Sheepdog Financial

Many former military people need to find jobs when they get out. This can be a daunting task that can make the transition period even more stressful. I have a career expert on the show today who's going to share some top tips and advice to make this period easier. Jen Walker Wall began working in a hiring capacity. This led to her seeing a lot of resumes and noticing what was being done right and not being done right. She started consulting and became an interview and resume expert. 

Eventually this experience led Jenn to starting Work Wonders Careers to not only help people find jobs, but find the right career that fits their life. Jenn says that the single most important factor is having confidence about your skills and presenting them in a big picture way. Many people doubt that their skills are transferable, but things like leadership, communication, and working under pressure are always in demand. Jenn also shares resume tips, when to start looking for that job, LinkedIn profiles, and her views on working for yourself and side hustles. 

Highlights from This Episode:

[00:49] Jenn acquired experience in a job that required a lot of hiring. 

[01:28] Through Work Wonders Careers, Jenn offers a complimentary skill set to very ambitious professionals that makes them more confident and mobile in their careers.

[02:35] Don't have so much content on your resume that it's impossible to read quickly. Be selective about what you're offering with clean margins and a good-sized font.

[03:06] Learn how to properly customize your resume for specific opportunities. Align your resume, application, and Linkedin profile to the type of job you're looking for. 

[04:02] A resume is for a specific role and a LinkedIn profile should work for the breadth of your career.

[04:54] Every professional from every field feels like their experience isn't transferable. Think about the bigger picture of what your role entailed.

[05:21] Focus on bigger picture things like leadership, training, communication, and working under pressure.

[06:29] Jenn started a side consulting business which led to Work Wonders Careers ever since.

[09:06] Saying no and being discerning is a huge part of landing the right job for you.

[10:24] Be really confident about communicating your story. Summarize things succinctly for people and be really confident about delivering that story.

[13:03] Confidence is something that you develop and nurture as you go. Reflective exercises can help get clarity on this.

[14:00] Work on your communication skills and get comfortable talking about your experience.

[14:53] Jenn likes to work with people for at least through months. It takes time to make a change. People who are actively applying usually start getting interviews within six to eight weeks.

[18:10] Give yourself credit. You're more qualified than you think.

[19:10] A job search can take between 6 to 12 months. If you don't give yourself enough time, you don't get to be as picky.

[21:18] Having gaps in your career is normal. It's okay to take some personal time after a long military career. 

[24:45] Jenn and her friend Jenn have a podcast called Making Life Work. They talk about making time for what it is that you are really passionate about.

[26:07] Side hustles can be a great way to explore career options. Be mindful of what you're trying to do and set some goals for yourself. Also figure out how to tell the story in an interview situation.

[28:17] People frequently want to be self-employed. Even though it can be terrifying. The smallest way to explore this can be a side hustle. 

[31:28] Running a business is easier than starting a business. 

Links and Resources

Work Wonders Careers

Uncomplicate Your Job Workbook

Jenn Walker Wall on Twitter

Jenn Walker Wall on LinkedIn

Jenn Walker Wall on Instagram

How to Put More YOU in Your Job Search

Making Life Work

Episode 3.9 Side Hustles

Ailbe Astor is the Veteran Services Coordinator at Freedom Service Dogs of America. FSD helps veterans and active-duty military find new levels of confidence and independence with these specially trained dogs. Ailbe went into the Marine Corps right out of high school. Even when he got out, he continued to work with veterans and be around veterans, so he never really had a tough transition period. He is so passionate about matching these wonderful dogs with vets who can benefit from them. 

He shares a little bit about the program and the rigorous training that the dogs go through. He also shares how the purpose of the dog is to help the client reintegrate into society and do the things that they want to do, not just the same old thing that they have been doing. It's about freedom and independence. He also talks to us about the process to get a dog, and how he works hard to gain the trust of the vet to make the perfect match. He also shares tips like applying right away. You can always change your mind, because there is a two to three year waiting list. 

Highlights from This Episode:

[00:47] Ailbe served in the Marine Corps in the 90s straight out of high school.

