BTM159 - Sebastian Junger (Replay) - Tribe and Veteran Connectedness
On this page
elearning
Explore " elearning" with insightful episodes like "BTM159 - Sebastian Junger (Replay) - Tribe and Veteran Connectedness", "BTM158 - Dr. Cameron McCoy - The Montford Point Marines", "BTM157 - John Langford - Project Healing Waters", "BTM156 – Waco Hoover – The American Legion’s Be The One Initiative" and "BTM154 – Dave Harrison – Fastport and Veterans in the Workforce" from podcasts like ""Behind The Mission", "Behind The Mission", "Behind The Mission", "Behind The Mission" and "Behind The Mission"" and more!
Episodes (100)
BTM158 - Dr. Cameron McCoy - The Montford Point Marines
Show Summary
In this episode, we feature a conversation with Dr Cameron McCoy, author of a recently released book on the first Black Marines called, Contested Valor: African American Marines in the Age of Power, Protest, and Tokenism. In this book, Dr. McCoy shares the stories of the Montford Point Marines, the first African American Marines that trained at Montford Point, North Carolina and served overseas in combat.
About Today’s Guest
Dr. Cameron McCoy is a native of Washington, D.C. and teaches courses in 20th and 21st century US history. Dr. McCoy has taught at the United States Military Academy at West Point, Brigham Young University, and currently in residence at the United States Air Force Academy. He earned his doctorate in US history at the University of Texas at Austin after receiving a master’s in military history at Texas A&M University, and his bachelor’s in International & Area Studies at BYU.
In addition to being an assistant professor and teaching courses on US Race Relations, the Great Wars, Modern Warfare Studies, and Foreign Policy, Dr. McCoy also serves in the Marine Corps Reserves as an infantry officer. He has held several positions of command while serving multiple combat tours and deployed to various countries in support of Operations IRAQI and ENDURING FREEDOM.
Links Mentioned In This Episode
Contested Valor Book (University Press of Kansas)
PsychArmor Resource of the Week
This week’s PsychArmor resource of the week is the PsychArmor podcast episode Podcast Episode number 7, a conversation with General Sinclair Harris and Kathy Roth-Douquet about the Blue Star Families Racial Equity Initiative.
You can see find the course here:
https://psycharmor.org/podcast/kathy-roth-duquet-and-sinclair-harris
This Episode Sponsored By:
This episode is sponsored by PsychArmor. PsychArmor is the premier education and learning ecosystems specializing in military culture content PsychArmor offers an. Online e-learning laboratory that is free to individual learners as well as custom training options for organizations.
Contact Us and Join Us on Social Media
Theme Music
Our 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
BTM157 - John Langford - Project Healing Waters
Show Summary
On this episode, we feature a conversation with Marine Corps veteran John Langford, Chief Executive Officer of Project Healing Waters. Project Healing Waters helps active military service personnel and Veterans in need through a dedicated, developed curriculum of fly fishing, fly casting, fly tying, and fly rod building.
About Today’s Guest
John served in the Marine Corps, as both enlisted and officer, for 23 years, primarily as a Weapons and Sensors Officer in the F-18D Hornet, before retiring in 2009. He completed multiple operational and combat deployments and brings with him an extensive background in Veteran nonprofit leadership focused on sports, wellness, and development.
John has over 37 years of experience in executive-level leadership, strategic planning, and organizational change management and in the 14 years since his military retirement, has served in senior leadership roles in defense contracting and consulting firms, corporate sales and in the nonprofit sector. For the last eight years, John has led multiple organizations in nearly every facet of national Veteran nonprofit management, including event planning, service member transition, and development. John is a humble and passionate servant leader with a lifelong commitment to serving the Veteran and military community.
John is a graduate of multiple advanced military schools and courses including Air Combat Tactics Instructor and Weapons and Tactics Instructor Courses, Amphibious Warfare School, and Command and Staff College. He holds a Master of Science in Sport Business from Temple University. John has five adult children, including two who are active duty Marines. He’s an avid outdoorsman, and lives in northern Colorado where he finds joy and solace through fly fishing and being in the outdoors.
Links Mentioned In This Episode
Project Healing Waters Web Site
PsychArmor Resource of the Week
This week’s PsychArmor resource of the week is the PsychArmor course Volunteer Recruitment and Screening. This course discusses the basic components and inter-dependencies of recruiting and screening volunteers, as well as the value of having a recruitment process.
You can see find the course here:
https://learn.psycharmor.org/courses/Volunteer-Recruitment-and-Screening
This Episode Sponsored By:
This episode is sponsored by PsychArmor. PsychArmor is the premier education and learning ecosystems specializing in military culture content PsychArmor offers an. Online e-learning laboratory that is free to individual learners as well as custom training options for organizations.
Contact Us and Join Us on Social Media
Theme Music
Our 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
BTM156 – Waco Hoover – The American Legion’s Be The One Initiative
BTM154 – Dave Harrison – Fastport and Veterans in the Workforce
Show Summary
On this episode, we feature a conversation with Army Veteran and Executive Director of Workforce Development and Government Relations at FASTPORT, a company that focuses on workforce development and technology solutions with longstanding industry experience with the military community, transportation industry and apprenticeship programs.
