About Today’s GuestCrystal is a dynamic, agile storyteller, who is passionate about speaking up for those who have historically been disenfranchised, systemically excluded and institutionally oppressed. She leverages her service to her country to ensure that those that have served, and those still serving, have a voice and a safe space. She is a fellow in the George W. Bush Presidential Center Stand-To Veterans Leadership Program, the Veterans Program for Politics and Civic Engagement at Syracuse University, New Politics Leadership Academy, is a Co-Founder for Veterans at the Intersection (VATI), and Founder/CEO at GenOnyx Consulting, LLC. She also currently serves as an executive board member for her local American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). In her military career, she served four years in the United States Army as a helicopter mechanic in the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment and is now a combat veteran. In her spare time, she enjoys yoga, brunch, volunteering, and spending time with her family.Links Mentioned In This EpisodeCrystal’s LinkedIn ProfileMinority Veterans of AmericaPsychArmor Resource of the WeekThe PsychArmor Resource of the Week is three previous Behind the Mission Podcast Episodes: In Episode 56, we featured a conversation with Navy Veteran Jerome Tennille as he talked about the convergence between community-based volunteerism and DEI principles https://psycharmor.org/podcast/jerome-tennille In Episode 20, we had a conversation with Jennifer Dane from the Modern Military Association of America and the need to advocate for LGBTQ+ Service members and veterans https://psycharmor.org/podcast/jennifer-dane In Episode 12, we had a conversation with retired Army Officer Dr. Samuel Odom and currently serving Army Officer First Lieutenant Marlon Dortch about their work as military social workers and the importance of diversity from a military social worker perspective. https://psycharmor.org/podcast/dr-samuel-odom-and-1lt-marlon-dortchThis Episode Sponsored By: This episode is sponsored by PsychArmor, the premier education and learning ecosystem specializing in military culture content. PsychArmor offers an online e-learning laboratory with custom training options for organizations.Contact Us and Join Us on Social Media Email PsychArmorPsychArmor on TwitterPsychArmor on FacebookPsychArmor on YouTubePsychArmor on LinkedInPsychArmor on InstagramTheme MusicOur theme music Don’t Kill the Messenger was written and performed by Navy Veteran Jerry Maniscalco, in cooperation with Operation Encore, a non profit committed to supporting singer/songwriter and musicians across the military and Veteran communities.Producer and Host Duane France is a retired Army Noncommissioned Officer, combat veteran, and clinical mental health counselor for service members, veterans, and their families.  You can find more about the work that he is doing at www.veteranmentalhealth.com  

This Episode Sponsored By: This episode is sponsored by PsychArmor, the premier education and learning ecosystem specializing in military culture content. PsychArmor offers an online e-learning laboratory with custom training options for organizations.About Today’s GuestKelcey Liverpool, Founder & Executive Director of Kids Rank, likes to take ideas and bring solutions that help build communities. She has a  passion for designing programs and initiatives that create change. Her background includes  work within the arts, banking and nonprofit sectors with the common thread of relationship  building and design. Most notably, Kelcey Liverpool is the Founder and Executive Director of Kids Rank, founded  in 2012 as a nonprofit organization designed specifically to support the social and emotional  well-being of military-connected children. As a Navy spousefor 17 years, moving with her family  a total of 9 times and volunteering in several roles at various military installation agencies, she understands first-hand the challenges that are faced by children and families of service  members. Inspired by her own children’s resilience through many moves, separations and  constant transitions Ms. Liverpool felt it was important to focus on the whole child recognizing  both their strengths and challenges.  Celebrating 10 years, Kids Rank is growing as a trusted organization in the military and veteran  community with plans for national expansion as part of a 3-year strategic plan. Over the last  decade, Kelcey has successfully built strong relationships and partnered with several  organizations, such as the USO of Illinois, the Red Cross, the Military Child Education Coalition  and others in an effort to further the Kids Rank mission and awareness of supporting the needs  of military connected children.  Kelcey was recently chosen to participate in a 2-year program as a Summit Fellow a program that seeks to connect impact-driven leaders within the Summit community to affect positive  change in the world and broaden their reach. Kelcey was also named as a 2019 Aspen Fellow. Links Mentioned In This EpisodeKids Rank Web SiteMasks of Hope ProjectPsychArmor Resource of the WeekThe PsychArmor Resource of the Week is the PsychArmor course, Veteran 201: Military Families. The life of a military family can be chaotic and stressful. This course provides some insight into the unique challenges faced by military families.You can find a link to the resource here: https://learn.psycharmor.org/courses/veteran-201-military-families.Contact Us and Join Us on Social Media Email PsychArmorPsychArmor on TwitterPsychArmor on FacebookPsychArmor on YouTubePsychArmor on LinkedInPsychArmor on InstagramTheme MusicOur theme music Don’t Kill the Messenger was written and performed by Navy Veteran Jerry Maniscalco, in cooperation with Operation Encore, a non profit committed to supporting singer/songwriter and musicians across the military and Veteran communities.Producer and Host Duane France is a retired Army Noncommissioned Officer, combat veteran, and clinical mental health counselor for service members, veterans, and their families.  You can find more about the work that he is doing at www.veteranmentalhealth.com  

About Today’s GuestJoy Ashcraft is the Director of Maryland’s Commitment to Veterans, a program under the Maryland Department of Health’s Behavioral Health Administration. Under her leadership, her team has revamped their data collection system, launched new program initiatives, reinvigorated their social media presence, and developed new education and training collaborations and initiatives. Joy is also the co-lead of the Maryland Governor's Challenge Team, a multi-agency collaboration whose goal is to prevent suicide among service members, veterans, and their families; a steering committee member of the Maryland Military-Civilian Coordinated Community Response Team; and a Maryland Veterans Trust Fund Board member. In her prior role as the Maryland Army National Guard Alcohol and Drug Control Officer, she received recognition for major improvements to the substance abuse and suicide prevention programs and for bringing innovative programs to reduce the stigma around and increase education about substance abuse and suicide. Joy holds a Master of Social Work degree from the University of Southern California  where she specialized in Community Organization, Planning and Administration and minored in Military Social Work. Joy also holds a Master of Education degree in Guidance and Counseling from Bowie State University.  She currently serves as a S3 Operations Officer and Behavioral Health Practitioner in the 10th Medical Regiment of the Maryland Defense Force.Links Mentioned In This EpisodeMaryland Department of Veterans Affairs Web SiteMaryland State Suicide Prevention InitiativesPodcast Episode 70 – Custom PsychArmor Training for OrganizationsPsychArmor Resource of the WeekThe PsychArmor Resource of the Week is the PsychArmor course, VA S.A.V.E., Preventing Caregiver Suicide After taking this course, you will develop an understanding of the increased risk for suicide seen in military and Veteran caregivers, will be able to identify the signs of an at-risk Veteran caregiver, and know steps you can take to help a Veteran caregiver. You can find a link to the resource here: https://learn.psycharmor.org/courses/va-save-preventing-caregiver-suicide This Episode Sponsored By: This episode is sponsored by PsychArmor, the premier education and learning ecosystem specializing in military culture content. PsychArmor offers an online e-learning laboratory with custom training options for organizations.Contact Us and Join Us on Social Media Email PsychArmorPsychArmor on TwitterPsychArmor on FacebookPsychArmor on YouTubePsychArmor on LinkedInPsychArmor on InstagramTheme MusicOur theme music Don’t Kill the Messenger was written and performed by Navy Veteran Jerry Maniscalco, in cooperation with Operation Encore, a non profit committed to supporting singer/songwriter and musicians across the military and Veteran communities.Producer and Host Duane France is a retired Army Noncommissioned Officer, combat veteran, and clinical mental health counselor for service members, veterans, and their families.  You can find more about the work that he is doing at www.veteranmentalhealth.com  

About Today’s GuestMary Reding is a government affairs exec with diverse private sector, non-profit, and public sector experience. Government experience includes leading the Office of Executive Councils and managing the development, implementation, and setting performance standards for management initiatives across the center of government through the ten C-Suite Executive boards including the President’s Management Council, Chief Financial Officers Council, Chief Information Officers Council, and the Performance Improvement Council. Mary now continues the #goodgov work at Grant Thornton Public Sector focusing on improving efficiencies for our Veteran’s community at the VA and across the Defense portfolio.In addition to government service, Mary has a foundation in corporate law and non-profits serving as in-house counsel for Pebble Beach Company (www.pebblebeach.com) and leading international IT transformation team for Aviva Corporate (www.aviva.com).Mary started advocating for licensing accommodations in 2010 and created the Military Spouse JD Network in 2011 and served as the founding President. Lobbying efforts were recognized by the DC Women’s Bar (awarded the DC “Star of the Bar”) and by the American Bar Association (honored w/ Grassroots Advocacy award for MSJDN).The development of the workforce matters to Mary and she has mentored rising stars in business, in the military community, and in government through the creation of the CXO Fellows program and Homefront Rising. In 2018, Mary was selected as a Presidential Leadership Scholar building a bi-partisan community to solve our nation’s most important problems. And… she has the best volunteer job ever – Girl Scout troop leader.Links Mentioned In This EpisodeMilitary Spouse JD NetworkMilitary Spouse JD Network FoundationHome Front RisingPsychArmor Resource of the WeekThe PsychArmor Resource of the Week is the PsychArmor course, Legal Issues and Documents Caregivers Need. This course provides ideas for the kinds of legal issues a caregiver will want to be aware of, what conversations to have with your service member or Veteran, and what documents caregivers might need to have handy for long-term care. You can find a link to the resource here: https://learn.psycharmor.org/courses/legal-issues-documents-caregivers-need   This Episode Sponsored By: This episode is sponsored by PsychArmor, the premier education and learning ecosystem specializing in military culture content. PsychArmor offers an online e-learning laboratory with custom training options for organizations.Contact Us and Join Us on Social Media Email PsychArmorPsychArmor on TwitterPsychArmor on FacebookPsychArmor on YouTubePsychArmor on LinkedInPsychArmor on InstagramTheme MusicOur theme music Don’t Kill the Messenger was written and performed by Navy Veteran Jerry Maniscalco, in cooperation with Operation Encore, a non profit committed to supporting singer/songwriter and musicians across the military and Veteran communities.Producer and Host Duane France is a retired Army Noncommissioned Officer, combat veteran, and clinical mental health counselor for service members, veterans, and their families.  You can find more about the work that he is doing at www.veteranmentalhealth.com  

About Today’s GuestAbby Malchow is the Sr. Business Development Manager of Small Business Partnerships for Small Business Empowerment at Amazon helps drive the success of small businesses and underserved business populations (including minority-, women-, and veteran-owned businesses). Additionally, Abby serves on the Global Board of Directors at Amazon for Mental Health & Well-Being (MHW) as the Director of Corporate Strategy. Abby helped launch MHW in April 2020 as Amazon’s 13th Affinity Group and in nine months MHW grew by a rate of 600% and currently has over 18K members from 27 countries across the globe. Prior to joining Amazon, Abby worked at Intel Corporation and is a retired U.S. Navy Chief and combat veteran, serving more than 20 years in the military.Abby has been a passionate advocate for veteran suicide prevention since 2014 when she was one of the 22 veterans selected by Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) to advocate to Congress for support of the Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for America’s Veterans Act, which was signed into law by President Obama on February 12th, 2015. Additionally, she is a 2018 alum of the inaugural cohort of President George W. Bush’s Stand-To Veteran Leadership Program where she worked in collaboration with Intel’s “AI for Good” team on developing Machine Learning (ML) models on social media platforms to provide targeted suicide prevention to veterans. More recently in 2020, she led a project at Amazon in collaboration with the AWS ML Solutions Lab which built a ML model for RallyPoint that will allow them to quickly identify posts that indicate a high risk of self-harm to enable potentially life-saving intervention.Abby is a graduate of the University of Maryland, Robert H. Smith School of Business, where she earned a Master of Business Administration degree. She also holds a B.B.A. (cum laude) in Business Administration from the University of San Diego.  Links Mentioned In This EpisodeAmazon Small Business Partnerships Contact EmailAmazon Small Business Impact ReportAmazon Small Business StorefrontsAmazon Small Business AcademyAmazon Seller UniversityPsychArmor Resource of the WeekThe PsychArmor Resource of the Week is the PsychArmor course, Supporting Veteran-Owned Businesses: Supplier Diversity, In this course, you will learn strategies and best practices to implement Veteran supplier diversity in your business or organization. You can find a link to the resource here: https://learn.psycharmor.org/courses/Supporting-Veteran-Owned-Businesses  This Episode Sponsored By: This episode is sponsored by PsychArmor, the premier education and learning ecosystem specializing in military culture content. PsychArmor offers an online e-learning laboratory with custom training options for organizations.Contact Us and Join Us on Social Media Email PsychArmorPsychArmor on TwitterPsychArmor on FacebookPsychArmor on YouTubePsychArmor on LinkedInPsychArmor on InstagramTheme MusicOur theme music Don’t Kill the Messenger was written and performed by Navy Veteran Jerry Maniscalco, in cooperation with Operation Encore, a non profit committed to supporting singer/songwriter and musicians across the military and Veteran communities.Producer and Host Duane France is a retired Army Noncommissioned Officer, combat veteran, and clinical mental health counselor for service members, veterans, and their families.  You can find more about the work that he is doing at www.veteranmentalhealth.com  

About Today’s GuestDave began his military career as a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point and of the US Army Ranger School. He then served two tours in Europe during which he was deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom as an armor platoon leader. Dave's last active duty Army position was as an Assistant Professor of Military Leadership at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). It was while he was at MIT that he found the value of social media, leading to his cofounding of a consulting firm to help people leverage social media tools more professionally. He authored The Power in a Link: Open Doors, Close Deals, and Change the Way You do Business Using LinkedIn (Wiley 2011) and cofounded a software company to help people use business software better at scale. Dave joined RallyPoint as President & COO in the summer of 2016 and became CEO and a board director in September of the same year. He also currently serves as a board advisor to the Wounded Warrior Project and Vets in Tech.Links Mentioned In This EpisodeRallyPointOutreach email to RallyPointPsychArmor Resource of the WeekThe PsychArmor Resource of the Week is the PsychArmor course, Making Connections and Networking, presented by Medal of Honor Recipient Captain Florent Groberg. Regardless of military background and experience, this course helps service members, veterans, and their families learn how to network in their new communities.   You can find a link to the resource here: https://learn.psycharmor.org/courses/Making-Connections-and-NetworkingThis Episode Sponsored By: This episode is sponsored by PsychArmor, the premier education and learning ecosystem specializing in military culture content. PsychArmor offers an online e-learning laboratory with custom training options for organizations.Contact Us and Join Us on Social Media Email PsychArmorPsychArmor on TwitterPsychArmor on FacebookPsychArmor on YouTubePsychArmor on LinkedInPsychArmor on InstagramTheme MusicOur theme music Don’t Kill the Messenger was written and performed by Navy Veteran Jerry Maniscalco, in cooperation with Operation Encore, a non profit committed to supporting singer/songwriter and musicians across the military and Veteran communities.Producer and Host Duane France is a retired Army Noncommissioned Officer, combat veteran, and clinical mental health counselor for service members, veterans, and their families.  You can find more about the work that he is doing at www.veteranmentalhealth.com  

