Verimour Speaks

Despite his family's three decades in the gun manufacturing business, Michael bills himself and the most ungun gun guy. Listen in as we cover everything from guns to social media. Mission Statement Reduce incidents of suicide by firearms, gun negligence through education and proactive programs that identify risks, raise awareness, and provide solutions to those who choose to own firearms responsibly and the public at large. Goals Our goal is to raise awareness and create a change in the misunderstandings regarding mental illness and firearms by bringing together industry leaders to reduce gun violence, negligence, suicide and the trauma created by these events. Develop programs for suicide prevention, firearms negligence, trauma mitigation, and child safety. Vision For The Future Eradicating the prejudice that both the firearms and mental health industries face while reducing the number of tragedies and deaths that have occurred over the years since the US has had a decline in mental health funding and education (*). Creating an organization that is solely focused on making change and is made up of experts from different fields and all walks of life that is not corrupted by politics, the media, or personal prejudices. We will seek out input opportunities to further enhance communication, compassion, calls to action, and education. President Walk the Talk America (501-C-3) Avidity Arms LLC WalktheTalkAmerica.org IG: @walkthetalkus FB: @walkthetalkus Avidity Arms LLC IG: @avidityarms FB: @avidityPD10 MichaelSodini.com IG: @michael_sodini FB: @michaeldsodini --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/verimourspeaks/support

Despite his family's three decades in the gun manufacturing business, Michael bills himself and the most ungun gun guy. Listen in as we cover everything from guns to social media. Mission Statement Reduce incidents of suicide by firearms, gun negligence through education and proactive programs that identify risks, raise awareness, and provide solutions to those who choose to own firearms responsibly and the public at large. Goals Our goal is to raise awareness and create a change in the misunderstandings regarding mental illness and firearms by bringing together industry leaders to reduce gun violence, negligence, suicide and the trauma created by these events. Develop programs for suicide prevention, firearms negligence, trauma mitigation, and child safety. Vision For The Future Eradicating the prejudice that both the firearms and mental health industries face while reducing the number of tragedies and deaths that have occurred over the years since the US has had a decline in mental health funding and education (*). Creating an organization that is solely focused on making change and is made up of experts from different fields and all walks of life that is not corrupted by politics, the media, or personal prejudices. We will seek out input opportunities to further enhance communication, compassion, calls to action, and education. President Walk the Talk America (501-C-3) Avidity Arms LLC WalktheTalkAmerica.org IG: @walkthetalkus FB: @walkthetalkus Avidity Arms LLC IG: @avidityarms FB: @avidityPD10 MichaelSodini.com IG: @michael_sodini FB: @michaeldsodini --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/verimourspeaks/support

Repurposed content from the relationship segment of the Honestly Dawn podcast. Ahmed and I talk about the trend I was seeing in angst ridden individuals who were posting questions on Reddit and Quora about how to get their exs back. We consider the question from both personal experience as well as practicality. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/verimourspeaks/support

What a great story and fun interview. Two blood brothers, one brother-in-law and one brother in arms, but 100% love, respect and mutual support. Hear them talk family, service, challenges and mead! fourbrothersmead.com --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/verimourspeaks/support

