The Soldier For Life Podcast

Our Soldiers for Life are Army ambassadors. They are amazing individuals who chose to dedicate themselves to serving their country, to making a difference. They help people in their communities understand - and connect with - our Army. And they help inspire the next generation to serve. And one of the most important ways that they do all of this is by telling their Army and Soldier for Life stories and by encouraging others to do the same. They - and their stories - are, in the words of our esteemed Soldier for Life Podcast guests today, not only aspirational, but inspirational, and they inspire and empower us all. On this week's episode, we had the opportunity to chat with MG (Ret.) Mari K. Eder and CW5 (Ret.) Phyllis J. Wilson - who are both dedicated to helping to tell the stories of our Soldiers and Soldiers for Life in their post-military careers - about how important it is to tell your story and the difference that you make both to yourself and the U.S. Army when you do.

If you are going through the Army medical retirement/separation process (we're including Soldiers, their families AND their Army commanders in that "you"), there is a LOT to know and do, but like everything we talk about, there are MANY resources out there to help. And on this week's all new Soldier for Life Podcast, Mr. Lemuel (Lem) Chance from the U.S. Army Physical Disability Agency walks you through everything that you need to know about medical retirements and separations. A few of the key resources that were mentioned during the podcast are included below:

Are you planning for your U.S. Army retirement? If so, this week's Soldier for Life Podcast episode includes everything that you will need to know for your retirement planning journey! Listen as CW3 (Ret.) Lynn Peterson - the RSO Program Manager for the Army Retirement Services Office and our all-around retirement planning guru - shares LOADS of information and resources about planning steps, retirement resources and where to find them, major things to consider (including financial considerations, employment, healthcare, retirement locations, family considerations), veteran benefits, and SO much more! There were WAY too many great resources and links to websites/pages included in the podcast to include them all in this post, but here are a few to get you started (be sure to listen all the way through so you don't miss any of the fabulous resources that are available to you!):

On this week's Soldier for Life Podcast, we are excited to talk about the Army's upcoming 250th birthday celebration and the commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the American Revolutionary War. Listen as we sit down with Captain Jonathan Bratten, the command historian for the Maine Army National Guard and the National Guard Bureau's Revolutionary War 250 liaison officer to the U.S. Army Center of Military History, to chat about these two important events and why they - along with knowing your Army history AND telling your #SoldierForLifeStory and the Army's story - are important to ALL of us even 250 years later. And be sure to check out these important links from the podcast!

The Warrior-Scholar Project hosts intensive, one-week college-prep academic boot camp programs for enlisted service members and veterans at America's top universities to help ease their transition from the military to higher education. Learn more as we chat with the CEO of the Warrior-Scholar Project, Ryan Pavel.

Want to hire some incredibly talented employees at your company or organization? (We know you are, of course, emphatically nodding your head yes.) Then you should really be thinking about transitioning Soldiers, veterans, and military spouses! On this week's brand new Soldier for Life Podcast, we talk with Ms. Lisa Rosser, the CEO and Founder of an organization called The Value Of a Veteran, about what you can do to up your military connected talent game and WHY this is so important for your organization.

Looking for a resource to help you find your next career OR valuable military talent for your organization (because I hope we all know what a smart move that is for any company!)? On this week's Soldier for Life Podcast, we chat with Kandi Tillman, the Co-Founder of 50strong, an organization that helps connect service members, veterans, military-connected students, and spouses with employers AND employment across the country.

NPower offers free virtual tech training programs, job placement assistance, and professional development opportunities for military and veteran families. Learn more as we sit down with Kendra Parlock, the Vice President of Partnership Development for NPower.

The MyArmyBenefits website is the U.S. Army's official one-stop shop for information about all of the federal and state benefits that Soldiers, veterans, and their families have earned from serving their country in the United States Army. The website even includes planning calculators to help with things like Army retirement, survivor benefits, and deployment! Learn all about this fantastic resource as we chat with the Program Manager for the MyServiceBenefits Program in the Army Retirement Services office, Ms. Chelsea MacDougall.

The Manufacturing Institute's Heroes MAKE America program provides training and resources to help prepare individuals in the military and veteran communities for careers in the manufacturing industry. On today's Soldier For Life Podcast, we chat with Amy Thomas, the National Director of the Heroes MAKE America program, about their efforts to build a pipeline of military-trained and industry-certified candidates for manufacturers around the country.