About Today’s GuestFrank Larkin is a national advocate for veteran suicide prevention and military traumatic brain injury research. He currently serves as the Chief Operating Officer for the Feherty’s Troops First Foundation and the National Warrior Call Day campaign. Frank is also aligned with several other non-profit organizations working to positively impact the health and survivability of our veterans and first responders. He recently served as the vice president for corporate development at SAP National Security Services. Frank was the 40th United States Senate Sergeant at Arms. As chief law enforcement and executive officer of the Senate, the Sergeant at Arms enforces rules of the Senate; provides a range of technical and administrative services to Senators in their Washington D.C., and state offices; and maintains security in the Capitol and Senate office buildings. He had direct oversight of the US Capitol Police Department, a 2200-member agency, and led numerous national security events.Frank was a member of the federal Senior Executive Service for almost 15 years, serving as both the Acting Director and the Vice Director of Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization (JIEDDO) and Director of the Counter IED Operations-Intelligence Integration Center (COIC) within the Department of Defense. He led the integration of technical capabilities, information analysis and human resources against the global IED threat and terror networks. Frank served for more than two decades as a special agent and senior leader in the United States Secret Service (USSS). He conducted complex criminal investigations and protected four US presidents, until his retirement as the Deputy Assistant Director for Protective Research and the agency’s Chief Technology Officer. In the private sector, Frank continued to support the defense and intelligence communities. He recently was the Vice President for Corporate Development at SAP National Security Services. In the past, he was the Director for Program Management & Leadership for the Raytheon Company and Senior Program Manager at Lockheed Martin’s Defense & Intelligence Solutions. A veteran of the U.S. Navy, Frank served as a special warfare operator in the Navy SEALs. After his military service, he was a uniformed patrol officer with the Norristown (PA) Police Department, a homicide detective with the Montgomery County (PA) District Attorney’s Office, and a Maryland State Trooper-Flight Paramedic. He has been a nationally licensed paramedic for 40 years and still serves Maryland as a volunteer firefighter-paramedic for the City of Annapolis. Frank holds a BA degree in criminal justice and a MS degree in public administration from Villanova University. He is the recipient of numerous awards, to include the USSS Valor award, the Department of the Army’s Exceptional Civilian Service award and the Superior Civilian Service award.Links Mentioned In This EpisodeNational Warrior Call Day CampaignNational Warrior Call Day ResolutionVeteran Crisis LinePsychArmor Resource of the WeekThe PsychArmor Resource of the Week is the PsychArmor Suicide Prevention, Intervention and Postvention Course Catalogue. In this course listing, you will find 19 different courses for those interested in learning more about how to make an impact with regards to suicide. Courses include information on grief and trauma, developing a crisis response plan, and the gatekeeper training S.A.V.E. You can find a link to the resource here: https://learn.psycharmor.org/collections/suicide-prevention-intervention-and-postventionThis Episode Sponsored By: This episode is sponsored by PsychArmor, the premier education and learning ecosystem specializing in military culture content. PsychArmor offers an online e-learning laboratory with custom training options for organizations.Contact Us and Join Us on Social Media Email PsychArmorPsychArmor on TwitterPsychArmor on FacebookPsychArmor on YouTubePsychArmor on LinkedInPsychArmor on InstagramTheme MusicOur theme music Don’t Kill the Messenger was written and performed by Navy Veteran Jerry Maniscalco, in cooperation with Operation Encore, a non profit committed to supporting singer/songwriter and musicians across the military and Veteran communities.Producer and Host Duane France is a retired Army Noncommissioned Officer, combat veteran, and clinical mental health counselor for service members, veterans, and their families.  You can find more about the work that he is doing at www.veteranmentalhealth.com  

About Today’s GuestsKatie R. Ross, MSW, is the Director of Veterans Services at Summit BHC and creator of their specialized services for the military community, known as Tactical Recovery.  She worked in program management for the U.S. Navy for ten years before beginning in direct care as a clinical social worker at the Hampton VA Medical Center’s Suicide Prevention, Intimate Partner Violence, and Military Sexual Trauma units.  She was also pivotal in establishing the country’s first residential treatment center to exclusively serve military youth.  Katie is a multigenerational member of the military community, spouse of a recently retired 20-year veteran, former Ombudsman, Chair and creator of Nexus: Hampton Roads’ collaborative for Military & Veteran service providers, and Chair of the VISN 6 Clay Hunt Act Community Outreach Team.  As a national advocate and concierge of treatment resources for the military and veteran community, she is driven to improve the lives of those who have served. Katie Civiletto Stenger is the Operations Director and Force Multiplier for Summit BHC’s Tactical Recovery Program. She is a proud Army Spouse and lives in Southern Oregon with her husband, their son, 4 bonus kiddos, and two pups.  Katie has spent the past decade working in the veteran and military mental health space, focusing on mental health and substance abuse treatment, mental wellness, and emotional wellbeing. Katie forged her career in this space, she started working as a case manager and moved into program implementation and design. She now works with 20 Summit facilities to enhance Tactical Recovery’s Program integrity. Katie is an alum of Cornell University’s Sloan Program in Health Administration.Links Mentioned In This EpisodeSummit BHC Tactical Recovery ProgramPsychArmor Resource of the WeekThe PsychArmor Resource of the Week is the PsychArmor Veteran Ready Program Join the nearly 200 organizations nationwide that leverage the PsychArmor educational platform to ensure staff and volunteers are better prepared to interact with and support military and Veteran communities. PsychArmor certificate programs help improve efficiency, reduce costs, and increase revenue for our partners.  PsychArmor currently offers four industry-specific curriculum tracks with the option to customize the curriculum to fit your unique needs. Industry-specific learning pathways include:·      Healthcare·      Higher education·      Nonprofit·      EmployersYou can find a link to the resource here: https://psycharmor.org/services This Episode Sponsored By: This episode is sponsored by PsychArmor, the premier education and learning ecosystem specializing in military culture content. PsychArmor offers an online e-learning laboratory with custom training options for organizations.Contact Us and Join Us on Social Media Email PsychArmorPsychArmor on TwitterPsychArmor on FacebookPsychArmor on YouTubePsychArmor on LinkedInPsychArmor on InstagramTheme MusicOur theme music Don’t Kill the Messenger was written and performed by Navy Veteran Jerry Maniscalco, in cooperation with Operation Encore, a non profit committed to supporting singer/songwriter and musicians across the military and Veteran communities.Producer and Host Duane France is a retired Army Noncommissioned Officer, combat veteran, and clinical mental health counselor for service members, veterans, and their families.  You can find more about the work that he is doing at www.veteranmentalhealth.com  

About Today’s GuestJaime Chapman is one of the original Co-Founders and Chief Operating Officer of the Military Spouse Chamber of Commerce. Her professional background is as a Sr. Military Talent Program Manager for Amazon Web Services and as a human capital entrepreneur where she successfully placed over 1,600 jobseekers in careers, creating an economic impact totaling over $112 million. Jaime has achieved recognition for:·      #1 Military Spouse Owned Business Overall Award by Military and Veterans Choice in September 2019 at the Military Influencer Conference in DC.·      2020-2021 Armed Forces Insurance US Army Garrison Wiesbaden Military Spouse of the Year Award.·      2022 Fort Hood Local Business Person of the Year, Alignable·      Scholar, George W. Bush Stand-To Veteran Leadership Program, Class of 2021.Jaime served in the Army Reserves for 6-years, and is currently an active duty Army spouse with her family stationed in Texas. She is a proud advocate for the military community, actively working to reduce military spouse unemployment and underemployement. In addition to her work at the Military Spouse Chamber, Jaime provides professional speaking and consulting services for organizations who are looking to hire, retain, and promote military spouse and veteran talent.Links Mentioned In This EpisodeMilitary Spouse Chamber of Commerce Web SitePsychArmor Resource of the WeekThe PsychArmor Resource of the Week is the PsychArmor course Supporting Veteran-Owned Businesses: Supplier Diversity In this course, you will learn strategies and best practices to implement veteran supplier diversity in your business or organization. You can find a link to the resource here: https://learn.psycharmor.org/courses/Supporting-Veteran-Owned-BusinessesThis Episode Sponsored By: This episode is sponsored by PsychArmor, the premier education and learning ecosystem specializing in military culture content. PsychArmor offers an online e-learning laboratory with custom training options for organizations.Contact Us and Join Us on Social Media Email PsychArmorPsychArmor on TwitterPsychArmor on FacebookPsychArmor on YouTubePsychArmor on LinkedInPsychArmor on InstagramTheme MusicOur theme music Don’t Kill the Messenger was written and performed by Navy Veteran Jerry Maniscalco, in cooperation with Operation Encore, a non profit committed to supporting singer/songwriter and musicians across the military and Veteran communities.Producer and Host Duane France is a retired Army Noncommissioned Officer, combat veteran, and clinical mental health counselor for service members, veterans, and their families.  You can find more about the work that he is doing at www.veteranmentalhealth.com  

About Today’s GuestMark Harper is CEO of We Are The Mighty (WATM), a digital publisher and entertainment lifestyle company creating authentic content that celebrates the military community. WATM’s website receives more than 16M monthly page views, and has over 1.5M followers across social media platforms. Additionally, WATM provides a range of agency services for major Hollywood studios, Fortune 500 companies, veteran-backed businesses and nonprofits reaching the military community.Harper joined the U.S. Air Force after commissioning through ROTC from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) in Troy, NY. For most of his Air Force career, Captain Harper was the Video Flight commander of the 1st Combat Camera Squadron deploying twice for OPERATION IRAQI and ENDURING FREEDOM. At Combat Camera, he led combat-ready photojournalists providing the world insight into military operations, contingencies, exercises, weapons tests, and humanitarian relief operations.After leaving the Air Force in 2007, Harper held numerous marketing and business development positions in the entertainment industry, including for Paramount Pictures where he developed digital marketing campaigns for Transformers, G.I. Joe, and Star Trek, and at Technicolor providing marketing and business development for various business lines including their Animation & Gaming department. Harper earned his MBA from UCLA Anderson School of Management where upon graduation he co-founded Audeze, a high-growth consumer headphones startup funded by Warner Music Group. After leaving Audeze, Harper joined We Are The Mighty for the launch of the company in 2014.Harper lives near Joshua Tree National Park with his Marine veteran wife Natasha and is an active member of the Television Academy (Emmys).Links Mentioned In This EpisodeWe Are The Mighty Web SiteMilitary Influencer Conference Web SiteWe Are The Mighty on FacebookWe Are The Mighty on InstagramWe Are The Mighty on TwitterPsychArmor Resource of the WeekThe PsychArmor Resource of the Week is the PsychArmor course Leadership Skills that Drive Impact.This course is designed for community leaders interested in learning how to use collective impact principles to foster collaboration and increase impact for service members, Veterans, their families, and their caregivers You can find a link to the resource here: https://learn.psycharmor.org/courses/leadership-skills-that-drive-impactThis Episode Sponsored By: This episode is sponsored by PsychArmor, the premier education and learning ecosystem specializing in military culture content. PsychArmor offers an online e-learning laboratory with custom training options for organizations.Contact Us and Join Us on Social Media Email PsychArmorPsychArmor on TwitterPsychArmor on FacebookPsychArmor on YouTubePsychArmor on LinkedInPsychArmor on InstagramTheme MusicOur theme music Don’t Kill the Messenger was written and performed by Navy Veteran Jerry Maniscalco, in cooperation with Operation Encore, a non profit committed to supporting singer/songwriter and musicians across the military and Veteran communities.Producer and Host Duane France is a retired Army Noncommissioned Officer, combat veteran, and clinical mental health counselor for service members, veterans, and their families.  You can find more about the work that he is doing at www.veteranmentalhealth.com  

About Today’s GuestKelly Finn Störmer is the Executive Director of Combined Arms Institute which elevates the military & veteran-serving ecosystem of support through professional development, collaboration and research. Combined Arms ensures that no veteran or military family member falls through the cracks by streamlining the connection for servicemembers, veterans and their families to services in the communities where they live. Combined Arms powers the Texas Veterans Network and is expanding to states across the nation through partnership.She holds a BA from Villanova University and an MBA from The George Washington University. Kelly served as Surface Warfare Officer and received her commission through the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps. She had two sea assignments in San Diego and served as the White House Liaison to the Secretary of the Navy, and as a White House Social Aide during the Bush Administration. After active duty service, Kelly worked as a consultant for McKinney Rogers building high performance cultures in Fortune 500 organizations. Kelly is a 2020 Presidential Leadership Scholar, a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution, recently retired military spouse and a mom to three boys.She has been working in the veteran nonprofit sector for over 10 years to streamline the answer to the question "Where do I go for help?" for veterans and military families.Links Mentioned In This EpisodeCombined Arms Web SiteThe Combined Arms InstituteCreate a Combined Arms ProfileBecome a Member OrganizationPsychArmor Resource of the WeekThe PsychArmor Resource of the Week is the PsychArmor course Making Connections and Networking. Regardless of your military background or previous work experience, PsychArmor’s course, “Making Connections and Networking,” helps service members, Veterans, and their families learn how to network in their new communities.   You can find a link to the resource here: https://learn.psycharmor.org/courses/Making-Connections-and-NetworkingThis Episode Sponsored By: This episode is sponsored by PsychArmor, the premier education and learning ecosystem specializing in military culture content. PsychArmor offers an online e-learning laboratory with custom training options for organizations.Contact Us and Join Us on Social Media Email PsychArmorPsychArmor on TwitterPsychArmor on FacebookPsychArmor on YouTubePsychArmor on LinkedInPsychArmor on InstagramTheme MusicOur theme music Don’t Kill the Messenger was written and performed by Navy Veteran Jerry Maniscalco, in cooperation with Operation Encore, a non profit committed to supporting singer/songwriter and musicians across the military and Veteran communities.Producer and Host Duane France is a retired Army Noncommissioned Officer, combat veteran, and clinical mental health counselor for service members, veterans, and their families.  You can find more about the work that he is doing at www.veteranmentalhealth.com  

