Voice for Valor

In 2003 a brown envelope landed on a doormat in rural England. Matt Okuhara was nineteen, working in banking, and a part-time reservist in a battalion the recruiter had promised would never be mobilised. Six months later he was an infantryman acting as his section's medic outside Basra hospital, buying bungee cords at a hardware store because the tourniquets weren't there.

Watch the full video episode and read the transcript: voiceforvalor.com/episodes/matthew-okuhara

Kathleen "Kate" Kilcup Marsh joined the Army as a Russian linguist, trained at Monterey, and lived with a host family in Russia. She got out believing the military had been the problem — and found the same person waiting on the other side. What followed was alcoholism, a coffee-shop job she was about to lose, food stamps traded for a place to sleep, and a gross blue sweater she lived in. This is the story of the morning she woke up on an anthill in Tahoe, and of the 13 years of sobriety that followed.

Watch the full video episode and read the transcript: voiceforvalor.com/episodes/kathleen-kilcup

Colonel Bree Fram was ranked #2 in the entire Space Force for promotion. A 23-year career — combat deployments to Iraq and Qatar, astronautical engineering, Pentagon acquisition policy, and helping stand up the Space Force itself. Then Executive Order 14183 gave her a choice: revert or get out. She ran for Congress in Virginia's 11th District until the state's redistricting fight ended the campaign in May 2026.

Watch the full video episode and read the transcript: voiceforvalor.com/episodes/bree-fram

After more than 40 years in service — including advising the Chief of the National Guard Bureau — Tony Whitehead faced the one thing no leadership manual covers: losing your identity when the uniform comes off. This is an honest conversation about purpose, rank, and who you are without a mission.

Watch the full video episode and read the transcript: voiceforvalor.com/episodes/tony-whitehead

Bernadette Maldonado failed out of college her first semester. Her parents worked multiple jobs and swing shifts to keep food on the table. Years later, she was flying at 30,000 feet for the U.S. Air Force — and on her way to Capitol Hill.

Watch the full video episode and read the transcript: voiceforvalor.com/episodes/bernadette-maldonado

Vietnam veteran, Purple Heart recipient, and FDNY firefighter Clarence Singleton was in the rubble of the South Tower on 9/11 when he was pinned in the debris and gave up hope of survival.

Watch the full video episode and read the transcript: voiceforvalor.com/episodes/clarence-singleton

Chris Meek left a 16-year Wall Street career, earned a doctorate, wrote best-selling books, ran for Congress, and then stripped it all away to build the 9/11 Legacy Foundation — ensuring the next generation understands responsibility, agency, and the power to act when it matters most.

Watch the full video episode and read the transcript: voiceforvalor.com/episodes/chris-meek

For twenty years, Lt. Col. Angelina 'Strike' Stephens led hundreds of airmen, commanded F-15 Strike Eagle maintenance units, and served at the Pentagon. She survived deployments, injuries, and a decade of infertility. But behind the uniform was a hidden battle: severe postpartum depression and a year of silent suicidal ideation.

Watch the full video episode and read the transcript: voiceforvalor.com/episodes/angelina-stephens

After 25 years as a Navy engineer, helicopter commander, and Pentagon leader, Captain Shelby Mounts was told his skills wouldn't translate to the civilian world. His answer was to take 100 coffees with 100 strangers, earn a Shell Oil fellowship, and eventually lead NextOp — the organization built to fix veteran underemployment.

Watch the full video episode and read the transcript: voiceforvalor.com/episodes/shelby-mounts

Jody Brown left a well-paying civilian career to become a second lieutenant, failed her nursing board exams twice, and nearly quit the military entirely. Her story is about walking away from the safe path and what she found on the other side.

Watch the full video episode and read the transcript: voiceforvalor.com/episodes/jody-brown