Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast Welcome Home - A Podcast for Veterans, About Veterans, By Veterans

Suicide doesn’t just take one life. It can leave an entire family, unit, and friend group trying to function while carrying grief, trauma, and a thousand urgent decisions they never asked for. We sit down with Dr. Carla Stomf Patton, Director of Suicide Postvention at TAPS (Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors), to talk about what actually helps after a suicide death and why the right response can reduce risk for everyone left behind.

We get clear on a term many people mishear: postvention. It’s the care and coordinated support that happens after a suicide attempt or suicide death, and it’s tightly linked to prevention because isolation, shame, and untreated trauma are real risk factors. Dr. Patton explains how peer-based grief support creates safety fast, why talking openly about suicide matters, and how accurate training helps us ditch the myths that keep people silent when they should be reaching out.

You’ll also hear what the TAPS process looks like from the first contact, including how survivors find support through TAPS.org and the 24/7 helpline, how peer mentoring works, and how caseworkers help families address immediate needs such as talking to kids, navigating benefits, and finding trauma-informed resources. We close with a simple action step anyone can take today: save 988 plus one in a buddy’s phone to create a pause that can save a life. If this conversation helps you, subscribe, share it with one person, and leave a review so more veterans and families can find these resources.

Some stories from Iraq and Afghanistan still get told like footnotes, even when they changed how missions worked on the ground. We sit down with Heidi Rippy, Vice President of Development for the Special Operations Association of America (SOAA), to talk about what it meant to serve as one of the small number of women selected for Cultural Support Team work alongside special operations and civil affairs. Heidi walks us through enlisting at 17, choosing the Army airborne path, and what selection and training can look like at Camp Mackall, from language training and cultural studies to negotiation skills and high-risk driving.

We also slow down on the parts of service that don’t fit neatly into a highlight reel: medical retirement, living with a 100% disability rating, and the shock of transitioning out during peak COVID when so many offices and programs felt out of reach. That transition story matters for every veteran planning a civilian career because it shows how quickly identity, paperwork, healthcare, and community can collide.

Then we get into the mission that drives Heidi’s work at SOAA: advocacy, policy, and ensuring no brother or sister feels alone after taking off the uniform. We talk suicide loss, the importance of community, and the JAX Act, including why recognition for CST and female engagement work connects directly to VA benefits, combat-related care, and long-term health outcomes for women veterans.

If this conversation resonates, subscribe, share it with a friend who’s navigating transition, and leave a review so more veterans can find it. Learn more at soa.org and consider hitting the donate button to support the work.

You can spot a military kid in a crowd, not because of a uniform, but because they learned to adapt before they learned to drive. Chef Larry welcomes Lisa and Rose, the sisters behind the Punk Brats YouTube channel, for a sharp, funny, and honest talk about what it’s really like growing up as military brats across continents.

We trace their story from Seoul and Fort Hood to Camp Zama, and then Germany, where living off base brought a level of independence that still surprises people today. They unpack the hidden stressors civilians rarely see: curfews, last-minute moves, the pressure of representing your parents’ career, and the strange feeling of being “from everywhere and nowhere.” Along the way, we talk about culture and identity, too, including what it means to juggle American life, host-nation life, and a parent's nationality at home.

From there, we get into the why behind Punk Brats: military nonprofits often focus on service members and spouses, while military children are often overlooked. Lisa and Rose explain how their interviews span generations, why mental health for military kids deserves real attention, and which guests have stuck with them most. We also spotlight their nonprofit, Hats Off for Veterans, including peer support groups, scholarships and grants, and their upcoming Courage to Connect, Breaking the Silence effort addressing military sexual trauma. If you want to support the mission, visit hofv.org, then subscribe, share this with a fellow military family, and leave us a review so more people can find these stories.

Leaving the military can feel like stepping out of a unit and into a world without a map. I talk with Marine Officer and Veteran Ryan Murray, Managing Director at Greencastle Consulting, about the moments that force a real pivot: choosing the infantry mindset, hitting the eight-to-ten-year decision window, managing injuries, and trying to make smart calls for your family while the transition clock is still running. We also get honest about VA disability ratings and why they often slide down the priority list when life gets busy.

Ryan shares how he found Greencastle after an unexpected career turn, and what makes the firm stand out in veteran hiring and veteran employment: it’s an all-veteran consulting company, built to prove that performance beats pedigree. We dig into what actually matters in consulting and corporate life when you have influence but no authority, including emotional intelligence, relationship-building, culture fit, and “learning velocity,” the ability to learn fast and adapt without losing your identity. If you’re working on military-to-civilian resume translation, project management positioning, or just trying to find your next tribe, you’ll get practical language and a clearer framework.

We also spotlight VetFest in Malvern, Pennsylvania, a family-friendly veteran community festival that brings together nonprofits, veteran service organizations, vendors, food, music, and resources for both veterans and civilians who want to support them. Subscribe for more conversations like this, share the episode with a veteran who’s navigating the jump, and leave a review so more people can find the show.

The “standards were lowered” talking point spreads fast, but it falls apart the moment you look at how elite military training and real-world performance are actually measured. I sit down with Sue Fulton, a West Point graduate from the first class to include women and the founder of the Women in the Service Coalition (WISC), to get specific about what changed, what didn’t, and why the truth matters for force readiness.

We dig into women in combat roles, Ranger School standards, and why the idea of a “free pass” doesn’t survive contact with the facts. Sue walks through how Ranger School enforced the same requirements, what washout rates looked like during the early pilot, and why preparation and mentorship matter without changing the bar. We also get into the current Pentagon review of women in uniform, and how flawed study design and selective headlines can steer policy in the wrong direction, especially when research ignores decision quality, communication, observation, and performance under stress.

Then we shift to women veterans and VA benefits, where the obstacles are often cultural: not being recognized as a veteran, not feeling safe in certain spaces, and not having women-centered care consistently available. If you care about a merit-based military, veteran healthcare access, and leadership that stays apolitical, this conversation lays out what’s at stake and what listeners can do next.

Subscribe for more, share this with someone who still believes the myth, and leave a review to help more people find the show. What’s one “standard” you think the public misunderstands most?

Every two to three years, military orders can flip a family’s life upside down. New home, new friends, new routines, and too often, a school reset that leaves kids paying the price. We talk with Natalie Mack, founder and CEO of the Military Homeschoolers Association, about why so many military families choose homeschooling as the one lever they can control: stability, continuity, and a learning environment that survives PCS moves, deployments, and the long grind of workups.

Natalie shares how the organization formed from real-life leadership on installations, not from a polished master plan. We get into the biggest gap she kept seeing: military homeschoolers were everywhere, but hard for other military child support organizations to find and serve. That visibility problem is why her team invested in research, including the first major survey focused solely on military homeschool families across CONUS and OCONUS, capturing who they are and what they need.

We also dig into policy and advocacy that can remove real burdens. Homeschool materials are heavy, PCS weight limits are strict, and families can end up paying to move the very books they use to educate their kids. Natalie explains the push to treat homeschool materials as Pro Gear under the Joint Travel Regulations, plus the Compass Act effort that would let families choose to follow the homeschool laws of their state of legal residence instead of relearning compliance with every move.

If you’re a military spouse, a veteran, an educator, or just curious about military child education, this conversation is a practical look at what’s working and what still needs to change. Subscribe, share this with a military family, and leave a review. What part of military life would you most want education to protect your kids from?

A leadership lesson can come from a classroom, a coach, or a job. Sometimes it comes from a handwritten letter and a story that still hurts to tell. I’m Larry Zilliox, Director of Culinary Services at the Warrior Retreat at Bull Run, and I’m joined by Debbie Borza, a special advisor to The 9:57 Project Student Leadership Challenge, our summer leadership camp for high school students.

Debbie brings a perspective shaped by United Flight 93. She shares the story of her daughter, Diora, who was 20 years old when she died on September 11, 2001. Because Diora was so close in age to the teens in this program, her words connect in a direct, peer-to-peer way. We talk about what Diora valued, how she treated friends and family, and why community service is more than a requirement. It’s a way to move outside yourself and build the kind of character that shows up when it matters.

We also dig into what it took to create the Flight 93 National Memorial near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, including the lengthy planning timeline, partnerships with the National Park Service, and a mix of federal, state, and private funding. Debbie previews how the 25th anniversary is being shaped to honor families while welcoming the public, and I share why the memorial is worth the trip for anyone who wants to understand 9/11 beyond headlines.

If you care about teen leadership, service projects, 9/11 history, Flight 93, or the power of kindness to create a ripple effect, this conversation is for you. Subscribe, share this episode with someone who leads by serving, and leave a review so more listeners can find it.

You can fly a perfect approach and still be miles from help if the “runway” is a strip carved out of jungle. That’s why I wanted to sit down with Fran DeRocher, an old friend from our Guam days, to talk about the kind of aviation most people never see: Mission Aviation Fellowship’s real-world humanitarian airlift across remote parts of Africa, where the airplane is the only road in or out. 

