VET S.O.S. Podcast

Veteran homelessness rarely starts with losing a home. It starts when the support system underneath someone disappears. Veteran homelessness is more complicated than housing—and Bruce Buckley has spent more than two decades learning what it takes to create lasting stability. In this conversation, Bruce explains how Soldier On evolved from transitional housing into a comprehensive support system se...

Your military skills may qualify you for the job. Your people skills may determine whether you actually get it. Meegan Kriley-Mackay knows that distinction firsthand. After watching her former spouse—a highly experienced Air Force C-17 pilot—struggle in civilian job interviews, she realized technical expertise wasn't the problem. He had the skills to do the job but needed the people skills to get...

EPISODE PREMISEAI is changing the workforce. Veterans can fear the change—or learn how to put it to work. AI doesn't have to replace your experience—it can extend what you already know. Ted Adair and Kris Saling break down how AI Mission Ready helps veterans, military spouses, and caregivers move beyond AI hype and build practical tools for real problems. The bigger conversation goes deeper than t...

VET S.O.S. — Veteran Transition, Resources & Brain HealthWhat if your lingering concussion symptoms aren't coming only from your brain—but from an injury everyone missed? A veteran can have clear scans and still battle headaches, brain fog, dizziness, sleep problems, and hypervigilance years after a mild traumatic brain injury. Army veteran Dr. Chris Slininger believes part of the problem may...

Getting a veteran off the street solves tonight's problem. Recovery means rebuilding what comes next. Five Star Veteran Center CEO John Bear explains why his organization is not a shelter—it's a recovery program designed to help veterans regain stability and independence. After his own transition from a 32-year Navy career, John now leads a team addressing veteran homelessness through three interc...

📻 VET S.O.S. — Veteran Support / Mental Health / TransitionA service dog can help a veteran with PTSD reclaim places, relationships, and parts of life they thought they'd lost. Daniel Bean has seen that transformation happen in a matter of weeks. As CEO, General Counsel, and Board Chair of K9s For Warriors, he explains why pairing a veteran with the right service dog is about far more than compan...

Veterans don't lose jobs because of experience—they lose them in the interview. Here's how to change that. Landing a civilian job takes more than a great résumé. It takes confidence, preparation, and knowing how to communicate your military experience in a way hiring managers understand. In this episode of VET S.O.S., Shawn Welsh and Keith Cassant welcome Pat Hubbell, Co-Founder and Executive Dire...

The best therapy for some veterans doesn't start in a counselor's office—it starts around a campfire. EPISODE PREMISEHealing doesn't always happen the way we expect. In this episode of VET S.O.S., Victor Bretting shares how a retirement ranch in North Texas became a mission to serve veterans through the outdoors, conservation, and authentic camaraderie. What veterans often take home isn't just a t...

Most veterans who die by suicide never ask for help. This episode explains how to reach them before it's too late. Most suicide prevention efforts begin inside hospitals—but Dr. Keita Franklin explains why that's already too late for many veterans. Drawing on decades of leadership at the VA, Marine Corps, and Columbia Lighthouse Project, she shares how a simple six-question screening tool is helpi...

Most veterans don't fail after transition—they fail because they never made a plan. EPISODE PREMISEMost veterans leave the military focused on what they're escaping instead of what they're building. In this conversation, Navy veteran Mr. Whiskey explains why that mindset creates unnecessary struggle—and how intentional planning, self-awareness, and community can completely change the outcome. From...

Trauma thrives in silence. Healing begins when you stop carrying it alone. Anissa Hudak knows trauma from multiple sides: as the daughter of a Vietnam veteran, a military spouse, and a two-time sexual assault survivor. In this conversation, she explains why trauma recovery must involve the body and nervous system—not only the conscious mind—and why healing should never require someone to repeatedl...

Trauma doesn't have to define your future. EMDR may help your brain heal in ways talk therapy can't. EPISODE PREMISEFor decades, PTSD treatment has centered around talking through painful memories. But what if the brain heals trauma differently? In this episode, EMDR therapist and author Paul Schulte explains why Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is producing remarkable results...