About Today’s GuestRichard Casper is a United States Marine Veteran, Purple Heart recipient, Artist, and Entrepreneur. He is the co-founder and Executive Director of CreatiVets, a non-profit that provides art, music, and writing programs for wounded veterans with post-traumatic stress and traumatic brain injuries.Richard was named a CNN Hero in 2022 and named TIME magazine's Next Generation Leaders in 2017. He is the feature of TIME’s documentary Evidence of Things Unseen, and recognized by President George W. Bush and The Bush Institute for his passion and work helping combat veterans. He was one of thirty-three scholars chosen to be in President Bush’s inaugural Stand-To Veteran Leadership Program.Richard served in the USMC from 2003-2007. During the first portion of his enlistment, Casper served as Presidential guard at Camp David. Later in 2006-2007 during his tour in Iraq, Richard survived four IED blasts which left him with a left-traumatic brain injury and witnessed the death of his friend which caused his post traumatic stress. After nearly giving up, he discovered art and song-writing as therapeutic forms of expression, and went on to attend and graduate from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. From his experiences, he later created art and songwriting programs for CreatiVets to help other combat wounded veterans heal.Richard has taught art at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Virginia Commonwealth University, Belmont University, and the University of Southern California. He is a keynote speaker, songwriter, and entrepreneur. He resides in Nashville TN with his wife Ashley and son BarretLinks Mentioned In This EpisodeCreatiVets Web SiteCreatiVets on InstagramRose On Your Stone by CreatiVetsPsychArmor Resource of the WeekThe PsychArmor Resource of the Week is the PsychArmor course Traumatic Brain Injury. TBI is considered a signature wound of the recent conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, and its prevalence in military service members and Veterans makes it an important topic to review for those who support veterans. You can find a link to the resource here: https://learn.psycharmor.org/courses/Traumatic-Brain-Injury This Episode Sponsored By: This episode is sponsored by PsychArmor, the premier education and learning ecosystem specializing in military culture content. PsychArmor offers an online e-learning laboratory with custom training options for organizations.Contact Us and Join Us on Social Media Email PsychArmorPsychArmor on TwitterPsychArmor on FacebookPsychArmor on YouTubePsychArmor on LinkedInPsychArmor on InstagramTheme MusicOur theme music Don’t Kill the Messenger was written and performed by Navy Veteran Jerry Maniscalco, in cooperation with Operation Encore, a non profit committed to supporting singer/songwriter and musicians across the military and Veteran communities.Producer and Host Duane France is a retired Army Noncommissioned Officer, combat veteran, and clinical mental health counselor for service members, veterans, and their families.  You can find more about the work that he is doing at www.veteranmentalhealth.com  

About Today’s GuestErin Fletcher, Psy.D. serves as the Warrior Care Network Director for Wounded Warrior Project (WWP). In this role, Erin ensures synergy across all WWP mental health programs. Erin  collaborates with the four Academic Medical Centers that compromise WWP’s Warrior Care Network to foster Network alignment regarding program implementation and delivery. Warriors taking part in WCN receive a year’s worth of mental health care during a 2-3 week intensive outpatient program, using evidenced-based treatments with alternative therapies. Erin has over 15 years of mental health experience working with adults in a variety of treatment settings. Prior to working for Wounded Warrior Project, Erin served as the Clinical Director of an intensive outpatient treatment program for adults with anxiety disorders. Erin holds a doctoral degree in clinical psychology and master’s degree in clinical psychology from The Illinois School of Professional Psychology, and a bachelor’s degree in psychology with a minor in social work from Niagara University.Links Mentioned In This EpisodeWounded Warrior Project Web SiteWWP Warrior Care NetworkPsychArmor Resource of the WeekThe PsychArmor Resource of the Week is the PsychArmor Brain Health & Wellness Learning Series - Suicide Prevention. This course series is sponsored by Wounded Warrior Project. This series removes the stigma often attached to suicide and casts a light on the unique risks and cultural factors that contribute to suicide in the Veteran population. You’ll gain access to important statistics, tools and resources proven to prevent suicide, in addition to role plays that demonstrate effective responses to someone in need. You can find a link to the resource here: https://learn.psycharmor.org/courses/WWP-BHW-suicide-prevention This Episode Sponsored By: This episode is sponsored by PsychArmor, the premier education and learning ecosystem specializing in military culture content. PsychArmor offers an online e-learning laboratory with custom training options for organizations.Contact Us and Join Us on Social Media Email PsychArmorPsychArmor on TwitterPsychArmor on FacebookPsychArmor on YouTubePsychArmor on LinkedInPsychArmor on InstagramTheme MusicOur theme music Don’t Kill the Messenger was written and performed by Navy Veteran Jerry Maniscalco, in cooperation with Operation Encore, a non profit committed to supporting singer/songwriter and musicians across the military and Veteran communities.Producer and Host Duane France is a retired Army Noncommissioned Officer, combat veteran, and clinical mental health counselor for service members, veterans, and their families.  You can find more about the work that he is doing at www.veteranmentalhealth.com  

Show SummaryOn this episode, we feature a conversation with Army veteran and military spouse Meg O'Grady, Senior Vice President for Military and Government Programs for the National University System. About Today’s GuestMeg O’Grady has more than 25 years of experience creating outreach, transition, education, entrepreneur, and employment programs that engage the military community, transitioning service members, employers and federal agencies. She is the Senior Vice President for Military and Government Programs for the National University System where she leads a team that helps service members, military spouses and government organizations reach important milestones in their education and careers. She has led programs, campaigns and strategic partnerships across the highest levels of the armed forces, government, and corporate America.  As a senior leader in the U.S. Department of Defense, she was instrumental in creating the Spouse Education and Career Program which included launching the Military Spouse Employment Partnership with the White House Joining Forces Program in 2012. As an executive at First Data Corporation, she worked together with Syracuse University’s Institute for Veterans and Military Families to develop and launch the Coalition for Veteran Owned Business, a coalition of Fortune 500 industry leaders committed to providing innovative solutions and thought leadership to grow and support veteran owned businesses in communities throughout the nation. Most recently at the U.S. Department of Labor Veterans’ Employment and Training Service (VETS), she supported the Office of Strategic Outreach as the National Veterans’ Employment Manager. Meg holds a Master of Education degree from National Louis University and was a member of the Class of 1990 at the United States Military Academy where she was an All-American swimmer. She has contributed to numerous articles and publications.Links Mentioned In This EpisodeNational University System Web siteNU Military and Veteran ProgramsPsychArmor Resource of the WeekThe PsychArmor Resource of the Week is the PsychArmor course Advising military students on higher education. In this course, you’ll take a brief look at higher education and transition information for military students and be able to help them understand their higher education options.   You can find a link to the resource here: https://learn.psycharmor.org/courses/Advising-Military-Students-on-Higher-Education This Episode Sponsored By: This episode is sponsored by PsychArmor, the premier education and learning ecosystem specializing in military culture content. PsychArmor offers an online e-learning laboratory with custom training options for organizations.Contact Us and Join Us on Social Media Email PsychArmorPsychArmor on TwitterPsychArmor on FacebookPsychArmor on YouTubePsychArmor on LinkedInPsychArmor on InstagramTheme MusicOur theme music Don’t Kill the Messenger was written and performed by Navy Veteran Jerry Maniscalco, in cooperation with Operation Encore, a non profit committed to supporting singer/songwriter and musicians across the military and Veteran communities.Producer and Host Duane France is a retired Army Noncommissioned Officer, combat veteran, and clinical mental health counselor for service members, veterans, and their families.  You can find more about the work that he is doing at www.veteranmentalhealth.com  

About Today’s GuestColonel (R) Sean Ryan is the Director of Communications for the Army Emergency Relief, theArmy’s only nonprofit organization serving active duty Soldiers, retirees and their families. Sean  retired from service after nearly 30 years of active duty military experience and was theofficial military spokesman for the Combined Joint Task Force-Inherent Resolve (CJTF-OIR) inBaghdad, Iraq, including four other combat tours in the Middle East. He worked extensively in the public affairs and international communications field informing the public on combat operations and how to defeat international terrorism. Sean was the public affairs officer for Space Command, 1st Infantry Division, and 10th SpecialForces among other positions. He was an Army Fellow at Google in Mountain View, California,working in Corporate Communications and is a recipient of the General Douglas MacArthurLeadership award representing Unites States Europe. Links Mentioned In This EpisodeArmy Emergency Relief WebsitePsychArmor Resource of the WeekThe PsychArmor Resource of the Week is the PsychArmor course Budgeting, Debt Management, and Investing. PsychArmor provides a number of different courses releated to financial literacy, and this course provides learners with steps to help them budget accordingly and manage debt as they progress towards financial wellness. You can find a link to the resource here: https://learn.psycharmor.org/courses/Budgeting-Debt-Management-and-Investing This Episode Sponsored By: This episode is sponsored by PsychArmor, the premier education and learning ecosystem specializing in military culture content. PsychArmor offers an online e-learning laboratory with custom training options for organizations.Contact Us and Join Us on Social Media Email PsychArmorPsychArmor on TwitterPsychArmor on FacebookPsychArmor on YouTubePsychArmor on LinkedInPsychArmor on InstagramTheme MusicOur theme music Don’t Kill the Messenger was written and performed by Navy Veteran Jerry Maniscalco, in cooperation with Operation Encore, a non profit committed to supporting singer/songwriter and musicians across the military and Veteran communities.Producer and Host Duane France is a retired Army Noncommissioned Officer, combat veteran, and clinical mental health counselor for service members, veterans, and their families.  You can find more about the work that he is doing at www.veteranmentalhealth.com  

About Today’s GuestRebecca Nowatchik is a facilitator, community organizer and proud Air Force spouse who believes that military families have a critical role to play to preserve and deepen our democracy at this moment in our country’s history. Rebecca cut her advocacy teeth 20 years ago organizing for labor rights and LGBTQ families and has extensive background managing successful campaigns focusing on worker safety and community health.  Her work has been featured by publications such as Grist, Mother Jones, Bill Moyers, and Al Jazeera. Rebecca holds a Masters in Nonprofit Management from Canisius College. Links Mentioned In This EpisodeSecure Families Initiative Web SiteLong Term Impact of Military Service on Families ArticlePsychArmor Resource of the WeekThe PsychArmor Resource of the Week is the PsychArmor course Leaning In: Investing in a Challenging Relationship. Being in a relationship with a service member or veteran can be challenging. This course is designed for partners of service members or veterans and provides information to help identify challenges in relationships, promote healthy behaviors through communication, and stress reduction skills.  You can find a link to the resource here: https://learn.psycharmor.org/courses/leaning-in-investing-in-a-challenging-relationshipThis Episode Sponsored By: This episode is sponsored by PsychArmor, the premier education and learning ecosystem specializing in military culture content. PsychArmor offers an online e-learning laboratory with custom training options for organizations.Contact Us and Join Us on Social Media Email PsychArmorPsychArmor on TwitterPsychArmor on FacebookPsychArmor on YouTubePsychArmor on LinkedInPsychArmor on InstagramTheme MusicOur theme music Don’t Kill the Messenger was written and performed by Navy Veteran Jerry Maniscalco, in cooperation with Operation Encore, a non profit committed to supporting singer/songwriter and musicians across the military and Veteran communities.Producer and Host Duane France is a retired Army Noncommissioned Officer, combat veteran, and clinical mental health counselor for service members, veterans, and their families.  You can find more about the work that he is doing at www.veteranmentalhealth.com  

About Today’s GuestAs the Executive Director of the Armed Services Arts Partnership (ASAP), Brian Jenkins draws on global experiences in community-building and social entrepreneurship. Under Brian’s leadership since 2019, ASAP has increased the annual number of veterans served by 75%, grown the organization's revenue by 54%, expanded ASAP Chapters from two cities to four, and launched a virtual program to provide access to ASAP classes to veterans and service members anywhere in the world. Brian has worked with and consulted for social impact and community building ventures globally. He holds a certification in Nonprofit Executive Management from Georgetown University and a B.A. with honors from the College of William & Mary, where he was a Meyers-Stern Scholar Links Mentioned In This EpisodeArmed Services Arts Partnership Web SiteLive Shows featuring ASAP workshop attendeesASAP on TwitterASAP on FacebookASAP on YouTubePsychArmor Resource of the WeekThe PsychArmor Resource of the Week is the PsychArmor course Making Connections and Networking.Regardless of your military background or previous work experience, PsychArmor’s course, “Making Connections and Networking,” helps service members, Veterans, and their families learn how to network in their new communities. You can find a link to the resource here: https://learn.psycharmor.org/courses/Making-Connections-and-Networking    This Episode Sponsored By: This episode is sponsored by PsychArmor, the premier education and learning ecosystem specializing in military culture content. PsychArmor offers an online e-learning laboratory with custom training options for organizations.Contact Us and Join Us on Social Media Email PsychArmorPsychArmor on TwitterPsychArmor on FacebookPsychArmor on YouTubePsychArmor on LinkedInPsychArmor on InstagramTheme MusicOur theme music Don’t Kill the Messenger was written and performed by Navy Veteran Jerry Maniscalco, in cooperation with Operation Encore, a non profit committed to supporting singer/songwriter and musicians across the military and Veteran communities.Producer and Host Duane France is a retired Army Noncommissioned Officer, combat veteran, and clinical mental health counselor for service members, veterans, and their families.  You can find more about the work that he is doing at www.veteranmentalhealth.com  

