Mark Burnett’s father was stationed at camp Lejeune back in 1957. As Mark put it, he was conceived in-utero and born in Camp Lejeune. His family stayed there for two more years. Before moving the cherry point, but that did not get him away from the contamination. After his diagnosis, Mark spent months sifting through thousands of pages of old news papers to identify as many people as he could who may have been impacted by Camp Lejeune's contaminated water. In this episode, we discuss Mark...
Jul 30, 2024•1 hr 7 min•Transcript available on Metacast Joseph Malone is a former Marine Special Operations Command (MARSOC) Marine with seven total deployments who's now on a mission as a personal safety consultant. Join us as we delve into Joseph's journey in and out of the military TWICE, what made him try out for MARSOC and what ultimately helped him put the pieces of his life back together after transition. Joe now operates his own business teaching others how to protect themselves and the ones they love. Discover the essence of the "Lethality L...
Jul 30, 2024•54 min•Ep 88•Transcript available on Metacast I was recently a guest on Talia Rhea's podcast (who was on episode 16 of my show). Please enjoy the discussion we had on military transition, career pivots, leadership and much more. What does it mean to you reinvent yourself? What are the lessons to be learned from running your own business? In this episode, Talia sits down with USMC veteran and real estate appraiser, Jason Burds, to talk all things entrepreneurship, pivoting careers, and why identity is often the most neglected component o...
Jul 23, 2024•43 min•Transcript available on Metacast Blake Dailey is an Air Force Veteran turned entrepreneur and real estate investor. Blake attended the USAFA from 2015-2018 where he played football as a middle linebacker. Early in his Air Force career as a Contracting Officer, Blake started investing in real estate with a single Airbnb unit and has, over the last five years, scaled his business to operate in four states with a team of 30 employees, both virtual and domestic. He now manages over 150 short-term rental (STR) listings, generating a...
Jul 02, 2024•45 min•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, we sit down with Lisa Benson, an Army veteran who transformed personal and professional adversity into a story of triumph. After enlisting in 2000 to overcome financial hardship and pay for college, Lisa navigated the challenges of deployment, returning home to pursue a career as a massage therapist dedicated to helping fellow veterans. With a Bachelor's in Management and a Master's in Public Administration, Lisa then sought to impact the VA, but found a more fulfilling ...
Jun 29, 2024•1 hr 3 min•Transcript available on Metacast Two months ago, I took the leap and bought a business. Here are the first four things I’ve learned that no one tells you about being your own boss: - Being Your Own Boss Isn’t Total Freedom While it’s great to be in charge, it doesn’t mean you can do whatever you want. Unlike before, I can’t completely detach even on vacations. - The Challenge of Too Little Work Stressing over too little work is a new experience. As an employee, slow periods didn’t bother me. Now, the financial pressure is real,...
Jun 04, 2024•4 min•Transcript available on Metacast I used VR&E to get a master's degree, but that's not how I started...At first I thought I was going to use it for an accelerated BSN. But right before starting, I switched over to completing my MS in Project Management. We don't all go in straight lines...I was surprised at the work required to apply for and be approved for VR&E. Here is what I learned. VR&E Application Assignment includes: Career Exploration Guide: - Find 10-15 job postings for the career you are pursuin...
May 21, 2024•8 min•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode of, we delve into the gripping journey of David Hopkins, a former Marine Corps Infantryman who enlisted on a five-year contract to escape his turbulent past. On a kinetic Afghanistan deployment with 3rd Battalion 5th Marines, David faced the horrors of combat just three weeks into his deployment when he stepped on an IED. But David's story doesn't end on the battlefield. Despite his intense experiences, he refused to let his dreams crumble in the dust. Through sheer deter...
Apr 30, 2024•2 hr 30 min•Ep 89•Transcript available on Metacast Bill spent 8 years in the Army Infantry. After a disabling injury Bill opened his own security company and retail store selling military and survival products in Alaska. It was during this time that he began working with the FBI and other law enforcement agencies initially in undercover operations and later as an analyst specializing in counter domestic terrorism. Bill was also involved in the getting the Veteran Small Business Enhancement Act passed to allow certified veteran owned businesses t...
Mar 19, 2024•58 min•Ep 87•Transcript available on Metacast Trying to recreate the momentum I had. No editing, just action. Hope you all are well.
Mar 12, 2024•10 min•Transcript available on Metacast Adit Shah is a real estate devemoper and private equity syndicator. After separating honorably from the US Navy, he worked for a developer for FREE for 1 year which led to him founding Housebender Inc, his own development company. Adit also co-founded Tempest 22, a private equity company which raised $3.2M and acquired $18M in assets in under 1 year. Connect with Adit: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/housebender/ Website: https://housebender.com/
Jan 23, 2024•42 min•Transcript available on Metacast A lot of veterans find themselves struggling academically after they leave the service. There are a myriad of problems that can come from failing classes while using your GI Bill. After 3 degrees, I have compiled my tried and true methods to ensure success in every college class. Hope these help!
Sep 30, 2023•9 min•Transcript available on Metacast Tune in to hear Bill's story - how/why he enlisted in the Navy and ultimately found a back door entry into the U.S. Naval Academy. Bill shares details on how to replicate this path, details no one talks about, flight school upset and Navy life as a whole.
Mar 21, 2023•1 hr 9 min•Ep 85•Transcript available on Metacast If you joined the National Guard or Reserves, you're not going to want to miss out on the opportunity that is the Post 9/11 GI Bill. While it's nearly a guarantee for active duty veterans, it's far from a guarantee for National Guard and Reservists. Some order count for eligibility and some don't. If you serve 90 days of qualifying orders, you'll receive 50% of the GI Bill. If you serve 36 months of qualifying orders, you'll receive 100% of the benefit and there are incremental eligibilit...
