Transition Drill

A transition from the military to fitness challeges and media content creation. Austen Alexander served 7 years in the Navy as a Master-at-Arms (MA) with Naval Security Forces, the police force of the Navy. He began creating videos chronicling life aboard a ship and his life as a sailor. The numbers of videos grew as did his popularity on YouTube, to the point that he began encountering opposition from his immediate command. In 2020 he chose to not reenlist and decided to make content creation his full-time profession. Today he has successful YouTube channel dedicated to the military and fitness with almost 700,000 followers. 

PODCAST - LISTEN, WATCH, AND SUBSCRIBE

https://linktr.ee/TransitionDrillPodcast

CONNECT WITH AUSTEN:

https://www.austenalexander.com/

https://www.youtube.com/c/AustenAlexander

https://www.instagram.com/austen_alex/

 

Leon Tackitt served 27 years in the Navy. During his first 5 years, he was an anti-submarine warfare specialist, search and rescue crewman, radar and sonar operator in H2 Helicopters. He transitioned to Explosive Ordinance Disposal and completed his career, retiring as a Lieutenant in 2007. As a retirement career change, he and his wife, Cindy, started Tackitt Family Vineyards in Paso Robles, CA. Shortly thereafter, Leon joined the EOD Warrior Foundation as an ambassador and today he is a board member. Through his winery Leon also started EOD Cellars, producing wines with all proceeds donated to the EOD Warrior Foundation. Each year Leon also hosts the Warriors Helping Warriors event at the winery where guests can experience bottling wine, live music, and good food; again, with proceeds donated to the EOD Warrior Foundation. In 2021 they celebrated their 10th annual event.

FOLLOW, SUBSCRIBE, LISTEN, AND WATCH THE PODCAST:

https://linktr.ee/TransitionDrillPodcast

CONNECT WITH LEON:

Web: https://www.tackittfamilyvineyards.com/

Web: https://eodwarriorfoundation.org/

IG: https://www.instagram.com/leontackitt/

Clint Wansa was a cop for 12.5 years with San Diego PD. While he was a police officer, he and a friend designed a computer app to aid police officers. A job offer from the company that purchased the app prompted a career change to the corporate world in computer program development.

FOLLOW, SUBSCRIBE, LISTEN, AND WATCH THE PODCAST:

https://linktr.ee/TransitionDrillPodcast

CONNECT WITH CLINT:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/clint-wansa/

eMail: [email protected] 

Adrian Robles served in the Marine Corps for 8 years with deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, along with an assignment to First Marine Division at their Division Schools as an instructor cadre for Personal Security Detail. Seeing the need for mitigating suicides in the Military, Adrian discharged in 2012 and went to school to become a registered nurse. Currently he is working in psychiatric assessment and treatment. Also, Adrian works for a violence prevention company, Phoenix Training Group, teaching Healthcare workers and social workers on how to mitigate violence, assess assault potential of a person, ethical use of restraints, and consultation.

Adrian is currently working towards being a Board Certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. 

FOLLOW, SUBSCRIBE, LISTEN, AND WATCH THE PODCAST:

https://linktr.ee/TransitionDrillPodcast

CRISIS ASSISTANCE

Website: https://www.crisistextline.org/

Text: Text HOME to 741741

CONNECT WITH ADRIAN:

eMail: [email protected]

Jeff Urso grew up wanting to be a police officer and at 21 he was hired as a cop in his home state of South Carolina. He spent 6 years working a variety of assignments, but quickly realized that his heart was not in it and the profession was not for him. This prompted his first career change and began working in real estate. When the market collapsed in the mid-2000s he moved to Las Vegas. In Vegas he found a passion for cooking and began working in an Italian restaurant. After a divorce he decided to move back home to South Carolina in 2012, but he continued with his culinary education and training. Today he is a culinary consultant for a food distribution company in Myrtle Beach, SC. 

FOLLOW, SUBSCRIBE, LISTEN, AND WATCH THE PODCAST:

https://linktr.ee/TransitionDrillPodcast

CONNECT WITH JEFF:

IG: https://www.instagram.com/chefjeffurso/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/chefjeffurso

Episode 15 - Chad McFarlane is an Army veteran with two deployments to Iraq in the Armored Division as a gunner on an Abrams tank. Originally intending to make a career of the military he was forced to separate before his third deployment due to a knee injury from a vehicle collision. Chad struggled with PTS upon his separation from the Army.

