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About Us
We believe every veteran needs a strong family and supportive community to discover their potential and maintain happiness as they create their future.
Surplus Americans was founded in 2016 by Hunter Bruce and Jason White in Austin, TX, with the hope to be able to share their sense of community, skill sets, and overall positive mental outlook on coping with all the challenges that come with civilian life. Surplus Americans focuses on creating events and opportunities to bring veterans of all ages and creeds together to support each other in anyway possible.
Programs include homeless veteran outreach, rescuing veterans' homes, and helping veterans find work. Surplus Americans is 100% volunteer-based with all proceeds going directly back to supporting veterans.
We encourage all veterans and those whose lives have been touched by a veteran to join our family and build a stronger future for this proud community of warriors!
Our Mission
Surplus Americans is a Central Texas based nonprofit founded with the mission to build a strong veteran community.
We focus on the betterment of veteran living situations and mental health through targeted programs developed with peer to peer motivation as the driving initiative.
Our Name
As we were thinking about a name for the nonprofit that would resonate with people, we kept coming back to the word "Surplus."
As a service member, one cannot help but feel just like another disposable piece of equipment, especially after making the decision to separate from the military. There is an underlying feeling of sitting lost and forgotten; cast aside like relics of war found on a shelf at your local military surplus store. This sentiment is exponentially more real for those who find themselves living on the streets.
We then chose "Americans" to remind us that despite our differences in race, gender, sexuality, religious background or political views, we are all, in fact, Americans. Therefore it is our duty to come together as ONE, and support those who raised their right hand for ALL Americans.
These words bring together those forgotten and overlooked with those who have the desire to take care of them.
Our Logo
At the top of the logo we start with a roof, meant to symbolize not only the community we are creating for all veterans, but also our work to find homes for homeless veterans.
The "S" and "A" stand for Surplus Americans. The "S" in the background to represents what we are trying to fix and the "A" in the foreground reminds us that we are all Americans.
The OD "olive drab" green cross with a stitched border is our symbol for the work it takes to hold our community together.
Our Founders
Hunter Bruce
While in the Army, Hunter Bruce was a member of the United States Cavalry. After graduating OSUT training at Fort Knox, Kentucky, Hunter spent the remainder of his career with the 101st Airborne out of Fort Campbell, Kentucky. While in 4th brigade, 1-61 Cavalry, he underwent two combat deployments to Afghanistan. His first tour took place from 2008-2009 during the first major surge of troops into Operation Enduring Freedom.
Tasked with the security of Paktika and Paktia Provinces, 1-61 CAV created positive relations with local government and coalition forces, protected villages and roads from threat of IED's, and established key outposts in enemy territory. Having seen direct and intense combat, Hunter received his Combat Action Badge and the Army Achievement Medal, as well as the Presidential Unit Citation for efforts in the fight against the Taliban.
Hunter's second deployment took place from 2010-2011 in The Nangarhar Province. After completing MTT Sniper School, he was promoted to Sergeant and Dismounted Team Leader within his platoon. 1-61 CAV saw an unprecedented amount of IED contact during this period as well as substantial loss of life. For actions taken, SGT Bruce was awarded the Army Commendation Medal and his second Presidential Unit Citation.
Since his separation from the service, Hunter has worked as a Military contractor helping to support the training of our National Guard and continues to focus efforts on helping out the Veteran Community.
Jason White
Jason White enlisted in the United States Marines Corps in 2004 as an infantry Marine. Because of his love of the water, he was asked to complete the Marine Reconnaissance indoc. After passing the Basic Reconnaissance Course, he then joined 1st Reconnaissance Battalion stationed on Camp Pendleton, California. Jason complete the Army Airborne Course and S.E.R.E school prior to deploying to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2006 where he served as a turret gunner throughout the deployment and was awarded the Navy Achievement Medal for Valor and Navy Commendation Medal.
After Returning Home, Jason moved to the Force Reconnaissance Company and served as the assistant team leader. He went on to complete the Navy Combat Divers Course and the British Arctic warfare training course in Norway. Due to increased operations in Afghanistan, his unit was rapidly deployed to Helmand Province, where he again served with honor and distinction, earning the Navy Commendation Medal for valor.
Following his second return home, Jason conducted a lateral move to the Counterintelligence, Human Intelligence (CI/HUMINT) field and complete the rigorous, six-month, CI/HUMINT Training Course in Virginia. Jason promptly deployed again to Afghanistan for his third tour in the fall of 2008 and quickly went to work developing intelligence assets and building a source network that would aid in creating a peaceful environment in southern Afghanistan and the surrounding region.
Though he engaged in combat operations for much of the deployment, he requested to extend his deployment and support another Team in the Sangin region of Afghanistan. Jason served an additional four months supporting his first designated unit, 3rd Battalion 5th Marines, where many of his bootcamp and infantry school brothers were stationed. During this tour he supported an infantry platoon who engaged the enemy for over twelve hours resulting in multiple casualties. After the platoon commander was injured, he provided direct support utilizing air assets and coordinated casualty evacuations while under direct fire. After numerous, unsuccessful landing attempts by the casualty evacuation helicopter, call sign "Dust Off,"due to heavy enemy fire, Jason carried wounded marines over open desert to meet the helicopter at the only viable and "safest" landing zone. For his actions was awarded the Bronze Star with Valor.
Jason’s last deployment, was again, to Afghanistan as the CI/HUMINT Company Gunnery Sergeant and support forward deployed teams in the field based on his personal experience and knowledge of the battlefield. Here he served as lead investigator for the 2011 insurgent attack on the Joint Operations Base, Camp Bastion. Additionally, he served as a tactical interrogator and conducted numerous raids in support of U.S. and British Special Forces.
After four intensive combat tours and several injuries related to his service, Jason decided to leave active duty and complete his degree in Business Management. He is currently working towards his Master’s in business and following his passion of supporting veterans any way possible. Jason resides in San Marcos, Texas, and is focused on building Surplus Americans in the support of veterans from all generations who served America proudly.
