Oscar Mike Radio

In this episode of Oscar Mike Radio, I spoke with Cary Sparrow, a Navy submarine veteran who brought his military experience into entrepreneurship. Cary shared his journey from operating nuclear submarines to founding WageScape, a company that collects and normalizes global labor-market data from more than 800,000 career websites across 240+ countries.

We discussed his transition through consulting and corporate leadership, building a fully virtual, cloud-based company, and AI's growing impact on data and entrepreneurship. Cary also shared how lessons from military leadership translate into business and why remote work can create new opportunities.

His advice to aspiring entrepreneurs is simple: build your network and never be afraid to ask for help.

Thank you, Cary, for joining me! Learn more at www.WageScape.com.

We are Mission in Flight!

In this episode of Oscar Mike Radio, I spoke with Army veteran Mike Klein, an independent candidate for Florida’s 3rd Congressional District. Mike shared his journey from West Point to serving in Operation Desert Storm and how his military experiences shaped his views on war and public service.

We discussed why he chose to run as an independent and his concerns about money, special interests, and the two-party system. Mike also talked about veteran healthcare and Warrior Centric Health, which he co-founded after witnessing his brother’s recovery from severe combat injuries.

We also explored reforms Mike supports, including ranked-choice voting and changes to campaign finance laws.

Thank you, Mike, for joining me and sharing your military story, advocacy work, and reasons for seeking public office.

Learn more at mikeklein4congress.com.

In this special edition of Oscar Mike Radio, I spoke with Army veteran Michael Waskewich Jr., founder of C.R.A.F.T., the Coalition to Represent American Flavor & Tradition, a national nonprofit supporting the veteran and first-responder craft beverage community.

Michael shared his journey into the beverage industry and his vision to unite veteran-owned brands through retail opportunities, networking, and tasting events. We also previewed Frontline Tastings in Tampa, September 22–24, where veteran entrepreneurs and supporters will connect and share their stories.

I’m proud to support Michael and the veteran businesses attending. Tomorrow, my friends Julie Austin and Matthew Cain will welcome Michael to their podcast, Dog Tags to Ownership. Then we’ll all meet up in Tampa!

Learn more at supportcraft.org.

We are Mission in Flight!

Learn more about C.R.A.F.T.

In this episode of Oscar Mike Radio, I took the show on theroad to Danbury, Connecticut, to broadcast live from a Heroes on the Waterevent and see firsthand how kayak fishing is helping veterans and first responders.

I spoke with founder Josh Stanwitz and members of the Heroes on the Water team about how time outdoors, camaraderie, and kayak fishing provide opportunities to decompress, reconnect, and heal.

We also discussed the organization’s nationwide chapternetwork, family involvement, data-driven approach to measuring impact, and partnerships with Texas State University and the VA.

Being there reminded me that healing doesn’t always happeninside four walls. Sometimes it happens with a paddle in your hands, a fishing line in the water, and people around you who understand.

Go to https://heroesonthewater.org/to learn more

Thank you to Heroes on the Water for welcoming Oscar MikeRadio!

In this episode of Oscar Mike Radio, I had the privilege of speaking with Neil Adams, author of From the Pile, a book that honors the life and legacy of his friend Michael Dorian, a 9/11 first responder whose story reminds us that courage and service can take many forms.

Michael was HIV-positive and immunocompromised, but when America was attacked on September 11, 2001, he volunteered to help at Ground Zero. Working alongside firefighters in the dust and debris, Michael used saline to flush contaminants from their eyes—doing whatever he could to help those working on the pile.

A veterinary technician and volunteer NYPD officer, Michael had lived a complicated and sometimes turbulent life. His story wasn't one of perfection. It was one of perseverance, friendship, courage, and ultimately redemption.

Like so many who served at Ground Zero, Michael later developed cancer linked to his exposure to the toxic environment. Before his passing, he was recognized for his service with the Medal of Valor.

Neil and I talked about much more than what Michael did after 9/11. We talked about who he was—the struggles, mistakes, relationships, and experiences that shaped him. That is what makes Michael's story so powerful. You don't have to be perfect to make a difference. Ordinary people, even those carrying their own struggles, can rise to extraordinary moments.

