Borne the Battle
337 episodes - English - Latest episode: 6 months ago - ★★★★★ - 441 ratingsBorne the Battle recognizes each battle, challenge, and sacrifice our Veterans endure during and after their service, as well as spotlighting important resources, offices, and benefits VA offers our Veterans.
The Department of Veterans Affairs does not endorse or officially sanction any entities that may be discussed in this podcast, nor any media, products or services they may provide.
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Episodes
*Bonus - "THE NEXT MISSION, Marine Veterans who are Changing the World" Presented by the Military Times
December 25, 2019 09:00 - 1 hour - 83.8 MBIT’S A BONUS for subscribers - A Merry Christmas episode! A panel of three Marine Veterans making a difference in their new respective fields. Sam Meek, CEO of SANDBOXX, Martha MacPhee, Director of Special Projects for Susan Davis International and Richard Cardona, Video Content Strategist. Panel was conducted at the Modern Day Marine Expo and was presented by the Military Times.
#176: Congressional Recommendations on Military, National and Public Service w/ Veterans Shawn Skelly and Ed Allard
December 18, 2019 09:00 - 1 hour - 110 MBShould every American Citizen serve in the military? Should women be required to register for the selective service (draft)? What should the future of the Selective Service look like? Navy Veteran Shawn Skelly and Marine Corps Veteran Ed Allard are commissioners for the Commission on National, Military and Public Service. Their mission is to recommend answers to these and many more questions, to Congress by March of 2020. Shawn and Ed came on Borne the Battle to discuss the two year...
#175: Benefits Breakdown - Diabetes Education and Self Management
December 11, 2019 09:00 - 46 minutes - 63.8 MBIt isn’t easy when you have diabetes. Did you check your blood sugar? Are you exercising and keeping a good diet? Do you have your insulin handy? Mary Julius, a program manager for the diabetes self-management education and training at Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center, wants to help educate Veterans and their families about how to self-manage diabetes. Julius broke down the differences between Type I and Type II diabetes. Persons with Type I diabetes produce little or no ...
#174 Wreath Across America w/ Army Veteran Wayne Hanson
December 04, 2019 09:00 - 39 minutes - 54.5 MBWreaths Across America is a national campaign that coordinates wreath-laying ceremonies at over 1,700 national cemeteries, culminating at Arlington National Cemetery. The three-fold purpose of WAA aims to remember fallen U.S Veterans, honor those who currently serve, and teach children the value of freedom. Here, Hanson explains WAA’s humble beginnings and its rise into the national organization that it is today.
#174 Wreaths Across America w/ Army Veteran Wayne Hanson
December 04, 2019 09:00 - 39 minutes - 54.5 MBWAA is a national campaign that coordinates wreath-laying ceremonies at over 1,700 national cemeteries, culminating at Arlington National Cemetery. The three-fold purpose of WAA aims to remember fallen U.S Veterans, honor those who currently serve, and teach children the value of freedom. Here, Hanson explains WAA’s humble beginnings and its rise into the national organization that it is today. This week’s Borne the Battle features Wayne Hanson, the Chairman of the Board of Directo...
#174 Wreaths Across America w/ Wayne Hanson
December 04, 2019 09:00 - 39 minutes - 54.7 MBThis week’s Borne the Battle features Wayne Hanson, the Chairman of the Board of Directors for Wreaths Across America (WAA). WAA is a national campaign that coordinates wreath-laying ceremonies at over 1,700 national cemeteries, culminating at Arlington National Cemetery. The three-fold purpose of WAA aims to remember fallen U.S Veterans, honor those who currently serve, and teach children the value of freedom. Here, Hanson explains WAA’s humble beginnings and its rise into the national or...
#173 On the Firing Line with Marine Veteran Dan Duitsman
November 27, 2019 09:00 - 40 minutes - 56.3 MBCamp Valor Outdoors’ shooting teams compete in professional matches all over the country. Marine Veteran Dan Duitsman is Camp Valor Outdoors’ Shooting Sports Program Director. His role is to get disabled veterans into competitive shooting – no matter the disability. While in the Marine Corps, Dan worked in security forces, counterintelligence and the infantry. Prior to his role at Camp Valor Outdoors, he was a weapons instructor with the U.S. State Department. In this episode he t...