[01:25] When he got out, he started working with vets and never stopped.

[02:33] One of the toughest parts about transitioning is losing the known entities that you can trust.

[02:55] Ailbe is the Veteran Services Coordinator at Freedom Service Dogs of America or like his wife calls him, the dog matcher. 

[03:07] He meets with veterans and gets to know them a little better before matching them with dogs. 

[03:52] He wants to match the personalities according to personality, energy, and what the vet does day-to-day. 

[05:46] The goal of getting the dog is to help the vet reintegrate back into society. Which includes pushing outside of their comfort zone. 

[06:46] Freedom Service Dogs has been around for 33 years. The founder ended up getting paralyzed in an accident and eventually discovered the benefits of a service dog and wanted to share with others. 

[08:23] The dogs now help with physical disabilities, PTSD, and people on the spectrum. 

[09:10] Once they get the dogs they go through an established curriculum. They work with prisoners for two months, and then move on to other training. 

[10:24] Dogs can help create space in crowds or a bubble. 

[12:06] They have a very robust group of volunteers at the facility and fosters for the weekend.

[13:31] Operation Freedom is an umbrella for any program that serves veterans. 

[14:31] They take dogs to all of the places that the veterans would go like the grocery store, the VA, and the airport.

[15:27] They also send the trainer to the client's home to introduce the dog to environments and replicate anything that they can. 

[18:27] Ailbe shares a story of a veteran that was able to go to the movies for the first time in years. 

[21:07] They go all over to find dogs to put into the program. 

[23:08] There is no shortage of vets in need. They frequently find the program. After therapy and meds, they usually discover service dogs. Many of the people they see have been in treatment for a long time.

[25:00] The interview for the potential vet is very intensive. Ailbe really needs to find out who they are and gain their trust to match them to the correct dog.

[30:35] The dogs get lifetime support with a trainer. 

[31:59] The VA is working on a program to offer vouchers for service dogs. They do offer pet coverage.

[33:23] Ailbe knows that service dogs add value to the lives of those with PTSD. 

[36:43] Start the process, the moment you think you might be interested in a service dog. A two to three-year wait can be a devastating piece of information. There's no harm in applying and changing your mind.

[38:04] Focus on improving yourself while you're waiting to get your dog.

Links and Resources

Freedom Service Dogs

Freedom Service Dogs on Facebook

Freedom Service Dogs on Instagram

Freedom Service Dogs on LinkedIn

Ailbe Astor on LinkedIn

Kim Colgrove is here to talk about her mission of helping first responders and veterans find a way to manage their emotions, stress, and trauma. These people are under a huge amount of stress and trauma. Kim knows this all too well after her husband took his own life after 30 years of being in law enforcement. After the loss of her husband, Kim went on a journey of discovery about stress and trauma. She wanted a way to help first responders manage their stress and improve their emotional health. 

Kim was introduced to meditation when she was 10 years old, and she has been meditating for 43 years. She decided to devote her career to teaching meditation and mindfulness to first responders. Kim runs Pause First: Mindfulness for First Responders which offers training sessions to introduce first responders to meditation and mindfulness. She is also the author of Mindfulness For Warriors: Empowering First Responders to Reduce Stress and Build Resilience. Kim's passion is contagious as she shares what meditation and mindfulness is and how and why to get started. 

Highlights from This Episode:

[00:49] In 1976 when Kim was 10 years old, her parents had her trained in transcendental meditation. This technique is still around. It's not what Kim teaches, but it's the foundation that everything was built on.

[01:20] Kim has been meditating for 43 years.

[01:43] In 2011, Kim quit her full-time job to teach meditation and mindfulness.

[02:01] She taught small classes and then corporate clients.

[02:41] In 2014, Kim's husband David retired from a 30-year law enforcement career. Less than three months later, he took his own life.

[03:25] Kim went on a journey of discovery about stress and trauma. She learned about secondary trauma and post-traumatic stress and how all of that impacts first responders.

[04:48] In 2017, she put together her first class of meditation and mindfulness for first responders. People signed up for this four hour block of training, and she's been teaching classes ever since. 

