years ago I decided tohang up our own shingle here and
do things a little bitdifferently and help our
(02:42):
veterans and their families, aswell as corporate America really
solve this problem and think ofit objectively, instead of the
way that we have been looking atit kind of blindly.
Speaker 2 (02:51):
I appreciate that, and so, because of the need that
you saw, that's how you gotinto this business.
Speaker 3 (02:57):
Absolutely.
There was a problem that neededto be solved out there and at
first I thought that I was theproblem.
It was me tweaking my resume ortrying to civilianize my
military experience and tryingto dwindle that down or water
that down, whatever you want tocall it and saw employers really
waving flags and saying howfriendly they were to the
military community.
But when I read deeper intotheir advertisements or the way
(03:18):
that they perceived us, theyreally didn't understand us and
I think that there's a huge gapthere that's missing in helping
our corporate organizationsactually understand what the
veterans bring to the table andnot just patriotism or pity or
the hero and victim conceptsthat you see out there.
But our service members doamazing things on a daily basis
and our military loses thosegreat service members on a daily
(03:39):
basis.
They're coming out to corporateAmerica and if we can think of
this a little bit differently,we can make a lot of big changes
for both sides of that coin.
Speaker 2 (03:45):
Can you give us an example of someone else that you
have helped that you can use asan example?
Speaker 3 (03:51):
Absolutely.
I mean we have countlessexamples.
I've been doing this work.
I mean myself, I've been doingthis for over 20 years
collectively in this space.
So this is my life, this is mypassion, this is what I care
about, this is what I do on adaily basis.
In that time frame that we'vebeen working, even over the past
three years, we have had 97Skillbridge candidates go
(04:12):
through our corridors here atBuffer Springs, meaning that we
have taken 97 transitioningveterans and helped them become
better, more efficient civilians, getting them into the career
paths, business paths or wherethey want to be in life.
So those 97 that have comethrough our channels alone,
we've made that huge internal,immediate impact From that
timeframe as well.
We are the official veteranemployment partner for all of
PepsiCo, frito-lay, gatorade,quaker Oats and are really doing
(04:34):
some really amazingtransformative things with them
to reshape what veterans dowithin the organization or
rescale what people think aboutveterans and what we're capable
of doing within corporateAmerica.
And we've had the luxury ofbeing hand selective of the
partners that we work with andhave really had the opportunity
to work with some reallyelectric, smart companies to
create some really impactfulprograms for our people, and
(04:56):
it's been amazing work over thepast three years and we're just
getting started.
Speaker 2 (05:00):
And many of these veterans.
Are they working corporate?
Are they branching off to doingtheir own business?
Are you helping them with that?
Speaker 3 (05:07):
Great question.
So through our Skill Bridgeprogram here, really what we
want to do is get them back tofiguring out what they want to
be when they grow up again,whether they've been in the
armed services for four years or40 years.
It's kind of getting back tohaving your own choose your own
adventure book and figuring outhow you want to scale your life
and what you want that looking,what you want your life to look
like around you.
So our curriculum goes off of aancient Japanese concept called
(05:30):
Aikigai and that's really aboutcentering yourself, finding
your purpose and your passionand what you can be paid to do
and what the world needs.
And we help these militaryveterans figure out what, where
they fit or where they can takethose skill sets, experiences,
or even, if they're retiring outof the military, what can they
do next.
My job in the Marine Corps wasnuclear, biological, chemical
warfare.
It has absolutely nothing to dowith what I'm doing now, but my
(05:52):
passions took me in a differentplace and these veterans have
that opportunity to do that withus.
So we have had people go off tocorporate America.
We've had people start theirown businesses.
We've had people go off to bluecollar roles, gray collar roles
reinvent themselves, get backinto school and learn something,
or get back to a passion theyhad in their childhood they want
to bring back because that wastheir happiest time.
That's really what we're tryingto figure out what veterans are
(06:13):
capable of doing, and showingthem that they're capable of
anything as long as they puttheir mind to it and have the
right conduits to make it happen.
Speaker 2 (06:20):
So it sounds like your service also helped them
from start to finish.
Speaker 3 (06:25):
What our program is.
It's not a temporary fix orthat we spend three months or
six months with theseindividuals.
They become actual parts ofBuffer Springs.
Our goal is to get them as highup that mountaintop as we
possibly can, and the only thingthat we ask in return is that
when we call in a couple ofyears and ask them to lift as
they climb with somebody elsewho's behind them, that they
(06:45):
answer that phone call.
