The VetsConnection Podcast

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Scott sits down with Army veteran Justin Wohlford for a Veterans Day story that starts with a convoy mission in Iraq and ends with what it takes to live with the memories. We talk about guilt, PTS, TBI, family fallout, suicide risk, and how service to other veterans becomes a way back. 
• growing up in Nebraska and enlisting in 2000 after leaving college 
• basic training at Fort Jackson and assignments that change without warning 
• first Iraq deployment and returning home to funeral detail 
• second deployment convoy escorts and the constant threat of IE...

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We talk with Army combat veteran and CallSign Mobile CEO Adam Marr about the hard shift from wartime optimization to real peace after service, and how storytelling can become therapy and connection. We also trace his work in veteran mental health, from TBI and PTSD solutions outside the standard system to policy wins, then into building a veteran-founded wireless company that funds impact every month. 
• podcasting as therapeutic storytelling and community building 
• ROTC after 9/11, aviation training, and the pressure of flight school 
• Iraq deployment realities for an Apache pilot and the moral...

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We talk with Army veteran and MilConnect founder Zach Sisson about building free, searchable tools that help veterans, active duty members, and families navigate benefits, mental health resources, and entrepreneurship without getting lost in the maze. We also get real about purpose after service, learning through failure, and why community and confidentiality can change outcomes. 

• Zach’s adoption story and why 9-11 shaped his decision to serve 
• Combat deployments, loss and the daily mental health weight veterans carry 
• Practical transition advice, including getting civilian work experience early 
• Veteran entrepreneursh...

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We sit down with Army veteran and app developer Sean Wright as he tells the story behind DD420 and the years it took to speak openly about MST, TBI, and PTSD. We talk honestly about what happens when the system offers little help, and how tracking symptoms, reclaiming creativity, and owning your story can loosen trauma’s grip. 

• Sean’s background in Montana and joining the Army straight out of high school 
• Life as a combat medic and the pace of field training 
• Grooming dynamics and why MST often goes unreport...

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We talk with Eric Bernstein, co-founder of LendFriend Mortgage, about why so many veterans miss out on the VA loan benefit and how to use it to buy smarter and build wealth. We break down the biggest myths, the real qualification rules, and the traps that cost veterans money when they refinance. 

• why VA loans are underused and what the stats show about eligibility confusion 
• the core benefits of a VA mortgage including zero down and no PMI 
• how to qualify using COE, income rules, and realistic credit expectations 
• why...

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We talk with VA accredited attorney Ben Krause about what “VA accredited” really means, why veterans often cannot hire a lawyer until after a denial, and how that power imbalance shapes disability claims and education benefits. We also zoom out to privacy, surveillance tech, and what the country owes veterans when the bill for war comes due. 
• what VA accreditation is and who can legally represent a claim 
• why accreditation follows the individual not the law firm 
• how Veteran Readiness and Employment works and where it breaks 
• how delays and opaque rules...

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We build a recovery bridge with Navy veteran Ross Donahue, a leader at Guardian Recovery, and get honest about what actually helps people move from crisis to long-term sobriety. We dig into how purpose, fast access to care, and real human connection beat assumptions, hype, and shortcuts like AI “therapy.” 
• why veteran storytelling and having a mission matter in recovery 
• joining the Navy after 9/11 and how service shapes identity 
• why providers should not assume combat PTSD 
• pre-existing factors like family environment, trauma, ADHD, and rocky transitions 
• “isms” and addiction whack-a-mole...

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We sit down with Marine veteran, chef, entrepreneur, and author Joseph Randall and follow the road from WestPac and Desert Storm to a life shaped by trauma, responsibility, and hard-won healing. Along the way, we dig into why telling the truth out loud can lighten the load for veterans and the families who carry it with them. 
• One Man One Mic Foundation mission to teach veterans podcasting and storytelling 
• Growing up in St. Louis and joining the Marine Corps at 17 
• Being assigned as a cook and learning what “WestPac” really means 
•...