Without a solid career transition plan, he worked for the post office in Florida for a couple years. Chad then opted to head home to Rhode Island and finish his college degree. At the University of Rhode Island, he got involved with the student veterans’ group and subsequently began working with and assisting other veterans. Chad has since gone on to work as the Veterans’ Affairs Coordinator for Congressman David Cicilline of Rhode Island and the Military Program Lead at General Dynamics. Today he is a Talent Acquisition Manager at Neighborhood Healthcare.     

During our conversation Chad talks about his struggles with his transition out of the military, having to admit to and dealing with PTSD, and provides overall advice for members of the military transitioning into the civilian sector. Chad truly wants to be of assistance to transitioning veterans.

FOLLOW, SUBSCRIBE, LISTEN AND WATCH THE PODCAST:

https://linktr.ee/TransitionDrillPodcast

CONNECT WITH CHAD:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/camcfarlane/

Episode 14 - Rob Long has been a police officer for 27 years. Growing up in Orange County, California, he always knew he wanted to be a Police Officer. But, unlike some of the other podcast guests, he’s not made his transition from his law enforcement career yet. In the interim, he has established a successful real estate business, which will be his career change upon retirement from law enforcement. In our conversation, Rob talks about how he started in the real estate business in 2004 simply to buy his own home, and it grew from there. Rob has sold over $41 million, and today he and his broker/partner are now flipping houses. In our conversation, he provides advice on getting a real estate license, the demands of the real estate business, and suggestions for getting into the house flipping game.

FOLLOW, SUBSCRIBE, LISTEN, AND WATCH THE PODCAST:

https://linktr.ee/TransitionDrillPodcast

CONNECT WITH ROB:

[email protected]

Episode 13 - Jeudy “Jody” Martinez is a Marine Corps veteran achieving the rank of Staff Sergeant. During his enlistments he deployed to Iraq Afghanistan. Additionally, while assigned to Camp Lejeune he was a base MP, a patrol supervisor, and a commander of SRT - the Marine Corps SWAT. Jody was forced to leave the Marine Corps in 2017 due to a medical injury. This unplanned career change allowed him to go back to school and get his bachelor’s degree. While attending college he worked with the student veterans. Today he is an investigator for Alias Intelligence, a due diligence company, which affords him the ability to work from home. He has been involved in martial arts his whole life and came back to the mats and Jiu Jitsu in 2021; he had to take time off to heal from the injuries that forced his military separation.  

FOLLOW THE PODCAST:

https://linktr.ee/TransitionDrillPodcast

CONNECT WITH JEUDY:

IG: https://www.instagram.com/yojoemartinez/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeudy-martinez/

Website: https://www.aliasintelligence.com/

CONNECT WITH JASON MEDINA / DEDICATED JIU JITSU

Website: https://dedicatedjiujitsu.com/

IG: https://www.instagram.com/dedicatedjiujitsu/

Episode 12 - Wilson “Willie” James grew up playing baseball and went to Purdue on a scholarship. The Atlanta Braves drafted Willie in 2002, but they released him in 2006; he played another three years in the independent leagues. In 2009 he made a career change; becoming a police officer because caring for his family is a greater priority. During his time as a police officer, Willie continued coaching baseball. However, in 2021 he realized that his passion is coaching and chose to leave law enforcement. Today, he is the owner and lead coach at Carolina Elite Sports, a baseball coaching facility in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and the Carolina Rays baseball program. 

FOLLOW THE PODCAST:

https://linktr.ee/TransitionDrillPodcast

CONNECT WITH WILLIE:

IG: https://www.instagram.com/carolinaelitesports/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carolinaelitesports/

Website: https://www.carolinaelitesports.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/willie-james-24599216/

Episode 11 - Anthony Paolino served 12 years in the Air Force. After leaving the Air Force, he founded two nonprofit organizations, the Rhode Island Student Veterans Organization, and the Rhode Island Military Organization. Both organizations focusing on current and former military members and their families. Additionally, he ran for State Representative of Rhode Island, he was the Military & Veterans Affairs Liaison for U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, and he’s previously worked for General Dynamics as the Military & Veterans Affairs Program Lead for their submarine division, Electric Boat. Anthony chose to leave General Dynamics when a new assignment took him from working directly with military veterans. Today, he is the Chief Strategy Officer for Virtual Veterans Communities and Deputy Director for the Helen Diller Veterans Center at Golden Gate University. He assists organizations with providing a best-in-class experience for veterans and transitioning service members. Anthony is passionate about both higher education and the student veteran experience.

EXTERNAL LINKS FOR THE PODCAST:

https://linktr.ee/transitiondrillpodcast

CONNECT WITH ANTHONY:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthonypaolino/

Website: https://www.vetscommunities.com/

Email: [email protected]