About Today’s Guest
Dave Harrison has extensive experience coordinating and advising employers, Industry Associations, and the Department of Labor Office of Apprenticeship (DOL-OA) on the most effective implementation models for Registered Apprenticeships, Workforce development and Military hiring programs.
Dave has served as a DOL designated Industry Subject Matter Expert in Registered Apprenticeship Technical Assistance for the last six years. Additionally, Dave directs industry engagement operations for the Registered Apprenticeship Centers of Excellence. He also serves on the board of the Minority Professional Truckers Association, the DOL/DOT Driver Shortage Taskforce, and the White House Supply Chain Taskforce.
His extensive experience in apprenticeship is combined with more than two decades of experience in operations, human resources, recruiting and employee training and development in the private sector. Dave has directly supported, developed, and implemented apprenticeship related training instruction and on-the-job training outlines for multiple workforce development programs. Dave has successfully designed and implemented National Standards of Registered Apprenticeships, National Occupational Frameworks, and curriculum across a multitude of industry sectors. In his capacity as Executive Director he manages 21 National Apprenticeship Programs that have accounted for over 19,000 Apprentices.
Dave served multiple combat tours of duty as an Army infantry leader. He received his BA in History-Secondary Education from Austin Peay State University. He has been a high school educator, football coach, business owner and in his over 11 years with J.B. Hunt Transport he is best known for developing and directing the Hunt’s Heroes program with the dedicated mission of hiring 10,000 veterans. He and his wife, Gena, have five daughters and eight grandchildren.
Links Mentioned In This Episode
National Apprenticeship Website
PsychArmor Resource of the Week
This week’s PsychArmor resource of the week is the PsychArmor course Tax Incentives for Employers Hiring Veterans. In this course, we will discuss the key aspects of the credit and benefits that work opportunity tax credits can offer to your organization.
You can see find the course here:
https://learn.psycharmor.org/courses/Tax-Incentives-for-Employers-Hiring-Veterans
This Episode Sponsored By:
This episode is sponsored by PsychArmor. PsychArmor is the premier education and learning ecosystems specializing in military culture content PsychArmor offers an. Online e-learning laboratory that is free to individual learners as well as custom training options for organizations.
Contact Us and Join Us on Social Media
Theme Music
Our 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
BTM153 - Christina Slentz - The League of Wives Memorial Project
Show Summary
On this episode, we feature a conversation with with Navy Veteran and Spouse Christina Slentz, Foundation Co-Chair of the League of Wives Memorial Project. This project honors the story of a group of military spouses who supported their husbands held captive as POWs in the Vietnam war with the establishment of a memorial in Coronado, California.
About Today’s Guest
Christina Bagaglio Slentz, is both a Navy Veteran and Spouse. She was the first female in history to serve in Carrier Air Wing ONE, deploying aboard the USS GEORGE WASHINGTON (CVN 73) as a Naval Intelligence Officer. She is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame and holds a PhD in International Studies from Old Dominion University.
Christina currently works as a consultant with Blue Star Families. Locally, she has served as a community volunteer as well as a Navy Spouse mentor and advocate, for which she has been recognized with the Meritorious Public Service Award, presented by Commander, Naval Air Forces. Her husband, Tim, served as the 49th Commanding Officer of Naval Base Coronado.
Links Mentioned In This Episode
The League of Wives Memorial Project Website
In Love and War, by Jim and Sybil Stockdale
The League of Wives, by Heath Hardage Lee
Unwavering, by Taylor Baldwin Kiland and Judy Silverstein Gray
PsychArmor Resource of the Week
This week’s PsychArmor resource of the week is the PsychArmor course course Networking for Military Spouses. This course will help you define what networking means, demonstrate ways to incorporate social media into your networking task, and list tips for better networking results.
You can see find the course here:
https://learn.psycharmor.org/courses/Networking-for-Military-Spouses
This Episode Sponsored By:
This episode is sponsored by PsychArmor. PsychArmor is the premier education and learning ecosystems specializing in military culture content PsychArmor offers an. Online e-learning laboratory that is free to individual learners as well as custom training options for organizations.
Contact Us and Join Us on Social Media
Theme Music
Our 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
BTM152 - Bill Leahy - Supporting Veterans in the Manufacturing Industry
Show Summary
On this episode, we feature a conversation with Army Veteran Bill Leahy, an Engineering Team Leader, Maintenance Superintendent, Consultant, and Business Owner in the Manufacturing Industry. We discuss opportunities for Veterans in the manufacturing industry and Bill’s upcoming documentary, Unturning Steel
About Today’s Guest
William "Bill" Leahy is a multifaceted professional with a diverse background spanning military service, sports, manufacturing, and entrepreneurship. Bill's journey began at the United States Military Academy at West Point, where he graduated with the Class of 2009. His commitment to teamwork and discipline extended to the hockey rink, where he showcased his skills as a West Point hockey player.
Following graduation, Bill served in the US Army, rising to the rank of Captain. Upon transitioning from military service Bill entered into the manufacturing industry as a Engineering Team Leader, Maintenance Superintendent, Consultant, and Business Owner. Bill has honed his skills and knowledge to become a prominent figure in the sector. As the CEO of both Renaissance Reliability LLC and UNTURNING STEEL LLC, he has demonstrated visionary leadership; driving these companies to new heights of success.
