Warriors & Quiet Waters Podcast

This episode is the first of our series featuring our partners from the Warrior Support Network. The Warrior Support Network is a trusted coalition of reputable organizations working together to provide warriors with targeted, high-quality support in the areas that matter most. Through these partnerships, warriors can access critical resources in mental health, physical health, suicide prevention,...

Shelli Gordon is a U.S. Air Force veteran, military spouse, caregiver, volunteer, and advocate whose life has been shaped by service. In this episode, Shelli shares her experience supporting her husband after deployment, the challenges of caregiving, and the importance of finding support for herself along the way. She reflects on the role Warriors & Quiet Waters played in helping her build com...

In this episode, Greta shares about her new book, "Our War After the War", which chronicles her journey as a caregiver spouse to a SOF veteran. She examines the challenges of healing from infidelity, coping with a spouse suffering from post-traumatic stress, TBI, and executive dysfunction, and navigating the systems that were supposed to help them. Greta shares how hope was found through veteran s...

In this episode, we sit down with a WQW alum, a former U.S. Coast Guard officer, and the author of The Starfish Chronicles to explore her journey through service, storytelling, and healing.   She shares what drew her to the Coast Guard, the experiences that shaped her during years of federal service and deployment, and how those experiences eventually became part of her writing and advocacy....

In this very special episode of the Warriors & Quiet Waters Podcast, we are joined by three amazing members of our community who have made a tremendous impact on our mission: Lynn Weidinger, Tom Stiffler, and Lee Rimkus.   Lynn, Tom, and Lee were selected this year as our inaugural WQW Champions, an honor established by the Board of Directors to recognize those who have had the greatest i...

We’re joined by Eeland Stribling , stand-up comedian, former wildlife biologist, and environmental educator whose work lives at the intersection of humor, storytelling, and the outdoors. In this conversation, we talk about how nature brings people together, the experiences outside that stay with us, and why connection to wild places so often grows into a desire to protect them. It’s a thoughtful c...

In this episode, John discusses the growing body of research surrounding psychedelic-assisted therapies and their potential role in addressing mental health challenges that many veterans continue to face. He explains how organizations like VETS work to expand awareness, advocate for continued research, and help veterans navigate access to emerging treatments, often outside the United States....

Former paratrooper Javan Bair of the 82nd Airborne Division, who currently serves as the Community Outreach Specialist for the Marcus Institute for Brain Health, joins the podcast to discuss traumatic brain injuries and the work being done at the Marcus Institute for Brain Health. He shares how TBIs often go undiagnosed, the wide range of symptoms veterans experience, and how the Institute’s inten...

In our first season, we explored the creation of the Built for More program. In this episode, Chief Program Officer Chip Raybon and WQW Alum Luke Thompson join us to discuss the program’s development and explain how and why it empowers participants to build a thriving, purpose-driven life. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We sat down with Bryan Pieschel, Director of Veteran Services at Dogs For Our Brave (DFOB). Their mission is to provide professionally trained service dogs at no cost to wounded veterans who have honorably served our country. Bryan shares the story of DFOB's founding from a "gift of love," his involvement with the organization, and how the program continues to grow to meet the evolving needs of ve...

Bill Jarboe is a WQW Alum and is the Chief Surf Instructor at the Warrior Surf Foundation. The Warrior Surf Foundation uses surfing, yoga, and wellness coaching to provide a holistic mental and emotional wellness program to veterans who are overcoming trauma and seeking a new community post-transition. You can learn more about the Warrior Surf Foundation on their website: warriorsurf.org Hosted on...

Spencer Sullivan discusses his new book Not Our Problem and the lasting bond he formed with Afghan interpreter Abdulhaq Sodais. What began as a working relationship in Afghanistan continued after the U.S. withdrawal, as Abdulhaq faced a long and uncertain path toward safety. The conversation explores loyalty, responsibility, and the human cost of promises made during war. Spencer and his co-author...

Warriors & Quiet Waters is a veteran service organization (VSO) and an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that empowers post-9/11 combat veterans and their loved ones to thrive and live purpose-driven lives through peak experiences in nature, meaningful relationships, and a sense of community. In this episode, we’re honored to welcome Son Tao, a Warriors & Quiet Waters alumnus wh...