So with us, we are reallytrying to get veterans to a
higher plateau altogether.
Our mission overall is toeradicate and completely wipe
out underemployment within themilitary connected community.
Right now, 61% of veterans areunderemployed, meaning that
we're in a job that we have nobusiness being in.
That is awful for us asveterans, obviously, but it's
(07:06):
also awful for corporate America, because you're not getting the
best out of your best people.
You don't have the rightplayers in the right spots on
the field to go out and win thatSuper Bowl or whatever you're
trying to do.
So that's what we're trying tochange in this is not just wave
a flag or do another patrioticduty, but really rescale the way
that corporate America thinksof veterans and the fact that we
have the strongest military onthe planet because of our people
(07:27):
.
Those people get out every year.
If you know what to do with theright ones, we can do some
amazing things for you as well,and that's what we're trying to
prove here.
Speaker 2 (07:34):
I appreciate all that you've shared with our
listeners.
The veteran community is nearand dear to my heart, and so
it's always wonderful to hearwhat companies are able to do,
how they're able to give back toveterans.
Thank you.
Speaker 3 (07:47):
Absolutely my pleasure and it's always great
working with companies that getit, that don't want to wave a
flag or call us heroes orvictims because we don't
identify as either.
We want to do great work.
We want to do it in a greatplace with great.
You have that.
We would love to talk with youat Buffer Springs.
Speaker 2 (08:01):
Thank you.
So, rob, what are some myths ormisconceptions in your industry
, in your service?
Speaker 3 (08:08):
There are a lot of myths and misunderstandings
around veterans and, I would say, more biased than almost any
other underrepresented groupthat's out there because of
what's out there in social mediaand in Hollywood.
Everyone has different biasesin military service and if you
haven't served in the military,they're all wrong.
And even if you've served inanother branch, if you've been
(08:28):
in the Air Force, you have noidea what it's like to be a
Marine or to serve in a branchor to be in the Army.
So there are a lot of biasesaround our people that we all
blow stuff up and fight bad guyswhen it's simply not the truth.
Only about 15% of the militaryis in a direct combat
environment.
The rest of us are in a supportcapacity.
So we have HR people, it peopleanything that you can think of
(08:49):
in corporate America guidancecounselors, chaplains whatever
you think of exists in themilitary.
It may just be called somethingdifferent.
So that's one of the biggestbiases that I see out.
There is that all of us arejust fighting wars and blowing
stuff up when it's simply notthe case.
Another big bias that I seearound my people is that all of
us have PTSD.
And if we do have PTSD, thenit's going to have some sort of
detriment into the workplace,when in reality PTSD is a human
(09:13):
condition.
It is not something that's justsubject to military.
You have friends, you havecolleagues, co-workers, who have
been bit by a dog in a caraccident, had a traumatic
childhood and have never worn auniform.
So there are a lot of badconnotations around my people,
around PTSD and mental stigmathat doesn't necessarily exist.
So there are a lot of biasesabout veterans and I have done
this work, like I said, for 20plus years.
(09:33):
I've served in the militarysince 2000 and served with the
military until present day andwill continue to do that, and I
have never met the same veterantwice.
I have never met the sameperson with the same story twice
and I would highly recommendthat people stop thinking of
veterans or painting us with thesame red, white and blue or
camouflage brush, because we areall different individuals that
bring different things to thetable.
Speaker 2 (09:54):
What is your thought when you hear individuals say to
you thank you for your service?
Speaker 3 (10:00):
You know, that's something that I've really
questioned over the years.
What I say to that, though, ismy pleasure, because it was.
I wasn't taken out of my bed inthe middle of the night and
thrown out to Vietnam oranything like that.
I knew exactly what I wasgetting into.
I saw my friends and otherstudents going to college or
going into the workforce, andthe military seemed like a
better path for me, so I chosethat path.
(10:21):
So, even though you know it'snice to get that, thank you for
your service.
It's my pleasure because I gotwhat I wanted out of that
service.
I got out of Erie, pennsylvania.
I learned leadership, I learneddiscipline, I learned how to be
a better person, a bettercontributing member to society.
So it's actually my pleasure,and I get to continue to serve
with these amazing people thatare brave enough to throw on
that uniform, and unfortunately,only about 1% of our country
(10:44):
serves right now.
That's dangerous anddisheartening that we don't see
military service as this greatpathway when in reality it is,
and I've seen countless veteranswith stories like mine from
humble beginnings go off andcreate amazing things.