#172 Lakota Warrior and Vietnam Veteran Dr. Robert Primeaux
November 20, 2019 09:00 - 1 hour - 89.4 MBNative American Vietnam Veteran Robert Primeaux shared his journey from a Lakota reservation to the Army, to Hollywood. As a young man, Primeaux was eager to get off the reservation and see the world. To leave, he decided to join the Army. He trained in Fort Lewis and Fort Knox before joining the 101st Airborne Division and sent off to Vietnam. In 1972, Primeaux returned to the United States. His younger brother had been killed in a car accident, leaving Primeaux as the sole male ...
#171: Seven Summits w/ Benjamin Breckheimer
November 13, 2019 09:00 - 1 hour - 92.5 MBBenjamin Breckheimer was a teenager when he watched 9/11 unfold. Like many other young Americans, the images spurred him into action. Right after high school, he enlisted in the Army as an operating room specialist. The operating room is where Breckheimer served his comrades and met his closest mentor. As fate would have it, Breckheimer would end up on the operating table himself. Breckheimer received serious damages to his body after an improvised explosive device went off under t...
#170: Dale Dye, Marine Corps Birthday Episode
November 06, 2019 09:00 - 1 hour - 144 MBWhen watching a movie, it’s easy to think that everything is real and true and lifelike. It's no surprise that that isn't always the case, especially with military movies. That's how Marine Veteran Dale Dye got involved. He wanted to tell Hollywood the right way to portray the military on screen. Dye’s journey to becoming a military technical advisor started when he was a young man. He often overheard his father's inspiring World War II stories. He enlisted in the Marines after see...
#169: Benefits Breakdown - Appeals Modernization
October 30, 2019 08:00 - 54 minutes - 75.4 MBExecutive Director of the Veterans Benefits Administration’s (VBA) Appeals Management Office (AMO) and Army Veteran David McLenachen talks about the appeals modernization process. McLenachen briefly discussed his service in the Army with counterintelligence. He later left the Army to pursue a career in law. He worked as law clerk for a federal judge before he eventually came to work at the VA. Before becoming executive director of the VBA’s AMO, McLenachen acted as deputy under s...
#168: Coaching NCAA Lacrosse with Marine Veteran Chris Burke and Mitchell Shafer
October 23, 2019 08:00 - 1 hour - 128 MBThis week's Borne the Battle podcast features Marine Corps Veteran Chris Burke and the youngest head coach in NCAA Lacrosse, Mitch Shafer. Burke discussed his service in the Marines, including his injury and recovery from an IED explosion in Afghanistan. However, Burke's real story begins on what he did after serving in Afghanistan. When Burke left service, he went back to school, where he planned on joining the lacrosse program in hopes of playing with his younger brother. But hi...
#167: Paging Dr. Albert Weed, Green Beret Medic, Army Medical Officer, VA Surgeon
October 16, 2019 08:00 - 1 hour - 88.5 MBThis week's Borne the Battle podcast features Dr. Albert Weed, whose career has taken him from enlisted Green Beret Army medic to an Army medical officer to VA surgeon. Weed discussed his name, and how his family’s military background and medical experiences led him to, among other things, peacekeeping in Egypt, swimming in Saddam Hussein's pool, and receiving four different DD-214s. Weed traces his journey's beginnings from high school and later to Special Forces training, where h...
#166: Navy to NASCAR w/ Jesse Iwuji
October 09, 2019 08:00 - 1 hour - 100 MBSometimes, all it takes is a whiteboard and a marker to jump-start a dream into reality. This week’s Borne the Battle features guest Jesse Iwuji, whose creative and hardworking mindset led him to overcome great challenges and become a NASCAR driver. Growing up, Iwuji excelled at both track and football. His high school accomplishments led him to the Naval Academy's football team where he played safety. He graduated from the academy in 2010. After seven years active duty, Jesse tran...
