Show Summary
On today's episode, we're featuring a conversation with James Wartski, the former Executive Director of the Veteran Family and Community Engagement Directorate in the Veterans Experience Office, Department of Veterans Affairs.
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About Today’s Guest
James Wartski previously served as the Executive Director for the Veteran, Family, and Community Engagement (VFCE) Directorate of the Veterans Experience Office. He leads his team in fostering relationships with Community Veteran Experience Boards (CVEB’s), setting the standards for delivering excellent customer experience to veterans, their families and survivors, and finally, incorporating means to measure success in both training programs and market surveys. He also supervises the Federal Advisory Team, who in partnership with various Federal Advisory Committees throughout the nation, advocate for improved services and support for Veterans and their family members.
Jim entered the United States Military Academy through the Preparatory School (USMAPS) and graduated West Point in 1982. As a commissioned Second Lieutenant assigned to the Armor Branch, Jim was stationed at 5th Infantry Division (Mechanized), First Brigade, 1-40th Armor Battalion. His assignments included Platoon Leader, Company Executive Officer and Battalion Adjutant. During his tenure with 5th Mechanized Division, Jim served on two National Training Center rotations and a REFORGER Exercise in Europe. Jim then returned to Fort Knox, KY with assignments as the Force Integration/Development officer at the Directorate of Combat Developments. Jim served an extended Troop Command as the Commander of B-Troop, 2-10 Cavalry, 194th Separate Armored Brigade, XVIII Airborne. Missions included Heavy Armor Support to Rapid Deployment Forces (First Heavy Armor on the Ground). Later Jim served in the Tank Systems Management office responsible for classified briefings on the Abrams Tank. After additional schooling, Jim was assigned to Orlando, Florida as the Project Director for Tank Training Devices. Jim’s experience and knowledge spans tanks from the M-48A5 to the present state of technology with the M-1A2 Abrams. Jim served as an officer for five years with the US Army Reserves as a Corps of Engineers project officer with worldwide missions. Being close to his alma-mater, Jim served as the liaison officer for the Admissions Department back at West Point. Jim was then mobilized to serve as an Engineering and Facility Consultant on the Command Group at Walter Reed Army Medical Center (WRAMC), Washington, DC. He remained at WRAMC for two-years through the transition to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center at Bethesda, Maryland. Jim retired at the rank of Colonel. In the private sector, Jim held leadership roles in private corporations, Industrial Data Link (a San Diego, California based company), Lockheed Martin Information Systems, Walt Disney Company. Jim retired from The Walt Disney Company in May 2015.
Links Mentioned in this Episode
Community Veteran Engagement Boards
Veterans Experience Office
PsychArmor Resource of the Week
This week’s PsychArmor Resource of the Week is the PsychArmor Course, Why Collaboration Is So Important In Supporting Military Members, Veterans, Their Families And Caregivers. This course is designed for community leaders, interested in exploring some key components to a successful collaborative journey. You'll learn how collaboration can provide the structure needed to impact the lives of military connected people
You can find the resource here: https://learn.psycharmor.org/courses/why-collaboration-is-so-important
Episode Partner:
This week’s episode is brought to you by J.B. Hunt, an industry leading transportation and logistics company offering hiring, training and resources for military veterans, active-duty service members, and military spouses. For more information, check out their military culture at jbhunt.jobs.
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Theme Music
Our theme music Don’t Kill the Messenger was written and performed by Navy Veteran Jerry Maniscalco, in cooperation with Operation Encore, a non profit committed to supporting singer/songwriter and musicians across the military and Veteran communities.
Producer and Host Duane France is a retired Army Noncommissioned Officer, combat veteran, and clinical mental health counselor for service members, veterans, and their families. You can find more about the work that he is doing at www.veteranmentalhealth.com