So another bias about militaryis I think serving in the
military is something that isunderappreciated and undervalued
and underdone in our nationappreciated and undervalued and
(11:07):
underdone in our nation.
So, rob, outside of work, whatdo you do for fun?
Outside of work, I have abeautiful, big, wonderful family
so I spend a lot of time withmy wife, my three sons and our
dog Nash.
So we actually went out toupstate New York this past
weekend, escaped, went to themiddle of nowhere, went hiking,
went kayaking, fishing andeverything else.
And we try to do that every nowand then just to try to keep
sanity in there and keep valuesin line.
(11:29):
But I spend any of my off timejust hanging out with my family
and doing various things sportsand very, very busy and always
have a million things going onalong with my business, so never
a dull moment in life aroundhere.
Speaker 2 (11:40):
And some of that sounds like making up for those
times that you were separatedfrom them while you were
overseas.
Speaker 3 (11:47):
Well, one of the big things that was my deciding
factor to get out of themilitary is that I was
government property and I diddeploy and go to places that I
didn't want to go to, and that'sfine.
But it got to a certain pointwhere I had to make the choice
of either being gunny I was agunnery sergeant in the Marine
Corps, so they call it gunny forshort so I had to make the call
(12:10):
of either being Gunny or beingDad, and Dad won.
I've never thought back of that, but I value my service.
I still work with a lot ofservice members in my daily
operation, which is wonderful,but it was just my time to go
and everybody knows when it'stheir time.
And that's the inevitable thingabout the military is everybody
that's in is getting out atsome point, whether it's four
years or 40 years.
But everyone has to make thatdeciding point.
And what are you doing with that?
What are you doing with yourplan after the fact?
Because there is a lot of lifeafter military service and a lot
(12:31):
of us perpetuate or we thinkback of that's something that is
our defining moment.
Or I'm only a Marine, but thatwas 14 years of my life.
I still have a lot of lifeahead of me and that's only
going to be a fraction of itwhen I look back.
So hold on to that militaryservice.
Take your great experiencesfrom that, but don't perpetuate
it on it and don't make itdefine you.
Use it as fuel to take you towhere you need to go next.
Speaker 2 (12:52):
Sounds like good advice, and I like what you said
earlier as well, that it hashelped shape you to be a better
person.
Speaker 3 (12:58):
It 100% has, and I've learned a lot.
I learned from good leaders andgood examples.
I also learned from a lot ofbad leaders and bad examples
when I was in as well of how notto do things and you just kind
of develop yourself and roundyourself out as an individual as
time goes on and just got tohave your eyes open to those
moments and take the good andthe bad from them.
Hopefully you take the rightside of that.
Speaker 2 (13:19):
Well said, so let's change gears.
Rob, Can you describe onehardship or one of life's
challenge that you rose aboveand can now say because of it
you're better and stronger what?
Speaker 3 (13:30):
comes to mind I mean my childhood.
I grew up dirt poor and one ofthe poorest zip codes in the
United States, and when I say Iwas dirt poor this wasn't like
you know we like.
I was literally dirt poor,eating out of trash cans and
things like that, and had apretty rough upbringing and I
wouldn't change any of that forthe life of me.
When I tell some people mystory that haven't grown up in
(13:50):
those kinds of conditions, theylook back at it as like shocking
or appalling.
But it helped to harden me, toshape me, to help me understand
and read people for the good andthe bad that they are and see
the world for what it was.
It also helped me create aviewpoint of a life that I did
not want my family to have orsee any bits of.
So, as I said earlier, learningfrom the negatives more than
the positives I think I've had achance to do that more than the
positive over life, and I'vecome from those kind of ashes,
(14:14):
but I'm able to create a betterfuture for others around me
because of not wanting to havethem exposed to that.
So I would say that that'sprobably the culminating moment
of my life is coming fromnothing and turning it into more
than I thought I was even goingto be able to, and definitely
more than everybody else said Iwas going to be able to.
And that was the chip that gotput on my shoulder.
Is that everyone who doubted meor said that I wasn't going to
(14:34):
be able to do that?
You know, please keep doubtingme and see what happens.
Speaker 2 (14:41):
More than a conqueror .
I love the journey.
Speaker 3 (14:43):
Absolutely.
Speaker 2 (14:45):
So, Rob, please tell our listeners one thing they
should remember about BufferSprings.
Speaker 3 (14:50):
Buffer Springs is veterans.
We take care of our own.
We are a service disabled,veteran owned and operated
business.
We are here to empowercompanies and elevate our people
.