#165: The Battle of Mogadishu w/ Army Ranger Veteran, Jeff Struecker
October 02, 2019 08:00 - 51 minutes - 71.7 MBThis week’s Borne the Battle episode features guest Jeff Struecker, who discusses his life as a soldier, pastor, and author. In 1987, Struecker enlisted in the army when he was 18. He excelled, serving in the 75th Ranger Regiment, and he played a pivotal role in the Battle of Mogadishu. He also won the 1996 Best Ranger Competition and was also recognized in 1998 as the U.S Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps Noncommisioned Officer of the Year. After his time as a Ranger, Struec...
#164: Benefits Breakdown - VA Vet Centers
September 25, 2019 08:00 - 53 minutes - 74.1 MB2019 marks the 40th Anniversary of VA's Vet Centers. They started as outreach for Vietnam Veterans who did not utilize the VA as much as WWII Veterans. This week’s interview is Pennsylvania National Guard Veteran Michael Fisher who is the Senior Readjustment Counselor. He leads and has direct oversight of over 300 Vet Centers, 80 Mobile Vet Centers and the Vet Center Call Center. We broke it all down - how vet centers started, their differences between them and VA Medical Center...
#163: Helping Reunite Veteran Families w/ Nathan Goncalves - Army Veteran, Equal Justice Works Fellow
September 18, 2019 11:07 - 1 hour - 125 MBOn this week’s episode, Borne the Battle features guest Nathan Goncalves, who shares his story of struggle and perseverance. While Goncalves didn’t have the intrinsic calling to join the military, he enlisted at 23, seeking reform and discipline. It was in the Army that Goncalves sharpened his focus and developed lifelong friendships and mentors. Rough transition However, Goncalves' transition back to civilian life was not easy. In fact, it turned out to be some of his lowest val...
Bonus Episode! - Mel Brooks, Adrian Cronauer, 2019 Military Influencer Conference Roundup
September 17, 2019 03:05 - 26 minutes - 37 MBFor months, I’ve been promising a special bonus podcast episode for when Born the Battle received its 100th rating and/or review on iTunes. We did it! But, before we get to Mel Brooks and the late Adrian Cronauer. In five months, our listenership has increased 500%. You’ve allowed more Veterans, VA employees and civilians to hear these amazing stories and to take advantage of all the benefit breakdowns in our archives. Thank You.
#162: September 11th with Dr. John Baxter - Air Force Veteran, 9/11 First Responder, SecDef's Flight Surgeon
September 11, 2019 04:30 - 59 minutes - 82.3 MBOn September 11, 2001, Air Force flight surgeon John Baxter showed up to work at the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, to a full load of patients and completing physicals--just like any other day. Halfway through his morning while getting his next patient, he saw that a civilian airliner had flown into one of the World Trade Center towers. While with the patient, Baxter said he noticed the background noise in the Pentagon changed. It seemed quieter than usual. Then, he heard shouts...
#161: Todd Boeding – Marine Veteran, Carry the Load
September 04, 2019 08:00 - 52 minutes - 72.1 MBOn this week’s episode of Borne the Battle, Tanner Iskra interviews guest Todd Boeding, who shares his past, present and future as a Marine Corps Veteran, as well as his involvement honoring Veterans through Carry the Load. Born and raised in Texas, Boeding was always known to take unorthodox paths in life. He dabbled in college, left for the Marine Corps seeking structure and discipline, and eventually returned to finish up his degree at The University of Texas at Dallas. Since l...
#160: Benefits Breakdown – Assistive Technology Program
August 28, 2019 08:00 - 29 minutes - 41.1 MBIn episode 157, we spoke with Army Veteran Ursula Draper about her role in the development of an Assistive Technology (AT) program. In this week's Benefits Breakdown, we take a deeper dive into how this program works and who is able to access it. The AT program will sound familiar to those who know Darwin’s Theory of Adaptation. The adaptation theory--also known as survival theory, or survival of the fittest--is an organism’s ability to adapt to changes in its environment and adju...