[05:59] Kim has written a book called Mindfulness For Warriors: Empowering First Responders to Reduce Stress and Build Resilience. It's part memoir where she shares the story of her husband. She also interviews nine first responders who share their healing path.

[07:11] Meditation is the daily exercise. Kim recommends 15 minutes. Mindfulness is a state of being that is cultivated through meditation.

[08:19] Mindfulness is about breathing and checking-in to this moment in time and the here and now.

[08:45] Studies show that meditation can help alleviate stress, anxiety, and help lower blood pressure. It's also connected with better brain health.

[10:44] Meditation can help to deactivate the amygdala and lower stress.

[11:40] The habitual stress response can impact people's behavior. A hyperactive amygdala can cause people to kick into that fight or flight response.

[13:18] Kim teaches meditation as a brain training exercise. She bridges the gap between the skeptics and the active participants.

[14:48] The idea of sitting still in silence is terrifying for some people. 

[15:04] Kim has the participants in her class meditate, and the response has been very positive.

[17:05] Silent meditation is when you're just sitting there and being. You're not engaged in anything.

[18:19] Kim wants to help first responders to take an honest look at their stress and trauma and improve their emotional health. 

[20:22] Meditation is integrated into yoga. Yoga is movement. Mediation and yoga are two different things. 

[21:09] Meditation is similar to when you reboot your computer. 

[21:58] To get started with meditation, find a book, teacher, or podcast that appeals to you. 

Links and Resources

Pause First: Mindfulness for First Responders 

Kim Colegrove on LinkedIn

Kim Colegrove on Twitter

Mindfulness For Warriors: Empowering First Responders to Reduce Stress and Build Resilience

Eight Weeks to a Better Brain

Maria Reed has been a military spouse for 17 years. Prior to that she was in the television industry. She was a director and a producer before meeting her husband. Military families have to move a lot, and there is a lot of work involved and a lot of uncertainty. Deployment is another big issue for military families when one spouse is left at home to take care of everything by themselves. 

One Christmas, Maria was watching home improvement shows on TV. She thought that something seemed a little off and that she had the production experience and the military experience to create an amazing home improvement show to honor military families. That's when Moving With The Military first began. Once she had the idea she didn't let budget constraints or network rejections stop her. She now works to bridge the civilian/military divide by giving military families incredible spaces to make their houses into homes. 

Highlights from This Episode:

[00:43] Maria Reed has been an Army spouse for 17 years. She's the mother of two awesome teenagers, and the Armed Forces Insurance Army spouse of the year.

[01:05] She's also a serial volunteer and serial entrepreneur. 

[01:14] She does everything she can to help military families. She feels like it's a whole new career. She used to be in television. She was a director and producer before meeting her husband.

[01:43] Maria created a TV show called Moving With the Military about three years ago. On the show, they honor families for their service and commitment with surprise home makeovers.

[02:35] Maria is busy, and she uses apps and pen and paper to manage her life.

[03:49] Her husband is deployed. They have been through multiple deployments. She taught her kids how to cook and how to do laundry. Everyone does their part.

[05:43] Maria's first military experience was in 2003. She had her family for help, but she felt alone until she went to her first FRG meeting.

[07:50] She has had really great experiences on post and off post.

[08:40] The show does DIY events that people can watch or attend. It's about making a connection and bringing people together.

[09:24] Maria's advice for a family's first deployment is to thrive.

[10:38] Go out and live and do and have fun and share those experiences with your spouse.

[11:34] Maria had been watching a lot of home improvement shows on television. She had the production background and the military background and wanted to do things right. 

[12:54] She spent hours creating a strategic plan and a website. She told her husband about it, and he approved and he was deploying in 30 days.

[13:18] Two months after he deployed, they did their first episode. She was turned down by networks, and they funded the show themselves.

[14:53] They do one room makeovers and the furniture is a gift. They also purchase the goods and pay the tax on it. 

[16:56] Maria's favorite part is her military families surprised faces and how grateful they are. She also loves traveling. All of it fuels her with happy surprises. 