Bill's passion for leadership extends beyond his professional roles. He is the founder of the Manufacturing Leaders Project, an initiative aimed at developing the next generation of manufacturing leaders through veteran recruitment, certification, and placement. Through mentorship and guidance, Bill empowers veterans to reach their full potential and contribute to the industry's growth.
Bill holds a Reliability & Maintainability Engineering MS from The University of Tennessee, and an MBA at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he graduated in 2022. He resides in Quaker Hill, CT, with his wife and two children. He is deeply committed to his family and community, volunteering as a hockey and soccer coach for local clubs, and as an advocate for various veteran non-profits around the country.
Links Mentioned In This Episode
PsychArmor Resource of the Week
This week’s PsychArmor resource of the week is 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.
You can see find the course here:
https://learn.psycharmor.org/courses/What-you-Should-Know-about-Transition
This Episode Sponsored By:
This episode is sponsored by PsychArmor. PsychArmor is the premier education and learning ecosystems specializing in military culture content PsychArmor offers an. Online e-learning laboratory that is free to individual learners as well as custom training options for organizations.
Contact Us and Join Us on Social Media
Theme Music
Our 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
BTM151 - Dr Sumitra Muralidhar - The Million Veteran Program
Show Summary
On this episode, we feature a conversation with Dr. Sumitra Muralidhar, Program Director for the Department of Veteran’s Affairs Million Veteran Program. Since launching in 2011, 1 million Veterans have joined MVP. It's the largest research effort at VA to improve health care for Veterans and one of the largest research programs in the world studying genes and health.
About Today’s Guest
Dr. Sumitra Muralidhar is the Program Director for VA’s Million Veteran Program (MVP) in the Office of Research and Development (ORD). She oversees the policy and infrastructure development for the collection and use of samples and genetic, clinical, lifestyle and military exposure data from one million Veterans. She served as ORD’s liaison to the White House Precision Medicine Initiative under President Obama, and continues to represent ORD/MVP in the federal interagency group on precision medicine. She also serves as the designated federal officer for VA’s Genomic Medicine Program Advisory Committee, which advises the VA Secretary on the development and implementation of research and clinical arms within the Veterans Health Administration. She previously served as Health and Science Advisor to the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee (SVAC), and Associate Professor at Georgetown University Medical Center. She received her Ph.D. in Molecular Biology from the University of Maryland.
Links Mentioned In This Episode
The Million Veteran Program Website
PsychArmor Resource of the Week
This week’s PsychArmor resource of the week is the PsychArmor course Demystifying Genomic Testing: Biomarker Tests for Better Prostate Cancer Outcomes. This course reviews some of the biomarker tests identified in this episode. This can improve the cancer diagnostic process as well as reduce unnecessary procedures, office visits, and costs.
You can see find the course here:
https://learn.psycharmor.org/courses/Demystifying-Genomic-Testing
This Episode Sponsored By:
This episode is sponsored by PsychArmor. PsychArmor is the premier education and learning ecosystems specializing in military culture content PsychArmor offers an. Online e-learning laboratory that is free to individual learners as well as custom training options for organizations.
Contact Us and Join Us on Social Media
Theme Music
Our 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
BTM150 - Richard Fierro - Diversity, Service, and Sacrifice
Show Summary
On this episode, we feature a conversation with Army Veteran Richard Fierro about his miltiary service, post-military career as an entrepreneur and his actions in November of 2022 in which he intervened in a mass shooting attack at an LGBTQ+ Nightclub in Colorado Springs, CO
About Today’s Guest
Richard Fierro was the Army ROTC distinguished military graduate in 1999 at San Diego State University and served for 15 years in the United States Army as a Field Artillery Officer, serving in both Iraq and Afghanistan. In 2018, he and his wife Jess founded Atrevida Beer Company, where they have won numerous civic and industry awards. At Atrevida Beer Co, Jess and Rich have purposely focused on diversity as a value, even branding merchandise with the phrase, Diversity It’s On Tap.
On November 19th, 2022, Rich, his family and some friends were attending a celebration at Club Q, an LGBTQ Nightclub in Colorado Springs. About ten minutes before midnight on November 19th, a gunman walked into the club and started shooting. Within minutes, Rich charged across the room and tackled the gunman, subdued him, and with two other patrons, helped to disarm the gunman and restrain him until authorities arrived.
That night came at great personal loss to Rich and his family. His daughter’s boyfriend, Raymon Vance, and her best friend, Daniel Aston, were killed in the attack, along with Kelly Loving, Ashley Paugh, and Derrick Rump. 25 others were injured, including his wife and daughter. The perpetrator pled guilty to the attack and was sentenced to five consecutive terms of life in prison without the possibility of parole plus 2,211 years.
Links Mentioned In This Episode
PsychArmor Resource of the Week
This week’s PsychArmor resource of the week is the PsychArmor podcast episode 99. On this episode, we feature a conversation with Army Veteran Crystal Ellington, a passionate advocate for those who historically been disenfranchised, systemically excluded and institutionally oppressed. We have an important conversation about Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the military and Veteran community, as well as the need for awareness and advocacy around sexual assault prevention.
You can see find the course here:
https://psycharmor.org/podcast/crystal-ellington
This Episode Sponsored By:
This episode is sponsored by PsychArmor. PsychArmor is the premier education and learning ecosystems specializing in military culture content PsychArmor offers an. Online e-learning laboratory that is free to individual learners as well as custom training options for organizations.
