militarytransition

In today’s episode, Erin talks with Rob Spedden, USMC. Rob grew up in Omaha, NE and enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps on October 26, 2004. He had a seemingly typical career – promoted on schedule, deployed, PCSd, took a special duty assignment as a recruiter, got married. For almost 17 years nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

That was until April 13, 2021. On an otherwise uneventful Tuesday afternoon, Rob experienced a full-on manic episode and was subsequently admitted to the hospital. After spending a week in the hospital, Rob was diagnosed with Bipolar 1.  

April, 2021 was the beginning of the end of the life Rob had known. His wife filed for divorce. He was notified that he would be discharged from the U.S. Marine Corps after 17 years of service. He was going to need to find a place to live and a job, all while learning to navigate life as a civilian.

Today’s episode is not just about Rob’s diagnosis and transitioning out of the military. It's also about his hopes of destigmatizing the stigmas associated with a mental health diagnosis in the military by using comedy and social media to spread awareness. This episode is Rob's personal experience, but it is also the story of so many other military members, serving and retired.

Note on Mania and Manic episode: A manic episode is more than just a feeling of elation, high energy, or being distracted. During a manic episode, the mania is so intense that it can interfere with your daily activities. It’s difficult to redirect someone in a manic episode toward a calmer, more reasonable state. People who are in the manic phase of bipolar disorder can make very irrational decisions. 

To connect with Rob Spedden:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-spedden/

Instagram: https://instagram.com/motivation_with_spedden_2.0?r=nametag

TikTok: https://vm.tiktok.com/TTPdSV4PKj/ 

To connect with Erin:
Life After the Uniform Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/lifeaftertheuniform

Life After the Uniform Facebook Podcast Page: https://www.facebook.com/ErinSilverPodcast

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/erinsilverpodcast/

Military One Source: https://www.militaryonesource.mil/health-wellness/mental-health/mental-health-resources/

I have talked with numerous veterans who have told me that their identity was so intertwined with their military affiliation that they had a difficult time understanding who they were as an individual. When you aren’t sure who you are as a person, the path from service member to civilian can be a challenging one. We feel lost, unsure of next steps, and look for answers anywhere we can find them. But it doesn’t have to be that way. 

In today’s episode, Erin talks with Lacey Alexander, a 21-year veteran of the United States Air Force. After retirement, Lacey spent 6 months of intentional work to transition from SMSgt Alexander to Lacey Alexander. Through coaching, self-reflection, and continuous learning she was able to define her values and vision to launch her own business and refine her focus to live in her purpose. 

She now operates her Coaching, Consulting and Leadership Development business, Creative Solutions A2Z, focused on helping individuals and organizations succeed. Lacey also holds a number of roles in executive coaching, writing curriculum, doing instructional design, and teaching courses in partnership with companies such as Sayge, Resilience Building Leader Program (RBLP), Rutgers University, Freedom Learning Group and The Ira C. Eaker Center for Leadership Development. Her overarching goal is to live a life continuing to grow, and supporting others on their growth journey.

While serving, Lacey was fortunate to be stationed in multiple locations around the world, and lead multi-national teams in locations to include: Okinawa, Japan, Germany, Italy, and deployments to multiple countries in the Middle East. This experience expanded her world view and created a passion for travel and appreciation of the rich cultures around the world. 

To connect with Lacey:

https://linktr.ee/CreativeSolutionsa2z

To connect with Erin:

Life After the Uniform Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/lifeaftertheuniform

Life After the Uniform Facebook Podcast Page: https://www.facebook.com/ErinSilverPodcast

Instagram Page: https://www.instagram.com/erinsilverpodcast/

Resources mentioned in this episode:

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

Boots to Business: https://www.sba.gov/sba-learning-platform/boots-business#section-header-0

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

Lean In: Women, Work and the Will to Lead by Sheryl Sandberg