Life After The Military

In this new episode of Life After the Military, Lee and Howie speak with Dr. Jo Sornborger and Dana Katz about the work they do with the Operation Mend Program at UCLA Health as part of the Warrior Care Network. 

Doctor Sornborger currently serves as the Executive Director of the UCLA Health Operation Mend Program. She is a certified clinical psychologist who has associated herself with UCLA  Health for over fourteen years.

Dana Katz is the Director of Community Engagement and Buddy Programs for the UCLA Operation Mend Program. Dana has worked with this program for over fifteen years. 

The Operation Mend Program is a partnership between UCLA Health and the United States military. In this episode, learn from Dr. Sornborger and Dana Katz how this program provides advanced surgical and medical treatment, comprehensive psychological evaluation and support, and intensive treatment programs for symptoms to post-traumatic stress and traumatic brain injury for service members, veterans, and family members. 

Show Notes
1:32 Dr. Jo explains her involvement in Operation Mend.
4:28 Dr. Jo Expands on the Resilience of the military family.
8:49 The scope of Operation Mend’s Care
11:45 Dana Katz shares her experience being with Operation Mend for 15 years and the organization's origins with her family.
18:28 Dana and Dr.Jo discuss the community of buddies and warriors that Operation Mend has built.
22:57 Lee shares an anecdote about meeting some of the Band of Brothers.
36:53 Dana talks about sourcing “Buddies” for Operation Mend and the Importance of Warriors to seek help.
48:00 Howie Delves into the “Deadly Gap”.
58:54 Lee calls to action! “You are not alone”.
1:10:00 How our guests practice mental fitness in their lives.

In this new Pivotal Moments Media Charlie Mike Channel episode of Life After the Military, Lee and Howie speak with Richelle Futch.

Richelle is a Marine Corps Veteran, current special operations military spouse and advocate for military employment, preventative mental health care and reform. She has worked with members of congress on policy reform and has been invited to the White House on behalf of her work and advocacy efforts.

 An accomplished 4x published author, Richelle printed more than 10,000 copies and sold thousands of digital editions of her workbook Unpacking Your Emotional Ruck.

 In this episode, Richelle shares her experience as she transitioned from her active-duty tour by pursuing her undergraduate degree and working as a court appointed special advocate who provided the voice for children in the foster care system. Richelle emphasizes the importance of focusing on and serving others.

 Richelle discusses the work she does with youth by using didactic training techniques to help them understand and overcome their challenges. Richelle also describes the work she does with military and first responder families. She talks about the family system and how each family member can be successful in our stress filled society today.

Richelle masterfully describes the work she does with families to build resilience and their ability to overcome adversity. Richelle talks about the work she did that led to the development of her workbook, Unpack Your Emotional Ruck.

Richelle shares about the challenges she faces as a spouse as she and her husband prepare for his transition out of the military.

Show Notes
2:14 - Richelle takes us through her transition out of the military and her advice for those going through it today
5:41 - Richelle talks about redefining purpose
8:54 - Lee and Richelle dive into serving others
17:25 - Richelle explains what it means to meet people where they are at
33:20 - Howie & Richelle discuss the importance of allowing children and teens to experience hardship in order to better prepare them throughout life
41:58 - Richelle explains what unpacking your emotional ruck means 
50:08 - Richelle discusses her husband’s upcoming transition out of the military and how they are preparing for it
57:08 - Richelle discusses how she practices mental fitness

In this new episode of Life After the Military, Lee and Howie speak with Sergeant Major (Retired) Topaz Navarro. Presented by Pivotal Moments Media’s Charlie Mike Channel.

Topaz shares the importance of being curious, vulnerable, and fearless as he learned to use LinkedIn to find his voice and establish his network to help with his transition planning and execution.

Learn from Topaz as he describes his passion for helping others through his business, Escape Velocity Academy, where he teaches others to become intrinsically motivated to find the overlap between curiosity and community.

Topaz highlights the work he does with Work Play Obsession All In Foundation to help others deal with challenges they may have with their mental fitness. 