https://medium.com/@verimour/how-to-see-yourself-as-sexy-21ec1c66957a For as long as I can remember I’ve had what a friend once referred to as “White Woman’s Syndrome”. It’s that inability to step outside our heads and see ourselves in the senuous and sexy way others do. Because of that we are not comfortable in our bodies, so we don’t swing our hips or flaunt our gorgeous selves in the way of the women we idolize as beautiful. Part of the reason is our culture and “learning” early on in life that sex is bad, therefore being sexy is bad. “Good girls don’t act like that and the more heinous and insidious, even if unspoken, “she was asking for it”. Part of it comes from not being taught how to handle the attention that arises from being confident, owning our bodies and our sexuality. Additionally, we build up insecurities over the years through repeating to ourselves perceived slights from others or unfair and biased self-criticisms. When I got divorced 2.5 years ago I was like a caged animal unleashed. I had felt captive for so long I didn’t know who I was (sexually speaking), what I liked, and what I was or wasn’t willing to do. I knew that many people, men and women alike had referred to me as beautiful or sexy, but since I didn’t really see myself that way, I had to figure out what sexy was. One of the first things I did was make a friend take me to a real live strip club. Now, without a doubt there are highend places that feature the amazing creatures television teaches us is the norm. However, this was not one of those. The women there each had their own form of beauty with or without perfect bodies. But what they all had in spades was the ability to make the most of their assets and be unapologetic about flaunting them. The freedom with which they moved their bodies to the music was otherworldly. While they were certainly cognizant of the men at the edge of the stage looking to hand them money, most of them seemed lost in the music and enjoyment of their movement. It was mesmerizing. The closest I’d ever come to that was mentally tapping into a great workout (which for me meant very heavy weight and total limb trembling exhaustion). But what I was seeing was foreign to me and I wanted to know more... --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/verimourspeaks/support

In the final episode of this inspiring story, Frank brings home the story of just how far we'll go to protect our children and what he envisions for his companies as well as what he does to pay it forward. http://www.kamikazewoodwerks.com/ https://crayonsreadytoeat.com https://www.facebook.com/kamikazewoodwerks/ https://www.facebook.com/crayonsreadytoeat/ --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/verimourspeaks/support

Family, country, corps. Frank had a lot going on when the towers fell. Listen in as he continues his story of difficult decisions, bold moves and taking that leap of entrepreneurial faith. http://www.kamikazewoodwerks.com/ https://crayonsreadytoeat.com https://www.facebook.com/kamikazewoodwerks/ https://www.facebook.com/crayonsreadytoeat/ --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/verimourspeaks/support

From unspeakable childhood drama, to being instrumental in the incarceration of family members to being active duty Marine when the towers fell, Marine Sgt. Frank Manteau has never shied away from the hard work and tough decisions. Hear his story told for the first time in a widely public forum. http://www.kamikazewoodwerks.com/ https://crayonsreadytoeat.com https://www.facebook.com/kamikazewoodwerks/ https://www.facebook.com/crayonsreadytoeat/ --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/verimourspeaks/support

A lot has changed in the 23 years since I wrote the paper highlighted in this episode. While I still have challenges, their nature and degree are very different. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/verimourspeaks/support

Courtesy of Tosh's website " Brian “Tosh” Chontosh is a retired Marine having served as an enlisted and commissioned infantryman. He has received multiple decorations for valor and recognized for his dynamic leadership capacities. His pursuits in the ultra endurance arena challenge the limits of his comfort zone to where he continually re-negotiates the question “Who Am I?” Tosh’s skill and passion for the outdoors, coupled with his empathy and curious knack for leadership, presents a special talent in creating opportunities for others toward self-discovery and personal enrichment." https://youtu.be/nBeFrpWqIUM http://www.crookedbutterfly.com/ https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/crooked-butterfly-podcast/id1447499055 https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-chontosh-3128215b/ https://www.facebook.com/crookedbutterfly/ --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/verimourspeaks/support

His quiet voice is difficult to hear but this man is a gem. We met when I interrupted his trek through my neighborhood several years ago to tell him how inspiring I found his daily runs. A veteran of WWII, a survivor of the great depression, he is one of the hardest working and proudest Marines I've ever met. He spent more than 60 years married to the same woman only to lose her at their son's funeral. In his mid nineties, he lives alone, drives himself, walks every single day, is still the go to guy for his kids and has gone to great effort to make sure his grand kids are taken care of after his passing. He has a great sense of humor and the characteristic adapt and overcome mentality so common among our Heroes. https://youtu.be/DX6WRsKNgnE --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/verimourspeaks/support

His quiet voice is difficult to hear but this man is a gem. We met when I interrupted his trek through my neighborhood several years ago to tell him how inspiring I found his daily runs. A veteran of WWII, a survivor of the great depression, he is one of the hardest working and proudest Marines I've ever met. He spent more than 60 years married to the same woman only to lose her at their son's funeral. In his mid nineties, he lives alone, drives himself, walks every single day, is still the go to guy for his kids and has gone to great effort to make sure his grand kids are taken care of after his passing. He has a great sense of humor and the characteristic adapt and overcome mentality so common among our Heroes. https://youtu.be/XFpMjdmCL5w --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/verimourspeaks/support

