HeroFront

There comes a point in every military career when you have to start thinking about who you’re going to be when the uniform eventually comes off. For a lot of us, that question comes much later than it probably should. I know it did for me.

That’s one of the reasons I wanted to sit down with Akeem Daley again.

Akeem is still serving in the Army, and what has always stood out to me about him is how intentionally he is already thinking about the person he wants to become beyond his military career. He’s an Army recruiter, entrepreneur, content creator, and the founder and host of Shake the Room Show, but more than anything, he’s someone asking some of the questions I wish more of us asked while we still had years left in uniform.

Akeem and I first connected through the Military Influencer Conference, and when we sat down again a year later, I realized just how much ground there was to cover. What started as a conversation about transition and MIC became something much more personal about confidence, failure, ego, leadership, family, mentorship, and the strange relationship many of us develop with rank and recognition.

There were parts of Akeem’s story that reminded me a lot of my own. We both experienced success early enough that it became easy to believe we knew where our careers were headed, and we both eventually had moments when the military reminded us that things don’t always go according to plan. For Akeem, some of those lessons are still shaping the way he serves and prepares for whatever comes next. For me, I can look back from the other side of retirement and see how much those failures changed the direction of my life.

We talk openly about those failures in this episode, including what it feels like when you’ve built part of your identity around being a high performer and suddenly hear that you weren’t good enough this time. We also talk about what happens when chasing the next rank, award, or opportunity starts becoming more about proving something to yourself than taking care of the people around you.

A lot of this conversation comes back to purpose, and not the version that fits nicely into a motivational quote. Sometimes finding it means trying things you never thought you would try, getting around people who see the world differently, walking into rooms where you aren’t completely comfortable, and admitting that you still don’t know exactly what you want your life to look like.

That’s also where MIC became an important part of both of our stories. For me, I can look back and see how relationships, conversations, and opportunities from this community helped shape the direction my life eventually took after the Air Force. Akeem is experiencing that exposure from a completely different position because he is still serving, which is exactly why I think his perspective matters. He has time left in uniform, but he isn’t waiting until the final year to start discovering what else might be possible.

That may be the biggest thing I hope someone takes away from this episode. Preparing for what comes next doesn’t mean you’ve stopped caring about the military, your people, or the mission. It means understanding that your military career has an expiration date and giving yourself permission to start investing in the person who will still be there when it ends.

Because eventually the rank, awards, and uniform become part of your story instead of your everyday life, and then you have to figure out what you want the rest of that story to look like.

If you’re active duty, Guard, Reserve, transitioning, retired, or already a veteran and still trying to figure out what comes next, I think you’ll find something in this conversation that hits home.

Follow Akeem:
Instagram: @simplykeem_
Shake the Room Show: @shaketheroomshow

Follow Shake the Room co-host Lee:
Instagram: @itsmeiglee

Akeem and Shake the Room Show will also be joining us at MIC 2026 in Tampa, September 23 through 26.

Adam Peters is a 13-year Army veteran, founder of The Strategic Veteran, speaker, AI educator, podcast host, and partner at Amakaya, a plant medicine retreat in the Peruvian Amazon.

In this episode, Adam opens up about the brutal reality of military to civilian transition, PTSD, identity loss, entrepreneurship, and how ayahuasca helped him uncover trauma he didn’t even realize he had buried.

We talk about the “false transition” many veterans experience after leaving the military, why civilian life can feel harder than expected, and how plant medicine, integration, breathwork, mindfulness, and purpose helped Adam rebuild his life.

This conversation is for veterans, transitioning service members, military spouses, first responders, and anyone interested in PTSD, ayahuasca, plant medicine, veteran mental health, and finding purpose after service.

Disclaimer: This episode is not medical advice. Ayahuasca is not legal or appropriate for everyone, and active duty military members and many DoD personnel are not allowed to use it.

Timestamps:

04:44 - Meet Adam Peters

07:24 - The false transition after military service

12:04 - Why civilian life can feel so disorienting

40:48 - Ayahuasca, PTSD, and veteran healing

57:15 - Integration and doing the real work

Connect with Adam Peters:

Website: https://www.thestrategicveteran.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thestrategicveteran

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thestrategicveteran

Substack: https://thestrategicveteran.substack.com

Episode recorded summer 2025.