We start with the memories that shaped us, from brutal no-AC barracks to scuba dives on Guam’s stunning reefs, then follow Fran’s winding path from Air Force service to earning the training that mission aviation demands. He breaks down what MAF actually carries: medical teams, critical medicine, drums of fuel, pastors and translators, NGO staff, and the everyday supplies that keep remote clinics and communities running. We also dig into the operational side of bush flying, including why MAF historically relied on pilot-mechanics, how the fleet has evolved from piston aircraft to turbine platforms like the Caravan, and what it takes to operate safely when infrastructure is thin. 

Fran shares the moments that still raise your pulse, including unrest in East Congo and what it feels like to land in a place where weapons are pointed outward, and nothing is guaranteed. We also talk about Ebola response and the strict protocols that protect patients, crews, and communities when an outbreak turns logistics into life-or-death decision-making. If you care about aviation, humanitarian work, Christian nonprofits, or life after the military, this conversation is for you. 

Subscribe on your favorite platform, share this with a friend who’d love it, and leave a review to help more people find the show.

The hidden bill in healthcare is often the drive, the flight, or the miles you rack up while you are already exhausted. We sit down with Melissa Brian, lead transportation coordinator for Mercy Medical Angels, to talk about what happens when a patient or veteran can get an appointment but cannot get there and how a practical ride can be the difference between starting treatment and falling behind.

We break down the full menu of medical transportation assistance Mercy Medical Angels coordinates: gas cards for recurring appointments, Amtrak and Greyhound tickets when driving is not an option, commercial flights for specialized care hundreds of miles away, and a volunteer pilot program in the mid-Atlantic where pilots donate their aircraft and time. Along the way, we talk about common use cases like dialysis travel, long-distance oncology care at major centers, second opinions, clinical trials, and why Angel Wings for Veterans also supports travel to PTSD retreats that restore connection and community.

You will also hear exactly how the process works, including where to apply, how applications are routed, what documentation is typically required, how far in advance to reach out for flight help, and why medical release forms matter for safe flying. We also talk about what the organization needs most right now: more awareness, more pilots, and more donors, so that more people can access care.

If this conversation helps you, subscribe to us on your favorite podcast app, share it with someone who might need transportation support, and leave a review so more listeners can find these resources.

Farming can look like a simple escape plan until you run the numbers and realize the real enemy is the order of operations. Land is expensive, fences cost money, equipment breaks, and a “quick” farm dream can turn into years of stress if you start out of sequence. I sit down with Kate Bowen, program director of the American VetFarm Network (a program of At Ease Orchard), to talk about what it actually takes to help veterans become farmers and stay healthy in the process.

We get into the practical questions veteran farmers ask most: how to access land, how to choose the right scale, how to build a basic farm business plan, and how to cut through the maze of veteran resources and agricultural resources without getting overwhelmed by online advice. Kate shares why the network often serves first-generation and small diversified farms, and how farm-to-table demand from chefs and local restaurants can create opportunity when the marketing and timelines are realistic.

We also talk about the harder parts people avoid: isolation after leaving the military, the need for camaraderie, and the high suicide rate in agriculture. For veterans farming with injuries or disabilities, Kate explains how adaptive farm equipment and partners like AgrAbility can make the work safer and more sustainable. We close by noting that a USDA 2501 grant is funding nationwide training events, a growing resource library, and hands-on coaching for veterans who want purpose in the soil. They have an informative podcast on their YouTube channel with episodes that veterans will find useful.

If you know a veteran with a farming idea, share this and help them find a smarter starting line. Subscribe, leave a review, and tell us: what’s the biggest obstacle you think new veteran farmers face?

Scholarship hunting shouldn’t feel like a second job, especially for military families already juggling PCS moves, shifting school rules, and tight timelines. We sit down with Kristen Ferullo, founder of Partners in Purpose, to discuss a free, searchable scholarship database designed specifically for military children, dependents, spouses, veterans, and ROTC students. If you’ve ever clicked through endless lists only to learn you don’t qualify, this conversation gives you a smarter path.

We walk through how the database works, including practical filters like relationship to the service member, state-based options, and application open and close dates, so you can plan around real deadlines. Kristen explains why so many military-connected students miss out on scholarship money: frequent moves can cut students off from local awards, transferring schools can complicate references and credits, and procrastination turns senior year into a whirlwind. Her message is simple and urgent: start early, apply often, and don’t ignore smaller scholarships that can add up to real tuition relief.

Kristen also shares what it takes to keep a resource trustworthy, from using exact scholarship language to doing a major “scrub” to fix links, verify details, and add new opportunities, including grants. We also dig into military spouse scholarships and education funding for degrees and certifications, plus broader trends veteran service organizations should watch, such as housing strain and food insecurity.

Visit partners-in-purpose.com to explore the database and download the PCS and scholarship handbook, then share this episode with a military family who needs it and leave us a review so more listeners can find these tools.

You can have the best product in the world and still lose if nobody knows you exist. That’s the tension we dig into with Austin Holmes, a Navy EOD veteran who now leads the Nashville-based PR firm Publicity for Good. We talk candidly about the mindset shift veteran entrepreneurs have to make when they leave a high-opsec culture and step into a marketplace that rewards clear, consistent communication. If you’ve ever built the LLC, opened the bank account, and then wondered why growth feels slow, this conversation is for you.

We get practical about branding and veteran-owned business marketing, starting with a definition that changes everything: your brand is what people say about you. From there, we unpack how to be intentional with your story, how quality and values protect your reputation, and why crisis communications is such a big part of the PR world. We also discuss social media strategy for entrepreneurs, including how to choose primary platforms, why consistency beats chasing viral moments, and how to create content that actually has context and meaning.

Then we go into AI for small business owners and founders: using large language models like ChatGPT and Claude for research, better questions, and repetitive-task automation. Austin shares how “agentic AI” can function like an assistant if you train it like one, and why that can free you up for the work that matters most: relationships, sales, and serving customers well.

If you’re building a veteran-owned brand or supporting one, subscribe, share this with a founder who needs it, and leave a review so more listeners can find the show. What part of your business would you most like to simplify first?

Fewer people personally know someone who served, and that quiet shift changes how communities understand sacrifice, leadership, and even citizenship. We sit down with Scott English, president of the Pritzker Military Museum and Library in Kenosha, Wisconsin, to discuss how a modern military history museum can close that gap by telling authentic, relatable stories about the citizen soldier and the families who serve alongside them.

Scott shares how the museum evolved from a book collector’s library into a full-scale museum and archive, why Kenosha has embraced the move from Chicago, and what it looks like to build a true community hub around veterans service organizations. We also get specific about what stories still get overlooked, from the Korean War to smaller but significant conflicts like Grenada and Panama, and why preserving those voices now matters more than ever.

Then we go practical: digitized collections, oral histories, and how to turn an hour-long interview into a five-minute piece that still respects the truth. We preview the museum’s Chicago gala, including its Spirit of 76 theme and the Citizen Soldier of the Year honor for General Stanley McChrystal, and we cover what to do if you have military artifacts at home and want to donate or simply preserve them safely.

Subscribe on your favorite podcast app, share this with someone who cares about military history and veteran stories, and leave a review so more listeners can find us.

One customer, noticing an early arrival and a military haircut, kicked off a brand that’s now helping veterans become business owners. We sit down with Tracy Flanagan, co-founder of JDog Brands, to unpack how a junk removal and hauling side hustle grew into a veteran-owned franchise network with roughly 91 locations across 25-plus states and about 90% veteran ownership. Along the way, we get specific about what makes a franchise model work for military transition: structure, accountability, and a path to leadership that still feels familiar after service.

We also talk money and operations without the hype. Tracy shares the real hurdles veterans face when they want to buy a franchise, especially financing, and the practical ways owners piece it together through savings, retirement funds, or 401(k) rollover strategies. We dig into why JDog expanded into carpet cleaning and floor care, how add-on services like power washing and light demolition create multiple revenue streams, and why their flat-fee royalty approach is designed so owners keep more upside as they grow.

Finally, we zoom out to mission and impact: suicide prevention support, nonprofit partnerships, the Discovery Channel series Operation Hidden Treasures, and Tracy’s own podcast, Tactical Treasures, where she amplifies stories of service and post-service purpose. If you care about veteran entrepreneurship, franchise opportunities for veterans, and building a business with values, this one delivers. Subscribe, share this with a veteran who’s considering business ownership, and leave a review with your biggest question about franchising.

Paying retail for prescription eyeglasses is frustrating enough. Finding out you may have qualified for VA glasses the whole time is worse. We sit down with Sean Loosen, CEO of PDS Optical and a West Point graduate with an infantry background, to explain how VA vision benefits actually work and why awareness remains the biggest barrier to better eye care for veterans.

We break down the real-world basics: VA health care enrollment, what “service-connected disability” can mean for eligibility, and why even a 10% rating may open the door to prescription eyeglasses through the VA system. We also discuss the impact of the PACT Act and burn pit exposure claims, and how a surge in new enrollments is changing demand for optometry, vision exams, and affordable eyewear. If you’ve ever assumed the VA is only for the most serious cases, this conversation challenges that mindset with practical steps and plain language. 

Sean also shares what it looks like behind the scenes: large-scale eyeglass manufacturing, Patriot Vision Centers in VA hospitals and clinics across the country, hiring veterans, and keeping “Pride, Dignity, and Service” as a real operating standard rather than a slogan. We close with a forward-looking look at AI in manufacturing automation and leadership decision-making, plus a simple nudge that can help somebody today: tell one veteran who wears glasses to ask the VA what they qualify for. 