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We sit down with Lisa Archer from Howe Foundation USA to talk about how hyperbaric oxygen therapy helps veterans reclaim sleep, clarity, and day to day life after PTS and TBI. We also unpack what it takes to fund 40 consecutive treatments nationwide when insurance and FDA approval still lag behind the results. 

• our mission at One Man One Mic Foundation to help veterans publish podcasts and tell their stories 
• Lisa’s path into nonprofit development and why relationship building drives funding 
• how Howe Foundation USA starts and why PTS went unname...

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We talk with Sonia Phillip about her journey from Trinidad to the U.S. Navy, and how tough transitions, discrimination, and loss can turn into purpose-driven service. We also break down how The Firewatch trains everyday people to respond to suicide risk with calm steps that can keep a veteran alive long enough to get real help. 
• immigrating from Trinidad and Tobago and adapting to New York life 
• joining the Navy with an identical twin through the buddy program 
• serving on USS Essex in Japan and growing up fast at sea 
...

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We talk with Jennifer Puentes and Brandon Hants, two U.S. veterans in Colombia, about what earthquake relief looks like when hospitals collapse, water runs out, and communications fail. We share the uncomfortable truths about safety, logistics, bureaucracy, and how to help in ways that actually reach the families who are being missed. 
• what Jennifer and Brandon experience during and after the quake 
• why veterans shift quickly into action and coordination 
• water, communications, and shelter as the real early priorities 
• security risks people do not want to discuss, including looting and...

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We talk with Army veteran Barbara Diaz about how bullying, stigma, and unaddressed trauma can follow you from childhood into the military and into adulthood. We also break down attachment styles, nervous system healing, and how her Living Garden Framework turns hard psychology into practical emotional skills for veterans, parents, and kids. 
• growing up between Puerto Rico roots and North Philly survival 
• joining the Army young and learning adulthood fast in Korea 
• being bullied by peers and leaders and how chain of command can trap you 
• coping through emotional eating, sham...

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We sit down with Susan Combs, founder of Pancakes for Roger, to trace how one caregiving moment and a pancake photo turned into a fast-growing veteran nonprofit. We also dig into her new book, Wonder Women, and what female veterans want civilians to understand about service, trauma, family, and resilience. 
• how Pancakes for Roger turns pancake photos into donations that support veterans 
• housing support and home improvement grants and what they can cover 
• the origin story behind “pancakes for breakfast” and grief after loss 
• why Susan pivots from a sequel to writin...

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We talk with Navy veteran Michael Carter about how one air traffic control near miss shattered his confidence, pushed him into a mental health crisis, and forced him to fight for real help. We also trace how music, community, and his service dog Frankie helped him rebuild, then inspired him to create Stage for Change and the Carolina VetFest fundraiser. 
• joining the Navy after 9/11 and choosing a path with purpose 
• air traffic control stress and the one-detail mistake that changed everything 
• losing confidence, stepping away from the seat, and refusing to risk l...

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We talk with Navy veteran and combat photographer Paula Kemp about how a career she loved collided with military sexual trauma and how silence can shape everything that comes after. We also dig into what real healing looks like, from VA care and post traumatic growth to storytelling, claims support, and policy change through the Bears Act. 
• joining the Navy Reserves as a mother of three and finding a path into combat photography 
• what the camera changes about how you see risk, people, and memory 
• the Fleet Week assault, the fear of r...

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We talk with Marine veteran Freddie Mendez about why veteran mental health care breaks down after treatment and how better behavioral health software can give clinicians time back to actually listen. We dig into outcomes data, privacy, and aftercare systems that spot relapse risk early without turning veterans into numbers. 
• Freddie’s Marine background and what he learned overseas about culture and hard choices 
• The “void” of transition and why adrenaline chasing can slide into addiction 
• Why he walked away from pharma and toward behavioral health and addiction recovery work 
• How Sunwav...

