Welcome to Season Four of the VET S.O.S. Podcast! In this powerful episode, hosts Shawn Welsh and new co-host Keith Cassant are joined by Chris Elder and Yogi Hernandez, the co-hosts of the Mil2Vet podcast. Chris and Yogi share their unique and inspiring experiences of transitioning from military service to civilian life. They highlight the challenges and emotional toll that veterans face during their transitions, offering invaluable insights for others going through similar journeys. Chris Elde...
Jul 03, 2024•30 min•Season 4Ep. 1
In this powerful and heartfelt episode of VET S.O.S., Shawn Welsh welcomes Eric Brew, who now serves as the Georgia Director for Warriors Set Free. Eric opens up about his transformative journey from co-host to fully dedicating himself to this life-changing ministry. Warriors Set Free is committed to helping veterans, active duty personnel, and first responders grow spiritually, heal from past traumas, and find victory in their daily battles through faith-based support. Eric shares personal stor...
Jun 20, 2024•33 min•Season 3Ep. 22
Join hosts Shawn Welsh and Keith Cassant as they celebrate a major milestone—100 episodes and two incredible years of the VET S.O.S. Podcast! This special episode features Alfredo Torres, a 13-year Navy veteran and executive assistant at the U.S. Forest Service. Alfredo is well-known for his vibrant "Paisley Prince" persona and his impactful virtual community, Alfredo's Coffee House, where veterans come together to discuss transition challenges and important life topics. Alfredo shares his power...
Jun 11, 2024•35 min•Season 3Ep. 21
In this powerful episode of the VET S.O.S. podcast, Shawn Welsh and guest co-host Keith Cassant sit down with Kimberly Pickens, an OEF/OIF Air Force veteran and incoming member of the Nevada Air National Guard. Kimberly opens up about her personal journey transitioning from military service and how her experiences have fueled her passion for supporting veterans in Northern Nevada. As the Outreach Specialist and Veteran Liaison at New Dawn Treatment Centers, Kimberly plays a critical role in help...
Jun 04, 2024•30 min•Season 3Ep. 20
In this powerful episode of VET S.O.S., hosts Shawn and Keith welcome David Tenenbaum, an Air Force veteran, entrepreneur, and founder of Honor Media and Heroes Network. David opens up about the challenges he faced transitioning from military service to civilian life and how those experiences fueled his passion for creating meaningful support systems for veterans and their families. David introduces the Heroes Network, a free professional networking platform designed exclusively for veterans, mi...
May 28, 2024•30 min•Season 3Ep. 19
In this episode of the VET S.O.S. Podcast, Navy veteran and intelligence professional Marisol Maloney shares her inspiring journey from military service to launching her own consulting business, Secret Squirrel Consulting. Marisol dives deep into the challenges and strategies of transitioning from the military, emphasizing the importance of tailoring resumes, leveraging LinkedIn, and preparing early for career shifts. She candidly discusses the emotional and logistical hurdles she faced, includi...
May 21, 2024•32 min•Season 3Ep. 18
In this impactful episode of the VET S.O.S. podcast, host Shawn and Keith engage in a compelling conversation with Marine veteran and founder of Semper Forward Mission Wisconsin, Steve Janke. Steve opens up about his unique transition from active military duty to managing his family's dairy farm and eventually entering the world of politics and government service. He sheds light on the obstacles service members face when reintegrating into civilian life and stresses the critical importance of ne...
May 14, 2024•31 min•Season 3Ep. 17
In this episode of VET S.O.S., hosts Shawn Welsh and Keith Cassant welcome Annie Brock, President and CEO of the Leader Transition Institute (LTI). Annie shares her inspiring journey from an enlisted soldier to a medevac helicopter pilot and military spouse, and how her personal challenges led her to create LTI—a life-changing program that helps service members, veterans, and military spouses transition successfully to civilian life. 💼 Inside This Episode: - Annie's military career and transiti...
May 07, 2024•32 min•Season 3Ep. 16
Join us for Season 3, Episode 15 of the VET S.O.S. podcast as we welcome Blake Sudeck and Angel Lotti from the Ding King Training Institute! In this insightful episode, Blake, the Vice President of Ding King, and Angel, a U.S. Army veteran and proud graduate of the program, share how the institute empowers transitioning service members and veterans to build successful, sustainable careers in the automotive reconditioning industry. Blake highlights the family-oriented approach of Ding King and it...