Contact Us and Join Us on Social Media
Theme Music
Our 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
BTM149 – Stacey Lewis and Ashley Hammond – VA’s Pathfinder Program
Show Summary
On this episode, we feature a conversation with Ashley Hammond and Stacey Lewis from the VA’s Pathfinder Program, part of the Department of Veterans Affairs Innovation Ecosystem. Pathfinder is a website and digital tool designed to facilitate designed to facilitate connections between external innovators, vendors, and VA employees in order to improve health care delivery for Veterans.
About Today’s Guests
Stacey Lewis has served the VHA for over a decade in both clinical and administrative roles. She started her career as a Radiologic Technologist at the VA Maine HCS before moving under the Quality Management Service Line, where she now leads strategic operations as a Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt Candidate at the New England Center for Innovation Excellence (NECIE). Stacey recently served as an FY23 VHA Entrepreneur in Residence Fellow with the VHA Innovation Ecosystem where she led the national design and implementation of the VA Pathfinder program. VA Pathfinder operates as the digital front door to innovate or sell to VA, with a back-end data solution that democratizes access for innovators and vendors, across all sectors, wanting to work with VA. Under her leadership and expertise, VA Pathfinder is poised to transform the way businesses innovate and sell within and across the VA healthcare system.
Ashley Hammond is from Cincinnati, Ohio. Ashley started her VA career in 2009 at the Cincinnati VAMC as an Administrative Assistant. Ashley entered the VA supply chain/logistics community as a Technical Career Field (TCF) Intern in September 2015 and graduated from the program in August 2017. She has also held various positions within the Supply Chain, including Chief of Materiel Management. Ashley worked in the VHA Procurement and Logistics Office as a Project Manager. Ashley currently works in the Office of Procurement, Acquisition, and Logistics (OPAL) department in the Category Management Support Office (CMSO) as a Portfolio Manager, overseeing the Departments’ Information Technology category. Ashley also leads the Pathfinder program, an award-winning program which assists vendors in doing business with VA.
Links Mentioned In This Episode
PsychArmor Resource of the Week
This week’s PsychArmor resource of the week is the PsychArmor course 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 see find the course here:
https://learn.psycharmor.org/courses/Supporting-Veteran-Owned-Businesses
This Episode Sponsored By:
This episode is sponsored by PsychArmor. PsychArmor is the premier education and learning ecosystems specializing in military culture content PsychArmor offers an. Online e-learning laboratory that is free to individual learners as well as custom training options for organizations.
Contact Us and Join Us on Social Media
Theme Music
Our 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
BTM148 - Dr. Christina Armstrong - VA Office of Connected Care
Show Summary
On this episode, we feature a conversation with Dr. Christina Armstrong, a clinical psychologist at the Office of Connected Care in the Department of Veterans Affairs’ central office. The Office of Connected Care focuses on improving health care through technology; Connected Care’s programs include My HealtheVet, VA Telehealth Services, and VA Mobile, and more.
About Today’s Guests
Christina M. Armstrong, Ph.D. is a clinical psychologist at the Office of Connected Care in the Department of Veterans Affairs’ central office. She is involved in development, evaluation and implementation of digital health technologies in clinical care. Previously, she served as Program Lead for an interdisciplinary Education and Training Program at the Connected Health Branch of the Defense Health Agency, United States Department of Defense.
She received her doctorate and masters degrees in clinical psychology, specializing in neuropsychology, from the University of Nevada Las Vegas, and completed her post-doctoral fellowship in Military Research Psychology with the U.S. Department of Defense. In addition to leading education and training efforts, she provides subject matter expertise in the areas of clinical psychology including the psychological diagnosis and treatment of mTBI and PTSD, suicide risk and prevention, substance abuse, neuropsychological assessment, virtual reality, virtual worlds, wearable technology, big data, and the development of behavior change products by leveraging innovative technology solutions to improve mental health in the military community.
Dr. Armstrong is licensed as a Clinical Psychologist in California and Washington State and serves on the Ethics Committee of the Los Angeles County Psychology Association. She also teaches graduate courses in ethics and law for mental health professionals at Pepperdine University and serves as an Associate Editor at the Journal of Technology in Behavioral Science.
Links Mentioned In This Episode
VA Virtual Health Resource Centers
PsychArmor Resource of the Week
This week’s PsychArmor resource of the week is the PsychArmor course Telehealth Services. In this course, you can learn how telehealth brings medical and mental health services directly to Veterans by using your computer or smartphone.
You can see find the course here:
https://learn.psycharmor.org/courses/Telehealth-Services
This Episode Sponsored By:
This episode is sponsored by PsychArmor. PsychArmor is the premier education and learning ecosystems specializing in military culture content PsychArmor offers an. Online e-learning laboratory that is free to individual learners as well as custom training options for organizations.
Contact Us and Join Us on Social Media
Theme Music
Our 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
BTM146 - Dr. Tanya Hess - VA Coaching Into Care Program
Show Summary
On this episode, we feature a conversation with Dr. Tanya Hess, a Licensed Psychologist and Training Director for the Department of Veterans Affairs Coaching Into Care Family Call Center, a national telephone-based support service for family emmbers and others who want to help reluctant veterans access their VA health care benefits, particularly for mental health concerns.
