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Lyubim Kogan
Some people talk about helping veterans.
Others dedicate their lives to it.
In this episode of The Strategic Veteran, Adam Peters sits down with Lyubim Kogan, the founder of WingsForHeroes.org.
Lyubim’s life reads like something out of a movie.
He immigrated from the Soviet Union to the United States in 1992 on a ski scholarship. He went on to build a career on Wall Street working in the World Trade Center, surviving the attacks of September 11th, and guiding clients safely through the 2008 financial collapse.
But he eventually walked away from finance and spent nearly a decade rebuilding a fuel infrastructure company in Ukraine during an active war.
When Russian drones destroyed the entire operation overnight, most people would have started over.
Lyubim chose a different mission.
He founded Wings for Heroes, a program dedicated to helping combat amputees rediscover dignity, confidence, and purpose through rehabilitation, sports, and paragliding experiences designed to push them beyond the limits they believe they have.
From physical therapy to cycling to amputee soccer teams, the program focuses on rebuilding both the body and the mind.
This conversation explores sacrifice, resilience, the broken charity system surrounding veteran support, and what it actually takes to help wounded warriors rebuild their lives.
CONNECT WITH WINGS FOR HEROES
Website
https://wingsforheroes.org
CONNECT WITH THE STRATEGIC VETERAN
Spotify
https://open.spotify.com/show/3U8FOupOu070V00PXR4DSd?si=887c164c4a8e4ae2
Apple Podcasts
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-strategic-veteran/id1743039436
YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/@thestrategicveteran
00:00 Introduction
02:05 Growing up in the Soviet Union during the Afghanistan war
08:20 Coming to America on a ski scholarship
13:40 Life on Wall Street and working in the World Trade Center
18:30 Surviving 9/11
22:45 Guiding clients through the 2008 financial collapse
29:00 Leaving finance and rebuilding infrastructure in Ukraine
36:40 Russian drone attack destroys the business overnight
43:30 The moment Wings for Heroes was born
50:10 Helping amputee veterans recover through rehabilitation and flight
58:40 The story of the first veteran who rebuilt his life
1:07:00 The problems with the “charity industrial complex”
1:15:00 The future mission of Wings for Heroes
View all episodes
By Adam PetersSome people talk about helping veterans.
Others dedicate their lives to it.
In this episode of The Strategic Veteran, Adam Peters sits down with Lyubim Kogan, the founder of WingsForHeroes.org.
Lyubim’s life reads like something out of a movie.
He immigrated from the Soviet Union to the United States in 1992 on a ski scholarship. He went on to build a career on Wall Street working in the World Trade Center, surviving the attacks of September 11th, and guiding clients safely through the 2008 financial collapse.
But he eventually walked away from finance and spent nearly a decade rebuilding a fuel infrastructure company in Ukraine during an active war.
When Russian drones destroyed the entire operation overnight, most people would have started over.
Lyubim chose a different mission.
He founded Wings for Heroes, a program dedicated to helping combat amputees rediscover dignity, confidence, and purpose through rehabilitation, sports, and paragliding experiences designed to push them beyond the limits they believe they have.
From physical therapy to cycling to amputee soccer teams, the program focuses on rebuilding both the body and the mind.
This conversation explores sacrifice, resilience, the broken charity system surrounding veteran support, and what it actually takes to help wounded warriors rebuild their lives.
CONNECT WITH WINGS FOR HEROES
Website
https://wingsforheroes.org
CONNECT WITH THE STRATEGIC VETERAN
Spotify
https://open.spotify.com/show/3U8FOupOu070V00PXR4DSd?si=887c164c4a8e4ae2
Apple Podcasts
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-strategic-veteran/id1743039436
YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/@thestrategicveteran
00:00 Introduction
02:05 Growing up in the Soviet Union during the Afghanistan war
08:20 Coming to America on a ski scholarship
13:40 Life on Wall Street and working in the World Trade Center
18:30 Surviving 9/11
22:45 Guiding clients through the 2008 financial collapse
29:00 Leaving finance and rebuilding infrastructure in Ukraine
36:40 Russian drone attack destroys the business overnight
43:30 The moment Wings for Heroes was born
50:10 Helping amputee veterans recover through rehabilitation and flight
58:40 The story of the first veteran who rebuilt his life
1:07:00 The problems with the “charity industrial complex”
1:15:00 The future mission of Wings for Heroes