Subscribe on your favorite podcast app, share this with a veteran or caregiver, and leave a quick review so more people can find these VA benefits conversations.

A former Navy SEAL with 10 trips to Afghanistan should have had an easy off-ramp into high-paying contractor work, but Todd Peters chose a different mission. After years of watching suicides stack up across his community, he founded Stronghold Alliance, a faith-based restoration nonprofit built to tackle veteran suicide prevention with urgency, humility, and real-world tools that veterans and first responders will actually use.

We talk through what many people miss about PTS and traumatic brain injury (TBI): these “invisible wounds” can hijack sleep, mood, focus, and family life, and they can make healing feel impossible even when you’re doing all the right things. Todd explains why Stronghold starts with the body and the brain using hyperbaric oxygen therapy, supplement support to reduce inflammation, and before-and-after NeuroQuant MRI scans that help prove something is wrong and show what is changing. Then we move into the mind and soul side of recovery: professional counseling pathways and weekly peer “rally points” where people can speak plainly, feel safe, and take the next right step without pretending they’re fine.

We also get specific about logistics and impact: what a full course of care costs (around $15,000), how Stronghold currently funds 100% for local participants, what eligibility looks like for veterans with a PTS or TBI diagnosis, and why commitment matters if you want results you can keep. Todd closes with why he’s stepping into a new senior advisor role on mental health and suicide prevention for the Navy and Marine Corps, because he’s tired of seeing the same stats every year.

If this conversation hits home, share it with a friend, visit strongholdalliance.org, and click “Stand With Us” to help fund treatment. Subscribe for more, leave a review, and tell us what kind of support makes the transition less lonely.

A triple agent looks a young soldier in the eye and says the North Gate is about to be hit. Minutes later, the blast proves it. That moment is one of the turning points Sean Martin shares with us, and it’s also part of the story behind why his band, The Quarantined, doesn’t exist just to entertain.

Sean is a prior-service Army airborne infantry veteran who deployed to Iraq and ran hundreds of combat missions. He opens up about what pulled him toward the most “consequential” path, how a required talk with an Army psychologist shattered his sense of confidentiality, and what it feels like to keep operating when trust inside your unit starts to crack. We also talk about the strange whiplash of being a junior enlisted soldier doing higher-level work, and the career-defining choice he faced afterward: a “golden ticket” toward Special Forces or a fast exit with disability benefits.

From there, we shift into veteran mental health and the real mechanics of healing. Sean explains how PTS showed up in his nervous system, why therapy helped him translate emotions into words, and how music became both an outlet and a tool. We get into songwriting as catharsis, the lyric-first process behind their latest release, Aversion To Normalcy, and how sound and vibration can change your internal state in ways that feel close to frequency therapy. We also point you to Sean’s writing about PTS on the band’s website and discuss the questions veterans carry long after they come home.

If you care about veteran stories, PTS recovery, VA disability realities, or music therapy that doesn’t sugarcoat the truth, hit play, then subscribe, share this with a friend, and leave a review so more people can find it.

Many veteran-owned businesses don’t struggle because their founders lack discipline. They struggle because growth demands a new kind of support system: peers who’ve been there, mentors who tell the truth, and a clearer plan for capital, technology, and scale. That’s exactly where our conversation with Alex McKindra goes, drawing a straight line from military service to building stronger outcomes for veterans and military spouses in business and beyond.

Alex is a Managing Director in Global Corporate Banking and Co-Head of Global Banking Veteran Initiatives at JPMorgan. He shares his own path from the Air Force into banking, including what made the transition challenging and how other veterans helped him break in. We get specific about what actually moves the needle: resume and interview prep, access to real opportunities, and a community that doesn’t disappear when the uniform comes off.

We also unpack CEOcircle, a yearlong program run with Syracuse University’s Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF) that supports veteran CEOs and military spouse entrepreneurs who already have a company and want to grow it. We talk mentorship, education, innovation, and technology adoption, capital structure, acquisitions, and why building a cohort “tribe” can be as valuable as any single workshop. If you’re considering a civilian career path, we also cover JPMorganChase’s Military Pathways and SkillBridge programs as on-ramps into banking and financial services careers.

If this helped you, subscribe on your favorite podcast app, share it with a veteran founder or transitioning service member, and leave a review so more people can find these resources.

Your spouse raises a right hand, and suddenly, your whole life has a new rulebook. Larry Zilliox, Director of Culinary Services at the Warrior Retreat at Bull Run, sits down with Kayla LaFond, military spouse liaison for the Virginia Department of Veterans Services (DVS), for an honest talk about what the transition into military spouse life really looks like, from the first duty station shock to the long stretches where you feel like you are rebuilding from scratch.

Kayla shares her own path as part of a Navy family, including how a PCS move can crush momentum when professional licenses do not transfer cleanly across state lines. We dig into licensure reciprocity, why military spouse employment is so hard to sustain, and how underemployment can quietly become the norm. Kayla also explains how finding the right support at a Fleet and Family Support Center helped her turn a tough moment into a career breakthrough, and why good resume guidance and real connections beat random job boards when you are new to a community.

We also get practical about what military families in Virginia are facing right now: child care waitlists that can reach hundreds of families, what happens when fee assistance changes during transitions, and why remote work opportunities can be a game-changer for spouse career continuity. Larry points listeners to official resources, including the Virginia DVS military spouse page and the Virginia Values Veterans (V3) program that spouses can use, plus the on-installation spouse clubs that help you find your footing faster.

If you know a military spouse who is job hunting, navigating child care, or staring down a PCS, share this conversation with them, then subscribe and leave a review so more families can find these resources.

A great car can stop you in your tracks, but a great car show can do more than that. We’re joined by Chuck Berge, board member at Willing Warriors and the team lead behind Vettes For Willing Warriors, to lay out exactly what happens when hundreds of vehicles roll onto the Warrior Retreat at Bull Run and the community shows up in force.

We talk real numbers and real details: 240 cars and about 865 visitors last year, with expectations of 1,000+ spectators this time. You’ll hear how judging actually works from someone who’s spent decades around Corvettes, from factory-correct originality to the craftsmanship behind smart modifications. We also cover practical basics that make planning easy: spectators are free, car owners can pre-register for $25 (then $30 later), car registration starts at 7:30 a.m., the public gates open at 10:00 a.m., and awards happen at 1:30 p.m. Expect food on site, plenty of variety beyond Corvettes, and awards like People’s Choice plus fun categories such as most unique license plate.

The best part is the setting and the mission. Hosting on the retreat property means you can tour the grounds, see the homes that host Wounded Warriors and their families, and understand how this retreat supports recovery from PTS and moral injury. We also preview special guests like Wayne Carini from the TV show "Chasing Classic Cars," as well as familiar local faces like weatherman Chuck Bell, and we explain the bead-voting fundraiser that lets the public vote while donating.

Subscribe so you don’t miss the next conversation, and if you know a car lover or a supporter of military families, share this episode and leave a review. What would you bring to the show, and what would you vote for?

The fastest way to lose your footing after the military is to lose your people and then pretend you’re fine. Host Larry Zilliox sits down with Navy Veteran Jordyn Jureczki, CEO of Frontline Healing Foundation, to talk about what happens when transition feels isolating, anger lingers, and the path to care is blocked by money, red tape, or geography. 

Jordyn shares how her own post-service road led her into law enforcement, a personal struggle with alcohol, and an unexpected turning point through jiu jitsu that introduced her to Warrior’s Heart. From there, we unpack how the nonprofit (formerly the Warrior’s Heart Foundation) helps veterans and first responders access real treatment by funding inpatient care through hardship applications. We get specific about how the foundation evaluates need, why it pays facilities directly, and how it works with vetted programs like Warrior’s Heart for substance use and dual diagnosis treatment and Deer Hollow in Utah for intensive trauma-focused PTS care. 

We also dig into the tough realities around VA community care, including why referrals for substance use treatment can be so hard to obtain, and why rural veterans can face a brutal mix of distance, isolation, and higher suicide risk. The big takeaway is clear: recovery is not only clinical, it’s also communal, and getting someone into the right setting quickly can change everything for them and their family. If you’ve ever wondered how Veterans' mental health support works when insurance fails, or what practical options exist for PTS, TBI, depression, and addiction recovery, this conversation delivers. 

If this resonates, subscribe, share the episode with a battle buddy, and leave a review so more people can find these resources.

A locked Marine recruiter door turned into an Army career, and an IED in Afghanistan turned that career into a fight to rebuild a life. I’m joined by Jason Smith, a retired Army infantryman, double amputee, and ambassador for Catch A Lift Fund, and he tells the story with zero polish and a lot of truth: the terror of transition, the identity shift after catastrophic injury, and the small decisions that make recovery possible.

We dig into what happens after the evacuation flights and the hospital stays when PTS triggers show up in ordinary sounds and traumatic brain injury makes daily memory a constant battle. Jason shares the practical systems that help him function, including writing everything down, repeating key reminders, and focusing on “micro wins” instead of distant goals. If you’re searching for real-world tools for veteran mental health, PTS coping strategies, and TBI support, this part of the conversation hits home.