Topaz defines his concept – authentic happiness – to help transitioning veterans find their meaning and purpose in their post-military life. He beautifully describes our need and desire to find and experience micro-flow states in all we do.

Learn how Topaz strengthens his mental fitness by taking his MEDSS (Mindfulness, Exercise, Diet, Sleep, Social Interaction) every day.

Show Notes

1:28 Topaz gives an overview on his transition out of the military.

11:40 Topaz expands on the focus of the Escape Velocity Academy 

13:15 Where curiosity intersects with community, you will find purpose/passion

19:45 The Origin of the Escape Velocity Academy name and its services

22:51 Howie explains what “Mile 62” means in relation to building good habits

26:06 Topaz explains the influence that “ The Second Mountain has had on his work

33:10 Topaz opens dialogue on the role of mentors v. coaches

39:30 Topaz elaborates on Work Play Obsession and his role as a connector to other non-profits

47:35 Lee explains the importance of finding community 

54:12 Topaz expands on “purpose” and finding it through authentic happiness

1:04:09 Topaz talks about taking his M.E.D.S in maintaining his mental fitness

How do you handle unexpected adversity? 

Despite preparing and planning for the transition to civilian life, there was an emotional toll Teresa Shick’s family did not expect. The devastation of leaving their military life and the family they built caused an identity crisis that shook them to their core. 

Military spouse and founder of the Pillar Foundation, Teresa Shick, shares insight from the challenges of her life after the military with Howie and Lee on this Charlie Mike episode. 

The community aspect of military life is very important to their family; which led Teresa to create her own in Texas. After serving as an Ombudsman at the Naval Special Warfare Development Group alongside her husband, Teresa founded The Pillar Foundation to provide a support network to newly transitioned military wives into the civilian world. Her dedication to our country's military families and spouses is unwavering. 

Replacing the purpose these men and women have post-military is pivotal for the healing and growth in their new lives. Teresa is a voice for all military families and a resource that deserves to be shared with all. 

Show Notes
00:30 - Introductions
02:00  - How do you and your military spouse prepare for your transition? How did it go and what did you learn?
07:45 - The importance of community camaraderie, and the particular kind you find within the military
10:00 How did you overcome a loss of identity and purpose after leaving the military?
13:45 - Teresa on founding the Pillar Foundation and the importance of being able to find a great community
17:30 - Teresa on the important roles of the military spouse, the importance of teamwork for a successful transition,  and resources available to help families and spouses transition and settle into life after the military
31:00 - How naval special warfare shapes family communication, and lessons learned from training and preparations
34:15 - How and why Teresa started the Pillar Foundation 
43:00 - Lee gives his book titles
46:15 - Teresa is asked what she does to maintain her mental fitness

In this new Pivotal Moments Media Charlie Mike Channel episode of Life After the Military, Lee and Howie speak with Sergeant Major (Retired) Jose Velazquez.

Jose provides invaluable insights into his military transition preparation and execution.

Jose wisely advises transitioning service members to apply the skills they learned in the military to own and execute their transition. 

Jose shares the importance and value of eliminating debt to lower the stress of the transition period. 

Jose also describes the invaluable role that his spouse played in their steps to execute their transition. With his wife taking part in all transition briefings and classes, she brought a perspective to the process that really helped Jose plan more effectively. 

Jose also shares the importance for him to seek a post military role that enabled him to find purpose and value in what he wanted to do in broadcasting and teaching. 

Jose and Howie describe the value they received by completing the Leader Transition Institute course “Changing Focus from We to Me” and highly encourage all transitioning service members to take this course.

Jose expands on the importance of finding and using mentors to leverage their lessons learned. When he decided to pursue his entrepreneurial spirit and start his own business, he leaned on several mentors to show him the way. 

Although struggling with some mental health challenges resulting from leading men and women in combat, Jose candidly shares the value of seeking and asking for help and being there for others when they need someone to talk to. 

