Veteran Voices

Most people spent a certain amount of time during the height of the pandemic locked down, just trying to get by under extraordinary circumstances. JB Jaso found himself near Fort Bragg in North Carolina, having time to take care of himself for the first time in nearly 20 years. That’s when he knew it was time to retire from the military and move on with his life. And yet, no sooner had he made tha...

Kristina Rodriguez is the Regional Operations Manager for The Brokerage for Virginia and North Carolina, and the co-manager of the employee resource group for Colliers North American diversity equity and inclusion program. She comes from a big military family, with her older brother (Marines), uncle (Vietnam war), and great aunt (Army) all entering the service. Since she wasn’t able to serve on th...

Today Veterans represent just 1% of the population of the United States, and yet they have an outsized impact on society as a whole as well as the private industry roles they go on to. And so what better topic to discuss on Veterans’ Day 2021, than leadership. In this special Veteran's Day livestream, produced in partnership with Vets2Industry, Host Scott Luton was joined by three amazing leaders...

The military spouse unemployment rate has been at 24% for nearly a decade - but Monica Fullerton is on a mission to change all that. On this episode of Veteran Voices, host Scott Luton chats with Monica about Spouse-ly, a marketplace of goods and services she founded to create more flexible career opportunities for military spouses. A cross between Etsy and Angie's List, Spouse...

Some people ‘jump’ into everything they do in life with both feet, whether that is jumping into corporate America as an entrepreneur or jumping out of a plane with the 82nd Airborne. Justin Pearson is a perfect example. He even transitioned out of the military with a jump, running headfirst into a LinkedIn environment that wasn’t well suited to help veterans find civilian work. Just...

The tougher the experience someone has in the military, the more they take away from it – and the more bonded they remain to the people who people who persevered beside them. Attending West Point and Army Ranger school provide plenty of opportunities to be tough and to learn to work as a team. Brendan Krasinski is a graduate of West Point and the A...

Compressing any life’s journey into a single conversation is hard under normal circumstances and becomes much more difficult when the person has worn so many different ‘hats’ or uniforms. Each of those roles shapes who the person is and the reason for making each choice is a wonderful way to learn more about them. Eric Gates is the Founder and CEO of Devil Dog Coffee Company as well as a Vete...

Many of the conversations we have on Veterans Voices center around servicemembers transitioning out of the military and into civilian careers. Today’s interview follows that same path – twice. For some Veterans, the call of the military is so strong that they transition in and out, sometimes with different branches. So it is with today’s guest. Tara Holcomb served in both the U.S. A...

It takes a lot of courage to live as a military spouse, which is perhaps why so many military spouses make successful entrepreneurs. No matter how good a business idea is, entrepreneurs still have to summon the courage to put themselves ‘out there’ and give it their best shot. Katie Prill took that leap of faith and added entrepreneur to the list of roles she already fills. She is a mili...

In some cases, the process of transitioning out of the military can be harder for those people who benefitted most from the structure it provides. Once service members adapt to the nuanced system of rank that plays out in every decision-making process, changing their way of thought back to something less structured – as is seen in a corporate setting – can seem like being adrift. Raleigh Wilk...

Service members are often faced with lines to cross: enlistment, tactical decisions, transitioning out of the military, and deciding what to do next. The decision they make at each crossroads not only determines the path of the journey they are on, it also plays a role in shaping the person they will become. Mark Ormrod is a former Royal Marine, Invictus Games athlete, author, and motiva...

Diversity and Inclusion is a huge topic of discussion in corporate America these days, but many companies – and the people that work for them – often forget that being a Veteran is a recognized diversity category. Although each person is an individual on their own journey, the Veteran community does share certain characteristics based on the experiences they have had. To better...

Originally recorded: October 30th, 2019 In this Veteran Voices Classic, host Scott Luton is joined by Lloyd Knight, Director of International Airfreight LMG at UPS Global Forwarding and co-founder and President of Vetlanta, as well as Army veteran, former Managing Director of Citigroup, and current US Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security, John Tien, and retired UPS, Marine Corps veteran and VETLA...

