Strength From Service

Congressman Brad Finstad joins Jack and the crew to share his journey from growing up on his family farm to serving in the United States Congress. We dive into his roots, the values he learned in agriculture, and the many roles he’s played along the way — from local leadership to national policymaking. Brad also shares insights on veterans’ issues, highlights key initiatives he’s championing, and...

Tim Adams’ career reads like an action novel — Naval aviator, Army pilot, ROTC instructor, and Veterans Resource Center leader at MSU. Now serving as Executive Assistant to the Vice President for Institutional Research, Tim joins Jake and Mike to share his incredible journey. From flying missions to shaping veteran resources on campus, Tim talks leadership, service, and the lessons learned in and...

Dr. Shawn Alderman, Army veteran and founder of the Magnus Veterans Foundation, joins Jack and Mike on Strength From Service. In this deeply personal conversation, Dr. Alderman opens up about how following in his family’s footsteps led him into military medicine, and how those experiences inspired him to launch a healing sanctuary for veterans. You’ll hear how his service journey unfolded—from Gre...

Joel Peterson: Friendly Fire, Resilience, and Leading Through Service In this episode of Strength From Service, we sit down with Joel Peterson — a combat veteran, Purple Heart recipient, small business owner, and VFW Commander. Joel shares his incredible story from Iraq, including surviving a friendly fire incident and the chaos and heroism that followed. We talk about what it takes to recover fro...

Dr. Staci Born — Breaking Down Barriers in Therapy Dr. Staci Born joins Strength From Service to talk about real-world therapy—what works, what doesn’t, and how to actually help people. She’s the founder of Blue Couch, a therapy practice based in Mankato, Minnesota, and brings years of experience helping individuals navigate trauma, relationships, and mental health struggles. In this episode, we c...

Navy veteran Rick Martagon joins Jack, Jake, and Mike on Strength From Service to share his journey from military service to his mission today: helping veterans and civilians alike explore the trades through Building Strong Communities, a nonprofit that partners with all the union trades in the area. Rick explains how programs like Helmets to Hardhats create a clear path for veterans to transition...

Tim Murray is back on Strength From Service—and if you haven’t heard his first episode, go back and give it a listen before diving into this one. In today’s update, Tim shares powerful progress on the Bravo Zulu House, a project that’s transforming the lives of veterans in need. From the mission to the momentum, this episode is all about what can happen when purpose meets persistence. Whether you’...

In this episode of Strength From Service, we sit down with Marine veteran George Blais to hear his story—from growing up in small-town Minnesota to serving with 1st Marines and carrying forward a lifelong commitment to leadership and service. George opens up about what the Marine Corps taught him, the importance of mentorship, and how he continues to give back through his community and faith. This...

Dr. Dale Schmoll—known simply as “Doc”—joins us to share his journey from small-town Minnesota to the Army and eventually into chiropractic care. A passionate advocate for veterans, Doc gives insight into holistic medicine, healing beyond the physical, and why he continues to give back. Great conversation, great perspective. Check out the link we talked about in the episode: https://lifewave.com/d...

In this episode of Strength From Service, pro bass fisherman Seth Feider sits down with Jack and Jake to talk about where it all began—chasing fish on Minnesota lakes, turning pro, and what life is really like on tour. Seth shares stories from the grind, opens up about what it takes to stay sharp in a competitive sport, and highlights the charity work that gives his career deeper purpose. This one...

In this episode of Strength From Service, we sit down with Sam Gore—a man whose life is built on service. Sam shares what it was like growing up in small-town Minnesota, the decision to leave home for the military, and the path that led him to becoming a volunteer firefighter today. His story is a reminder that you don’t need fame or rank to make an impact—just grit, heart, and a willingness to st...

In this episode of Service Announcement, two combat vets and one radio guy sit down, crack a few theories open, and ask the question we all wonder but rarely say out loud: “What if it’s true?” Jack Zimmerman, Mike McLaughlin, and Jake Palmer take on a gritty mix of conspiracies—from aliens and JFK to Chronic Wasting Disease being a plot from the insurance companies to get rid of deer. It’s raw, re...