Jason also breaks down how Catch A Lift Fund works and why it stands out among veteran nonprofits. The program starts with an eight-week, one-on-one virtual wellness plan that fits your life, whether you train at home or at a gym. After completing it, veterans can qualify for grants for home gym equipment or commercial gym support. We also talk about the Women’s Fitness Initiative and why women veterans often need a safer, more personalized approach to fitness, nutrition, and coaching from people who understand their experience. 

If you know a veteran who has tried to “just get back in shape” and couldn’t make it stick, share this conversation with them. Subscribe, leave a review, and pass the episode along to one person who could use a strong next step today.

A lot of veteran suicide prevention talk gets complicated fast. This conversation stays refreshingly direct: isolation kills, connection protects, and a well-run event can be the difference between shutting down and showing up. I’m Larry Zilliox, and I’m joined by Kimberly Jewell Pond, Operational Support Coordinator and Lead Coordinator for the Washington, DC chapter of Irreverent Warriors, to break down how a “simple hike” becomes something much bigger for veteran mental health.

Kimberly shares her path from 17 years in the Alaska Air National Guard to the hard reality of civilian transition, where the bonds you rely on in uniform don’t automatically exist on the other side. We talk about the moment she stumbled into Irreverent Warriors through a Halloween hike, and why being surrounded by veterans again felt like finding family after years of drifting. From there, she explains how IW events are designed to make connection unavoidable in the best way: talk to the person next to you, bring first-timers into the fold, and leave with a real buddy system.

We also get into the practical details people want before they show up: hikes run about 5 to 13 miles at an approachable pace, registration matters for insurance and planning, and chapters host events year-round. We dig into impact, including the reported stat that 57% of veterans say suicidal ideation fully stopped or significantly improved after attending an IW event, and why women veterans show up in such strong numbers when the environment is safe and supportive. Kimberly also explains how partnering with the Vet Center can help veterans understand VA benefits and claims, plus what IW wants to build next with healing modalities like cold plunging, equine therapy, cooking, and retreats.

If you’re a veteran looking for your people, or someone who wants a real-world way to fight veteran isolation, listen now, subscribe, share this with a friend, and leave a review so more veterans can find the next hike.

Stop Loss. That single policy changed thousands of military timelines overnight, and it changed Jonathan Tennis, too. Jonathan is a prior-service Army intelligence specialist who served through the post-9/11 shift, and he joins us at the Warrior Retreat at Bull Run to talk honestly about what comes next when the uniform comes off and the mission feels unclear.

We get into why military transition can be so hard, even when you have strong qualifications, plus the parts people don’t say out loud: the loss of tribe, belonging, and purpose. Jonathan shares how he found his way to the Travis Manion Foundation (TMF), why the community “clicked,” and how TMF brings together veterans, inspired civilians, and families of the fallen to keep service alive in everyday life.

You’ll also hear a detailed breakdown of the Spartan Leadership Program, a selective seven-month leadership development experience built around self-work and real-world community impact. Jonathan talks about his own project centered on women veterans and the ways they’re still too often overlooked. We also touch on why donations of any size matter to veteran nonprofits, the integration of The Mission Continues into TMF, and how events like Mass Deployment turn service into visible, local change.

The conversation ends where it should: honoring Gold Star families, saying names out loud, and creating space for stories that deserve to be remembered. If this resonates, subscribe, share this episode with someone who needs it, and leave a review so more people can find these mission-driven veteran stories.

What does it take to turn a veteran’s story into law that actually changes lives? We sit down with Jess  Finucan, a retired Air Force Senior Master Sergeant and now the Director of Policy and advocacy at Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, to pull back the curtain on how evidence, testimony, and relentless follow-through move Congress on veterans’ issues. Jess shares her rapid transition from uniform to policy, her first VA appointment that made civilian life feel real, and why documenting toxic exposure—from burn pits to Hawaii’s Red Hill contamination—can’t wait until symptoms appear.

We dive into a priority list that is both urgent and practical. First, Afghan allies: honoring promises isn’t just the moral choice, it’s a national security necessity that shapes whether future partners will stand with us. Then, women veterans’ care takes center stage, as Jess outlines efforts to restore access to abortion care and counseling at the VA in extreme cases like rape, incest, and life-threatening conditions. We connect these fights to rising suicide rates, discussing trauma-informed MST care, clinician training, and the power of free firearm lock boxes to create time and distance during moments of crisis. Oversight matters too—Jess explains why tracking the impact of the PACT Act and the Deborah Sampson Act keeps agencies honest and ensures consistent care.

Economic stability ties it all together: translating military skills to civilian licenses, making the GI Bill work in practice, protecting housing, and expanding rural access to timely care. Finally, we zoom out to civic engagement—veterans vote at higher rates than civilians, and that means secure access, clear information, and digital literacy are part of the mission. Along the way, we highlight how IAVA blends data with veteran voices—through membership, verified surveys, and the Cavalry program—to bring authority and humanity into every room on the Hill.

If these issues matter to you or someone you love, share this episode, subscribe for more conversations that lead to action, and leave a review so more veterans can find us.

Burn pits and jet fuel aren’t just headlines; they’re lived experiences that can follow veterans for years. We sit down with Dr. Maheen Adamson (Research Director) and Dr. Jennifer Jennings (Clinical Director), two VA physicians leading the Women’s Operational Military Exposure Network Center of Excellence, to explain what we’re learning about military environmental exposure and why women veterans have been missing from the data for far too long.

We walk through the center’s mission and the real-world hazards under study, including airborne toxins, chemical exposures, burn pits, and fuels like JP4 and JP8. Then we dig into the health outcomes they’re prioritizing: reproductive cancers, endometriosis, fertility and infertility, menstrual cycle changes, and menopause. We also talk about the longer arc of exposure-related illness and how it can connect to sleep problems, autoimmune issues, psychiatric symptoms, cognitive decline, dementia risk, and heart health. The big theme is translation: pairing detailed clinic stories and intake questionnaires with massive VA and DoD datasets to get answers that are both personal and statistically sound.

We also cover how women veterans across the country can get involved, whether through database-driven research that happens behind the scenes or through hands-on studies that may include MRI, bloodwork, saliva samples, and cognitive testing. Finally, we look at how AI could accelerate discovery while raising real concerns about bias, oversight, and the protection of veterans’ data. If you’re a veteran, a caregiver, or a clinician trying to understand toxic exposure and women veterans' health, this is a practical starting point.

Subscribe for weekly conversations, share this episode with a veteran who needs it, and leave a review to help more listeners find the show. What question do you want us to ask these doctors next?

A single word on a headstone—Unknown—sent author Jeff Gottesfeld on a path to write children’s books that carry the weight of service with grace. Today, we sit down with Jeff to trace that path from 21 Steps: Guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier to his new large-format book, Honor Flight: Celebrating America’s Veterans, and a forthcoming project that centers on the kids who also serve.

We dig into how a writer chooses the right voice for young readers without softening the truth. Jeff shares why his early draft didn’t land, how a first-person perspective unlocked emotional clarity, and what collaborating with illustrator Matt Tavares adds to solemn subjects like the Tomb Guards. Then we climb aboard an actual Honor Flight as Jeff recounts serving as a guardian for a Vietnam-era sailor: the early-morning bustle, the wheelchairs rolling in formation, the crackle of stories traded on the bus, and the overdue homecoming so many never received. Honor Flight’s generous, coffee-table scale turns reading into a family ritual—perfect for parents and grandparents to point at the page and say, “That was me,” while kids learn what service and gratitude look like in real life.

We also preview We All Serve, a book that gives military children a mirror and civilian classmates a window. Frequent moves, missed holidays, long deployments, and the quiet courage of welcoming a wounded parent home—these are the threads often unseen outside the base gate. Jeff explains why these stories matter now, when fewer than 1% serve but 100% can learn to honor sacrifice. Along the way, we highlight community efforts that lift up military families and show how schools, libraries, veteran groups, and neighbors can use these books to spark honest, hopeful conversations.

If stories shape what a nation remembers, these pages help us remember well. Listen, share with a veteran or teacher, and help a child connect to the people behind the uniforms. If you enjoyed this conversation, subscribe, leave a review, and pass the episode to someone who could use a new way to talk about service.

When a cutter launches into a storm or a helicopter hovers over a capsized hull, the story we don’t see is the family at home watching the radar, praying for their service member going into harm's way, or the kid who just switched schools again. This episode pulls back the curtain on the Coast Guard Foundation—the nonprofit lifeline that helps Coast Guard members and their families stay ready, resilient, and focused when it counts most.

We sit down with Ron LaBrec, a 29-year Coast Guard veteran and the Foundation’s Chief Marketing and Communications Officer, to explore what real support looks like on the ground. Ron shares how targeted emergency assistance steps in after hurricanes, floods, and wildfires so responders can save lives while their families rebuild. He walks us through a powerful education portfolio—scholarships for Coast Guard children, spouse education grants, and workforce development for members—that turns service into long-term opportunity. We also dig into youth enrichment programs that help kids find friends and confidence before the first day of school in a new town.

