New show melds video gaming with advice for veterans

Jun 21, 2023

WINCHESTER — Justin DiSantis and Eric Gyamfi, like many of their brothers and sisters in arms, came out of the military carrying a lot of emotional baggage and feeling like they no longer fit in at home. Many times, they felt that only another veteran could understand what they were feeling and experiencing.

During the 2010s, like hundreds of millions of other people worldwide, DiSantis and Gyamfi relieved their stress by playing video games. They played so much that, before they knew it, they had become some of the best gamers in the world.

Concurrently, video gaming became a popular competitive sport complete with significant cash prizes, sponsorships, endorsements and televised championships. Tournaments involving popular game titles like "Destiny," "Call of Duty," "Fortnite," "Overwatch" and "World of Warcraft" attracted huge audiences when streamed live on the website Justin.tv, which in 2014 was bought out and rebranded as Twitch.

Shenandoah University (SU) recognized that the rising popularity of video gaming was creating new jobs — event managers, journalists, market strategists, coaches, apparel designers and more — so in the fall of 2019, it launched one of America's first comprehensive esports management programs.

DiSantis, who served in the Army from 2000 to 2006, and Gyamfi, who was in the Air Force from 2013 to 2017, learned of SU's new major and realized they had found what they had been looking for since leaving the military. Each of them enrolled in 2021.

"We met at orientation," Gyamfi said. "A match made in heaven."

For the next two years, instead of spending their off-hours hanging out with friends or playing Nintendo, DiSantis and Gyamfi focused intently on their studies. Their military-style work ethic, combined with previous college credits that transferred to SU, made it possible for them to graduate summa cum laude in May.

"We went all out," DiSantis said. "We did it right."

During their time at SU, DiSantis and Gyamfi participated in a panel to discuss issues facing today's military veterans. Afterward, a representative from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs approached them about participating in a new nonprofit VA initiative that would use Twitch to dispense advice to veterans while showcasing the stellar gameplay of the hosts and their guests.

The first thing the two friends needed was a name for the show, which DiSantis delivered with "Brick by Brick Vets."

"After we figured that out, it kind of clicked and turned into a weekly show where we help veterans get through things and find resources," Gyamfi said. "We want to be that bridge because we found that a lot of veterans, when they leave the military, it's almost like they're thrown to the side and they don't know what to do, where to go, anything like that. ... We are helping people navigate the jungle that is the VA."

"Brick by Brick Vets" debuted on Twitch in February. Each week, DiSantis, 41, and Gyamfi, 33, discuss subjects ranging from mental health and finding a job to overcoming addiction and maintaining healthy relationships.

"We speak from the heart and help people figure out the next steps," DiSantis said. "Our mission statement, per our connection with the VA, is mainly to get veterans connected with disability benefits, housing, educational assistance under three different [federal] programs, medical and death benefits."

After the important discussions are out of the way, DiSantis and Gyamfi grab their game controllers and have fun.

Twitch may seem like an odd home for a show dedicated to helping veterans, but DiSantis said the streaming service has evolved into a popular platform for a wide range of videos.

"It became people doing cooking, teaching language lessons," DiSantis said, noting there is even a market on Twitch for videos of people sleeping. "These people are making millions biweekly or every month."

DiSantis and Gyamfi, though, cannot include themselves among the Twitch millionaires — at least not yet — because they host "Brick by Brick Vets" on a volunteer basis.

"It's extremely important to us and not for profitable gain," DiSantis said. "It's inspirational audience interaction."

"Brick by Brick Vets" streams live at 8 p.m. Wednesdays on Twitch. If you miss an episode, no worries because prior episodes can be played on demand at no cost.

To watch the show, visit the "Brick by Brick Vets" channel on Twitch at twitch.tv/brickbybrickvets.

— Contact Brian Brehm at [email protected]

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