Veteran’s PATH
By Jon Macaskill
Veteran’s PATHJan 29, 2021
Army Special Forces Captain who lost both legs and three fingers in an IED Explosion, Ben Harrow
Ben (@bharrow37 on IG) reminds us to "take a knee" - take some time to assess where you are, what's going on in life, and what you need. And his story is incredible.
Want to know about mental toughness - Ben's story will help you get some perspective!
Born in Brooklyn, New York, Ben Harrow grew up in Great Neck, Long Island. After graduating from the Woodberry Forest School in Virginia, he attended the United States Military Academy, where he was a 4-year letterman on the Lacrosse team that made NCAA appearances in 2003,2004, 2005. His senior year on the lacrosse team he was awarded the “Unsung Hero” Award for his selfless contributions to the team.
He commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Infantry, attended Airborne School, Infantry Officer Basic Course, and Ranger School. He was an Infantry Platoon leader with 1st CAV division, and deployed to Iraq for 15 months with his platoon. Upon return from Iraq he immediately attended Special Forces Assessment and Selection, was selected and began the Special Forces Qualification Course.
In 2010, CPT Ben Harrow earned the coveted “green beret” and Special Forces tab. He was a Special Forces Detachment Commander, and led two separate Operational Detachment Alphas on deployments to Afghanistan supporting Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force-Afghanistan.
On 15May2012 CPT Harrow stepped on an IED resulting in the amputation of both legs above the knee, two fingers on his right hand, as well as other injuries. During his recovery, he refused to give into his circumstances, and by his own ingenuity discovered a medical procedure to not only get himself up and walking but other wounded service members as well. He resides with his wife, and two children in Bethesda, MD and is the VP of Business Operations at PAM JETS. CPT Harrow was awarded three bronze stars, and a purple heart, amongst other awards.
Marine Corps infantry officer veteran and former FBI special agent Killian Hemmy
Killian had a life changing moment... literally dying and being brought back to life... which changed him forever after.
Check out Killian on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/killian-hemmy
Contact him to share your story of resilience - killian@reflectionsonresilience.com
Marine Officer Veteran Turned Boxing Gym Owner and Entrepreneur, “Iron Mike” Steadman
Naval Surface Warfare Officer Clint Blankenship
Navy Linguist now helping military members and veterans overcome obstacles - Sabrina Ciaciura
Sabrina is a Navy Crytpologic Technician (Interpretrive). originally from Minnesota, served in the Navy for 6 years as a linguist. I got out January 2019 and now I lives in Australia.
She has her degree in Family Social Science, and have studied psychology. She currently runs her own business as a online mentor for veterans and military members.
She strives to provide tools to help those who wish to become free of the patterns and habits that trap them in unhappiness. She has an emphasis and passion on unraveling trauma and childhood wounds.
Get a hold of Sabrina here:
LinkedIn : www.linkedin.com/in/sabrina-ciaciura-3030061b2
Instagram instagram.com/sabrinaciaciura?igshid=6d39yucq3m7r
YouTube: youtube.com/channel/UCLnl-z9yC9jZdjNohrvchSw
www.sabrinaciaciura.com/
Former Navy SEAL who overcame depression and alcoholism with mindfulness, Rob Brinzer
Rob is a former Navy SEAL and fellow US Naval Academy classmate who, since leaving the Navy, has served in multiple leadership positions within corporate America and volunteers for several local charities or nonprofit organizations in Sacrament. He and his wife have four children ... and Rob overcame alcoholism and depression through the use of mindfulness and meditation and is now thriving.
You can reach Rob here:
Robert.brinzer@gmail.com
linkedin.com/in/robertbrinzer
Speaker, a serial entrepreneur, and a podcaster Peter Durand
Welcome to the Veteran’s PATH Podcast - I’m Jon Macaskill your host and today my guest is Peter Durand.
Peter is a dedicated father, speaker, a serial entrepreneur, and a podcaster focused on helping leaders and entrepreneurs bring emotional intelligence, empathy and mindfulness to developing teams.
Peter can be reached on linkedin.com/in/petedurand
Email: rivalrouser@gmail.com
Here’s his website: Eatingcrow.com
Navy Information Warfare Officer and author, John Miles
Since his time in the Navy, John has led and founded several companies and been on the board of multiple nonprofits; he’s written a book, and he’s a keynote speaker!
John also has a pretty wild mental health story - which we will get into in the show.
John’s website: www.johnrmiles.com
Email John: john@johnrmiles.com
Navy Cryptologic Technician (Interpretive) and avid Mindfulness Practitioner, Ben Durbin
Check out Ben on Instagram at @fromkilltochill
Air Force Veteran and Aspiring Para Yoga Teacher, Wendy Emminger
Author, Psychologist, and Trauma Expert, “Doc” Shauna Springer
In this episode we cover so much - her work in the VA; her childhood; her book; her online education organization - Redefine Your Mission; military transition and the risks associated with that; and Stellate Ganglion Block treatment for PTS.
Here’s all her information and information on topics discussed during the episode:
Her company’s web address: www.docshaunaspringer.com/
Her most recent book, Warrior: How to Support Those Who Protect Us... www.amazon.com/dp/1732167818/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_awdb_imm_t1_13TOFbWC83WGE
Online Education Page: redefineyourmission.com/
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/docshaunaspringer
Twitter: twitter.com/Doc_Springer
Instagram: www.instagram.com/docshaunaspringer/
And here’s a great video summary of Doc Springer’s work...
youtu.be/qju_0-ayBj4
Army Sergeant First Class turned Yoga Teacher Enrique Irby
Welcome to the Veteran’s PATH podcast. I’m your host, Jon Macaskill and today my guest is Army Sergeant First Class Enrique Irby.
Enrique found Yoga and Mindfulness to be the way to a clear and healthy mind and a new and supportive community.
In this episode, we discuss:
* His Army career
* How he got started with yoga
* His Instagram account profile highlighting yoga, meditation, and mindfulness IN uniform and how he uses that to break the stigma surrounding mindfulness and yoga
* Lessening the stigma around mental trauma
* Trauma informed yoga
* Getting past the “I can’t meditate” problem
* Just doing it and get started!
Find out more about Enrique here:
Instagram: riq_irby or conscious_soldier
Check out our shirts here:
veterans-path.hashtagplanet.co
Former Navy Surface Warfare Officer turned Painter
Welcome to the veteran’s path podcast. I’m your host Jon Macaskill and today my guest is former Navy Surface Warfare Officer turned painter, Kristin Cronic. In this show we discuss Kristin’s time in the Navy, her dramatic change in career trajectory and how painting helped her to heal from a stressful transition compounded by a new little one and loss caused by Hurricane Irma. Additionally, in the video version of this episode I’m opening up with some pieces of art painted by Kristin and then, during this episode, in the video, you can see some art that hangs at my office painted by a local veteran. You can see just how healing art can be! So if you get a chance check out the video on YouTube and check out Kristin’s work in the notes below: Kristin on IG: @easelonstribling https://www.easelonstribling.com https://www.kristincronicart.com
Marine Veteran and Veteran advocate Gavin Tice
We talk about:
* his getting “lost in the sauce” at the VA
* Working in the veteran nonprofit space
* Man’s Search for Meaning, by Victor Frankl
* Art Therapy
* Properly reviewing your DD-214!!
