Veteran Resource Podcast

Jennifer Watson - Jennifer is ServingTogether’s Veteran Peer Navigator. She proudly served in the United States Air Force and is an OIF/OEF service-connected combat veteran. She understands the needs of the veteran community and has made it her mission to provide support and resources to her fellow veterans and their families. Jennifer received her Bachelors of Science degree in Criminal Justice at the University of Baltimore as well as her Masters of Science degree in Forensic Science: High Tech Crimes.

Julie Riggs - Julie is ServingTogether’s Program Manager. She brings to the position a boots on the ground perspective with over 10 years’ experience working with military and veterans in the nonprofit sector. As the wife of a United States Naval Chief Petty Officer, she is dedicated to providing our nation’s veterans and families access to the tools and resources they need. Julie holds a BA in English from San Jose State University in California.

ServingTogether was created to simplify access to the wealth of resources and veterans organizations in the National Capital Region and beyond that were created for those who have served and their families.

Doug McCormick is a Managing Partner and Co-Founder of HCI Equity Partners. Mr. McCormick has been an active investor in numerous markets to include aerospace, defense, distribution, food services, packaging, manufacturing and outsourced business services. He currently serves as Chairman of the Board for AmercareRoyal and Summit Interconnect and as a board member of Naumann/Hobbs Material Handling, Inc. and Quadel Consulting Corporation.

Before founding HCI Equity, Mr. McCormick worked at Thayer Hidden Creek,Thayer Capital and the Investment Banking Division of Morgan Stanley & Co. He also served as a Captain in the U.S. Army’s 25th Infantry Division.

As author of Family Inc., Mr. McCormick is committed to empowering others through financial literacy with a focus on the veteran community. His writing on financial literacy and veteran economic empowerment have been covered by leading media outlets such as The Wall Street Journal, The NY Times, USA Today, PBS, Time, Fast Company and The Motley Fool. Mr. McCormick serves as the Chairman of the Board for Bunker Labs and a member of the Board of Directors for Team RWB. He is a 2011 Henry Crown Fellow, and a Founding Member of Capital For Children.

Mr. McCormick received his Master of Business Administration from Harvard Business School and his Bachelor of Science in Economics from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.

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As a Division Staff Officer and Flotilla Commander with the United States Coast Guard - Flotilla Washington One Auxiliary, John has over 16 years experience in the landscape design and installation industry and holds two degrees from the University of Maryland.

Over the past 10 years, John worked in the Washington, DC metro area with a major landscape design and installation firm before deciding to share his skills, experience and knowledge in the landscape industry to help affect change by hiring and training our veterans and thus, providing them with a good job and an above average pay scale for the industry. Military service members bring with them a unique and positive influence on the private sector workforce including the military values of honor, integrity and commitment to excellence.

Successfully sponsoring “Military Appreciation Nights” in various venues around D.C., John's new landscape venture managed not only to raise much needed essential items for our wounded heroes but also succeeded in bringing about a higher level of awareness to ordinary Americans who previously did not understand the immense need for their assistance and participation.

In early 2013, realizing that this need required the commitment of a non-profit organization, John partnered with Chris McDonald, a Navy veteran, to establish United Soldiers and Sailors of America, a Veteran Service Organization. Through streamlined programs and services, USASOA is having a direct impact on the overall quality of life of our wounded, ill and injured veterans and their families by providing them with the essential items, goods and resources to live a healthy, dignified life. The USASOA mission is clearly summed up in its motto, “In Gratitude For Their Sacrifice".