We're here to change stereotypes that are out there, change
the biases and get peoplefiring on all cylinders again of
realizing how talented and howexperienced and how valuable
(15:11):
military veterans and militaryspouses are.
And if you do it the right wayand you bring relevant members
of our community into yourworkforce, we will do amazing
things.
For those of you who areveterans who are looking for a
better path, our channels areopen to you as well to veteran
support organizations.
If you are out here doing thedaily work and carrying the pack
and empowering our people, wewant to work with you With
military bases installations.
(15:32):
It's about us marching as acommunity.
And one thing that I admireabout other underrepresented
groups and it's a shame that badthings had, that horrible
things had to happen because ofthis, but with Black Lives
Matter movement and Stop AsianHate, it was collective groups
coming together and speakingwith a unified voice, and I
don't think the militarycommunity does that well, and
that's what I will say tolisteners on here is to activate
(15:53):
, to march together to create adifferent narrative than what's
out there.
Stop letting the world telleverybody that we are heroes and
we're victims.
When we don't tell each otherany of this, don't let them hire
us for patriotism or pity.
Have them hire us for progress.
Start changing these narratives.
Stop letting veterans ofyesteryear or the donation you
know nonprofits talking abouthow wounded and how broken we
(16:15):
are.
Stop letting them tell thatmessage.
Tell your own story and tellyour own authentic truth of
where you are, especially ifyou're a veteran in a position
of power.
Lift as you climb and tell yourstory.
That's what I'll say as a signoff.
Speaker 2 (16:25):
Beautiful, well said, loved everything that you just
said, every word of it.
Speaker 3 (16:30):
Thank you.
Speaker 2 (16:31):
So, rob, how can our listeners learn more about
Buffer Springs?
Speaker 3 (16:35):
We are available 24-7 .
If you go to bufferspringscom,our porch light is always on
here.
My email as well is just rob atbufferspringscom.
I'm open to any veteranmilitary spouse or company
that's looking to hire from ourcommunity.
Yeah, just bufferspringscom.
You can also look me up onLinkedIn.
That is Rob Arndt.
Last name is spelled A-R-N-D-T,and we'd love to connect with
(16:59):
anyone who is looking to marchwith our mission.
Again, we're here to eradicateunderemployment within the
military connected community,but we can't do it alone.
We need everyone marching withus and porch lights on here if
you want to march with us.
Speaker 2 (17:10):
Well said, rob.
I really appreciate you beingon the show with us today, and
we wish you and your businessall the best moving forward you
as well.
Speaker 3 (17:18):
Thank you so much for putting on the show and thank
you so much to all of ourneighbors out here in our local
greater Boston community.
Great to work with you all.
Speaker 2 (17:25):
Thank you very much, and thank you for saying that
and for our listeners.
If you would like to promoteyour business on the Good
Neighbor podcast, please reachout to us.
We specialize in businessbranding and proudly publish
Swampskate Neighbors magazine,which reaches approximately
3,000 homes in the Swampskate,Massachusetts area on a monthly
basis.
(17:45):
Thank you for listening.
Speaker 1 (17:49):
Thank you for listening to the Good Neighbor
Podcast.
To nominate your favorite localbusinesses to be featured on
the show, go to GNPNorthshorecom.
That's GNPNorthshorecom, orcall 857-703-9406.
This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place
where local businesses andneighbors come together.
Here's your host, YvonneGodfrey.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Let's try to Welcome to the Good Neighbor Podcast,
where we shine a spotlight onlocal business throughout the
North Shore community.
Our mission is to connect thesebusinesses with their target
audience, whether individuals,homeowners, business or
corporation.
We want you to know about theincredible service and products
available right in yourneighborhood.
(00:32):
So join us as we explore thestories behind these businesses,
celebrate their success anddiscover how they contribute to
our vibrant community.
By supporting local enterprises, we foster economic growth and
build stronger, more connectedneighborhoods.
Please tune in and be inspiredby the remarkable business that
(00:53):
make the North Shore a greatplace to live and work.
Today, in our studio, I havethe distinct pleasure of
introducing your neighbor, RobArndt, owner of Buffer Springs.
Rob, how are you today?
Speaker 3 (01:08):
I am doing fantastic.
How about yourself?
Speaker 2 (01:10):
I am fantastic.
Thank you for asking so, rob.
Please tell our listeners aboutyour business.
Speaker 3 (01:18):
So my name is Rob Arndt.
I am the CEO and founder ofBuffer Springs.