Fishing and other outdoor activities are often a great way to relieve stress. Hear Matt Witkowski of @flying_fish_hooks and Paul Roy of @fishing4therapy talk about their favorite fishing stories, how fishing has helped them manage their post active service world and what they are doing to share that with other Heroes. I apologize upfront for some of the spotty recording quality. flyingfishhooks.com https://youtu.be/mZXFo4KqDxw --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/verimourspeaks/support

Fishing and other outdoor activities are often a great way to relieve stress. Hear Matt Witkowski of @flying_fish_hooks and Paul Roy of @fishing4therapy talk about their favorite fishing stories, how fishing has helped them manage their post active service world and what they are doing to share that with other Heroes. I apologize upfront for some of the spotty recording quality. http://flyingfishhooks.com/ https://youtu.be/kJOq_heJ9fY . --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/verimourspeaks/support

Here is the text of the email about the Vietnam Wall. I have not verified these stats, but the sentiment is the same even if the numbers are somewhat different. If you are interested, I tell more about my father's story in S01E06. A little history most people will never know. Veterans statistics of the Vietnam Memorial Wall. There are 58,267 names now listed on that polished black wall, including those added in 2010. The names are arranged in the order in which they were taken from us by date and within each date the names are alphabetized. It is hard to believe it is 63 years since the first casualty. The first known casualty was Richard B. Fitzgibbon, of North Weymouth, Mass, listed by the Department of Defense as having been killed on June 8, 1956. His name is listed on the Wall with that of his son, Marine Corps LCpl. Richard B. Fitzgibbon III, who was killed on Sept. 7, 1965. There are three sets of fathers and sons on the Wall. Of all the names listed, 39,996 were 22 years-old or younger; 8,283 were 19 years-old. The largest age group, 33,103 were 18 years-old; 12 soldiers were 17 years-old; 5 soldiers were 16 years-old. One soldier, PFC Dan Bullock, was 15 years-old. 997 soldiers were killed on their first day in Vietnam; 1,448 soldiers were killed on their last day in Vietnam. There are 31 sets of brothers are on the Wall; 31 sets of parents lost two of their sons. 54 soldiers attended Thomas Edison High School in Philadelphia. 8 Women who nursed the wounded are on the Wall. 244 soldiers were recipients of the Medal of Honor during the Vietnam War; 153 of them are listed on the Wall. Beallsville, Ohio with a population of 475 lost 6 of her sons. West Virginia had the highest casualty rate per capita in the nation. There are 711 West Virginians on the Wall. The Marines of Morenci, AZ - They led some of the scrappiest high school football and basketball teams that the little Arizona copper town of Morenci (pop 5,058) had ever known and cheered. They enjoyed roaring beer busts. In quieter moments, they rode horses along the Coronado Trail, stalked deer in the Apache National Forest . And in the patriotic camaraderie typical of Morenci's mining families, the 9 graduates of Morenci High enlisted as a group in the Marine Corps. Their service began on Independence Day, 1966. Only 3 returned home. The Buddies of Midvale, UT - LeRoy Tafoya, Jimmy Martinez, Tom Gonzales were all boyhood friends and lived on three consecutive streets in Midvale, Utah, on Fifth, Sixth and Seventh avenues. They lived only a few yards apart. They played ball at the adjacent sandlot ball field And they all went to Vietnam. In a span of 16 dark days in late 1967, all three would be killed. LeRoy was killed on Wednesday, Nov. 22. Jimmy died less than 24 hours later on Thanksgiving Day. Tom was killed assaulting the enemy on Dec. 7, 1967. The most deaths for a single day was on January 31, 1968 when 245 service members were killed. The most deaths for a single month was May 1968, where 2,415 service members died. To those who survived the war, and to the families of those who did not, we see the faces, we feel the pain that these numbers created We are haunted with these numbers because they were our friends, fathers, husbands, wives, sons and daughters There are no noble wars, just noble warriors. https://youtu.be/RnE16bCU1yE --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/verimourspeaks/support