Dwayne Paro is very committed and passionate about supporting transitioning Veterans. He is a combat Veteran who served in the Air Force for 8 years and has spent the past 19 years supporting the federal government as a contractor in Washington DC area. Through his dedication, perseverance, self-discipline, integrity and solid leadership skills he has progressed to be a Chief Information Officer for a Federal Aerospace Engineering firm. Using his Military and Executive experiences he has been able to step out as an Entrepreneur and establish Landmark Life Coaching in response to a support gap that exists for Veterans. Due to his passion for supporting Veterans he has built a T.E.A.M Vets program that is focused on filling the gap that exists between what the Veterans Administration can provide and what transitioning Veterans need to create and lead a fulfilling and empowering life that honors their duty and sacrifice. He is the host of the Charlie Mike podcast which highlights the business successes of various combat veteranpreneurs.

Andrew Marr is a Special Forces Green Beret, Co-Founder and CEO of Warrior Angels Foundation, is on the leadership team of Warrior Soul, and Co-Host’s the Warrior Soul Podcast with Chris Albert. Andrew is married to Becky, the love of his life, and together they have five children.

The Warrior Angel symbolizes a brave and experienced fighter of exemplary virtue. We do the right thing, not for promise of reward or fear of punishment, but simply because it’s the right thing to do. This is the way of the Warrior Angel.

WAF MISSION:

Warrior Angels Foundation provides a personalized assessment and treatment protocol, which pinpoints - and, more importantly, treats - the underlying condition for U.S. Military Service Members and Veterans who have sustained a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) while in the line of duty.

WAF VISION:

To inspire and empower bold action To challenge the status quo To offer superior alternatives To Free the Medically Oppressed Until There Are None

Born and raised in New Jersey, Jeff joined the United States Army in 1995 at 17 years old leaving for basic the same day he graduated from High School. He was a combat medic in the 82nd Airborne Division before volunteering to go to the Army Rangers, serving as a Ranger Medic in 2nd Ranger Bn 75th Ranger Regt.

In 1999 he tried out and was selected from US Army Special Forces Selection and after changing his job to a Special Forces Weapons NCO after the events of 9-11, because it was a shorter course and he wanted to go to fight, he graduated the Special Forces Qualification Course and was Awarded his Green Beret. He went on to be Awarded the Silver Star for the Battle of Debeka Pass in 2003 Iraq, and after 6 total Combat tours to Iraq and Afghanistan has also been awarded 3 Bronze Stars, Army Commendation Medal with V device for Valor, and a Purple Heart that he got in 2009 when he was wounded in combat and sustained major back injuries and a Traumatic Brain Injury. He never fully recovered and began to show signs of PTSD that contributed to his Medical Retirement in 2013 after 18 Years Active Duty as a Sergeant First Class. He has been credited as a contributing author in the book Heroes Among Us by Chuck Larson and is mentioned in the books War Stories of The Green Berets, Roughneck 91, and Masters of Chaos. He worked for The DOD as a Defense Contractor and for the Department of Homeland Security. He currently works at Cisco Systems as an IT Professional holding Network+ and Security+ certifications. Jeff does Veterans outreach as a guest host and chief contributor to changeyourPOV.com and Podcast, also Motivational, Leadership and Team-Building classes and seminars. Jeff lives in North Carolina with his Wife of over 20 years and their 2 children.

Dr. Eugene Lipov is the founder of Healing Hero and the Global Post-Traumatic Stress Injury Foundation. He is the doctor first to perform the Stellate Ganglion Block (SGB) for treatment of PTSD, with results currently showing an efficacy rate of 80+%. The Stellate Ganglion Block is the first truly biologic approach to PTSD.

In addition to being the driving force behind Healing Hero (HealingHero.org), Dr. Lipov is the Chief Science Officer of the Global PTSI Foundation and a world-renowned certified anesthesiologist who specializes in pain management. He first discussed the Stellate Ganglion Block in front of Congress in 2010, and has published numerous medical papers on the use of SGB for PTSD. He and his patients have appeared on The Doctors TV show multiple times to talk about the Stellate Ganglion Block and PTSD. Media, publications, and reports are available at healinghero.org.

A serial entrepreneur, doctor, and advocate, Dr. Lipov is dedicated to helping military personnel suffering from PTSD transition to a productive, healthy life.