Apr 30, 2024•32 min•Season 3Ep. 15
In this insightful episode of VET S.O.S., hosts Shawn Welsh and Keith Cassant sit down with Bill Kieffer, an Army veteran with over 23 years of professional HR experience and the President of Kieffer & Associates Limited. Bill shares his deep knowledge and personal experiences navigating the complex path from military service to a successful civilian career. Bill introduces his latest book, Veteran Career Journey: More Insights from the Employer Side of the Desk, a follow-up to his first boo...
Apr 23, 2024•30 min•Season 3Ep. 14
Join us for Season 3, Episode 13 of VET S.O.S. as we welcome Molly Bode, Executive Director of Kentucky Valor! Molly shares how Kentucky Valor, an initiative of the Kentucky Science and Technology Corporation, is breaking down barriers for veterans and their families by providing accelerated occupational licensure pathways and career opportunities in Kentucky. In this episode, Molly dives deep into the program's 44 accelerated pathways across 55 categories, covering over 180 military occupations...
Apr 16, 2024•30 min•Season 3Ep. 13
In this inspiring episode of VET S.O.S., hosts Shawn Welsh and Keith Cassant welcome Nila Thompson, Chief of Staff at Talent Ascend. Nila shares her powerful and deeply personal journey as a military spouse navigating her husband Bruce's transition out of the military. She candidly discusses the emotional and practical challenges they faced, highlighting the importance of honest communication, proactive decision-making, and strategic financial planning—including how they successfully became debt...
Apr 09, 2024•30 min•Season 3Ep. 12
In this powerful and inspiring episode of VET S.O.S., hosts Shawn and Eric sit down with Kristen Christy, co-creator of the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline and America's resilience trainer. Kristen courageously shares her deeply personal journey growing up in a dedicated Air Force family, navigating the challenges of military life, and overcoming the tragic loss of her husband to suicide in 2008. This life-altering experience ignited Kristen's passion for mental health advocacy and suicide preve...
Apr 02, 2024•30 min•Season 3Ep. 11
In this powerful episode of VET S.O.S., hosts Shawn and Eric sit down with Denise Lewis, the Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility for Corporate America. Denise shares her personal journey and shines a spotlight on the life-changing work of Vet Jobs and Military Spouse Jobs—two leading nonprofit organizations dedicated to helping veterans, military spouses, and military-affiliated individuals successfully transition into meaningful careers. Denise discusses how these organi...
Mar 19, 2024•30 min•Season 3Ep. 10
In this powerful episode of VET S.O.S., we welcome Jordana Megonigal, CEO of Recon Network. Jordana shares her inspiring journey from a successful marketing career to becoming CEO of Recon Network, driven by her passion for supporting veterans and their families. She explains how her grandfather's experience as an Iwo Jima Marine influenced her understanding of veterans' unique challenges and motivated her to address the often-overlooked emotional and psychological aspects of military transition...
Mar 05, 2024•29 min•Season 3Ep. 9
In this powerful episode of VET S.O.S., we sit down with Chris Lancia, a U.S. Army veteran with over 25 years of distinguished service, now serving as Tennessee's first Director of Military and Veterans Initiatives. Chris opens up about his personal journey transitioning out of the military and the challenges service members face when reentering civilian life. Chris co-founded Grid Square Recon LLC, a groundbreaking initiative dedicated to bridging the gap between military families and their loc...
Feb 27, 2024•33 min•Season 3Ep. 8
Are you a veteran struggling to break into the federal job market? This episode is for YOU! In this insightful continuation, Hope White, an entrepreneur and leading expert in the federal hiring process, returns to VET S.O.S. to dive deeper into how veterans can successfully transition into stable, long-term federal careers. With firsthand experience navigating the federal employment system, Hope shares proven strategies for standing out in a competitive job market. Drawing from her own military ...
Feb 20, 2024•34 min•Season 3Ep. 7
Join us for an inspiring episode of VET S.O.S. Season 3, Episode 6, featuring Stephen Kaplan, retired Navy SEAL and owner of Trident Adventures in Hawaii! Stephen shares his journey from military service to founding an adrenaline-filled adventure company that offers scuba diving, snorkeling, skydiving, shooting experiences, and exclusive helicopter casts into the ocean. Learn how Stephen's mission is to help people conquer their fears, build courage, and experience life to the fullest through un...