“If service is below you, then leadership is above you.”

Cassie Donegan is not your typical Miss America. Raised in a military family and shaped by real adversity, she grew up navigating financial stress, family illness, and the quiet weight of feeling different. But instead of allowing those challenges to harden her, they became the foundation for her purpose. A lifelong artist, performer, and advocate, Cassie now uses her platform to champion access to arts education and remind people that visibility means nothing without authenticity.

In this episode, we sit down for a raw, deeply personal conversation about her unexpected road to becoming Miss America 2026. We talk about the behind-the-scenes twists, public perception, and how she stayed grounded through it all. Cassie opens up about reframing trauma, the myth of the perfect background, and the cost of stepping into your calling when the world expects someone else.

Scott Stalker led at the highest levels of U.S. national security for more than 30 years. Then one day, his career ended with a call. He didn’t ask to retire, and he wasn’t ready for what came next.

In this episode, Scott talks openly about what it felt like to leave the uniform behind, how he processed the emotional weight of transition, and how he began rebuilding his purpose. We dig into identity, resilience, the quiet moments that followed retirement, and the lessons he’s learned along the way.

We cover:

• The reality of losing a role that defined you

• Why he boxed up his medals and left them for his daughters

• How physical habits helped ground him

• What identity and leadership mean after service

Scott’s new book Left of Leadership: The Prequel to Success explores the mindset leaders need before they step into positions of influence and shares lessons from his remarkable journey.

Learn more and connect with Scott:

Website: https://stalkersolutions.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/s2stalkersolutions

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottstalker/

Book on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/LEFT-LEADERSHIP-Scott-H-Stalker/dp/1960299913

There are moments where the mission chooses you.

Marine Corps Radio Operator SgtMaj Ted Painter was stationed in Okinawa when everything changed. A sudden illness left him paralyzed, intubated, and fighting his way out of an ICU with no windows and no clear answers.

In this episode, Ted walks through how he went from that hospital bed to Iraq, then into Fortune 500 work, and finally into his role at CareSource Military and Veterans. He now focuses on improving how military families get care and support.

We talk about Okinawa, Guillain-Barre, transition, mental health, TRICARE, military transition, and why Marines never really stop being Marines.

Timestamps:

00:00 Waking up paralyzed in the ICU

00:38 How the crisis became a mission

05:21 Okinawa, Guillain-Barre, and learning to walk again

15:42 Fighting out of the hospital with Marine grit

24:20 Finding purpose in healthcare

29:39 What the TRICARE Prime demo actually is

35:04 How this could change care for military families

45:47 Open season, eligibility, and how to enroll

How veterans can use CareSource Military and Veterans:

If you are in the Tampa or Atlanta areas and you are eligible for TRICARE Prime, you may be able to choose the TRICARE Prime demo with CareSource Military and Veterans. This is a Defense Health Agency program that gives families another option for how their care is supported. It does not replace TRICARE.

What it offers:

Simpler access to specialists within the network

Help from real people when you need it (not chatbots)

A focus on scheduling appointments faster and closer to home

For eligible retirees and their family members who choose CareSource during the demo, the TRICARE Prime enrollment fee is waived for the first 12 months.

Open season runs from Nov 11 to Dec 9. That is the window where you can choose CareSoure.

To learn more or check your eligibility:

CareSourceMilitary.com

Questions about the TRICARE Prime demo: 1-833-230-2080

Ready to enroll during TRICARE Open Season: 1-877-996-9333

What happens when the life you’re proud of starts to feel like the one that’s breaking you?

In this deeply honest conversation, Jessie G opens up about motherhood, military life, identity loss, and the quiet pressure of always being the strong one. From “babies raising babies” to learning how to turn anger into purpose, she shares the emotional truth behind what strength really costs.

Jessie reflects on holding a family together through deployment, supporting a partner navigating identity loss, and the moment she realised that feeling like she was failing wasn’t weakness, it was transformation.

