Eagle Nation Podcast

You can't help but get fired up talking to Tiffany Hendrick! She's a military spouse, Eagle Leader, and one of the most genuine and engaging people to spend some time with. We recently sat down with Tiffany to learn more about her involvement with Team RWB, the work she's done as a military spouse and on behalf of other military spouses, and the importance of family. If you're a Team RWB member, a military spouse, or you just want to get to know the "Next Oprah", you don't want to miss this episode of the Eagle Nation Podcast!

In this episode we discuss:

• How to effectively engage with Team RWB when there's not a thriving Chapter in your area
• Eagle Leader Fellow experience
• Military spouse
• Being proactive in search of what you need/want
• Perspectives on

Additional callouts from this episode:

• Milspo Project (http://milspoproject.org/)
• Hire Mad Skills (https://hiremadskills.com/)

Phil Carter is a writer, lawyer and a former Army officer who's worked everywhere from the Pentagon to a Los Angeles law firm. He's currently a Senior Policy Researcher at the RAND Corporation, but has researched and written extensively on veterans issues for many years where he's widely respected as an expert.

In this episode we discuss:

• Veteran demographics and how they are changing
• How the VSO landscape is changing and evolving
• How physical fitness has changed his life

Harriet Williams is an Army veteran and the Chapter Captain in Clarksville/Fort Campbell. She's a combat veteran, just like her father. Service runs in the family and Harriet and her Chapter have done a phenomenal job building a dynamic team that is engaging veterans and enriching lives while also being incredibly integrated with their local community. In this episode, you'll gain insights into the success of one Chapter as well as the story of service and family from one authentic and loyal community leader. Each Team RWB Chapter and Eagle Leader is of course unique, but we can all learn a little something about effective leaders and Chapters from this conversation!

In this episode we discuss:

• The value of service and family...and how they can often be at odds
• Being a female veteran and serving pre-9/11
• How the broader community is an incredibly important component of a strong Team RWB Chapter
• Some unique events that have proved incredibly successful for Team RWB Clarksville/Fort Campbell
• Veteran Treatment Courts (https://justiceforvets.org/what-is-a-veterans-treatment-court/)

Team RWB Founder, Mike Erwin, is a very special person and the perfect guest to commemorate our 100th episode of the Eagle Nation Podcast.

Mike is our first repeat guest, and we dive into some very little known stories about both the very early days of Team RWB, and his military career. A great deal of this podcast is spent in reflection on the Team RWB of today, and there's some great insight in here for everybody.

In this episode we discuss:

• Mike's transition from a college baseball player to a life of service as an Army officer
• How Team RWB is similar (and different) from his vision in 2010
• What he's learned growing non-profits the last 8 years.

Kristin Caples and Tara McMachen are Eagle Leaders in Team RWB Denver, and have some very interesting perspectives on what it takes to run a local chapter. They reached out to us about a podcast because they were proud of the work they were doing in Denver, and we thought it was a great idea!

In this episode we discuss:

• Lessons learned on leading a Team RWB chapter
• Volunteerism, and why it's important
• Why they decided to become volunteer leaders

Mel Parker is an internationally recognized multi-industry business leader known for his ability to turnaround, transform and upgrade businesses while generating optimum value for shareholders, customers and employees. He is an Army veteran, who transitioned from the military and spent 25 years in corporate America with senior leadership roles at some of the best organizations on the planet. PepsiCo, Corporate Express(Staples), Newell Rubbermaid, Dell Computers, and Brinks.

Mel is currently President and Chief Executive Officer of Take The Limits Off, LLC, a leadership development, executive coaching and business consulting firm based out of Austin, TX. As an international speaker and best-selling author, Mel has shared his leadership and success strategies with audiences from around the world.

In this episode we discuss:

• His experience in the Army and how it has shaped his career
• His book, The Parker Principles and it's origin story?
• How his leadership philosophy has changed over time
• The experience of writing a book and being a first time published author

Kerry Rock is an Army veteran and Team RWB member. Chris Long is a NFL veteran and two-time Super Bowl champion. They couldn't be any different in stature or background, but they're making a difference in both their local community of Charlottesville, VA and on the other side of the world in east Africa. Having recently #ConqueredKili, we sit down with Kerry and Chris for a casual conversation covering everything from sports to community service. This is definitely an hour well-spent...enjoy the conversation!

In this episode we discuss:

• Starting a Team RWB Chapter, the challenges and the rewards
• Training for a NFL season, a 10-miler, and climbing a big mountain
• Service...taking action and giving of your most precious resource (time) to make a difference
• Delivering impact at the community level, whether that be at home or halfway across the world
• The perspective provided by poverty and summiting Mount Kilimanjaro (19,341 ft)
• The next tattoo

Additional callouts from this episode:

• Learn more about the work Chris is doing through his foundation at https://chrislongfoundation.org/. And make sure you check out https://waterboys.org (@WaterboysORG) to see the great stuff Chris and our friend Nate Boyer (@nateboyer37) are doing to challenge veterans and bring wells to African communities in need.
• Kerry did in fact propose to this girlfriend Colleen via video from the summit...she of course accepted. Congrats Kerry and Colleen!
• Give Chris a follow on Twitter (@JOEL9ONE) and Instagram (laflamablanca95)
• And because Ellen...https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_ez5ekvhxs

Roderick Gabriel is an Army veteran and Eagle Leader with an incredibly inspiring story. His journey is one of contrasts...battling addictions and battling stereotypes, serving his country and serving jail time. Rod has seen and been through a lot in short period of time. Yet what shines through brightest is his candor, perspective, and continued desire to serve others. In Team RWB, he's found the supportive tribe that he enjoyed while in the Army...and he continues to defy labels while owning his journey and inspiring others. In this episode we discuss:

• Perspective
• The value of a tribe/team
• Making mistakes and moving forward
• How one person or one organization (Veterans Village of San Diego) can make a huge difference in someone's life
• The role of the process...and the value of taking ownership and not taking the easy route

Andrew Gritzbaugh is a former paratrooper and current Vice President of Marketing at Gerber Gear. He's a seasoned marketing leader with strengths in strategy development, brand positioning and marketing communications, as well as an avid outdoorsman and all around great guy.

In this episode we discuss:

• His experience in the Army and how it has shaped his career
• What it's like to be the steward of a longstanding brand like Gerber Gear
• His favorite pieces of gear and every day carry (EDC).
• Gerber's emotional connection to the military

Among many other things, Elyse served as the first female Fire Support Officer in Afghanistan and has helped spearhead the integration of female Soldiers into combat arms. After serving 5.5 years on active duty, Elyse is currently in the Army Reserves and lives in Washington, D.C. where she is completing her Master's at Georgetown University. She is an accomplished mountaineer, with expeditions on Everest, Denali, Rainier, Elbrus, Kilimanjaro, Aconcagua, and peaks in the French Alps, Rockies, and Sierra Nevadas. In this episode we discuss:

• Her military experience, and what it was like being the first female first support officer in Afghanistan.
• USX and her work in support of veterans and research
• Her participation in the Women Veteran Athlete Initiative
• Mountaineering, and her love for high altitude
• Navigating her love for travel with life as an Army officer