Veteran Voices has always shined a spotlight on the stories and experiences of veterans, but they are not the only ones who serve. The spouses and families that send them off and follow them as they move around the globe serve as well – and they, too, have stories to tell. In today’s episode, we not only get to hear the story of a military spouse, Monica Fullerton, who is married to an Air Force P...

After making Captain in the United States Air Force, John Cash was selected for training as a combat controller. Although he finished the training, he sustained an injury that caused him to be medically discharged. Although he was devastated not to be able to continue on that path, supporting service-disabled veterans has become a core part of his personal mission. That mission, and his drive to s...

Regardless of what branch of the military they served in, veterans rely upon their training to remain strong and tough. But sometimes, what they experienced during active duty makes it difficult for them to transition back into civilian life. When that is the case, they need to be connected with the right kind of assistance. Sgt. Danny E. Smiley served in the Airborne Infantry for two tours in Vie...

In this special episode of Veteran Voices, hosts Scott W. Luton and Kelly Barner share their own personal messages, including what Memorial Day means to them and a few examples of those incredible individuals that sacrificed it all for others. Additional Links & Resources: Learn more about Supply Chain Now: https://supplychainnow.com/program/supply-chain-now Learn more about Veteran Voices: ht...

In this second episode of Season 3 of Veteran Voices, produced in partnership with Vets2Industry, Scott Luton interviews Rear Admiral Danelle Barrett, United States Navy, Retired. Additional Links and Resources: Learn more about Veteran Voices: https://supplychainnow.com/program/veteran-voices/ Learn more about Vets2Industry: https://vets2industry.com/ Subscribe to Veteran Voices and other Supply...

In this kickoff episode of Veteran Voices, Season 3, co-hosts Scott W. Luton and Kevin L. Jackson interview veterans advocate, higher education leader & consultant: Nadia Delanoy, PhD. Nadia shares about what it means to grow up in a “stretch” family & some of the reasons for her passion for not just helping the veteran community, but for serving her community in a variety of ways. Scott,...

In this episode, host Scott W. Luton interviews Lt. Col. Waldo Waldman, a combat-decorated fighter pilot for the United States Air Force, author of the New York Times bestseller "Never Fly Solo", and a Hall of Fame keynote speaker & leadership coach. The discussion includes Waldo's first introduction to aircraft, as his father (an aircraft mechanic) places him in the cockpit of a passenger jet...

In this edition of Veteran Voices, hosts Scott W. Luton & Kevin L. Jackson interview the founders of PRJKT VET: a Black, Disabled Veteran-owned company that focuses on helping veterans in their ventures after the military. Co-founders Jermaine Cohen and Rod Lee share their backgrounds, journeys & vision for the path ahead. Upcoming Events & Resources Mentioned in this Episode: Subscrib...

In this episode of Veteran Voices, host Scott W. Luton interviews Charles Walker, a Veteran of the U.S. Army. In the wide-ranging discussion, Charles shares about his upbringing, his passion for constant learning and leadership, and a promise that he made his mother - - one that he delivered on. You'll really enjoy Charles' "sheer, unbridled optimism" and world view. Upcoming Events & Resource...

In this special episode of Veteran Voices, host Scott W. Luton sits down with two very special people: Troy Boozer & Bruce Gillen. Scott served with both of these Veterans during his time on active duty at McConnell AFB in Wichita, Kansas - aka the Air Capital of the World. All three were part of a Data Analysis team that supported both air and maintenance operations for squadrons of KC-135 St...

In this episode of Veteran Voices, host Scott W. Luton gets to know U.S. Army combat veteran Adebayo Adeleke - - and learns about his journey from Southwest Nigeria to Fort Bragg, North Carolina, to Okinawa, Japan & beyond. Amongst other things, Adebayo shares how his supply chain career evolved, as well as how he's been a lifetime student of leadership. Adebayo Adeleke is a supply chain enthu...

In this episode of Veteran Voices, host Scott W. Luton talks with Dan Reeve from Esker, a veteran of the British Army and the Wisconsin National Guard. At the age of 4, Dan had a strong desire to serve in the military. During our conversation, he shares some of his perspective & experiences from being able to fulfill that dream, both in the British Armed Forces and here in the United States. D...