This episode explores what no one prepares you for:

• Losing yourself while trying to serve everyone else

• The emotional weight of being “the strong one”

• Navigating identity shifts in marriage and motherhood

• Using anger as power instead of punishment

• Why feeling behind may actually mean you’re evolving

If you’ve ever felt like you’re falling apart while still showing up, this conversation will make you feel seen.

This isn’t about perfection.

It’s about survival, growth, and becoming.

The Military trained me for war — not for what came after.

In this raw and powerful episode of the HeroFront Podcast, recorded live at the Military Influencer Conference 2025 (MIC Atlanta), host Josh White sits down with Dr. J.R. “The Hood Motivator” McIntyre and SFC Akeem “Fly Recruiter” Daley to talk about what happens after the uniform comes off.

This conversation dives deep into veteran mental health, PTSD recovery, faith, and finding purpose beyond the military. Both guests share how they turned pain into purpose, rebuilt their lives, and now use their voices to inspire and lead others.

If you’ve ever struggled with identity, faith, or direction after service, this episode will remind you that your story isn’t over, it’s just beginning.

Featuring:

Dr. J.R. “The Hood Motivator” McIntyre (@TheHoodMotivator)

SFC Akeem “Fly Recruiter” Daley (@FlyRecruiterKeem)

Recorded live at MIC 2025, Atlanta, GA

Timestamps:

0:00 - Intro & MIC 2025 vibes

2:30 - Meeting The Hood Motivator & Fly Recruiter

5:10 - Turning trauma into purpose

10:45 - Faith, timing, and divine alignment

17:20 - Veteran mental health & healing

25:00 - The power of storytelling and influence

33:40 - Akeem’s story: from struggle to leadership

42:00 - Dr. J.R.’s message on identity & purpose

50:15 - Josh opens up about depression and recovery

58:30 - Closing motivation: “Your story saves lives”

#HeroFront #VeteranPodcast #MilitaryInfluencer #FaithAndResilience #LifeAfterTheMilitary #MentalHealthAwareness #MotivationalPodcast #VeteranStories #PurposeAfterService #TheHoodMotivator #FlyRecruiterKeem

FROM MILITARY LEADER TO MISS USA INTERNATIONAL

Lisa Tauai’s Unbelievable Transition Story | HeroFront Podcast

What happens when a 20-year Air Force commander trades her uniform for a crown? In this epic episode, we sit down with Lisa Tauai — a retired Lt. Colonel, nationally recognized dietitian, and current Miss USA International 2025 — to explore what it really takes to reinvent your life after military service.

Whether you’re navigating transition, battling imposter syndrome, or dreaming bigger than your circumstances, Lisa’s story is your roadmap to rising strong.

00:00 – Intro Trailer

04:50 – Lisa’s Joyful Energy and “Flow” Mentality

05:31 – Fish-Forward Nutrition and Sustainable Wellness

06:49 – True Crime TV and America’s Most Wanted Story

09:39 – Instagram Growth and Meta Verification Secrets

14:50 – Pageant Queen Origins: First Time on Stage

18:44 – Air Force to Runway: How She Did It

22:54 – Squadron Commander Lessons on Leadership

29:50 – Veteran Depression and Finding Post-Service Identity

34:35 – Launching “Vegas Saints” and Creating Legacy Content

39:52 – Why Veterans Need to Prioritize Health Now

46:15 – Purpose and Longevity: What Blue Zones Teach Us

52:13 – Lisa’s NICU Trauma and Motherhood Resilience

1:04:09 – Parenting, Perspective, and Post-Military Healing

1:16:04 – Where Lisa’s Going Next (Cosmetology and Coaching)

1:21:04 – Military vs Civilian Mindset: Owning Your Voice

1:24:04 – Final Message: “You’re Not Too Late — Start Now”

GUEST: LISA TAUAI

Miss USA International 2025

Registered Dietitian, Veteran, Speaker

Instagram: @lisatauai

If Lisa’s story inspired you, be sure to follow, rate, and share this episode. Your support helps us continue amplifying the voices of veterans, leaders, and everyday heroes.

