TheMilVet Podcast

In this episode of TheMilVet Podcast, host Beau Higgins sits down with Trey Hart , Co-Founder & Managing Partner of Valhalla Group and U.S. Army Reserves  Civil Affairs Officer for a powerful conversation on veterans transitioning into the world of private equity and venture capital. Trey shares his personal journey and how his background shaped his leadership, values, and investment strategy....

In this episode of TheMilVet Podcast , Beau Higgins sits down with Jason Grower, retired Navy Pilot and passionate veteran advocate, to talk about the realities of military transition — the good, the bad, and the uncertain. From losing a job offer weeks before retirement to finding renewed purpose through networking and community impact, Jason’s story is a roadmap for navigating life after service...

In this episode of TheMilVet Podcast, Beau Higgins sits down with Alex Lisot, former Air Force Officer and Founder of Master the Military, to discuss the most common — and often misunderstood — challenges veterans face during the transition to civilian life. From VA disability frustrations to rebuilding purpose and community, Alex shares how his platform is guiding thousands of veterans with pract...

In this powerful episode of TheMilVet Podcast , host Beau Higgins sits down with Kellie Hall Sbrocchi, an active duty Navy officer, trailblazing recruiter, digital influencer, and founder of the Why Not Do Both? Movement. Kellie shares her deeply personal journey—from resisting the idea of the Navy as a teen to rising as one of the service’s most visible and authentic voices. She opens up about br...

In this episode of The MilVet Podcast, host Beau Higgins sits down with retired Marine Corps Lieutenant Colonel Wayne Phelps, a 20-year veteran and accomplished author, to explore his remarkable journey from military service to the private sector and publishing world. Wayne shares candid stories from his time as a Low Altitude Air Defense (LAAD) officer and later as a pioneering UAV squadron comma...

In this special episode of TheMilVet Podcast , host Beau Higgins welcomes longtime friend and retired Marine Corps Colonel Tom Gordon, now serving as the Commandant of Cadets at The Citadel, one of the nation's premier senior military colleges. Tom shares his remarkable journey from aspiring Marine Corps Officer in junior high to leading Marines in some of the Corps’ most demanding roles — in...

In this special episode of the MilVet Podcast , host Beau Higgins sits down with a legendary Marine, friend, and former boss—General James Lukeman (Ret.), now President and CEO of the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation. With 40 years of active duty service, including command at every level from platoon to division, General Lukeman shares candid reflections on his journey from a Marine Corps family u...

Host Beau Higgins welcomes two powerhouse leaders from The Honor Foundation: Matt Stevens, CEO and former Navy SEAL, and Kelly McGraw, Chief Impact Officer and long-time Naval Special Warfare spouse. In this deep and personal episode, they explore the challenges and rewards of transitioning out of Special Operations and into civilian life. Matt shares his journey from SEAL Team leadership to Honor...

In this inspiring episode of The MilVet Podcast , host Beau Higgins sits down with Paul Hylenski, CEO and Founder of Vet Mentor AI, Marine Corps veteran, best-selling author, and 4x Tedx Speaker to explore his journey from the flight line to the forefront of artificial intelligence. After serving eight years in the Marine Corps — including at the prestigious Presidential Helicopter Squadron (HMX-1...

In this powerful episode of TheMilVet Podcast , host Beau Higgins sits down with fellow Marine veteran and entrepreneur Nick Powell, Vice President of Business Development at BigRentz, the nation's largest equipment rental network. Nick shares his incredible journey from a turbulent path in high school to the Marine Corps, where a chance encounter with a recruiter in dress blues changed the t...

In this riveting episode of TheMilVet Podcast , host Tim Hsia sits down with Gene Yu — a West Point graduate, former U.S. Army Special Forces officer, author, entrepreneur, and the man behind an audacious real-life hostage rescue mission. Gene shares the extraordinary story that inspired his new book, The Second Shot: A Green Beret’s Last Mission , recounting how a personal connection, combat expe...

In this powerful and wide-ranging conversation, host Beau Higgins sits down with Vincent "Rocco" Vargas, a man who has worn many uniforms—Army Ranger, Border Patrol Agent, Drill Sergeant, Actor, and more. From chasing a dream in college baseball to deploying with the elite 75th Ranger Regiment, Vincent shares how resilience, adaptability, and service shaped his journey across multiple ca...