* Losing your tribe
* The stigma surrounding mental health and the use of mental prep by our ancient warriors.
* Military Endurance Sports
Find out more about Gavin and some of the things we discuss here:
Gavin on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/gavin-tice
US Military Endurance Sports: usmes.org.
(Gavin says get out there and give it a shot!!)
Man’s Search for Meaning, by Victor Frankl, www.amazon.com/dp/0807014273/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glc_fabc_30q0Fb6QYY08Q
Former Navy SEAL and current Executive Director for C4 Foundation, Nick Norris
Today, my guest is fellow Navy SEAL and Executive Director for the C4 Foundation, Nick Norris. The C4 Foundation provides support and resources through science-based programs to active duty Navy SEALs and their families. Nick is also the Co-Founder and CEO of Protekt Products, a wellness company that is committed to positively impacting customer health via both personal care products and nutritional supplements. Both Protekt and the C4 Foundation value the power of time spent in the outdoors and the positive impact it has on overall well-being... which, as you know is right in line with what we teach at Veteran’s PATH... and Nick recommends getting outdoors into nature as much as possible as there is so much healing in nature!
Find out more about Nick, Protekf, and C4 here:
c4foundation.org
@nick_norris1981 on Instagram
protektproducts.com
Army Veteran, Purple Heart Recipient, Mindfulness Teacher and Founder of Armor Down, Ben King
.
Today, my guest is Army veteran and mindfulness teacher, Ben King. Ben is an Iraq War veteran and Purple Heart recipient who has helped hundreds of veterans “armor down” with mindfulness, meditation, and yoga practices. Before the pandemic Ben’s work teaching mindfulness to Veterans and honoring our nations fallen warriors could be found in such notable publications as National Geographic, the Washington Post and numerous other books and publications. Since COVID Ben has continued his work teaching mindfulness online.
.
Mindfulness helps you solve the problem before it becomes the problem.
First you recognize it
Then, you realize the whole picture is not what you’re feeling. There’s more to it.
The interaction with the breath - your ultimate weapon.
You’re doing it to get back to the open hearted space
Connect with Ben here: linkedin.com/in/benjamin-h-king-7b325846
See Ben every morning on Armor Down on Facebook, YouTube, or Twitter:
www.facebook.com/Thriveasacivilian/
www.youtube.com/channel/UCslH9qbMnjUTIBgA7NqTuxA
twitter.com/ben_armordown?s=21
www.armordown.com
www.mindfulmemorialday.org
Dr. Erik Won & Retired Navy SEAL Commander Ned Mason - All About Waveneuro
Welcome to the Veteran's PATH podcast. Veterans PATH is a nonprofit introducing veterans to the life changing and life saving practices of meditation and mindfulness. I'm your host, Jon Macaskill - a Navy SEAL Commander turned mindfulness teacher. Check out https://www.veteranspath.org or find us on social media to find out more! Today, my guests are Dr. Erik Won and fellow retired Navy SEAL Commander, Ned Mason.
The audio on this one started a little rough but we got it fixed! (Note: I recorded this episode 20’ from a dumpster!!)
Dr. Erik Won is a Harvard trained doctor turned Navy flight surgeon and is now the President and CMO of Wave Neuroscience. Ned is a retired Navy SEAL Commander and is now the Director of Operations at Wave Neuroscience, responsible for the company’s commercial operations and revenue generation. His mission is to democratize access to cutting edge mental wellness technology – the same technology that saved his life four years ago.
Erik, Ned, and the team at Wave Neuroscience are the some of the world’s leading experts in Brain Health, Brain Injuries, PTSD, Depression & Anxiety among others. The tech they’ve pioneered involves using computational analytics to solve problems that have never been tackled before in the mental health space and are doing it with no medications of any kind.
Find out more about Waveneuro here: Waveneuro.com
Dr. Erik Won: http://linkedin.com/in/erik-won-86941614 Erik_won@waveneuro.com
Ned Mason: http://linkedin.com/in/ned-mason-29934a2 ned@waveneuro.com
Former SEAL and CEO of The CBD PATH, Mike Donnelly
Welcome to the Veteran's PATH podcast. Veterans PATH is a nonprofit introducing veterans to the life changing and life saving practices of meditation and mindfulness. I'm your host, Jon Macaskill - a Navy SEAL Commander turned mindfulness teacher. Check out www.veteranspath.org or find us on social media to find out more!
Today, my guest is former Navy SEAL Mike Donnelly. As a former Navy SEAL, Mike knows what it means to put mileage on your body. Now he’s the CEO of a CBD company, CBD PATH... which donates a portion of their profits to a veteran-focused non-profit organization.
Mike also gives back to the community on his own time. Between operating several successful businesses, serving as a board member for the National Navy UDT-SEAL Museum and the Trident House, Mike volunteers throughout the year in fundraising events across the country to raise money for the families of fallen SEALs.
Links/contact info discussed on this episode:
* www.thecbdpath.com
* Contact Mike: mdonnelly@thecbdpath.com
* Follow Mike on IG - @mikedfrog
Stay tuned as we’re going to find out a lot more about Mike here in today’s episode of the Veteran’s PATH podcast.
All Secure Foundation Cofounders Tom and Jen Satterly
Welcome to the Veteran's PATH podcast. Veterans PATH is a nonprofit introducing veterans to the life changing and life saving practices of meditation and mindfulness. I'm your host, Jon Macaskill - a Navy SEAL Commander turned mindfulness teacher. Check out https://www.veteranspath.org or find us on social media to find out more!
Today, my guests are husband and wife team Tom and Jen Satterly. Tom is a highly decorated combat veteran from one of the US military’s most elite units, Delta Force. He has been involved in and led some of the country’s most important military campaigns to include the battle portrayed in Black Hawk Down. Jen was an award winning filmmaker and photographer for 15 years spending the last three as Director of Film and Photography of an elite Special Operations training company fully embedded with the Navy SEALs, Green Berets, and Army Rangers. Tom and Jen cofounded All Secure Foundation - a 501(c)3 helping special operators and their families heal and reconnect on the home front after the trauma of war. We’re going to find out a lot more about Tom and Jen and All Secure Foundation here in today’s episode of the Veteran’s PATH podcast.
https://allsecurefoundation.org
All Secure: A Special Operations Soldier's Fight to Survive on the Battlefield and the Homefront https://www.amazon.com/dp/1546076557/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_6nZMFbD197RT9.