About Today’s Guests
Dr. Tanya Hess has been doing therapy in the Philadelphia area since 2007. She trained in adult and child psychotherapy and psychological assessment at Emory University, The University of Tennessee, and Pennsylvania Hospital. Her post-doctoral fellowship work was in eating disorders and residential treatment at Renfrew Center. Since completion of her fellowship she has worked in treatment and outreach for the Veterans Affairs in Philadelphia, specializing in family engagement. Dr. Hess' research has included the interaction between emotion and personality and the use of therapeutic assessment as a treatment tool.
Links Mentioned In This Episode
Coaching Into Care on Facebook
Coaching Into Care contact number: 888-823-7458, Monday through Friday, between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. Eastern time.
PsychArmor Resource of the Week
This week’s PsychArmor resource of the week is the PsychArmor the course, Coaching a Loved One Into Care. At times, it can be difficult to talk to a Veteran about seeking help. This course equips caregivers with tools to identify potential struggles, and better understand problems with traditional approaches like ultimatums and forceful discussions.
You can see find the course here:
https://learn.psycharmor.org/courses/coaching-a-loved-one-into-care
This Episode Sponsored By:
This episode is sponsored by PsychArmor. PsychArmor is the premier education and learning ecosystems specializing in military culture content PsychArmor offers an. Online e-learning laboratory that is free to individual learners as well as custom training options for organizations.
Contact Us and Join Us on Social Media
Theme Music
Our 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
BTM145 – Cheri Mason – VA Board of Veterans Appeals
Show Summary
On this episode, we feature a conversation with The Honorable Cheryl L. Mason, who served for nearly five years as the fourth Senate-confirmed Presidential appointee and first woman and military spouse Chairman of the Board of Veterans’ Appeals (Board) at the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
About Today’s Guests
The Honorable Cheryl L. Mason served for nearly five years as the fourth Senate-confirmed Presidential appointee and first woman and military spouse Chairman of the Board of Veterans’ Appeals (Board) at the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). As Chairman, Ms. Mason led a team of approximately 1,200 personnel including Veterans Law Judges, attorneys, and operations and administrative professionals, and executed a budget of $228 million to meet the Board’s mission of conducting hearings and deciding appeals on benefits and services for Veterans and their families. During her tenure, the Board implemented several technological innovations to include the interactive decision template (IDT), CASEFLOW – a modernized end to end process of tracking claims and appeals through the Department, and Virtual Tele-hearings, which revolutionized the hearing process and improved both customer experience and employee experience by enabling Veterans to have hearings on their cell phones at locations of their choice. She expanded the corps of Veterans Law Judges, recommending and onboarding over 70 new Veterans Law Judges and expanding the Board’s budget by more than $100 million. She also championed and implemented the Appeals Modernization Act (AMA) appeals process putting veterans at the center of the appeals process giving them choice, control, and clarity in the appeals process.
Chairman Mason delivered results increasing and improving access and outcomes for veterans and their families by nearly doubling the number of hearings held and decisions issued in less than 5 years and driving the resolution of legacy appeals from over 472,000 to less than 96,000 during her tenure. Ms. Mason was recognized by Disabled American Veterans as the 2021 Outstanding Federal Executive and was a recipient of the FedHealthIT 2020 Leading for Impact: Women in Leadership Award. She was recently awarded the Hiring Our Heroes Bonnie Amos Lifetime Achievement Impact Award by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
Ms. Mason formerly served as the Executive Director for Veterans and Military Spouse Talent Engagement Program office for the Department of Veterans Affairs. In this position, Ms. Mason provided executive-level direction and expertise launching a marketing, outreach and training program VA-wide to over 400,000 people focused on building partnerships, training hiring managers and HR specialists, and promoting recruitment, employment, and retention of Veterans and military spouses in VA to support military readiness, financial stability, food security, suicide prevention, and the transition of service members and their families to veteran status. During her tenure, she doubled the number of recruitment events for VA, launched a tracking program to measure success, and implemented technology and streamlined processes to deliver clear and concise training materials throughout the VA and externally.
Throughout her career, Ms. Mason held several positions at VA and other Federal agencies, including at HQ USAFE at Ramstein AFB, GE. Ms. Mason is the spouse of an Air Force veteran, Lieutenant Colonel, USAF (retired), and is the daughter of a World War II Navy Veteran. She advocates for supporting and changing the culture and increasing awareness surrounding mental health and suicide awareness/prevention. Originally from Portsmouth, Ohio, Ms. Mason received her B.A. with Distinction in Political Science and Psychology from Ohio Northern University and her J.D. from Creighton University School of Law.
Links Mentioned In This Episode
PsychArmor Resource of the Week
This week’s PsychArmor resource of the week is the PsychArmor the course, Understanding the VA for You and Your Family. In this course, you will receive a comprehensive overview of the VA’s many available services, tools, and resources.
You can see find the course here:
https://learn.psycharmor.org/courses/Understanding-the-VA-for-You-and-Your-Family
This Episode Sponsored By:
This episode is sponsored by PsychArmor. PsychArmor is the premier education and learning ecosystems specializing in military culture content PsychArmor offers an. Online e-learning laboratory that is free to individual learners as well as custom training options for organizations.