[19:04] The show is very personal for Maria. She leaves a part of herself there every time.

[19:30] Last year they filmed a makeover for a coast guard family. The military spouse was in hospice. She wanted to leave her girls with a beautiful home. They filmed for five days and ended up doing the entire house.

[21:05] The Coast Guard community came together and no one complained.

[22:19] Maria's has always dreamed big. Getting on home improvement channels and a bigger audience could be in the future. 

[24:06] A PCS is a move for a military family.

[24:27] Marie developed an app called My ultimate PCS. Moving is like starting over with a lot of paper. The app is cloud based. Everything is there. 

[27:01] Staying at the hotels during the PCS can be a funny challenge. Once they made a whole Thanksgiving meal in a hotel room.

[29:03] Get the app for My Ultimate PCS. There are also quick guides. Get the orders. You can learn to live anywhere for a short amount of time. Look at it as an adventure and enjoy the journey.

Links and Resources

Moving With The Military

My Ultimate PCS

Maria Reed on LinkedIn

Moving With The Military on YouTube

Moving With The Military on Instagram

Moving With The Military on Facebook

Moving With The Military on Twitter

Moving With The Military on Pinterest

Jeff Rose was in the National Guard for nine years. He also was deployed to Baghdad during Operation Iraqi Freedom. He was also a financial planner for 16 years, before he struck out on his own with his Good Financial Cents blog. He also has a YouTube channel called Wealth Hacker Labs. He is also a Certified Financial Planner, the CEO of his own wealth management firm, and he wrote a best-selling book on personal finance.  

He is fortunate to share wealth building advice online, although sometimes his advice goes against conventional wisdom. He is also a huge proponent of Roth IRAs. Jeff and I talk about being in the National Guard, his transition to civilian life, and some benefits the Guard offers. We also touch on how counseling is a positive thing and how adjusting after military life can be a struggle. We also talk about military finances, and Jeff shares tons of advice and personal stories. 

Highlights from this Episode

[00:45] Jeff was a financial planner for 16 years. Now he is fortunate to run a blog called Good Financial Cents. He also runs the Wealth Hacker Labs YouTube channel. 

[01:42] Jeff has been having a great time sharing lessons on wealth-building online.

[01:52] He was also in the National Guard for nine years. He was in the guard for six years and got his education paid for. He became a financial advisor but spent one weekend a month in the guard after reenlisting for three years. 

[03:23] His unit was activated and he was sent to Baghdad in 2005 to support Operation Iraqi Freedom.

[03:43] When he got back from Iraq, his wife gave him the ultimatum of the military or her. He thinks he made the better choice.

[04:33] Jeff found transitioning from the military to being a civilian one of the top five transitions in his life.

[05:46] After getting back, Jeff was just trying to remember who it was.

[06:28] When Jeff got back, his buddies had graduated. His wife had bought a house. She got a new job. He had a new dog because his old dog got killed. He was like where am I. 

[07:39] He and his wife got into a huge argument, and he passed out in his friend's backyard. He knew something had to change and he went to counseling and went on to do some amazing things. He also gave himself grace.

[14:05] Jeff shares some of the benefits of being in the National Guard like health care. 

[15:56] It's a big deal for a National Guard unit to be deployed. He received tons of care packages. He even got boots and a case of Red Bull sent to him.

[18:33] Jeff did his best to get as many soldiers as possible to sign up for a Roth IRA or a TSP. He saw guys spend their money before they even got home. 

[19:24] Investing $100 a month when you're young is about the potential of the money not the $100.

[20:54] Blowing bonuses is like watching a train wreck happen.

[21:48] Jeff looks at the TSP the same way he looks at a 401k. If you know nothing about investing and you need to do something, this is the perfect thing to sign up for.

[22:30] Jeff argues starting with a Roth IRA that forces you to learn about investing and what you're putting your money into. 

[24:48] The latest thing won't make you a millionaire overnight. Learn about where you're putting your money and let it grow. 