In this episode of TheMilVet Podcast, host Beau Higgins sits down with Lewis Manalo, Co-Founder and Executive Producer at Old Glory Studios, for a wide-ranging conversation on his incredible journey—from NYU film school to combat engineer in the 82nd Airborne Division, and back to civilian life as a creative force in the gaming and film industries. Lewis shares how witnessing 9/11 from his Jersey...

In this powerful episode of TheMilVet Podcast , host Beau Higgins welcomes Marine Corps Veteran and current Mission Lead at Swarm Aero, Andrew “Andy” Christian, for an in-depth conversation that spans decades of service, personal evolution, and cutting-edge innovation. Andy shares his story of enlisting in the Marine Corps straight out of Wisconsin, deploying to Desert Storm just 90 days after boo...

In this compelling episode of the MilVet Podcast, host Beau Higgins is joined by Cassidy Nolan, a United States Marine Corps Veteran turned advocate for veterans' mental health. Cassidy opens up about his personal journey, from his time in service to his struggles with PTSD and the challenges many veterans face transitioning back to civilian life. Through candid conversation, Cassidy discusse...

In this powerful episode of the MilVet Podcast , host Beau Higgins sits down with Miki Nguyen to share the gripping story of his family's escape from Saigon during the fall of Vietnam in 1975. Miki’s father, a South Vietnamese military officer, made a heroic and daring escape, not just for his own family, but for his crew and countless others. Miki reflects on the extraordinary resilience and...

In this episode of the MilVet Podcast, host Beau Higgins is joined by Kevin Cornish, the founder and CEO of Moth + Flame, a groundbreaking company revolutionizing training through virtual reality. Kevin shares his journey from Hollywood to tech, detailing how he transitioned from aspiring filmmaker to leading a company at the forefront of AI and VR. He explains the power of immersive training expe...

In this episode of the Military Veteran Podcast, Tim Hsia sits down with Emery Wager, a Marine veteran, Stanford graduate, and the co-founder of Confido Legal. Emery takes us on a journey from his childhood in the Pacific Northwest to the competitive sailing world and his transition into the Marines. He reflects on his time at Stanford, where he balanced academics with sailing, and the decision th...

In this episode of the MilVet Podcast, host Beau Higgins sits down with Brian Coyne, a former Marine and current CEO in the private equity world. Brian shares his unique journey from serving 26 years in the U.S. Marine Corps to successfully transitioning into the private equity sector—a path less traveled by many veterans. Brian discusses how his military background in leadership, discipline, and...

Welcome back to The MilVet Podcast! In this episode, we sit down with Rich Comitz, a dedicated veteran and Chief Operating Officer at American Corporate Partners (ACP), to discuss his remarkable journey from military service to academia and finally to his current role helping veterans transition into civilian careers. Rich takes us through his time at West Point, his 23 years of service in the U.S...

In this episode of The MilVet Podcast, Joseph Cabrera from Mainshares joins hosts Brendan Aaronson and Beau Higgins to discuss search funds and small business acquisitions. Cabrera, a former Army officer and special ops veteran, shares his transition from military service to entrepreneurship, including a near-miss with Goldman Sachs. He discusses the importance of leadership, team building, and cr...

Welcome back to The MilVet Podcast! In this episode, we’re joined by Michael Halterman previously of The Honor Foundation to discuss the incredible work they’re doing to support veterans, particularly those in the special operations community, as they transition to civilian life. Michael takes us through his own journey, from being one of the first members of MARSOC to navigating the challenges of...

In this episode of The Military Veteran Podcast , we chat with Julie Cane, a former Navy pilot who made a successful transition from the military to the civilian workforce. From flying helicopters for Navy SEALs to leading a company focused on investing in democracy, Julie shares her fascinating journey and the lessons learned along the way. In this conversation, Julie opens up about her military...

In this episode of the MilVet Podcast, host Brendan Aaronson and co-host Beau Higgins sit down with retired three-star General Robert Ruark, a Marine Corps legend whose 36 years of service have left an indelible mark on both the military and nonprofit sectors. General Ruark, now the president and CEO of the Navy Marine Corps Relief Society, shares his extraordinary journey—from leading troops in c...

Today we’re joined by Roxanne Bras Petraeus, co-founder and CEO of Ethena, an innovative compliance training platform redefining how businesses approach ethics and culture. Roxanne shares her journey from serving as an Army Engineer and Rhodes Scholar to launching Ethena, a Series B company that's raised $50 million in venture capital. We dive into the inspiration behind Ethena and how it tra...