Contact Us and Join Us on Social Media
Theme Music
Our 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
BTM144 - Bruce Townshend - Employer Support for the Guard and Reserve
Show Summary
On this episode, we feature a conversation with Bruce Townshend, the Chief of Employer Engagement with Employer Support for the Guard and Reserve (ESGR), an office of the Department of Defense that promotes understanding between Reserve Component Service members and their civilian employers
About Today’s Guest
Bruce Townshend, Chief, Employer Engagement, Employer Support of the Guard & Reserve (ESGR), Department of Defense
Bruce Townshend is responsible for the planning, design and execution of proactive ESGR employer engagement initiatives to customers (Employers) and stakeholders (Guardsmen, Reservists and the Department of Defense). In this capacity he establishes frequent contact with corporate executives in a broad spectrum of industries, state government executives, mayors of major cities, and high-ranking military and Department of Defense officials to positively influence, motivate and persuade leaders - many of whom are uninformed or skeptical - on the merits of ESGR programs and services.
Mr. Townshend is a native of Lowell, Massachusetts, where he enlisted in the Army in 1981 as a military policeman. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from Northeastern University in Boston, 1987. He was commissioned as an officer in the Military Police Corps through ROTC. He is a 2004 graduate of the Defense Information School as a qualified military Public Affairs Officer. He served a combined total of 28 years in the Army and Army Reserve, with assignments in Alabama, Virginia and Washington, and overseas assignments in Panama and Germany. He has served in Korea and deployed to Operation Iraqi Freedom with the 416th Engineer Command from Darien, Illinois, in 2003. For the final three years of his career, he mobilized with the Army Reserve and was a primary developer and implementor of the Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program (YRRP) as a project and program manager up to his retirement in 2011. He worked for the Army Reserve YRRP as a contract program manager until coming to ESGR in November, 2017.
Mr. Townshend and his wife, Robin, have five grown children and eight grandchildren. He is an avid poker player and is fiercely proud of his Scottish and Irish heritages. He has been to all 50 states. He and Robin currently reside near Front Royal, Virginia.
Links Mentioned In This Episode
PsychArmor Resource of the Week
This week’s PsychArmor resource of the week is the PsychArmor the course, Best Practices for Employer Support of National Guard & Reserve Members. This course is intended to help guide employers who hire or are looking to hire National Guard & Reserve members. This course will discuss best practices pertaining to recruiting, training, and developing family support policies.
You can see find the course here:
This Episode Sponsored By:
This episode is sponsored by PsychArmor. PsychArmor is the premier education and learning ecosystems specializing in military culture content PsychArmor offers an. Online e-learning laboratory that is free to individual learners as well as custom training options for organizations.
Contact Us and Join Us on Social Media
Theme Music
Our 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
BTM142 - Lacey Langford - Financial Wellness and Support
Show Summary
On this episode, we feature a conversation with Lacey Lanford, a financial coach, veteran, and military spouse, about supporting service members, veterans, and their families with financial wellness.
About Today’s Guest
Lacey Langford, AFC ®, is a financial coach, veteran, and military spouse who changes people’s mindset from being fearful of money to having control and confidence with it. Military and money are her jams. She’s an Accredited Financial Counselor ® with over 15 years of financial planning, counseling, and coaching experience.
She’s the founder and CEO of the Military Money Show, a podcast dedicated to the military community with personal finance, and MilMoneyCon, a national conference and community for financial professionals united by military service. Lacey’s also the founder of LaceyLangford.com, a personal finance blog and coaching practice specializing in the unique world of the U.S. military communities
Links Mentioned In This Episode
The Military Money Show Podcast
PsychArmor Resource of the Week
This week’s PsychArmor resource of the week is the PsychArmor the course, Budgeting, Debt Management and Investing. This course provides steps to help you budget accordingly and manage debt as you progress towards financial wellness.
You can see find the course here:
https://learn.psycharmor.org/courses/Budgeting-Debt-Management-and-Investing
This Episode Sponsored By:
This episode is sponsored by PsychArmor. PsychArmor is the premier education and learning ecosystems specializing in military culture content PsychArmor offers an. Online e-learning laboratory that is free to individual learners as well as custom training options for organizations.
Contact Us and Join Us on Social Media
Theme Music
Our 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
BTM141 - Dean Dauphinais - Supporting Native and Tribal Veterans
Show Summary
On this episode, we feature a conversation with Marine Corps Veteran and Veteran Advocate Dean Dauphinais. Dean is an enrolled member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians, and is focused on supporting his fellow Native and Tribal veterans.
About Today’s Guests
Dean Dauphinais served in the United States Marine Corps from 1995 to 1999 with 1st Battalion, 1st Marines, 1st Marine Division. He is the President and CEO of Native Eco Solutions, a consulting firm that has a goal of connecting tribal communities with opportunities to improve the quality of life of their people by inspiring collaboration in Indian Country and matching Indigenous values with strong business fundamentals in order to improve tribal communities
· Enrolled Member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians
· Bachelor of Education degree - University of North Dakota
· AA Liberal Arts, Cankdeska Cikana Community College
· United States Marine Corps Veteran, Honorable Discharge
· National Congress of American Indians (NCAI), member
· California American Indian Business Chamber of Commerce, member
· Minnesota American Indian Chamber of Commerce, member
· Government Contract Consulting, Project Management, Community Organizing, Veterans Advocacy, Nonprofit Leadership& Management
· Strong network for collaborations in Indian Country, Veterans’ Affairs and underserved communities
Links Mentioned In This Episode
Native Eco Solutions (Dean’s Website)
PsychArmor Resource of the Week
This week’s PsychArmor resource of the week is the PsychArmor a course Why Collaboration is So Important in Supporting Military 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 see find the course here:
https://learn.psycharmor.org/courses/why-collaboration-is-so-important
This Episode Sponsored By:
This episode is sponsored by PsychArmor. PsychArmor is the premier education and learning ecosystems specializing in military culture content PsychArmor offers an. Online e-learning laboratory that is free to individual learners as well as custom training options for organizations.