Arsenal of Hope: Tactics for Taking on PTSD, Together https://www.amazon.com/dp/1642936790/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_FpZMFbBWZYRXY.
Hugo Gonzalez - Army Veteran injured in an IED Attack
Today, my guest is Army Veteran Hugo Gonzalez (picture credit Andrea Bruce Woodall - Washington Post). Hugo was severely injured in combat in Baqubah, Iraq on June 21, 2004. He was on patrol in a Hummer bucket truck when his unit was ambushed. The vehicle took a direct hit from an improvised explosive device (IED) and a furious gun battle broke out with insurgents.
The blast wave caused Hugo to suffer a traumatic brain injury, after fragments ripped into his head. He was evacuated to the base camp where he was placed in a medically-induced coma, and underwent a craniotomy to remove a piece of bone from his cranium to relieve the pressure of the swelling of his brain.
He suffered internal bleeding, a sinus bone fracture, a crushed optic nerve in his right eye and a hole in the left retina. He is legally blind. In 2005, he underwent a cranioplasty to repair his skull defect. The procedure went well, but he suffered multiple seizures requiring long term therapy with anti-epileptic medications.
I pulled that bio off the Buildinghomesforheroes.org website because it was perfect and covered a lot of what I want to speak to you about so I just quickly wanted to give them a shoutout and give them credit for the bio too.
Building Homes for Heroes gifted Hugo, his wife, and their three children a home in Florida in October of 2015.
Stay tuned as We’re going to find out a lot more about Hugo here in today’s episode of the Veteran’s PATH podcast.
Learn more about Building Homes for Heroes here: www.buildinghomesforheroes.org
Connect with Hugo on Facebook here: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100020314457684
********
Follow Veteran’s PATH here:
YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCPvJnrurdnXxdlaE7v3uoMA
Instagram: www.instagram.com/veteranspath/
Facebook: facebook.com/veteranspath
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/veteran's-path
Twitter: twitter.com/veteranspath
Charles Smith - Marine Corps Veteran and Veteran Mental Health Advocate
Today my guest is Charles Smith. Charles, or Chuck as I know him, was my company officer when I was a midshipman at the Naval Academy. He has created a life focused on service to others, first in the military as a US Marine then as a financial advisor and branch manager and most recently as an advocate and bone marrow donor. And it’s not by accident. He thrives on making a difference in the lives of others, and is intentional about striving to achieve that. It’s what drives him to be his best every day, for his clients and his community.
Charles is a servant leader and passionate veteran’s advocate, participating in the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Hiring Our Heroes initiative and as a board member of the mission-based Semper Fi Society of St. Louis. He recently had the honor of becoming a TED Talk speaker on the topic of veteran suicide.
Stay tuned as We’re going to learn a lot more about Charles here on today’s episode of the Veteran’s PATH podcast!
See Chuck’s TED Talk here:
www.ted.com/talks/charles_p_smith_how_the_us_can_address_the_tragedy_of_veteran_suicide/up-next
Connect with him here: linkedin.com/in/charles-smith-637456a3
********
Follow Veteran’s PATH here:
YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCPvJnrurdnXxdlaE7v3uoMA
Instagram: www.instagram.com/veteranspath/
Facebook: facebook.com/veteranspath
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/veteran's-path
Twitter: twitter.com/veteranspath
John Krotec - Army Vet, Entrepreneur, Speaker, and Writer
Today, my guest is John Krotec - an entrepreneur, speaker, writer, and army veteran. After college he went to work in corporate America and realized that despite doing well on the job, he wanted something more.
He joined the Army later in life with the purpose of serving his country. The Army taught him discipline and how to value himself. After three years of active duty, he left active duty and returned to civilian life. It was then that he got reacquainted with his future wife, helping her to raise a family. Together, they also ran a successful business for over two decades - selling travel gear and clothing.
In 2012, John hit rock bottom and survived a traumatic brain injury caused by an alcohol field traffic accident. This unleashed his demons and forced him to finally cope with the trauma he experienced at a young age. over this time he almost lost his marriage and his family. With months of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and Hemp based pharmaceuticals (CBD), he developed his own healing system by developing creative pursuits for coping with trauma and saving his marriage in the process.
John is currently involved in several creative business and holistic healing pursuits, which include Green Zone Hero, Straight Outta Combat Radio, Task Force Zen Journeys, What’s Your Apocalypse?, and his new series of poetry books entitled Fractals.
Stay tuned as We’re going to learn a lot more about John here on today’s episode of the Veteran’s PATH podcast!
Find out more about John here:
www.facebook.com/john.krotec.1
greenzonehero.com/Founders2
whatsyourapocalypse.com
www.heroesmediagroup.com/straight-outta-combat-radio/
********
Follow Veteran’s PATH here:
YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCPvJnrurdnXxdlaE7v3uoMA
Instagram: www.instagram.com/veteranspath/
Facebook: facebook.com/veteranspath
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/veteran's-path
Twitter: twitter.com/veteranspath
Jackie Shorrock - Newest VP Team Member, Former Navy Nurse, Mil Spouse, and Ayurvedic Wellness Coach
Jeff Bayless - Retiring Navy BMC and Resilience Speaker
Today, my guest is soon to be retiring Navy Chief Boatswain’s Mate; fellow podcaster, and resilience speaker, Jeff Bayless. Jeff is about to up a twenty year career in the Navy where he finds himself answering the call to be of service in a different manner with his project "The Evolution".
Jeff believes in the power of vulnerability and shares his story and the lessons he has learned along the way with his podcast and public speaking at commands around the world. His story is powerful and relatable. Finding peace through movement, self awareness and mindfulness, Jeff's unique path is benefiting others in a profound way.
Stay tuned as We’re going to learn a lot more about Jeff here on today’s episode of the Veteran’s PATH podcast!
Learn more about Jeff here:
linkedin.com/in/jeff-bayless-491ab913
instagram.com/jeff_bayless_?igshid=uegk5elyuw0n
Here’s his awesome podcast, The Evolution:
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-evolution/id1471819311
********
Follow Veteran’s PATH here:
YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCPvJnrurdnXxdlaE7v3uoMA
Instagram: www.instagram.com/veteranspath/
Facebook: facebook.com/veteranspath
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/veteran's-path
Twitter: twitter.com/veteranspath
Robert Marshall - Army Officer and Positive Psychology specialist
Today, My guest is Former Army Infantry Officer Robert Marshall. Robert started using mindfulness to cope with recovery from alcohol abuse after transitioning and that led him to discover Positive psychology. This past year he completed a positive psychology program at Upenn and now his work is centered around helping people discover the good they have inside and using that to flourish.