We are a training andconsulting firm that specializes
in helping smart organizationsbuild effective, scalable and
sustainable military talentprograms and happy to be on the
program today.
Speaker 2 (01:34):
And we're happy to have you.
Can you elaborate a little bitmore about your service?
Speaker 3 (01:39):
Absolutely so.
I grew up in a place calledErie, Pennsylvania, didn't have
much opportunity, had a lot ofchallenges ahead of me and saw
the military as a way to get outof that and to create a better
future for myself.
So I enlisted into the UnitedStates Marine Corps back in 2000
.
In that time frame I was in theinitial invasion to Iraq.
(01:59):
I spent 14 years on the MarineCorps side doing various
different jobs before finding mycalling in recruiting and
retention.
I spent about seven years doingMarine Corps recruiting and
retention here in the greaterBoston area before deciding to
transition out to the civiliansector.
And in that time frame I had apretty turbulent transition
myself, moving from the militaryinto the civilian sector, and
(02:20):
couldn't really find a goodsolution for that, for service
members or for organizations toconnect with military talent or
to really understand and valueus.
And since I saw that void inthe market, I created Buffer
Springs.
After spending about sevenyears working with what I now
call competitors or other peoplethat are in our space, About
three years ago I decided tohang up our own shingle here and
do things a little bitdifferently and help our
(02:42):
veterans and their families, aswell as corporate America really
solve this problem and think ofit objectively, instead of the
way that we have been looking atit kind of blindly.
Speaker 2 (02:51):
I appreciate that, and so, because of the need that
you saw, that's how you gotinto this business.
Speaker 3 (02:57):
Absolutely.
There was a problem that neededto be solved out there and at
first I thought that I was theproblem.
It was me tweaking my resume ortrying to civilianize my
military experience and tryingto dwindle that down or water
that down, whatever you want tocall it and saw employers really
waving flags and saying howfriendly they were to the
military community.
But when I read deeper intotheir advertisements or the way
(03:18):
that they perceived us, theyreally didn't understand us and
I think that there's a huge gapthere that's missing in helping
our corporate organizationsactually understand what the
veterans bring to the table andnot just patriotism or pity or
the hero and victim conceptsthat you see out there.
But our service members doamazing things on a daily basis
and our military loses thosegreat service members on a daily
(03:39):
basis.
They're coming out to corporateAmerica and if we can think of
this a little bit differently,we can make a lot of big changes
for both sides of that coin.
Speaker 2 (03:45):
Can you give us an example of someone else that you
have helped that you can use asan example?
Speaker 3 (03:51):
Absolutely.
I mean we have countlessexamples.
I've been doing this work.
I mean myself, I've been doingthis for over 20 years
collectively in this space.
So this is my life, this is mypassion, this is what I care
about, this is what I do on adaily basis.
In that time frame that we'vebeen working, even over the past
three years, we have had 97Skillbridge candidates go
(04:12):
through our corridors here atBuffer Springs, meaning that we
have taken 97 transitioningveterans and helped them become
better, more efficient civilians, getting them into the career
paths, business paths or wherethey want to be in life.
So those 97 that have comethrough our channels alone,
we've made that huge internal,immediate impact From that
timeframe as well.
We are the official veteranemployment partner for all of
PepsiCo, frito-lay, gatorade,quaker Oats and are really doing
(04:34):
some really amazingtransformative things with them
to reshape what veterans dowithin the organization or
rescale what people think aboutveterans and what we're capable
of doing within corporateAmerica.
And we've had the luxury ofbeing hand selective of the
partners that we work with andhave really had the opportunity
to work with some reallyelectric, smart companies to
create some really impactfulprograms for our people, and
(04:56):
it's been amazing work over thepast three years and we're just
getting started.
Speaker 2 (05:00):
And many of these veterans.
Are they working corporate?
Are they branching off to doingtheir own business?
Are you helping them with that?
Speaker 3 (05:07):
Great question.
So through our Skill Bridgeprogram here, really what we
want to do is get them back tofiguring out what they want to
be when they grow up again,whether they've been in the
armed services for four years or40 years.
It's kind of getting back tohaving your own choose your own
adventure book and figuring outhow you want to scale your life
and what you want that looking,what you want your life to look
like around you.
So our curriculum goes off of aancient Japanese concept called
(05:30):
Aikigai and that's really aboutcentering yourself, finding
your purpose and your passionand what you can be paid to do
and what the world needs.
And we help these militaryveterans figure out what, where
they fit or where they can takethose skill sets, experiences,
or even, if they're retiring outof the military, what can they
do next.