Links and Resources

Good Financial Cents

Wealth Hacker Labs on YouTube

Good Financial Cents Podcast

Good Financial Cents on Facebook

Jeff Rose on Twitter

Soldier of Finance

Ryan Brandt is a former marine who served two tours in Afghanistan. He is now a business development executive for Viqtory a company that focuses on recruitment marketing. We all know that transitioning out of the military can be a challenging time. The more planning done in advance when it comes to marketing your skills, getting the right mindset, and getting your finances in order the easier the transition will be. 

We talk about this, and Ryan shares struggles that he and his fellow military brothers and sisters have been through. We talk about how it's smart to get financial advice from the beginning and not live check to check. Having a plan now will payoff in large dividends in the future. Ryan shares mistakes that he made, and what he would do differently. He also shares how transitioning military people can make their resumes relevant for the civilian world and advises to not just stick with MOS codes. 

Highlights from this Episode 

[00:51] Ryan was a marine who did two tours to Afghanistan. He was a sergeant and a radio operator.

[01:14] When he got out of the Marine Corps he moved to the northern Virginia area where his family is from. He worked at a SaaS reseller.

[01:44] He then started working in enterprise sales in the DC Metro area. He worked with GSA contracts, the DOD, and the Department of Homeland Security.

[01:58] He met his wife in Annapolis, Maryland. They moved outside of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania about six years ago.

[02:33] He continued working in sales in different companies.

[02:58] He was given an opportunity at Victory to help his brothers and sisters in arms better than self stirring the transition process.

[03:52] Ryan got his bachelor's in criminal justice from Memphis University before the Corp. 

[04:20] He also played in the minor leagues with the Chicago White Sox for a while.

[06:41] Ryan now realizes how scary the transition process can be. In the military, you become part of something bigger than yourself. Then you take a 5-day transition class and you're done.

[08:56] It can be equally stressful for career military people.

[10:30] When a military career comes to an end, it's on the transitioner themselves to make moves towards a new life. People often think they have to do something in civilian life that is similar to what they did in the military.

[12:02] There weren't a lot of people to talk to during the transition period.

[14:11] Ryan shares how he didn't get a lot of support from the military when he was leaving. 

[15:45] Ryan markets for Viqtory to find corporations that want to hire military veterans. 

[16:13] Ryan shares the skills that military people have that are valuable to employers like competing missions and leadership skills.

[17:41] Don't be MOS focused. Military people have a lot of intangible skills. 

[18:44] When creating your resume. Talk about the overall skills you acquired. Leadership and achievements. Put what you did into something that resonates with a civilian. 

[20:19] Being on time is a huge skill.

[21:03] Transitioning people stay for about five years if they make it past the first year. 

[22:21] The biggest hurdle is the mentality of bettering yourself on your own. 

[24:05] It's about being self-sufficient as opposed to being part of the team.

[26:10] After deployment, it makes sense to make a plan for accumulated money. Don't live for the weekend. 

[30:48] Ryan shares a story about getting guys he was in the military with straight on finances and talking about avoiding huge debt and security clearances. 

[32:41] Credit scores matter when getting hired.

[34:31] After getting out of boot camp, go talk to someone about finances and put yourself on a solid plan. The better off you will be in the future. Don't live paycheck to paycheck.

[37:24] If someone can make a commitment to their country, they can make a commitment to their finances. There are also financial advisors on post now.

Links and Resources

Ryan Brandt on LinkedIn

Viqtory

[email protected]

Transitioning from the military can be a huge change for people who have served. Their whole life can be turned upside down, and they can even discover a loss of identity that was tied to their military life. David Pere says the solution for this is to have a purpose and a plan before you leave. David has been in the military since 2008, and he still serves. After reading Rich Dad Poor Dad, he started taking an active role with his finances and cut spending, started saving, and investing in real estate.

David now owns 14 properties. One is a 10 unit commercial property and the rest are rentals. One of them is currently being renovated. David not only took an active role in controlling his finances and his future, but he helps other military members do the same. He runs From Military to Millionaire where he helps other service members build wealth through real estate investing, entrepreneurship, and personal finance. He's also the host of The Military Millionaire Podcast. 