Mental resilience takes center stage as Ron explains how first-responder stress tests even the strongest teams. From suicide prevention and marriage retreats to crew cohesion activities, the Foundation invests where readiness begins: with people. And with the Coast Guard poised to grow by 15,000 members, the need is rising across housing-challenged communities, high-tempo units, and families who serve alongside the mission every day.

If you care about search and rescue, maritime safety, and the flow of commerce that touches nearly everything we eat, build, and use, this is a must-listen. Hear how the Foundation plans to triple its annual impact and why every donation fuels real outcomes—from faster recovery after disasters to more scholarships at the $5,000 level. Subscribe, share this episode with someone who loves the sea services, and leave a review to help more people discover these stories of service and support.

What if recovery felt less like appointments and more like belonging? We sit down with Donna Meltzer, CEO of Brain Injury Services in Fairfax, to unpack why “brain injury is a journey” and how a purpose-built clubhouse helps survivors—veterans and civilians alike—reclaim identity, skills, and community. From the first welcome to setting personal goals, the model flips the script: members choose to participate, practice real-life tasks, and build confidence where it matters most—at home, at work, and in relationships.

Walk through the Adapt Clubhouse’s core units that make progress tangible. In the culinary space, members plan menus, build grocery lists, navigate transportation, and cook safely in an accessible kitchen designed for independence. In the kitchen, conversation becomes therapy, restoring memory, sequencing, and social ease. In the technology unit, digital literacy turns into a bridge back to research, writing, and employability, with labeling systems—including braille—that reduce cognitive load and celebrate adaptation. With counseling and case management just steps away, support is coordinated rather than scattered.

We also tackle the hidden layers of TBI: PTS, moral injury, and the emotional fallout of “I’m fine.” Donna explains how wraparound services complement VA care or provide an alternative path for veterans who hesitate to seek help. We widen the lens to stroke and heart health, highlighting practical prevention—know your blood pressure and cholesterol, move daily, sleep well—and why repeat injuries are so common without education and community. The biggest takeaway is simple and urgent: one call can start the right mix of group belonging, mental health care, tech coaching, and home strategies. Share this with someone who’s struggling in silence, and help them find a place to breathe, rebuild, and belong.

If this conversation resonates, subscribe, leave a review, and pass it to a friend or veteran who needs to hear it. Your share could be the nudge that changes a life.

The most powerful sentence in today’s conversation is also the simplest: “Actually, she’s the veteran.” We sit down with Brooke Jackson Kahn—Army combat medic, neurosurgery PA, and founder of She’s the Veteran—to explore what service, transition, and healing look like when the world still assumes the veteran is a man. Brooke brings clear, lived insight into how women experience PTS differently, why so many never seek help, and how community can change a life when therapy hours end.

We walk through the rough edges of coming home—from culture shock to isolation—and why early VA claims matter for long-term health. Brooke reveals the research gap that pushed her to act and the program model she built on neuroplasticity: activity-based experiences that retrain the brain and reduce stress. Think stand-up comedy led by a retired Army colonel, virtual cooking classes, and monthly meetups that require one crucial boundary: no spouses, no civilians, no kids. That protected space lets women step out of their roles and reconnect with themselves, often realizing how much relief they’ve been postponing.

We also talk scale and impact. With over 80% of eligible women not using VA healthcare and one in five military suicides involving a woman veteran, access must reach beyond traditional systems. She’s the Veteran, now runs chapters in Charleston, Columbia, and San Diego, and has an app that helps women find each other nationwide by location. Recognition from Evan Williams’ American-Made Heroes amplified the mission with grants and national visibility, but growth remains intentional—training leaders, centralizing logistics, and prioritizing programs that truly move the needle on mental health.

If you’re a woman who served—or you love one—this episode offers a map: how to find your tribe again, why celebrating service matters, and where to plug in. Subscribe for more conversations that lift up veteran voices, share this with a woman warrior in your life, and visit shestheveteran.org to donate, join an event, or start a chapter in your city. Your share might be the connection that keeps someone going.

The quiet work after the mission often decides whether a family bends or breaks. We sit down with Marine Raider Foundation CEO Jessica McAndrews to open the door on a community that rarely seeks the spotlight and yet carries a heavy load long after the headlines fade. From emergency travel and uncovered medical devices to childcare during recovery, Jessica explains how a focused nonprofit moves fast to cover real gaps for Marine Raiders, their families, and Gold Star loved ones.

We walk through what makes the Raider community unique within U.S. Special Operations, why the Foundation was started by Raiders themselves, and how trust with the Marine Corps enables quick, ethical support. Jessica shares how needs have shifted over 14 years—from acute battlefield injuries to long-tail challenges like traumatic brain injury and mental health—and why connection to the unit, the mission, and each other remains the strongest protective factor. You’ll hear about annual gatherings for Gold Star families, a 20th anniversary 5K near Camp Lejeune, and a celebration in Washington, D.C., all designed to keep this tight-knit community together.

Practical help takes center stage: transition assistance grants for certifications and tools, mentorship and networking, and direct connections to expert partners for VA claims, resume writing, and interview prep. We talk entrepreneurship, too—how former Raiders are building businesses and purpose beyond the wire—and why the Foundation avoids duplicating services, choosing instead to partner smartly so veterans get the right help, right away. If you’ve ever wondered how to make a real difference for those who serve at the tip of the spear, this conversation is your guide.

Listen now, share with a friend who cares about military families, and support the mission at the Marine Raider Foundation website. If the conversation resonates, subscribe, leave a review, and tell us what part inspired you to act. Your voice and your generosity keep the community strong.

Too many women who served are still asked to fight for basic recognition before they can access care. We sit down with Virginia Giordano, CEO and founder of the Barbara Giordano Foundation, to explore a different path: small, trauma‑informed retreats and holistic wellness programs designed by listening to women veterans first. From equine therapy and EFT tapping to reflexology and targeted workshops on issues like clutter, the approach centers on safety, trust, and practical tools that help women rebuild daily life.

Virginia walks us through the foundation’s evolution from a broad women’s mission to a laser focus on women veterans after discovering the stark realities: higher rates of military sexual trauma, elevated suicide risk, and persistent underemployment. She explains why a 15‑woman cap is intentional—no one is invisible, everyone is heard—and how all‑female practitioners and cohorts create a protective space where healing can actually take hold. We discuss the tension between accessible online programming and the unique power of in‑person connection, where shared stories dissolve isolation and accelerate recovery.

The conversation also surfaces systemic barriers: the default assumption that the veteran is a man, the maze of claims and bureaucracy, and the emotional cost of not being believed. Virginia shares a bold next step—a dedicated holistic retreat center for women veterans—with plans ready and partnerships welcome, whether through property donations, sponsorships, or aligned support. If you care about veteran mental health, MST recovery, equitable access, and trauma‑informed care, this is a blueprint for meaningful change that turns recognition into resources and resources into lives renewed.

Subscribe for more candid conversations with leaders serving our veteran community, share this episode with a woman who served, and leave a review to help others find it. Want to help build the retreat center or sponsor a cohort? Visit GiordanoFoundation.org and get involved.

Ten years in, the Warrior Retreat at Bull Run stands on stories that still move us—volunteers who swung the first hammers, families who found rest here, and a community that showed up in sunshine and storms. We take that history and turn it into fuel for a packed 2026, staying true to our core promise of five-night, no-cost respite for wounded, ill, and injured service members and their families while growing programs that answer urgent needs we see every week.

We dig into the heart-work behind a moral injury initiative shaped by conversations with chaplains and hospital leaders. These gatherings help service members, first responders, and frontline medical staff name and heal wounds tied to guilt, loss, and values in conflict—pain that often hides behind diagnoses. We also share details on our new financial literacy series with ambassador Jeff Schlegel, built to replace checkbox training with real-world tools: budgeting, debt, emergency funds, investing basics, rent versus buy, and insurance essentials, all designed to ease transition and strengthen family stability.

Partnerships bring even more impact to our grounds. The 9:57 Project returns with a fully sponsored student leadership week taught by veterans and anchored in the story of Flight 93, including a visit to Shanksville. Mighty Oaks and American Warrior Association schedule men’s and women’s retreats, 1010 for Life joins us for focused weekends, and DAV chaplains fill all three houses for intensive, restorative work. The Grand Lodge does what it was built to do—host, support, and give space to breathe—while miles of trails invite quiet reflection between sessions.

Through it all, we keep sight of why we started: saving lives, strengthening families, and honoring service with compassion and action. Want to help sustain meals, transportation, materials, and the everyday costs that make this possible? Visit willingwarriors.org, choose donate, and, if you like, direct your gift to a program that speaks to you. If this conversation resonates, subscribe, share it with someone who cares about veterans and first responders, and leave a review to help more people find these stories.

The question we ask is simple: Who watches the warriors when their war is over? Larry sits down with Denny Caballero, a former Green Beret and media entrepreneur, to explore how the Special Forces Foundation delivers rapid, peer-led support to Green Berets, their families, and Gold Star survivors—without red tape or delay. From crisis response to household needs, this is a ground-level look at a community taking care of its own.

