This year our Guest is Ryan Keogh:

Ryan Keogh, originally from Caldwell, Idaho, was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the United States Army upon his graduation from the United States Military Academy at West Point.

Ryan served as a conventional Army infantry officer, leading a platoon of soldiers during a yearlong deployment to Northeast Afghanistan, before being selected to serve in the US Army’s elite 75th Ranger Regiment in Fort Benning, GA. While assigned to 3rd Ranger Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment Ryan completed multiple deployments in support of the Global War on Terrorism as a Ranger Rifle Platoon Leader and Ranger Operations Officer.

After more than 8 years on active duty, including 3 years deployed to combat, Ryan retired from the Army after losing his right leg below the knee. He has numerous awards and decorations including the Bronze Star, Purple Heart, Combat Infantryman’s Badge, and the Ranger Tab.

Ryan entered the corporate workforce in 2013 as the National Operations Manager from Mission Produce, the largest Avocado and Mango grower & distributor in the world. While working at Mission, he completed his MBA from Emory University.

Since 2017, Ryan has worked in the Private Equity portfolio and holding company industry partnering with Oaktree Capital and the Stephens Group. He currently is the Chief Commercial Officer for the Pearlman Group, the holding company that operates several multi-channel distributors of supplies, tools and equipment used by specialty contractors in various end markets.

He currently resides in a suburb of Atlanta (Berkeley Lake, Georgia) with his wife (Laura) and 3 daughters – Taylor (9), Sloan (8), and Chandler (6).

Video about Joe Kapacziewski: https://www.google.com/search?q=joe+kap+ranger&oq=joe+kap+ranger+&aqs=chrome..69i57j0i22i30l2.3723j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:3f995416,vid:jPSVUDOqpjg

May is Mental Awareness Month

Been observed since 1949

Some Generic mental health resources:

National Alliance on Mental Illness

nami.org

American Hospital Association

https://www.aha.org/mental-health-awareness-month

Mental Health America

https://www.mhanational.org/mental-health-month

National Council for Mental Wellbeing

https://www.thenationalcouncil.org/mental-health-awareness-month/

Resources for enlisted people:

USO - https://www.uso.org/stories/2664-military-suicide-rates-are-at-an-all-time-high-heres-how-were-trying-to-help

Department of Defense: News release on the Annual Report on Suicide in the Military

https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/3193806/department-of-defense-releases-the-annual-report-on-suicide-in-the-military-cal/

Link to the full report: https://www.dspo.mil/Portals/113/Documents/2022%20ASR/Annual%20Report%20on%20Suicide%20in%20the%20Military%20CY%202021%20with%20CY21%20DoDSER%20(1).pdf?ver=tat8FRrUhH2IlndFrCGbsA%3d%3d

Veteran Resources:

The Veterans Crisis Line (confidential support)

* 1-800-273-8255

* Or text 838255

* VeteransCrisisLine.net/Chat

Stop Soldier Suicide

* https://stopsoldiersuicide.org/

* 844.235.2764

A lot veterans struggle w/ transition out of service

Resource for Transition:

* https://military-transition.org/