National Veterans Small Business Week is November 11-15, so today, we are talking about the importance of celebrating NVSBW AND all of the fantastic resources that the United States Small Business Administration offers to help our military families on their entrepreneurial journey. Our guest on the show is Mr. Robert Yannuzzi, the SBA's Assistant Administrator for its Office of Veterans Business Development. Links mentioned in the podcast: NVSBW - https://www.sba.gov/nvsbw SBA OVBD Veterans Resources - https://www.sba.gov/veterans

The U.S. Patent and Trademark office offers numerous resources for entrepreneurs in the military community to help them make their business ownership dreams a reality. Learn more about what the USPTO can do for you as a new or future military-connected business owner from this week's Soldier For Life Podcast discussion with the USPTO's Christina Whitaker. And be sure to visit the USPTO's Entrepreneurship Resources page for links to the many resources they offer for the military community at https://www.uspto.gov/initiatives/entrepreneurship-resources-military-community!

Are you a Soldier or veteran who is interested in pursuing an education degree? Then this brand new Soldier For Life Podcast episode is just for YOU! Tune in to hear our discussion with Service to School CEO Alec Emmert about the free college and grad school application counseling, mentorship, and resources they offer to veterans and service members.

Every life that is lost to suicide is one life too many. On this week's all new Soldier For Life Podcast, we talk to mental health advocate and motivational speaker David Woods Bartley about his struggles with depression, mental health, and suicide; and about how connection leads to hope, and hope saves lives. Resources mentioned in the podcast:

Army Emergency Relief, the official nonprofit of the United States Army, has been Supporting Soldiers and their Families Since 1942 through grants, interest-free loans, and scholarships. Learn more about the important work that AER does to support our Army Family on this week's all new #SoldierForLifePodcast as we talk with Tony Grinston, the Chief Executive Officer of AER and the 16th Sergeant Major of the Army (Ret.). Get more information and donate to AER at https://www.armyemergencyrelief.org.

Having a battle buddy or a tribe for support is just as important when you're making the transition into the civilian world as it was when you were serving. On this week's Soldier For Life Podcast, we chat with Dr. Robby Hedrick, the Director of Transition Services for the Coffee Bunker, an organization that refers to itself as a tribe, battle buddy, or wingman for military and veteran families in the Tulsa, Oklahoma, area and beyond as they move into the civilian world.

On this week's Soldier For Life Podcast episode, we talk with U.S. Marine Corps COL (Ret.) Duncan Milne, the President of Dixon Center for Military and Veterans Services, about the work that Dixon Center does to help organizations across the country improve the lives of our military and veteran families.

Have you met your CASA yet?   Civilian Aides to the Secretary of the Army are civilian business and community leaders from each U.S. state and territory that are appointed by the Secretary of the Army to advise and support Army leaders across the country.   Learn more on this week's all new #SoldierForLifePodcast as we chat with the director of the CASA Program, Ms. Angie RItz, and CASA Angela M. Odom (Georgia - North) and CASA Mabry E. “Bud” Martin (North Carolina - Central) about the important role that CASAs play as a bridge between the Army and communities across America.    Find out more information about the CASA Program at https://www.army.mil/casa.

We have a high-impact, high-energy Soldier For Life Podcast for you this week to help close out Mental Health Awareness Month, and it is one that you definitely do NOT want to miss!   Join us as we talk with stand-up comedian, motivational speaker, suicide prevention advocate, Certified Humor Professional, CEO of the Best Medicine Brigade, President and Founder of HEAL*ARIOUS, AND the creator and former host of the Soldier For Life Podcast, LTC (Ret.) Robin Johnson (we almost ran out of space there!), about her new mission to heal people with humor.   This episode includes discussions on everything from the mental health benefits of humor to inside secrets about Robin's comedy career to fantastic advice for transitioning Soldiers to FUN-erals (yes, we learned that was a thing), so be sure to listen all the way to the end!

Keeping our military spouses happy is obviously important on many levels, but making sure that they have access to meaningful employment also plays a critical role in Army readiness and retention. On this week's all new SFL Podcast, COL Jarrett Thomas got the chance to sit down with LTG Kevin Vereen, the U.S. Army Deputy Chief of Staff, G-9, to talk about the many ways the Department of Defense and the Army are working to help improve the quality of life of our military families and, more specifically, the employment opportunities for our military spouses. Resources mentioned during the podcast: ✅ Army Quality of Life Spouse Employment Resources - https://www.army.mil/qualityoflife/spouses.html ✅ Army Spouse Employment Toolkit - https://www.armyresilience.army.mil/ard/spouse-employment-toolkit.html ✅ Military Spouse Career Accelerator Pilot - https://myseco.militaryonesource.mil/portal/article/military-spouse-career-accelerator-pilot ✅ Military Spouse Employment Partnership - https://myseco.militaryonesource.mil/portal/article/military-spouse-employment-partnership ✅ Military OneSource Spouse Education and Employment Guides - https://www.militaryonesource.mil/resources/millife-guides/spouse-jobs-education ✅ USAJOBS - https://www.usajobs.gov

