Derrick Van Orden was on the podcast to discuss his campaign for congress for the 3rd Congressional District of the state of Wisconsin.  Derrick spend 26 years in the Navy, 21 as a Navy SEAL. We talked his experiences and his book and the movie Act Of Valor.  This was a great episode and an honor to have Derrick share his story.

My Drill Sergeant from Infantry School was on my podcast.  Michael Fletcher 2 time Iraq Veteran and 1 Tour Afghanistan Veteran. Mike and I caught up after 14 years and share our experiences and talked about his methodologies for mentoring and life skills. He blended military life into everyday life and I have taken all that and applied it to my life.  Mike is an incredible Man, father, husband, community member, and Veteran. He wanted us to fix the small things in our lives because small things become big problems.

Jesse Cuff County Veteran Service Officer and Afghanistan Veteran was on the podcast. We talked about everything under the sun. We dove into why he enlisted in the Army. We talked about his deployment and his mission. We talked about leadership.   Stolen Valor stories were shared. I shared my experience with stolen valor and how I got in trouble for outing a faker.  Jesse brings years of experiences to Wisconsin with helping Military and Veterans. I met him while working with the Wisconsin Dept. Of Veterans Affairs. He is a super great guy who will go to the end of the earth to help a fellow veteran.

My college buddy Dylan Sessler was on the podcast and we talked about his humble beginning and then ventured into his current mission and passion which suicide advocacy. Losing his father to suicide at 6 years old. He told me some very eye opening stories and personal things that I did not know.  We also talked about his most recent deployment to Afghanistan 2018-2019. Dylan is a great young man and veteran. He really goes above and beyond to share his story and experience so its relatable to his community.

Wisconsin State Rep Shae Sortwell was on the podcast. We had a great time getting to know each other and I was so happy to learn his story. He is originally from New York and we learned how he came to Wisconsin.  Shae talked about his time in the Army National Guard and how that impacted his life. Using his Military experience to propel him into politics.  Shae is very passionate about his politics and he educated me in process. It was an honor to have him on.

First Law Enforcement Officer** Officer Hoffer was shot in the head during a hostage standoff in Neenah, WI 5 years ago. We went into that story line and timeline and put a lot into perspective. The full DOJ report is available online. That situation created a foundation of a new passion for Craig which is mental health within the Law Enforcement communities. He wants his fellow officers around the country to go and talk to any of they are having issues. Officer Craig Hoffer came on the podcast to talk about his beginnings and where he’s from. We talked a lot about the similarities between the MIL and LEO communities. This is one of my favorite episodes to date because of the honest and open casual conversation Craig and I had. He’s a great guy, officer, father, and husband. Thank you Craig for your Service

#33 Alex Schultz- Desert Storm Veteran- Appleton Alderperson-Artist Alex and I sat down and learn a lot about each other and I learn so much about Alex. Alex opened up about this beginnings and his path into the military.  Alex is currently the Alderperson for District 9 in Appleton, WI. Alex brings his military, community, and passions to his office and wants to improve our city in many ways. We talked about a shared passion project which is Soldier Square.  Alex was a great guest and I am honored that he shared so much about his time in Desert Storm even some very vivid details.

I have the honor and pleasure to interview a great local community and professional colleague Jan Zizzo.  Jan is the Senior Hiring Manager of Oshkosh Corporation. She also spearheaded the OCMN- Oshkosh Corporation Military Network. Jan and I talked about her humble beginnings in Hawaii and shared stories and insights about her father. We also talked about her hidden talent as a Hula Dancer.   Jan is a great woman with a huge heart and I love talking to her. She's a great mentor and she's filled with knowledge, experience, and tenacity.

This is my first ever Swap Cast, I am very grateful that my friend had me on his podcast.  Casual Conversation with Will Kocken Host of Forever Unbreakable Podcast. Will is an Actively serving soldier in the WI Army National Guard, Army Ranger Qualified, Best Ranger Competitor, Ironman Finisher, but most importantly he is a great friend and proud Dad. We sat down and discussed the everyday challenges that Veterans face while transitioning. Providing ideas, resources, and critical thinking for transitioning Veterans.

My really close friend and fellow Veteran Sam Fuller was on the podcast we went very deep into his Service and the different conflicts he's been apart of. Fighting in Fallujah and the Korengal Valley which was captured in the documentary Restrepo, which was his company.  Sam is also the County Veteran Service Officer for Lafayette County, Wisconsin. He assist our active MIL/Vets and dependents, spouses with different benefits, resources. He also assists the community many different events relating to the veteran community.  Sam is one of the many veterans I look up to and gather advice from. He is a wealth of knowledge and does not hesitate to let you know when your wrong. Can't to have him on again.