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We talk with two veteran professionals from Berry Law about what it takes to move a VA disability claim forward when denials, confusion, and misinformation stack up. We break down how VA accreditation, deadlines, evidence, and clear expectations can turn a frustrating process into an organized plan. 
• why veterans are skeptical of law firms and how trust gets built 
• what VA accreditation means and why it protects veterans 
• how a case moves from intake to legal strategy to written appeals 
• common VA appeals process pitfalls like missed deadlines and incomplete f...

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We reconnect with my friend and fellow veteran Delton Walker and talk about the road from military life and hard memories to healing through connection, therapy, and music. He shares how a saxophone became his church, his career, and his way to give peace back to other veterans. 
• meeting through the Herd Foundation Freedom Patch program and why it changes lives 
• using humor to cover pain and calling out the “trauma Olympics” mindset 
• life on the flightline, fighter jets, noise exposure, and what service feels like 
• choosing the Air Force, going ove...

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I talk with Rick Chirac from Exokinetics about ZEEN, a lift-assist mobility device that blends a walker and wheelchair to help people stand, move, and transfer with more safety. We connect the origin story to Steadicam inventor Garrett Brown, then get practical about fit, training, fall prevention, and how veterans can get ZEEN through the VA. 

• Garrett Brown’s Steadicam history and how it inspires ZEEN 
• What ZEEN is and who it helps: balance, strength, endurance issues 
• How the gas-spring lift works and why the seat and strap improve safety 

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We talk with Andrea Sok about what a nonprofit fractional CMO actually does, how she prices and scopes the work, and why boards often need a reality check grounded in data and comparable benchmarks. Then Blake Allison walks us through Lifecents and Vetcents, a free, veteran-focused financial wellness toolkit built for trust, privacy, and real outcomes without selling anything to users. 
• fractional CMO work as executive-level nonprofit marketing leadership without full-time cost 
• smooth transitions during leave coverage through overlap and clear handoffs 
• pricing based on time, deliverables, team structure, and budget re...

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I sit down with lifelong friends from Clark Air Base and tell the stories that shaped our bonds, from culture shock and terror threats to moments that still hit decades later. We also talk about what happens when young troops face trauma with no real support, and how friendship, recovery, and purpose can finally fill that gap. 
• arriving at Clark Air Base as teenagers and feeling instant culture shock 
• a fellow airman assassinated off base and the operational ripple effect 
• the night escaped horses hit razor wire and the long tail of t...

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We go back to Clark Air Base in the late 1980s and talk honestly about why that overseas tour still sits in our bones. The stories land on one point we can all prove 30 years later: the people you leaned on back then can still show up for you now. 
• why Clark Air Base felt different from stateside duty 
• arriving in the Philippines and the culture shock of Manila and Angeles City 
• Security Police and canine work on a huge perimeter with constant pressure 
• how the assassinations and threat level change...

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We talk with Suzanne MacPhail about how horses help people access truth, regulation, and connection when talk therapy alone hits a wall. Along the way we trace her path from trauma counseling to founding Hands for Healing Equine and building a hands-on veteran program where the animals lead the learning. 

• Suzanne’s route into mental health counseling and trauma work 
• How early horse experiences shape a lifelong attachment 
• Why EGALA-style groundwork differs from riding programs 
• What separates equine-assisted therapy from equine-assisted learning 
• How horses respond to heartbeat, emotion, and body...

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We sit down with Marine veteran James Jackson to talk about the “creep up” of stress, stigma, and silence that can follow veterans long after service. We also unpack how Call On Me Foundation responds when the unthinkable happens by delivering immediate financial support and staying present for surviving families.
• James’ path from Virginia to the Marine Corps and Iraq deployment work on ordnance 
• Why comparing trauma shuts down veterans’ stories and delays healing 
• The hard reality of transition after service and finding a new career lane 
• How Call On Me Foundation st...

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Once again I record live from Herd Foundation in Delray Beach during a veteran barbecue that shows how grants, community partners, and horses come together to create real healing. We hear why equine assisted services build patience, calm, and connection, plus why a handmade Quilt of Valor can break through walls that nothing else touches. 

