The Soldier for Life Podcast

We talked in detail about what the Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) is on our last Soldier for Life Podcast episode, so this week, we are going to dig deeper and discuss the factors that you need to consider in making your decision about whether or not to participate in the SBP as we sit down again with Patty Cruz, the Deputy Director of Army Retirement Services and the Army Survivor Benefit Plan Progr...

The Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) provides peace of mind to Retired Soldiers and their families by providing a portion of a Retired Soldier's retired pay to their survivors after the Soldier dies. Learn more about how SBP works and the decisions that you need to make about it during your Army retirement planning process on this week's Soldier for Life Podcast episode as we talk with Patty Cruz, the...

The U.S. Army Reserve Private Public Partnership (P3) program provides one-on-one, personalized assistance to Army Reserve Soldiers, family members, and veterans to help them find meaningful employment with the help their Army Reserve Employment Specialists (ARES) across the country. Learn more on this week's new Soldier for Life Podcast episode as we chat with the Director of the P3 Office, Mr. M...

The U.S. Army Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps – or Army JROTC – program offers amazing and life-changing experiences for America's youth AND for our Soldiers for Life (including eligible veterans, Retired Soldiers, and currently-serving Reserve Component Soldiers) who can continue their service outside of uniform and give back to their communities as JROTC instructors. Learn more about eve...

Ever wonder why we talk so much about networking and the importance of having a mentor when it comes time to find post-military employment? Find out in this week's Soldier for Life Podcast as we talk with Leslie Coffey, the Vice President of Military Engagement for American Corporate Partners (ACP), about the important roles mentorship and networking play in helping transitioning Soldiers, veteran...

Vet Tix provides free tickets to sporting events, concerts, performing arts, educational, and family activities to service members, veterans, and Gold Star Families, giving them positive family and life experiences during and after their years of service to our country. Learn more about Vet Tix and the work that they do to support our military and veteran families on this week's Soldier for Life P...

Operation Homefront provides relief and recurring family support programs and services to help military and veteran families overcome short-term difficulties, including critical financial assistance, housing assistance, the Back to School Brigade, the Holiday Toy Drive, Holiday Meals for the Military, the Military Child of the Year Award, and more! Learn more about the work that Operation Homefron...

Want the inside scoop about the U.S. Army Soldier for Life program and the Army Retirement Services Office? And why the Soldier for Life Mindset is so important? On this week's all new #SoldierForLifePodcast episode, COL Samantha Frazier (the Director of the Soldier for Life Program) and Maria Bentinck (the Director of Army Retirement Services) give you the 411 about our two programs that share an...

An extremely important piece of information that every retiring United States Army Reserve or Army National Guard Soldier needs to know is that they MUST APPLY to receive their retired pay - this is NOT automatic. On this week's all new Soldier for Life Podcast episode, host Maria Bentinck, the Director of Army Retirement Services, talks with LTC John Broderick, the Chief of the Gray Area Retireme...

Are you thinking about your United States Army Reserve or Army National Guard retirement? If so, this Soldier for Life Podcast episode is one you don't want to miss! Join host Maria Bentinck, the Director of Army Retirement Services, as she chats with LTC Stephanie Hill, the Branch Chief of the Army Reserve Retirement Services Office, and MAJ Amanda Waller, the Section Chief of Army National Guard...

Task Force Movement works with the private sector, military, academia, and government and nongovernment organizations to help identify and solve problems that our military and veteran families face when it comes to finding civilian employment AND to help create smoother civilian career pathways for the military community. Learn more from our discussion with Elizabeth Murray-Belcaster, the Executiv...

We've all heard the term Space-A travel, but have you ever wondered what it is and how it works? Or how you can take advantage of Space-A flights, Space-A lodging, and military recreational lodging as a service member, military retiree, veteran with a service-connected disability, and more? You can find out on this week's new Soldier for Life Podcast as we chat with Ms. Stephanie Montague, the spo...

