Two Army veterans, one who fought in Iraq, one who fought in two wars and kept fighting – They built Beyond the 214 because too many veterans are losing a battle they should never have to fight alone.
Origin Story
We are Jacob Hausman and Travis Mower. We served together in the 1st Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, the Tomahawks, at Fort Lewis, and deployed to Iraq in 2003–2004 as 11B Infantrymen. We know what high stakes feel like. We’ve made decisions in conditions where the wrong call doesn’t give you a second chance.
After service, our paths diverged, but the mission didn’t stop.
Travis kept serving. He became an Army recruiter, then deployed again to Afghanistan in 2010. Two combat deployments, two theaters, one constant: doing the work that needed to be done.
Jacob went inside the system. He spent four years working for the Veterans Benefits Administration as a Veterans Service Representative, the person on the other side of your claim. In that time, he worked as a military records specialist, a pre-team trainer, a homeless coordinator, and later joined the Veterans Health Administration as an assistant Fisher House manager and health coach. He has sat at the desk where decisions get made. He knows exactly how a claim gets approved, why claims get denied, and what the difference looks like on paper.
That combination, combat experience, and VA system knowledge, is why Beyond the 214 exists.
The problem we’re solving
We built Beyond the 214 because we kept seeing the same thing: veterans who served honorably, who have real conditions, who deserve real benefits, losing their claims not because they didn’t qualify, but because they didn’t know how to speak the VA’s language.
The system isn’t designed to be understood from the outside. The forms are dense, the terminology is specific, and the rules change. A veteran who files without understanding nexus letters, C&P exams, or how the rating math actually works is starting with a serious disadvantage.
We aren’t here to file for you. We’re not a law firm, and we’re not a paid service. We’re here to give you the map, the same insider knowledge Jacob used every day inside the VBA, so you can lead your own charge and get what you’ve earned.
Jacob Hausman — Co-Founder
Jacob served as an 11B Infantryman in the U.S. Army, deploying to Iraq with 1-23 Infantry in 2003–2004 and earning the Combat Infantryman Badge. After service, he made it his mission to work for the veterans coming home behind him.
Over four years inside the Veterans Benefits Administration, Jacob built a deep, working knowledge of how the claims system actually operates. As a Veterans Service Representative, he processed claims, specialized in military records, trained new VSRs, and coordinated services for homeless veterans. He later joined the VHA as an assistant Fisher House manager and health coach, supporting veterans and their families during some of their hardest moments.
Jacob also founded deltiasgaming.com, growing it from zero into a widely-read gaming resource before successfully exiting the business. He brings the same content and SEO discipline to Beyond the 214 — with a lot more personal stakes in the outcome.
He lives in Nebraska, and you can find him walking his dogs, grappling on a BJJ mat, or spending time with his family.
Travis Mower — Co-Founder
Travis served as an 11B Infantryman in the U.S. Army, deploying to Iraq with 1-23 Infantry in 2003–2004 and earning his Combat Infantryman Badge alongside Jacob. He wasn’t finished. Travis deployed again to Afghanistan in 2009–2010 — two combat deployments across two different wars.
After transitioning out, Travis navigated the VA claims process himself and learned what most veterans learn the hard way: the benefits are real, but so are the obstacles. Today, he channels that experience into service in two directions, as a Mortgage Loan Officer specializing in VA home loans, and as a Board member for Empower Pups, a nonprofit that pairs trained service dogs with veterans living with PTSD.
Co-founding Beyond the 214 was the natural next step. Travis brings the veteran’s perspective to everything the site produces: straight talk, no jargon, and the kind of clarity that only comes from having fought the battle yourself.
He lives in Colorado with his wife, two daughters, and Kylo Ren (his dog), who serves as hiking partner, therapist, and morale officer.
Mission statement
Our mission is simple: give every veteran the same inside knowledge that VSRs and VA employees use every day — so you can file smarter, appeal stronger, and get the rating you’ve earned.
We believe a veteran who understands the system is a veteran who wins. Everything on this site — every guide, every video, every resource — exists to close the gap between what you deserve and what you receive.