Show Notes:
2:00  Jose discusses his personal transition out of the military 
10:15 Howie discusses the value of reducing debt to create breathing room during transition 
12:51 Finding purpose and fulfillment after the military15:18 Jose elaborates on becoming an entrepreneur
20:31 Discussion around “Owning the Process” of transition and asking for help.
36:49 Jose explains the Leadership Transition Institute and going from “WE” to “ME”
45:39 Howie expands on his experiences transitioning and the tools he finds value in today
55:01 Lee Discusses helping yourself before helping others
1:01:45 Jose describes his mental fitness journey 
1:15:20 Jose shares a personal story about reframing his experiences through a redefinition of strength

In this new Pivotal Moments Media Charlie Mike Channel episode of Life After the Military, Lee and Howie speak with Navy Petty Officer First Class Mike Brown.

Mike talks eloquently about the value of owning your own transition and starting your professional network early in your military career. Mike shares how he used LinkedIn as an effective tool to broaden and deepen his network. Even though he had to medically retire and did not have as much time as most to prepare, his early networking efforts helped him land softly in his post-military career.

Mike also speaks about the importance of finding and using mentors who have recently navigated the military transition process to take advantage of their lessons learned.

Although struggling with some mental health challenges, Mike candidly shares the value of seeking and asking for help and being there for others when they need someone to talk to. 

Find more transition advice and inspirational content at PivotalMomentsMedia.com

Do you want to be inspired? Do you want to learn how someone overcame a life-changing accident to propel herself to be an Olympic athlete?
 
In this new Pivotal Moments Media Charlie Mike Channel episode of Life After the Military, Lee and Howie speak with Army Colonel (Retired) Patty Collins.
 
Patty shares an invaluable perspective on how she planned and conducted her transition from the Army. She highlights the value of finding a new community, taking time to spend with family and recharge, and the challenges of working in a consulting firm and pursuing a career in government service.
 
After surviving a cycling accident that left her as a below-the-knee amputee, Patty talks candidly about her challenging battle to recover and overcome significant adversity. Not only did she complete an extraordinary 24-year career as an Army Signal Officer, but Patty also competed as a triathlete in the 2016 Paralympics held in Rio de Janeiro.
 
Patty continues to inspire and lead others serving as the Deputy Director of the U.S. Government Publishing Office and as a coach and mentor of aspiring competitive disabled athletes.

Interested in learning about the opportunities for transitioning military veterans to work at Amazon?
 
In this new Pivotal Moments Media Charlie Mike Channel episode of Life After the Military, Lee and Howie speak with Marine Corps Colonel (Retired) Beau Higgins.
 
Beau shares great insights into his planning and preparation for transition from the Marine Corps.
 
Working as the Senior Manager, Military Talent Acquisition for Amazon, Beau helps us understand the opportunities for transitioning service members at Amazon and how to best prepare and compete for them. Beau explains the Amazon interview process and how to succeed in that process.

Have you suffered from physical or mental abuse? 

If so, how did you handle it?

If so, how has it changed you?

In this Pivotal Moments Media Charlie Mike Channel episode of Life After the Military, learn how LTC (Ret) Olivia Nunn dealt with an episode of physical and mental abuse early in her 20-year military career. 

Olivia bravely and transparently shares how this episode of abuse and how the chain of command handled it led her down a very dark path that did not present itself until she decided to retire from the military.

Learn how Olivia confronted this challenge to get her life back on track to help other men and women in uniform who have similar mental fitness challenges.

How much debt are you bringing into your transition from the military?

How much financial stress are you already experiencing?

Want to learn from one of the best and most respected voices in the veteran transition workspace?

Tune into this new episode of Life After the Military with Sergeant Major (Retired) Matt Quick.

Matt shares his story about his transition from the Marine Corps and the Army. Listen as Matt describes the value of networking early and significantly lowering the financial stress of a transition by getting to a debt-free state before departing the military.

Matt gives invaluable insights into the offerings that the Project Management Institute, his current employer, provides for transitioning veterans, their spouses and family members.

 Matt speaks passionately about his work with the Dylan Quick Foundation, in loving memory of his nephew lost too early to pediatric cancer. 

Do you know that over 200,00 men and women exit the military every year?

Do you know that problematic transitions are the #1 cause of veteran suicide? 