Our Soldiers for Life are Army ambassadors. They are amazing individuals who chose to dedicate themselves to serving their country, to making a difference. They help people in their communities understand - and connect with - our Army. And they help inspire the next generation to serve. And one of the most important ways that they do all of this is by telling their Army and Soldier for Life storie...

If you are going through the Army medical retirement/separation process (we're including Soldiers, their families AND their Army commanders in that "you"), there is a LOT to know and do, but like everything we talk about, there are MANY resources out there to help. And on this week's all new Soldier for Life Podcast, Mr. Lemuel (Lem) Chance from the U.S. Army Physical Disability Agency walks you t...

Are you planning for your U.S. Army retirement? If so, this week's Soldier for Life Podcast episode includes everything that you will need to know for your retirement planning journey! Listen as CW3 (Ret.) Lynn Peterson - the RSO Program Manager for the Army Retirement Services Office and our all-around retirement planning guru - shares LOADS of information and resources about planning steps, reti...

On this week's Soldier for Life Podcast, we are excited to talk about the Army's upcoming 250th birthday celebration and the commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the American Revolutionary War. Listen as we sit down with Captain Jonathan Bratten, the command historian for the Maine Army National Guard and the National Guard Bureau's Revolutionary War 250 liaison officer to the U.S. Army Cente...

The Warrior-Scholar Project hosts intensive, one-week college-prep academic boot camp programs for enlisted service members and veterans at America's top universities to help ease their transition from the military to higher education. Learn more as we chat with the CEO of the Warrior-Scholar Project, Ryan Pavel.

Want to hire some incredibly talented employees at your company or organization? (We know you are, of course, emphatically nodding your head yes.) Then you should really be thinking about transitioning Soldiers, veterans, and military spouses! On this week's brand new Soldier for Life Podcast, we talk with Ms. Lisa Rosser, the CEO and Founder of an organization called The Value Of a Veteran, about...

Looking for a resource to help you find your next career OR valuable military talent for your organization (because I hope we all know what a smart move that is for any company!)? On this week's Soldier for Life Podcast, we chat with Kandi Tillman, the Co-Founder of 50strong, an organization that helps connect service members, veterans, military-connected students, and spouses with employers AND e...

NPower offers free virtual tech training programs, job placement assistance, and professional development opportunities for military and veteran families. Learn more as we sit down with Kendra Parlock, the Vice President of Partnership Development for NPower.

The MyArmyBenefits website is the U.S. Army's official one-stop shop for information about all of the federal and state benefits that Soldiers, veterans, and their families have earned from serving their country in the United States Army. The website even includes planning calculators to help with things like Army retirement, survivor benefits, and deployment! Learn all about this fantastic resour...

The Manufacturing Institute's Heroes MAKE America program provides training and resources to help prepare individuals in the military and veteran communities for careers in the manufacturing industry. On today's Soldier For Life Podcast, we chat with Amy Thomas, the National Director of the Heroes MAKE America program, about their efforts to build a pipeline of military-trained and industry-certif...

National Veterans Small Business Week is November 11-15, so today, we are talking about the importance of celebrating NVSBW AND all of the fantastic resources that the United States Small Business Administration offers to help our military families on their entrepreneurial journey. Our guest on the show is Mr. Robert Yannuzzi, the SBA's Assistant Administrator for its Office of Veterans Business D...

The U.S. Patent and Trademark office offers numerous resources for entrepreneurs in the military community to help them make their business ownership dreams a reality. Learn more about what the USPTO can do for you as a new or future military-connected business owner from this week's Soldier For Life Podcast discussion with the USPTO's Christina Whitaker. And be sure to visit the USPTO's Entrepren...

Are you a Soldier or veteran who is interested in pursuing an education degree? Then this brand new Soldier For Life Podcast episode is just for YOU! Tune in to hear our discussion with Service to School CEO Alec Emmert about the free college and grad school application counseling, mentorship, and resources they offer to veterans and service members.