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

Trillitye Paullin, Ph.D. CEO & Founder at Free to Feed  | Doctoral Degree in Cellular and Molecular Biology  |  Combat Veteran (Operation Iraqi Freedom)

Trillitye wrote, “Instead of a legacy, my family passed down generations of physical and sexual abuse.  I wanted more for my children than hospitals, foster homes, and courthouses.  I  dreamed of a  day when  I could provide unity, support, and stability for my family.  Throughout my adolescent years, I often thought about my future.  I decided the only way to achieve my dreams was to continue my education beyond high school and to surround myself with highly successful and motivated individuals. The means to accomplish this occurred during my last semester of high school when an Army National Guard recruiter visited my school.  At only seventeen, I enlisted in the National Guard, and I am proud to say that I am still serving today. At nineteen years old, I deployed to Iraq. I was faced with the harsh realization that the country to which I was deployed did not share the freedoms that I had experienced in my life.  Consequently, I witnessed true adversity as I was thrust into a world where poverty, hunger, and rampant disease were a part of everyday life. Being one of the few women in the country to serve in the military has proven to be an integral part of my identity.  I discovered that the abuse inflicted upon me as a child does not define the woman I am today. I have overcome my past and will continue to make a difference in the lives of others.  The military has given me the strength to shed the yoke of abuse and focus on the amazing career and philanthropic opportunities that await. My passion as a Molecular Biologist and mother of two led to my founding Free to Feed™, Inc.  Free to Feed™ creates science-based content for allergen-free breastfeeding and is developing products to empower parents through infant allergies. Idaho Business Review | Article by Alex Stephens | 16 March 2020 |  Trillitye Paullin, 2020 Women of the Year Trillitye Paullin's contact information: Free to Feed Website: Dr. Trill | Free to Feed Email Address: [email protected] LinkedIn Profile: linkedin.com/in/trillitye-paullin Free to Feed Podcast: Podcasts | Free to Feed

Meet Annette Whitenberger | Retired Army Chemical Officer | Author | Blogger | Military Spouse

She is a mother of two, a wife to an active duty Army Officer who is still serving in the military (26 years and counting!), as well as being an author, speaker, and podcast host. Her time in the Army includes a deployment to Iraq and Afghanistan. Annette's blog, A Wild Ride Called Life ®, LLC. incorporates stories from her post-military life in which she shares how she lives life as being a mom and military spouse living with PTSD, anxiety, and depression.  She also hosts a podcast titled “The Truths We Hide” in which not only does she share her story, but she also has guests who share theirs and offers advice to others to help them know that they are not alone.

Annette is no stranger to finding herself in some of the darkest areas of life. Like many veterans, the transition from military life to civilian life was a difficult transition. It’s these times when many veterans find themselves in the search of their true identity outside the military uniform. Listen in to this episode of The Mettle of Honor to hear her talk about some of these stories. Her book,  A Wild Ride Called Life, will be coming out in the summer of 2021.

MENTORING VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE

TAPS (Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors) https://www.taps.org/

The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention

Trauma Survivors Network.

Veterati  

E-mentor

For more information about Annette, visit Freedom from Trauma, or contact her at any of the links below. 

COMPANY WEBSITE: https://www.awildridecalledlife.com 

LINKEDIN PROFILE: linkedin.com/in/🎗annette-whittenberger🎗-a953a227 

TWITTER ACCOUNT: awhitt24 

FACEBOOK: A Wild Ride Called Life | Facebook

Doctor Shauna Springer, Ph.D – known as “Doc Springer” in the military community, is one of the nation's leading experts on trauma, military transition, and close relationships. After serving 8 years as a frontline psychologist in the Department of Veterans Affairs, she transitioned to Senior Director of Suicide Prevention Initiatives for the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (T.A.P.S.). Her devotion and passion over the past decade have resulted in earning a rare form of trust with military leaders and combat warfighters. In her current role as Chief Psychologist of Stella Center, she works to advance a new model of treatment for trauma-related symptoms that fuses biological and psychological interventions.  Dr. Springer’s work has been featured on CNN, Business Insider, THRIVE Global, VICE, US News and World Report, NPR, NBC, CBS Radio, Forbes, Washington Post, and Military Times. She is co-author of the best-selling book, Beyond the Military, which explores the psychological, cultural, and relational aspects of military transition. Her newest book WARRIOR: How to Support Those Who Protect Us brings the worlds of the warrior and those they protect together to shine new light on things that many thought we understood: Trust, Stigma, Firearms, The Imploding Mind, and Connection.  Dr. Shauna Springer was also a guest on DOV Baron's podcast- Leadership & Loyalty- where she talks about the impact of COVID  on mental health.  The link to that episode is: https://player.acast.com/dovbaron/episodes/doc-shauna-springer  

Doctor Shauna Springer's Contact Information

WEBSITE: https://www.docshaunaspringer.com

LINKEDIN PROFILE: https://www.linkedin.com/in/docshaunaspringer 

EMAIL ADDRESS: [email protected]

LINKEDIN SHOWCASE PROFILE: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/dr-shauna-springer-ph-d

⚠️TRIGGER WARNING⚠️In this episode, there is a discussion containing details of sexual assault and suicide. If you are sensitive to these topics, I encourage you to proceed with caution and only listen if you feel as though you are able to do so.

Lakeydra Houston | Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex | Sexual Assault Prevention Advocate | Public Speaker | K.E.Y. Fit Company | HR Recruiting Manager | Mental Resiliency Advocate | YouthMentor

Meet Air Force veteran Master Sergeant Lakeydra Houston of the Dallas, Texas area. Lakeydra entered into the military as a Security Forces Airman, became an Enlisted Accessions Recruiter, and is currently serving as a Recruitment Manager. She’s a volunteer for VETS2INDUSTRY and is a Sexual Assault Prevention & Mental Health Advocate. With Key Fitness Company, she is found empowering people and businesses to create a connection between physical and mental fitness.

