VET S.O.S. Presents The Scoop

Before you agree to a stent or bypass, hear about the heart therapy millions of Americans still don't know exists. EPISODE PREMISE What happens when a retired Coast Guard Master Chief is told invasive heart procedures are his best option—but refuses to stop asking questions? In this episode of The Scoop , Jack Clifford shares how discovering Enhanced External Counterpulsation (EECP) changed th...

Sometimes surviving the war isn't the hardest part. Surviving what comes after is. EPISODE PREMISE After more than two decades in the Army, Chris Kruger believed he could carry every burden alone. Multiple deployments, years of buried trauma, alcohol, and silent struggles eventually brought him to the edge of suicide before he found a path back through faith, counseling, accountability, and co...

Most veterans don't need another certification—they need a strategy for what comes next. EPISODE PREMISE Many veterans leave the military believing they're behind everyone else in the civilian workforce. Albert Bellamy challenges that mindset head-on. After serving 23 years in the Marine Corps, Albert successfully reinvented himself as a data analytics professional, author, and career coac...

Most veterans aren't broke because they lack discipline—they never learned how their benefits actually work. EPISODE PREMISE After nearly three decades in the Army, John Collins discovered he had been leaving money on the table—and realized thousands of service members were doing the same thing. That realization sparked a mission to teach military members how to understand their pay, benefits,...

Military transition doesn’t end at retirement. Sometimes the hardest battle starts in silence. In this episode, you’ll discover: What happens when a veteran spends 31 years in uniform, reaches the top of military leadership, then suddenly has to answer one question: Who am I now? Jason “Jay” France didn’t just talk about transition—he walked through it. Literally. Two weeks after retiring from the...

Many veterans know what they survived—but not why they were sent there. EPISODE PREMISE Most war conversations focus on combat. This one focuses on what happens when veterans return home carrying trauma tied not just to what happened—but to what was never explained. Retired Air Force lieutenant colonel Eric W. Hommel takes listeners inside submarines, Afghanistan, the Pentagon, Congress, and the V...

Description: Griffin Brand joins the VET S.O.S. Network to dive into personal ownership, leadership, and the mindset needed to stop waiting and start executing. In this episode, we explore: • Why waiting for permission is holding you back• The importance of self-belief before evidence• Leadership lessons from the 75th Ranger Regiment• How to push through adversity and stay the course Whether you’r...

Your brain scans are “normal”—so why are the headaches, brain fog, and anxiety getting worse? Most veterans with concussion symptoms are told some version of the same story: rest, medication, therapy, and time. But what happens when years pass—and the symptoms never leave? This episode takes a hard look at one of the veteran community’s most misunderstood invisible wounds. Host Kings Scott sits do...

Description: Rand Timmerman joins the VET S.O.S. Network to dive into overcoming trauma, addiction, and identity loss after military service—and how he found healing through spirituality, recovery, and hiking the Appalachian Trail. In this episode, we explore:• The long-term impact of Vietnam War trauma• Battling alcoholism and finding recovery through faith• Lessons in purpose, reflection, and in...

Description: Tristian Smith joins the VET S.O.S. Network to dive into his journey from the foster care system to becoming a U.S. Army officer and advocate for foster youth. In this episode, we explore: • Overcoming trauma, poverty, and instability• The power of mentorship and support systems• How military structure and discipline created purpose• Turning lived experience into advocacy and impact W...

Description: Keely Pate joins the VET S.O.S. Network to dive into redefining failure and embracing imperfection as a pathway to growth. In this episode, KP shares powerful insights from his military career and personal journey, highlighting how resilience, authenticity, and purpose shape strong leaders. In this episode, we explore: • How failure becomes the foundation for growth and success • Why...

Description: Ashton Kroner joins the VET S.O.S. Network to dive into the growing cancer crisis affecting veterans and share insights on early detection, mental health, and advocacy. In this episode, we explore: • Why veterans face a higher risk of cancer due to military exposures • The importance of early detection and new multi-cancer blood testing • The emotional and mental health impact on vete...

Description: Dr. John A. King joins the VET S.O.S. Network to dive into trauma recovery, performance mindset, and how to turn pain into purpose-driven leadership. In this episode, we explore: • Why high performers often struggle internally • The difference between burnout and sustainable performance • How unaddressed trauma impacts identity, relationships, and leadership Whether you're navigat...