Our Community Salutes helps communities around the country recognize, honor, and support high school seniors who are enlisting in the U.S. military after graduation.   Learn more on this week's all new Soldier For Life Podcast as SFL's Director, COL Jarrett Thomas, talks with the President and Founder of OCS, Dr. Ken Hartman.

MilGears is a customized career-building tool offered by the U.S. Department of Defense that is designed to help service members, veterans, potential Soldiers, their family members, and more plan and achieve their career goals by highlighting career possibilities and helping them visualize how to reach those goals. Learn more on this week's brand new Soldier For Life Podcast as MSG James Wire chats with Mr. Keith Boring, the Acting Division Director of Strategy, Innovation, Credentialing, and Voluntary Education for the Naval Education and Training Command. https://milgears.osd.mil

On this week's Soldier For Life Podcast, we talk with Hiring Our Heroes Senior Director COL (Ret.) Adam Rocke about the resources and opportunities Hiring Our Heroes offers to help connect the military community with meaningful employment opportunities.

Veteran Shark Tank was created in 2012 to promote and assist veterans who are starting or growing their businesses. This year's pitch competition is happening next month on December 4, 2023. On this week's Soldier For Life Podcast, we talk with Veteran Shark Tank Founder Alex Archawski and 2022 Veteran Shark Tank winner and CEO of TORCH Warriorwear Haley Marie McClain Hill about the Veteran Shark Tank experience and what it takes to be an entrepreneur.

If you have your own business while your family is serving in the military, what do you do when it's time for a PCS move? On this week's Soldier For Life Podcast, we talk with two military spouse entrepreneurs, Lizann Lightfoot and Lauren Hope, about how to move your business when you PCS.

The Universal Technical Institute (UTI)/BMW Military Service Technician Education Program (MSTEP) is a 16-week on-post Career Skills Program at Fort Liberty and Camp Pendleton that trains transitioning service members to become Certified BMW Technicians. Learn more about UTI and MSTEP on this week's all new Soldier For Life Podcast as we chat with UTI VP of Military Admissions John Decoteau and BMW of North America Military and STEP Recruiting Manager Robert Witte.

RecruitMilitary connects employers to military community job seekers via recruiting, career fairs, a job board, and career services that are free of charge to the military community. Learn more on this week's Soldier For Life Podcast as we chat with RecruitMilitary CEO and Army veteran Tim Best.

We all agree that military spouses are the backbones of our military families. But what is it really like to be a military spouse? On this week's #SoldierForLifePodcast, we talk with three military spouses - Laura Torres, Lydiah Owiti, and Laura Abubekr - about the highs, lows, challenges, and victories military spouses face every day.

Financial readiness. We all know this is vital, but how many of us can say that we - and our military families - are fully prepared? On this week's Soldier For Life Podcast, we have a fantastic discussion with Sarah Bumgardner, the Director of Partnerships and Member Engagement for the American Armed Forces Mutual Aid Association, about what it means to be financially ready, why this is so crucial for military families and military spouses, and (most importantly) the steps we need to take to ensure that our families are financially sound. Resources mentioned during the podcast:

We've got another military transition resource for you on this week's all new Soldier For Life Podcast! In this episode, SFL's Employment Director, LTC Ismael Ortizrivera, talks with Matt Scherer, the President of the Military Transition Roundtable, about the networking, support, and community-building opportunities and resources the Military Transition Roundtable provides to transitioning service members and veterans to help them navigate the transition process. (And as an extra bonus, there is a great discussion about LinkedIn and how to optimize your profile for networking, job searching, telling your story, and more!)

The Easterseals Veteran Staffing Network connects employers with military talent and helps veterans and their spouses find meaningful jobs. Learn more from this week's all new #SoldierForLifePodcast as we talk with David Muir, Jr., the Senior Vice President of the Veteran Staffing Network, in the third and last episode in our Easterseals DC MD VA #SFLPodcast series.

