Military Psychology Podcast

Peak military performance isn’t powered by training alone; it starts with the fuel that supports the body and the brain. In this episode, performance dietician Diana Nguyen joins the conversation to explore how strategic nutrition can help service members maintain optimal physical and mental performance while navigating the unique demands of military life.

The discussion goes beyond calories and performance, examining the key nutrients needed to support energy, recovery, cognitive function, sleep, and resilience. The conversation also explores the connection between nutrition and stress, including how consistent nutritional habits can help the body better manage the physiological demands of high-stress environments.

From fueling demanding missions to supporting recovery and reducing the cumulative effects of stress, this episode offers practical insight into making nutrition an essential part of military readiness and lifelong health.

You can find Diana Nguyen on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/dianasportsrd/

Want to get connected with our team or guests? Have feedback, suggestions, or recommendations? Send us an email at [email protected]

Join renowned veteran and bestselling author, Lt. Col. Grossman, for an in-depth conversation exploring the critical role sleep plays in mental health, recovery, performance, and overall wellbeing. Especially for service members and veterans navigating high operational demands and life transitions. As well as the importance of reframing trauma through the lens of post-traumatic growth to a new generation, challenging the traditional narratives around PTSD while exploring the human capacity for resilience and transformation. The episode also dives into the body’s response to combat and chronic stress, helping listeners to better understand how experiences in service can continue to influence both mind and body long after deployment ends.

Beyond clinical care and research, the conversation does not shy away from some of humanity’s oldest and most difficult questions. Rather, the episode examines how psychologists navigate conversations surrounding meaning, purpose, suffering, and questions that exist beyond easy answers, highlighting the role of psychology in helping individuals explore these questions, build personal meaning, and find direction amid uncertainty and profound life experiences.

Additionally, Lt. Col. Grossman shares a deep personal topic close to his heart: the extraordinary impact of service dogs and the bond between veterans and their canine companions in healing, support, and everyday life.

And for longtime readers, there’s an exciting surprise! A first look at an upcoming fiction book series release that offers a new chapter in military storytelling beyond Lt. Col. Grossman’s celebrated nonfiction work.

You can find Lt. Col. Grossman here: https://grossmanontruth.com/ https://www.instagram.com/grossmanontruth/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/lt-col-dave-grossman-55a3304/

Want to get connected with our team or guests? Have feedback, suggestions, or recommendations? Send us an email at [email protected]

In this compelling episode, we sit down with veteran and author, LTC Lanny Snodgrass MD, to discuss his groundbreaking book, The Ageless Call to Serve, where he explores the belief that service to country, community, and others does not end with age. Drawing from decades of experience, he explores the value older service members bring to the military through mentorship, emotional intelligence, leadership, and hard-earned wisdom that cannot be taught in a classroom.

The conversation takes a deeper look at the brain maturation of younger service members and the responsibility military leaders have to protect and guide them through critical stages of growth and decision-making. From neuroscience and maturity to resilience and morality, this episode examines how the military can better safeguard the well-being of its youngest troops.

Together, the discussion bridges generations of service, highlighting how strength in today’s military comes not only from physical ability, but from experience, understanding, and the willingness to invest in those who will carry the mission forward.

Find The Ageless Call to Serve: Rethinking Military Service for a Changing World at https://a.co/d/0cob0Mqp

Want to get connected with our team or guests? Have feedback, suggestions, or recommendations? Send us an email at [email protected]

In this episode, Army psychologists MAJ Gaines and MAJ Walls, share how being a military psychologist is changing the landscape of psychology through innovative fellowships, immersive training experiences, and leadership opportunities unlike anything found in traditional civilian careers. From applied work with service members in high pressure environments to specialized training that accelerates professional growth, they discuss how the Army develops psychologists into adaptable clinicians, researchers, advisors, and leaders.

The discourse also explores how Army psychologists support mental readiness, contribute to national defense, and shape the future of behavioral health care across the military and beyond. Whether you are interested in psychology, military service, or leadership development, this episode offers an inside look at a career path built on purpose, innovation, and impact.

You can contact MAJ Gaines at https://www.linkedin.com/in/aprilgainesphd or [email protected]

You can contact MAJ Walls at https://www.linkedin.com/in/contessatwalls/ or [email protected]

Want to get connected with our team or guests? Have feedback, suggestions, or recommendations? Send us an email at [email protected]

In this episode, we sit down with Army Veteran, Marissa Snowden, whose journey didn't end at retirement-it evolved into a mission to better understand the psychological realities of military life. After leaving active duty, she has pursued graduate studies with a strong focus on research. Drawing from both personal experience and academic expertise, she shares how her time in uniform shaped the questions that now drive her work.

