Dan Slaughter shares his 26-year journey from Army brat to Special Forces officer, cybersecurity expert, and real estate developer. A grounded and thoughtful conversation on transition, identity, and service beyond the uniform.

In this episode of Blue Yonder, Jacob reconnects with retired Chief Rich Pelletier to explore how purpose, service, and leadership shaped his military career and post-service success. From their time launching leadership initiatives at Shaw AFB to Rich's transition into Amazon, the conversation dives deep into discovering your next mission, the power of mentorship, and why role modeling matters more than ever after hanging up the uniform.

Episode Title: The Power of Purpose: Rich Pelletier’s Journey from Weapons Chief to Amazon Leader

Guest: Rich Pelletier

00:00 – Introduction and reconnecting at Shaw AFB

01:00 – Transition from military to Amazon

04:00 – How PME and leadership development shaped his civilian leadership

05:20 – Why Rich joined the Air Force (inspired by Top Gun)

08:40 – Overcoming early military setbacks and the decision to re-enlist

11:00 – Peer rivalry and its impact on career decisions

13:00 – Decision to retire and the command chief opportunity he passed on

18:50 – COVID-era retirement: no ceremony, but no regrets

20:10 – Discovering purpose through LinkedIn and intentional networking

26:00 – Career offers, role alignment, and turning down aviation

35:00 – Transferable skills, underselling himself, and being elevated at Amazon

42:00 – Redefining service post-retirement

50:00 – Ripple effects, role modeling, and continuing to serve others

56:00 – Fighting for Airmen and the value of standing up for others

58:30 – Advice to pre-retirement Rich: “Don’t worry about the what-ifs”

Purpose drives transition: Identifying what drives you post-military is essential. For Rich, it was serving people and developing leaders.

Leadership beyond rank: From weapons troops to Amazon teams, leading with empathy and clarity translates across industries.

Be of service always: Service doesn’t end with the uniform; it evolves into mentorship, parenting, and community involvement.

Start early: LinkedIn and networking played a pivotal role years before his actual transition.

You bring more than you think: Many veterans underestimate the depth of their experience.

“Don’t think about what you can’t do because you’re retiring. Think about what you will do because you’re retiring.”

“You don’t take pride in just making the package move, but in growing the people who make the package move.”

In this episode of Blue Yonder, Jacob reconnects with his first Air Force roommate, Jeff Tucker, to reflect on nearly three decades of friendship, service, and transition.

Jeff shares his unexpected path to the Air Force at age 23, his experiences as a recruiter, and the highs and lows of military life — including leadership challenges, post-9/11 deployments, and tough career decisions.

They talk openly about transition struggles, the loss of identity after service, divorce, depression, and how Jeff ultimately rebuilt his life through real estate and community in East Tennessee.

This episode is a candid, often humorous look at military culture, personal growth, and what it takes to move forward when the uniform comes off.

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🔗 More episodes: intotheblueyonderpodcast.com

In this powerful episode of Blue Yonder, Jake reconnects with longtime friend and retired Air Force veteran Charles Holman for the first time in nearly two decades. What unfolds is a deeply candid conversation about trauma, transformation, and the often unseen weight of military service. From his chaotic early years and near-death experiences to becoming a respected leader in both military and tech startup spaces, Charles reflects on the cost of service, the struggle of transition, and what it means to truly reinvent yourself after the uniform comes off.

In this candid conversation, Jake sits down with retired Air Force Master Sergeant Michael Rainer to explore the highs, lows, and unexpected realities of life after the military. Michael opens up about the decision to join the Air Force, the challenges of staying in, and the pivotal moment when he chose retirement—not because he was ready to stop serving, but because his family needed stability.

He talks through the emotional complexity of letting go of the uniform, struggling through five different jobs post-retirement, and how the cultural shock of civilian life caught him off guard. Michael’s story also touches on the importance of community, the quiet weight of losing daily purpose, and the emotional trigger behind a simple act like shaving his beard.

For anyone navigating the military-to-civilian transition—or supporting someone who is—this episode offers raw insight, practical reflections, and a powerful reminder: taking care of yourself is not selfish; it’s survival.

In this episode, Jake sits down with Willie Payne, a man who has built a life around hard work, humility, and staying true to his values. From the early days of working under pressure to navigating career changes and building family life, Willie shares reflections on what it means to keep showing up—no matter what life throws your way. It’s a story of quiet strength, resilience, and real-world wisdom that listeners from all walks of life can relate to.

In this candid and deeply personal episode, Jacob sits down with longtime friend and retired Air Force firefighter Jeremy McFall. From skipping high school to leading firefighting teams in Iraq, Jeremy's story is one of transformation, resilience, and humility. The two veterans reflect on deployments, discipline, leadership lessons, and what it really feels like to transition out of 24 years of military service. Whether you're in uniform, recently retired, or just someone trying to navigate life's next chapter — this episode will resonate.

Today I got to spend some time with an old friend and discuss his journey through the military and into civilian life.  Huge take away...taking that sense of service and putting it in a box and off to the side.  If you have been there then you know that feeling.

This podcast-style transcript features a candid conversation hosted by Jacob Peeterse with long-time friends and fellow Air Force retirees Kent and Robbie Greenwood. The episode delves into their shared military past, their simultaneous retirement from the Air Force on April 1, 2024, and the personal transformations they’ve experienced since transitioning into civilian life.

Sat down with a long time friend Ryan and discussed his journey from retiring from the Air Force to being a real estate agent for professional athletes.  There are quiet a few twist and turns but very much worth the ride.  One huge thing sticks out to me from this discussion, when asked what he wishes he knew prior to retiring that he knows his answer was, there is nothing to fear!