Denny shares his path from the National Guard to the 82nd Airborne and into Special Forces culture, then opens up about injuries, surgeries, and learning to navigate the VA with help from mentors. That experience shaped his next mission: bringing an authentic, Green Beret voice to a small, agile nonprofit. We talk about building reach the right way, connecting every contact to someone who understands TBI, PTS, moral injury, and the quiet burdens carried home. The result is a foundation that moves fast, funds the essentials, and keeps promises to families long after headlines fade.

We dig into the QRF model—a quick reaction force for human crisis—where trained peers locate, de-escalate, and guide a teammate to care, often within hours. We spotlight the Brotherhood Blueprint, a simple QR code that drops members into trusted Signal groups where jobs, claims help, and honest answers flow. And we examine the future: growth without losing the core identity of “by Green Berets, for Green Berets,” because credibility and connection drive outcomes. If you’ve ever asked how a nonprofit can act like a team, this conversation maps the playbook.

Explore resources, support the mission, and share this with someone who needs it. Subscribe for more candid, purpose-driven conversations, leave a review to help others find the show, and visit specialforcesfoundation.org to donate or get plugged in today.

A Purple Heart veteran turned advocate, Justin Hoover knows what it takes to look tough at work and feel lost at home. We sat down with the CEO of The Battle Within to unpack practical ways veterans, police, firefighters, EMTs, dispatchers, and frontline clinicians can get help early—before life hits crisis. The conversation is candid and actionable: why moral injury needs plain language, how timing matters three to six months after critical incidents, and what it looks like to replace “gut it out” with skills you can train.

Justin breaks down their toolkit. The trauma-informed one-day workshop meets units where they are and gives leaders and line staff a shared map for grief, stress, and recovery. Dogs for Valor, a Kansas City train-the-trainer program, uses service dogs to break isolation and rebuild confidence through real-world exposure. The five-day Revenant Journey creates a safe space to share the stories people think no one will understand and pairs that with emotional regulation so you can downshift from fight-or-flight and show up at home. For continued support, the Frontline Therapy Network funds initial sessions and matches clients with culturally competent clinicians across a range of modalities, not just one-size-fits-all CBT.

We also dig into the “mid-tier” gap—people who aren’t homeless or suicidal but are slowly burning out. Early, matched care changes that trajectory, protecting families, careers, and teams. Justin shares plans to scale their national network and build a Kansas City campus, arguing that now is the moment to invest in evidence-based programs and community mentors for the next generation of responders and veterans. If you or someone you love serves, this conversation offers a clear path forward and the reminder that your story is worth it.

If this resonates, share it with your team, subscribe for more grounded conversations, and leave a review so others can find it. And if you’re ready for support, visit thebattlewithin.org—confidential, compassionate, and built for you.

A 17-minute film shouldn’t feel this big, but Chest Candy lingers like a conversation you’ve needed for years. We sit down with writer-director-actor Robert Golphin to unpack the story of a Black Army veteran fighting PTS, the collateral grief his family carries, and the cultural scripts that keep too many people from asking for help. Robert didn’t wear the uniform, but he built this film shoulder to shoulder with veterans, military family members, and mental health advisors—so the details ring true to those who live them.

We walk through the film’s origins, from a small acting scene that wouldn’t let go, to years of research and revisions, to a production that embraced constraints. A lost location became a horse farm in Spring City, Pennsylvania, and that tight, lived-in house gave the movie its heartbeat: a palpable sense of being boxed in. Casting pulled the story deeper—Lauren Michelle Morgan’s quiet resolve as the spouse, Ariana Pratt’s presence as a military child, and Joey Collins’s haunting embodiment of the commanding voice that never fully leaves. Along the way, we confront systemic hurdles around veteran benefits, the particular weight Black veterans can face, and the generational divide between “push through” and “get help.”

This conversation isn’t about a Hollywood ending. It’s about honesty, dignity, and leaving space for hope without pretending recovery is linear. If you or someone you love has navigated PTS, hypervigilance, or complicated reintegration, this story will feel familiar—and seen. Chest Candy is free on YouTube, and your share might be the nudge that gets the right eyes on it. Watch, pass it to your battle buddies, and tell us what stayed with you. If the episode moved you, subscribe, leave a review, and share this with someone who cares about veterans and families.

A two-star admiral sits down with us and lays out a clear, unvarnished blueprint for leadership, mission success, and the China challenge—no buzzwords, no hedging. Mike Studeman hoped to fly after reading Flight of the Intruder, landed in intelligence when the cockpit queue was full, and still found himself launching with A-6 Intruders off a carrier during Desert Storm. That twist shaped a career built on truth-telling, rigorous analysis, and the kind of command presence that earns trust when the pressure spikes.

We trace the moment that set his compass: briefing Tiananmen Square as a young officer and realizing that a richer, stronger, yet illiberal China would test the United States across tech, economics, and security. He explains why Taiwan’s chips, stolen IP, and standards wars matter to every household, and why a divided America risks forfeiting hard-won advantages. Along the way, he digs into the craft of intelligence—confidence levels, gaps, and assessments—and how politicization at the strategic level leads to weaker decisions and real-world costs. Intelligence isn’t “just another opinion,” he argues; it’s the disciplined baseline for action.

We also get practical about command: flatten where possible without inviting chaos, walk the deckplates without an entourage, protect the mavericks who tell you the truth, and build anonymous feedback loops that reveal what polished briefings hide. Studeman shares the habits behind his book, "Might of the Chain: Forging Leaders of Iron Integrity"—four dozen traits condensed into short, memorable stories, endorsed by Henry Kissinger and Bob Gates. The core message is timely and direct: titles don’t make leaders; character does. If we fix leadership, better outcomes follow—from carrier decks to boardrooms to city halls.

If this conversation sparks something, subscribe, share it with a friend who leads a team, and leave a review with the one lesson you’re putting to work this week.

Ten years can bring about significant healing. We open the doors to the Warrior Retreat at Bull Run and walk through a year where a 37-acre sanctuary, a pair of five-bedroom homes, and a brand-new Grand Lodge came together to serve thousands of wounded warriors, veterans, and families. From the weekly rhythm of guest stays and Wednesday staging to the Saturday beautification days, you’ll hear how logistics and love combine to make rest possible for those who need it most.

We revisit milestones that shaped 2025: Alvey Elementary students raising new service flags alongside American Legion mentors, the Vets for Willing Warriors car show featuring 264 cars and a small army of volunteers, and the Warrior Ride’s medic-supported routes that turned grit into a community. Food anchors the story. Our visiting chef program—comprising 126 chefs, many from elite military kitchens—brings five-star meals, simple techniques, and laughter to the table. We honor the late Jim Cole with a kitchen dedication and relive the Home Away From Home Thanksgiving dinner, where every dish, from the croutons to the main course, was made from scratch for nearly 70 guests.

Programs expanded with a purpose inside the Grand Lodge. Moral injury workshops welcomed soldiers, families, and medical teams, with plans to include first responders next year. Youth found their footing through the 9:57 Project’s Summer Leadership Challenge, and We Signed Up Two’s day of cooking, journaling, and survival skills. An elderly Veterans lunch restored connection for those who rarely get out. Along the way, partners like Home Depot Foundation and Amazon stepped up with flooring, a new mower barn, and a studio grant to bring video to future episodes. At the same time, volunteers pushed tracked hours toward 12,500 and beyond.

We close with gratitude, a nod to our 10th anniversary gala and Visiting Chef of the Year, Navy Chief Dakota Aubry, and a look ahead to season four with Rear Admiral Mike Studeman. If this story moves you, share it with someone who loves service, subscribe on your favorite platform, and leave a review. Want to help directly? Visit willingwarriors.org to volunteer, donate, or ask how you can be part of the next chapter.

Some stories hit like a clean snap pass: direct, fast, and aimed at the open ice ahead. That is the energy we bring to our conversation with Pete Perzel, president of the Capitol Beltway Warriors, a veteran hockey nonprofit serving the National Capital Region. From the first whistle, we delve into how a simple idea—putting skates on veterans and giving them a team—became a powerful engine for purpose, connection, and mental health.

We talk through the nuts and bolts of the program: a 120-member roster, two main skill tiers, and year-round ice time that keeps players engaged and accountable. Newcomers get coaching and mentorship without being thrown into the deep end, and seasoned skaters find real leadership opportunities. The culture is both competitive and respectful, featuring non-checking games, disciplined play, and a clear focus on safety. We also get practical about the costs of the sport—why a good stick can run up to $400, how ice rental adds up, and what it takes to outfit beginners, so money never blocks healing. Along the way, we celebrate inclusivity, featuring veterans and active-duty personnel, all services and ranks, with women seamlessly integrated into the lineup. On the ice, there is no rank—only trust, timing, and the next shift.

You will hear about an upcoming game at the Piney Orchard Ice Arena near Annapolis and how national warrior tournaments create a wider network of support through USA Hockey. If you know a veteran who skated as a kid in Minnesota, Pennsylvania, or Wisconsin—or someone who always wanted to try—send them this episode and the link. If you want to help, donations keep doors open, cover gear, and expand access for those who need the team most. Subscribe, share with a friend, and leave a review to help more veterans find their tribe on the ice. Then visit capitalbeltwaywarriors.org and, yes, bang on that donate button.

