Veterans building relationships, one home at a time
Veterans building relationships, one home at a time
Welcome to I Can Fix That (ICFT)
G’day, I’m John, the proud owner of “I Can Fix That” (ICFT) home maintenance service. I’d like to share a bit about myself and the story behind ICFT.
As a young, keen 18-year-old, full of energy and ambition, I thought I knew it all. So, to prove my mettle, I joined the Australian Army on 15 May 1985. After completing training at Kapooka, I was assigned to the Royal Australian Corps of Transport (RACT) as a Marine Specialist. Unlike the typical Army soldier, my role involved operating boats and working closely with the Royal Australian Navy to move cargo and troops from ship to shore and conduct littoral operations.
Over the years, I worked my way up to Warrant Officer Class One (WO1), building strong relationships with colleagues across both services. My deep understanding of how the Army and Navy operate together proved invaluable, especially during joint operations.
Throughout my military career, I had the privilege of serving on several overseas deployments, including East Timor, Afghanistan, Bougainville, and the Solomon Islands. These experiences allowed me to connect with the local communities, where I enjoyed engaging with and learning from the people we served.
However, after 31 years of service, I was medically discharged from the Army due to mental and physical injuries. The news was devastating; the Army had been my life, and facing the reality of leaving was incredibly tough.
On 14 January 2017, I transitioned out of the Army, and for the first time, I felt lost. The uniform I had worn with pride for so many years was gone, and I wasn’t sure where to turn or what to do next.
After some deep reflection, I decided to pursue a new path by earning my CERT III in Carpentry. Carpentry had always been a hobby of mine—a way to unwind after a long day. It took two years and overcoming some challenges, but I successfully completed the course, marking the beginning of a new chapter in my life.
Yet, despite this achievement, something was still missing. I soon realised that I deeply missed the camaraderie of my fellow Veterans. So, I reached out and discovered that many other Veterans were in a similar situation. Reconnecting with them filled the void I had felt since leaving the Army, bringing back the laughter, dry humour, and shared memories of our time in service.
With this in mind, I decided to create ICFT not only as a business but as a way to help other Veterans find their place in a society that often doesn’t fully understand us. While I am currently the sole owner and operator of ICFT, my goal is to expand the team by employing other like-minded Veterans. Together, we aim to build more than just homes; we aim to build relationships and a sense of belonging, one home at a time.
Thanks for visiting, and I look forward to the opportunity to serve you through ICFT.