For many years I was like the rest of the world rushing my life from weekend to weekend always trying to savor those precious final Sunday night or holiday hours and dreading the sound of the alarm that signaled a new work week. Even then I remember commenting on the irony of it and how unfortunate it all was given how delicate our existence can be. And when I found myself out of work it got even worse instead of better. I suddenly began to hate every day instead of just Mondays. I saw myself as without purpose and lacking value or worth. For a long time I did everything I could think of to mold myself into something the corporate world wanted. I got certified in PowerPoint, studied change and project management. I changed my resume with every submission in an attempt to highlight whatever skill that particular company was looking for. It didn’t work. I became so desperate to show I could do it all I would oversell myself. Each rejection just drove me further into despair. I began to envy every minimum wage job earner I came across simply because they were drawing a check. Then one day I began looking inward at my heart. I asked myself “What are your true gifts and what is it that you are passionate about?” Not only was the answer easy, it was one that others had been saying to me for years. I am a people pleaser. Yes, definitely in all the negative connotation ways that has of sometimes being easily taken advantage of, but also in the amazing ways of making total strangers smile with compliments and giving random hugs and getting the response “you don’t know how I needed that”. Yes dear, actually I do because I needed it too. But it was more than that. I love to hear people’s stories and I am inspired all the time by the resilience of human nature and encouraged by the strength I see in those who don’t even recognize it. My heart is also too often crushed by those I meet who have so much to offer, but have been beaten down by life and don’t know how to fight back. So I began with getting my personal trainer certification and then lent myself to the path as it appeared and soon thereafter got my life coach certification as well as many others. Soon Mind and Body Coaching was born. Now every Monday is a gift because it means the rest of the world is back at work and I can again go out there and interact with them and have the opportunity to change lives. Every Monday is sort of like a New Years day in that it feels like a new beginning and a fresh start. So holidays excepted I get 52 fresh starts a year. It’s natural that we all experience sort of a reverse bell curve effect with any goal. However, if you start the week miserable where can you go from there? Maybe it’s time to look at your life differently. Don’t wait for a catastrophic event like a job loss, divorce or death to open your eyes to the possibilities. Start figuring out your path, heart and true bliss right now before you have rushed weekend to weekend your entire life away. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/verimourspeaks/support

In the second part of his interview, Lorne talks about PTSD, discovering giving back as a way to manage his stress as well as embracing alternatives to pharmaceuticals. https://youtu.be/5q7ge435RP8 --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/verimourspeaks/support

Another Marine Hero steps up to tell his story. Hear Lorne tell what led him to join the Corps in the pre Gulf War days, how that decision was partly informed by being the child of an alcoholic parent, and his surprise at learning that the recruiting process and job placement isn't always as smooth as we anticipate. https://youtu.be/WV-BdfSy6wA --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/verimourspeaks/support

Repurposed content from the Honestly Speaking/Honestly Dawn podcasts. Dr. Wang tells of growing up in communist China where no one was allowed to move from one city to another without the governments permission and how his mind and world view shifted completely upon coming to the US. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/verimourspeaks/support

Repurposed content from the Honestly Speaking/Honestly Dawn podcasts. Hear Boris tell of his second near death experience where he wakes from a coma to learn he wasn't even supposed to live, much less walk again. And hear what seem like a surprising revelation about his attitude regarding the entire experience. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/verimourspeaks/support

Repurposed content from the Honestly Speaking/Honestly Dawn podcasts. Boris is one of the most inspiring people I have ever met. Having survived not one, but two cataclysmic life events, he now uses what he learned to change lives himself. In this first part, hear him tell of tripping over dead bodies at the age of 6 after being separated from his family while fleeing to safety. And of spending years in refugee camps where his young mind continued to be faced with the stark realities of that life. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/verimourspeaks/support