Stay tuned as we’re going to learn a lot more about Robert here on today’s episode of the Veteran’s PATH podcast!
Learn more about Robert here:
linkedin.com/in/robertmarshall1
********
Follow Veteran’s PATH here:
YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCPvJnrurdnXxdlaE7v3uoMA
Instagram: www.instagram.com/veteranspath/
Facebook: facebook.com/veteranspath
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/veteran's-path
Twitter: twitter.com/veteranspath
Josh Vineyard - marketing and relationship manager
Today, my guest is josh vineyard, a marketing and relationship manager for a company called 11th Hour Service which is a Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (an SDVOSB) that specializes in federal financial risk management and consulting, located in Falls Church but functions inside 8 states.
Josh dealt with anxiety and depression for a long time, which eventually led him to utilize substances as a crutch to feel normal and happy. Out of all the things that lead him out of this time in his life, he says the most powerful and the only one that worked was meditation.
We’re going to learn a lot more about Josh here on today’s episode of the Veteran’s PATH podcast!
Learn more about Josh here -
linkedin.com/in/joshua-vineyard-78894753
********
Follow Veteran’s PATH here:
YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCPvJnrurdnXxdlaE7v3uoMA
Instagram: www.instagram.com/veteranspath/
Facebook: facebook.com/veteranspath
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/veteran's-path
Twitter: twitter.com/veteranspath
Sarah Plummer Taylor &
Kate Hendricks Thomas -
USMC Officers and
Mental Health Specialists
Today, my guests are Marine Corps Veterans, authors, and mental health experts Sarah Plummer Taylor and Dr. Kate Hendricks Thomas.
Sarah is an established leader in the field of resilience-building, mindfulness-based practices, and holistic wellness. Sarah guides trauma survivors, overwhelmed parents, and busy leaders and top organizations around the world to mindfully enhance the quality of their life and leadership. A former U.S. Marine Intelligence Officer who deployed twice to Iraq, Sarah is the author of Just Roll With It: 7 Battle Tested Truths for Building a Resilient Life, and contributing author to a number of peer-reviewed journal articles and academic texts
Kate has a doctorate in health education and health promotion. An active duty Marine from 2002 through 2008, she served in Iraq and at home as a Military Police Officer. A public health researcher, Kate is a faculty member with George Mason University's department of Global and Community Health. Her previous books include Bulletproofing the Psyche: Preventing Mental Health Problems in Our Military and Veterans (2018) and Invisible Veterans: What Happens When Military Women Become Civilians Again (2019).
Sarah and Kate have a new book coming out entitled Stopping Military Suicides... I’ve got a blurb here, but I want to speak about this book in the interview, so I’ll save that for later in the show.
We’re going to learn a lot more about Sarah and Kate, their time in the Marine Corps, their book... nope.. bookS Plural ... and the work their doing now in the mental health arena - and that’s all here on today’s episode of the Veteran’s PATH podcast.
Learn more about these two phenomenal women here:
instagram.com/thedrkate?igshid=gjewl6bexhq5
dockate.com
linkedin.com/in/sarah-plummer-taylor-msw-eryt-a4431547
Mymindfulfamily.com
********
Follow Veteran’s PATH here:
YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCPvJnrurdnXxdlaE7v3uoMA
Instagram: www.instagram.com/veteranspath/
Facebook: facebook.com/veteranspath
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/veteran's-path
Twitter: twitter.com/veteranspath
Janell Hanf - USMC Officer and Cultural Support Team Member
Today, my guest is Marine Corps Veteran Janell Hanf. Janell is a SoCAL native - Vista. She’s a fellow Naval Academy alum, went into the Marine Corps as a logisitics officer and then cultural support team (CST) member (recently had another CST member with Alex Horton)... she’s the mom of a kindergartner and married to a Marine Infantry Officer. Janell has experienced tough times in mental health but today is thriving - she’s still on active duty but will be transitioning to the Reserves later this year to focus on family while staying connected to the Marine Corps.
We’re going to learn a lot more about Janell, her time in the Marine Corps and her mental health journey,
- that’s all here in today’s episode of the Veteran’s PATH podcast.
Learn more about Janell or what we discussed here:
linkedin.com/in/janellhanf
The War Horse Article: thewarhorse.org/reflections-archives/no-really-how-are-you-doing/
Other samples of her writing portfolio include Medium: medium.com/@janell.hanf and briefly discussed at the beginning, her blog post for USNA Women's Alumni about Ice Hockey: women.usnagroups.net/2020/03/09/sign-up-for-a-sport-you-suck-at/
A couple of good links for overview of CST are this JFQ article: ndupress.ndu.edu/JFQ/Joint-Force-Quarterly-75/Article/577569/blurred-lines-cultural-support-teams-in-afghanistan/
And Gayle Tzemach Lemmon's book, "Ashley's War" gaylelemmon.com/ashleyswar
********
Follow Veteran’s PATH here:
YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCPvJnrurdnXxdlaE7v3uoMA
Instagram: www.instagram.com/veteranspath/
Facebook: facebook.com/veteranspath
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/veteran's-path
Twitter: twitter.com/veteranspath
Dot Sheehan - CEO of Operation Hat Trick... OHT provides critical support to those who defend us
Today, my guest is Dot Sheehan. Dot is the Founder, President and CEO of Operation Hat Trick, a non profit organization that “supports the recovery of wounded service members and veterans through the sale of OHT branded merchandise, proceeds of which are donated to those organizations that support OHT’s mission” - and Veteran’s PATH has been a beneficiary of one of these amazingly generous donations.
From a simple idea, Dot has created a brand that has grown into a globally recognized multi million dollar business at retail.
Prior to Operation Hat Trick, Dot was the Senior Associate Athletics Director for External Relations at the University of New Hampshire for almost 20 years. She oversaw all areas that affected the external public at this Division I, 20-sport University.
Prior to her time in the Athletic Department, Dot was President of Sheehan Sports Marketing, a consulting firm that represented professional athletes on the marketing side of their lives. She forged partnerships with corporations whose goal was to have their brand partnered with sports.
Dot was one of the first female “agents” in sports and has continued to work with women whose goal is to make sports their career. In 2012, she was awarded the UNH Alumni Association Profile of Service Award for contributions made to the university. She also received the 2013 Innovators’ Award for her vision and work with Operation Hat Trick. She is the first female and the first UNH staff member to receive the award. In 2020, Dot was announced as an International Collegiate Licensing Association (ICLA) 2020 Hall of Fame inductee. In 2019, Dot became only the 10th recipient of the multi-decade old International Collegiate Licensing Association’s coveted ICLA Service Award. Dot lives in Hampton, NH.
And We’re going to find out a lot more about Dot, OHT, and everything between - all here on today’s episode of the Veteran’s PATH podcast.