Are you interested in pursuing an educational degree or certificate but aren't sure how because of your busy military lifestyle? Or are you interested in obtaining a professional certification? On this week's Soldier For Life Podcast, we talk with Liz Green, the Executive Director of the Office of Online Student Success at Syracuse University, and Michael Schoeneck, the National Program Director for Onward to Opportunity with the Institute for Veterans and Military Families, about flexible online degree, certificate, and professional certification opportunities available to the military and veteran communities through Syracuse University.

Interested in pursuing a career in the trades after your transition out of the Army? On this week's Soldier For Life Podcast, we talk with ForgeNow, a Texas-based authorized U.S. Department of Defense SkillBridge and U.S. Army Career Skills Program provider that offers 8-week hands-on HVAC Maintenance Technician and Electrical Wiring training programs.

This week's Soldier For Life Podcast features a discussion with FourBlock, a nonprofit organization that helps veterans and military spouses build meaningful professional relationships and prepare for future employment via its in-person and online career readiness programs.

Military spouses...are you looking for a new career or side gig that is flexible enough to fit your military lifestyle? On this week's #SoldierForLifePodcast, SFL's Employment Director, LTC Ismael Ortizrivera, chats with Katrina Tysinger and Sarah Rezac from Learn Design Apply about how grant writing could be an excellent option and fit for military spouses who are looking for flexible, remote, or portable work opportunities.

In this episode of our Easterseals DC MD VA #SoldierForLifePodcast series, SFL's Health and Wellness Director, MAJ Katherine Little, talks about mental health with Grace Caulfield, Easterseals DC MD VA Vice President and Clinic Director of the Steven A. Cohen Military Family Clinic at Easterseals, with a focus on the most common behavioral health issues that transitioning military and their families face, the perceived stigma in the military community when it comes to seeking care, and mental health resources for the military and veteran communities.

Easterseals DC MD VA provides mental health care, employment, education, and respite care opportunities and programs for military families to help them integrate into the community and enhance their quality of life. Learn more about the services that Easterseals provides for our military and veteran families on this week's #SoldierForLifePodcast as SFL's Health and Wellness Director, MAJ Katherine Little, chats with Easterseals DC MD VA President and CEO Jonathan Horowitch and SFL's Director, COL David Grant.

Veteran One uses technology to identify and match veterans' unique experiences, skill sets, and interests with companies and jobs that are the right fit for them. Learn more as SFL Director COL David Grant talks with Tyler Warren, Berno Lans, and George Pegues from Veteran One about how Veteran One can help you find a job that matches your personality and your passion.

Interested in a career with the United States Secret Service? On this week's Soldier For Life Podcast episode, we talk with Uniformed Division Officer Lieutenant Tameka Owens, Special Agent Avery Herbison, and Supervisor for the Secret Service Outreach Branch Lieutenant Jeffery Walker about what it's like to work for the Secret Service and what YOU need to do as a transitioning service member, veteran, or a member of the Army Reserve or the National Guard to find your next career with the Secret Service.

Finding the right job after leaving the military can be tricky business. But fortunately, there are many organizations out there who can help. And this week's #SoldierForLifePodcast features one such place! Listen as LTC Ismael Ortizrivera talks with Ms. Stacy Bayton, the Senior Executive Vice President of VetJobs, about the individualized employment services (including no-cost one-on-one job placement support, career exploration, and employment training) that VetJobs provides for transitioning service members and veterans.

How can rebooting your mindset help you have a successful transition to civilian life when you leave the military? Find out on this week's new #SoldierForLifePodcast as SFL's Employment Director, LTC Ismael Ortizrivera, chats with Maurice Wilson, President and Executive Director of REBOOT Workshop.

The U.S. Army Career Skills Program (CSP) is an invaluable resource for Soldiers as they prepare for their transition out of the Army (AND for the employers that gain access to these Soldiers through the CSP, too!). Learn everything you need to know about the CSP and the opportunities for civilian work experience it offers to Soldiers during their last 180 days of service (and to veterans and military spouses, too!) on this #SoldierForLifePodcast. Links to the resources mentioned in the podcast: CSP Website and Email - https://home.army.mil/imcom/index.php/customers/career-skills-program Army Emergency Relief CSP Grants - https://www.armyemergencyrelief.org/news/cspassistance

Military spouses...do you have any interest in remote work? On this week's #SoldierForLifePodcast, SFL's Employment Director, LTC Ismael Ortizrivera, talks with Amy Meehan, Director of Communications for  Instant Teams, about military spouse employment in the post-COVID world and the remote work opportunities that exist for both CONUS and OCONUS military spouses in a follow-up to our Instant Teams podcast from Season 4 (https://bit.ly/sflpodcastS4E4).