"My goal is to empower our military and civilian community to become fit mind, body, and spirit through veteran assistance, wellness resources, resiliency workshops, mental sharpness techniques, and mentorship. Our focus should be on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; we all matter.  I am a SURVIVOR of suicide, sexual assault, and a wellness/mental health advocate. This is the driving force behind the vision of my business, KEY (Knowledge/Empowerment/You-nity) Fit, to help others understand there is hope."

Features include Dateline NBC, Live at the Table, VCV, and V2I.

“My past has not defined me, destroyed me, deterred me, or defeated me; it has only strengthened me.” Dr. Steve Maraboli

Let’s heal mind, body, and soul. Knowledge • Empowering • You-nity 

LINKEDIN     https://www.linkedin.com/in/lakeydra-houston-405926b6/

 COMPANY WEBSITE: keyfit.life/

Air Force Veteran Brian Arrington, the CEO, and Founder of Vets2Industry was a guest on the Mettle of Honor (S1:E5) 

VETS2INDUSTRY: https://vets2industry.com

Brian Arrington:

The Department of Veteran Affairs Answers questions from the veteran community. Podcast about veteran suicide https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/seeking-the-military-suicide-solution/id1489962717?i=1000502434416

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Women

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Annie Brock | Army Veteran | LTI President & Founder Annie spent 9+ years in the US Army. She, as an enlisted soldier, was a Human Resources Specialist, Paralegal Specialist, and found herself not only airborne qualified, but was one of the first 100 females in the 82nd Airborne Division at Ft. Bragg, N.C. Annie commissioned as an Army Officer serving as a specially trained Aeromedical Evacuation Aviator flying UH-60 and UH-1V helicopters. As an Army Officer in the Medical Service Corps, Annie served in Landstuhl, Germany in the late 1980s as an Interim Supervisor, OIC of MEDCEN's Outpatient Clinic. Annie has a B.A. in Political Science and Psychology from the University of New Hampshire as well as a Master’s in Public Leadership with specialization in Multi-Sector Management from George Washington University. She also earned her certifications in both the lean six Sigma green belts (LSSGB) and Lean Six Sigma Black Belt (LSSBB). Annie Brook is the CEO and Founder of the Leader Transition Institute (LTI). The Leader Transition Institute assists individuals who are transitioning from one industry sector to another, with a special emphasis on service members, veterans, and their spouses who are transitioning from active military service to the civilian sector. Changing Focus is designed for service members who will leave, or who have left, active duty within the next/past two years. All veterans, regardless of when they left active duty, are eligible to attend.

ANNIE BROCK CONTACT INFORMATION

Company Website: https://www.leadertransitioninstitute.org/

LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anniebrock

“The Leader of Character” formula others want to follow is

Hard Work + Perseverance = Success

In Breaking Ice and Breaking Glass: Leading in Uncharted Waters, Vice Admiral Sandy Stosz, US Coast Guard (retired) draws upon her 40 years of extensive experience and wisdom as a woman directing mostly all-male teams in front-line leadership positions to provide tools that will help leaders, particularly those at the middle level, reach their goals and succeed. The purpose of the book is to provide tools that will help leaders navigate complexity to reach their goals and succeed at every level. Character-centered, proven leadership principles emerge from Admiral Stosz’s engaging, personal stories that teach leaders how to find, and then become, an inspiring mentor; implement effective diversity, inclusion, and equity programs; successfully lead in an ever-changing environment, and much more.

Current Volunteer Experience

Chairperson, U.S. Coast Guard Academy Sailing Council (August 2018 – present) https://uscgasports.com/sports/sailing/index

Flag Officer Advisory Council Arizona State University (January 2019 – Present)

https://www.asu.edu/

Board Member, The Flag and General Officers Network (June 2018 – Present)

https://www.flagandgeneralofficers.org/

Board Of Advisors, Darley Defense (January 2019 – Present)

https://www.darleydefense.com/

Website: www.sandrastosz.com

"Breaking Ice and Breaking Glass: Leading in Uncharted Waters" can be purchased at this link: https://sandrastosz.com/book/breaking-ice-and-breaking-glass/

U.S. Coast Guard Academy https://www.uscga.edu/

James McNeil | Burlington, North Carolina, United States | Motivational Speaker | Author | Owner at The Inspirational Connection 

This episode's guest is James McNeil- a U. S. Army Combat Veteran.  James shares about his struggles with finding his true identity when he was medically discharged from the military.  He talks about those periods of loneliness and isolation due to depression. Times were so low, dark, and depressing he attempted suicide on multiple occasions. While the transition from life in a uniform filled with comradery to isolation in civilian life, James shares that while you may feel suicide is the only way out, but this is not the case. You are not alone. You may feel like it so you isolate yourself and, chances are, you then feel more depressed than you did before. Sure, there are dark seasons in life but you weren’t made to do it alone. There are people who care about you and value you. 

⛔️ TRIGGER WARNING ⚠️

While details of suicide are not shared in the episode, if you have any sensitivity to discussions about suicide to the point of it disturbing or triggering you in any way, please listen with caution.

James McNeil Contact Information

Website: Army Veteran James McNeil – Veterans Be Real

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jameslmcneil

Email: [email protected] 

IF YOU ARE HAVING THOUGHTS OF SUICIDE, PLEASE REACH OUT FOR HELP. Suicide Prevention: Veterans - Mental Health (va.gov)

Racism

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