WE GOT YOUR SIX
by shannon robinson
Walking into Patriot Sandwich Company off Loop 288 in Denton, Texas, you’re immediately struck by a wall dedicated to each service branch with military memorabilia enveloping the walls. Take a few more steps, and you’ll notice one of the many shadow-box tables, displaying letters, medals, uniforms, and other trinkets of military service Owner and operator David Jordan has spared no expense in serving patrons a comprehensive and personal experience. He is bridging the gap between the military and civilian worlds.
The environment is driven to both embrace service in the armed-forces and point out its quirks. Each item on the menu is named after something military-related, and the sandwiches are served in two sizes—officer (6 oz.) and enlisted (8 oz.)—because, as Jordan clarified, “everybody knows officers don’t do any work.” An Army veteran himself, Jordan has even included a box of red crayons near the front of the store, so any visiting Marines won’t have to go too far for their preferred snack.
While its fun for Vets to take a jab or two at each other, the Patriot Sandwich Company is serious about the health and well-being of Veterans. That is why It is a spoke in the wheel of a much larger mission. David Jordan created this sandwich shop in February of 2020 as a financial backer to his nonprofit organization, We Got Your Six.
We Got Your Six was founded in August 2015 by Jordan, Angela Messerlie, and James Lopez. All three Veterans have one mission: “helping Homeless Veterans rebuild their lives and gain their self-confidence.”
Jordan was once a homeless veteran himself and has a keen insight into the trouble and difficulty that plague Veterans when they return to civilian life. Despite the hundreds of veteran organizations in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, Jordan noticed a lack of collaboration. That’s why one of his first goals was to communicate his plans and build relationships with as many other organizations as he could.
We Got Your Six focuses on three elements: career, housing, and education. While homeless, Jordan lived in a shelter and said their idea of helpful resources was a board with available job postings and a well-intentioned, empty-hearted “good luck.” It is already exhausting building a resume, searching for work, and looking the part; so it’s no surprise such a hands-off approach leads to hopelessness and defeat in so many Veterans who are trying to rebuild their lives from rock-bottom. That’s why Jordan and his co-founders take such a systematic approach in helping Veterans get back on their feet.
To date, We Got Your Six has helped 40 veterans and their families with a hand-up, to help get them out of the homelessness blackhole and into a much more stable and healthy lifestyle.. The founders have plans to extend the nonprofit into a full-fledged compound that can house and educate veterans while giving them jobs, training, and income.
Most importantly, We Got Your Six will continue to help veterans re-instill confidence and pride in their lives.