As a military retiree, what happens to your health care benefits once you become eligible for Medicare at age 65? What Medicare coverage do you need? At what point should you sign up for Medicare (and what happens if you wait)? What is the relationship between Medicare and TRICARE for Life? And what steps do you need to go through to get the coverage that you need? Get answers to all of these questions and more on this episode of the Soldier For Life Podcast as the Director of Army Retirement Services, Mr. Mark Overberg, talks with Rear Admiral (Dr.) Christine Hunter (United States Navy, Retired), a TRICARE expert who serves on the Board for WPS Health Systems (which manages the TRICARE For Life, FLTCIP, and FEDVIP contracts) and previously served as Medical Director for the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program and Deputy Director of the Defense TRICARE Management Activity. Podcast Resource Links: ✅ Military OneSource Webinar “How to Get Started with Medicare and TRICARE” - https://www.militaryonesource.mil/training-resources/webinars/get-started-with-medicare-and-tricare ✅ WPS Health Systems (TRICARE for Life Administrator) for individual questions - call 866-773-0404 or visit them online at https://tricare4u.com

Our guest today is here to talk with me about TRICARE benefits for retiring or recently retired service members. Her name is LaChelle Lewis-Fowler, and she is a TRICARE Community Liaison for Humana Military, the company that administers the healthcare benefit to the TRICARE East Region. She will answer questions such as: how soon can service members sign up for TRICARE as a retiree? What are the big differences between these options? Are there cost differences between them? If a retiree selects a program option and it's not the right fit for them, can they change it? This Podcast is packed full of information you'll need on your transition journey. 

In part 7 of our empowered transition series, we are going to discuss Project Management and how it reinforces traditional leadership, mission command and planning while adding tools and resources to make teams, staffs, and commands more effective. Gaining this certification while serving will only support you in transitioning your current military skills into a credentialed skill for future employment.  If you want to connect with Josh and his team to discuss the PM ProLearn Project Management Professional Program, you can learn more at www.pm-prolearn.com.  The Credentialing Assistance program provides qualifying soldiers with up to $4,000 per fiscal year in career educational benefits. You can learn more about Credentialing Assistance Programs on our website at https://soldierforlife.army.mil/Education 

In this #SoldierForLifePodcast episode (which is Part 2 of our 3-part series on health benefits for veterans), SFL's Health and Wellness Director, MAJ Katherine Little, talks with with Humana, about Military and Veteran health and How to address health-related social challenges such as food insecurity, financial strain and social isolation. MAJ little is joined by Ms. Andrea Newton, the Director of Military Health and Resilience at Humana and Ms. Stephanie Muckey, Humana's Population Health Strategy Lead | Veteran Bold Goal Community, and Marine Corps Spouse & Caregiver. 

In part 6 of our empowered transition series, we are going to discuss Credentialing. Why is it important, how do you find the right credentialing program to fit your needs and when should you start. Also, what can you expect when going through credentialing programs and how to set yourself up for success.  If you want to connect with Josh and his team to discuss the PM ProLearn Project Management Professional Program, you can learn more at www.pm-prolearn.com.  The CA program provides qualifying soldiers with up to $4,000 per fiscal year in career educational benefits. You can learn more about Credentialing Assistance Programs on our website at https://soldierforlife.army.mil/Education 

In part 5 of our empowered transition series, we are going to discuss Networking and becoming active in your approach to finding the people who can support your goals. People are the door to resources and you must be proactive in establishing those connections. We will discuss media networking and the importance of not only building your online profile but also best practices to expanding your connections and how to do that.   If you want to connect with Josh and his team to discuss the PM ProLearn Project Management Professional Program, you can learn more at www.pm-prolearn.com.  The CA program provides qualifying soldiers with up to $4,000 per fiscal year in career educational benefits. You can learn more about Credentialing Assistance Programs on our website at https://soldierforlife.army.mil/Education 

#DYK that veterans who are 65 or older and eligible for Medicare can augment their existing VA benefits and health care plans with certain Medicare options? Medicare Open Enrollment season is going on now through December 7th, so now is a great time to educate yourself if your answer was no...and we are here to help! In this #SoldierForLifePodcast episode (which is Part 1 of our upcoming 3-part series on health benefits for veterans), SFL's Health and Wellness Director, MAJ Katherine Little, talks with Aaron McCoy and Darin Davis, Regional Veteran Executives with Humana, about the ins-and-outs of Medicare that all veterans should know and understand. Get more information about Medicare and Medicare Open Enrollment season at https://www.medicare.gov.