Today's episode is me hoping to help you through my own raw honesty about the challenges of being an overachieving work in progress and the stupid shit we do that doesn't have to be the end of the world.  The apology is mostly in the confession, that he'll never hear, as I don't ever actually say I'm sorry.  But if it's the thought that counts then he should have been feeling a warm glow all day, because my heart is almost always in the right place. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/verimourspeaks/support

This interview was recorded Christmas Day 2015 in Austin, Texas. When I say the meaning of Christmas here, I'm referring to the most basic human traits of love, compassion and pain both physical and emotional. I know that many people still experience a great deal of anger toward the Muslim community. My aim isn't to comment or pass judgment on either side of that equation. What you will hear in this discussion is the story of a young man, through no fault of his own, forced to leave the only home he'd ever known. For the safety of his family, he found it necessary to seek refuge in a country that is very often unwelcoming and even hostile. What I hope is that you listen to this interview not through the lens of religion or politics but instead through a lens of humanity. Allow yourself to hear all the ways this young man is just like you and me. He loves, he hurts, he questions and he grows from learning. Hear how he has come to embrace and love his new home despite the sometimes hurtful and confusing way he experiences it. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/verimourspeaks/support

Repurposed content from the Honestly Speaking/Honestly Dawn podcasts. Kerry is a prolific writer and speaks very candidly about her addictions to sex and alcohol. She has written several other books including: Lush: A Memoir Dirty Little Secrets The Truth of Memoir Easy --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/verimourspeaks/support

It's an age old cliche the shake our heads moments when we look at the opposite sex and wonder how we can both be the same species. Could it be simpler than we let ourselves believe? A repurposed interview from Honestly Dawn, Ahmed and Dawn explore the possibility that maybe it doesn't have to be so difficult. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/verimourspeaks/support

Imagine your two teenage daughters living on the streets where you can't find them and can only imagine their fate. In this repurposed interview from the Honestly Dawn podcast, author Debra Gwartney talks about the mixed bag of fear, guilt, anger and hurt. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/verimourspeaks/support

Repurposed content from Honestly Speaking/Honestly Dawn, I wasn't sure what to say when Ahmed asked me to talk about this subject, but you can believe I came up with something. Enlightening conversation as always. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/verimourspeaks/support

Repurposed content from Honestly Speaking/Honestly Dawn, my friend Thomas talks about growing up in a very dysfunctional home where drugs and alcohol were the norm and what it took to go from drug addict and dealer to respected businessman. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/verimourspeaks/support

Repurposed from Honestly Speaking/Honestly Dawn, Hector and I share our similar but somewhat different views on the difference between "just do it" and "of course, what else would I do?". --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/verimourspeaks/support

More repurposed content from the Honestly Speaking/Honestly Dawn podcast days. Venn-Brown talks very candidly about growing up gay in an ultra religious Australian family and the inordinate lengths he went to trying to get God to "fix" him, before tragedy helped him find a place of acceptance with his life and his church. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/verimourspeaks/support

After technical and mental SNAFUs required a rerecording of part of Jason's story, here is the abbreviated version of how Tattered Beans came about, what it means to the Hero community and Jason's bold plans for the rest of 2019 and how you can be a part. Find Jason and Tattered Beans at tatteredbeans.com and on all social channels by searching Tattered Beans. https://youtu.be/h2rZw5mDPXc --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/verimourspeaks/support

Hear Jason tell how his roughneck ways led to his joining the Air Force and the injuries that cut his career short. Listen as we discuss work ethic and the thinking that led him to become a millionaire by his 30th birthday. Jason can be found by searching for tattered beans on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter https://tatteredbeans.com/ https://youtu.be/MRkEy-Wj_Dw --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/verimourspeaks/support

As women are we doing all we can to ensure our wants and needs are met in the bedroom? Do we have any culpability at all in our dissatisfaction or should our partners come to the game fully informed and prepared? --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/verimourspeaks/support