In this episode of Strength From Service, Michael Hintz shares the journey that started by watching his father serve—and eventually led him to follow that same path. After high school, Michael joined the Army and found himself in the 82nd Airborne Division, deploying to Afghanistan twice. He later transitioned to the National Guard, where he continued to serve through recruiting and mentoring the...

From Artillery to Faith: Logan Woods on War, Purpose, and Redemption In this episode of Strength From Service, Logan Woods joins Jack, Mike, and Jake for a powerful conversation about transformation, purpose, and the realities of service. Logan opens up about joining the Guard to follow in his family’s footsteps—and to afford college—but his path quickly took unexpected turns. From close calls in...

Leading the Force: Chief Matt Grochow on Modern Policing, Leadership, and Life in the Spotlight In this episode of Strength from Service, we sit down with Chief Matt Grochow of the St. Peter Police Department. From undercover operations to leading a department in today’s high-pressure climate, Matt brings honest insight into the world of law enforcement. We talk about what drew him into policing,...

In the first-ever Service Announcement episode, Jack, Mike, and Jake sit down for an unfiltered conversation about the hardest moments they’ve faced—and the lessons that came out of them. This is real talk from three guys who’ve seen life hit hard and still chose to fight forward. From grief and grit to rebuilding purpose and connection, we open up about how we made it through, what we leaned on,...

Ryan Frank’s story is one of service—start to finish. He shares how he joined the Army, deployed to Afghanistan, and was wounded in action. But that wasn’t the end of his mission. Today, he continues to serve as a Veterans Service Officer in Nicollet County, helping other warriors navigate life after the uniform. And now—he’s a dad again, with a new baby and a new chapter. From the battlefield to...

On this Memorial Day episode of Strength From Service, Jack and Mike sit down to talk about what this day really means—far beyond the BBQs and long weekends. They walk through the true cost of war, the staggering numbers behind America’s fallen, and the deep, personal ripples that loss leaves behind. From the black granite of the Vietnam Wall to the thunder of motorcycles in D.C., they reflect on...

Pastor Matt Sims joins Strength from Service after finding the studio and meeting the hosts one evening as he walked by. Pastor Matt shares his story of how he found his calling to the faith and how that led him from Bible College, to moving to Mankato to start Canvas Church, an Assemblies of God congregation, at 25 years of age. Jack asks some questions from a warrior or soldier’s mind and recant...

Jack, Mike, and Jake all sit down in the Nielsen Blacktopping studio to chat about Jack's new book, "Beyond Five Minutes, Lessons From a Wounded Warrior's Life Outdoors". This book is the companion and continuation book to Jack's first penned work, "Five Minutes, 300 Seconds That Changed My Life". The men cover some of the themes and stories from the latest book and...

James Chally, DMSc, P.A.-C is back in the Nielsen Blacktopping studio as it's first repeat guest. He visits to give a bit of an update including his new endeavor of writing a children's book about the camp dog that he and his unit had in Afghanistan. "HALO" is the true story of how the camp dog made it's way from Afghanistan to the home of one of soldiers that grew to love he...

When Jack Zimmerman was a lane-clearing St. Clair Clipper basketball player, he had to face Coach Tim Anderson across the court. Jack and Jake talk with Coach Anderson about each of their small town roots and how that shaped each of them as adults. Coach Anderson shares his many stories from being a player that didn't see the court and how it evolved to his passion for coaching and teaching. These...

Kyle Mrozek understands the value of hard work and how that work can help you create lasting relationships, great memories, and community growth. Kyle's work with the Mankato Kiwanis Club and Mankato Moondogs and Mashers has served our community for over 20 years and has helped countless other people and organizations. Kyle joins Jack and Jake to discuss what the Kiwanis Club is, how you can join,...

Mike Richman joins the guys a few weeks before his upcoming Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) Light Heavyweight Championship fight on December 21st at the Hard Rock Casino in Hollywood Florida. McLaughlin and Richman recount their story of first crossing paths in infantry training after enlisting in the Marines. Richman shares his story of growing up through adversity at a young age and ho...

Senator Nick Frentz (DFL) is a member of the Minnesota Senate from the 19th District and he joins Mike and Jake to share his story from being born in California to his journey back to Mankato where his families roots began. Senator Frentz talks about his education at William Mitchell (or "Billy Mitch" if you're in the know), about how he took the bar then lost a football game, and how some great p...