About Today’s GuestAimee Johnson is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and has more than 20 years of experience, from direct clinical practice with youth, families and adults in crisis and working with military service members, Veterans and their families. Aimee has worked both in the private sector and for the federal government, most recently at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs where she led a portfolio of work to include short-term strategies to reach high risk populations. She serves as a national subject matter expert with specific focus on firearm suicide prevention and lethal means safety strategies, creating and launching media campaigns, building, leading and implementing public private partnerships and leveraging innovation to bring new strategies to the field of suicide prevention. The work that Aimee does is personal. Her late grandfather and his brother survived the Holocaust after losing their immediate family and many others. American service members liberated them after a miraculous escape from the Nazis. Aimee has always felt a need to be of service to our American military, Veterans and service members from any country who embody freedom and democracy. Those who serve for a mission greater than self give so many people another chance at living. She believes that people in crisis deserve another chance at life. She experienced her first suicide loss in high school and has always felt that people who are in crisis don’t want to die, they want the pain they are experiencing to end. Helping people over the course of her career find hope and recovery has been an honor. Links Mentioned In This EpisodeAimee’s Web Site: Aimee J ConsultingPsychArmor Resource of the WeekThe PsychArmor Resource of the Week is the PsychArmor course Suicide Prevention and the Safe Storage of Firearms in the Military-Connected Community: Conversations for Everyone. This course provides critical information for members of every community about the safe storage of firearms. When people are in crisis, honest conversations about accessibility to lethal means for suicide are vitally important. This short course, jointly narrated by four people from different cultures – including military Veterans, non-Veterans, gun owners, non-gun owners, and clinical psychologists – aims to reduce the hesitation we often feel in talking to those we are worried about, through education. Everyone who is worried about someone in their lives should feel confident in having frank, open conversations about firearms and their safe storage – and know with certainty that those conversations save lives.You can find a link to the resource here: https://learn.psycharmor.org/courses/suicide-prevention-and-the-safe-storage-of-firearms-conversations-for-everyoneThis Episode Sponsored By: This episode is sponsored by PsychArmor, the premier education and learning ecosystem specializing in military culture content. PsychArmor offers an online e-learning laboratory with custom training options for organizations.Contact Us and Join Us on Social Media Email PsychArmorPsychArmor on TwitterPsychArmor on FacebookPsychArmor on YouTubePsychArmor on LinkedInPsychArmor on InstagramTheme MusicOur theme music Don’t Kill the Messenger was written and performed by Navy Veteran Jerry Maniscalco, in cooperation with Operation Encore, a non profit committed to supporting singer/songwriter and musicians across the military and Veteran communities.Producer and Host Duane France is a retired Army Noncommissioned Officer, combat veteran, and clinical mental health counselor for service members, veterans, and their families.  You can find more about the work that he is doing at www.veteranmentalhealth.com  

About Today’s GuestJeremy Butler is the CEO of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), the premier veterans advocacy and support organization that connects, unites, and empowers post-9/11 veterans through education, advocacy, and community. An experienced national security, military affairs, and non-profit management advisor, Jeremy joined IAVA with 15+ years of experience providing substantive and strategic counsel to leaders in high-profile government and private sector offices, including the Departments of Defense and Homeland Security. He is a Surface Warfare Officer in the Navy Reserves with 20 years of uniformed service and is a graduate of Knox College and the U.S. Naval War College.Links Mentioned In This EpisodeIAVA Web SiteIAVA Policy AgendaIAVA QRF programPsychArmor Resource of the WeekThe PsychArmor Resource of the Week is the PsychArmor course Navigating the Prostate Cancer Journey: Empowering Veterans and Caregviers with Precision Medicine. This course is designed for caregivers who are supporting veterans being treated for prostate cancer to help them to advocate for the best quality care and standing by them during a challenging treatment regimen. You can find a link to the resource here: https://learn.psycharmor.org/courses/navigating-the-prostate-cancer-journey-empowering-veterans-and-their-caregivers-with-precision-medicine This Episode Sponsored By:This episode is sponsored by PsychArmor, the premier education and learning ecosystem specializing in military culture content. PsychArmor offers an online e-learning laboratory with custom training options for organizations.Contact Us and Join Us on Social Media Email PsychArmorPsychArmor on TwitterPsychArmor on FacebookPsychArmor on YouTubePsychArmor on LinkedInPsychArmor on InstagramTheme MusicOur theme music Don’t Kill the Messenger was written and performed by Navy Veteran Jerry Maniscalco, in cooperation with Operation Encore, a non profit committed to supporting singer/songwriter and musicians across the military and Veteran communities.Producer and Host Duane France is a retired Army Noncommissioned Officer, combat veteran, and clinical mental health counselor for service members, veterans, and their families.  You can find more about the work that he is doing at www.veteranmentalhealth.com

About Today’s GuestUmar Latif, MD is a Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association and a Diplomate of the American Board of Psychiatry & Neurology with board certification in General Psychiatry, Geriatric Psychiatry, and Addiction Medicine. He was selected as a George W. Bush Institute Scholar as part of the 2021 Stand-To Veteran Leadership program in service of improving veteran outcomes.Dr. Latif currently serves as the National Medical Director of Help for Heroes, a multisite specialty program he helped design as co-founder, to meet the clinical needs of active-duty service members, veterans and first responders who are dealing with mental health and substance abuse issues. He also works as the Medical Director of Carrollton Springs Hospital and has a private practice at The Noesis Clinic: an adult and geriatric outpatient private practice that specializes in early detection of Alzheimer’s dementia and TMS (Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation).For a decade prior to this, Dr. Latif co-founded and served as the Medical Director of Freedom Care at UBH Denton, which he helped develop. Under his leadership, this program grew into a multi-location inpatient psychiatry program specializing in PTSD and dual diagnosis treatment for active duty military members and veterans referred from 120 plus national & international installations.His other professional roles in the past have included the position of Medical Director of the Telepsychiatry program at Dallas VA Medical Center, and faculty appointment as Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at UT Southwestern Medical Center.Dr. Latif completed his residency training at Wayne State University in Michigan and postgraduate fellowship training at University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. He also earned a certificate in “Executive Healthcare Leadership” from Cornell University. Links Mentioned In This EpisodeHelp for Heroes ProgramSpringstone Web SitePsychArmor Resource of the WeekThe PsychArmor Resource of the Week is the PsychArmor course Barriers to Treatment. In this course, you will learn how differences in military culture affect mental health and how to help service members or veterans overcome barriers to seeking treatment.  You can find a link to the resource here: https://learn.psycharmor.org/courses/barriers-to-treatment   This Episode Sponsored By:This episode is sponsored by PsychArmor, the premier education and learning ecosystem specializing in military culture content. PsychArmor offers an online e-learning laboratory with custom training options for organizations.Contact Us and Join Us on Social Media Email PsychArmorPsychArmor on TwitterPsychArmor on FacebookPsychArmor on YouTubePsychArmor on LinkedInPsychArmor on InstagramTheme MusicOur theme music Don’t Kill the Messenger was written and performed by Navy Veteran Jerry Maniscalco, in cooperation with Operation Encore, a non profit committed to supporting singer/songwriter and musicians across the military and Veteran communities.Producer and Host Duane France is a retired Army Noncommissioned Officer, combat veteran, and clinical mental health counselor for service members, veterans, and their families.  You can find more about the work that he is doing at www.veteranmentalhealth.com  

About Today’s GuestElisa V. Borah, MSW, PhD is a research associate professor at the Steve Hicks School of Social Work, and Director of the Institute for Military and Veteran Family Wellness, a joint initiative of the Dell Medical School Department of Health Social Work and the Steve Hicks School of Social Work.Dr. Borah conducts research to identify, implement, and evaluate treatments, programming and community supports for military members, veterans, spouses and their families. Current research efforts include assessing the value of structured peer support for military spouses to improve their quality of life, access resources and increase social support. She also studies self-care practices among military spouses and how best to support their transition needs after military life. Dr. Borah’s current research includes development of methods to engage concerned significant others in veteran suicide prevention practices and research as well as delivery of education and training to community-based organizations in suicide prevention.  Dr. Borah founded and directs the Veteran Spouse Network (VSN), originally launched through an Engagement Award from the Patient Centered Outcome Research Institute (PCORI). The VSN is designed to build and support communities of veteran spouses and to provide peer support programming with trained peers. Dr. Borah chairs the Military Social Work & Behavioral Health Conference at The University of Texas at Austin. She previously served as director of research at the Ft. Hood site of the STRONG STAR PTSD Research Consortium, a Department of Defense-funded research consortium at UT Health San Antonio.Links Mentioned In This EpisodeInstitute for Military and Veteran Family Wellness,Veteran Spouse NetworkMilitary Social Work & Behavioral Health ConferencePsychArmor Resource of the WeekThe PsychArmor Resource of the Week is the PsychArmor course Making Connections and Networking. This is one of the things that Dr. Borah and her group are doing, establishing connections between military and veteran spouses. Regardless of your military background or previous work experience, this course can help service members, Veterans, and their families learn how to network in their new communities. You can find a link to the resource here:  https://learn.psycharmor.org/courses/Making-Connections-and-Networking This Episode Sponsored By:This episode is sponsored by PsychArmor, the premier education and learning ecosystem specializing in military culture content. PsychArmor offers an online e-learning laboratory with custom training options for organizations.Contact Us and Join Us on Social Media Email PsychArmorPsychArmor on TwitterPsychArmor on FacebookPsychArmor on YouTubePsychArmor on LinkedInPsychArmor on InstagramTheme MusicOur theme music Don’t Kill the Messenger was written and performed by Navy Veteran Jerry Maniscalco, in cooperation with Operation Encore, a non profit committed to supporting singer/songwriter and musicians across the military and Veteran communities.Producer and Host Duane France is a retired Army Noncommissioned Officer, combat veteran, and clinical mental health counselor for service members, veterans, and their families.  You can find more about the work that he is doing at www.veteranmentalhealth.com  

About Today’s GuestShannon Razsadin is an active duty Navy spouse, mom, and the executive director of the Military Family Advisory Network (MFAN).  Shannon’s leadership, authenticity, fresh approach, and focus on collaboration have set MFAN apart as an organization focused on making an impact and as a trusted conduit to military families globally.Under Shannon’s leadership, MFAN has become a premier, respected nonprofit leader in a crowded and sometimes confusing network of military and veteran service organizations.Shannon and the organization’s advisory board have deep relationships and experience with community, state, and federal leaders; national nonprofit and for-profit organizations; and community service providers.  She was recently selected through a competitive process to serve as one of the three civilian advisors to the Secretary of Defense on the Military Family Readiness Council.  She is regularly called on by national and local media to weigh in on military-related topics, including CBS, CNN, and FOX.Shannon holds a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish from Merrimack College, as well as a Masters in Higher Education/Higher Education Administration from The George Washington University.Links Mentioned In This EpisodeMilitary Family Advisory Network Web SiteMilitary Family Food Insecurity CoalitionMilitary Family Financial Readiness CoalitionMilitary Housing Round TablePsychArmor Resource of the WeekThe PsychArmor Resource of the Week is the PsychArmor course 15 Reasons to Hire a Military Spouse. Employers are looking for untapped talent pools. One talent pool that can be overlooked is the diverse and highly educated group of military spouses. Take this course to learn the top 15 Reasons to Hire a Military Spouse. You can find a link to the resource here:  https://learn.psycharmor.org/courses/15-Reasons-to-Hire-a-Military-Spouse This Episode Sponsored By:This episode is sponsored by PsychArmor, the premier education and learning ecosystem specializing in military culture content. PsychArmor offers an online e-learning laboratory with custom training options for organizations.Contact Us and Join Us on Social Media Email PsychArmorPsychArmor on TwitterPsychArmor on FacebookPsychArmor on YouTubePsychArmor on LinkedInPsychArmor on InstagramTheme MusicOur theme music Don’t Kill the Messenger was written and performed by Navy Veteran Jerry Maniscalco, in cooperation with Operation Encore, a non profit committed to supporting singer/songwriter and musicians across the military and Veteran communities.Producer and Host Duane France is a retired Army Noncommissioned Officer, combat veteran, and clinical mental health counselor for service members, veterans, and their families.  You can find more about the work that he is doing at www.veteranmentalhealth.com  

About Today’s GuestJen Goodale separated from the Marine Corps in 2009 after seven years of active duty service. Upon graduation from the University of North Carolina in 2002, she was commissioned as a second lieutenant. After completing Basic Communications Officers Course, she was assigned to 9th Communication Battalion in Camp Pendleton, Calif. As a platoon commander, Goodale deployed twice in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. In her final assignment, she served at Marine Barracks Washington as a member of the 8th & I parade staff and a project manager at the Marine Corps Institute.    In 2013, Goodale joined the Member Products and Services team at MOAA. In this role, she focused on engagement with the currently serving community and fundraising to support MOAA initiatives and programs. In 2016, she began supporting The MOAA Foundation as an independent contractor. Since that time, she has become passionate about improving military spouse employment opportunities through her work with the “Keeping a Career on the Move” Military Spouse Symposia series. In 2021, Goodale was selected to serve on the advisory board for the Military Family Advisory Network.      Goodale is a North Carolina native and has a bachelor of arts degree in interpersonal and organizational communication studies from UNC-Chapel Hill and a bachelor of science degree in nutrition from Arizona State University. She is married to an active duty Marine, and they have two daughters and two dogs.Links Mentioned In This EpisodeMOAA Web SiteMOAA Legislative Action CenterPsychArmor Resource of the WeekThe PsychArmor Resource of the Week is the PsychArmor course Leadership Skills that Drive Impact. This course is designed for those who are interested in learning how to use collective impact principles to foster collaboration and increase impact for service members, Veterans, their families, and their caregivers. You can find a link to the resource here: https://learn.psycharmor.org/courses/leadership-skills-that-drive-impact This Episode Sponsored By:This episode is sponsored by PsychArmor, the premier education and learning ecosystem specializing in military culture content. PsychArmor offers an online e-learning laboratory with custom training options for organizations.Contact Us and Join Us on Social Media Email PsychArmorPsychArmor on TwitterPsychArmor on FacebookPsychArmor on YouTubePsychArmor on LinkedInPsychArmor on InstagramTheme MusicOur theme music Don’t Kill the Messenger was written and performed by Navy Veteran Jerry Maniscalco, in cooperation with Operation Encore, a non profit committed to supporting singer/songwriter and musicians across the military and Veteran communities.Producer and Host Duane France is a retired Army Noncommissioned Officer, combat veteran, and clinical mental health counselor for service members, veterans, and their families.  You can find more about the work that he is doing at www.veteranmentalhealth.com  