Anyone who knows me well can tell you I have a very dim view of our current social media environment. And my distaste for it has grown exponentially since this episode was recorded in 2016. That year alone, nearly 45,000 Americans took their own lives and there is more than enough anecdotal if not outright causal examples of the role the social media played in those deaths. While this in an interesting conversation, look forward to an updated version in the near future. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/verimourspeaks/support

Additional reused content from the Honestly Speaking/Honestly Dawn podcast days. Hear Hector and I talk about words, how we use them, the power they give and the power they take away. Hear him tell how language is handled in his home of small children and what ground rules keep things running smoothly in an enormously hectic but loving household. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/verimourspeaks/support

In part two of our conversation, Ray talks about taking charge of his medical care and the way he personalizes his work for each customer. Facebook and Instagram: PTSDBOTTLES https://youtu.be/SLNq_8WhUaA --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/verimourspeaks/support

Hear Ray talk about fighting to get into the corps, fighting to stay in the corps, the physical challenges that eventually drove him out and the creative methods he used, first to save his own sanity, then later to help others in typical Marine brotherhood fashion. Ray is such a shining example of that spirit and fortitude that drives so many Heroes. A joy to talk to and a great friend to have. Find Ray on Facebook or Instagram at ptsdbottles https://youtu.be/OY6TJTwuNjw --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/verimourspeaks/support

Repurposed content from the Honestly Speaking/Honestly Dawn Podcasts. The words we use especially in the way of labeling ourselves or others can have an incredibly powerful, long lasting and too often extremely detrimental impact on our lives. In this episode Hector and I attempt to make a semantic distinction between the labels of Confidence, Vanity and Narcissism. As always these conversations were fun to record, enjoyable to relisten to and hopefully helpful or at least entertaining to our listeners. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/verimourspeaks/support

One of Hero Harbor's most fervent fans, Matt tells of his military journey and why he so strongly believes in and champions HH's mission. flyingfishhooks.com https://youtu.be/6GpiOfBx3xI --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/verimourspeaks/support

This interview is a couple years old, but the information is still relevant and interesting as Gary gives us insight into the troubled minds behind some of our country's most memorable events. Gary was the lead negotiator at the Branch Davidian compound in Waco, Texas. He also took an advisory roll in the making of the recent mini series recounting that event. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/verimourspeaks/support

In this episode Rick tells how something as simple as water was the game changing difference in allowing him to take control of both his VA issued medications as well as his recreational drugs and alcohol. https://youtu.be/vRRF8Cbi4W4 --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/verimourspeaks/support

Hear Rick tell of losing 6 friends during two days of combat and the horrific way that experience changed the course of his life for years to come. https://youtu.be/KFZhtTWcFho --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/verimourspeaks/support

Additional content reused from the Honestly Dawn podcast. Communication between partners is so often a large source of frustration. In this episode Ahmed and I consider whether knowing what your partner is thinking would help or hinder your private time. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/verimourspeaks/support

In typical Marine fashion, Josh pulls no punches as he tackles the harsh reality of mental illness labels, life in the VA and what it takes to live in a world where the bulk of people cannot comprehend the reality you live with. https://youtu.be/KN-znnCTelk --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/verimourspeaks/support

In my most raw conversation yet, Josh talks about being Marine infantry in the immediate aftermath of 9/11. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/verimourspeaks/support

Anyone who listened to episode 3 knows how much I love Katie. In an effort to not let some great previous content go to waste, I'm doing minor edits and relaunching select episodes from the honestly dawn/honestly speaking podcast. Please forgive any bleed across shows in production and try to focus on the main content itself. As always Katie is a terrific joy and pleasure to work with. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/verimourspeaks/support

Omar talks about going all in to embrace his veteran status in order to do the most good in the community he knows and loves. Semper Fi Project Podcast Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/omrfuentes Instagram - omarfuentes_sfp --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/verimourspeaks/support

I got as much enjoyment editing this portion as I did in the original conversation. JB is a lot of fun, but he is also very honest about his struggles and the dark turn he took after leaving the Marine Corps. I again have no doubt about the potential benefit nearly anyone can receive from the story shared by this amazing individual. Starting Wednesday February 7th, JB and I are going to begin a regular conversation live on Facebook about things other than the military. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/verimourspeaks/support