• partnering with Delray Beach Elks Lodge to fund Herd programming through a $10,000 grant 
• why locals miss the ranch even after decades nearby 
• veterans describing equine assisted services as calming and life changing 
• lessons from the are...

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I sit with Eric Weaver to trace the road from Gulf War service through hidden trauma, the life-changing role of a service dog, and the rise of Broward Vet Working as a practical, human network for veterans across South Florida. The talk blends hard truths, humor, and clear steps anyone can take to plug in.

• RIF fallout, base closures, and early exit impacts
• The slow arrival of trauma and loss of empathy
• How Gent the service dog interrupts panic and nightmares
• Inside Patriot Service Dogs training and pairing
• Fo...

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We trace Thomas Coles-Reyes’s path from a draft-day shock and a brutal homecoming to two years on the streets, a life-saving mentor, and the creation of A Vets Place. He explains why permanent housing beats transitional models, how he built a one‑stop hub for veterans and families, and what it took to rebuild after losing everything.

• core theme of dignity through permanent, affordable housing
• childhood instability, institutional care, and forgiveness
• homelessness in New York and the mentor who opened a door
• early advocacy wins, including a direct line...

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I talk with Natasha and Lee from Points for Patriots to explore Battle Buds, a veteran wellness program that pairs yoga with hydroponic gardening to rebuild structure, lower stress, and deliver fresh food to neighbors in need. Former NFL player Lee Hightower and Army veteran yogi Natasha Rector share how breath, plants, and community help veterans find purpose and calm.

• origin of Points for Patriots and its three pillars of wellness, connectedness, social entrepreneurship
• Lee’s path from NFL to Japan to urban gardening
• Natasha’s Army Guard service, deployment...

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We sit down with Marine veteran and counselor Tim Roberto to trace how pain became purpose and why Stomping Out The Stigma offers ten free, confidential therapy sessions to first responders and veterans. We follow his 100-mile Surfside walk, the moments that changed minds, and the simple systems that save lives.

• origins of long-term recovery and stigma
• Marines, AWOL, addiction and depression
• first 20-mile walk and organic momentum
• why confidentiality beats fear of HR and EAP
• ten free sessions with licensed therapists
• kitchen table culture in firehouses

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We talk with filmmaker and actor Robert X. Golphin about Chest Candy, a 17-minute short that shows how PTSD reshapes a home and how three generations of women fight for one veteran. We explore craft choices, authentic casting, festival wins, and why community screenings matter.

• origin of the story in a 30-second reel and veteran feedback
• why the film focuses on family impact over battlefield scenes
• research, consultants, and restraint to avoid sensationalism
• casting serendipity and a military child’s authentic perspective
• a compressed 48-hour shoot and visual claus...

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We open the year with a candid look at veteran transition, from hard knocks to a practical roadmap that turns service into civilian success. Natalie Schibell, Navy veteran and founder of Mission to Commission, shares how a 60-page playbook, secure tools, and “always care” support veterans, spouses, and even students.

• origin story in Navy medicine and recruiting
• painful transition lessons and repeated resets
• why “everyone hires veterans” is a myth
• translating rank and billets into business outcomes
• the 50–60 page career strategy playbook
• certifications, ATS keywords and targeted outreach
...

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We trace Haley’s path from Navy Master-at-Arms to K9 handler, through injury, loss, and COVID isolation, and into a Skillbridge placement at an equine nonprofit that helped her reframe control, connection, and purpose. Candid stories of hypervigilance, TBI questions, therapy wins, and the reality of starting over as a single mom sharpen a hopeful blueprint for transition.

• choosing the Navy and MA route amid height and weight assumptions
• earning the leash, certification pressure, and kennel culture
• Bahrain duty, mentorship, and leadership’s impact on morale
• injury, family loss, COVID...

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We trace Jalen Auer’s path from Air Force rescue pilot to South Florida program manager at The Fire Watch, and we go deep on grief, stigma, and the tools that save lives before a crisis explodes. A full-circle Huey Helicopter story sets up a candid look at transition, mental health, and community action that works.