About Today’s GuestWill Huff served for over 23 years in the U.S. Army as an Army Officer. He achieved the rank of Colonel and served fifty-four months deployed to Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. In addition to his military service, Will is a graduate of Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island and the National War College in Washington, D.C. Following his Army career, Will worked in the Towson University Athletic Department and spent the last three years as Deputy Athletic Director-External Operations. Will joined Soldiers to Sidelines in June 2020 and is now the Director of Partnership for the 501c.3 supporting Veterans, Service Members, and Military Spouses into sport coaching.Links Mentioned In This EpisodeSoldiers to Sidelines Web SitePsychArmor Resource of the WeekThe PsychArmor Resource of the Week is the PsychArmor course Veteran 201: Profession Vs. Occupation. This course highlights the similarities and differences between military and civilian employment and reveals how many military jobs can translate into different professions in the civilian world. You can find a link to the resource in our show notes. https://learn.psycharmor.org/courses/Veteran-201-Profession-vs-Ocupation This Episode Sponsored By:This episode is sponsored by PsychArmor, the premier education and learning ecosystem specializing in military culture content. PsychArmor offers an online e-learning laboratory with custom training options for organizations.Contact Us and Join Us on Social Media Email PsychArmorPsychArmor on TwitterPsychArmor on FacebookPsychArmor on YouTubePsychArmor on LinkedInPsychArmor on InstagramTheme MusicOur theme music Don’t Kill the Messenger was written and performed by Navy Veteran Jerry Maniscalco, in cooperation with Operation Encore, a non profit committed to supporting singer/songwriter and musicians across the military and Veteran communities.Producer and Host Duane France is a retired Army Noncommissioned Officer, combat veteran, and clinical mental health counselor for service members, veterans, and their families.  You can find more about the work that he is doing at www.veteranmentalhealth.com  

About Today’s GuestAs Executive Director, Besa brings leadership at NMFA along with her personal experience as a military spouse to this incredible team. Besa is an award-winning journalist and marketer whose passion for our military began during her time as a reporter and television news anchor. From Jacksonville, North Carolina to Kosovo, her assignments opened her eyes to the post-9/11 military experience, and its cycles of deployment, redeployment, and constant transition. She also covered highly-contentious Congressional hearings and the impact military life has on families, including the effects of water contamination aboard military bases. During Besa’s time covering Camp Lejeune, she met a guy named Dave, whom she decided to marry despite warnings to “never marry a Marine.” Now 15+ years later, they live on Capitol Hill with their 3 kids.Links Mentioned In This EpisodeNational Military Family Association Web SiteMilitary Teen Experience ReportBasic Needs Allowance LegislationPsychArmor Resource of the WeekThe PsychArmor Resource of the Week is the PsychArmor course Veteran 201: Military Families. The life of a military family can be chaotic and stressful. This course provides some insight into the unique challenges faced by military families, and you can find a link to the resource here: https://learn.psycharmor.org/courses/veteran-201-military-families This Episode Sponsored By:This episode is sponsored by PsychArmor, the premier education and learning ecosystem specializing in military culture content. PsychArmor offers an online e-learning laboratory with custom training options for organizations.Contact Us and Join Us on Social Media Email PsychArmorPsychArmor on TwitterPsychArmor on FacebookPsychArmor on YouTubePsychArmor on LinkedInPsychArmor on InstagramTheme MusicOur theme music Don’t Kill the Messenger was written and performed by Navy Veteran Jerry Maniscalco, in cooperation with Operation Encore, a non profit committed to supporting singer/songwriter and musicians across the military and Veteran communities.Producer and Host Duane France is a retired Army Noncommissioned Officer, combat veteran, and clinical mental health counselor for service members, veterans, and their families.  You can find more about the work that he is doing at www.veteranmentalhealth.com  

About Today’s GuestDr. Davis is a subject matter expert on Military, Veteran, Family (MVF), Caregiver & Survivor support through successful, sustainable services. Dr. Davis is currently working with the Department of Defense in the area of Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS) and Caring for Military Families, Elizabeth Dole Foundation. She was educated at the University of Southern California. She is the former Deputy Undersecretary Of Defense for military community and family policy and former Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy for manpower and personnel policy, to the position of Senior Vice President for Defense and Intelligence.Links Mentioned In This EpisodeMilitary and Veteran Caregiver Experience MapTragedy Assistance Program for Survivors Institute for Hope and HealingPsychArmor Resource of the WeekThe PsychArmor Resource of the Week is the PsychArmor course Why Collaboration is So Important in Supporting Mitliary members, Veterans, Their Families, and Caregivers. This course is designed for community leaders interested in exploring some key components to a successful collaborative journey. You will learn how collaboration can provide the structure needed to impact the lives of military-connected people. You can find a link to the resource in our here: https://learn.psycharmor.org/courses/why-collaboration-is-so-important This Episode Sponsored By:This episode is sponsored by PsychArmor, the premier education and learning ecosystem specializing in military culture content. PsychArmor offers an online e-learning laboratory with custom training options for organizations.Contact Us and Join Us on Social Media Email PsychArmorPsychArmor on TwitterPsychArmor on FacebookPsychArmor on YouTubePsychArmor on LinkedInPsychArmor on InstagramTheme MusicOur theme music Don’t Kill the Messenger was written and performed by Navy Veteran Jerry Maniscalco, in cooperation with Operation Encore, a non profit committed to supporting singer/songwriter and musicians across the military and Veteran communities.Producer and Host Duane France is a retired Army Noncommissioned Officer, combat veteran, and clinical mental health counselor for service members, veterans, and their families.  You can find more about the work that he is doing at www.veteranmentalhealth.com  

About Today’s GuestAlex Balbir serves as the director for Independence Services. Prior to joining Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP), he served as a health care consultant supporting the Department of Defense Military Health System and as the deputy director and chief of operations for clinical research at the National Intrepid Center of Excellence. Alex is a Navy reservist, serving as a health care administrator in the Medical Service Corps.He obtained his doctorate of philosophy in public health from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, focusing his research on sleep disorders in brain injury. He also has a master’s of business administration from the University of North Carolina Kenan-Flagler Business School, focusing on organizational management and entrepreneurship.Alex connects, serves, and empowers warriors in his role as independence services director.Links Mentioned In This EpisodeWounded Warrior Project Web SiteWWP Independence ProgramPsychArmor Resource of the WeekThe PsychArmor Resource of the Week is the PsychArmor course How to Talk to Someone with a Disability. As you’ve heard in this episode, a significant number of service members leave the military as a result of catastrophic injuries or illnesses, and this course is designed to equip volunteers with the knowledge and tools necessary to effectively and confidently communicate with someone who has a disability. You can find a link to the resource here: https://learn.psycharmor.org/courses/how-to-talk-to-someone-with-a-disability This Episode Sponsored By:This episode is sponsored by PsychArmor, the premier education and learning ecosystem specializing in military culture content. PsychArmor offers an online e-learning laboratory with custom training options for organizations.Contact Us and Join Us on Social Media Email PsychArmorPsychArmor on TwitterPsychArmor on FacebookPsychArmor on YouTubePsychArmor on LinkedInPsychArmor on InstagramTheme MusicOur theme music Don’t Kill the Messenger was written and performed by Navy Veteran Jerry Maniscalco, in cooperation with Operation Encore, a non profit committed to supporting singer/songwriter and musicians across the military and Veteran communities.Producer and Host Duane France is a retired Army Noncommissioned Officer, combat veteran, and clinical mental health counselor for service members, veterans, and their families.  You can find more about the work that he is doing at www.veteranmentalhealth.com  

About Today’s GuestEver since her late husband, LT (SEAL) Brendan Looney was killed in Afghanistan on September 21, 2010 and awarded the Bronze Star with Valor, Amy Looney has served as an inspirational champion for families of fallen service members, military families, veterans, and American troops. Serving as Vice President of Travis Manion Foundation, Amy leads a national movement focused on empowering veterans & families of the fallen to foster the next generation of leaders in the mission to unite communities to strengthen America's national character. She is dedicated to carrying on the legacy of her late husband and friend, Travis Manion, who are buried side by side in Arlington National Cemetery. A personal tragedy fueled an impassioned advocate to inspire, motivate, and empower individuals, communities, and a nation, to honor the fallen by challenging the living. A consistent voice to the national conversation and advocacy of veterans & families of the fallen, Amy is frequently invited to address national audiences on Fox News, CNN, CBS, TED-X, in written publications such as the Washington Post, and multiple personal appearances spanning the US.  She is the co-author of the newly released book, The Knock at the Door. Amy received her Bachelor’s degree in Business Management from Johns Hopkins University and her Master’s in Public Administration from George Washington University.  Amy currently resides in the Chicago area with her husband, Joel, and their two daughters, Grace and Alana.Links Mentioned In This EpisodeTravis Manion Foundation Web SiteThe Knock at the DoorPsychArmor Resource of the WeekThe PsychArmor Resource of the Week is the PsychArmor course Why Veterans are an Invaluable Resrouce in the Community. In this course, community leaders will learn about why taking the time to embark on a collaboration journey can ensure that veterans and their families unlock their full potential and apply their invaluable skills back into their communities. You can find a link to the resource here: https://learn.psycharmor.org/courses/why-veterans-are-an-invaluable-resource-in-the-community This Episode Sponsored By:This episode is sponsored by PsychArmor, the premier education and learning ecosystem specializing in military culture content. PsychArmor offers an online e-learning laboratory with custom training options for organizations.Contact Us and Join Us on Social Media Email PsychArmorPsychArmor on TwitterPsychArmor on FacebookPsychArmor on YouTubePsychArmor on LinkedInPsychArmor on InstagramTheme MusicOur theme music Don’t Kill the Messenger was written and performed by Navy Veteran Jerry Maniscalco, in cooperation with Operation Encore, a non profit committed to supporting singer/songwriter and musicians across the military and Veteran communities.Producer and Host Duane France is a retired Army Noncommissioned Officer, combat veteran, and clinical mental health counselor for service members, veterans, and their families.  You can find more about the work that he is doing at www.veteranmentalhealth.com  

About Today’s GuestMichael Genovese is the chief medical officer of Acadia Healthcare, the largest stand-alone provider of behavioral healthcare in the United States. Acadia operates a network of 238 behavioral health facilities in 40 States and Puerto Rico. Dr. Genovese is serves on the CMO Corporate Council of the Joint Commission and is Assistant Clinical Professor of Medicine at the University of Arizona. He is a Diplomate of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, a member of the American Medical Association, the American Psychiatric Association, the American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry and the American Society of Addiction Medicine. Dr. Genovese co-founded the multidisciplinary medical practice Long Island Mind and Body in New York while practicing as an attending physician at NYU/Winthrop University Hospital. He was a fellow at the NYU/North Shore University Hospital Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Program, and he completed his residency training at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine.Before beginning his medical studies, Dr. Genovese earned a Juris Doctor degree at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law. He is a member of the New York Bar and the American Bar Association and is an advocate for attorneys and first responders seeking treatment for addiction and co-occurring disorders.Links Mentioned In This EpisodeAcadia Healthcare Military & Family Support ServicesPsychArmor Resource of the WeekThe PsychArmor Resource of the Week is the PsychArmor course Substance Use Disorder in Military and Veteran Populations. Dr. Genovese has a background in treating substance use disorders and the topic was discussed on this week’s show. This course is one that is specifically for healthcare providers in helping them understand how substance use disorders can be identified and addressed. You can find a link to the resource here: https://learn.psycharmor.org/courses/Substance-Use-Disorder-in-Military-and-Veteran-Populations This Episode Sponsored By:This episode is sponsored by PsychArmor, the premier education and learning ecosystem specializing in military culture content. PsychArmor offers an online e-learning laboratory with custom training options for organizations.Contact Us and Join Us on Social Media Email PsychArmorPsychArmor on TwitterPsychArmor on FacebookPsychArmor on YouTubePsychArmor on LinkedInPsychArmor on InstagramTheme MusicOur theme music Don’t Kill the Messenger was written and performed by Navy Veteran Jerry Maniscalco, in cooperation with Operation Encore, a non profit committed to supporting singer/songwriter and musicians across the military and Veteran communities.Producer and Host Duane France is a retired Army Noncommissioned Officer, combat veteran, and clinical mental health counselor for service members, veterans, and their families.  You can find more about the work that he is doing at www.veteranmentalhealth.com  

About Today’s GuestJenna Pryor serves as the Director of Programs at PsychArmor. In this role, Jenna leads the implementation and evaluation of PsychArmor’s educational programs and training on military culture. Jenna coordinates with the clinical, customer success, and content development teams to design and implement education and training resources for individuals, organizations, and community initiatives. In previous roles, Jenna managed research projects focused on economic mobility within the formerly incarcerated population with the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor. As an MSW intern for a small non-profit that provides peer support services for formerly incarcerated individuals, she co-designed and implemented a community education series to increase awareness for and create change around barriers preventing the formerly incarcerated population from gaining meaningful employment, housing, and other basic needs. Jenna currently holds a Master’s degree in Social Work, concentrating in social policy and evaluation, from the University of Michigan - Ann Arbor and a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work from Michigan State University. Jenna is also the daughter of an active duty United States Marine and knows firsthand the challenges and strengths associated with the military-connected community. Links Mentioned In This EpisodePsychArmor’s Custom Learning Pathway Development ProgramEpisode 36 – The Fire Watch Suicide Prevention ProgramEpisode 60 – The Stack Up Overwatch ProgramPsychArmor Resource of the WeekThe PsychArmor Resource of the Week is the PsychArmor Training Partner Page where you can learn more about how PsychArmor creates and builds custom learning pathways to meet your organization’s needs. PsychArmor can built training packages that provide your users an annual subscription to on-demand, 24/7 access to bundles of courses, engage in custom course development, have access to live speakers and webinars, and receive educational consultation to meet your learning goals. You can find a link to the resource here: https://psycharmor.org/services This Episode Sponsored By:This episode is sponsored by PsychArmor, the premier education and learning ecosystem specializing in military culture content. PsychArmor offers an online e-learning laboratory with custom training options for organizations.Contact Us and Join Us on Social Media Email PsychArmorPsychArmor on TwitterPsychArmor on FacebookPsychArmor on YouTubePsychArmor on LinkedInPsychArmor on InstagramTheme MusicOur theme music Don’t Kill the Messenger was written and performed by Navy Veteran Jerry Maniscalco, in cooperation with Operation Encore, a non profit committed to supporting singer/songwriter and musicians across the military and Veteran communities.Producer and Host Duane France is a retired Army Noncommissioned Officer, combat veteran, and clinical mental health counselor for service members, veterans, and their families.  You can find more about the work that he is doing at www.veteranmentalhealth.com  