Learn more about Dot and Operation Hat Trick here:
linkedin.com/in/dot-sheehan-a8b69111
operationhattrick.org
Dot@operationhattrick.org
********
Follow Veteran’s PATH here:
YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCPvJnrurdnXxdlaE7v3uoMA
Instagram: www.instagram.com/veteranspath/
Facebook: facebook.com/veteranspath
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/veteran's-path
Twitter: twitter.com/veteranspath
Michelle Palladini - Police Officer, & Yoga and Mindfulness Teacher
Today, my guest is Norfolk, Massachusetts police officer Michelle Palladini. Michelle is widely respected for her policing expertise, and leadership in the areas of positive youth development, mindful policing, and human resiliency.
Michelle excels at her multi-faceted position with the Norfolk Police Department, but she'll be the first to tell you her long-standing success is attributed to her living her dream job - and it certainly shows.
A strong proponent of community policing and building villages to instill, nurture and foster a strong, fundamental support for children, her zeal for bettering the lives of others took on an amazing life of its own.
She was inspired to develop the Leadership, Empowerment, Awareness and Protection or L.E.A.P. Program in 2013, which offers a solution-focused method for connecting the police with the schools as a pathway to children's success in four areas: happiness, health, safety and resilience.
Michelle is a certified yoga and mindfulness instructor with 15 years of personal practice. She brings wellness to the forefront in all areas of her work, whether with children, families, women, law enforcement officers, and first responders.
She is a highly sought-after speaker and trainer, using her authenticity and passion to help others cultivate a greater sense of compassion, connection and community.
We’re going to find out a lot more about Michelle, her work as a police officer, her yoga and mindfulness teaching and practice, and her speaking gig - that’s all here in today’s episode of the Veteran’s PATH podcast. (Note, this episode was recorded in April before the George Floyd killing and subsequent movement to end racial injustice. I'm sure Michelle would have commented on this otherwise!)
Check out Michelle here:
michellepalladini.com linkedin.com/in/michelle-palladini-b45b8310a
instagram.com/michelle_palladini?igshid=e8zdo4fxr8t3
******** Follow Veteran’s PATH here:
YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCPvJnrurdnXxdlaE7v3uoMA
Instagram: www.instagram.com/veteranspath/
Facebook: facebook.com/veteranspath
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/veteran's-path
Twitter: twitter.com/veteranspath
Rhonda Magee - Law Professor, Mindfulness Teacher, and Expert on Racial Justice
Today, I’m so very honored to have as my guest...Rhonda Magee. Rhonda is a professor of law at the University of San Francisco. She is also trained in sociology and mindfulness based stress reduction (MBSR), she is a highly practiced facilitator of trauma-sensitive, restorative MBSR interventions for lawyers and law students, and for minimizing the effects of social-identity-based bias. She is the author of The Inner Work of Racial Justice - Healing Ourselves and Transforming Our Communities Through Mindfulness.
This is particularly timely with where we find our country right now after the death of George Floyd at the hands of a white police officer and with associated the protests and riots. We could all learn a LOT from Rhonda.
Stay tuned as We’re going to learn a lot more about Rhonda here on today’s episode of the Veteran’s PATH podcast!
Learn more about or get in contact with Rhonda here: www.rhondavmagee.com
Purchase her book The Inner Work of Racial Justice: HEALING OURSELVES AND TRANSFORMING OUR COMMUNITIES THROUGH MINDFULNESS: www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/565790/the-inner-work-of-racial-justice-by-rhonda-v-magee-foreword-by-jon-kabat-zinn/9780593083925/
********
Follow Veteran’s PATH here:
YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCPvJnrurdnXxdlaE7v3uoMA
Instagram: www.instagram.com/veteranspath/
Facebook: facebook.com/veteranspath
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/veteran's-path
Twitter: twitter.com/veteranspath
Randy Hoffman - USMC Force Recon Colonel
Today my guest is Marine Corps Colonel Randy Hoffman. Randy a Marine infantry officer with more than 35 years of active service. He served from Private to Colonel in various infantry, reconnaissance, and special operations units and held several leadership and command positions throughout his career.
You won’t believe some of the stuff this guy has seen and done - both overseas and here in the states... give yourself some time to settle in and listen as this has the makings of a book and/or a movie!
Picture credit: Wall Street Journal, The Bravest Thing Col. Randy Hoffman Ever Did Was to Stop Fighting, Dec 13 2019.
Find out more about Randy here:
Email: on-war@hotmail.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/randy.hoffman.165
Read the Wall Street Journal article here:
www.wsj.com/amp/articles/the-bravest-thing-col-randy-hoffman-ever-did-was-to-stop-fighting-11576244128?client=safari
********
Follow Veteran’s PATH here:
YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCPvJnrurdnXxdlaE7v3uoMA
Instagram: www.instagram.com/veteranspath/
Facebook: facebook.com/veteranspath
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/veteran's-path
Twitter: twitter.com/veteranspath
Justin Nassiri - Navy Vet, Beyond the Uniform Podcast Host, and Avid Mindfulness Practitioner
**Heads up - this was recorded from home during the COVID-19 Shelter in Place orders... my wife and kiddos make a cameo appearance!**
Learn more about Justin and Beyond the Uniform here: Beyond the Uniform: www.youtube.com/channel/UCg7mvqF3PmcmOsn7snuWjww Justin.nassiri@gmail.com Transparent Technologies: www.transparenttech.io/
******** Follow Veteran’s PATH here: YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCPvJnrurdnXxdlaE7v3uoMA Instagram: www.instagram.com/veteranspath/ Facebook: facebook.com/veteranspath LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/veteran's-path Twitter: twitter.com/veteranspath
Dave Kenneally/ USMC Veteran turned Monk
Today, my guest is former Marine Sergeant Dave Kenneally. Dave, as mentioned is a former Sergeant of Marines, but he’s also a former Buddhist Monk in the tradition of the Vietnamese Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh. He spent six years living in Monasteries and Practice centers before moving to San Diego where he teaches Mindfulness Meditation every week at Sangha Ocean Beach. He’s also a Massage Therapist and Yoga Therapist and has taught mindfulness to diverse groups from teens to people at end of life. Raised in the Bronx in New York City to an Irish dad and Ecuadorian mom, Dave feels very grateful that he gets to spread the practices of mindfulness all over the world through his teaching. -
We’re going to learn a lot more about Dave, his time in the Marine Corps, his becoming a Buddhist monk and his time in the monasteries and practice centers, what brought him to San Diego, and then all about what he’s doing now as a mindfulness teacher, massage therapist, and yoga therapist... that’s all here in today’s episode of the Veteran’s PATH podcast.
