Hero Hut

Anthony Jennings lost his left leg at birth, but he never let that hold him back. Out of high school he moved to Hollywood to be a director but it turned out his handicap afforded him some unique acting jobs. After several roles portraying amputee veterans he was contacted by the defense department to help create an advanced combat training simulation. Partnering with the best movie special effects teams, Anthony would embed with units on their training mission until a critical moment when his trick leg would detonate. When not being a fake patient for real medics, Anthony has spent time as a police chaplain, motivational speaker, pastor, and now the director of a non-profit working with special needs kids in Haiti. You can check out Anthony's IMDB page, his organization Mission Bridge and his e-bike YouTube channel In Gear.      

Chuck Briseno was a bit of a rabble rouser as a teen, but a DUI caused him to get serious. A few years later he and buddy joined the Army out of junior college. Through his time in the military he had to navigate a variety of challenges including fear of heights at Airborne School, finding a way to take an SAT test while deployed in Afghanistan, and dealing with upperclassmen at West Point as a plebe with combat experience. And finally we'll learn how all of those stories work their way into the music he now writes and performs. Visit chuckbriseno.com to listen to his songs and find their tour dates and locations.      

The lingering effects of psychological scars are some of the biggest challenges facing military service members and first responders. It's a battle in the mind but it also affects a person's family and broader community. Miranda Briggs founded Fight the War Within after the passing of her husband Garrett. Their organization guides those suffering PTSD through a combination of therapies, medical treatments, support groups, and community involvement to offer a holistic approach to building and maintaining mental health.   

From a rough boot camp, to a wild pre-deployment party, Brandonn Mixon found comradery to be the thing that kept him going. But when an accident lead to his hospitalization and eventual medical discharge, he lost that community but not the desire to serve. That sent him on a journey to become a founding member of Veterans Community Project, and spearheading their tiny house program for homeless vets. You can also catch more of his story on Queer Eye Season 4.   

In this special episode leading up to St Patrick's Day we go back to the origins of Hero Hut. This roundtable discussion is lead by David Hoffmaster and features some of the key staff at Celtic MKE, Matt Jendrzejczyk, Mike Mitchell, and Melissa Ward, who are responsible for hosting the annual Milwaukee Irish Fest. The discussion covers the early days of the Hero Hut, the 40 year history of Irish Fest, and the need for community after a year of lock downs.  

Eric Upchurch was hoping to keep his head down and get through basic training without attracting attention. Except he kept excelling at everything the Army could throw at him. This landed him one of the toughest mechanic jobs in the military; patching up helicopters for special forces. After leaving the Army he found himself in a new kind of fight against the high cost of housing around San Francisco Bay. This lead to him cofounding Active Duty, Passive Income, a company dedicated to helping veterans make smart real estate choices.    

Eric Dobbs has been all over the world during his time in the Navy doing a dizzying array of jobs. Guarding enemy combatants in the Middle East, managing personnel in Africa, and helping US troops through a post deployment reintegration program in Europe. But it was during a vacation to Thailand that he learned the secrets of roasting coffee beans that would launch Seven Seas Roasting Co and the next chapter of his story.

Army helicopter pilot, RTAG founder, and author Erik Sabiston joins Hero Hut director David Hoffmaster to talk about Operation Hammerdown from the perspective of the Dustoff pilots called in to retrieve wounded soldiers from one of the most remote battlefields in Afghanistan. He also talks flying while afraid of heights, and a new training tool he is spearheading called Icarus that will help helicopter pilots prepare for the sudden lose of visual orientation due to clouds, fog or dust storms.   

Joshua Lee started his journey as a church youth leader in Alaska, aspiring hockey player, and then Air Force mechanic before finding his way to the Army as a helicopter pilot. He talks air assaults, medivacs, and the finer points of flying the Blackhawk. We also learn how he paved the way for more rotary pilots to join the ranks of airline captains through the non-profit he cofounded - RTAG.     

As a linebacker, Greg Washington hit like a truck for the Army Black Knights on the gridiron. But 6 years in the infantry hit back and Greg had to learn how to piece back together his health, his family, and his mental outlook. This journey led him to start the podcast Guards Down to engage with PTSD. We’ll hear what he’s learned from those conversations about treatment options, theories, tools, and techniques that help people get unstuck and overcome suicidal thoughts. We also spend some time on the crucial role of trust when working with translators.

Army Ranger Stephen Machuga was winding down his military career when 9-11 happened and he was stop lossed. We follow his story from ROTC through deployments in Kosovo and Iraq and eventually starting the nonprofit Stack Up which uses video games to build community and tackle mental health issues in the veteran community. We also gain some insight on the early years of the Iraq invasion and and how ludicrous and hazardous it was to drive in Baghdad even when people aren’t out to get you.