#159: Curtez Riggs – Army Veteran, Entrepreneur, Military Influencer Conference
August 21, 2019 08:00 - 1 hour - 91.2 MBSchool. Military. Streets. In 1996, Curtez Riggs graduated high school and those were his options in Flint, Michigan. By that time, the auto industry that built “Buick City” had moved away. As a kid, Curtez picked up bottles, turned in cans and always had a side gig to bring in extra money. When it came time to make the decision, Curtez figured the Army was the best way to start his future. His entrepreneurship did not stop when he joined the Army. Curtez continuously started busin...
#158: David Gowel – Army Veteran, RallyPoint CEO
August 14, 2019 08:00 - 40 minutes - 55.9 MBThis week’s Borne the Battle interview is with Army Iraq War Veteran, David Gowel, a West Point and Ranger School graduate who later became an assistant professor at MIT’s ROTC program. David is currently the CEO of RallyPoint, a military-themed social media network. Which begs the question: just how does a former armor platoon leader become the CEO for a social media company? And, with a crowded social landscape that includes Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, SnapChat and others, why w...
#157: Ursula Draper – Army Veteran, Occupational Therapist, Assistive Technology Professional
August 07, 2019 08:00 - 47 minutes - 66 MBSince some veterans have multiple traumas, known as polytrauma, VA dedicates resources to help Veterans with very complex issues. This week's Borne the Battle interview is with Army Veteran Ursula Draper, who developed the VA Assistive Technology Program in 2010. Draper, an Army Veteran, spent six years working as an ophthalmic technician at Martin Army Hospital at Fort Benning, Georgia. Using her GI Bill, Ursula received her bachelor's degree in Occupational Therapy from East Ca...
#156: Daniel Sharp – Marine Veteran, CEO PopSmoke Media, Smokepit Podcast Host
July 31, 2019 07:30 - 1 hour - 91.1 MBIf you have a Facebook or Instagram account, you either follow this week's guest or have seen his work shared on your social media feed. This week’s Borne The Battle episode interview is with Marine Veteran Daniel Sharp, the Chief Executive Officer of PopSmoke Media and podcast host of The Smokepit. Sharp talks about his transition from the Marine Corps after 11 years of service as an infantryman to starting his own media company, to developing his podcast. We also go into his pers...
#155: Gary Profit – Army Veteran, WalMart Military Programs
July 24, 2019 07:30 - 44 minutes - 41.5 MBBack in episode 43, Gary gave his original testimony on Borne the Battle. This week’s Borne The Battle episode provides an update from the Senior Director of Military Programs at Walmart on the hiring initiatives through the company and the Walmart Foundation donating $1 million to Hire Heroes USA. Profit worked as a defense contractor before hearing of the Walmart opportunity through a retiree network contact. He met with Walmart officials and became the first person to serve in...
#154: Benefits Breakdown – VA Center of Faith and Opportunity Initiative
July 17, 2019 07:30 - 34 minutes - 48.2 MBThe VA Center of Faith’s and Opportunity Initiative’s mission is “engage, inform and educate faith-based, nonprofit and community/neighborhood organizations in VA programs to better serve the needs of Veterans, their families, survivors, caregivers and other beneficiaries.” Basically, VA understands that sometimes, faith is the best way to reach a Veteran. Therefore, VA set up a resource for local clergy so they can be the one to tell the Veteran what is available to them. The curr...
#153: Perry Firoz - Air Force Veteran, CEO Epic Music LA
July 10, 2019 08:00 - 49 minutes - 68.9 MBPerry Firoz is smart. Not just Air Force smart, but “can I copy off your paper,” smart. Perry degrees include: Master’s Degree, Operations Research – Advanced Mathematical Applications, George Mason Bachelor of Applied Science – Mathematics, Statistics, and Computer Science, Wichita State University Bachelor of Science, Music Performance, Theory, Composition, University of Nebraska He was an Analytical Scientist for the Air Force. A lot of this episode is trying to figure out...