My job in the Marine Corps wasnuclear, biological, chemical
warfare.
It has absolutely nothing to dowith what I'm doing now, but my
(05:52):
passions took me in a differentplace and these veterans have
that opportunity to do that withus.
So we have had people go off tocorporate America.
We've had people start theirown businesses.
We've had people go off to bluecollar roles, gray collar roles
reinvent themselves, get backinto school and learn something,
or get back to a passion theyhad in their childhood they want
to bring back because that wastheir happiest time.
That's really what we're tryingto figure out what veterans are
(06:13):
capable of doing, and showingthem that they're capable of
anything as long as they puttheir mind to it and have the
right conduits to make it happen.
Speaker 2 (06:20):
So it sounds like your service also helped them
from start to finish.
Speaker 3 (06:25):
What our program is.
It's not a temporary fix orthat we spend three months or
six months with theseindividuals.
They become actual parts ofBuffer Springs.
Our goal is to get them as highup that mountaintop as we
possibly can, and the only thingthat we ask in return is that
when we call in a couple ofyears and ask them to lift as
they climb with somebody elsewho's behind them, that they
(06:45):
answer that phone call.
So with us, we are reallytrying to get veterans to a
higher plateau altogether.
Our mission overall is toeradicate and completely wipe
out underemployment within themilitary connected community.
Right now, 61% of veterans areunderemployed, meaning that
we're in a job that we have nobusiness being in.
That is awful for us asveterans, obviously, but it's
(07:06):
also awful for corporate America, because you're not getting the
best out of your best people.
You don't have the rightplayers in the right spots on
the field to go out and win thatSuper Bowl or whatever you're
trying to do.
So that's what we're trying tochange in this is not just wave
a flag or do another patrioticduty, but really rescale the way
that corporate America thinksof veterans and the fact that we
have the strongest military onthe planet because of our people
(07:27):
.
Those people get out every year.
If you know what to do with theright ones, we can do some
amazing things for you as well,and that's what we're trying to
prove here.
Speaker 2 (07:34):
I appreciate all that you've shared with our
listeners.
The veteran community is nearand dear to my heart, and so
it's always wonderful to hearwhat companies are able to do,
how they're able to give back toveterans.
Thank you.
Speaker 3 (07:47):
Absolutely my pleasure and it's always great
working with companies that getit, that don't want to wave a
flag or call us heroes orvictims because we don't
identify as either.
We want to do great work.
We want to do it in a greatplace with great.
You have that.
We would love to talk with youat Buffer Springs.
Speaker 2 (08:01):
Thank you.
So, rob, what are some myths ormisconceptions in your industry
, in your service?
Speaker 3 (08:08):
There are a lot of myths and misunderstandings
around veterans and, I would say, more biased than almost any
other underrepresented groupthat's out there because of
what's out there in social mediaand in Hollywood.
Everyone has different biasesin military service and if you
haven't served in the military,they're all wrong.
And even if you've served inanother branch, if you've been
(08:28):
in the Air Force, you have noidea what it's like to be a
Marine or to serve in a branchor to be in the Army.
So there are a lot of biasesaround our people that we all
blow stuff up and fight bad guyswhen it's simply not the truth.
Only about 15% of the militaryis in a direct combat
environment.
The rest of us are in a supportcapacity.
So we have HR people, it peopleanything that you can think of
(08:49):
in corporate America guidancecounselors, chaplains whatever
you think of exists in themilitary.
It may just be called somethingdifferent.
So that's one of the biggestbiases that I see out.
There is that all of us arejust fighting wars and blowing
stuff up when it's simply notthe case.
Another big bias that I seearound my people is that all of
us have PTSD.
And if we do have PTSD, thenit's going to have some sort of
detriment into the workplace,when in reality PTSD is a human
(09:13):
condition.
It is not something that's justsubject to military.
You have friends, you havecolleagues, co-workers, who have
been bit by a dog in a caraccident, had a traumatic
childhood and have never worn auniform.
So there are a lot of badconnotations around my people,
around PTSD and mental stigmathat doesn't necessarily exist.
So there are a lot of biasesabout veterans and I have done
this work, like I said, for 20plus years.
(09:33):
I've served in the militarysince 2000 and served with the
military until present day andwill continue to do that, and I
have never met the same veterantwice.
I have never met the sameperson with the same story twice
and I would highly recommendthat people stop thinking of
veterans or painting us with thesame red, white and blue or
camouflage brush, because we areall different individuals that
bring different things to thetable.