Contact Us and Join Us on Social Media
Theme Music
Our 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
BTM140 - Dr. Edil Torres Rivera – From the Army to the President of the American Counseling Association
Show Summary
On this episode, we feature a conversation with Army veteran Dr. Edil Torres Rivera as he shares his military experience in the Army and his post-military career as a Counselor, Counselor Educator, and President of the American Counseling Association
About Today’s Guests
Dr. Edil Torres Rivera has a Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology with a concentration in multicultural counseling from the University of Connecticut, Storrs. He is a professor of counseling and the director of the Latinx Cluster initiative at Wichita State University, Wichita, Kansas. Edil Torres Rivera is native Puerto Rican with a career of over 25 years in counseling. This includes 12 years in the United States Army. He currently serving as the President of the American Counseling Association (2023-2024).
Dr. Torres Rivera research interests are in multicultural counseling, group work, chaos theory, liberation psychology (decolonial approaches), indigenous counseling, Puerto Rican studies, identity development, and gang/prison-related behavior. Specifically, his primary research focuses on complexity and how indigenous healing techniques are a necessary ingredient when working with ethnic minority populations in the United States. Dr. Torres Rivera has additional interests in studying the implications of social injustice and oppression in counseling and psychotherapy with ethnic minorities in the United States.
His community work includes consultation services to the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe Council in Nevada, visiting professor to the Universidad del Valle, Guatemala, and he was the director of the Graduate School of Education’s School Counseling Program in Singapore
Links Mentioned In This Episode
The American Counseling Association
PsychArmor Resource of the Week
This week’s PsychArmor resource of the week is the PsychArmor a course from the Brain Health and Wellness Learning Series, Bolstering Resilience. This course, sponsored by the Wounded Warrior Project, highlights five factors of wellness: goal setting, mental health, nutrition, sleep, and exercise. You’ll learn why these supporting pillars are so important to overall well-being, their application in daily life, and how it’s never too late to make a lasting change.
You can see find the course here:
https://learn.psycharmor.org/courses/WWP-BHW-bolstering-resilience
This Episode Sponsored By:
This episode is sponsored by PsychArmor. PsychArmor is the premier education and learning ecosystems specializing in military culture content PsychArmor offers an. Online e-learning laboratory that is free to individual learners as well as custom training options for organizations.
Contact Us and Join Us on Social Media
Theme Music
Our 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
BTM139 - Dr. Tina Atherall - PsychArmor Now and In the Future
Show Summary
On this episode, we’re continuing to recognize the 10 year anniversary of PsychArmor with a conversation with PsychArmor’s CEO, Dr. Tina Atherall.
About Today’s Guests
Dr. Tina Atherall is a social innovation strategist with a concentration in nonprofit and education leadership. She is the CEO of PsychArmor leading a public health EdTech nonprofits educating and advocating for critical support for those who have served and their families. She has embedded her career in the field of social work leadership and obtained her Doctor of Social Work (DSW) from the University of Southern California. Her recent work focuses on the 13 Grand Challenges for Social Work to eradicate the public health crisis of social isolation. Dr. Atherall is a George W. Bush Institute Stand-To Veteran Leadership Scholar. She serves in an appointed role on the SAMHSA National Advisory Council and is a committee lead for the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) Military Social Work Specialized Practice review committee.
Dr. Atherall has advanced certificates in nonprofit leadership, military social work, and is a Certified Daring Way™ Facilitator. She is an Associate Adjunct Professor at Columbia University School of Social Work, and Doctor of Social Work adjunct at Simmons University and the University of Kentucky online programs. Board leadership roles include Board of Director participation at Mission Edge (San Diego) and Task Force Movement (Washington DC).
Links Mentioned In This Episode
BTM01 – Introduction to the Behind the Mission Podcast
BTM50-Behind The Mission: Year in Review
Bonus episode: 9/11 Reflections with Tina Atherall and Elizabeth O’Brien
PsychArmor Resource of the Week
This week’s PsychArmor resource of the week is the PsychArmor course: the VA Campus Toolkit. This course provides information that explains characteristics of current student Veterans, some of the common adjustments issues that are encountered, and a general explanation of invisible wounds of war and how they may affect the student.
You can find the course here: https://learn.psycharmor.org/courses/va-campus-toolkit
This Episode Sponsored By:
This episode is sponsored by PsychArmor. PsychArmor is the premier education and learning ecosystems specializing in military culture content PsychArmor offers an. Online e-learning laboratory that is free to individual learners as well as custom training options for organizations.
