VET S.O.S. Podcast

In this impactful episode of VET S.O.S., hosts Shawn and Eric welcome retired U.S. Air Force Colonel Chris Roness, founder of Chris Roness Enterprises and creator of the transformative human performance and mindfulness system, "You Matter." Known by his call sign "Switch," Chris shares his extraordinary journey from enlisting in the Air Force to becoming a Special Operations helicopter pilot and o...

Welcome back to VET S.O.S. for an exciting launch of Season 3! In this powerful episode, hosts Shawn and Eric sit down with Jerry Young, the Director of Veteran Ambassadors at INVets—a dynamic nonprofit organization dedicated to connecting transitioning service members, veterans, and military spouses to high-quality career opportunities in Indiana. INVets has experienced incredible growth over the...

In this powerful episode of VET S.O.S., we welcome William Chesnutt, Marine Corps veteran and the visionary founder and CEO of Strategic Development Group LLC. William opens up about his transition from military service in 2021 to becoming a successful entrepreneur. He dives deep into how he leveraged his 3P Business Framework (People, Process, Performance) to help veterans and aspiring business o...

In this powerful episode of VET S.O.S., hosts Shawn Welsh and Eric Brew sit down with Stacey Gordon, a dedicated veteran advocate and life skills educator. Stacey shares her inspiring journey transitioning from a New Jersey public school teacher to a passionate military transition coach. Her personal experiences during 9/11, her mother’s brain aneurysm, and her grandmother’s battle with breast can...

In this powerful episode of VET S.O.S., hosts Shawn Welsh and Eric Brew sit down with Justin Pearson, a two-time founder and CEO of Mission Box Solutions. Justin opens up about his 20-year military career in the Airborne Infantry and US Army Recruiting Command and shares his deeply personal transition story. Drawing parallels between a near-drowning experience during a whitewater rafting trip and...

In this powerful episode of VET S.O.S., hosts Shawn Welsh and Eric Brew sit down with John Ellis, the inspiring founder and CEO of Mission Rehab, a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering veterans through job placement, skill building, and homeless prevention. John, a former Army food service specialist, opens up about his personal journey transitioning from military service to civilian lif...

Join us for an inspiring and deeply moving episode of VET S.O.S. as we welcome Amber Kulesza, a disabled Air Force veteran and founder of Amber's Adventures. Amber shares her powerful and transformative story of transitioning from 12 years of dedicated military service to becoming a passionate advocate for veterans navigating disabilities and prioritizing their mental and physical health. In this...

In this compelling episode of VET S.O.S., hosts Shawn and Eric sit down with Chris Lancia, a Tennessee Governor's Veteran Fellow and decorated U.S. Army veteran with over 25 years of service. Chris offers a deep dive into the Tennessee Governor's Veteran Fellowship Program, an innovative 12-month paid initiative that equips veterans with the skills and experience needed to transition into impactfu...

In this insightful episode of VET S.O.S., hosts Shawn Welsh and Eric Brew sit down with Lori Norris, the dynamic host of the Lessons Learned for Vets podcast and a leading authority on veteran career transitions. With nearly two decades of experience helping service members and veterans successfully navigate the civilian workforce, Lori shares invaluable strategies to help you thrive after militar...

In this powerful and heartfelt episode of VET S.O.S., hosts Shawn Welsh and Eric Brew engage in an in-depth conversation with Army veteran and dedicated mental health advocate Manny Vera. Manny shares his inspiring journey from serving as a Military Police officer to transitioning into law enforcement and ultimately finding his calling as a military peer recovery specialist at Here Tomorrow, a non...

In this insightful episode of VET S.O.S., hosts Shawn and Eric dive deep into the world of cybersecurity and how veterans can successfully transition into this high-demand field. Joining them are two industry leaders: Gunnar Kallstrom, a cyber team lead and former Army musician, and Keith Cassant, a veteran employment program manager at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA)....

In this powerful episode of VET S.O.S., hosts Shawn Welsh and Mark Elder sit down with Jim Zenner, the Director of Military and Veteran Affairs for Los Angeles County. Jim shares his inspiring journey from serving in the U.S. Army to becoming a leading advocate for veterans' mental health and homelessness support. His firsthand experience of overcoming adversity fuels his passion for creating impa...

In this impactful episode of VET S.O.S., Shawn and Mark sit down with Mark Casper, President and CEO of Tech for Troops, to explore how the organization is transforming the lives of veterans through technology and sustainability. Tech for Troops provides veterans and their families with access to essential IT training and computer literacy programs, helping them build valuable skills for the moder...

In this powerful episode of VET S.O.S., hosts Shawn Welsh and Eric Brew engage in an inspiring conversation with Peter Cline, an Army veteran and the visionary founder of Boots to Books. Peter candidly shares his personal journey transitioning from military service to civilian life and how his struggles ignited the creation of Boots to Books, a nonprofit dedicated to empowering veterans and their...

In this powerful and insightful episode of the VET S.O.S. Podcast, hosts Shawn Welsh and Eric Brew sit down with Dr. Paul Lawrence, an esteemed Army veteran and former Under Secretary of Benefits at the US Department of Veteran Affairs. Dr. Lawrence shares his remarkable journey and the pivotal role he played in improving veterans' access to their earned benefits. His latest book, "Veteran Benefit...

In this episode of VET S.O.S., hosts Shawn and Eric welcome Elena Comperatore, Director of Client Service Delivery, and Romaine Byrd, Georgia Program Manager at Hire Heroes USA. Discover how this impactful organization supports veterans and military spouses through personalized services like resume assistance, LinkedIn training, interview preparation, and comprehensive job search strategies that n...

In this episode of VET S.O.S., hosts Shawn and Eric sit down with Karleton Lawrence and Dara Lora, co-founders of MILCRUIT, an organization dedicated to supporting veterans and military families in their career transitions. Karl, a retired Marine and Director of Talent Grow Military, and Dara, a retired Air Force member and Acquisition Manager at Kinetics RPO, share their personal transition journ...

In this compelling episode of VET S.O.S., we welcome Aleha Ingle, a retired U.S. Air Force veteran with 21 years of service and the visionary founder of Work Culture Works. Aleha shares her inspiring transition story from military service to entrepreneurship during the challenging COVID-19 era. Frustrated by the inadequacies of the Transition Assistance Program (TAP), Aleha took matters into her o...

In this insightful episode of VET S.O.S., hosts Shawn Welsh and Eric Brew welcome Jennifer Burks, a program analyst specializing in personal branding and career marketing. As a military spouse and career transitioner, Jennifer shares her inspiring journey of overcoming challenges, leveraging personal networks, and building a successful career. Jennifer recounts her pivotal moment of resourcefulnes...

In this inspiring episode of VET S.O.S., hosts Shawn Welsh and Eric Brew welcome Patrice Sutherland, President and Chairman, and Amy Reiter, Director of Operations at MedTechVets. Founded in 2014 by Mike Minogue and Alex Gorsky, MedTechVets is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping military veterans transition into thriving careers in the medical technology industry, including medical devic...

In this empowering episode of VET S.O.S., hosts Shawn Welsh and Eric Brew welcome Clay Anderson, a 20-year Navy veteran and advocate for veteran transition success. Clay shares the incredible opportunities offered by the HKPO Veterans Academy, a 501(c)(3) DOD Skill Bridge Program providing high-value training in project management, Lean Six Sigma, and leadership development. Discover how this flex...