#152: Denise Loring - Army Veteran, Camp Valor Outdoors, World Class Competitive Marksman
July 03, 2019 08:00 - 40 minutes - 56 MBThere have been many studies that show that nature can be therapeutic for many reasons: Stress reduction Finding Meaning and Purpose Develops heightened awareness Promotes physical activity A “Natural High” In episode 138, Sean Ricks mentioned a nonprofit called Camp Valor Outdoors. It’s a nonprofit that helps ill, injured and wounded active duty, veterans and their family members. They do this by taking them on fishing, hunting, shooting, archery, four-wheeling and camping....
#151: WWII Weekend Part II - Walter Stitt and Victor Marulli
June 26, 2019 08:00 - 51 minutes - 71.2 MBThis week we’re revisiting Reading, PA’s WWII Weekend. For three days (June 7-9) the MidAtlantic Air Museum brought in WWII Veterans, reenactors and a full air show. READ AND LISTEN TO PART ONE This week we share two more WWII Veteran’s stories that the gentlemen were gracious enough to share over the weekend. Walter Stitt was a part of General Patton’s 3rd Armored Division. As an M4 Sherman Tank Gun Loader, he saw time in Normandy, Northern France, the Rhineland Campaigns and h...
#150: Benefits Breakdown – VA Home Loan Program
June 19, 2019 08:00 - 1 hour - 116 MBOn June 22, VA will celebrate the 75th anniversary of the G.I. Bill. In honor of this historic event, Army Veteran Maxine Henry and Air Force Veteran Mark Connors of the VA’s Loan Guaranty Service team sat down with Borne the Battle to discuss one of the best and most popular Veteran benefits--the VA home loan entitlement. The VA home loan guaranty has several advantages for Veteran borrowers: Veterans using the VA home loan are generally not required to have a downpayment. Vete...
#149: WWII Weekend Part I - Pearl Harbor Survivors Richard Schimmel and William Bonelli
June 12, 2019 08:00 - 49 minutes - 68 MBIt was WWII Weekend in Reading, PA. For three days, the MidAtlantic Air Museum brings WWII Veterans, reenactors and a full air show to their community. You can step back in time to every major theatre, visit friendly and enemy camps, hear 1940s music, and even see an FDR impersonator. More importantly, WWII Days include an impressive VIP guest list. Over twenty-five WWII Veterans attend every year and recount their experiences. This year included two living survivors of Pearl Harb...
75th Anniversary of D-Day
June 06, 2019 14:06 - 4 minutes - 5.73 MBQuick Bonus episode reflecting on the 75th anniversary of the D-Day Landings. Features General Dwight D. Eisenhower's speech to the troops of the eve of the operation.
#148: Army Veteran David Lucier, Green Beret Medic, Vietnam Special Forces, Security Contractor, Veteran Advocate
June 05, 2019 08:00 - 1 hour - 88.1 MBDavid talks about becoming a Green Beret, being attached to a MIKE Force in Vietnam, being a security contractor in Iraq and Afghanistan as a 55-60 year old man, and helping advocate to reform Arizona's university system to work friendlier with the GI Bill and the VA system. Additional Links: https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/article/100-years-later-arizona-finally-ready-to-pay-fitting-tribute-to-world-war-i/ar-BBPwJfx http://memory.loc.gov/diglib/vhp/bib/93671 https://nevalley...
#147: Marine Veteran Brett D’Alessandro and Alexa Modero: Backpacks for Life
May 29, 2019 08:00 - 1 hour - 87 MBOne couple, Marine Veteran Brett D’Alessandro and his partner, Alexa Modero, have made it their mission to help those Veterans that find themselves with nothing but a backpack. In fact, with the nonprofit, Backpacks for Life the first thing they are doing is literally improving the backpacks that rest on homeless Veterans shoulders. After deploying to Afghanistan in 2014 and exiting his Marine Reserve contract, Brett started experiencing the same problems many Veterans face after d...
#146: Dave Coker: Army Veteran, President of Fisher House Foundation
May 22, 2019 08:00 - 45 minutes - 63.3 MBFisher houses are a vital part of helping Veterans heal. If there is an open room in a Fisher House next to a VA or military medical facility, a family can join in their Veteran’s recovery at no lodging cost. Today, two new Fisher houses opened at the James J. Peters VA Medical Center in the Bronx, New York City. These two new homes will join the 70+ Fisher Houses currently in operation around the world. By the end of the year, the Fisher House Network will be able to provide for o...