Most veterans don't need another program—they need one honest conversation with someone who's been there. EPISODE PREMISERetired Marine Master Sergeant John Smith thought he was praying about changing careers. Instead, he found a new mission: helping veterans tell their stories. In this episode, John shares how intentional transition planning set him up for success, why storytelling can be therape...

Most veterans don't fail transition because of ability—they fail because they never built a plan. Many service members spend years preparing for military missions but only weeks preparing for civilian life. David Howe argues that's one of the biggest mistakes veterans can make. After serving 30 years in the U.S. Army and building a successful civilian executive career, Dave learned that transition...

Most veterans don’t hit crisis all at once. Problems stack up until purpose disappears. What happens when a veteran loses purpose after service—and what does it take to find it again? Nick Cannon shares a brutally honest look at his own transition from Air Force veteran to unemployed civilian struggling with identity, purpose, and direction. He also explains how Wounded Veteran Relief Fund is step...

Most veterans don’t struggle because they lack skills—they struggle because they choose the wrong civilian career. The military teaches mission focus, leadership, and resilience. What it doesn’t always teach is how to identify a career you’ll genuinely enjoy after service. In this episode, Jordie Kern explains why so many veterans settle for the first opportunity available and how that decision ca...

Most veterans prepare for a new job. Few prepare for losing their identity. Episode DescriptionWhen Gabriel Axtell medically retired from the Marine Corps during COVID, he expected transition to be challenging. What he didn’t expect was how quickly the loss of mission, brotherhood, and purpose would push him into crisis. This conversation reveals the life-changing text message that saved his life,...

Description:Maria Cherjovsky joins the VET S.O.S. Network to dive into veteran mental health challenges and share insights on transition, family reintegration, and community support systems. In this episode, we explore:• The hidden impact of mental health struggles on veterans and their families• How the Comaraderie Foundation provides counseling, mentorship, and connection• Why early intervention...

Description:Matthew Wee joins the VET S.O.S. Network to dive into veteran transition challenges and share insights on leadership, collaboration, and building meaningful support systems for veterans and their families. In this episode, we explore:• Transitioning from the Marine Corps during COVID and adapting to uncertainty• How volunteering can open doors to long-term career opportunities• The mis...

Description:Evan Guzman joins VET S.O.S. to dive into the power of mentorship in military transition and share insights on career development, leadership, and veteran success strategies. In this episode, we explore:• How mentorship accelerates transition success• The role of Post-Veterati in connecting veterans to opportunity• Key challenges veterans face entering the civilian workforce• How to be...

Aleks Morosky, Regional Director of Grassroots (West) for Wounded Warrior Project, joins the VET S.O.S. Network to break down how veterans can turn their lived experience into real legislative impact. In this episode, we explore:• Life after combat and navigating military transition• How the PACT Act became a reality for post-9/11 veterans• The role of grassroots advocacy in shaping veteran policy...

Joey Carzoli, Physical Health & Wellness Coach with Wounded Warrior Project, joins VET S.O.S. to dive into what sustainable health really looks like for veterans after service. From chronic pain and weight gain to mental health, identity, and purpose, this episode explores how physical wellness can become a powerful anchor during military transition. In this episode, we explore: • Why purpose...

Description:Ashish Bajaj and Michael Lorey join the VET S.O.S. Network to dive into two of the most pressing challenges veterans face during transition: VA disability claims and financial stability. In this episode, we explore:• The step-by-step VA claims process and how case management works• The 3 required elements every successful claim must include• How to avoid predatory claims companies• Why...

Fitha Dahana-Ellis joins the VET S.O.S. Network to dive into how the Warrior Care Network provides accelerated, evidence-based mental health treatment for veterans and military families through top academic medical centers. In this episode, we explore: • Why traditional PTSD therapy often falls short for veterans • How two weeks of intensive treatment can equal months of care • What makes academic...

On this Memorial Day episode of the VET S.O.S. Network, Crystal Serrano-Hairston and Jennifer Land break down how Wounded Warrior Project delivers critical mental health support through triage services, complex case coordination, and the nationwide Check-In Program. In this conversation, we explore:• How veterans access mental health care through WWP• What happens when a veteran calls for help• Ho...