Veteran Lifestyle Magazine™

In this episode of the Veteran Lifestyle Magazine Podcast , hosts Annette Whittenberger and Joe Palacios sit down with Dave Rossberg , a former U.S. Navy nuclear submarine officer who transitioned into a successful career as a general contractor and business advisor. Dave shares his journey from structured military service to the unpredictable world of entrepreneurship, highlighting how leadership...

In a world where unanswered questions often accompany stories of those who have vanished, Melissa Twardowski stands as a beacon of perseverance and hope. For 35 long years, Melissa has been fighting to keep the memory and story of her sister, Deanna Maryfield, alive—a battle as much about seeking justice as it is about honoring Deanna’s life. Watch our interview with Melissa as we dive into what h...

Susan Haring is a woman of deep faith and unwavering dedication to serving others. While raising her children, Susan also loved volunteering to help   those in need. She supported women at a local pregnancy center, advocated for vulnerable youth as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (C.A.S.A.), and mentored high school students. By God’s grace, she has devoted her life to encouraging and uplifting...

Cowgirl-turned-nomadic-Navy-spouse-turned-author, Julie Tully writes about life, culture, and the places they intersect. Her own life reads like a novel—from her roots in rural Northern California to her time as a globehopping expat. She is equally at home on the back of a horse rounding up cattle as she is at a formal diplomatic dinner. Julie’s memoir, Dispatches From The Cowgirl: Through The Loo...

Chris Kruger grew up just outside Spokane, Washington, and joined the Army before turning 21, driven by a sense of purpose and a thirst for challenge. Over the next 22 years, he forged a diverse and demanding military career—starting as an infantryman and eventually becoming a Blackhawk maintenance test pilot. His journey took him from Basic Training and Airborne School at Fort Benning to Fort Bra...

Trish Leto is a U.S. Navy veteran, seasoned business coach, and faith-driven firecracker who’s been helping aspiring entrepreneurs monetize their skill sets for over a decade. She’s co-founded a national business conference, coached thousands into launching side hustles, and even paused her business post-pandemic to focus on her sobriety, life’s challenges,and recalibrate with integrity. Now, she’...

Brunella Costagliola is a ghostwriter, editor, award-winning author, journalist, and translator. Founder and owner of The Military Editor® Agency, LLC, a boutique ghostwriting and editing agency that caters to military authors and military-related manuscripts, Brunella has worked with some of the most prestigious literary agencies and publishing companies in the country, such as William Morris End...

Scott Neil is the President of American Freedom Distillery and a co-founder of Horse Soldier Bourbon, a premium American whiskey brand built on legendary service, resilience, and brotherhood. Founded in 2016 by a group of friends and retired Green Berets—including Scott—Horse Soldier Bourbon tells the powerful story of some of the first U.S. Special Forces teams deployed to Afghanistan following t...

In a recent episode of the Veteran Lifestyle Magazine podcast, Ann Claire Stapleton, an award-winning journalist turned psychedelic therapy advocate, shared her journey and insights into the transformative potential of Ibogaine and psychedelic therapies. This episode dives into the intersection of trauma, healing, and advocacy, offering a compelling narrative for veterans, military spouses, and in...

Meet Two Legends of Service and Resilience 🇺🇸   Joe Hildebrand and Mike “Mikey” Sauers are retired Navy SEALs whose courage on and off the battlefield continues to inspire. With over 39 years of combined military service, they’ve led from the front in some of the most intense combat zones, including Ramadi, Iraq. Joe, now a writer and mental health advocate, is sharing his recovery journey through...

Bridging the Gap: Conversations That Matter on the Veteran Lifestyle Magazine Podcast A Mission Beyond Words Annette Whittenberger opens the podcast with an introduction to Veteran Lifestyle Magazine and the mission that fuels the show. This endeavor goes beyond a typical podcast; it's a movement designed to celebrate the resilience of those who have served and bridge the gap between military...