Feb 13, 2024•34 min•Season 3Ep. 6
In this powerful episode of VET S.O.S., hosts Shawn and Eric sit down with Rich LaMonica, an Army veteran and the host of the Misfit Nation Podcast. Rich opens up about his personal transition out of the Army in 2015 and the initial struggles he faced in finding civilian employment. Despite doing everything "by the book," including submitting countless applications, Rich's military-focused resume hindered his ability to secure a job in the civilian sector. After receiving assistance from Hire He...
Feb 06, 2024•29 min•Season 3Ep. 5
In this episode of VET S.O.S., Shawn and Eric welcome Robyn Grable, the founder and CEO of Talents Ascend, a platform designed to help veterans, military spouses, and other underserved communities transition into meaningful civilian careers. Robyn shares her personal journey as a Navy veteran and the inspiration behind Talents Ascend, emphasizing the importance of a skills-based approach to job seeking. Robyn discusses the challenges veterans face in translating their military skills into civili...
Jan 30, 2024•31 min•Season 3Ep. 4
In this powerful episode of VET S.O.S., hosts Shawn and Eric welcome Jon Doolen, a U.S. Army veteran and expert recruiter at Movement Search and Delivery, who has dedicated his career to guiding veterans and transitioning service members toward meaningful civilian employment. Drawing from his own journey from the Quartermaster Corps in the First Infantry Division at Fort Riley, Kansas, to becoming a leading advocate in the recruiting industry, Jon shares invaluable insights and practical strateg...
Jan 23, 2024•32 min•Season 3Ep. 3
In this impactful episode of VET S.O.S., hosts Shawn and Eric welcome retired U.S. Air Force Colonel Chris Roness, founder of Chris Roness Enterprises and creator of the transformative human performance and mindfulness system, "You Matter." Known by his call sign "Switch," Chris shares his extraordinary journey from enlisting in the Air Force to becoming a Special Operations helicopter pilot and officer. His path wasn’t easy—facing early challenges like vision setbacks—but his resilience and det...
Jan 16, 2024•36 min•Season 3Ep. 2
Welcome back to VET S.O.S. for an exciting launch of Season 3! In this powerful episode, hosts Shawn and Eric sit down with Jerry Young, the Director of Veteran Ambassadors at INVets—a dynamic nonprofit organization dedicated to connecting transitioning service members, veterans, and military spouses to high-quality career opportunities in Indiana. INVets has experienced incredible growth over the past five years, expanding from a one-person team and five company partners to a thriving staff of ...
Jan 09, 2024•31 min•Season 3Ep. 1
Dec 19, 2023•31 min•Season 2Ep. 27
Dec 12, 2023•31 min•Season 2Ep. 26
In this powerful episode of VET S.O.S., we welcome William Chesnutt, Marine Corps veteran and the visionary founder and CEO of Strategic Development Group LLC. William opens up about his transition from military service in 2021 to becoming a successful entrepreneur. He dives deep into how he leveraged his 3P Business Framework (People, Process, Performance) to help veterans and aspiring business owners create sustainable, high-performing businesses. William also shares insights from his book, "Y...
Dec 05, 2023•31 min•Season 2Ep. 25
In this powerful episode of VET S.O.S., hosts Shawn Welsh and Eric Brew sit down with Stacey Gordon, a dedicated veteran advocate and life skills educator. Stacey shares her inspiring journey transitioning from a New Jersey public school teacher to a passionate military transition coach. Her personal experiences during 9/11, her mother’s brain aneurysm, and her grandmother’s battle with breast cancer fueled her commitment to helping veterans and their families successfully navigate life after mi...
Nov 28, 2023•28 min•Season 2Ep. 24
In this powerful episode of VET S.O.S., hosts Shawn Welsh and Eric Brew sit down with Justin Pearson, a two-time founder and CEO of Mission Box Solutions. Justin opens up about his 20-year military career in the Airborne Infantry and US Army Recruiting Command and shares his deeply personal transition story. Drawing parallels between a near-drowning experience during a whitewater rafting trip and the challenges veterans face during transition, Justin emphasizes the critical need for support netw...
Nov 21, 2023•35 min•Season 2Ep. 23
Nov 14, 2023•29 min•Season 2Ep. 22
In this powerful episode of VET S.O.S., hosts Shawn Welsh and Eric Brew sit down with John Ellis, the inspiring founder and CEO of Mission Rehab, a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering veterans through job placement, skill building, and homeless prevention. John, a former Army food service specialist, opens up about his personal journey transitioning from military service to civilian life—a journey filled with challenges like unemployment, financial hardship, and navigating the complex...
Nov 07, 2023•32 min•Season 2Ep. 21