Listen now on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all major platforms.

🧭 Veterans are quietly leaving the United States… and never looking back.

In this emotional conversation, John H. Davis — combat veteran, Harvard grad, and author — shares why he left America and how life abroad is saving veterans’ lives.

He opens up about:

• The mental health crisis in America

• Why veterans abroad rarely die by suicide

• The dating scene overseas

• Cost of living and living like royalty

• How to start fresh in another country

Could moving abroad be the answer?

📍 TIMESTAMPS

00:00 – Why so many veterans are leaving the U.S.

05:15 – What it’s really like to live abroad

10:42 – Mental health and PTSD abroad vs U.S.

14:35 – “I started sleeping through the night again…”

18:00 – Freedom, peace & perspective

22:55 – Cost of living abroad as a veteran

28:20 – Dating, relationships & lifestyle

35:48 – Suicide rate overseas: near zero

42:10 – Roadmap: how to move abroad

48:36 – Advice for veterans on the edge

54:02 – The retreat idea that could save lives

1:01:05 – Final thoughts & where to find John

🔗 FIND JOHN H. DAVIS

🌍 Website & Free Guide → johnhdaviswriter.com

📚 Books: Combat to College, 365 Days of Veteran Affirmations

📸 Instagram → instagram.com/johnhdaviswriter

🎥 TikTok → tiktok.com/@johnhdaviswriter

🎙️ Subscribe for more powerful veteran stories.

New episodes every other week.

#VeteransLivingAbroad #LifeAfterMilitary #PTSDRecoveryForVets

#VeteranSuicidePrevention #VeteranDatingAbroad #AmericanExpatLife

#JohnHDavis #LoveOverseas #LivingAbroad #HeroFrontPodcast

💬 “I’ve never heard of a veteran suicide overseas.”

Nate Scheer is a U.S. Air Force officer, leadership expert, and host of The Mind Force Podcast, where he tackles the mental and emotional challenges of military service, professional growth, and personal resilience. In this episode, Nate and Josh dive deep into the dark side of leadership, including the mental health struggles leaders face, the enlisted-to-officer transition, and how alcohol impacts stress management. They also discuss strategies for overcoming imposter syndrome, building trust in teams, and supporting loved ones battling depression or addiction. This is a raw, unfiltered conversation about mental resilience, leadership pressure, and personal growth that every leader—military or civilian—needs to hear.

Check out his show here and make sure to subscribe!

MindForce: Mental Fitness & Life's Stories!

Timestamps:

0:00 – Introduction to Nate Scheer and The Mind Force Podcast

4:11 – Why Nate started his podcast and his mission to discuss mental strength

7:40 – The power of unfiltered conversations and authentic storytelling in podcasting

14:59 – The psychology of leadership: team dynamics, purpose, and trust-building

24:59 – The impact of alcohol on mental health, leadership stress, and self-awareness

39:11 – Struggles of crossing over from enlisted to officer and dealing with imposter syndrome

50:06 – How to help a loved one battling depression, burnout, or alcohol addiction

57:12 – Breaking down the enlisted vs. officer divide and improving communication

1:03:05 – The importance of celebrating small wins and fostering a positive team culture

1:09:48 – Practical coping strategies for stress management and self-care

1:15:22 – Three major leadership lessons from Nate’s military career

1:21:17 – Final reflections and gratitude between Nate and Josh

What This Episode Covers:

This episode is a must-listen for military members, leaders, and anyone navigating high-pressure careers. Nate and Josh expose the hidden struggles of leadership, including mental health challenges in the military, the stigma around seeking help, and why so many leaders feel isolated. They discuss the dangers of relying on alcohol as a coping mechanism, the importance of mentorship in leadership, and how to create a culture of trust and resilience. If you’re looking for honest leadership insights, mental toughness strategies, or ways to bridge the enlisted-officer communication gap, this conversation is packed with valuable lessons.

🔹 Listen now and gain insights on mental resilience, leadership, and overcoming adversity!