Description: Jack Ratliff joins the VET S.O.S. Network to dive into the mindset required to endure Navy SEAL training and share insights on leadership, resilience, and life after military service. In this episode, we explore:• Why endurance is a decision—and how to train your mind not to quit• The power of breaking challenges into small, winnable moments• Leadership lessons from SEAL training, adv...

Description: Brian Muka joins the VET S.O.S. Network to dive into how fear—often misunderstood—can be transformed into a powerful tool for growth, leadership, and resilience. In this episode, we explore:• Why fear and excitement are biologically the same signal• How to turn fear into fuel instead of limitation• Practical ways to regulate your mindset and nervous system• Using adversity and mental...

Description: SFC (Ret.) William “Stevo” Stephens Jr. joins the VET S.O.S. Network to dive into veteran mental health, identity loss after service, and the healing journey behind The Broken Mirror . In this episode, we explore: • The hidden struggles veterans face after leaving the military• How storytelling and vulnerability can unlock healing• Rebuilding purpose, identity, and family connections...

Description: Douglas M. Katz joins the VET S.O.S. Network to explore how innovation, entrepreneurship, and resilience intersect with disability and human potential. A West Point graduate, disabled Army veteran, and inventor, Doug shares how personal challenges led him to design adaptive products—including an innovative kitchen knife—and develop the concept of the Ability Curve , which reframes dis...

Description: Marie Slider Henriksen joins the VET S.O.S. Network to dive into trauma recovery, addiction, PTSD, and what it truly means to heal out loud. A former U.S. Army combat medic, Marie shares her journey through childhood trauma, deployment to Iraq, medical discharge, sobriety, and rebuilding her life through poetry, faith, and community. In this episode, we explore: • The hidden weight of...

Description: Russ and Mike join the VET S.O.S. Network to dive into retirement income strategy, Social Security optimization, and lifetime tax efficiency. Their book Beyond Break Even challenges the traditional “break-even” mindset and introduces a smarter, more strategic framework. In this episode, we explore: • The 5 Pillars of Retirement Optimization • Why Social Security is more powerful than...

Kijuan “Kiwi” Amey joins The Scoop on the VET S.O.S. Network to dive into overcoming trauma, redefining identity, and transforming pain into purpose. After surviving a catastrophic motorcycle accident that left him blind and fighting for his life, Kiwi chose resilience over resentment. In this episode, we explore: • The crash that changed everything• Rebuilding life after blindness and severe inju...

Description: Alecia Tolver and Eric Brew join the VET S.O.S. Network for a powerful conversation on leadership, coaching, faith, and purpose after military service. This episode of The Scoop explores what it really takes to move from service to significance—without losing yourself in the transition. In this episode, we explore:• Identity beyond the uniform and rank• Coaching vs. fixing—why veteran...

Julie Tully joins the VET S.O.S. Network to explore identity, resilience, and reinvention after nearly two decades overseas as a military and diplomatic spouse. Drawing from her memoir Dispatches from the Cowgirl , Julie shares what it’s really like to navigate culture shock, community, humor, and reintegration after long-term service abroad. In this episode, we explore: • Life overseas as a milit...

Frank Zaccari joins the VET S.O.S. Network to dive into why so many veterans and leaders feel stuck after major life transitions—and how clarity, not hustle, is the key to moving forward. In this episode, we explore:• The loss of identity and structure after military service• How trauma, grief, and burnout quietly keep us stuck• Translating military experience into civilian and leadership success•...

Aaron Wayne Hudgins joins the VET S.O.S. Network for a deeply impactful episode of The Scoop , sharing his journey through leadership, loss, and survivor advocacy after more than 26 years of military service. A retired U.S. Army First Sergeant and Pentagon Survivor Advisory Working Group member, Aaron explores how grief reshaped his purpose—and how veterans can better understand the internal battl...

Dr. Charles “Charlie” Powell joins the VET S.O.S. Network on The Scoop to dive deep into PTSD, veteran mental health, and the realities of healing beyond traditional systems . After serving as a combat medic, Naval officer, and physician, Dr. Powell shares how years of silent suffering led him to new perspectives on trauma, recovery, and purpose—and why community and awareness save lives . In this...