The Mettle of Honor Podcast: Stories of, Strength, Courage, & Perseverance™️

Cheryl L. Mason serves as the Chairman of the Board of Veterans’ Appeals. As Chairman, Ms. Mason leads a team of approximately 1200 personnel including Veterans Law Judges, attorneys, and operations and administrative professionals to meet the Board’s mission of conducting hearings and deciding appeals on benefits and services for Veterans and their families. Ms. Mason is accountable for the efficient and effective management of Board resources and executing a budget in excess of $190 million. The Board is the Secretary’s designee to decide appeals arising from all three administrations: Veterans Benefits Administration, Veterans Health Administration, and National Cemetery Administration as well as the Office of the General Counsel. Ms. Mason is the first woman to hold the position of Chairman. Prior to assuming her current role, Ms. Mason held several positions at the Board including Deputy Vice-Chairman, Veterans Law Judge, and Counsel. She also served as an attorney with the Federal Labor Relations Authority, a Department of the Air Force civilian at HQ the United States Air Forces in Europe at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, and as an instructor at Central Texas College in Germany. Ms. Mason is the spouse of an Air Force veteran, Lieutenant Colonel, USAF (retired), and is the daughter of a World War II Navy Veteran who died by suicide. She advocates for changing the culture and increasing awareness surrounding mental health and suicide awareness/prevention. Chairman Mason also is a key leader in the military spouse employment initiative, working to share best practices to encourage recruiting, hiring, and retention of military spouses to support military readiness as well as transitioning Veterans. Originally from Portsmouth, Ohio, Ms. Mason received her B.A. with a Distinction in Political Science and Psychology from Ohio Northern University and her J.D. from Creighton University School of Law. Ms. Mason began her legal career in private practice in Omaha, Nebraska. MSJDN_MISSION_STATEMENT MSJDN supports military spouses in the legal profession by advocating for licensing accommodations for military spouse attorneys; educating the public about the challenges faced by career-minded military spouses and their families; encouraging the hiring of military spouses; and providing a network connecting military spouse attorneys with each other and their supporters.

Samual Silver is an Army veteran and currently a real estate agent. He's been assisting Southern California across many communities since 2003. In this episode of the Mettle of Honor, Sam is joined by his wife who is a nurse, as they discuss life as parents of twin teenagers- one of which has ADHD and the other who is on the Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). He also talks about life as a Jewish service member - Jewish via ethnicity and religious belief.

Having been honored by the local media and positively reviewed by countless past clients, I continue to retain a strong following, bringing folks what they need and want, regardless of their deadlines and the like. I'm passionate about real estate and helping people, and upon visiting my website, you'll get the best idea of what to expect when we work together. As a top-notch REALTOR® who stops at nothing to help my clients, you'll be thrilled with what we could do together. What will you find when you visit his website for the first time? When you're ready to sell your home, you'll see he specializes in many varieties on the local market and then some. Perhaps you invested in commercial property. Maybe you've got a luxury home in a golf course community you want to sell. Let Sam Silver, real estate agent, guide you. Except for the time he served in the United States Military, his entire life has been in Southern California, so he knows these communities. As I continue to educate myself on the market and the latest methods and tricks of the trade, there's truly no one better suited to help you list and sell your property.

Sam Silver Reliable REALTOR®! (License #: 01412755)

Digital Business Card card.get-card.com/samuel-silver/ | Website https://www.samsilverhomes.net/ | LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/samsilverhomes | Email Address: [email protected]   |   Phone Number: 661.621.5340

Twitter samsilverhomes

Instant Messaging (IM)     |  Skype [email protected]     |   Google Talk [email protected]

Shelly Huhtanen, an Army wife and mother balancing a military life with a special needs child, said she has to plan her entire day to set her family up for success. Mark, Shelly, Broden, and their older son Hayden moved to Fort Hood in 2009 and enrolled in the Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP) – an Army-wide service that takes into consideration what reassignments and jobs are best for families who have special needs children. The program also helps families connect with community support and services. "Sometimes I think we let the big Army push us into jobs where our family might not have the best care, but you can shape that and influence it," Mark said.  But even with that help, it's still a struggle. In a constantly changing military setting, Broden doesn't do well with transitions. Even the smallest change in a daily routine can throw him into a tailspin. "When I pick him up from therapy, if I take a left instead of a right he will scream until he realizes where we are going. It can turn into a two-hour tantrum," Shelly said.  It controls every aspect of their lives; where they go, who they see, and what they do. 

