Vet Chats

This is a much needed conversation on military sexual assault. We talk about the main issues with MST, how it is handled, the aftermath, and how it leads to a vicious cycle of homelessness, incarceration, and re-victimization. These are tough topics but are necessary for change.
Thank you Lakeydra for all you do in our community and beyond!
Link to her Page: https://linktr.ee/_mskeys

Thank you for pressing play on this small veteran podcast. If you enjoyed leave a little love with a review. It would not only help me reach more veterans but also make my whole week!

Working on Capitol Hill at The House Committee on Veterans' Affairs was my first introduction into the realities our nation's veterans are facing. It was overall a great experience, however it made me realize politics was not going to be my route to helping veterans. 
Tune in to hear my full story on the lessons learned and why I decided to start advocating for veterans online! 

Thank you for pressing play on this small veteran podcast. If you enjoyed leave a little love with a review. It would not only help me reach more veterans but also make my whole week!

Being unable to know what is next is one of the main drivers of our stress around transition. We cannot truly know what our life will be like outside the military. How we handle uncertainty is more than likely how we will handle transition out of the military. 
Let's talk about how uncertainty can be exciting and we can embrace the upcoming change instead of fearing it. 

Thank you for pressing play on this small veteran podcast. If you enjoyed leave a little love with a review. It would not only help me reach more veterans but also make my whole week!

Just me today, talking about resources, career choices, loneliness after service and more! 

Thank you for pressing play on this small veteran podcast. If you enjoyed leave a little love with a review. It would not only help me reach more veterans but also make my whole week!

Why do some of us as veterans feel the need to ask permission for things in our life? 

For years after I got out I felt I needed permission from others in order to feel confident I could pursue something.  As civilians we finally have the freedom to make our own choices, but yet we still feel like we need permission. No surprise, but it is deeply rooted in the military culture we are coming from. This episode I dive into the why we ask for permission and how to slowly shift that mindset.
Taking back control of your life is one of the main themes in the workbook, if you need guidance in examining this a little further, be sure to check in out!

The Veteran Workbook: https://www.amazon.com/Veteran-Workbook-Jenna-Carlton/dp/B0C6W1GB96

Thank you for pressing play on this small veteran podcast. If you enjoyed leave a little love with a review. It would not only help me reach more veterans but also make my whole week!

Demetrius Thigpen of @meech.speaks joins us on Vet Chats to share his journey from shitbag to stellar NCO!
My favorite thing about this conversation is Meech keeps it real and knows that his vulnerabilities and dark times are his strength. He embraces failure and that is why he is so successful today.

A Staff Sergeant in the United States Marine Corps and with 13 years of military service. Demetrius has one combat tour and one humanitarian tour under his belt and currently works at the United States Marine Corps Martial Arts Fitness Center of Excellence as a Martial Arts Instructor Trainer. Demetrius uses the experiences that he has gained to train, lead, guide, and mentor service members and Veterans. Author of the book “The Extraordinary Thought From An Ordinary Mind” and the host and creator of the Podcast “Talkin Crazy” Demetrius is also a Mindset Execution Speaker and has spoken at conferences such as the "Phenomenal Woman Empowerment Experience" "The 1% Better Conference", and the "Military Influencer Conference"

Book Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08C97X2RY?ref_=cm_sw_r_apin_dp_VW2SRNCEYXY4RC0KWXJV
Podcast Link: https://open.spotify.com/show/7tEIfBOYBIMPj0VVT2JaNw

Thank you for pressing play on this small veteran podcast. If you enjoyed leave a little love with a review. It would not only help me reach more veterans but also make my whole week!

Did the military amplify your already “people pleasing tendencies”?& by that I mean, were you afraid to say no to leadership or to others you worked with?

It is taboo in the military to do so because those relationships carry a lot of weight and you don’t want to be “that guy.” 

Your relationship with leaders had a lot riding on it:

• Watch/ post schedules
• Promotions/advancements
• Current work roles

These may all have been dependent on how well you were liked. This could have led to people pleasing or being a ‘yes man’. 

People pleasing and not setting boundaries with work is something we need to leave behind when we get out of the military.. I know it isn’t that simple!

Thank you for pressing play on this small veteran podcast. If you enjoyed leave a little love with a review. It would not only help me reach more veterans but also make my whole week!

My friend Steve got out of the military 3 years ago and is now working as a contractor. He and I answer your questions on transition, meeting new friends, how to talk to civilians in the workplace, and what has helped/not helped during transition. 
I've known Steve for over 5 years now and I found out so much about him. It is so crazy how friends don't ever sit down and talk about these things so I am glad we got the chance! 

Thank you for pressing play on this small veteran podcast. If you enjoyed leave a little love with a review. It would not only help me reach more veterans but also make my whole week!

Whether you are isolating or you know someone who is, let's talk about the why's behind it. There could be many different reasons for wanting to isolate yourself from society, but it is important to find out why. Once we understand why, we can get into the solutions. 
This is not mental health advice, always seek professional advice if you feel you are having mental health issues relating to this topic. 

Thank you for pressing play on this small veteran podcast. If you enjoyed leave a little love with a review. It would not only help me reach more veterans but also make my whole week!

I chat with the author of 'We Don't Want You, Uncle Sam' - Matthew Weiss.  We get into all the controversial issues the military needs to address in order to get recruiting numbers back up. We first discuss the severity of the issue, why Gen Z is less interested in serving, and what the military can do about it. 
Oh & what should, if anything, veterans do about it?
 
Matt comes on around the 5 minute mark due to some tech issues.... come on Gen Z. 

Thank you for pressing play on this small veteran podcast. If you enjoyed leave a little love with a review. It would not only help me reach more veterans but also make my whole week!