Do you know that the likelihood of a veteran committing suicide increases 2-3 Xs in the first 12 months of exiting the military? The Department of Veterans affairs has labeled this 12-month period the “deadly gap!”

Do you know that the likelihood of a veteran committing suicide increases 2-3 Xs in the first 12 months of exiting the military? The Department of Veterans affairs has labeled this 12-month period the “deadly gap!”

Mike talks candidly about the harsh realities and challenges of navigating the rough waters of the transition process if a transitioning service member waits too long to plan, prepare and execute like he did.

Mike provides valuable context about the vision and mission of the Army's ETS Sponsorship Program. He describes how this program helps transitioning service members, their spouses and family members land more softly, successfully and with less stress as they start their post-military careers.

If you are a transitioning service member getting ready to exit the military, check out our latest episode of Life After The Military with LTC (Retired) Pete “Aloha” Tingstrom.

In this episode, Pete candidly admits that he waited way too long to start his planning to exit the military and what that cost him by creating unnecessary stress.

Pete shares how he leveraged the use of veteran services organizations to help him develop and execute his transition plan.

Learn how Pete used the power and value of networking, which not only helped him find his first job after military retirement, but also led him to start his own business as an entrepreneur.

Pete gives great insight on the different work experiences he had that included government contracting, entrepreneurship, and taking on the challenge offing the campaign manager for an Army veteran running for Governor of the State of Hawaii, Lynn Mariano.

Learn how Pete uses cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to strengthen his mental fitness and deal effectively with his challenges.

What is your identity - how do you define yourself? What is most important to you? What can you do to stay true to your authentic self?

In this week’s Pivotal Moments Media Charlie Mike Channel episode of Life After the Military we talk with a combat veteran, 5-time Bronze Star awardee (one with a “V” Device for Valor), and former Ranger and Delta Operator, Brad Thomas.

In this very candid, open, and transparent discussion, Brad shares how he balanced his role as a combat veteran with his role as a rock musician. 

A lover of music since his childhood, Brad never let his time in uniform completely define him. He always saw himself as a creative artist - whether writing and playing music or working on combat development projects to bring new, innovative equipment to the battlefield to make his combat colleagues more safe and more effective.

In this episode, Brad discusses

-Staying true to yourself while serving in the military

-Encourages veterans to see more in themselves than just their identity in a uniform

-How he conceived of and patented body armor to help his battle buddies

-Putting himself and his family first in his the decision-making process 

-Giving back to the community from an intentional place

-How the late 80’s - 90’s rock era influenced his love for music and his career as a musical artist

-How his veteran rock band, Silence and Light, contribute directly to charity through their music sales

-The importance of contributing to the community and maintaining your mental health

Show Notes:

00:00 Howie and Lee introduce Brad Thomas, a five-time combat medal recipient and founding member of the all-veteran rock band Silence and Light

1:53 Brad shares his perspective on military service and self-preservation

9:45 An origami gift was developed into an innovative combat gear solution, eventually earning Brad a US patent for special ops armor

12:55 The conversation shifts to the importance of keeping a sense of community, including how Silence and Light's music directly benefits military charities

16:48 Brad discusses his earliest memories and connections with music, and how the band formed

22:57 Brad explains how the American grunge rock sound from the late 80s to mid-90s became the soundtrack to his life during active combat duty

25:51 Lee brings back a favorite game, giving a new title to Brad's potential autobiography; the conversation shifts to selflessness

28:20 Brad explains the flow state he and his bandmates achieve when making music, and how it serves as a crucial form of therapy

30:54 Wise words about finding what keeps you mentally fit

33:32 Howie discusses survivor's guilt

35:13 Lee adds the final book title and closes the show

We are privileged to have Sam Dreyer and Jon King from Microsoft to share the challenges and victories they experienced while joining the workforce after the military. Together, they have a combined 20+ years of service, along with their own incredible stories of mental health experiences.