Shelly Huhtanen is the author of the book Giving Voice Silent. This book is compiled of intimate short stories that involve a military family raising a child with autism. Issues such as stress involved with deployments, transitions with PCS moves, and fighting for an appropriate education are discussed. To connect with Shelly Huhtanen, she can be found on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/shelly-huhtanen/ For more information about her book, Giving Voice To The Silent Many, please visit  http://silentmany.com/author/shellyhuhtanen/. The book can be purchased on Amazon through this link:  https://www.amazon.com/Giving-Voice-Silent-Shelly-Huhtanen/dp/1940129834 

The Unumb Center for Neurodevelopment  https://www.unumbcenter.org/

The Council of Autism Service Providers supports our members by cultivating, sharing, and advocating for provider best practices in autism services.  The Council of Autism Service Providers is a non-profit association of for-profit and not-for-profit agencies serving individuals with autism spectrum disorders. Our member agencies care for more than 50,000 children and adults with autism across the United States and have collective revenues approaching 1 billion dollars. We serve as a force for change, providing information and education and promoting standards that enhance quality. https://casproviders.org/

The mission of the National Autism Law Center is to enforce and expand the legal rights of individuals on the autism spectrum and to serve as a resource for such individuals and their families, as well as to the service providers and attorneys who support them. https://nationalautismlawcenter.org/

South Carolina Vocational Rehabilitation Services VR prepares and assists eligible South Carolinians with disabilities to achieve and maintain competitive employment. Our goal is to ensure that “quality happens one person at a time.” https://scvrd.net/

In 1987, a young woman working in the West Wing of the Reagan White House was introduced to a dashing Army colonel. She was a 2nd lieutenant in the Air National Guard. He was a Vietnam combat veteran. They fell deeply in love. Within months they married.

On November 12, 1992, Brigadier General Tom Carroll, 44, who was the assistant adjutant general of the Alaska Army Guard at the time, was making a routine flight to a facility in Juneau from Elmendorf Air Force Base in Anchorage in an Army C-12F twin-engine Beechcraft along with seven others. The guard were preparing for an instrument-aided landing when the plane crashed on southern Chilkat Peninsula. They died shortly after the crash.

This week’s guest is his surviving spouse, Bonnie Carroll- an American widow.

"We had five wonderfully happy years together," Bonnie said. "Then he was gone. That August, I got together with some of the other families who lost loved ones that day. We chartered a helicopter and visited the crash site. It was on the side of a mountain, and the remains of the plane were still there. For us, being at the site provided finality, and was very much a healing experience." While that experience may have helped stanch some of the emotional bleeding, the ache of loss only grew deeper. Bonnie looked around for some group that might offer support.

There was none. "No group was there for all those who lose a loved one serving in the Armed Forces to reach out to," she said.

All that winter, Bonnie Carroll thought about that void, thought about creating an organization to fill that void, talked to folks who could empathize with her pain: others who had lost a husband or a wife, brother or sister, son or daughter; officials in the Pentagon and the VA. In October 1994, she launched the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors.