Find out more about Dave here:
YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/daveknyc1
Instagram: instagram.com/davekenneally?igshid=1iv37kn5cnd09
Facebook: www.facebook.com/dave.kenneally.5
********
Follow Veteran’s PATH here:
YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCPvJnrurdnXxdlaE7v3uoMA
Instagram: www.instagram.com/veteranspath/
Facebook: facebook.com/veteranspath
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/veteran's-path
Twitter: twitter.com/veteranspath
Linda Graham - psychotherapist, author, and resilience expert
Today I’m honored to have as my guest, Linda Graham. Linda is a licensed marriage and family therapist in private practice in the San Francisco Bay Area. She integrates modern neuroscience, mindfulness practices, and relational psychology into her nationwide trainings.
She’s the author of Resilience: Powerful Practices for Bouncing Back from Disappointment, Difficulty, and Even Disaster AND Bouncing Back: Rewiring Your Brain for Maximum Resilience and Well-Being. BOTH are topics of critical importance and very relevant to the times in which we find ourselves.
We’re going to learn a lot more about Linda here on today’s episode of the Veteran’s PATH podcast!
Find out more about Linda and see all the resources she references here:
lindagraham-mft.net
********
Follow Veteran’s PATH here:
YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCPvJnrurdnXxdlaE7v3uoMA
Instagram: www.instagram.com/veteranspath/
Facebook: facebook.com/veteranspath
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/veteran's-path
Twitter: twitter.com/veteranspath
Jesi Stracham - Wheelchair Athlete and Inspiring Meditator
Welcome to the Veteran's PATH podcast. Veterans PATH is a nonprofit introducing veterans to the life changing and life saving practices of meditation and mindfulness. I'm your host, Jon Macaskill - a Navy SEAL Commander turned mindfulness teacher. Check out https://www.veteranspath.org or at any of the social media links below to find out more! Today I’m honored to have as my guest, Jesi Stracham (“Strawham”), a wheelchair athlete on a mission to inspire the world to live life to its fullest by sharing my story. Jesi is currently training to compete in the 2022 Winter Paralympics in Wheelchair Curling. In January 2015, Jesi was the passenger on a motorcycle when it collided with a car. She woke up a week later in an intensive care unit without the use of her legs secondary to a spinal cord injury. Instead of accepting disability as her reality, she rejected the prognosis that she would be wheelchair dependent for the rest of her life. In the face of adversity, she is recovering from her disability and using it as a platform to reach the world. In the five years since her injury, she has been able to achieve more than she previously dreamed possible. To name just a few accomplishments, she has qualified for the US Paralympic Curling Developmental Team and founded a non-profit called Wheel With Me Foundation that aims to serve persons with spinal cord injuries. Over the past several years, Jesi has generated a significant following among both the spinal cord injury and able-bodied community. She says her goal is simple: show the world there is opportunity in their obstacles. She helps people achieve their dreams through the importance of goal setting. We’re going to learn a lot more about Jesi, her accident and the recovery, her use of meditation in the healing process, her training for the Paralympics, and her nonprofit - that’s all here in today’s episode of the Veteran’s PATH podcast. Follow Jesi here: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jesistracham Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jesistracham/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/jesistracham Blog/store: www.jesistracham.com Wheel With Me foundation Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wheelwithme Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WheelWithMe/ Website: www.wheelwithmefoundation.org ******** Follow Veteran’s PATH here: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPvJnrurdnXxdlaE7v3uoMA Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/veteranspath/ Facebook: https://facebook.com/veteranspath LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/veteran's-path Twitter: https://twitter.com/veteranspath
Rick Hanson - Psychologist, Author, and Resilience Expert
Today, I’m honored to have as my guest, Dr. Rick Hanson. Rick is a psychologist, a resilience expert, Senior Fellow of UC Berkeley's Greater Good Science Center, and New York Times best-selling author. His books have been published in 29 languages and include Neurodharma, Resilient, Hardwiring Happiness, Buddha's Brain, Just One Thing, and Mother Nurture - with 900,000 copies in English alone.
Founder of the Wellspring Institute for Neuroscience and Contemplative Wisdom, he's lectured at NASA, Google, Oxford, and Harvard, and taught in meditation centers worldwide. His work has been featured on the BBC, CBS, and NPR, and he offers the free Just One Thing newsletter with 150,000 subscribers. His popular online programs have scholarships available for those with financial need.
Dr. Hanson has been a trustee of Saybrook University, served on the board of Spirit Rock Meditation Center, and was president of the board of FamilyWorks, a community agency. He began meditating in 1974, trained in several traditions, and leads a weekly meditation gathering. He and his wife live in northern California and have two adult children. He enjoys being in wilderness and taking a break from emails.
To learn more about Rick and a lot of his programs and resources, check out Rickhanson.net.
They also offer these programs at low or no cost for those with significant financial needs.
Here are books written by Rick and the books he mentions in the show:
Neurodharma: New Science, Ancient Wisdom, and Seven Practices of the Highest Happiness www.amazon.com/dp/B07W8D4V1X/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_RHrXEbFY7GRZ6
Buddha's Brain: The Practical Neuroscience of Happiness, Love, and Wisdom www.amazon.com/dp/B003TU29WU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_cIrXEbGC792Y4
Resilient: How to Grow an Unshakable Core of Calm, Strength, and Happiness www.amazon.com/dp/B074LX2796/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_rIrXEbD6WVKNY
Hardwiring Happiness: The New Brain Science of Contentment, Calm, and Confidence www.amazon.com/dp/B00CCPIIZK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_0IrXEbWP14BFZ
Just One Thing: Developing a Buddha Brain One Simple Practice at a Time www.amazon.com/dp/B005LQ6UNO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_eJrXEbSPKDXKH
Other books mentioned in the show:
Saltwater Buddha: A Surfer's Quest to Find Zen on the Sea www.amazon.com/dp/0861715357/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_5LrXEbK17GCNA
The Tracker: The True Story of Tom Brown Jr. www.amazon.com/dp/0425101339/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_PQsXEbQGN5T3S
********
Follow Veteran’s PATH here:
YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCPvJnrurdnXxdlaE7v3uoMA
Instagram: www.instagram.com/veteranspath/
Facebook: facebook.com/veteranspath
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/veteran's-path
Twitter: twitter.com/veteranspath
Retired USCG Commander, Police Officer and Mindfulness Teacher Rich Goerling
Today, I’m honored to have as my guest, Richard Goerling. Rich is a certified mindfulness trainer, a retired police officer and coast guard veteran who believes in your innate resilience, humanity and capacity to show up and thrive amidst hard circumstances. Richard specializes in training health, resilience and human performance skills to first responders and other high reliability professionals. One of Richard’s current projects is being trained by a Therapy K9 named Buddha so they can work as a team to bring joy and mindfulness skills to responders and veterans.
