Air Force Veteran Finds New Mission: Why The Junkluggers Is a Top Franchise for Veterans

After serving in the U.S. Air Force from 2010 to 2014, Rick Travis built a foundation rooted in discipline, teamwork and taking action when it matters most. Today, he’s channeling those same principles into launching his franchise with The Junkluggers in Frisco, Texas, an eco-conscious junk removal brand focused on donating, recycling and reducing landfill waste.

Travis comes from a family deeply connected to the military, and that legacy helped shape his early path. “My dad was Navy and my granddad was Army,” Travis said. “They really urged me to pursue the Air Force, which my aunt was also actually in. So I have a lot of veterans in the family.”

He joined shortly after high school and quickly immersed himself in the experience, serving as an Aircrew Flight Equipment Technician and deploying multiple times.

“I had a great experience in the military,” he said. “I deployed three times — Kyrgyzstan, Turkey and Afghanistan. It was not common to deploy three times in four years like I did. At the end of the day, I did it because it needed to be done.”

That mindset of embracing challenges and executing as part of a team would later become the foundation of his approach to business ownership with The Junkluggers.

Like many veterans transitioning to civilian life, Travis explored entrepreneurship early. After leaving the military, he launched a lawn care business with his father-in-law, but quickly realized the challenges of going it alone.

“I always treated it like a side hustle,” he said. “I would have to spend everything I had that wasn’t part of the working capital.”

At the same time, he was pursuing education and working full-time, including a role as a recruiter. But the idea of building something of his own never went away.

Initially, Travis considered starting a junk removal business independently. That plan shifted when he attended a military career fair and was introduced to franchising.

“When you think franchising, you think of McDonald’s or 7-Eleven. Something you need a million dollars to get going,” Travis said. “After I learned about The Junkluggers, I realized that wasn’t the case and franchising offered quite a lot of options.”

Through that introduction, Travis began to see junk removal and franchising through a completely different lens.

“The Junkluggers team ran through the difference between a chuck-in-the-truck and this eco-conscious version,” he said. “There were so many angles that I didn’t think about before.”

What stood out most wasn’t just the business model, but the infrastructure behind it.

“I really appreciated the support that a franchise could provide,” Travis said. “Running a business is not easy, and when you are on your own, you are really on your own. With Junkluggers, there is an entire team that is working with me on marketing, the call center, making sure that all boxes are checked.”

That support system is a core part of The Junkluggers model, which combines eco-conscious junk removal with centralized tools like a national contact center, marketing support and operational guidance — helping franchisees focus on growth rather than figuring everything out from scratch.

For Travis, the parallels between military service and entrepreneurship are clear. “You are mission-oriented in both realms,” he said. “Teamwork is also a key skill set that cross-applies.”

That sense of purpose is part of what drew him to The Junkluggers in the first place — a brand built not just on hauling junk, but on donating, recycling and reducing landfill waste.

“I pride myself in stepping up and starting my own business,” he said. “I like getting those experiences.”

Although he has yet to officially open his doors, Travis is already thinking about what success looks like. Like many new franchisees, he’s motivated by what’s possible within the system.

As The Junkluggers continues to grow across the country, stories like Travis’ highlight the brand’s appeal to veterans and first-time business owners alike.