The conversation explores her development of a unique measurement model designed to better assess the mental and emotional impacts of military service. She discusses key research areas, including how deployment influences life after service, as well as the often overlooked roles of autism and depression in veteran reintegration. With a blend of lived insight and scientific rigor, this episode offers a thoughtful look at the challenges veterans face, and the innovative ways research is helping to address them.

Featured Links:

You can contact Marissa Snowden via Linkedin at https://www.linkedin.com/in/marissa-snowden-9548132b6/?lipi=urn%3Ali%3Apage%3Ad_flagship3_profile_view_base_contact_details%3ByQb4MGlDRaKB0GSXE%2Bf8Lw%3D%3D

Want to get connected with our team or guests? Have feedback, suggestions, or recommendations? Send us an email at [email protected]

In this episode, we sit down with members of the California National Guard to talk about what makes the guard unique, the wide range of missions they support, and how they are taking new approaches to support the mental health of service members and their families. LTC Harris and MAJ Burns offer a behind-the-scenes look at the people, missions, and support systems that make the California National Guard a vital part of both national defense and local community response.

Featured Links:

You can find the California Military Department app in your preferred app store.

Want to get connected with our team or guests? Have feedback, suggestions, or recommendations? Send us an email at [email protected]

Successful decrease in the stigma toward mental health services has led to an increase in the number of Service Members seeking care, resulting in challenges to military mental health providers and systems in meeting the increased demand. In this episode, Dr. Ethan Bannar sits down with Colonel Elisha Parkhill Pippin, Director of Psychological Health for the United States Air Force, to discuss her 2024 article in the Air Force Times and her recommendations for balancing evidence-based practice with satisfaction-based medicine. Together they explore the current difficulties faced by providers, the impact of homegrown/unit-based efforts to meet the increasing needs of the force, and discuss ways that providers can utilize available resources to better serve the populace. Tune in to hear more about the Air Force Targeted Care Initiative and Mental Health Strategic Initiatives Group, aiming to change the culture surrounding evidence-based practice in our Armed Forces!

Col. Pippin can be reached at [email protected], and her article can be found here: https://www.airforcetimes.com/opinion/2024/05/20/mental-health-professionals-overlooked-in-air-forces-resilience-push/

Want to get connected with our team or guests? Have feedback, suggestions, or recommendations? Send us an email at [email protected]

One of the biggest limitations in Disaster Mental Health (DMH) training has always been the difficulty in replicating high intensity environments within a structured training space. In this episode, Dr. Jeremy Jinkerson sits down with Dr. Ryan Landoll, former Chief of the Behavioral Health Optimization Program of the United States Air Force who now serves as Assistant Dean for Preclinical Sciences at Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences. Together they explore the limitations of standard mental health training models for military DMH and the importance of scalable training programs that can offer practical experience without the risks of a war zone. If you're interested in learning more about trauma-based simulation, the role of trauma familiarization, patient flow management, and psychological first aid in Disaster Mental Health, or the role that Generative AI can play in DMH training, this episode is for you!

Dr. Landoll can be reached at [email protected]

Want to get connected with our team or guests? Have feedback, suggestions, or recommendations? Send us an email at [email protected]

Selecting a career path is a daunting task. Whether we are helping new recruits to choose their first MOS, counseling current subordinates looking to make a switch, or helping our peers who are transitioning back to civilian life, the role of psychology in these decisions is significant. Please join Dr. Jeremy Jinkerson as he sits down with Dr. Brianna Werner to discuss Vocational Psychology and the role it plays in these critical conversations!

Want to get connected with our team or guests? Have feedback, suggestions, or recommendations? Send us an email at [email protected]

In a large system like the United States Air Force, finding suitable candidates for some of the most high speed positions can be an intense balancing act. Join us this month as Dr. Ethan Bannar sits down with Lt Col Emily Grieser, an Air Force Assessment & Selection psychologist, to discuss the ins and outs of her experience providing this critical service, the training experiences that prepared her for success, and potential future directions for this field. If you are interested in the process to become an A&S psychologist or just want to learn more about how these decisions get made, be sure to tune in to this month’s episode!

Lt Col Grieser can be reached at [email protected] 

Want to get connected with our team or guests? Have feedback, suggestions, or recommendations? Send us an email at [email protected]