Join us for an episode of 
Learning how to nurture your network even after committing to a job 
Exploring the MSSA program and why veterans MUST take advantage of it
Reinforcing that a medical diagnosis doesn’t define you


Help is always available. 
NATIONAL SUICIDE PREVENTION HOTLINE 
(800)-273-8225


MORE ABOUT OUR GUESTS
 
SAM DREYER: Since his exit from the Army, Sam has worked in multiple information technology positions with CompUSA, IBM, Wipro Technologies, and has spent the last nine years with Microsoft. He currently works as a Senior Customer Success Account Manager.
 
JON KING: Jon served in the United States Army as a rotary wing pilot and aviator. Like Sam, Jon currently works as a Customer Success Account Manager.

Do you want to know a secret to success?

Do you want to follow a principle of the most successful people in the world?

Are you familiar with Napoleon Hill and his book Think and Grow Rich?

Ever hear of the Mastermind Principle?

If you are a transitioning veteran or know any, you will get so much value from this week’s episode of @pivotalmomentsmedia’s @charliemikevets channel podcast #lifeafterthemilitary with our guests and Air Force veterans Matt Scherer and Don Gleason - two highly successful veteran entrepreneurs who serve as the President and Vice President of the Military Transition Roundtable (MTR).

This veteran service organization  applies one of Napoleon Hill’s principles of success: the Mastermind Principle. It simply states that if you want to achieve a level of success, you must surround yourself with people who have already achieved that level of success.

In the episode, Don and Matt explain how transitioning veterans will increase their transition success and lower their stress by doing the following:

• Taking control of your transition
• Networking
• Enrolling in higher education
• Following through with connections
• Researching companies and working to understand how their profits are made, and how your position fits into that equation

Matt shares why doing the following will increase your transition success:

• Joining non-military groups
• Volunteering in the community
• Finding out the kinds of people you like to work with
• Gaining technical skills in the military pre-transition/using LinkedIn to connect with people with those same skills

Learn more about the MTR:

• The DISC personality assessment to start
• How the group helps veterans understand what they want when searching for a new job
• How having an accountability partner produces a staggering 500% uptick in the probability of reaching a goal

Social Media Links:
LinkedIn:
Don Gleason:https://www.linkedin.com/in/don-gleason/ 
Matt Scherer: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattscherer/
Twitter:
Don Gleason: @DonGleason15
Matt Scherer:@Matt_scherer
The Military Transition Roundtable:https://militarytransitionroundtable.com/
Scherer Communications: https://sherercommunications.com/
Achieve New Heights, LLC: https://achievenewheights.com/

Do you want to learn the lessons of what to do and what not to do IOT to have a low stress and highly successful transition from the military to the public or private sector?

Did you say “YES?

Then check out the newest @pivotalmomentsmedia @charliemikevets #lifeafterthemilitary podcast with Army Colonel (Retired) Kirby Watson!

Kirby is one of the finest, most authentic, and genuinely caring leaders that our co-host, Howie Cohen, EVER served with during his 27+ year military career!

Kirby spent 33 years as an Army Signal Officer and candidly discusses everything he did right and wrong

• what he did wrong while transitioning - overscheduling interviews, not focusing on one area of need, not properly informing colleagues of the transition
• what he got right - focusing on finding a good team, taking advantage of the TAP program, being honest about his health state, sourcing colleagues and job applications and honest company reviews through his LinkedIn network, carefully preparing for interviews
• Discusses how he transitioned out as a veteran by taking the initiative to seek out mentors and carefully going through each step leading up to the job search process

Howie, Lee and Kirby implore listeners to

• Be honest about medical needs during the transition
• Put yourself and your needs (and the needs of your family) first
• Connect with colleagues on LinkedIn and extensively research positions
• Focus on team building rather than resume building

Kirby also shares advice and guidance for veterans looking to enter the government contracting space and what mental fitness means to him 

Social Media Handles:

• LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/kirby-watson/
• FaceBook/Meta:https://www.facebook.com/kirby.watson.102
• Iridium: https://www.iridium.com/

Do you know who David Goggins is?

Have you read or listened to his book Can’t Hurt Me!?

Have you seen/listened to any of his podcasts with Joe Rogan or Ed Mylett or the other great interviews he’s conducted over the last 3-4 years?