Today she still serves as the President & Founder of TAPS- the leading national Military Service Organization providing compassionate care, casework assistance, and 24/7/365 emotional support for all those impacted by the death of a military loved one. She is a 2015 recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Contact Information for Bonnie Carroll T.A.P.S. Social Media

T.A.P.S. Website https://www.taps.org/

LinkedIn (company)  https://www.linkedin.com/company/tragedy-assistance-program-for-survivors/

LinkedIn Profile (personal): https://www.linkedin.com/in/bonnie-carroll-4411bb4/

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/TAPSorg

Twitter: https://twitter.com/TAPSorg/

Meet Gold Star Widow, Alison (Dart) Banholzer of the Washington, D.C/ Maryland area. Alison, originally from Redmond, WA, married U.S. Air Force pilot, Lieutenant-Colonel (LTC) David Banholzer. In early 2014, David achieved his dream. Not only had he flow Air Force 2 followed by piloting Air Force 1, LTC David Banholzer was appointed by then, President Barrack Obama, as the 14th Presidential Commander of Air Force One! Driven by pure passion and creativity, Alison Banholzer, mother of two fabulous gymnasts, Kate and Caroline, launched "Wear Your Spirit Wearhouse" from her kitchen table in 2004. Meanwhile, David was pursuing his dreams as an Air Force officer and pilot. The girls were growing up and both David’s and Alison’s dreams had come true. "Wear Your Spirit Wearhouse" outgrew the kitchen table and moved into a commercial space and LTC David Banholzer was piloting and commanding the most prestigious piloting position any pilots could ask for. Tragically, later that year, David was diagnosed with terminal cancer and eventually lost his battle in 2017. To honor David’s legacy of service, Ali and her team are committed to excellence. They provide the highest standards of service possible to customers all over the country. If you look at our logo, hear us talking about spirits soaring or things taking flight - now you know why! "Everyone knows what it feels like to have your spirit take flight and soar. That pure rush of happiness! My story has taught me that life is short and should be celebrated. Let's celebrate together!” -Ali Banholzer 

ALISON BANHOLZER CONTACT INFORMATION COMPANY WEBSITE: https://wearyourspiritwarehouse.com/    |  LINKEDIN PROFILE (COMPANY): https://www.linkedin.com/company/wear-your-spirit-warehouse?trk=public_profile_topcard-current-company  | LINKEDIN PROFILE (PERSONAL):  https://www.linkedin.com/in/alison-banholzer | https://wjla.com/news/local/air-force-one-pilot-laid-to-rest-at-arlington-national-cemetery

I am a Green Beret Veteran who teaches people how to experience what they are truly capable of and live more fulfilling lives. My lifelong pursuit of human improvement began on the soccer field and continued into college where I was a 1st Team All-American and Hall of Fame inductee. After graduating and working for PricewaterhouseCoopers, I left the corporate sector to pursue my desire to serve and enlisted into the Army and entered the elite ranks of Special Forces. I now serve individuals looking to improve their lives by strengthening their physical, mental, and emotional fitness and mindset. I am grateful and honored to help my clients grow inside and out. If you want to change the world, take that first step. BILL_ANTHEN_CONTACT_INFO LINKEDIN http://linkedin.com/in/bill-anthes-94244812 COMPANY_WEBSITE btwntheears.com EMAIL ADDRESS [email protected]

Joey Mac Dizon | Hopatcong, NJ | USMC Veteran | Military and Veteran Program Coordinator at Hope For The Warriors | CEO of The Mobile Cigar Lounge & Belleau Wood Cigars | The Mobile Cigar Lounge is led by a highly experienced and motivated team of military veteran entrepreneurs.  The Mobile Cigar Lounge is dedicated to giving back to our fellow veterans, active service members, and first responders. The goal is to assist veterans with various challenges they face, connect them with the resources and tools they need and ultimately be a support system for our servicemen and women. BACKPACKS FOR LIFE Backpacks For Life is a 501(c)3 nonprofit that serves the homeless and at-risk veteran communities. The goal is to assist veterans with the various challenges they face, connect them with the resources and tools they need and ultimately be a support system for our servicemen and women.