Mark L. Rockefeller is the Co-Founder & CEO of StreetShares, a startup that uses technology and social loyalty to improve financial services for the military and veterans community. He is also a contributor to Forbes, writing on fintech and veterans entrepreneurship.

Following military service in Iraq, Mark joined the law firm Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy. He left the firm in 2013 to co-found StreetShares, which launched in 2014. StreetShares has raised over $200MM in debt and $9MM in equity investment and won the overall global "Best Investment" award from the Harvard Business School New Venture Competition. The head of the national military banking association calls StreetShares “The most interesting thing to happen to the military finance space in decades.”

Mark has been listed in Inc. Magazine's "Top 20 Military Veteran Tech Entrepreneurs," as a Trending "40 Under 40 Entrepreneur," the "Mighty25 Veterans to Watch in 2017," and has been quoted or featured in The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Bloomberg Businessweek, Huffington Post, American Banker, Washington Business Journal, Inc. Magazine, and Entrepreneur Magazine. He holds a bachelor's degree in finance, MBA and law degrees. He was a Stone Scholar at Columbia Law School and is a term member in the Council on Foreign Relations.

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John N. Valentine III, SFC (Ret) was born at Great Lakes ILL, Naval Hospital. His father was a Naval Officer; he grew up all over the United States. SFC Valentine entered the Army on 11 Sep 90 and retired after 20 years and 20 days of service on 30 Sep 2010; he attended Basic Training at Ft Leonardwood MO, where he also attended his first Advanced Individual Training or AIT as a 12B Combat Engineer. His first duty assignment was at 7th ID (L) Ft Ord, CA as a part of the 13th Engineer BN. He then reclassified into the MOS 91G Behavioral Science Specialist, which is now 68X Mental Health Specialist. As a 68X SFC Valentines’ assignments have been, Mental Health NCO Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Washington DC; Mental Health NCOIC, Sinai Egypt; NCOIC Department of Psychology, Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Washington DC; Instructor 68X Branch Ft Sam Houston TX; Small Group Instructor, BNCOC AMEDD Center & School Ft Sam Houston, TX; Senior Small Group Leader BNCOC, AMEDDC&S Ft Sam Houston, TX; Combat Actions Officer, Directorate of Combat Doctrine and Development Ft Sam Houston, TX; NCOIC Division Mental Health 25th ID (L) Schofield Barracks, HI. Brigade S-3 NCOIC 1st Medical Brigade, Fort Hood TX, 1SG HHC 1st MED BDE, Detachment First Sergeant, 85th Combat Stress Control, Fort Hood, TX. His final assignment was as a Platoon Sergeant for the Wounded Warrior Battalion, Aco Purple Heart Company, Fort Hood TX.

John currently resides in Copperas Cove, TX and is married to the former Jeannette Vanegas. He has four children (son) H.B. (17), and daughters Ashlynn (11) & Emma (10) and son Jacob (5).

VISION Provide assistance to soldiers, and veterans who sacrificed for us, so they may live in peace and comfort.

MISSION We are dedicated to assisting active military service members, veterans who served honorably, and their families, by providing programs and services to those in need.

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Corey Christman serves as the Chief Executive Officer of Vethos, LLC - a Human Capital Leadership and executive strategy firm. He’s served in executive level capacities for 15+ years and led teams comprised of three members to over 500 in size. He’s the recipient of numerous awards for leadership, human resource management and innovation. He holds an MBA in entrepreneurship and BA in Criminal Justice and will complete the Executive Leadership Program at Cornell University in the Spring of 2017.

He’s a retired Supervisory Special Agent, United States Air Force Office of Special Investigations and a served in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

He’s a professionally trained winemaker, he works within the Finger Lakes wine region of New York State and he will be launching his own veteran/first responder focused wine label in 2017.

Since retiring in 2012, he’s worked within the veteran advocacy space and is currently partnered with several key leaders to raise awareness for mental/behavioral health for first responders – nationwide.