Laurie, Sherry, and Annika discuss GySgt Cruz’s experiences and time

throughout his Marine Corps career. Discussing topics from leaving home, to

being in the Marine Corps, as well as serving as a Drill Instructor.

Email Camo & Crayons

Hosts:

Laurie's Linktree

Sherry's linktree

Guest Links:

Jonas The Mad Hatter on TikTok

Irreverent Warriors

This episode is all about YOU. Every question answered today came straight from the Camo & Crayons community — pulled directly from Laurie's Saturday and Sunday TikTok Lives, where followers ask their real, unfiltered questions about military life, love, and everything in between.

To help tackle them, Laurie and Sherry brought in two special guests for a panel-style sit-down: Berek T. Krehmeier, a retired Marine Corps Staff Sergeant (20 years of service, now a Career Services Specialist & SkillBridge Coordinator), and Brian, "King of POGs", an active-duty Army Sergeant and Religious Affairs NCO marking his 10-year milestone. (Annika's sitting this one out — she just landed in Okinawa after 27 hours of travel!)

One of the top questions submitted by followers: is getting married right out of boot camp a good idea or a bad one? Berek and Brian dig into it with total honesty, covering:

• 🗣️ Why communication — not timing — makes or breaks a military marriage
• 📋 Brian's "100 Questions" checklist he gives service members before they say "I do"
• ⚓ How certain MOSs (like Marine Security Guard) restrict spouses and communication
• 🏕️ What being a "Geo Bachelor" means and how deployments test relationships
• ❤️ Berek's candid take after three marriages on what he wishes he'd known

If you submitted a question during one of Laurie's TikTok Lives, this could be the episode where you get your answer. Follow along for future Lives to get your own questions featured!

Email:

[email protected]

Hosts:

Laurie Trahan

https://linktr.ee/laurietrahan

Army Sherry

https://linktr.ee/sherrydavis69.sd

Guests:

Berek T. Krehmeier (USMC, Ret.)

[email protected]

Brian, King of POGs (US Army)

[email protected]

Military Spotlight:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf_qH1ak2vl6Fy8MccvRSKJh0hzYgWiapBPkEgB3wzXLIobig/viewform

In this episode, we sit down with Master Sergeant Vladimiro “Isaac” Vasquez, an active-duty Army leader with nearly 18 years of service and more than a decade in Army retention and career counseling.

We talk about Army careers, retention, leadership, mentorship, and helping Soldiers make informed decisions about their military careers and life after service. MSG Vasquez also shares lessons from his deployment to Afghanistan, years of leadership, and his upcoming transition toward retirement.

[email protected]

https://linktr.ee/laurietrahan

https://linktr.ee/sherrydavis69.sd

https://www.tiktok.com/@overtimedadpartyof6

Military Spotlight

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf_qH1ak2vl6Fy8MccvRSKJh0hzYgWiapBPkEgB3wzXLIobig/viewform

In this episode of Camo & Crayons, we delve into the vital topic of mental health for active duty members and veterans, guided by Lori Cross, a mental health expert and the mother of a recruit at Paris Island. Lori shares her extensive experience working with military personnel and offers invaluable insights into the mental health landscape.

[email protected]

https://linktr.ee/laurietrahan

https://linktr.ee/sherrydavis69.sd

Laurie Cross BSW, M.Ed, LPCC

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61569069470624&rdid=NdWH71yIP7bejEVJ&share_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fshare%2F1DTkLZZs6f%2F#

Clearer Minds Mental Health

[email protected]

Military Mental Health Support | Military OneSource

https://www.militaryonesource.mil/health-wellness/mental-health

988 Lifeline - If you need emotional support, reach out to the national mental health hotline

https://www.militaryonesource.mil/health-wellness/mental-health

https://988lifeline.org/

Tricare Mental Health Care

https://www.telemynd.com/tricare?

Objective Zero - Free Mental Health APP

https://www.objectivezero.org/

In this episode, Laurie, Sherry, and Annika sit down with Sergeant First Class George — a 9.5-year Army veteran, tanker (19K), and former drill sergeant at Fort Benning — to pull back the curtain on basic training. SFC George breaks down the culture shock recruits face on day one, the personal and financial prep families should handle before shipping out, and why nicotine and social-media withdrawal hit "iPad kid" recruits harder than expected. The hosts also dig into the Army's evolving phone-call policy during training and what it means for parents craving connection with their soldier. A must-listen for any parent, spouse, or future recruit gearing up for basic.

[email protected]

https://linktr.ee/laurietrahan

https://linktr.ee/sherrydavis69.sd

Spotlight

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf_qH1ak2vl6Fy8MccvRSKJh0hzYgWiapBPkEgB3wzXLIobig/viewform?usp=publish-editor

Laurie, Sherry, and Annika discuss SSG Butter’s experiences and time

throughout his Army career. Discussing topics from leaving home, to being in the army, and now serving as an Army recruiter.

Contact Camo & Crayons

[email protected]

https://linktr.ee/laurietrahan

https://linktr.ee/sherrydavis69.sd

Military Spotlight

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf_qH1ak2vl6Fy8MccvRSKJh0hzYgWiapBPkEgB3wzXLIobig/viewform?usp=publish-editor

ASVAP Study Guides

https://a.co/d/0d5VP8tk

https://www.purplemath.com/

https://www.youtube.com/@GrammarHero

https://www.khanacademy.org/

Laurie, Sherry, and Annika discuss SSgt Hobaugh’s experiences and time

throughout his Marine Corps career. Discussing topics from leaving home, to

being in the infantry, and now serving as a Marine Corps recruiter.

[email protected]

https://linktr.ee/sherrydavis69.sd

https://linktr.ee/laurietrahan

Laurie, Sherry, and Annika discuss Skip’s very successful career in the

United States Navy. They discuss his mentorship, career decisions, his

advice to families and young individuals discussing joining the military, and his time involving joint operations.

[email protected]

https://linktr.ee/laurietrahan

https://linktr.ee/sherrydavis69.sd

Laurie, Sherry, and Annika discuss Annika’s career in the Marine Corps.

They discuss any gender challenges she faced, what shaped her into the

leader she became the longer she stayed in, and what advice she would give her younger self as well as young women trying to decide to take on the challenge of becoming a United States Marine.

[email protected]

https://linktr.ee/laurietrahan

https://linktr.ee/sherrydavis69.sd

Welcome to the very first episode of Camo & Crayons — a podcast built for military families, by military families. In this introduction episode, hosts Laurie, Sherry, and Annika sit down together for the first time on the mic to share who they are, why they decided to start this podcast, and what led them to create a space specifically for the military community.

You'll get to know each host individually — their history with military life, their families, and the personal moments that made them realize this podcast needed to exist. They also give you a preview of what's ahead: the topics they'll be covering, the kind of guests they hope to bring on, and the tone you can expect episode after episode — honest, supportive, and never short on humor.

If you're a military spouse, parent, service member, or just someone who wants a front-row seat to real conversations about real life — this is your welcome mat. Grab a coffee (or a juice box, let's be honest) and get to know the girls behind Camo & Crayons.

🎧 New episodes drop weekly. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube so you never miss one.

[email protected]

https://linktr.ee/laurietrahan

https://linktr.ee/sherrydavis69.sd