Charlie Mike Metalworks Inc. is a 100% disabled Veteran owned and operated 501(c)3 non-profit welding/metalworking organization. We are working to stop the 22/day Veteran su***de epidemic by offering welding/metalworking workshops in a safe, trigger friendly and fully adaptable environment to all Veterans!!
We specialize in adaptability for any Veteran that might be interested in welding/metalworking but might believe it’s impossible because of a disability. We do our best to find a way for any Veteran to participate regardless of a disability.
All monies received from customer projects, swag (hats, shirts, stickers, etc.), and donations will be used to provide all equipment and materials needed for the workshops and improvements to the shop. This will allow our Veterans to feel as safe and comfortable as possible!!!
ABOUT THE NAME
During my time of service Charlie Mike had 2 meanings:
1) Charlie stands for the letter C, and Mike stands for the letter M in the phonetic alphabet
2) When you get bogged down on a mission leadership would yell “let’s go Charlie Mike” which meant continue mission. We must drive on no matter what the obstacle. You work the problem and continue the mission.
This is the same principle I applied during my battle. The problem was, I was convinced that life would never get any better and I was good for absolutely nothing. The solution that allowed me to Charlie Mike is what I now pay forward in the hopes that I can help other Veterans look at their current situation as the obstacle it is and not the end as it seems to be!
CURRENTLY
We are able to support up to a 3 person workshop.
We have resources to help Veterans with VA claims and many other problems that occur especially when we end our time in service.
We are working on: 1) installing a new electrical service to support enough machines for a 10 person workshop, 2) insulating the shop, 3) installing air conditioning (# 2 and 3 will provide a climate controlled shop that will relieve some of the daily stress and allow the healing process to begin.
The growth process is slow but steady. I donate $200/month to ensure this organization WILL NOT fail. That said I expect nothing but greatly appreciate any donations as they speed up the growth process which allows additional opportunities for our Veterans.
THE FUTURE - (my vision and goals)
As these goals start to become reality, any of our Veterans that have participated in and successfully used our workshops, and that are interested will begin running their own workshops under Jason’s direct supervision!!
We will establish additional types of workshops (leatherworking, equipment operating, knife building, etc.)
We will expand and move to a 1000+ acre property in or close to our current area and build a much larger shop to accommodate the ever expanding workshops. This property will have a wildlife management program that will offer Veterans the opportunity to create and maintain food plots, build ponds, etc., and participate in hunting and fishing trips that are guided by our Veterans.
On a designated 15-20 acres initially, we will establish a heavy equipment operation program. Veterans will be able to operate various types of heavy equipment. This area will also have a few cabins that Veterans can occupy while learning basic operation of the equipment. This will also provide an opportunity for our welders to put their skills to use by designing and fabricating whatever is needed to put a wheel chair bound Veteran into any piece of equipment.
A LITTLE MORE ABOUT THE OWNER - (everything I do is to improve the quality of life of our Veterans which in turn helps me continue to heal) This is a bit more in depth than my mission statement. I am sharing it to hopefully help other Veterans realize they are NOT alone and there are people that care and want to help.
My name is Jason Albright. I am a 100% disabled U.S. Army Veteran originally from a small town in Pennsylvania. I enlisted in the U.S. Army in 2006 to serve my Country and honor my grandfather and uncle who both served in the Army. I enlisted in 2006 and went to basic training at Fort Benning, GA., then moved on to AIT (job school) at Fort Leonardwood, MO, then back to Fort Benning for Airborne school. I was then stationed at Fort Bragg, NC as an Airborne heavy equipment operator in B Co Rough Terrain, 27th Engineer Battalion. That’s right we jumped into trees and dropped our equipment out of a plane. So much fun!!! I then became a Jumpmaster as a corporal in 2008. After my deployment in 2009-2010 I was severely injured during a jump which led to multiple injuries I am still fighting today. I was ultimately medically retired in 2012. This completely crushed me because I was unable to serve my Country any longer.
I spent the next 7 years battling through some very dark days which almost led me to su***de. I was very fortunate to have had all the right people at all the right times in my life during this very dark time. I spent a lot of time riding my motorcycle with my brothers all over this beautiful Country, over 110,000 miles during a 6 yr period. This time gave me an opportunity to get out of my own head and talk about my crap with people who actually understood and didn’t judge me.
During this very long battle I learned a lot and reignited my passion for welding and metalworking. As I progressed through my training at Knight School of Welding in Louisville, KY and I began to aquire American Welding Society (AWS) certifications I started thinking about opening a welding/fabrication shop to generate some extra income. I then quickly realized (impossible to accept) I am too broken to work a full time fab shop. I need to build a lot of custom aides to help me do my daily tasks. This motivated me to start thinking of ways to help other Veterans like me that need an alternative way to accomplish something we can no longer do. Then life threw me another curve ball and Charlie Mike Metalworks Inc. came to be.
My mission now is to help as many Veterans as I can using the lessons I have learned and the methods that worked for me. All of this is an alternative way to start the healing process other than what is currently available to us through through the Military and the VA.
THE SKY IS THE LIMIT AND ONLY YOUR IMAGINATION WILL STOP YOU FROM ACHIEVING YOUR DREAMS!!
MOTIVATION AND DETERMINATION ARE KEY!!
IT TAKES A STRONG PERSON TO CARRY ALL THAT CRAP BUT AN EVEN STRONGER ONE TO ASK FOR HELP!!
ASK FOR HELP AND CHARLIE MIKE!!
HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY AND LIVE IN A GOOD AND BALANCED WAY!!