Speaker 2 (09:54):
What is your thought when you hear individuals say to
you thank you for your service?
Speaker 3 (10:00):
You know, that's something that I've really
questioned over the years.
What I say to that, though, ismy pleasure, because it was.
I wasn't taken out of my bed inthe middle of the night and
thrown out to Vietnam oranything like that.
I knew exactly what I wasgetting into.
I saw my friends and otherstudents going to college or
going into the workforce, andthe military seemed like a
better path for me, so I chosethat path.
(10:21):
So, even though you know it'snice to get that, thank you for
your service.
It's my pleasure because I gotwhat I wanted out of that
service.
I got out of Erie, pennsylvania.
I learned leadership, I learneddiscipline, I learned how to be
a better person, a bettercontributing member to society.
So it's actually my pleasure,and I get to continue to serve
with these amazing people thatare brave enough to throw on
that uniform, and unfortunately,only about 1% of our country
(10:44):
serves right now.
That's dangerous anddisheartening that we don't see
military service as this greatpathway when in reality it is,
and I've seen countless veteranswith stories like mine from
humble beginnings go off andcreate amazing things.
So another bias about militaryis I think serving in the
military is something that isunderappreciated and undervalued
and underdone in our nationappreciated and undervalued and
(11:07):
underdone in our nation.
So, rob, outside of work, whatdo you do for fun?
Outside of work, I have abeautiful, big, wonderful family
so I spend a lot of time withmy wife, my three sons and our
dog Nash.
So we actually went out toupstate New York this past
weekend, escaped, went to themiddle of nowhere, went hiking,
went kayaking, fishing andeverything else.
And we try to do that every nowand then just to try to keep
sanity in there and keep valuesin line.
(11:29):
But I spend any of my off timejust hanging out with my family
and doing various things sportsand very, very busy and always
have a million things going onalong with my business, so never
a dull moment in life aroundhere.
Speaker 2 (11:40):
And some of that sounds like making up for those
times that you were separatedfrom them while you were
overseas.
Speaker 3 (11:47):
Well, one of the big things that was my deciding
factor to get out of themilitary is that I was
government property and I diddeploy and go to places that I
didn't want to go to, and that'sfine.
But it got to a certain pointwhere I had to make the choice
of either being gunny I was agunnery sergeant in the Marine
Corps, so they call it gunny forshort so I had to make the call
(12:10):
of either being Gunny or beingDad, and Dad won.
I've never thought back of that, but I value my service.
I still work with a lot ofservice members in my daily
operation, which is wonderful,but it was just my time to go
and everybody knows when it'stheir time.
And that's the inevitable thingabout the military is everybody
that's in is getting out atsome point, whether it's four
years or 40 years.
But everyone has to make thatdeciding point.
And what are you doing with that?
What are you doing with yourplan after the fact?
Because there is a lot of lifeafter military service and a lot
(12:31):
of us perpetuate or we thinkback of that's something that is
our defining moment.
Or I'm only a Marine, but thatwas 14 years of my life.
I still have a lot of lifeahead of me and that's only
going to be a fraction of itwhen I look back.
So hold on to that militaryservice.
Take your great experiencesfrom that, but don't perpetuate
it on it and don't make itdefine you.
Use it as fuel to take you towhere you need to go next.
Speaker 2 (12:52):
Sounds like good advice, and I like what you said
earlier as well, that it hashelped shape you to be a better
person.
Speaker 3 (12:58):
It 100% has, and I've learned a lot.
I learned from good leaders andgood examples.
I also learned from a lot ofbad leaders and bad examples
when I was in as well of how notto do things and you just kind
of develop yourself and roundyourself out as an individual as
time goes on and just got tohave your eyes open to those
moments and take the good andthe bad from them.
Hopefully you take the rightside of that.
Speaker 2 (13:19):
Well said, so let's change gears.
Rob, Can you describe onehardship or one of life's
challenge that you rose aboveand can now say because of it
you're better and stronger what?
Speaker 3 (13:30):
comes to mind I mean my childhood.
I grew up dirt poor and one ofthe poorest zip codes in the
United States, and when I say Iwas dirt poor this wasn't like
you know we like.
I was literally dirt poor,eating out of trash cans and
things like that, and had apretty rough upbringing and I
wouldn't change any of that forthe life of me.
When I tell some people mystory that haven't grown up in
(13:50):
those kinds of conditions, theylook back at it as like shocking
or appalling.