The call comes after a storm, a flood, or a wildfire—and before the dust settles, the gray shirts are already moving. We sit down with Evan Farley, Northern Virginia Metro Field Operations Coordinator for Team Rubicon, to explore how veteran discipline and civilian grit combine to deliver rapid disaster relief at zero cost to homeowners. From the organization’s roots in Haiti’s 2010 earthquake to a global network 200,000 strong, this is the story of purpose, speed, and practical help when it matters most.

Evan shares how Team Rubicon mobilizes volunteers into clear roles: site survey teams that scope out needs, muck and gut crews that strip out waterlogged materials, chainsaw operators who clear hazards, and the planners and logisticians who make the whole operation run smoothly. Not everyone needs a trades background—attitude and reliability go far. We delve into the details of joining, including straightforward sign-up steps, a low-cost background check for deployers, and what life is like on the ground: cots in gymnasiums, shared meals, and long days that translate into real recovery for families who thought they’d lost everything.

We also dig into the organization’s surprising range. Beyond immediate response, Team Rubicon now runs rebuild programs that put people back into finished homes, pilots a trades academy to grow skills and careers, and adapts to new needs—from COVID vaccination support to helping resettle Afghan families with muscle, logistics, and compassion. Corporate partners, such as Ford and Home Depot, provide funding and volunteer time, thereby multiplying the impact when disasters accumulate. And at the local level, recurring service projects keep teams sharp and communities stronger long before the next siren sounds.

If you’ve been looking for meaningful service after service or a way to turn your free time into real relief, this conversation makes it easy to step in. Join, deploy, donate, or spread the word at teamrubiconusa.org. If this resonated, follow the show, share with a friend who’s ready to serve, and leave a review to help others find us.

A quiet question—why choose the Army?—opens into a candid story of injury, recovery, and purpose with Eric Thomas, founder of CJ3 Foundation. We dig into how a veteran and first responder-led nonprofit tackles what so many systems miss: putting mental health first, pairing people with real service dogs trained from day one, and showing up as relentless advocates when employers or agencies get in the way.

Eric lays out a simple but demanding model. Before any dog is placed, candidates complete a comprehensive mental health and wellness program that addresses the mind, body, and spirit. Only then does CJ3 pair a Veteran with the right breed and temperament for their lifestyle, from high-drive Belgian Malinois to steady labs or hypoallergenic giants. Training never leaves professional hands; dogs remain in top-tier kennels used by police, military, and federal clients. Handoff is a process, not a moment: a week at the kennel, in-depth handler training, followed by at-home integration and ongoing recertification to prevent bad habits and protect outcomes.

We also discuss the finances and the policy. Through partnerships, CJ3 delivers a fully trained service dog for about $25,000—far less than the long-term costs of unmanaged symptoms, medication stacking, or isolation. Meanwhile, legislation like PAWS and SAVES is inching forward, and CJ3 has pushed to fix exclusions that sidelined reputable providers. Eric argues for a practical line: the VA may not need to fund food and collars, but if a clinician prescribes a service dog, basic veterinary care should be covered to protect the veteran’s lifeline.

Beyond dogs, CJ3’s Field Ops offers safe hunting, fishing, racing, and range days—that rebuild confidence and community for veterans, law enforcement, firefighters, and EMS. The organization scales through ambassadors instead of buildings, runs on volunteers, and invests in people and services over infrastructure. If you’ve got skills in design, web, or fundraising, they can use the help. If you’ve got time, show up at a pop-up and meet the handlers and dogs. And if you’ve got the means, your donation goes straight to the mission.

Enjoyed the conversation and want to support the work? Subscribe, share this episode with a friend who could use it, and leave a review so more listeners can find these stories. Then visit CJ3foundation.org and, if you’re able, hit that donate button.

What if a warm, welcoming home sat steps away from the hospital where your loved one is fighting to heal—and it cost your family nothing? We open the door to Fisher House, the nationwide network of free lodging for military and veteran families that turns proximity into peace of mind. Julie Riggs, Vice President of Community Relations at Fisher House Foundation, joins us to share how these homes are built, who they serve, and why a shared kitchen can become the most important room in healthcare.

We trace Fisher House’s growth from early eight-suite homes to today’s 16-suite sweet spot, then look ahead to new builds in Montrose, New York, a fully accessible replacement in West Palm Beach, and the first house in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Julie explains the funding model—Fisher House raises capital and constructs each property, then gifts it to the Department of Defense or VA for staffing and upkeep—so listeners see exactly how donations become bricks, beds, and breathing room for caregivers. We talk eligibility, the reality of months-long stays after severe injuries, and the simple ritual of cooking that binds families into a lasting support network.

When houses are full, Hero Programs keep families covered. Their Hotels for Heroes program steps in with paid hotel stays until a suite becomes available. At the same time, the Hero Miles program turns donated airline miles and hotel points into travel and lodging, allowing caregivers to attend to their duties and service members in treatment to fly home on leave. Along the way, we unpack occupancy patterns, the sites that run near capacity, and the outreach that helps nurses and case managers refer families at the right time. Want to help? Gift cards, new unopened consumables, hygiene kits, miles, and points make an immediate difference—and yes, your local Fisher House manager will gladly share a current needs list.

If this conversation moved you, share it with a friend, subscribe for more stories that matter, and leave a quick review so others can find the show. And if you’re ready to act, visit fisherhouse.org to donate, give miles or points, or connect your community group with a local house.

Moral injury isn’t a buzzword or a rebrand of Post Traumatic Stress. It’s what happens when military service members face actions and events that violate their core values, or when the institutions and leaders they trusted fail them. We sit down with Air Force Reserve chaplain and Moral Injury Support Network for Servicewomen (MISNS) board member Lindsay Moser to unpack why women in uniform are uniquely vulnerable to moral injury, how military sexual trauma and institutional betrayal compound the harm, and what real, practical healing looks like when chaplains, clinicians, social workers, and commanders work together.

We walk through concrete distinctions between fear-based PTS and value-based moral injury, highlighting why standard PTS protocols often miss grief, shame, and the profound identity disruption that follows betrayal. Lindsay shares how the Moral Injury Support Network for Service Women—through the Harriet Tubman matching network, free leader guidebooks, continuing education, and research—connects women with tailored support that meets spiritual, psychological, and practical needs. From transfers that remove a member from a harmful command climate to food and utility assistance that stabilizes life, we explore how addressing root causes and basic needs unlocks deeper recovery.

We also tackle under-discussed realities, such as breastfeeding in the military, operational tempo, postpartum fitness standards, and the subtle ways culture can either uphold dignity or intensify distress. Along the way, we discuss creative healing modalities—such as writing, art, and music—that help service women process complex stories when words alone are insufficient. If you’re a leader, provider, or battle buddy, you’ll come away with language to recognize moral injury, steps to build an interdisciplinary web of care, and resources to share immediately.

Explore MISNS resources at msns.org, learn about the Tubman Network, and consider supporting this work for women who’ve borne the weight of service. If this conversation resonates, subscribe, share it with a leader or teammate, and leave a review so more listeners can find it. Your voice helps move this from quiet pain to collective repair.

The moment a service member transitions, the family’s support web can evaporate. We sat down with Hannah O’Brien, Program Director of the Veteran Spouse Network (VSN) at the University of Texas, to map out a better way forward: peer-led groups, practical suicide prevention tools, and data that actually reflects what spouses and caregivers need right now. If you’ve ever wondered how to rebuild the tribe after the military, this conversation brings the blueprint.

Hannah traces VSN’s roots from Texas-based research to a national network that runs mostly virtual, peer-facilitated groups. These are structured, welcoming spaces for spouses and caregivers navigating PTS at home, identity shifts after service, and the everyday frictions of life post-uniform. We dig into the evidence behind the model—measurable gains in quality of life, reduced anxiety and depression, and stronger social support—and how VSN refines its curriculum using ongoing evaluation and feedback from leaders in the field.

We also look at suicide prevention for families. Many veterans aren’t in treatment, which means loved ones often see the first red flags. VSN equips households with free monthly trainings like Mental Health First Aid, guidance on lethal means safety, and step-by-step safety planning. It’s clear, actionable, and built for non-clinicians—think CPR for mental health—focused on buying time and staying safe while help is secured. Plus, Hannah shares insights from the new Military and Veteran Spouse Wellness Survey, a national snapshot across eight domains that helps VSOs, funders, and communities design services families actually use.

You’ll leave with links to VSN’s podcast, a robust resource hub, and ways to get involved—from joining a group to sharing trainings with a caregiver you love. If this conversation resonates, subscribe, share it with your network, and leave a quick review. Your support helps more families find the community, tools, and hope they deserve.

A trained service dog can do what red tape can’t: help a veteran sleep through the night, step back into a crowded room, and reenter daily life with confidence and safety. We sit down with Marine veteran and K9 handler Chris Baity, co‑founder of Semper K9, to unpack how ethical training, clear standards, and community support turn that promise into repeatable results—and why federal funding has lagged behind the need.

Chris shares the path from deployments to building Semper K9’s “mental health mobility” model, where dogs perform physical tasks while anchoring PTS and anxiety management. We walk through the coalition of nonprofits that drafted national-level training standards, created continuing education, and proved that costs drop and outcomes improve when methods are consistent and ethical. From there, we explain the SAVES Act: a five‑year VA pilot program that reallocates existing funds to deliver no‑cost service dogs through vetted nonprofits, collect clean data, and set enforceable expectations for quality. The price tag is tiny compared to the VA budget, yet powerful enough to validate what veterans and caregivers see every day—better sleep, calmer public outings, fewer crises, and meaningful reentry into work, school, and family life.