About Today’s GuestSusie Dicker Sitzer is an experienced organizer, connector, and public relations maven, who is highly dedicated to the mission of helping others. She has over two decades of experience leading teams in philanthropy, corporate social responsibility, communications, talent management, and more. Susie has most recently served as the Executive Director of Drawn from Valor, an award-winning non-profit digital-first content studio devoted to empowering kids and their families to understand and manage their mental and physical health conditions. Susie has a B.A. in Communications from the University of Pittsburgh and lives in Southern California.  Links Mentioned In This EpisodeTales of the Golden Acorn PreviewTales of the Golden Acorn Overview Winnie the Pooh ArticleWinnie the Pooh Journal Article  PsychArmor Resource of the WeekThe PsychArmor Resource of the Week is the PsychArmor course, 15 Things Military Kids Want You To Know. This short on-demand video brings the voices of military-connected youth to life, and allows us to take important steps toward cultural humility when interacting with these resilient and amazing kids. You can find a link to the course here:  https://learn.psycharmor.org/courses/15-things-military-and-veterans-kids-want-you-to-know This Episode Sponsored By:This episode is sponsored by PsychArmor, the premier education and learning ecosystem specializing in military culture content. PsychArmor offers an online e-learning laboratory with custom training options for organizations.Contact Us and Join Us on Social Media Email PsychArmorPsychArmor on TwitterPsychArmor on FacebookPsychArmor on YouTubePsychArmor on LinkedInPsychArmor on InstagramTheme MusicOur theme music Don’t Kill the Messenger was written and performed by Navy Veteran Jerry Maniscalco, in cooperation with Operation Encore, a non profit committed to supporting singer/songwriter and musicians across the military and Veteran communities.Producer and Host Duane France is a retired Army Noncommissioned Officer, combat veteran, and clinical mental health counselor for service members, veterans, and their families.  You can find more about the work that he is doing at www.veteranmentalhealth.com  

About Today’s GuestPaul Fukuma is the Chairman and CEO of Taji 100, a nonprofit that hosts a virtual fitness challenge in February of every year. Paul is a fourth generation US Army veteran, and has deep ties to the military and a profound respect for all who have served their country. His great grandfather served in WWI, both grandfathers in WWII, father in Vietnam, and he served in Iraq.Paul was a competitor in the first TAJI 100 in 2010. When he returned to the civilian world, he wanted to continue that athletic motivation and camaraderie that he grew so found of. He picked up the TAJI 100 torch and ran with it. The first stateside TAJI 100, in 2011, was a mere 12 people and miles were tracked with pen and paper. Since then, TAJI 100 has grown to levels far beyond his dreams and continues to show even greater potential.Paul is a Sunnyvale, CA native. Ever since high school, he has worked in professions that helped others. He started out as a lifeguard/swim instructor, migrated through positions such as EMT, combat medic in the military, and a San Jose Police Officer. Now he is very proud to serve the city of Sunnyvale, CA as a Public Safety Officer. As a Public Safety Officer, he is a full time police officer, fire fighter, and EMT.Running is a relatively new love in Paul’s life, but it is a passion that will stay with him forever. He has completed numerous 5Ks, 8Ks, 10Ks, and a hand full of half marathons. There was a time in his life where running a single mile would make him gasp for air and clutch his chest. Paul believes that, like most things in life, running is something that takes practice, patience, and motivation.Links Mentioned In This EpisodeTAJI 100 Web SiteTAJI 100 Facebook PagePsychArmor Resource of the WeekThe PsychArmor Resource of the Week is the PsychArmor course, Social Isolation and Loneliness. At PsychArmor, we know that social connections are vital to your health; in this course, you will learn about new ways to achieve social connection, learn about resources, and develop a plan to engage and connect in a safe way. You can find a link to the course here: https://learn.psycharmor.org/courses/social-isolation-loneliness This Episode Sponsored By:This episode is sponsored by PsychArmor, the premier education and learning ecosystem specializing in military culture content. PsychArmor offers an online e-learning laboratory with custom training options for organizations.Contact Us and Join Us on Social Media Email PsychArmorPsychArmor on TwitterPsychArmor on FacebookPsychArmor on YouTubePsychArmor on LinkedInPsychArmor on InstagramTheme MusicOur theme music Don’t Kill the Messenger was written and performed by Navy Veteran Jerry Maniscalco, in cooperation with Operation Encore, a non profit committed to supporting singer/songwriter and musicians across the military and Veteran communities.Producer and Host Duane France is a retired Army Noncommissioned Officer, combat veteran, and clinical mental health counselor for service members, veterans, and their families.  You can find more about the work that he is doing at www.veteranmentalhealth.com  

About Today’s GuestCat Corchado is the Community Relations and Partnerships Ambassador at the Women Veterans Network (WoVeN). She volunteered and was chosen as one of the original Peer Leaders with the WoVeN program in 2017. She has helped lead many in-person and online peer groups and she ran one of the first WoVeN online Peer Leader Trainings. She is an advocate and champion for all women Veterans and helps them to navigate the transition process from active duty to civilian, which is why WoVeN was a perfect fit. Prior to her position with WoVeN, Cat retired from the US Air Force in 2000 where she spent her entire career in Communications and Project Management. Outside of work, Cat has spent over 37 years in the fitness industry as a Personal Trainer and Pilates Instructor. She loves to spend time with her husband and dog, Brady, and also loves to be outside in the sun and at the beach. Cat has been and will continue to be an advocate for women Veterans through the WoVeN program.Links Mentioned In This EpisodeWoVen Web SiteSisters-In-Service PodcastPsychArmor Resource of the WeekThe PsychArmor Resource of the Week is the PsychArmor course, Women Who Serve. Presented by Margaret Riley, a U.S. Army Combat Veteran, this course series is an overview of the contributions women have made to our military forces and is intended for those who want to better understand women's role in our military. You can find a link to the course here: https://learn.psycharmor.org/courses/women-who-serve This Episode Sponsored By:This episode is sponsored by PsychArmor, the premier education and learning ecosystem specializing in military culture content. PsychArmor offers an online e-learning laboratory with custom training options for organizations.Contact Us and Join Us on Social Media Email PsychArmorPsychArmor on TwitterPsychArmor on FacebookPsychArmor on YouTubePsychArmor on LinkedInPsychArmor on InstagramTheme MusicOur theme music Don’t Kill the Messenger was written and performed by Navy Veteran Jerry Maniscalco, in cooperation with Operation Encore, a non profit committed to supporting singer/songwriter and musicians across the military and Veteran communities.Producer and Host Duane France is a retired Army Noncommissioned Officer, combat veteran, and clinical mental health counselor for service members, veterans, and their families.  You can find more about the work that he is doing at www.veteranmentalhealth.com  

About Today’s GuestJosh Protas is the Vice President of Public Policy and heads the Washington, D.C. office for MAZON. In this role, which he assumed in 2012, Josh coordinates and implements MAZON’s advocacy agenda, including efforts to protect and strengthen the federal nutrition safety net, with particular emphasis on the food security needs for seniors, veterans, and military families. Josh has extensive experience working at Jewish communal agencies at both the local and national level including as Director of the Jewish Community Relations Council at the Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona and as Vice President and Washington Director for the Jewish Council for Public Affairs. He previously served as a member of the board of directors for the Coalition on Human Needs and currently participates as part of the Vote Advisory Council for Food Policy Action. Josh earned his M.A. in Western American History and Public History from Arizona State University and his B.A. in American Studies and French Literature from Wesleyan University.Links Mentioned In This EpisodeMAZON Web SiteFood Insecurity in Military FamiliesFood Insecurity in the Veteran PopulationSummary of MAZON Report: Hungry in the MilitaryFull Hungry in the Military ReportPsychArmor Resource of the WeekThe PsychArmor Resource of the Week is the PsychArmor course, Food Insecurity: Bringing Solutions to the Table. The course is intended to help you understand how food insecurity happens and offer solutions to this problem. By the end of the course, you should be able to understand what food security means; Recognize how Veterans and their families can become food insecure; and Determine ways you can help Veterans in your community be food secure. The course is introduced by Senator Tammy Duckworth and You can find a link to the course in our show notes. https://learn.psycharmor.org/courses/Food-Insecurity This Episode Sponsored By:This episode is sponsored by PsychArmor, the premier education and learning ecosystem specializing in military culture content. PsychArmor offers an online e-learning laboratory with custom training options for organizations.Contact Us and Join Us on Social Media Email PsychArmorPsychArmor on TwitterPsychArmor on FacebookPsychArmor on YouTubePsychArmor on LinkedInPsychArmor on InstagramTheme MusicOur theme music Don’t Kill the Messenger was written and performed by Navy Veteran Jerry Maniscalco, in cooperation with Operation Encore, a non profit committed to supporting singer/songwriter and musicians across the military and Veteran communities.Producer and Host Duane France is a retired Army Noncommissioned Officer, combat veteran, and clinical mental health counselor for service members, veterans, and their families.  You can find more about the work that he is doing at www.veteranmentalhealth.com  

About Today’s GuestCarie Rodgers, Ph.D., ABPP, currently serves as Chief Program Officer at PsychArmor Institute, and is a Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the UCSD School of Medicine. Prior to joining the team, she was the Associate Director of the Education & Dissemination Unit at the VA Center of Excellence for Stress and Mental Health in San Diego, California.She has served as a National Trainer for the VA’s Cognitive Processing Therapy initiative and as a consultant for the National Center for PTSD. She has provided training and consultation to hundreds of mental health providers in the VA and the Department of Defense, as well as in the broader community. Dr. Rodgers was also a Consultant for the VA’s national roll-out of Prolonged Exposure Therapy and was the Director of the VA San Diego Military Sexual Trauma Program. She received her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology in 2000 from the University of Oregon, and completed her internship and postdoctoral training at UCSD and the San Diego VA. A licensed Clinical Psychologist in the state of California, Dr. Rodgers is also Board Certified in Clinical Psychology by the American Board of Professional Psychology.Links Mentioned In This EpisodeDr. Rodgers’ Profile on PsychArmorKirkpatrick Training ModelPsychArmor Resource of the WeekThe PsychArmor Resource of the Week is the PsychArmor course, 15 Things Veterans Want You to Know for Healthcare Providers. This course was created to educate Healthcare Providers who care for our military Veterans. PsychArmor asked hundreds of Veterans what they wanted civilians, employers, educators, health care providers, and therapists to know about them, and we share them with you in this course. You can find a link to the here:  https://learn.psycharmor.org/courses/15-things-veterans-for-healthcare-providersThis Episode Sponsored By:This episode is sponsored by PsychArmor, the premier education and learning ecosystem specializing in military culture content. PsychArmor offers an online e-learning laboratory with custom training options for organizations.Contact Us and Join Us on Social Media Email PsychArmorPsychArmor on TwitterPsychArmor on FacebookPsychArmor on YouTubePsychArmor on LinkedInPsychArmor on InstagramTheme MusicOur theme music Don’t Kill the Messenger was written and performed by Navy Veteran Jerry Maniscalco, in cooperation with Operation Encore, a non profit committed to supporting singer/songwriter and musicians across the military and Veteran communities.Producer and Host Duane France is a retired Army Noncommissioned Officer, combat veteran, and clinical mental health counselor for service members, veterans, and their families.  You can find more about the work that he is doing at www.veteranmentalhealth.com  

About Today’s GuestKristin A. Meekhof is an author, life coach, writer and obtained her M.S.W. from the University of Michigan. She has more than 20 years of clinical experience. A nationally recognized expert on resiliency and gratitude, her best-selling book, A Widow’s Guide to Healing, was inspired by her own personal experience with widowhood, grief, and healing. A Korean-American adoptee, she was left on the streets of Korea as an infant. She came to the US in 1974 and became a naturalized citizen. She is a life- coach with clients throughout the United States. As a confidential advisor, she privately works with some of the most influential people in media and politics. Kristin graduated from Kalamazoo College with a BA in psychology, and received her master’s degree in social work from the University of Michigan.In September of 2021, Kristin created a mental health video for the Elizabeth Dole Foundation. In March of 2020, Kristin created a wellness guide for Katie Couric’s newsletter to help keep people calm during this time of social distancing. The guide is available on Katie Couric’s YouTube Channel and on Kristin’s Medium profile. Also, for Katie, Kristin wrote “8 Ways to Manage Your Coronavirus Related Anxiety” which was featured in CNN’s Newsletter as well. Kristin was interviewed as a wellness expert on CNN’s New Day morning show (live) on March 19, 2020. Later that year, she contributed video content to the PIxar/ University of Michigan Coursera collaboration.Kristin created and curated content for Deepak Chopra’s 31- Day Gratitude Journal and was named an “Architect of Change” by Maria Shriver. Kristin has spoken at Harvard Medical School, the United Nations and the University of Michigan Medical School. She was a panelist at the Parliament of World Religions.Links Mentioned In This EpisodeKristin’s Web SiteKristin’s Amazon Author PagePsychArmor Resource of the WeekThe PsychArmor Resource of the Week is the PsychArmor course, Good Grief. This is a course that can help those experiencing grief and loss; Grief is not only experienced with death, it can also occur with job loss or severe changes to physical well-being. The purpose of this course is to recognize loss and identify what is learned as a result of that loss. You can find a link to this course through this link: https://learn.psycharmor.org/courses/good-grief This Episode Sponsored By:This episode is sponsored by PsychArmor, the premier education and learning ecosystem specializing in military culture content. PsychArmor offers an online e-learning laboratory with custom training options for organizations.Contact Us and Join Us on Social Media Email PsychArmorPsychArmor on TwitterPsychArmor on FacebookPsychArmor on YouTubePsychArmor on LinkedInPsychArmor on InstagramTheme MusicOur theme music Don’t Kill the Messenger was written and performed by Navy Veteran Jerry Maniscalco, in cooperation with Operation Encore, a non profit committed to supporting singer/songwriter and musicians across the military and Veteran communities.Producer and Host Duane France is a retired Army Noncommissioned Officer, combat veteran, and clinical mental health counselor for service members, veterans, and their families.  You can find more about the work that he is doing at www.veteranmentalhealth.com  