From the Pile is also a story about friendship. Neil has made sure that Michael's courage, humanity, and service will not be forgotten.

As we remember 9/11, this conversation reminded me that service doesn't always come with a uniform, a title, or recognition. Sometimes service is simply seeing that someone needs help and deciding to step forward.

Thank you, Neil, for talking with me and for sharing Michael's story.

This 9/11, remember that service takes many forms—and friends truly are forever.

Learn more about Neil Adams and order From the Pile at readneiladams.com.

This episode of Oscar Mike Radio features returning guestLauren Burns, joined by a very special guest: former Delta Force operator Don Feeney. Lauren's incredible story began when she was kidnapped as a child from Dallas and taken to Jordan, an experience that profoundly affected her life.

 After years of healing, she is now ready to share her journey in her upcoming book, Stolen, releasing on September 8th. This conversation offers a new perspective through Don, one of the men involved in her rescue. Don recounts the covert mission he undertook with teammates JD and Dave, detailing how they tracked Lauren via a school bus and successfully extracted her across the Allenby Bridge into Israel.

Hearing Lauren and Don’s sides of the story was powerful:one as the child needing rescue, the other as a team member determined to bring her home. Decades later, they reflect together, not just on what occurred but on what followed. Central to this dialogue is faith; both share how it carriedthem through challenging times.

 For Lauren, faith has become part of a broader mission: to turn a painful chapter into a story that offers hope to others. This episode signifies more than a rescue; it’s aboutsurvival, healing, faith, and choosing what to do with our stories after the darkest moments.

 Lauren's book, Stolen, is out September 8th. Thank you, Lauren, for trusting me and the Oscar Mike Radio audience with your story again. And thank you, Don, for sharing theremarkable account of the men committed to one goal: bringing Lauren home.

Go to https://www.laurenburns.net/aboutto learn more about Lauren and order her book.

We are Mission in Flight!

In this episode of Oscar Mike Radio, I sit down with MicahTaylor, a retired Air National Guard veteran and Program Director at Hire Heroes USA, to talk about one of the biggest challenges service members face: figuring out what comes next after the uniform.

Micah shares her own military journey, including her serviceas an aircraft electrician and her transition into civilian life. That experience gives her a personal understanding of how difficult it can be to take years of military training, leadership, and responsibility and translate those skills into language civilian employers understand.

That's where Hire Heroes USA comes in.

Micah explains how the organization provides free,personalized career support to veterans, transitioning service members, and military spouses. From career coaching and résumé development to interview preparation and job-search assistance, the goal isn't simply to help someonefind a job. It's about helping people recognize their value and connect their military experience to meaningful civilian opportunities.

We also discuss specialized programs supporting womenveterans and military spouses, two groups that can face unique challenges when navigating employment and career development.

One point from our conversation especially stood out to me: transition planning needs to start early. Don't wait until you're about to take off the uniform to start thinking about your next mission.

We also talked about artificial intelligence and its growingrole in résumés, job searches, and recruiting. AI can be a powerful tool, but Micah reminds us that technology can't replace one of the most important parts of finding the right opportunity: human connection.

Networking matters. Relationships matter. Conversationsmatter.

Military service gives us skills that don't disappear whenthe uniform comes off. Sometimes, we just need help translating those skills and finding the next place to put them to work.

Go to https://www.hireheroesusa.org/ to learn more.

Thank you, Micah, for joining me on Oscar Mike Radio and forthe work you and the entire Hire Heroes USA team are doing to help veterans, service members, and military spouses move confidently toward their next mission.

I met Greg Potapenko at Military Creator Con 2026. HisTactical Snack Packs were key to getting through the long days, and I wanted to learn more.

Greg is a Canadian Army veteran and founder of TacticalSnacks. He talks with me about military service, entrepreneurship, and what happens when you take the skills developed in uniform and apply them to a newmission.

Greg served 23 years in the Canadian Army, retiring as awarrant officer before transitioning into the business world. Like many veterans, leaving the military didn't mean he was finished serving. Instead, Greg found a new way to support the military and first responder communities through entrepreneurship.

