VET S.O.S. Podcast

In this powerful episode of the VET S.O.S. Podcast, we sit down with Beau Higgins, a retired Marine Corps officer and current Vice President of Talent Acquisition at Arcadia Group. Beau takes us through his transition from a 25-year career in the Marine Corps to corporate leadership, including his impactful tenure at Amazon and his groundbreaking work with Oplign, a tool designed to bridge the gap...

In this deeply impactful episode of VET S.O.S. Podcast, host Keith and Eric welcome Deny Caballero, a retired Green Beret, mental health advocate, blogger, podcaster, and mentor. Deny shares his inspiring journey from serving as a Green Beret to becoming a mental health advocate for veterans and civilians alike. Throughout their conversation, Deny delves into the emotional and psychological challe...

In this deeply moving episode of VET S.O.S., we welcome Jeremy Stalnecker, CEO of the Mighty Oaks Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping military veterans and their families heal from combat-related trauma, including PTSD. Jeremy, a Marine Corps veteran who served in Operation Iraqi Freedom and earned the Navy Commendation Medal with combat valor, shares his personal journey of...

In this powerful episode of VET S.O.S., we sit down with Angel Alvarez, a veteran coach, mentor, and founder of Soldier on a Mission, to discuss the essential tools and mindset veterans need to transition successfully to civilian life. Angel shares his incredible journey, including 21 years of service in the Army and 22 years in the U.S. Postal Service, where he experienced firsthand the challenge...

In this insightful episode of the VET S.O.S. Podcast, we are honored to be joined by Jack Tilley, the 12th Sergeant Major of the Army. After an illustrious 36-year military career, Jack continues to serve veterans through his dedicated work with organizations like the American Freedom Foundation and his own podcast, "Your Next Mission." Jack sheds light on his post-military efforts to help veteran...

🌟 Navigating Military-to-Civilian Career Transitions with Cheryl Cross 🌟 In this engaging episode of VET S.O.S., Cheryl Cross, an accomplished HR professional and Workforce Development Councilwoman in Hawaii, joins us to share her expertise and passion for supporting veterans and military spouses through the often-challenging transition to civilian life. Drawing from her extensive experience, Ch...

In this powerful episode of the VET S.O.S. Podcast, we welcome Michael Hall, a Navy Chief Petty Officer with 19 years of service and the visionary behind Hold the Reins. This Virginia-based organization uses equine therapy to support military personnel, veterans, and their families as they navigate the unique challenges of service life and transition to civilian life. Michael shares: - His persona...

In this episode, we welcome Michael Anthony, the Executive Director of Gratitude America, as he shares the powerful ways his organization is making a difference in the lives of veterans and their families. Michael’s journey from a Publix executive to nonprofit leader reflects his deep dedication to service and his passion for fostering post-traumatic growth. Gratitude America offers three life-cha...

In this powerful episode of VET S.O.S., we sit down with Jeremy Wahlberg, a retired military veteran with 27 years of service and the founder of Our Heroes Tour, a nonprofit dedicated to providing healing, joy, and community for military personnel, first responders, and their families. Jeremy opens up about his challenging transition from military life during the pandemic, which led him to an unex...

In this powerful episode, we explore the transformative work of Michael Cortina, a trauma resolution expert and founder of the revolutionary Cortina Method. Designed to heal trauma without forcing individuals to relive their pain, this neuroscience-based approach has a 90% success rate and can often resolve trauma in just one session. Michael’s innovative methodology is creating waves across vario...

In this inspiring episode, we welcome Reggie Mills, a retired Navy Master Chief Petty Officer and current Senior Director of Veteran Services at The COMMIT Foundation. Reggie takes us on a deeply personal journey, detailing his challenging transition from military service to civilian life—a period he candidly describes as a “dumpster fire.” From grappling with self-doubt and unemployment to discov...

In this powerful episode of the VET S.O.S. Podcast, hosts Shawn and Keith sit down with Todd Nelson, founder of Transition 30 and a financial advisor, to discuss how transitioning service members can confidently move into their post-military lives. Todd's personal journey, from serving as a minister to becoming a financial advisor, highlights the importance of trust, adaptability, and a passion fo...

Welcome to Season Four of the VET S.O.S. Podcast! In this powerful episode, hosts Shawn Welsh and new co-host Keith Cassant are joined by Chris Elder and Yogi Hernandez, the co-hosts of the Mil2Vet podcast. Chris and Yogi share their unique and inspiring experiences of transitioning from military service to civilian life. They highlight the challenges and emotional toll that veterans face during t...