Warriors & Quiet Waters is a veteran service organization (VSO) and an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that empowers post-9/11 combat veterans and their loved ones to thrive and live purpose-driven lives through peak experiences in nature, meaningful relationships, and a sense of community. In this powerful episode, I’m joined by Air Force veteran Matthew Landis to share his inspi...

Veterans Day Special: Two Marines, Two Generations, One Mission In this special Veterans Day episode, we sit down with two Marines from different generations whose stories reflect both the challenges and enduring strength of military service. Vietnam veteran and longtime WQW volunteer Lee Rimkus joins us alongside WQW alumnus and staff member Curtis Wellock, an Afghanistan combat veteran. Together...

Warriors & Quiet Waters is a veteran service organization (VSO) and an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that empowers post-9/11 combat veterans and their loved ones to thrive and live purpose-driven lives through peak experiences in nature, meaningful relationships, and a sense of community. In this episode, we dive into the inspiring stories of WQW long-time photographer Mike MacL...

Warriors & Quiet Waters is a veteran service organization (VSO) and an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that empowers post-9/11 combat veterans and their loved ones to thrive and live purpose-driven lives through peak experiences in nature, meaningful relationships, and a sense of community. In this episode of Built for More , we dive deep into one of the core pillars of the progra...

This episode features U.S. Marine Corps Lieutenant Colonel (Reserve) and Reveal Technology founder Garrett Smith, joined by Warriors & Quiet Waters CEO Brian Gilman. Garrett shares his journey from enlisting in the Marine Corps after 9/11 alongside his younger brother, serving as an enlisted rifleman, and later commissioning as a ground intelligence officer. He recounts deployments to Afghanis...

“Volunteering is the ultimate exercise in democracy. You vote in elections once a year, but when you volunteer, you vote every day about the kind of community you want to live in.” – Marjorie Moore In honor of National Nonprofit Day, we’re spotlighting the people and organizations working daily to strengthen communities and serve others. In this episode, we sit down with representatives from the T...

Behind the Scenes of Mending the Line With Writer Steve Camelio & Director Josh Caldwell In this special episode, we’re joined by Steve Camelio, writer of the film Mending the Line , and Josh Caldwell, the film’s director. If you’ve seen the movie, you might recognize a familiar place. Part of it was filmed right at Quiet Waters Ranch, and the final scene even features a powerful nod to Warrio...

Alumni Advisory Council joined WQW’s podcast with guest host Aaron Demro, a U.S. Army veteran and WQW Board Secretary. On this special episode, the AAC members share their personal stories—offering a powerful glimpse into life after service, the challenges of transition, and how programs like the AEP have helped them reconnect, grow, and lead. Their voices reflect not only the impact of WQW’s miss...

Warriors & Quiet Waters is a veteran service organization (VSO) and an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that empowers post-9/11 combat veterans and their loved ones to thrive and live purpose-driven lives through peak experiences in nature, meaningful relationships, and a sense of community. A core pillar of our Built for More Program—and really all of our programs from the beginni...

Warriors & Quiet Waters is a veteran service organization (VSO) and an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that empowers post-9/11 combat veterans and their loved ones to thrive and live purpose-driven lives through peak experiences in nature, meaningful relationships, and a sense of community. Join me for a very special episode in honor of Memorial Day as I sit down with Dr. Pat Scan...

Warriors & Quiet Waters is a veteran service organization (VSO) and an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that empowers post-9/11 combat veterans and their loved ones to thrive and live purpose-driven lives through peak experiences in nature, meaningful relationships, and a sense of community. Join us for an special episode with Warriors & Quiet Waters Founder Colonel Eric Hastin...

Warriors & Quiet Waters is a veteran service organization (VSO) and an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that empowers post-9/11 combat veterans and their loved ones to thrive and live purpose-driven lives through peak experiences in nature, meaningful relationships, and a sense of community. Join us for an inspiring episode with United States Post-9/11 Combat Veteran Navy Corpsman...