We talk about the story behind Tactical Snacks, a healthiersnack brand created with military personnel and first responders in mind. Greg wanted to build something that wasn't just about food. Tactical Snacks is also about morale, connection, and creating a brand that understands the people it serves.

Greg also brings extensive experience in digital marketingand business acquisitions to the conversation. We discuss what he's learned about entrepreneurship, why staying focused matters when building a business, and the importance of creating a community around your mission instead of simply trying to sell a product.

What I especially enjoyed about this conversation is howGreg has taken the leadership, discipline, and mission-focused mindset developed during 23 years of military service and carried those qualities into his next chapter.

And he's just getting started.

Greg shares his plans to continue growing Tactical Snacks,including the goal of bringing the brand onto U.S. military installations through the AAFES system.

From Canadian Army warrant officer to veteran entrepreneur,Greg's story demonstrates that leaving the military doesn't mean leaving the mission behind. Sometimes it simply means finding a new way to serve.

Go to https://tactical-snacks.com/ to learn more!

Thank you, Greg, for joining me on Oscar Mike Radio, sharingyour story, and continuing to support the military and first responder communities.

We are Mission in Flight!

I had the privilege of sitting down with PulitzerPrize-winning Boston Globe photographer Bill Brett and artist and poet Paul Doyle to talk about their incredible collaboration, Boston Veterans Appreciation.

This book is more than a collection of photographs. It is atribute to the men and women from the Boston area who answered the call to serve our country across different generations and conflicts, and an effort to ensure their stories are never forgotten.

Bill takes us through his remarkable 60-year career inphotography and shares how decades behind the camera taught him to capture not just an image, but the person and story behind it. Paul explains how accompanying Bill while meeting and interviewing veterans drew him into theproject and gave him an even deeper appreciation for those who served.

Throughout our conversation, Bill and Paul shared some ofthe veterans and stories that stayed with them, what went into creating the portraits, and how veterans and the community responded to the finished book.The success of Boston Veterans Appreciation demonstrates something I have believed throughout my years of doing Oscar Mike Radio: our veterans' stories matter.

We also look ahead. Bill shares plans for a follow-upproject honoring Gold Star families and preserving the stories of those who have experienced the ultimate sacrifice of a loved one in service to our country.

There will come a time when the veterans of previousgenerations are no longer here to tell us what they saw, what they endured, and what their service meant. Projects like Boston Veterans Appreciation ensure their faces, voices, and legacies remain for future generations.

Thank you, Bill and Paul, for taking the time to join me onOscar Mike Radio and, more importantly, for using your talents to honor our veterans and preserve their stories.

Their service is history. Their stories are legacy. Ourresponsibility is to remember.

We are Mission in Flight!

I talk with retired U.S. Army Officer Julie Austin aboutleadership, transition, and the next mission many veterans choose after military service: entrepreneurship.

Julie served our nation for 20 years, carrying on a proudmilitary family legacy. She shares her journey from being a reluctant ROTC cadet to becoming a battalion commander, the leadership lessons she learned along the way, and why she ultimately chose to prioritize her family as shetransitioned into civilian life.

We also dive into her work as co-host of the Dog Tags toOwnership podcast, where she helps veterans explore the opportunities and challenges of starting and growing their own businesses. Julie explains why leadership,adaptability, and resilience developed in military service are some of the greatest assets a veteran can bring to entrepreneurship.

One of the most exciting parts of our conversation isJulie's announcement of Forces Brands USA, an upcoming online marketplace dedicated to connecting consumers with veteran-owned businesses across the country. It's an ambitious effort to strengthen the veteran business community while encouraging Americans to support those who have served.

Whether you're a veteran considering starting a business, anentrepreneur seeking inspiration, or someone who wants to support veteran-owned companies, this conversation offers practical insights and encouragement. Visithttps://forcesbrands-usa.com/  to learn more about this platform and how you can get involved.

Thank you, Julie, for your years of service, your continuedcommitment to empowering veterans, and for joining me on Oscar Mike Radio. We are Mission in Flight!