Patriotic Camo: The Americam Story

Americam creators: Jack n Frack at a Virginia Tech football game & a big American flag behind them.

David & Jackie the Creators of Americam Camouflage on a Christmas tree farm in the rain.

How this little Faith-Based, Patriotic Camo company grew to where it is today!

The roads we find ourselves on are anything but straight lines—and neither is our Americam story.

Little did we know, the path we were traveling was leading us to Americam. Beginnings often seem small and insignificant, don’t they?

Take David, for instance. He grew up in Southwestern Virginia, with a love for the outdoors, stock car racing, and South Holston Lake. Simple enough, right? He attended school in Lynchburg and then Blacksburg (Go Hokies!), but he felt a calling for a uniform. It was during his twenty years of service that he met Jacqueline in, of all places, Buffalo, New York. (A Yankee! But not a real one.)

They fell in love, got married, and quickly got into the habit of moving every three years. Their first stop? The SERIOUSLY GREAT OUTDOORS of Alaska, where they discovered their shared passion for adventure and the outdoors. They settled in the Fairbanks/North Pole area of Ft. Wainwright in the late 1990s. Jackie earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Alaska, Fairbanks, specializing in Graphic Design with a minor in Commercial Photography & Design.

Three years later, courtesy of the U.S. Army, they packed up and headed to Columbus, Georgia. Not only is Columbus the “Home of the Infantry” at Ft. Benning, but it’s also home to one of America’s top outdoor brands. Jackie jumped into the marketing department of that major outdoor company, honing her skills and developing a love for the outdoor industry—and the people in it. There’s a unique sense of patriotism tied to this love of the outdoors, and that feeling is strong in the industry. With David serving, the mission always came first, especially in the busy years following 9/11.

Fast forward three short years: they welcomed their first child in the fall of 2004, along with orders to uproot and head north again—“Climb to Glory” at Ft. Drum. New home, new baby, new adventure—no new job for Jackie. The decision to become a stay-at-home mom felt right, especially as David was now assigned to the 10th Mountain Division, 3rd Brigade Combat Team. Talk about juggling more than you can handle! But God's timing? Perfect. Career on hold, life in full gear.

It’s funny how a small mustard seed can grow and change the landscape—just like a 25-mile road march and an insignificant pebble. That little pebble? It broke an ankle, and suddenly David’s Army career was coming to an abrupt end, ushering in a new chapter: civilian life. They had no plans, no clue where they were headed, but they chose the Roanoke Valley to start fresh. And two more blessings (two beautiful baby girls) later, they became a family of five.

Simply put; May 2006 to the Pandemic were rough.

Highlights? David developed a deep walk with Jesus, which strengthened Jackie’s faith. He theorized that, unlike the Army, there was a distinct lack of integrity in the civilian world—summed up as: “No one suffers consequences because no one wears a name tag.” Valuable lessons for sure.

When the world shut down, and their girls were getting older, Jackie found herself yearning to dive back into what she loved. She toyed with ideas for a new camouflage pattern design (not Americam!). Life went on and inspiration struck while she was gardening one afternoon. Out of nowhere, she was given a vision for Americam. Not only an idea for it, but —the name, the look, the feel! She immediately stopped what she was doing and rushed to share the revelation with David. Though he didn’t quite grasp it at first, he supported her and urged her to “get to work!” Overwhelmed, she thought, “Can I still do this? Do I have the time (her first year homeschooling) or finances (we’re a one-income family in the midst of a plandemic) to really move forward?” So, she prayed for guidance.

A couple of days later, a package arrived—David had splurged on a refurbished computer! No more excuses. The neighbors might have had some quirky ideas about us already, but the whole family standing in the yard and woods, snapping photos of sticks, leaves, grass, weeds, puddles, streams, and flags? It removed any doubt.

And just like that, we were inspired, and Americam was on its way!

We hope you will enjoy Americam as much as we’ve enjoyed bringing it to you!