We’re going to learn a lot more about Rich, his Coast Guard and police service, his work with human performance, his role in the new mindfulness movie The Mindfulness Movement, and his mindfulness training - that’s all here in today’s episode of the Veteran’s PATH podcast.
Get ahold of Rich here:
Mindfulbadge.com
Richard@mindfulbadge.com
********
Follow Veteran’s PATH here:
YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCPvJnrurdnXxdlaE7v3uoMA
Instagram: www.instagram.com/veteranspath/
Facebook: facebook.com/veteranspath
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/veteran's-path
Twitter: twitter.com/veteranspath
Meditation Teacher and Awakening Joy Author, James Baraz
Today, I’m so very honored to have as my guest James Baraz. James has been a meditation teacher since 1978.
He is creator and teacher of the Awakening Joy course and is the Co-author of Awakening Joy, 10 Steps that will put you on the road to real happiness - the book based on the course.
James is the Co-founding Teacher of Spirit Rock Meditation Center in Woodacre, CA and He leads retreats, workshops and classes in U.S and abroad.
In this episode we discuss:
* Coming to meditation through suffering
* Distracting and numbing ourselves
* His favorite Netflix series
* He guides us through 2 live practices
* Founding of Spirit Rock
* Four Noble Truths
* Loss of Joy
* Negativity Bias
Find out more about James here:
www.awakeningjoy.info
Find his book here:
Awakening Joy: 10 Steps to Happiness www.amazon.com/dp/1937006220/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_QiyVEbNNEMV3E
********
Follow Veteran’s PATH here:
YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCPvJnrurdnXxdlaE7v3uoMA
Instagram: www.instagram.com/veteranspath/
Facebook: facebook.com/veteranspath
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/veteran's-path
Twitter: twitter.com/veteranspath
Army Special Operations Veteran, Alex Horton
Today, I’m honored to have as my guest, Army Special Operations veteran Alex Horton.
Alex spent ten years on active duty within the Special Operations community, during which she led the unit’s Cultural Support Team program and deployed on six combat cycles with the 75th Ranger Regiment.
In 2015 she coordinated the inaugural Freed-OM Festival, promoting yoga and meditation as a proactive approach to healing the mental and physical ailments of combat stress. Alex has been practicing yoga for 10yrs and received her 200-hour Yoga Teacher Certification from the Yax Brothers in 2016. Alex will be attending a Master’s program in Fall2020 as she transitions out of the Army and goes onto pursue a career in Psychology.
We’re going to learn a lot more about Alex, her time in the Army, how she got involved with Yoga and meditation, her military transition, and what she’s doing now - that’s all here in today’s episode of the Veteran’s PATH podcast.
Find Alex here:
Instagram: instagram.com/rigbyallen?igshid=8oct32ym177l
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/danielle-alex-horton-37505187
********
Follow Veteran’s PATH here:
YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCPvJnrurdnXxdlaE7v3uoMA
Instagram: www.instagram.com/veteranspath/
Facebook: facebook.com/veteranspath
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/veteran's-path
Twitter: twitter.com/veteranspath
Retired Navy SEAL Master Chief and cocreator of the Navy’s Warrior Toughness Program Steve Drum
Today, my guest is retired Navy SEAL Master Chief Steve Drum. Steve served 27 years in the Navy, during which, he developed and led high-performance teams in combat at every level and in the most challenging and extreme environments.
He was a principle architect of the US Navy’s Warrior Toughness Program and now works as a speaker and consultant, where he has helped organizations such as; CDW, Horizon Therapeutics, Zurich Insurance, and 9 Energy create simple and effective strategies for developing peak-performing leaders and teams.
We’re going to learn a lot more about Steve, his time in the SEAL Teams, his work on the Navy’s Warrior Toughness Program, and what he’s doing now... that’s all here in today’s episode of the Veteran’s PATH podcast.
Find Steve here:
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/stephen-drum-643695135
Instagram: instagram.com/stephen.drum?igshid=1t3dijkjw4xur
Website: stephendrum.com
Email: Steve@stephendrum.com
********
Follow Veteran’s PATH here:
YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCPvJnrurdnXxdlaE7v3uoMA
Instagram: www.instagram.com/veteranspath/
Facebook: facebook.com/veteranspath
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/veteran's-path
Twitter: twitter.com/veteranspath
Clinical Psychologist, Author, and iRest Founder Dr. Richard Miller
I’m so very honored to have as my guest... Dr. Richard Miller. Richard is a clinical psychologist, author, researcher and yogic scholar. He has devoted 47 years to integrating Western psychology and neuroscience with the Eastern nondual wisdom teachings of yoga, Taoism, Buddhism, and the Judeo-Christian traditions. Developer of the research-based Integrative Restoration iRest Meditation program, Richard is founding president of the Integrative Restoration Institute, cofounder of the International Association of Yoga Therapists, past founding president of the Institute for Spirituality and Psychology, and author of iRest Meditation, The iRest Program for Healing PTSD, and Yoga Nidra: The Meditative Heart of Yoga. Richard leads retreats and trainings internationally, emphasizing enlightened living in daily life.
In this episode, Richard and I discuss:
* What nondual means
* The physiological effects of trauma and how iRest addresses those
* Some fantastic analogies to help understand the mind
* Body sensing
Find out more about iRest here: www.irest.org
Richard’s books are available here:
The iRest Program for Healing PTSD: A Proven-Effective Approach to Using Yoga Nidra Meditation and Deep Relaxation Techniques to Overcome Trauma www.amazon.com/dp/1626250243/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_I51SEbARXYHFP
Yoga Nidra: A Meditative Practice for Deep Relaxation and Healing www.amazon.com/dp/1591797586/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_i61SEbP1EWJYW
Follow Veteran’s PATH here:
YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCPvJnrurdnXxdlaE7v3uoMA
Instagram: www.instagram.com/veteranspath/
Facebook: facebook.com/veteranspath
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/veteran's-path
Twitter: twitter.com/veteranspath
Air Force Veteran, Critical Care Nurse, and Veteran’s PATH alum Jessica Astorga
Today, my guest is Air Force veteran and critical care nurse, Jessica Astorga. Jessica was in the Air Force for 13 years, medically retired.
She served in Afghanistan as a critical care nurse and has much experience in the mental health arena as both a nurse and as a patient. In her profession of nursing, mental health care is a part of caring for her patients and their families or significant others.
She says that over the past two years, she has been on a mission to conquer the demons that she’s faced over years and years. Through this journey she has gained knowledge and skills of meditating and mindfulness and she’s actually use some of these practice with her patients who were in distress.
Somehow she learned about Veteran’s PATH and when she saw a women’s only retreat, she applied immediately. She says she’s so glad she went as she learned the science behind why mindfulness and meditation are important and that after learning how these practices can be beneficial to both her mental AND physical health, shes was convinced to make both part of her life.