David and I talk about his story, how he feels about investing in real estate, and how to find the right property manager. We talk about benefits, opportunities, and retirement choices that apply to military members and how to get the most out of them. This episode is about making a plan, so that you can have options in or out of the military. 

Highlights from this Episode 

[00:45] David has been in the military since 2008. He's still an active duty Marine. He works in logistics and transportation. In 2015, he read the book Rich Dad Poor Dad. That changed his life.

[01:13] He started real estate investing and got better with this finances. In the last 4 years he's bought and sold a lot of Real Estate. He has 13 rental properties and one that's being renovated.

[01:29] He tripled or maybe quadrupled his net worth.

[02:28] David was a finance specialist. He took a week-long course about finances. The class is very thorough, but there's a lot to learn in one week.

[03:41] The program is used to help people already in trouble. David would prefer it was there to help people before they get into trouble.

[05:19] Before talking about your finances, you need to have your basic information. 

[10:13] David has a 10 unit commercial property and he uses a property manager for it.

[11:37] Always interview more than one property manager. Also look for hidden fees. Make sure they are licensed, insured, and you are a good fit for them. 

[15:00] To start investing. Fix your budget and save money. Then learn about investing and network. Then take action.

[16:40] Buy and hold real estate investing is a long term strategy. There are also tax benefits.

[18:28] David does his own bookkeeping. He also has someone who files his taxes for him. It's very important to get the first year with basis correct. 

[22:14] David took the blended retirement system. For him, it allows more flexibility with his career. 

[25:43] David joined in 2008, he lost money by contributing to the G fund compared to what he could have made in the market. 

[27:33] The life cycle fund is the fund you need to use. 

[29:06] The biggest success for transition is to have a plan. Losing identity is what hurts people transitioning from the military. Find a purpose now. 

[32:08] Income is rarely the problem. Expenses are.

[34:59] It's a good idea to cut your expenses.

[35:35] Don't get caught up trying to keep up with other people. 

Links and Resources

From Military to Millionaire

The Military Millionaire Podcast

From Military to Millionaire on Facebook

David Pere on Instagram

David Pere on LinkedIn

David Pere on Twitter

Rich Dad Poor Dad

Amanda Huffman served in the Air Force for six years as a civil engineer. She got married and was expecting a baby when she decided to transition to civilian life. The transition was harder than she thought it would be as she discovered her identity was tied to the military. She didn't really feel like she fit in with veteran groups or training programs, because she was a woman and wasn't looking for career opportunities. She was going to stay at home with her baby and identified more with military spouses. 

She began writing about her experience and started the Airman to Mom blog. Through her work, she discovered that military women had interesting stories to tell, and she wrote Women of the Military: A Compilation of Stories from American Women Service Members which also led to her Women of the Military Podcast where she talks to military women and gives them an outlet to share their stories. We chat about Amanda's story, veteran organizations, and some of her favorite stories. We also talk about how her and her husband handle their finances, tools they use, saving or paying for college, and retirement possibilities. 

Highlights from This Episode

[00:58] Amanda served in the Air Force for 6 years as a civil engineer. She is now a stay-at-home mom and a military spouse. Her husband is in the Air Force.

[01:22] After leaving the military, Amanda was struggling and having an identity crisis, so she decided to write about it in her blog Airman to Mom.

[01:28] In 2017, she did a series on deployments. She had an overwhelmingly female response, and she realized she was in the right place at the right time.

[02:00] She started collecting stories about military women, and that's what Women of the Military is all about.

[02:08] She features 28 stories about military women. She also podcasts about the same topic. 

[02:37] Amanda was surprised by how much her identity was tied to her military service. She was transitioning out of the military and just had a baby. It threw her for a loop she didn't expect.

[04:16] There weren't any available resources for people getting out of the military to be a stay-at-home mom.

[05:08] Amanda has been out of the military for 6 years, and she's just now getting involved with veterans organizations.

[06:41] The first organization Amanda got involved with was Wreaths across America. It brought back her connection to the military.