JOEY MAC DIZON CONTACT INFORMATION

WEBSITE: https://www.themobilecigarlounge.com/ | https://www.backpacksforlife.org/ 

EMAIL: [email protected]      PHONE: 201-618-7776 

LINKEDIN  linkedin.com/in/joey-mac-dizon-17269443

Rear Admiral Melissa Bert serves as the Judge Advocate General and Chief Counsel of the United States Coast Guard. She is the first woman to serve in this position. Prior flag assignments held by Melissa Bert include the U.S. Coast Guard’s Director of Governmental and Public Affairs and Deputy Director of Operations for U.S. Northern Command.

Before promotion to flag-rank in 2016, she distinguished herself in service in both legal and operational capacities. 

As a lawyer, she was Chief of the Coast Guard’s Maritime and International Law Office, supporting U.S. engagement with the International Maritime Organization and providing legal advice on a variety of policies – including the Law of the Sea, drug and migrant interdiction, homeland security, search and rescue, pollution response, port and vessel safety/security, counter-terrorism, Arctic policy, and environmental protection.

For her legal expertise she was awarded the Young Military Lawyer of the Year for the Coast Guard by the American Bar Association in 1997 and the Judge Advocates Association Outstanding Career Armed Services Attorney Award in 2006.

Operationally, she was Chief of Staff for the Seventh Coast Guard District, responsible for oversight of Coast Guard operations in the Southeastern United States and Caribbean. During the attacks of 9/11, she was the Operations Officer for Coast Guard Sector Los Angeles/Long Beach protecting one of the nation’s most valuable ports. She previously served aboard two cutters, including as Executive Officer of the Cutter Red Birch in Baltimore, Maryland.

Rear Admiral Bert is a graduate of the Coast Guard Academy and George Washington University Law School. She has been a national security fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School and a military fellow with the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) in New York. She has taught as an adjunct professor at George Washington University and University of Miami Law School.

She is a life member of the Council on Foreign Relations and a Proctor in Admiralty in the United States Maritime Law Association and a Proctor in Admiralty in the United States Maritime Law Association.

She is also the founder of the Women’s Leadership Initiative supporting mentoring and professional development for Coast Guard women in uniform and civilians.

Upon his return from deployment, SFC (retired) Patrick Skluzacek said the nightmares started. “I was scared of closing my eyes.. “I'd wake up thrashing and sweating and the Veterans Affairs didn't have a cure for it. They just had people with nightmares, people killing themselves, and they didn't understand why." Tyler Skluzacek, Patrick’s, the 27-year-old son told CNN, “I was just 13 when he came back from Iraq, but I knew he was a completely different person. He used to be so active and happy. After the war, he was just depressed, lethargic, irritable, and the worst part is he wasn't sleeping. It was hard seeing my Dad like that." Suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, his father had nightmares that haunted him for years.

This 31-minute bonus episode is not the full "Nightmare vs Nightwear" episode. Rather, the first half of this contains bits and pieces from the individuals interviewed for the full episode.  The second half of this is a 15-minute yoga/ grounding session led by (Jen (Muehlegger) Baumgardner Barnes (MSW, LICSW, ERYT, TCTSY-F)   (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jen-baumgardner-barnes-msw-licsw-eryt-tctsy-f-5797b56a/)

NightWare - Treating nightmares with digital therapeutics: Overview | LinkedIn

Dr. Brian Robertson, (Retired Army | Cheif Consultant Surgeon General, Allergy/Immunology) https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-robertson-md/

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Meet Air Force veteran Ann James of Henderson, Nevada. While in the military, Ann served as an Operation Flight Commander and a Financial Analyst. Ann truly believes knowledge is power and since retiring from the Air Force, she’s earned a Doctorate of Education in Organizational Leadership and is recognized as an Accredited Financial Counselor. She helps military service women and veterans regain control and conquer the battle over their finances so they can live life freely. Dr. Ann James Contact Info drannjames.com | http://linkedin.com/in/drannjames | https://instagram.com/drannjames?igshid=1rfwa3n6qqn3x