In this powerful and heartfelt episode of VET S.O.S., Shawn Welsh welcomes Eric Brew, who now serves as the Georgia Director for Warriors Set Free. Eric opens up about his transformative journey from co-host to fully dedicating himself to this life-changing ministry. Warriors Set Free is committed to helping veterans, active duty personnel, and first responders grow spiritually, heal from past tra...

Join hosts Shawn Welsh and Keith Cassant as they celebrate a major milestone—100 episodes and two incredible years of the VET S.O.S. Podcast! This special episode features Alfredo Torres, a 13-year Navy veteran and executive assistant at the U.S. Forest Service. Alfredo is well-known for his vibrant "Paisley Prince" persona and his impactful virtual community, Alfredo's Coffee House, where veteran...

In this powerful episode of the VET S.O.S. podcast, Shawn Welsh and guest co-host Keith Cassant sit down with Kimberly Pickens, an OEF/OIF Air Force veteran and incoming member of the Nevada Air National Guard. Kimberly opens up about her personal journey transitioning from military service and how her experiences have fueled her passion for supporting veterans in Northern Nevada. As the Outreach...

In this powerful episode of VET S.O.S., hosts Shawn and Keith welcome David Tenenbaum, an Air Force veteran, entrepreneur, and founder of Honor Media and Heroes Network. David opens up about the challenges he faced transitioning from military service to civilian life and how those experiences fueled his passion for creating meaningful support systems for veterans and their families. David introduc...

In this episode of the VET S.O.S. Podcast, Navy veteran and intelligence professional Marisol Maloney shares her inspiring journey from military service to launching her own consulting business, Secret Squirrel Consulting. Marisol dives deep into the challenges and strategies of transitioning from the military, emphasizing the importance of tailoring resumes, leveraging LinkedIn, and preparing ear...

In this impactful episode of the VET S.O.S. podcast, host Shawn and Keith engage in a compelling conversation with Marine veteran and founder of Semper Forward Mission Wisconsin, Steve Janke. Steve opens up about his unique transition from active military duty to managing his family's dairy farm and eventually entering the world of politics and government service. He sheds light on the obstacles s...

In this episode of VET S.O.S., hosts Shawn Welsh and Keith Cassant welcome Annie Brock, President and CEO of the Leader Transition Institute (LTI). Annie shares her inspiring journey from an enlisted soldier to a medevac helicopter pilot and military spouse, and how her personal challenges led her to create LTI—a life-changing program that helps service members, veterans, and military spouses tran...

Join us for Season 3, Episode 15 of the VET S.O.S. podcast as we welcome Blake Sudeck and Angel Lotti from the Ding King Training Institute! In this insightful episode, Blake, the Vice President of Ding King, and Angel, a U.S. Army veteran and proud graduate of the program, share how the institute empowers transitioning service members and veterans to build successful, sustainable careers in the a...

In this insightful episode of VET S.O.S., hosts Shawn Welsh and Keith Cassant sit down with Bill Kieffer, an Army veteran with over 23 years of professional HR experience and the President of Kieffer & Associates Limited. Bill shares his deep knowledge and personal experiences navigating the complex path from military service to a successful civilian career. Bill introduces his latest book, Ve...

Join us for Season 3, Episode 13 of VET S.O.S. as we welcome Molly Bode, Executive Director of Kentucky Valor! Molly shares how Kentucky Valor, an initiative of the Kentucky Science and Technology Corporation, is breaking down barriers for veterans and their families by providing accelerated occupational licensure pathways and career opportunities in Kentucky. In this episode, Molly dives deep int...

In this inspiring episode of VET S.O.S., hosts Shawn Welsh and Keith Cassant welcome Nila Thompson, Chief of Staff at Talent Ascend. Nila shares her powerful and deeply personal journey as a military spouse navigating her husband Bruce's transition out of the military. She candidly discusses the emotional and practical challenges they faced, highlighting the importance of honest communication, pro...

In this powerful and inspiring episode of VET S.O.S., hosts Shawn and Eric sit down with Kristen Christy, co-creator of the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline and America's resilience trainer. Kristen courageously shares her deeply personal journey growing up in a dedicated Air Force family, navigating the challenges of military life, and overcoming the tragic loss of her husband to suicide in 2008....