[08:45] Amanda began writing on her blog and now mostly focuses on her podcast. 

[09:32] One of the most moving stories that Amanda recorded was about a woman who was raped twice while serving. This woman became an advocate for another rape survivor and turned her story into positive action. 

[12:02] Amanda's book has a lot of anonymous stories, but they are great stories. 

[12:56] Amanda met the first female cadet from the Air Force Academy. This woman was kicked out of the academy for failing calculus even though men who failed were not kicked out. The story explains how the odds were stacked against the over 100 women who graduated.

[14:26] Her husband travels a lot. It's like deployment where they have to drop everything and go. 

[15:42] They track their finances with mint. It's more accurate than a spreadsheet.

[19:14] We talk about the blended retirement system. 

[20:04] They have GI bills for their kids college fund. 

[23:58] Amanda and her husband were able to save a lot so now Amanda doesn't have to work, and they have an emergency reserve. 

Links and Resources

Women of the Military: A Compilation of Stories from American Women Service Members

Women of the Military Podcast

Airman to Mom

Amanda Huffman on Facebook

Amanda Huffman on Twitter

Amanda Huffman on Instagram

Wreaths across America

VETTYS

Service Women's Action Network

Mint

Tiller

Tim K. is the founder of The Veterans Project which is an online journal that profiles the experiences of veterans. He is the host of The Veterans Project podcast and he also started The Caregiver Project. Tim shares how he grew up with a proud military tradition. His father suggested he do the honorable thing when Tim was looking for ways to pay for college. Tim decided to enlist and be a cook. He finished high school, went to basic training, and started college. Tim was in for the surprise of his life when he ended up being deployed in Iraq in a mostly infantry mixed unit. 

In retrospect, this turned out to be one of the best experiences of his life and what enabled him to embark on his meaningful and impactful passion of sharing stories of other veterans. Tim shares his journey and a very touching story from one of his first interviews. He also shares why it was so important to evolve from just focusing on the stories of veterans and start The Caregiver Project. Tim also shares the surprising impact of his podcast and how it has enabled him to reach a new audience. This is the perfect story of passion and work creating a real impact. 

Highlights from This Episode

[01:08] Tim is from South Texas. They have a proud military tradition there. His dad was in the Air Force for about 10 years.

[02:01] He grew up in San Antonio with a respect for military tradition.

[04:15] In 2005, Tim needed college funds, so he became a cook in the military.

[05:48] He went to basic training at Fort Knox, Kentucky. Basic training was rough.

[08:01] He became a cook, then halfway through his college career he was deployed to Iraq.

[09:04] Tim was called into a mixed unit with mostly infantry. It became one of the best experiences of his life.

[10:39] Without having gone to combat, Tim  wouldn't have The Veterans Project.

[10:53] His deployment taught him a lot about himself and the rigors of deployment overseas.

[11:39] After returning from Iraq, Tim went into a Master's program. He began learning photography. 

[14:53] His teacher suggested that he tell veteran's stories for his capstone project. He was so impacted by the process, that he couldn't imagine not doing this. 

[18:28] The Veterans Project is a comprehensive black and white essay where Tim follows veterans around and tells their stories. He also talks about reintegration and their lives before the military.

[18:55] He began with Iraq and Afghanistan veterans. He then expanded into World War II. His first interview was so amazing that it was almost unbelievable. 

[25:10] He did a project that included all of the prescriptions and struggles of a vet after the military. This story has such an impact on students he shared it with. Unfortunately, this vet took his own life a year later. 

[27:12] Tim wanted to share the family stories too. This began The Caregiver Project. He began with a white star family and then moved immediately to a gold star family. 

[30:58] Many of these families have made the ultimate sacrifice, and it never goes away. Even after they've moved on with their lives. 

[32:13] Tim has to tell the stories of ultimate sacrifices made.

[33:07] Tim would love for his work to one day be a permanent Smithsonian exhibit.

[33:39] His goal is to constantly keep the project funded, so he can continue to tell the stories.

[34:56] Civilians also make sacrifices at home. The podcast focuses on some of the support provided by the civilian community. It bridges the gap and shares stories of veterans, civilians, and caregivers. 

