If you're proud of your military service but aren't particularly interested in sporting skulls, guns, and angry eagles — This American Blood might be the veteran brand for you.
"The idea really started as a conversation," said Dan Crosson, COO of This American Blood. "We were looking over the current state of veteran culture — specifically veteran apparel brands — and nothing out there particularly appealed to us. The style that a lot of the brands follow is very aggressive, very in your face. We were looking for something a little more subtle. It started there, but the more we explored the idea we found it ties into a bigger theme about some of the attitudes and perceptions that permeate throughout the veteran community as a whole."
This American Blood was founded by veterans who wanted to see a different type of veteran identity represented in apparel and the veteran space as a whole — not that there's anything wrong with skulls, guns, and angry eagles.
"It's just a very saturated market with that kind of imagery. And I'm not saying there's anything wrong with that," Crosson said. "Guys are free to wear whatever they want, of course. But there were people we noticed as we did research talking to other veterans and browsing social media — guys were looking for an alternative."
In talking to other veterans, Crosson and his partners found that the imagery of the typical veteran brand can be confusing to some when taken out of the military context.
"Some of that imagery can be alienating to some even. Some of the stuff veterans find humorous or think is normal can lack context in the civilian world. There are a lot of guys — ourselves included — who are looking for something a bit more subtle, more subdued. Not necessarily that aggressive, in-your-face, very loud, proclaiming veteran status and that military affiliation while still having a nice gesture towards military themes," Crosson said.
These apparel themes can reinforce the military-civilian divide, making the transition from military service to the civilian world harder than it already is.
"It seems kind of simple on the surface — it's an image on a shirt," Crosson said. "But I think it's a representation of a deeper mindset that kind of causes a few problems in terms of a lack of understanding that there can be between civilians and veterans as well as problems that some veterans have regarding moving on from their military service that don't necessarily translate so well into civilian life."
And Crosson knows about rough transitions.
"It was like slamming the breaks on the speed of everything," Crosson said of his transition. "Life slows down when you go from Marine recon to a college student."
But, years down the road from that initial transition, This American Blood offers veterans the opportunity to recognize their military service — subtly.
In addition to apparel, This American Blood is working to provide content that complements the culture its brand represents — tailoring job searches, being patient, swallowing some pride when it's necessary.
"You really just have to readjust your perspective and the bar that you're setting for yourself. And know it's going to be a climb, but it's nothing to be afraid of," Crosson said. "And with a little hard work — which all of us veterans pride ourselves on being able to do — it's quite possible to build your way up out of it."
Check out This American Blood's website for more.
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