• origins in Boynton Beach and drive to serve
• rescue pilot training, Huey inspiration, instructor years
• duty stations, family life, and tough transition out
• sudden loss, depression, attempts, and getting help
• clearing up PTSD myth...

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We record live at Fall at the Farm, where veterans, families, and neighbors gather to celebrate HERD Foundation’s Freedom Patch program. Short conversations show how horses teach presence, why aftercare keeps people connected, and how community partners expand the work.

• live fundraiser energy and purpose
• overview of Freedom Patch equine-assisted services
• veteran reflections on reading horse signals
• skepticism turning into trust and change
• Tiffany on camps, families, and Fallen Friday aftercare
• Carly on mutual relationships with horses
• Glenn on legacy of service and nonprofit impact
• Rho...

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We look at how WVRF delivers urgent financial aid and critical dental care across Florida, why 85% of veterans cannot access VA dental, and how focused partnerships turn donations into fast, visible impact. Stories like 101-year-old WWII veteran Richard Rossi’s full-mouth restoration show what dignity restored looks like.

• teaching veterans storytelling and podcasting through One Man One Mic Foundation
• WVRF mission focus on urgent financial aid and critical dental care
• why veterans lack access to dental care and why it matters
• Richard Rossi’s journey from decade-long denial to a new smi...

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We trace John’s path from Marine combat engineer to addiction, homelessness, and back to purposeful service, detailing how brotherhood, hard choices, and real treatment rebuilt his life. We also break down gaps in VA community care and how Haven for Heroes moves fast in crises.

• choosing the Marine Corps and combat engineer path
• deployments to Helmand and the bond of brotherhood
• surviving IED blasts and lingering concussion effects
• non‑deployable status and the slide into alcohol and opiates
• marriage strain, exposure, and leaving home
• homelessness, overdoses, and s...

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A veteran’s life arcs from a 17-year-old paratrooper in Vietnam to 18 years on New York streets, to a late-life mission rescuing fellow veterans. Raw scenes of war, failed recovery, homelessness, and hard-earned redemption shape a clear path to purpose.

• early enlistment, jump school, 1962 Vietnam operations
• traumatic recoveries, Saigon bombing aftermath
• post-war collapse, suicide attempt, coma
• marriage under strain, untreated PTSD
• walking into homelessness, survival tactics in NYC
• failed systems, dangerous wards, flickers of help
• 9/11 recovery work, strokes, wheelchair
• Vet Center support, rebuilding with discipline
• m...

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We talk with artist and musician Ariel Basso about a life in art shaped by Miami roots, Brooklyn grit, and a mother’s blindness that sparked a tactile mixed-media method. The conversation builds toward “We Are America,” a community flag made from the handprints of veterans’ families, alongside a documentary and an original song with a children’s choir.

• first‑generation Cuban American upbringing and early street creativity
• New York years in music and found‑object sculpture
• Prospect Park earthwork and the joy of impermanence
• self‑taught practice, risk over critique, mult...

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A veteran’s spark in a public restroom becomes a nationwide mission to restore independence in the most private room of the home. We unpack the tech, the funding grind, the caregiver load, and the culture shift that lets amputees lead with pride—not surrender.

• mission of One Man One Mic and Art’s background
• how a hand dryer led to the Tornado Body Dryer focus
• expanding from veterans to amputees, ALS, Parkinson’s
• partners and discounts from Toto, Delta, Mr. Electric
• tub‑to‑shower conversions and 220‑volt challenges
• wh...

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Jeremy Tindall, Marine Corps veteran and former police officer, shares the inspiring story behind Operation Mayday 13, his emerging nonprofit dedicated to supporting injured first responders through custom t-shirt fundraising campaigns. After witnessing the financial struggles facing an injured local police officer, Tindall transformed his screen printing business into a powerful platform for community support, creating personalized designs that have raised thousands of dollars for first responders nationwide.

• Founded Operation Mayday 13 after helping an injured police officer through a successful t-shirt fundraiser
• Served in the Marine Corps from 2002-2006 before being reca...