Kruse Corner Podcast

Army Veteran and founder of Plants 4 Vets sits down to talk about her experience in the Army. We cover everything from being a woman in the armed forces, the difficulties with building camaraderie within units, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), military sexual trauma (MST), and domestic violence, as well as what it took to finally reach out for help and acknowledge the trauma that had taken place. CONTENT WARNING: this episode covers topics that may be difficult for some listeners to hear. If you would like to learn more about this episode's guest, visit @plants4vets_ on Instagram.

Dustan, a Navy Veteran and the owner of Liberty Bell Customs, joins Lani to discuss his business, leaving the military, and how he uses "sawdust therapy" to help other veterans. Listen to find out more about Liberty Bell Customs, Freedom Flag Builds, the FurMissile Fundraiser to get K-9 dogs vested, and the COVID-19 Distraction Giveaway. You can see more from Liberty Bell Customs on Facebook, Instagram (@libertybellconcealed) or online at www.libertybellcustoms.com.

Kruse Corner welcomes back Army Veteran and owner/founder of 4 Best LLC, Gilberto "Chuco" Zavala, for a Q&A session to give listeners the opportunity to interact with the podcast. If you have questions for our guests, we'll get the answers. This episode also covers the COVID-19 Distraction Giveaway being put on by 4 Best LLC. Listen to hear how you can win gifts from 5 separate Veteran Owned businesses. 

In this episode, Lani sits down with Army Veteran, Shawn Moulenbelt, owner and founder of 51 Bravo Custom Knives. From working construction to creating custom knives, Shawn describes his transition from the military back to being a civilian and how he found himself creating custom knives and appearing on the television competition series, Forged in Fire. Shawn and Lani discuss working through anxiety, staying out of your head while in quarantine, fitting in with civilians, and veteran entrepreneurship. The episode also contains details for the COVID-19 Giveaway currently taking place on Instagram. If you would like to see what Shawn is up to, check out @51bravo on Instagram and Facebook, or visit his website at www.51bravo.com.

When guest interviews were added to the podcast, Kruse Corner host, Lani, found that many veterans felt they didn't have a story that was worth making an episode about. The idea on this podcast was to invite people from all walks of life. Lani felt that connecting veterans and sharing a variety of stories would help people see that every story carries a bit of wisdom in it. It was important to offer different perspectives and make veterans feel like they didn't have to fit a certain mold in order to reach out and share their experiences. In this episode, Lani interviews Craig, a Navy Veteran. Together, they talk about leaving the military, the VA claims and therapy processes, long wait times,  life in quarantine, and what is pushing some veterans to join the 22. If you would like to reach out to Craig, you can email him at [email protected] or send a DM on Instagram to @craigcombatdoc. If you are a veteran, military spouse, or civilian with questions for our military personnel, and would like to reserve a spot on the podcast, please reach out to Kruse Corner through our Facebook page, Instagram @kruse_corner, or our website www.krusecorner.com. 

In this episode, Lani sits down with Marine Veteran, Anthony Chapa. Anthony discusses leaving for the Marine Corps after high school and the various jobs he had after he transitioned back to being a civilian. He studied Clinical Mental Health Counseling and now hosts/produces the talk show BlackSheep Bravo. Anthony shares some of the struggles he went through after leaving the military and reminds veterans to "go back to the basics" when they find themselves struggling, as well. Both Anthony and Lani discuss the ways in which art, writing, and talking out loud have been helpful during times of turmoil. You can reach Anthony at blacksheepbravo.com or on the BlackSheep Bravo Facebook page.

When we talk about tough transitions, we are often referring to the time when we leave the military to re-enter the civilian world. While I did struggle with my transition from soldier to civilian, I also struggled when I went from being deployed to being back home. I expected things to be tough as I attempted to reintegrate into a civilian life. What I hadn't expected was to struggle with finding my place at home after being gone for 9 months. What made things more difficult was having the people around me say that I had no reason to feel as bad as I did. By believing I had no reason to feel like I had changed, I ended up on a path destined for self-destruction. Rather than being honest with myself or with those around me, I tried to bury and numb the pain. In this episode, I share the blog post "Far From Home" from the Kruse Corner website, which describes the struggle and inner conflict that took place after I returned from Afghanistan.

Seth Brees served in the United States Air Force from 2005 to 2017 as an imagery analyst and vehicle mechanic. He began, The Veterans Advocate, to aid in building community and resources for other veterans. He also serves on the Board of Directors for Passageways LTD, which is a nonprofit seeking to end homelessness within the Veteran community.  Seth has done an amazing job with keeping the spotlight on various issues taking place within the veteran community, to include: homelessness, chemical exposure, and mental health. In this episode, Seth and I discuss everything from revamping the VA system, addressing mental health issues, tough transitions after deployment or service, and bringing yourself to say that you need help. You can reach Seth on Facebook or Instagram @theveteransadvocate. Make sure to listen, subscribe, and support his podcast, The Veterans Advocate.