Email Jessica here: jnastorga77@yahoo.com
Follow Veteran’s PATH here:
YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCPvJnrurdnXxdlaE7v3uoMA
Instagram: www.instagram.com/veteranspath/
Facebook: facebook.com/veteranspath
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/veteran's-path
Twitter: twitter.com/veteranspath
Special 40th Episode: Veteran’s PATH Founders Chris Fortin and Lee Klinger Lesser
I’m super excited about this episode! Today, my guests are the founders of Veteran’s PATH, Lee Klinger Lesser and Chris Fortin.
Lee has been practicing sensory awareness since 1976 and Chris began practicing Buddhism in 1976.
They came together to serve veterans in small groups initially and over time by word of mouth, these groups grew into the nonprofit Honoring the Path of the Warrior, now known as Veteran’s PATH.
We had so much fun on this episode. These ladies have powerful stories and beautiful spirits. I guarantee you’ll enjoy this one!
Find out more about Lee and her company here: www.returntooursenses.com
Find out more about Chris and her company here: www.dharmaheartzen.com
Follow Veteran’s PATH here:
YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCPvJnrurdnXxdlaE7v3uoMA
Instagram: www.instagram.com/veteranspath/
Facebook: facebook.com/veteranspath
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/veteran's-path
Twitter: twitter.com/veteranspath
Retired Navy Master Chief turned Stoic Tim White
Today my guest is retired Navy Master Chief Tim White. Tim is a loving husband, a proud father of two wonderful daughters, and a “Sailor in recovery” who “retired early” after 24 years in the Navy. He loves to read and study most all subjects and is working to become an expert on the veteran to project manager transition. Tim uses stoicism, mindfulness, and comedy to learn, grow, and help others achieve their goals in life. To stay fit he paces marathons and picks up heavy things every now and then.
We’re going to learn a lot more about Tim, his time in the Navy and transitioning to becoming a project management professional (we actually don’t get into this much as we spoke so much about mindfulness!!), and his use of stoicism and mindfulness - that’s all here in today’s episode of the Veteran’s PATH podcast.
Tim can be found here: linkedin.com/in/tim-white-pmp
Follow Veteran’s PATH here:
YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCPvJnrurdnXxdlaE7v3uoMA
Instagram: www.instagram.com/veteranspath/
Facebook: facebook.com/veteranspath
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/veteran's-path
Twitter: twitter.com/veteranspath
Former NFL Player Jon McGraw
My guest today is retired NFL player, Jon McGraw. Before getting into the NFL, Jon attended Kansas State University majoring in business finance and walked onto the football team. He was twice selected as a First Team Academic All American. He was a second-round draft pick to the New York Jets where he played three seasons. He then played two seasons for the Detroit Lions before joining the Kansas City Chiefs for his final five seasons. Jon retired from the NFL in 2012 and received the Ed Block Courage Award. This award is presented annually to one player from each NFL team who, in the eyes of his own teammates is a source of inspiration and courage. Jon also completed NFL sponsored business management and entrepreneurship programs at Harvard Business School and Wharton Business School.
Jon has been actively involved as President of the Jon McGraw Foundation which supports various charitable causes. He is now a principle partner at Vision Pursue (VisionPursue.com), a performance mindset training and technology company who’s Mission is to Dramatically improve the way people experience life by improving their mindset with mental training, mindfulness, meditation, and our app. Over the 10 week Performance Mindset course, corporate teams learn critical mental skills being taught in professional sports to enhance focus, resiliency, life experience, and performance.
In this episode we discuss:
* his finding new joy in the game
* mindfulness within the sports industry and corporate America
* performance psychology and ideal mental and emotional state for peak performance
*******************
Shameless SEO trick: I realize my music isn’t the best, I’m no Joe Rogan and not as popular as Baby Shark, Fortnite, or Minecraft, but sometimes I’ll reference an old SNL skit or something you may have seen on CNN, MSNBC, or FoxNews, so Try Not To Laugh, as this Ninja goes on Tik Tok ... didn’t make sense? It wasn’t supposed to! Just trying to get more views to get the word out about the work we do ;) enjoy!
Navy Veteran Supply Corps Officer, Tara Jackson
My guest today is Navy veteran Tara Jackson. Tara recently retired after a little over 20 years of active duty service in the Navy as a Supply Officer. After a few tough tours, in particular a year long GWOT Support Assignment in Baghdad and Um Qasr, Iraq, she began to realize that she needed to find some help. She turned to Transcendental Meditation (TM), which over time provided the calm she was looking for. Tara has a BA in History from the University of Memphis, MS in International Relations from Troy University and am currently a MS Yoga Therapy candidate at Maryland University of Integrative Health. She is a 500 hour certified yoga teacher and teaches classes here in the Hampton Roads area in Virginia.
In this episode we discuss:
* Simple ways to start meditating
* Sticking with it - it takes time and effort!
* Her struggles with what she was exposed to
Contact Tara here for any details or questions you may have: mettayogatherapy@yahoo.com
Meditating Army Veteran Tom Voss with sister and Coauthor Rebecca Nguyen
My guests today are brother/sister team Tom Voss and Rebecca Nguyen.
Tom is an Army Veteran who recovered from PTSD and moral injury through meditation. He and his sister Rebecca coauthored Where War Ends - Recovering from PTSD and Moral Injury Through Meditation; and Tom was the focus of the Emmy nominated film Almost Sunrise which documented his and his friend Anthony’s 2700 mile walk across the country to bring awareness to veteran mental health.
Check out Tom's site: www.themeditatingvet.com
Check out Rebecca's blog: thehappypassport.com
*** BOOK GIVEAWAY!!!*** Tom and Rebecca have generously donated books for me to give away until I run out to people who send me the correct answer to this question (email me at jon@veteranspath.org). Here’s the question: The film crew followed Tom and Anthony as they were on their trek - but didn’t follow them the whole time. How many days did Tom say the film crew would come out for at a time?
Retired Army Ranger Lieutenant Colonel JC Glick
Both books are available on Amazon here:
www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0998848506/ref=dbs_a_w_dp_0998848506 www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0998848514/ref=dbs_a_w_dp_0998848514
In today’s episode, JC and I discuss:
* His studies of Russian culture
* Ranger School
* Dealing with PTS
* Training and being prepared for real world missions even during peacetime
* The value of great Non-Commissioned Officers to developing good Officers
* Struggling with preparing for transition
* Transitioning WITHIN the military from an operational role to an administrative role
* Building resiliency
* Merging Vets and Players (MVP)
Connect with JC on LinkedIn or on his company website:
linkedin.com/in/jc-glick-ltc-r-u-s-army-ma-01b1a513
www.mvpdevelopmentgroup.com