About Today’s GuestKen Davenport is the co-founder and CEO of Mission Edge, a social enterprise providing consulting and strategy services to nonprofits and social impact organizations. Prior to starting Mission Edge, Ken was a serial entrepreneur who started and ran a number of successful companies in the healthcare and data analytics field. Ken is passionate about veteran entrepreneurship and teaches the Boots to Business course for the Institute of Veterans and Military Families at Syracuse University and has been an instructor for the veteran transition program with Four Block. Ken is a past board member at the Travis Manion Foundation, a past board member at San Diego Social Venture Partners, and remains an active seed investor and mentor to numerous start-ups. Ken is the author of two speculative fiction novels and has a BA in Political Science from UC San Diego, a Master’s in International Management from the School of Global Policy and Strategy (UCSD) and a Master's in International Relations from the London School of Economics.Links Mentioned In This EpisodeMission Edge Web SiteKen’s Web SiteKen’s Amazon Author PagePsychArmor Resource of the WeekThe PsychArmor Resource of the Week is the PsychArmor course, Volunteer Opportunities with Veterans. If you find yourself interested in supporting those who served and those who care for them, this course will guide you through the process of identifying and securing opportunities to volunteer with veterans, so you too, can find ways to give back to those who have served in the armed forces. You can find this course through this link: https://learn.psycharmor.org/courses/Volunteer-Opportunities-with-Veterans This Episode Sponsored By:This episode is sponsored by PsychArmor, the premier education and learning ecosystem specializing in military culture content. PsychArmor offers an online e-learning laboratory with custom training options for organizations.Join Us on Social Media PsychArmor on TwitterPsychArmor on FacebookPsychArmor on YouTubePsychArmor on LinkedInPsychArmor on InstagramTheme MusicOur theme music Don’t Kill the Messenger was written and performed by Navy Veteran Jerry Maniscalco, in cooperation with Operation Encore, a non profit committed to supporting singer/songwriter and musicians across the military and Veteran communities.Producer and Host Duane France is a retired Army Noncommissioned Officer, combat veteran, and clinical mental health counselor for service members, veterans, and their families.  You can find more about the work that he is doing at www.veteranmentalhealth.com  

About Today’s GuestDr. Qwynn Galloway-Salazar is a veteran of the United States Army (01-06) and spouse to a retired combat Veteran. Her work has spanned the last 20 years, supporting our Nation’s Military and Veteran communities. As the founder of In Their Honor, LLC, Qwynn serves as an End-of-Life Doula and Trainer. This Spring, she is slated to roll out state-specific training for End-of-Life Professionals supporting Veterans and their Caregivers; and training specifically geared towards the Veteran Caregiver community. In addition, serving as the Co-Principal Investigator of the Brooklyn College Veterans History Project, Qwynn conducts oral history interviews of Veterans, listening to how Veterans make meaning of their experiences and sharing with larger audiences. She believes, as a society, the way we make sense of the Veteran experience shapes the care and support future generations of Veterans receive.While blending her heart work with her head work, her doctoral dissertation entitled “Post-9/11 Women Veterans’ Experiences Transitioning Into the Civilian Workforce” landed her the opportunity to serve as a qualitative researcher for the FY21 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), § 9104, Study on Unemployment Rate of Women Veterans Who Served on Active Duty in the Armed Forces after September 11, 2001. Along with co-authoring a chapter on “Vicarious Trauma and Compassion Fatigue” in Veteran care providers.Qwynn earned her Ph.D. from Walden University, specializing in Industrial and Organizational Psychology. She holds a Master of Arts degree in Professional Counseling and a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice. She serves on the Board of Directors for the American Association of Suicidology and the Advisory Board of the Veterans Studies Association.Links Mentioned In This EpisodeIn Their Honor Web PageDr. Galloway-Salazar’s LinkedIn ProfileDr. Galloway-Salazar on FacebookSend Dr. Galloway-Salazar an EmailPsychArmor Resource of the WeekThe PsychArmor Resource of the Week is two PsychArmor Courses: a two-part series of courses entitled No Veteran Dies Alone Volunteer Training. In part one, learners are introduced to hospice and palliative care, and in part two, you will learn how to prepare yourself for serious illness, dying, and grief. You can access these courses through the following links: https://learn.psycharmor.org/courses/no-veteran-dies-alone-volunteer-training-part-1 https://learn.psycharmor.org/courses/No-Veteran-Dies-Alone-Volunteer-Training-Part-2This Episode Sponsored By:This episode is sponsored by PsychArmor, the premier education and learning ecosystem specializing in military culture content. PsychArmor offers an online e-learning laboratory with custom training options for organizations.Join Us on Social Media PsychArmor on TwitterPsychArmor on FacebookPsychArmor on YouTubePsychArmor on LinkedInPsychArmor on InstagramTheme MusicOur theme music Don’t Kill the Messenger was written and performed by Navy Veteran Jerry Maniscalco, in cooperation with Operation Encore, a non profit committed to supporting singer/songwriter and musicians across the military and Veteran communities.Producer and Host Duane France is a retired Army Noncommissioned Officer, combat veteran, and clinical mental health counselor for service members, veterans, and their families.  You can find more about the work that he is doing at www.veteranmentalhealth.com  

About Today’s GuestSteve Dilley, MFA, founder and Executive Director of The Veterans Art Project, has 35 years collaborating with the military on creative Artistic engagement projects, expressing emotions, documenting experiences, and sharing ideas. After 9/11, Steve was moved to help Veterans, active duty and spouses through Art making. He has a profound weight of responsibility to reach out and help other people through Art and the process of Art making, and believes it is urgent to help our contemporary military population to share all the benefits that a life of Art making gives. In addition to running the day to day programs at VETART, Steve is an Associate Professor of Art/Sculpture at Grossmont College in El Cajon, CA.Links Mentioned In This EpisodeVeterans Art Project Web SiteVirtual Interview Gallery from Pop-Café EventsPsychArmor Resource of the WeekThe PsychArmor Resource of the Week is the PsychArmor course, Trauma Informed Interactions with Veterans. This course defines trauma, discusses how it presents itself and is specifically designed to help volunteers interact with Veterans dealing with trauma that affects their health and/or ability to function. You can check out the article through this link: https://learn.psycharmor.org/courses/trauma-informed-interactions-with-veterans This Episode Sponsored By:This episode is sponsored by PsychArmor, the premier education and learning ecosystem specializing in military culture content. PsychArmor offers an online e-learning laboratory with custom training options for organizations.Join Us on Social Media PsychArmor on TwitterPsychArmor on FacebookPsychArmor on YouTubePsychArmor on LinkedInPsychArmor on InstagramTheme MusicOur theme music Don’t Kill the Messenger was written and performed by Navy Veteran Jerry Maniscalco, in cooperation with Operation Encore, a non profit committed to supporting singer/songwriter and musicians across the military and Veteran communities.Producer and Host Duane France is a retired Army Noncommissioned Officer, combat veteran, and clinical mental health counselor for service members, veterans, and their families.  You can find more about the work that he is doing at www.veteranmentalhealth.com  

About Today’s GuestZach is a Retired US Coast Guard Officer who worked in IT security and engineering for most of his civilian life. As the parent of an autistic child, he developed skills and an affinity for working with people who have special needs. This grew his passion for helping others and that lead him to peer support and suicide prevention. He always knew he had a calling helping people and he found it in Stack Up.Links Mentioned In This EpisodeThe Stack Up Web siteThe Stack Up Overwatch ProgramThe StOP Discord ChannelPsychArmor Resource of the WeekThe PsychArmor Resource of the Week a research article published in the journal Frontiers in Psychology: Community Case Study: Stack Up’s Overwatch Program, an Online Suicide Prevention and Peer Support Program for Video Gamers. Published in 2021, this article will provide a deeper understanding of the Stack Up Overwatch Program and the educational support that PsychArmor provides. Check it out through this link: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7990882/ This Episode Sponsored By:This episode is sponsored by PsychArmor, the premier education and learning ecosystem specializing in military culture content. PsychArmor offers an online e-learning laboratory with custom training options for organizations.Join Us on Social Media PsychArmor on TwitterPsychArmor on FacebookPsychArmor on YouTubePsychArmor on LinkedInPsychArmor on InstagramTheme MusicOur theme music Don’t Kill the Messenger was written and performed by Navy Veteran Jerry Maniscalco, in cooperation with Operation Encore, a non profit committed to supporting singer/songwriter and musicians across the military and Veteran communities.Producer and Host Duane France is a retired Army Noncommissioned Officer, combat veteran, and clinical mental health counselor for service members, veterans, and their families.  You can find more about the work that he is doing at www.veteranmentalhealth.com  

About Today’s GuestCol. Denise “Deno” Cooper, Ph.D., is a U.S. Air Force Wounded Warrior who worked with PsychArmor as part of the OSD employment education initiative program. Col. Cooper is now an Organizational Behavior Consultant for PsychArmor. A part of PsychArmor’s Program department, Col. Cooper also brings nearly three decades of Air Force leadership experience to the organization. She also coordinates our external evaluation and assessment program.Links Mentioned In This EpisodeDr. Cooper’s LinkedIn ProfileFrom We Will to At Will: A Handbook for Veteran Hiring, Transitioning, and Thriving in the Workplace by Justin ConstantinePsychArmor Resource of the WeekThe PsychArmor Resource of the Week the PsychArmor course What You Should Know about Transition. Transitioning from military service can be difficult. It is more than just hanging up your uniform and putting on civilian clothes. In this course, you will receive a brief overview of resources and tools to consider during your transition. If you or someone you know is about to or has recently transitioned from the military into post-military life, check it out through this link: https://learn.psycharmor.org/courses/What-you-Should-Know-about-Transition  This Episode Sponsored By:This episode is sponsored by PsychArmor, the premier education and learning ecosystem specializing in military culture content. PsychArmor offers an online e-learning laboratory with custom training options for organizations.Join Us on Social Media PsychArmor on TwitterPsychArmor on FacebookPsychArmor on YouTubePsychArmor on LinkedInPsychArmor on InstagramTheme MusicOur theme music Don’t Kill the Messenger was written and performed by Navy Veteran Jerry Maniscalco, in cooperation with Operation Encore, a non profit committed to supporting singer/songwriter and musicians across the military and Veteran communities.Producer and Host Duane France is a retired Army Noncommissioned Officer, combat veteran, and clinical mental health counselor for service members, veterans, and their families.  You can find more about the work that he is doing at www.veteranmentalhealth.com  

About Today’s GuestFollowing in the footsteps of a family dedicated to military and spiritual service, Lauren Postler strives to apply the principles of servant leadership in all her endeavors.With more than 15 years of experience in strategic planning, change management, capacity building and collaborations for nonprofit organizations and Fortune 500 businesses alike, Lauren brings a wealth of knowledge, a dynamic skill set and a passion to her work with mission-driven organizations. Her previous involvement in fundraising with leaders in the oil & gas industry and background as a social worker has lent itself to both a “grass-roots” and “big picture” approach helping entrepreneurs build their brands and raise capital to fuel their cause.Lauren has been honored with numerous awards for her professional acumen, most recently as one of the "Top 50 Women Leaders of Houston for 2022" for her role as the first Vice President of Growth at PsychArmor. She is grateful for any recognition that draws attention to the important work the organization does bringing education, engagement, and evaluation to e-learning for the military connected community.An active servant in the philanthropic community, she is also devoted to numerous commitments as a board member and volunteer for area nonprofits. This currently includes leading People for Liberty, a 501(c)4 nonprofit, and service to the community of veteran & military-connected entrepreneurs as a City Leader for Bunker Labs in Houston, Texas, in honor of her family's long-standing history of service to our country.Links Mentioned In This EpisodeLauren’s profile on LinkedInGeorge W. Bush Institute Stand-To Veteran Leadership Program PsychArmor Resource of the WeekThe PsychArmor Resource of the Week the PsychArmor course Collaborative Table: Who to Invite and How to Engage. This course is designed for those organizations who are looking to ensure that they have a diverse group of voices and experience in their planning and decision-making process. Collaboration between individuals and organizations at the community level is an important aspect for supporting the military affiliated population, and no single individual or organization can do it alone. You can access this course through this link: https://learn.psycharmor.org/courses/collaborative-tableThis Episode Sponsored By:This episode is sponsored by PsychArmor, the premier education and learning ecosystem specializing in military culture content. PsychArmor offers an online e-learning laboratory with custom training options for organizations.Join Us on Social Media PsychArmor on TwitterPsychArmor on FacebookPsychArmor on YouTubePsychArmor on LinkedInPsychArmor on InstagramTheme MusicOur theme music Don’t Kill the Messenger was written and performed by Navy Veteran Jerry Maniscalco, in cooperation with Operation Encore, a non profit committed to supporting singer/songwriter and musicians across the military and Veteran communities.Producer and Host Duane France is a retired Army Noncommissioned Officer, combat veteran, and clinical mental health counselor for service members, veterans, and their families.  You can find more about the work that he is doing at www.veteranmentalhealth.com  

About Today’s GuestArt delaCruz served honorably for over 22 years in the United States Navy and enjoyed a career that included a broad range of assignments.  Art commanded a Navy strike-fighter squadron, spent one year with McKinsey & Co. as a Secretary of Defense Corporate Fellow, served as a Topgun instructor, and made six combat deployments.   After retiring, he spent two and a half years in the aerospace and defense sector in the roles of business development and strategy and planning.  He maintains a honed "quick reaction" capability by attempting to keep up with his wife, four kids, golden retriever, and labrador retriever puppy. Links Mentioned In This EpisodeTeam Rubicon USATeam Rubicon on TwitterTeam Rubicon on FacebookPsychArmor Resource of the WeekThe PsychArmor Resource of the Week is a previous podcast episode featuring Mary Beth Bruggeman, Executive Director of The Mission Continues. Similar to this week’s episode, Mary Beth talks about supporting veterans while also supporting communities that veterans live in. You can check out that episode through this link: https://psycharmor.org/podcast/mary-beth-bruggeman This Episode Sponsored By:This episode is sponsored by PsychArmor, the premier education and learning ecosystem specializing in military culture content. PsychArmor offers an online e-learning laboratory with custom training options for organizations.Join Us on Social Media PsychArmor on TwitterPsychArmor on FacebookPsychArmor on YouTubePsychArmor on LinkedInPsychArmor on InstagramTheme MusicOur theme music Don’t Kill the Messenger was written and performed by Navy Veteran Jerry Maniscalco, in cooperation with Operation Encore, a non profit committed to supporting singer/songwriter and musicians across the military and Veteran communities.Producer and Host Duane France is a retired Army Noncommissioned Officer, combat veteran, and clinical mental health counselor for service members, veterans, and their families.  You can find more about the work that he is doing at www.veteranmentalhealth.com  