Every interview I do teaches me something and inevitably inspires me in some way. However, as anyone who lives their life in the service of others will tell you, there is nothing more gratifying than the moment you learn that something you've done had a positive impact on someone else. SSgt. Brown stepped out from the shadows of social media to join the Hero Harbor app and through our interaction there, honored my request to tell his story here. Even as I type these words, my nose and eyes are burning while I try to suppress the tears of gratitude and respect I have for his actions both in service of his country and now in service of other heroes. JB and I spoke for nearly two hours, so this is only a portion of our interaction. But I promise you will find something of value either as entertainment, inspiration or simple education. Whatever you take away from it, please know he is one of so many hero stories that deserve our attention and respect even if we don't get to hear them in person. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/verimourspeaks/support

“It may be hard for an egg to turn into a bird: it would be a jolly sight harder for it to learn to fly while remaining an egg. We are like eggs at present. And you cannot go on indefinitely being just an ordinary, decent egg. We must be hatched or go bad.” ― C. S. Lewis Here we are finally at the place my clients always seem to want to jump to first, the “fix it” spot. Congratulations! The beauty of being here is you completed the difficult part by doing the exercises in the previous chapters. The most significant part of change is awareness of the habits and trends that got us here and by doing the exercises you’ve likely developed a great deal of insight into your repeating patterns both good and bad. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/verimourspeaks/support

My usual launch schedule has been shot to hell recently, but this is a topic I didn't want to pass on and today was a good day to at least open the door to the discussion. What follows is the text version of the blog post I share while recording. Confessions of closet non-racist - Originally written July 2016 When I was in elementary and middle school I lived in Indianapolis, Indiana. During the years that spanned Kindergarten through 6th grade I only remember one black student. There may have been others, but they didn’t live in my neighborhood and I didn’t interact with them. After my parents divorced I moved to Florida and briefly attended the very small private school associated with my grandparents church. There were no black students there either. About the time I was starting high school my grandparents bought a farm in the rural areas of Tallahassee. The middle school bus that picked up my brother drove toward town and the more affluent neighborhoods. The bus that transported me headed the other direction toward the poorer mostly black community. There were only three white students on my bus. I was the first picked up and so had the longest ride every day. Next was my best friend who lived in the middle of that small community and whose mother owned a store where most all the residents had credit accounts. The last girl was a very cute, quiet student who got on as the last pick up of the route only a few blocks from the school. Because I was on the bus the longest I had the most opportunity to get to know the other passengers. If you were to meet me today you would likely have a difficult time pegging me as timid, or shrinking. But even now confrontation is not my first line of defense and one that raises my blood pressure. However, back then was a different story. A few of the guys I rode the bus with took a shine to me and would often make verbal advances and plead their case for why I should hang out with them. That alone was uncomfortable for me. But the really difficult part was that their attention made me a further target for the girls. On one day in particular I sat in complete terror during the bulk of the trip while one of the girls continued to flick pennies at the back of my head. As my first significant exposure to members of the African-American race this was not a positive experience for me. As I got older I found myself attracted to black men on more than one occasion. However, while there had never been any discussion about it I’m sure I would never have taken one of them home to my family or even have been seen regularly in public with them. I couldn’t have explained it I just somehow knew it wasn’t acceptable and not a battle I had the strength to wage. When I joined the Marine Corps in my mid 20’s there was an admin clerk who worked in my office. She was white, but only dated black men. The other Marines in my shop referred to her as a mudshark. The significant difference with this young woman was that her entire personae changed when her love interests were around. Suddenly her actions and speech changed completely and she became very “ghetto” an act that disappeared when she was among her primarily white coworkers. As an unrelenting observer of human behavior always in search of answers about my motivation and that of others I’ve long been bothered by a strange tendency I see in our conversations. How many times a day do we hear someone tell a story and point out the ethnicity of the parties involved even when that fact has no relevance to the story at all? It said to me that despite what we tell ourselves or want to believe, most of us still see skin color in a very distinct and --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/verimourspeaks/support