[37:21] He had some fear and trepidation about starting the podcast. It's been going for about 6 months now. 

[37:49] Tim realized by starting the podcast, he was reaching a whole new demographic of people. It's another way to tell stories, and he's making every effort to share those stories. 

Links and Resources

The Veterans Project

The Veterans Project Podcast

The Veterans Project on Facebook

The Veterans Project on Twitter

The Veterans Project on Instagram

The  Caregiver Project

The  Caregiver Project on Facebook

The  Caregiver Project on Instagram

Janis Bruns is a retired Special Forces Officer. He served in the military in Latvia for 13 Years. He was also deployed in Afghanistan and Africa. He trained in Germany and was a Special Forces Instructor. His military career had been going well, yet he felt some areas in his life were lacking. He was also influenced by his mother who cured herself from cancer and went on a journey of self-discovery. 

After taking a good hard look at his life, he decided to make the transition from military life to civilian life and help people by being a personal development coach and work in the field of emotional trauma. He wrote The Transition Manual to help people with successful integration from the military into functional civilian life. Service members retire, people need their lives to work out well, and emotions can be difficult. This manual can help and so can this episode. 

Highlights from This Episode

[00:52] Janis is a retired Special Forces Officer. He's from Latvia. He served in the military there for 13 years and did his officer's training in Germany. 

[01:32] He's been deployed to Afghanistan and Africa, and he's spent the last years being a Special Forces Instructor.

[01:47] The world has totally changed since he joined and left the service.

[02:43] Things were going well career wise, but his private life and his financial life were a mess.

[04:47] His mother cured herself from cancer and was doing a lot of work with breathing and meditation. She also worked with Janus, and he started seeing himself and the world in a different way. He wanted to help the world in a different way.

[06:20] He decided to become a personal development coach in the field of emotional trauma and emotional work.

[07:26] With meditation you shut off the chattering in your mind. When the chatter stopped, he experienced a deep calmness and ease. 

[08:24] He wanted to share this experience with other people. He wanted to inspire people to change themselves.

[08:57] He saw a lot of soldiers who are stuck in their emotions. He knew they could change their lives by understanding how their minds work.

[09:49] His book is primarily for military people active or retired, but 95% of it has civilian stuff inside, so it can help anyone.

[11:10] He felt a calling to help people step out of the military in a more harmonious way.

[12:17] He wanted to address mind, body, emotions, relationships, and financial issues to help people make the transition smooth and easy.

[13:02] 95% of our minds reside in the subconscious.

[15:54] Perceptions of the mind can be changed. Still associating yourself as a military member drags all of those emotions from the past into the present.

[16:44] Our emotions happen now but can be triggered by our past and our memories. We need to stop thinking of ourselves in the perspective of the past and create a person for today.

[22:02] One of the things that Janis does is use breath work to expand the mind and consciousness. He also recommends consulting with a professional before engaging in these breathing techniques.

[23:13] Just focus on the breathing, that's it. This synchronizes your heart with your brain and makes your body more coherent.

[24:24] There are multiple benefits. Athletes and Navy Seals all use this method.

[24:48] Google breathing techniques such as breathing for calmness or breathing for focus.

[25:52] Expanding your consciousness allows you to access your subconscious mind.

[27:10] You can also try tension release exercises. You can shake out your system. Also address the emotional work.

[29:17] Try breathwork therapy or meditation, or anything to address the subconscious mind.

[31:39] We need to clear out the anger and fear and emotional trauma from childhood.

[32:12] Affirmations can also help address the subconscious mind. Use these to change your negative beliefs.

[33:02] Neuroplasticity allows us to change the neurocircuitry of our brain. 

[37:32] Try different breathing circles such as the Wim Hof Method. 

[40:36] Get educated about your mind, emotions, and spirituality. It's about your relationship to your inner self.

Links and Resources

The Transition Manual

The Transition Manual: Successful Integration After Military Service Into Functional Civilian Life

Janis Bruns on Facebook

TRE

Wim Hof Method