Mar 11, 2023•14 min•Transcript available on Metacast If you're considering going to graduate school to become a counselor, this could be the perfect opportunity for you! 2 years of free graduate school in exchange for guaranteed employment and an adventurous place to live? Sounds like a deal! For more info: https://www.vetcenter.va.gov/Vet_Center_Scholarship_Program.asp
Jan 19, 2023•4 min•Transcript available on Metacast As a highly-successful entrepreneur, Douglas James has seen over-and-over how fellow business owners have amazing ideas which deserve to succeed. This knowledge inspired Douglas to empower budding entrepreneurs on how to acquire, close and retain amazing clients, so they can finally experience the lives of their dreams. Douglas decided he wanted to help others to succeed during his time in the Navy. In 2015, he was deployed on a humanitarian mission that allowed him to assist some of the ...
Jan 17, 2023•41 min•Ep 84•Transcript available on Metacast Staff Sergeant John H. Davis is a decorated combat veteran with two tours in Afghanistan. John is a veteran advocate, Harvard Graduate and author of Combat to College. Every service member that is preparing to get out, or is already out using their GI Bill, needs to hear what John has to say. Find John’s book here
Jan 06, 2023•38 min•Ep 83•Transcript available on Metacast There is a lot of pressure to maintaining good grades while in college, but is it really worth the effort? It all depends on how competitive your goals are. The more competitive, the more things like your GPA matter. Either way, a ding to your GPA isn't the end of the world.
Dec 20, 2022•6 min•Transcript available on Metacast After separating from the military twice, I narrowed down the two most important factors for a successful transition. The sooner you start working on these, the better prepared you will be to move from the military sector to civilian. Build that runway!
Nov 09, 2022•9 min•Transcript available on Metacast Kyle joined the Marine Corps in 2011 and worked as a helicopter mechanic as part of HMX, the presidential helicopter squadron. After 5 years of being on call and traveling the world, Kyle called it quits after his first contract. Following his enlistment, Kyle returned to the midwest to finish his college education. Like most others, Kyle began his exit using the GI Bill, that is until he learned about VR&E. Since then, Kyle has been able to get his private pilot's license, study abroad, mov...
Nov 05, 2022•1 hr 13 min•Transcript available on Metacast Ali is a commissioned USAF officer - despite obtaining the rank of Major and being over halfway to retirement, she’s on her way out of the Air Force. Throughout the episode we talk about why Ali joined the military in the first place, failing out of pilot training and the impact it had on her and how she found the career of her dreams. We also talk about how she was able to double her paychecks during the last year of her military career and how that has prepared her for the infamous milit...
Sep 28, 2022•1 hr 7 min•Ep 81•Transcript available on Metacast Building credit early will provide lower mortgage rate later on when you use your VA loan to buy a multi-unit property. Lower interest rate means you save money on a mortgage payment. Lower mortgage payment on a multi-unit means you make more money. It's that simple. Start early, use responsibly, and follow my three credit card rules.
Jun 23, 2022•5 min•Transcript available on Metacast Scott is a recently retired Army Command Sergeant Major with 30 years of military service. After his military retirement, Scott started working for Army Emergency Relief (AER) and has been doing amazing things to help current and transitioning service members. This episode highlights the benefits of Career Skills Program (CSP) for transitioning veterans and how any and all soldiers who participate in CSP are eligible for grant money - this can cover moving expenses, tools, uniforms, etc. - rangi...
Jun 15, 2022•47 min•Transcript available on Metacast David grew up in San Francisco and commissioned via OCS while attending Princeton University. He served as an artillery officer in the Marine Corps and completed two deployments before separating in 2021. In this episode, we focus on David’s creative pursuits and his encouragement for other veterans to do the same. We talk about the community David is building known as League of Veterans and how he hopes to get veterans involved in the NFT space and to ultimately provide grants and scholarships ...
Jun 08, 2022•50 min•Transcript available on Metacast The habits your build early in your military career have a massive impact on how your transition plays out. Start your first year in the military by building strong habits that will pay dividends in the future.
Jun 01, 2022•5 min•Transcript available on Metacast Despite this being a joke, I regularly see people take these steps when transitioning out of the military. If you want to make it hard on yourself, follow these steps.
May 24, 2022•4 min•Transcript available on Metacast Not every state as equal benefits for its guard members. Some states offer as little as $4,500/year towards tuition, while other offer a tuition waiver that allows you to attend school for free as long as you're in the guard. The guard unit you you join has a massive impact on your overall ability to achieve your educational goals affordably. Combining the state education benefits with the federal Chapter 1606 Selected Reserve Montgomery GI Bill can really set you ahead....
May 18, 2022•8 min•Transcript available on Metacast You have two choices if you're failing a class using the GI Bill. Either you drop the class, or you keep going and take the F. Don't miss the dangers of both of these options.
May 03, 2022•6 min•Transcript available on Metacast Before you buy your first investment property with the VA Loan, it is critical to make a list of what you DO and DO NOT want in your property. The more you can define your criteria the better. Make sure your deal is going to make you money! Use www.rentometer.com to find out if the deal is a good investment or not.
Apr 19, 2022•7 min•Transcript available on Metacast The VA Home Loan is arguably the most valuable benefit for veterans if used correctly. The standard method if getting into home ownership is proving harder and harder. The VA loan allows you to get into a home without paying 20% down or hundreds of dollars a month in PMI. The best part - the VA loan can be used to purchase a property with 1-4 units, giving you the opportunity to become a real estate investor with nearly no money out of your pocket.
Apr 05, 2022•8 min•Transcript available on Metacast 