Contact Us and Join Us on Social Media
Theme Music
Our 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
BTM138 – Marjorie Morrison – 10 Years of PsychArmor
Show Summary
On this episode, we’re recognizing the 10 year anniversary of PsychArmor with a conversation with the founder of PsychArmor, Marjorie Morrison, who is currently the CEO and Co-Founder of Psych Hub.
About Today’s Guest
Marjorie Morrison is the president and CEO of Psych Hub, the premier online platform for impactful and engaging learning on mental health topics. A visionary and passionate pioneer in the mental health space, Marjorie co-founded Psych Hub with Patrick J. Kennedy in 2018 with a focused goal to combat both quality and access issues in behavioral health. Psych Hub certifies behavioral health providers into specialties using evidence-based interventions, allowing for more precision therapy with companion treatment tools for their patients. The Mental Health Ally Platform provides a host of eLearning opportunities for the layperson to learn how to assist those in need. Psych Hub’s public video library for people seeking to learn more about some of our Nation’s most vexing mental health challenges have had over three million views on their YouTube channel. Psych Hub is currently developing a registry of certified providers in specialty areas, making it easier to match those seeking treatment from a provider who has been trained to treat their diagnosis or symptoms. Psych Hub has over 700 partners that share their mental health resources touching every state in the US and every continent on the planet.
Prior to launching Psych Hub, Marjorie was the founder and CEO of PsychArmor Institute, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, committed to bridging the military-civilian divide by developing, promoting, and distributing free online courses spanning a wide range of topics important to those who serve military service members and their families. Under her leadership, PsychArmor flourished and is now widely recognized as the trusted and leading expert for “Best-in-Class” resources regarding the understanding of and solutions to complex and unique military veteran issues. To date, PsychArmor has trained over one million people, gaining over 500 partners along the way.
Marjorie’s focus on supporting members of the military and their communities was first developed in the field, after she spent a year writing and implementing a revolutionary proactive counseling program for the U.S. Marines. After working with 500 Marine drill instructors, her innovative program continued at Camp Pendleton, where she had access to hundreds of Marines to interview, work with, and learn from. This implementation research was utilized to create a groundbreaking solution to approach military mental health care.
Marjorie is a CA Licensed Marriage Family Therapist, a CA Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor, a PPS-credentialed School Psychologist, and the author of The Inside Battle: Our Military Mental Health Crisis. As a renowned subject matter expert, she has been featured numerous times by national media giants such as BBC, NBC, FOX, CBS, CNN, and NPR, along with being a contributing writer for multiple outlets including TIME, Newsweek, The Daily Beast, and Huffington Post. Morrison has received numerous awards for her advocacy and leadership. She is a native of California who currently resides in Nashville, Tennessee and is the mother of three adult children.
Links Mentioned In This Episode
PsychArmor Resource of the Week
This week’s PsychArmor resource of the week is the PsychArmor course: The Myths and Facts of Military Leaders.This course identifies four of the most popular myths about military leaders and how they don’t align with the reality of working alongside Veterans and Service members.
You can see find the course here:
https://learn.psycharmor.org/courses/The-Myths-and-Facts-of-Military-Leaders
This Episode Sponsored By:
This episode is sponsored by PsychArmor. PsychArmor is the premier education and learning ecosystems specializing in military culture content PsychArmor offers an. Online e-learning laboratory that is free to individual learners as well as custom training options for organizations.
Contact Us and Join Us on Social Media
Theme Music
Our 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
BTM137 - Shawn Moore - Suicide Prevention for Military and Veteran Families
Show Summary
On this episode, we’re featuring a conversation with Shawn Moore, the Financial Wellness program Manager for the Elizabeth Dole Foundation and founder of Caregivers on the Homefront, both roles where she is passionate about advocating for military and veteran caregivers.
About Today’s Guests
Shawn Moore serves as the Program Manager, Financial Wellness for the Elizabeth Dole Foundation where she supports financial and employment related initiatives, to include the Employer Task Force and emergency financial relief offerings. Shawn is an Alumna 2017 Dole Caregiver Fellow for Missouri, and has also assisted with the Foundation’s Respite Relief program.
Prior to becoming a caregiver to her husband who served for 23 years in the U.S. Army, Shawn served as a police officer for nearly 15 years with Kansas City, Missouri. She then obtained a Master of Social Work degree from Park University and is a Licensed Master Social Worker in both Missouri. Prior to joining the Foundation, Shawn founded Caregivers on the Homefront where she stood up for mental health programming for veteran and military caregivers and their children.
Shawn is passionate about advocating for military and veteran caregivers and utilizes both her lived experience and education by presenting to national audiences on how communities can best support the family members of our veterans. She has served on panels with the Veterans Administration, presented with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the National Alliance of Caregiving, and has shared her story on PBS News Hours, TODAY Show, and MSNBC.
Links Mentioned In This Episode
EDF Hope Fund for Critical Financial Assistance
PsychArmor Resource of the Week
This week’s 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 see find the course here:
https://learn.psycharmor.org/courses/va-save-preventing-caregiver-suicide
This Episode Sponsored By:
This episode is sponsored by PsychArmor. PsychArmor is the premier education and learning ecosystems specializing in military culture content PsychArmor offers an. Online e-learning laboratory that is free to individual learners as well as custom training options for organizations.
Contact Us and Join Us on Social Media
Theme Music
Our 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