If you’ve wondered how to help, this is the playbook. Contact your representatives’ veterans’ affairs staffers to support the SAVES Act. Share credible organizations that never charge veterans for dogs. Donate or volunteer to keep training pipelines strong while Congress moves. And if you or someone you love is considering a service dog, start with reputable providers like Semper K9 for guidance, evaluation, and a path that puts dignity and outcomes first. If this conversation resonates, follow, share with a friend, and leave a review so more veterans and families can find it—and add your voice to the push that turns a pilot into lasting care.

A podcast guest arrives with a $2,000 check—and a clear mission to help a warrior family heal. We sit down with Dennis Corrigan to unpack how his local MOAA chapter funds a full week at the Warrior Retreat at Bull Run and how the Military Officers Association of America turns membership, mentorship, and policy expertise into real wins for veterans and their families.

Dennis shares the arc of his service—from Navy brat to P-3 Orion pilot, to building flight simulators, to running a veteran-owned small business that protects our grounds from ticks and mosquitoes. Along the way, we discuss what a sustainable transition looks like: leveraging experience, staying relevant, and choosing work that keeps you close to your purpose. Then we zoom out to the larger engine behind MOAA: scholarships for military-connected students, career and resume support for separating service members, and nonpartisan advocacy that ensures COLA adjustments, VA funding, and state-level benefits remain on track. If you’ve ever wondered how Virginia’s property tax relief for 100% disabled veterans happened or how the PACT Act gained momentum, this is the story behind the scenes—coalitions doing steady work.

We also dig into the quiet services families need most. Local MOAA leaders sit with survivors to navigate VA forms, burial honors, and national cemetery eligibility when a loved one passes. That care extends to dignity projects, like securing VA headstones for unmarked veterans, restoring names and service to memory. Whether you’re an officer ready to join, a veteran seeking mentorship, or a supporter wanting to make an impact, there’s a place for you here—chapter events, scholarships, and hands-on help that meets people where they are.

Want to keep this work going? Join or donate at moaa.org, share this episode with a veteran who could use the resources, and leave us a review so more families find their way to support and healing.

A six-hour phone call changed everything. When a veteran in crisis found someone willing to listen through the night, a simple truth emerged: human connection can save lives. That moment sparked Objective Zero, a peer support network and free app that connects veterans, service members, families, and caregivers with trained volunteers in minutes—no stigma, no red tape, just fast, compassionate help from people who understand your world.

We speak with Executive Director and Co-Founder Betsy Mercado about how Objective Zero blends purpose with smart design. You’ll hear how users can instantly reach a Pathfinder or filter by branch, role, deployments, location, age, and more to find a fast “shortcut of trust.” For those not ready to talk, the app offers suicide and opioid screenings, a mood journal, and energy and symptom tracking—tools that meet you upstream, before crisis builds. Betsy also delves into volunteer onboarding, which includes 20+ hours of training in partnership with Strongstar and PsychArmor, as well as the global time zone coverage that makes the network truly 24/7.

We explore funding and sustainability—from an early Kickstarter to grants and recurring donors—plus a strong partnership with the VA’s Office of Suicide Prevention that helps more veterans enroll in the benefits they’ve earned. Betsy explains how Objective Zero protects privacy, shares anonymized insights responsibly, and invites ethical research to strengthen the field. And while AI supports sentiment analysis and product improvements behind the scenes, the mission remains human-first: technology should amplify empathy, not replace it.

If you care about veteran wellness, including struggles with sleep and insomnia, financial stress, and transition support, as well as evidence-based prevention, this conversation offers concrete steps and real hope. Download the Objective Zero app, share the link with someone you served with, and consider making a donation to help keep the network strong. Subscribe, leave a review, and help us spread the word so more people find support before a crisis hits.

Anthony Dyer's journey from loading weapons to manning the guns of one of the world's most intimidating aircraft reveals the extraordinary path of a combat aviator in special operations. As a retired Air Force Combat Special Missions Aviator who served aboard the legendary AC-130 gunship, Dyer takes us inside a world few civilians ever glimpse.

The conversation opens with Dyer's early career decisions, initially following his father's footsteps into the Air Force as a weapons loader before cross-training as a firefighter. It wasn't until a pivotal moment of self-reflection that Dyer made the life-changing decision to pursue special operations aviation. "I don't want to leave cracks, I want to leave craters," he recalls thinking, a powerful metaphor for seeking greater impact through his service.

Listeners gain unprecedented access to the technical marvels of the AC-130 gunship, an aircraft Dyer describes as "NASCAR with a gun." He explains how this modified cargo plane flies in a left-hand "pylon turn" with its arsenal—including a 105mm howitzer that recoils 49 inches—mounted on the aircraft's left side. The crew coordination required to operate this complex weapons system while supporting special forces on the ground offers a masterclass in precision under pressure.

The emotional weight of 14 deployments becomes evident as Dyer opens up about the psychological toll of combat operations. His candid discussion of developing an alcohol dependency during his final year of service and the ultimatum from his wife that pushed him toward recovery provides a raw look at the hidden battles many veterans face. The transition challenges—from the seemingly simple adjustment to civilian clothing to the profound loss of purpose—resonate with veterans of all eras.

Dyer's book "Moon Child: The Roots and Wings of a USAF Combat Special Missions Aviator" emerged from therapy sessions where writing became a healing tool. His vulnerability in sharing both triumphs and struggles has created a powerful connection with readers who find comfort in his message that "it's okay not to be okay." For anyone fascinated by military aviation, interested in special operations, or seeking to understand the veteran experience, this conversation offers invaluable insights from someone who's lived at the tip of America's spear.

The unsung heroes of our military community often go unrecognized—even by themselves. Military spouses who manage their loved ones' PTS symptoms, administer medications, and coordinate care frequently don't identify as "caregivers," believing they're simply supporting someone they love. As COO Elizabeth Field explains in this powerful conversation, this revelation stands at the heart of the Elizabeth Dole Foundation's mission.

Field takes us behind the scenes of the Foundation's groundbreaking programs, particularly the Dole Caregiver Fellowship. This initiative transforms military and veteran caregivers into powerful advocates by providing comprehensive training, Capitol Hill experience, and ongoing support. With over 300 fellows nationwide who have helped advance critical legislation like the Elizabeth Dole Act, the program demonstrates how caregivers' voices can drive meaningful policy change when properly supported and amplified.

Perhaps most moving is the Foundation's focus on "Hidden Helpers" - the 5.5 million children living in homes with wounded, ill, or injured service members and veterans. These remarkable young people often assist with caregiving responsibilities while navigating their own unique challenges. Research shows they develop enhanced empathy and patience, but may struggle with mental health issues and school difficulties. Through specialized resources, awareness campaigns, and dedicated programming, the Foundation ensures these children receive the recognition and support they deserve.

The conversation reveals how the Elizabeth Dole Foundation continues to evolve, with strategic priorities focused on mental well-being, economic mobility, and systems improvement. Their emergency financial assistance through the Hope Fund provides critical support for caregivers facing crises. For anyone connected to the military community - whether as a caregiver themselves or knowing someone in that role - the Foundation offers a wealth of resources accessible through its website.

Looking for support or want to help? Visit elizabethdolefoundation.org to learn more about these programs or to contribute to their vital mission supporting military caregivers and their families.

The transition from military service to civilian life represents one of the most challenging journeys many veterans face. For Donnell Johns, founder of Veterans Growing America, this transition sparked an innovative mission to transform how America supports its veteran entrepreneurs.

After 26 years of distinguished Army service spanning Desert Storm, Somalia, and leadership roles in recruiting, Johns found himself struggling with his post-military identity. "I wanted to find out who Donnell was," he shares, describing how his entire adult identity had been shaped by military service since age 18. Like many veterans, he faced isolation, purpose loss, and the daunting challenge of building a new life without his military community. The solution emerged unexpectedly at a veteran networking event where Johns realized something profound: instead of focusing on veteran challenges like PTS and homelessness, America needed to see veterans as capable entrepreneurs, leaders, and innovators.

Veterans Growing America evolved from this insight into a comprehensive ecosystem supporting veteran entrepreneurship. The organization now operates storefronts in Virginia and Maryland exclusively featuring products from veteran and military spouse-owned businesses. These spaces serve as more than retail environments—they're community hubs hosting business boot camps, networking events, and even veteran-led activities like line dancing classes. Johns powerfully notes that "veterans can't eat 'thank you for your service,'" emphasizing that economic opportunity through entrepreneurship provides the meaningful support veterans truly need.

Ready to support veteran entrepreneurs? Visit veteransgrowingamerica.com to explore their business directory, learn about upcoming events, or make a donation. Better yet, visit their storefronts at Stonebridge at Potomac Town Center (Virginia) or Clarksburg Premium Outlets (Maryland) to discover quality products while directly supporting veteran business owners. Your purchase does more than complete a transaction—it validates a veteran's new mission and purpose.