Revving Up with Purpose: The Inspiring Journey of Operation MotorSports In the thrilling world of racing, where precision and adrenaline intersect, a unique program is driving change and offering new beginnings to military veterans. Operation Motor Sports is a standout initiative that leverages the high-energy environment of motorsports as a powerful recovery tool for veterans transitioning to civ...

Welcome back to another exciting feature from Veteran Lives, where we bring you stories of perseverance, transformation, and triumph. Today, we delve into the fascinating journey of DJ Cassandra, a remarkable individual who seamlessly blends her passion for music with advocacy and healing. Hosted by Annette Wittenberger, this captivating podcast episode explores how creativity transcends boundarie...

Dr. Anthony Randall is a transformative leader and the founder and president of Vanguard XXI, a leadership development and executive coaching company. His rich background in teaching, training, and coaching over 17,000 professionals across various sectors includes the US Army, Special Operations, Major League Baseball, Fortune 100 and 500 companies, and higher education. He is an International Coa...

From the Battlefield to the Boardroom: Alan Davis on Resilience, Reinvention, and Rising to Run At Veteran Lifestyle Magazine , we’re dedicated to sharing the raw, real, and remarkable journeys of veterans who continue to serve their communities long after hanging up the uniform. Our recent livestream podcast was no exception, as we welcomed a guest whose story is both powerful and profoundly huma...

An R&B group working to spread love, positivity, and joy through music, Smooth Nature embodies all R&B, with sounds of soul, rock, blues, jazz, funk, and hip-hop, giving you every piece of what R&B truly is. Smooth Nature uses music to motivate, inspire, and help people heal and grow! Follow them here: EPK LINK: https://www.thesmoothnature.com/epk MUSIC LINK: https://linktr.ee/smoothna...

Mark Clayton, born on July 2, 1982, is a former standout football player from Oklahoma University, where he excelled as a 2-time 1st Team All-American and served as team captain during his junior and senior years. He was part of several championship-winning teams, including the 2000 National Championship squad. Clayton’s professional career began when the Baltimore Ravens selected him in the first...

In this episode, we sit down with Jason Murff, U.S. Army veteran and founder of Grill Your Ass Off , a veteran-owned company spicing up the BBQ world. Jason shares his journey from military service to entrepreneurship, the mission behind his brand, and his advice for fellow veterans pursuing their dreams. Tune in for an inspiring conversation about resilience, community, and, of course, amazing ba...

Ray Palousek is a pianist, singer, songwriter & music educator from Holland, TX with over 15 years of performance experience. Palousek holds a Bachelors degree in Jazz Performance from Middle Tennessee State University. Palousek is a former cruise ship musician of 5 years, performing in 48 countries & territories. Palousek now resides in TX, where he plays all genres of music all across th...

Ray Palousek is a pianist, singer, songwriter & music educator from Holland, TX with over 15 years of performance experience. Palousek holds a Bachelors degree in Jazz Performance from Middle Tennessee State University. Palousek is a former cruise ship musician of 5 years, performing in 48 countries & territories. Palousek now resides in TX, where he plays all genres of music all across th...

Shahnaz is a Navy veteran who served from December 1995 to 2012. She was the second woman in her family to join the military. She completed several deployments, including a Westpac in 1996, Fallujah, Iraq in 2004 (where she was injured in combat), Kuwait in 2007, and a Med Cruise in 2010. She was medically retired due to her combat injuries in 2012, but she did not let limitations stop her. She ea...

Meet Tammie Curiel, a vibrant children's author from Los Angeles with a heart full of stories and a home bustling with the purrs of rescued cats. After many fulfilling years as a stay-at-home mom, Tammie decided it was time to embrace her passion for writing, diving into the world of children's books with boundless enthusiasm. Tammie's journey as a writer began early, with a deep love...

Kristen is a twenty-four-year old singer and songwriter based out of Belton, Texas. She grew up just north of Dallas in the town of Flower Mound. She's been singing her whole life, but decided to pick up a guitar and learn to song write at the beginning of 2023. "I love sharing my perception of the world around me and hope something is felt from my art." Her main genre is Indie/Pop,...