If you answered Yes to any of these questions, I want to introduce you to the David Goggins of Veteran Service Organizations: Navy Officer Jai Salters, founder of ACT NOW EDUCATION!

If you answered NO to any of these questions, then check out David Goggins on YouTube, read or listen to his book, Can’t Hurt Me, then listen to or view this Pivotal Moments Media, Charlie Mike podcast episode of #LifeAftertheMilitary with Jai Salers as our guest! Jai and his story is amazing!

Learn how Jai consistently did the following:

• Overcame repeated adversity in his childhood and his life as a child in the foster care system and built a life of pure grit and resilience
• Pursued education as a way to better himself
• Committed himself to help active duty service members, veterans, military spouses and family members thrive and successfully transition to life after the military by creating and leading ACT NOW EDUCATION
• Flexed his mental fitness muscles 
• Never hesitated to seek help when he needed it

#veteranshelpingveterans #militaryveterans #veteransuicideawareness #veteransuicide #militaryeducation #miitarytransitions #transitioningmiitary 

Does anyone ever say "Thank You for your service”  to you when they know you serve or previously served in the military?

Ever hear a response like, “Thank You! You are worth it!”

Well, you will hear it in this Life After the Military episode!

This episode of Life After the Military, features Army Colonel (Retired) Jay Santiago - who represents three (3) generations of Army Officers (Jay, his father, and his two sons).

Jay provides his insights into the transition process, shares his lessons learned, and describes how he treated it as a “mission." 

Unlike most transitioning senior officers and noncommissioned officers, Jay is still with the same company, Worldwide Technologies, that he joined over 11 years ago. Learn about the transition preparation and criteria Jay applied to make such a great choice!

Interested in learning how a clinical psychologist supports the premier military counterterrorist unit in the world?

Want to learn how a clinical psychologist saved the life of a senior officer?

If you answered yes to these questions, then listen to/view this powerful @Pivotal Moments Media @Charlie Mike Channel episode of the #Life After the Military podcast with Dr. Crystal Redding.

Crystal is a clinical psychologist who supported the Joint Special Operations Command, America’s premier counter-terrorism force.

• This episode focuses on how Dr. Redding treats super highly skilled service members
  • Likens the journey of working with a therapist as a “sherpa”, helping humans climb the mountain to achieve mental wellness and fitness
  • Discusses stigmas surrounding therapy for service-members, noting that the history of therapy includes labeling people
  • Shares her view of modern view of psychology which must focus on help with everyday life and tasks
  • That the first 3 years out of the military have the highest rates of suicide
  • She describes the story of a military sniper who needed help with anxiety - how the sniper already knew how to use breathing queues due to their training, and how that was utilized in their diagnosis
  • “Its ok to say, I need someone to have my six on this”
  • “Leadership is key” - Dr. Redding explains how great leadership can assist healthcare providers by providing confidential recommendations and pushing service members to get help without fear of consequences

In this week’s Pivotal Moments Media Charlie Mike Channel episode of #Life After the Military, meet former Marine Tim Cochrane! 

Hold on folks, Tim is going to take you for a wild ride in this episode. 

If you are from Philly, NJ or NY, you will be OK. 

If you are from anywhere else, I am not sure! But we are making No Apologies!

Tim discusses his life’s journey from the floor of the New York Stock Exchange as an electronics technician to American Corporate Partners (ACP), a national nonprofit organization focused on helping returning veterans find their next career through one-on-one mentoring, networking and online career advice and his current work with Tenova, LLC and HireMilitary.

Howie, Lee and Tim discuss the following:

• A deep dive on the negative environmental factors surrounding veteran suicide
• Discussion of Tim’s phenomenal work with HireMilitary
• Discussion on building grit and determination through overcoming adversity
• The beginnings of the ACP

Social Media:

·       LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/timothy-cochrane977/

·       Facebook/Meta: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100072230057762

·       Twitter: https://twitter.com/TimCochrane1

·       HireMilitary: https://hiremilitary.us/

·       Tenova LLC: https://www.tenovallc.com/

·       American Corporate Partners: https://www.acp-usa.org/