About Today’s GuestJerome Tennille is the Manager of Social Impact & Volunteerism for Marriott International. Jerome is also an independent consultant and advisor in the subject matter of Sustainability and Social Impact. Prior to that Jerome held the position of Senior Manager of Impact Analysis and Assessment for Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS), a national organization that offers help, hope, and healing to all those grieving the death of a loved one serving in America’s armed forces. Jerome also served on the board of directors of Peace Through Action USA for four years and also serves on the PsychArmor Institute Advisory Committee for the School of Volunteers & Nonprofits. Jerome holds a Bachelor of Applied Science in operations management and a Master of Sustainability Leadership (MSL) from Arizona State University. Jerome is designated as Certified in Volunteer Administration (CVA) and is also a veteran of the US Navy.Links Mentioned In This EpisodeJerome’s Web SitePsychArmor Resource of the WeekThe PsychArmor Resource of the Week is a previous podcast episode featuring Kathy Roth-Duquet and Sinclair Harris as we discuss the Racial Equity Initiative of Blue Star Families. In this episode, we talk about the importance of DEI for military families and how to apply these principles to your organization. You can check out that episode through this link: https://psycharmor.org/podcast/kathy-roth-duquet-and-sinclair-harris This Episode Sponsored By:This episode is sponsored by PsychArmor, the premier education and learning ecosystem specializing in military culture content. PsychArmor offers an online e-learning laboratory with custom training options for organizations.Join Us on Social Media PsychArmor on TwitterPsychArmor on FacebookPsychArmor on YouTubePsychArmor on LinkedInPsychArmor on InstagramTheme MusicOur theme music Don’t Kill the Messenger was written and performed by Navy Veteran Jerry Maniscalco, in cooperation with Operation Encore, a non profit committed to supporting singer/songwriter and musicians across the military and Veteran communities.Producer and Host Duane France is a retired Army Noncommissioned Officer, combat veteran, and clinical mental health counselor for service members, veterans, and their families.  You can find more about the work that he is doing at www.veteranmentalhealth.com  

About Today’s GuestRoxana Delgado, Ph.D. is a health scientist, an Assistant Professor at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, School of Medicine, General and Hospital Medicine Division. She is also the Elizabeth Dole Foundation research advisor for the Campaign of Inclusive Care and one of the investigators at the VA Elizabeth Dole Center of Excellence for Veteran and Caregiver Research. Dr. Delgado developed the “Military and Veteran Caregiver Portfolio,” a research platform that addresses the short and long-term health-related outcomes of caregivers of wounded, ill, and injured service members and Veterans. Her research focuses on predictors and health outcomes in military caregivers, with emphasis in long-term trajectory of disease and illness. Dr. Delgado’s professional experienced was inspired by her firsthand personal experience as the wife of a combat wounded veteran and Purple Heart Recipient. She is a nationally recognized speaker, author, researcher and avid advocate for traumatic brain injury and caregiving. She serves in various advisory boards to inform national policies and programs for Veterans and caregivers. A 2015-16 Elizabeth Dole Foundation Fellow representing the State of Texas. She is passionate in what she does and her goal is to dedicate her life and profession to contribute to science and helping wounded, ill and injured Veterans and their caregivers discover ways to thrive.Links Mentioned In This EpisodeThe RAND Caregiver StudyDr. Delgado’s Caregiver Suicidal Ideation ResearchElizabeth Dole Foundation Web sitePsychArmor Resource of the WeekThe PsychArmor Resource of the Week is the PsychArmor course, VA S.A.V.E.: Preventing Caregiver Suicide. After taking this course, you will develop an understanding of the increased risk for suicide we see in military and Veteran caregivers, identify the signs of an at-risk Veteran caregiver, and know steps you can take to help a Veteran caregiver. You can check out the course through this link: https://learn.psycharmor.org/courses/va-save-preventing-caregiver-suicide  This Episode Sponsored By:This episode is sponsored by PsychArmor, the premier education and learning ecosystem specializing in military culture content. PsychArmor offers an online e-learning laboratory with custom training options for organizations.Join Us on Social Media PsychArmor on TwitterPsychArmor on FacebookPsychArmor on YouTubePsychArmor on LinkedInPsychArmor on InstagramTheme MusicOur theme music Don’t Kill the Messenger was written and performed by Navy Veteran Jerry Maniscalco, in cooperation with Operation Encore, a non profit committed to supporting singer/songwriter and musicians across the military and Veteran communities. Producer and Host Duane France is a retired Army Noncommissioned Officer, combat veteran, and clinical mental health counselor for service members, veterans, and their families.  You can find more about the work that he is doing at www.veteranmentalhealth.com  

About Today’s GuestAs Senior Vice President of Advancement, Josie Beets works closely with the Chief Executive Officer and the Board of Trustees to integrate communications and fundraising to support United Through Reading’s mission delivery. She leads a team of development and communications professionals who together provide program support through alliance strategies, marketing and campaigns, special events, gift development, and donor stewardship.Josie has more than 12 years of experience in the nonprofit and public sectors. Before joining the staff, she served UTR in a different role, as Vice Chair of the United Through Reading Board of Trustees. Josie comes to UTR from SAFE Project, where she served as Senior Director of SAFE Communities, leading the organization’s signature national initiative to end the addiction epidemic, community by community. She previously managed the President’s Management Council, which advises the White House and Office of Management and Budget on government-wide management policy. Josie also previously served as the Public Policy Director for the Tennessee Bar Association.Josie is an attorney, an Army spouse, and mom to two insatiable readers. In 2013, Josie discovered United Through Reading when her spouse was deployed to Afghanistan. Since then, her family has used UTR to stay connected through deployments and other military-related separations.Links Mentioned In This EpisodeUnited Through Reading Web SiteDownload the UTR AppPsychArmor Resource of the WeekThe PsychArmor Resource of the Week is the PsychArmor course 15 Things Military and Veteran Kids Want You to Know. Similar to PsychArmor’s cornerstone 15 Things Service Members and Veterans want you to know, this short on-demand video brings the voices of military-connected youth to life, and allows us to take important steps toward cultural humility when interacting with these resilient and amazing kids. You can check it out by going to this link: https://learn.psycharmor.org/courses/15-things-military-and-veterans-kids-want-you-to-know This Episode Sponsored By:This episode is sponsored by PsychArmor, the premier education and learning ecosystem specializing in military culture content. PsychArmor offers an online e-learning laboratory with custom training options for organizations.Join Us on Social Media PsychArmor on TwitterPsychArmor on FacebookPsychArmor on YouTubePsychArmor on LinkedInPsychArmor on InstagramTheme MusicOur theme music Don’t Kill the Messenger was written and performed by Navy Veteran Jerry Maniscalco, in cooperation with Operation Encore, a non profit committed to supporting singer/songwriter and musicians across the military and Veteran communities.Producer and Host Duane France is a retired Army Noncommissioned Officer, combat veteran, and clinical mental health counselor for service members, veterans, and their families.  You can find more about the work that he is doing at www.veteranmentalhealth.com  

About Today’s GuestLornett Vestal was born and raised in Chicago, IL. He joined the United States Navy at the age of seventeen. He served four years honorably and was deployed during Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003. He’s traveled to various countries including Ecuador, Mexico, Brazil, Estonia. He has a BA in Sociology from Northern Illinois University and a Master’s Degree in Social Service Administration from the University of Chicago. He spent several years working in education and social work at Chicago Public Schools and non-profit organizations through the City of Chicago.Lornett is currently the Lead Campaign Representative, Sierra Club Military Outdoors. In that role, he works with Sierra Club staff, volunteers, and outside community and nonprofit organizations to build the Military Outdoors program in Georgia and throughout the United States. His hope is to create several active outings groups over the next two the three years.  Links Mentioned In This EpisodeSierra Club Military Outdoors Web sitePsychArmor Resource of the WeekThe PsychArmor Resource of the Week is the PsychArmor course on Intimacy and Emotional Disconnect in Military Populations. This course investigates links between emotional disconnection and relationship intimacy issues that are often seen among Veteran and active duty military couples. There are a number of reasons why service members and veterans may disconnect from those they care about, and you can learn more about those reasons through this course. You can check it out by going to this link: https://learn.psycharmor.org/courses/intimacy-and-emotional-disconnect-in-military-populations This Episode Sponsored By:This episode is sponsored by PsychArmor, the premier education and learning ecosystem specializing in military culture content. PsychArmor offers an online e-learning laboratory with custom training options for organizations.Join Us on Social Media PsychArmor on TwitterPsychArmor on FacebookPsychArmor on YouTubePsychArmor on LinkedInPsychArmor on InstagramTheme MusicOur theme music Don’t Kill the Messenger was written and performed by Navy Veteran Jerry Maniscalco, in cooperation with Operation Encore, a non profit committed to supporting singer/songwriter and musicians across the military and Veteran communities.Producer and Host Duane France is a retired Army Noncommissioned Officer, combat veteran, and clinical mental health counselor for service members, veterans, and their families.  You can find more about the work that he is doing at www.veteranmentalhealth.com  

About Today’s GuestScott Tirocchi is the division director for Justice For Vets (JFV), a division of the National Association of Drug Court Professionals (NADCP). He served in the U.S. Army reserves and the Rhode Island Army National Guard for 21 years. His occupational specialty was being a military police officer. While deployed to Afghanistan from 2003 to 2004, he served as commander for the training and doctrine component of Training Assistance Group II to the Afghan National Army. He retired at the rank of major. Scott has an employment background rooted in treatment and criminal justice. He is a licensed professional counselor (LPC) with certifications in clinical trauma and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). He was previously employed with the Rhode Island Judiciary, serving in a dual capacity as deputy director for their district court's pretrial services unit and program coordinator for their veterans treatment court. Scott has been a behavioral health clinician in correctional and hospital settings as well as various community behavioral health organizations throughout Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Connecticut. He has Master of Arts degree in Human Development and a Master of Science degree in Human Services.Links Mentioned In This EpisodeJustice for Vets WebsiteWhat is a Veterans Treatment Court videoVeteran Court Mentor training and professional developmentPsychArmor Resource of the WeekThe PsychArmor Resource of the Week is the series of courses on Military Culture. From the cornerstone PsychArmor course 15 things veterans want you to know, to working with veterans as a community member and basic information about how to communicate with veterans who are disabled or trauma exposed, these courses are designed to help you understand and interact with veterans more effectively so that you can provide whatever support they need. You can access this course series through this link: https://learn.psycharmor.org/collections?category=military-culture This Episode Sponsored By:This episode is sponsored by PsychArmor, the premier education and learning ecosystem specializing in military culture content. PsychArmor offers an online e-learning laboratory with custom training options for organizations.Join Us on Social Media PsychArmor on TwitterPsychArmor on FacebookPsychArmor on YouTubePsychArmor on LinkedInPsychArmor on InstagramTheme MusicOur theme music Don’t Kill the Messenger was written and performed by Navy Veteran Jerry Maniscalco, in cooperation with Operation Encore, a non profit committed to supporting singer/songwriter and musicians across the military and Veteran communities.Producer and Host Duane France is a retired Army Noncommissioned Officer, combat veteran, and clinical mental health counselor for service members, veterans, and their families.  You can find more about the work that he is doing at www.veteranmentalhealth.com  

About Today’s GuestBetty Rhoades joined the HillVets Foundation in December of 2019 as the Executive Director. Betty lives in Washington, DC – just steps from the HillVets House! – with her husband, her rescued pit bull, Jack, and her “quarantine kitty,” Rex. Betty’s husband, Jason, was one of the original class of HillVets Fellows; he worked in Congresswoman Ann Kirkpatrick’s office and then moved on to achieve success in federal government, consulting, and private legal practice. Betty has seen firsthand how HillVets changes people’s lives for the better, and she and Jason have been enthusiastic supporters ever since.Betty began her career with the Department of Veterans Affairs as a Presidential Management Fellow in 2005. Subsequently, she served as a Specially Adapted Housing (SAH) agent, SAH Coordinator, then Assistant Valuation Officer at the Atlanta Regional Loan Center. She was selected as the Chief of SAH in January of 2013. Betty’s dedication to Veterans led to record numbers of SAH grant approvals and also to her eventual promotion to Executive Management Officer (Chief of Staff) to the Deputy Under Secretary for Economic Opportunity in 2016. Betty came to HillVets from Jared Allen’s Homes for Wounded Warriors, where she served as Director of National Capital Relationships since 2017. She has been serving the military/veteran community for more than 15 years, during which time she has published numerous articles and presented at a variety of conventions and events.Betty earned her Doctor of Jurisprudence from the University of Tennessee College of Law in 2005 with a Concentration in Business Transactions. While in law school, she served on the staff of the Tennessee Law Review and received the National Association of Women Lawyers award and a Dean’s Citation for Excellence in Community Service. She also holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Georgia, where she graduated cum laude, with honors, in 2002. She was also inducted into the Phi Beta Kappa Society.Links Mentioned In This EpisodeHillVets Web SiteHillVets House FellowshipHillVets LEAD ProgramPsychArmor Resource of the WeekThe PsychArmor Resource of the Week is Episode 13 of Behind the Mission, a conversation with Rye Barcott and Maine Congressman Jared Golden. On this episode, Congressman Golden and Mr. Barcott, both Marines, join the show to talk about With Honor, an organization that supports cross-partisan collaboration in federal politics, and civic engagement and public office as a way for veterans to continue to serve after their time in the military. You can find a link to the podcast in the show notes https://psycharmor.org/podcast/rye-barcott-and-congressman-jared-golden This Episode Sponsored By:This episode is sponsored by PsychArmor, the premier education and learning ecosystem specializing in military culture content. PsychArmor offers an online e-learning laboratory with custom training options for organizations.Join Us on Social Media PsychArmor on TwitterPsychArmor on FacebookPsychArmor on YouTubePsychArmor on LinkedInPsychArmor on InstagramTheme MusicOur theme music Don’t Kill the Messenger was written and performed by Navy Veteran Jerry Maniscalco, in cooperation with Operation Encore, a non profit committed to supporting singer/songwriter and musicians across the military and Veteran communities. Producer and Host Duane France is a retired Army Noncommissioned Officer, combat veteran, and clinical mental health counselor for service members, veterans, and their families.  You can find more about the work that he is doing at www.veteranmentalhealth.com