#145: Jan Ohrstrom: Army Veteran, Professional Wrestler, Documentary Producer, VA Employee
May 15, 2019 08:00 - 41 minutes - 57.1 MBNot only is Army Veteran Jan a wrestler, he’s a producer of the documentary “Valhalla Club.” The feature documents how three wrestlers, including Jan, formed a wrestling stable based on collectively fighting their PTSD through wrestling. Recently, Jan and his stablemates were featured on the first episode Comedy Central’s new show, “Klepper.” Additionally, Jan is a VA employee. We talked about his role in the Office of Business Process Integration. Additional Links: https://bit...
#144: Joseph Pennington - Navy Seabee Veteran, AllState Director of Military Affairs
May 08, 2019 08:00 - 58 minutes - 80.9 MBFor Borne the Battle, we have a small team of interns that transcribe previous episodes so those with hearing loss can still read our episodes. It is finals week for many universities around the country and we will be soon losing that important cog of our team. So, before our interns left for the year, I wanted to reward them with their own episode. We had our intern, aspiring podcaster Zach Wheeler, go and get another interview. Back in episode 130, Zach interviewed Robert Free...
#143: Stephen Holley - Navy SEAL Veteran, Naval Academy Quarterback, CEO of Carry The Load
May 01, 2019 08:00 - 50 minutes - 70.1 MBFor the next month, the VA’s National Cemetery Administration is partnering with Carry The Load and this week’s guest, Stephen Holley, is the CEO and co-founder of the nonprofit, Carry the Load. In addition, he is a former quarterback at the Naval Academy and a former Navy Seal. In addition to talking about Carry The Load, we dive into his four deployments in five years, his transition and what Memorial Day means to him. Enjoy. Additional Links to This Episode: https://www....
#142: Carroll Harris - Marine Veteran, Postal Inspector, Marine Corps Historian
April 24, 2019 08:00 - 55 minutes - 76.4 MBFBI, CIA, AFT…USPIS? It’s not an alphabet agency that is often brought up in conversation around DC Beltway. However, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service was founded almost 100 years prior to the FBI and almost 150 years before the CIA. Their mission is to “support and protect the U.S. Postal Service, its employees, infrastructure, and customers by enforcing the laws that defend the nation's mail system from illegal or dangerous use.” Today’s guest is a current U.S. Postal Inspecto...
#141: BourBiz - Military Veteran/MilSpouse Networking Event
April 22, 2019 08:00 - 18 minutes - 25.1 MBBonus episode! This episode is an experiment of a sorts. I attended a Veteran/ military spouse networking event called BourBiz. It was held this last Thursday by The Veteran Success Resource Group at the MGM, National Harbor, Maryland. I was told about this event by future guests, Brett D’Allesandro and Alexa Modero the founders of the non profit, Backpacks For Life. They were part of a veteran-owned-business pitch competition that was going to be held at the event. Placing 2nd, t...
#140: Danny Chung – Marine Veteran, Microsoft Chief of Staff of Military Affairs
April 17, 2019 08:00 - 43 minutes - 60.3 MBDanny Chung is an positive example of a Veteran that found a way to give back to the transitioning active-duty community. Danny’s team is trying to do is fill a gap in the civilian workforce. At any given time, there are over 500,000 open jobs in the computer industry. The current education system is producing only 49,000 computer science majors a year. Danny’s goal is to fill the gap with a portion of the 250,000 service-members that leave active duty every year. One solution ...
#139: Jennifer Marshall – Navy Veteran, Actress (Stranger Things, Hawaii Five-0)
April 10, 2019 08:30 - 1 hour - 86.3 MBNavy Veteran Jennifer Marshall joins us on the show. Since transitioning from active duty, she’s been hustling out in Hollywood. She’s a veteran of some movies and shows you may have seen: “Stranger Things” “Hawaii Five-0” “A Dog’s Way Home” “Timeless” “Game Shakers” Most notably, she’s an actress, but she also hosts red carpets, hosts shows, models and volunteers for various causes in and around the area. Jennifer talks about why she joined the Navy and why she had to exit ...