But it helped to harden me, toshape me, to help me understand
and read people for the good andthe bad that they are and see
the world for what it was.
It also helped me create aviewpoint of a life that I did
not want my family to have orsee any bits of.
So, as I said earlier, learningfrom the negatives more than
the positives I think I've had achance to do that more than the
positive over life, and I'vecome from those kind of ashes,
(14:14):
but I'm able to create a betterfuture for others around me
because of not wanting to havethem exposed to that.
So I would say that that'sprobably the culminating moment
of my life is coming fromnothing and turning it into more
than I thought I was even goingto be able to, and definitely
more than everybody else said Iwas going to be able to.
And that was the chip that gotput on my shoulder.
Is that everyone who doubted meor said that I wasn't going to
(14:34):
be able to do that?
You know, please keep doubtingme and see what happens.
Speaker 2 (14:41):
More than a conqueror .
I love the journey.
Speaker 3 (14:43):
Absolutely.
Speaker 2 (14:45):
So, Rob, please tell our listeners one thing they
should remember about BufferSprings.
Speaker 3 (14:50):
Buffer Springs is veterans.
We take care of our own.
We are a service disabled,veteran owned and operated
business.
We are here to empowercompanies and elevate our people
.
We're here to change stereotypes that are out there, change
the biases and get peoplefiring on all cylinders again of
realizing how talented and howexperienced and how valuable
(15:11):
military veterans and militaryspouses are.
And if you do it the right wayand you bring relevant members
of our community into yourworkforce, we will do amazing
things.
For those of you who areveterans who are looking for a
better path, our channels areopen to you as well to veteran
support organizations.
If you are out here doing thedaily work and carrying the pack
and empowering our people, wewant to work with you With
military bases installations.
(15:32):
It's about us marching as acommunity.
And one thing that I admireabout other underrepresented
groups and it's a shame that badthings had, that horrible
things had to happen because ofthis, but with Black Lives
Matter movement and Stop AsianHate, it was collective groups
coming together and speakingwith a unified voice, and I
don't think the militarycommunity does that well, and
that's what I will say tolisteners on here is to activate
(15:53):
, to march together to create adifferent narrative than what's
out there.
Stop letting the world telleverybody that we are heroes and
we're victims.
When we don't tell each otherany of this, don't let them hire
us for patriotism or pity.
Have them hire us for progress.
Start changing these narratives.
Stop letting veterans ofyesteryear or the donation you
know nonprofits talking abouthow wounded and how broken we
(16:15):
are.
Stop letting them tell thatmessage.
Tell your own story and tellyour own authentic truth of
where you are, especially ifyou're a veteran in a position
of power.
Lift as you climb and tell yourstory.
That's what I'll say as a signoff.
Speaker 2 (16:25):
Beautiful, well said, loved everything that you just
said, every word of it.
Speaker 3 (16:30):
Thank you.
Speaker 2 (16:31):
So, rob, how can our listeners learn more about
Buffer Springs?
Speaker 3 (16:35):
We are available 24-7 .
If you go to bufferspringscom,our porch light is always on
here.
My email as well is just rob atbufferspringscom.
I'm open to any veteranmilitary spouse or company
that's looking to hire from ourcommunity.
Yeah, just bufferspringscom.
You can also look me up onLinkedIn.
That is Rob Arndt.
Last name is spelled A-R-N-D-T,and we'd love to connect with
(16:59):
anyone who is looking to marchwith our mission.
Again, we're here to eradicateunderemployment within the
military connected community,but we can't do it alone.
We need everyone marching withus and porch lights on here if
you want to march with us.
Speaker 2 (17:10):
Well said, rob.
I really appreciate you beingon the show with us today, and
we wish you and your businessall the best moving forward you
as well.
Speaker 3 (17:18):
Thank you so much for putting on the show and thank
you so much to all of ourneighbors out here in our local
greater Boston community.
Great to work with you all.
Speaker 2 (17:25):
Thank you very much, and thank you for saying that
and for our listeners.
If you would like to promoteyour business on the Good
Neighbor podcast, please reachout to us.
We specialize in businessbranding and proudly publish
Swampskate Neighbors magazine,which reaches approximately
3,000 homes in the Swampskate,Massachusetts area on a monthly
basis.
(17:45):
Thank you for listening.
Speaker 1 (17:49):
Thank you for listening to the Good Neighbor
Podcast.
To nominate your favorite localbusinesses to be featured on
the show, go to GNPNorthshorecom.
That's GNPNorthshorecom, orcall 857-703-9406.
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