#139: Jennifer Marshall – Navy Veteran, Actress (Stranger Things, Hawaii Five-O)
April 10, 2019 08:30 - 1 hour - 86.3 MBNavy Veteran Jennifer Marshall joins us on the show. Since transitioning from active duty, she’s been hustling out in Hollywood. She’s a veteran of some movies and shows you may have seen: “Stranger Things” “Hawaii Five-O” “A Dog’s Way Home” “Timeless” “Game Shakers” Most notably, she’s an actress, but she also hosts red carpets, hosts shows, models and volunteers for various causes in and around the area. Jennifer talks about why she joined the Navy and why she had to exit earlier than she ...
#138: Sean Ricks – Navy Veteran, CEO of Ricks Roasters Coffee Company
April 03, 2019 08:00 - 40 minutes - 74.9 MBThere are many veteran entrepreneurs in the coffee industry. Today we focus on a local roaster in the Northern Virginia area that is making waves in the coffee industry. In this episode, Sean talks about his unique military career. Starting out as a merchant marine and as a reservist, Sean explains how he switched between a couple of different occupational specialties before coming onto active duty as a Naval Intelligence Officer. We also break down Sean’s transition from the N...
#137: John Buckley II – Army Veteran, Koch Industries, Veteran Advocate, Wichita Kansas
March 27, 2019 08:00 - 42 minutes - 59.2 MBI love finding Veterans who are out there working to bridge the military-civilian divide. This week’s guest is continuing to serve by connecting Veterans to communities as the military relations manager at the second largest private company in the United States. While in the Army, John Buckley, II was an infantry commander for soldiers in combat and peacekeeping operations. In addition, he directed two of the Army’s top schools. Commissioning as a 2nd lt. in the reserves at t...
#136: Valroy Williams – Army / Navy Veteran, Queens NY Submariner to NC Farmer
March 20, 2019 08:00 - 37 minutes - 51.9 MBHow does a Navy submariner from Hollis, Queens, NY, become a farmer in North Carolina? That is exactly what Valroy Williams did after over 30 years of dedication between the Navy and Army. In this episode we talked about his service, how he learned to farm and the camaraderie of the Veteran farmers in North Carolina. Links For More Info: https://bit.ly/2TMSfCk https://bit.ly/2UIP9vo https://bit.ly/2CoRTqU https://bit.ly/2Teb8sI https://bit.ly/2uhqrGV
#135: Rick Robinson - Marine Veteran, Emmy Award Winning Director of Photography and Cinematographer
March 13, 2019 08:00 - 1 hour - 101 MBTanner’s first guest is Emmy award winning director of photography and cinematographer, Rick Robinson, who was a huge influence on Tanner’s career. In this episode, Rick shares his experiences on his deployments, drops knowledge on how he broke into Hollywood without knowing a soul, lets us in on how teaching film changed his life’s pursuits and tells us how he ended up in the South Pacific for over seven years. Rick also shares his journey back to the Marine Corps, and how he curr...
#134: Tanner Iskra – Marine Veteran, new host of Borne the Battle
February 27, 2019 17:09 - 55 minutes - 75.6 MBThis episode is a humbling one for me. Episode 134 is the last episode I will produce as the host of Borne the Battle. I launched the podcast in 2016 under the title "This Week at VA," renamed it Borne The Battle about a year later, and have interviewed an impressive set of Veterans and their loved ones. However, while I may be moving on from the podcast, the podcast is remaining and will be hosted by a newer member of my team, Tanner Iskra. Tanner Iskra is a United States Marine ...
#133: Joel Chaverri – Marine Veteran, Vet Center Director
February 08, 2019 20:24 - 1 hour - 88.2 MBVet Centers are one of VA's most valuable and crucial resources. Vet Centers are community-based counseling centers that provide a wide range of social and psychological services, including professional readjustment counseling to eligible Veterans, active duty service members, including National Guard and Reserve components, and their families. Readjustment counseling is offered to make a successful transition from military to civilian life or after a traumatic event experienced in ...