Podcasts about hillvets

Ken Fisher joins host Ron Aaron and co-host Carol Zernial to talk about The 100th Fisher House on this edition of Caregiver SOS. About Ken Ken is the chairman and CEO of Fisher House Foundation, a leading nonprofit serving service members, veterans, and their families through a network of nearly 100 comfort homes where families of ill and injured veterans and military members can stay at no cost while receiving treatment far from home. Under his leadership, the program has grown exponentially, advancing accessibility within the houses and expanding to support healing through adaptive sports. In addition to these roles, Ken currently serves as co-chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum and served as the chairman of the 2016 Invictus Games in Orlando, Florida. In 2007, Ken was appointed by the Bush Administration to the President’s Commission on Care of America’s Returning Wounded Warriors and has served on several policy boards and round tables, in support of former U.S. Secretaries of Defense Ashton Carter, Chuck Hagel, and Jim Mattis. Ken attended Ithaca College and received an honorary Doctorate of Commercial Science from the University in May 2016, among other recognitions including being named one of America’s Best Leaders by U.S. News & World Report. Most recently, he received the West Point Association of Graduates’ Sylvanus Thayer Award for 2022. Additional distinctions form a long list of honors from organizations, including the United States Marine Corps, the Department of Defense, the Department of Veteran Affairs, HillVets, the Friends of the Vietnam Memorial, and many others. He lives in New York with his wife, Tammy. Ken is a proud father of three children and two grandchildren. Hosts Ron Aaron and Carol Zernial, and their guests talk about Caregiving and how to best cope with the stresses associated with it. Learn about "Caregiver SOS" and the "Teleconnection Hotline" programs.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Meet Sherman Gillums…a native of Buffalo, New York, serves as the Director of the Office of Disability Integration and Coordination for the Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency in Washington DC.Sherman has testified before Congress as an expert witness and appeared on national networks, such as CNN, Fox News, and C-SPAN, as one of the most influential voices on military and veteran issues. His expert commentary has regularly appeared in the Hill, Military Times, and other national publications. He was recognized by HillVets as among the 100 most influential voices on Capitol Hill in 2016, the same year his alma mater, University of San Diego, inducted him into its hall of honor. He was also personally recognized by The White House for noteworthy “service to our nation” and the Secretary of Veteran Affairs for “exceptional leadership.”He joined the U.S. Marine Corps at age 17 and served for 12 years, medically retiring at the rank of Chief Warrant Officer 2. He holds a graduate degree from the University of San Diego School of Business and completed his executive education at Harvard Business School. He will complete his doctoral studies at the University of Dayton in 2024.Sherman and his wife Tammie, herself a U.S. Army veteran of Operation Enduring Freedom, have two sons, four daughters, including one who is presently a Midshipman at the U.S. Naval Academy, and a granddaughter.  Top tip for a successful life?Learn your purpose = What you're good at + What you like to do + What society needs + What you can get paid to do.Best piece of advice you ever received?There are “paper” leaders, and there are “people” leaders. Don't chase paper. Chase purpose.Professional achievement you're most proud of:When I left the Marine Corps after 12 years of service, knowing I had helped create, shape, and influence a new generation of Marines to continue the fight after I was honorably discharged. What advice would you give someone now who is just starting their career?What you think is your curse may be your calling in disguise.Biggest regret from a professional perspective?Waiting too long to see the value of authenticity in leadership.What's next for you? Currently working on doctoral degree and looking forward to a new career in educationCauses you care about?Elizabeth Dole Foundation: https://www.elizabethdolefoundation.org/American Red Cross: https://www.redcross.org/Connect with Sherman on social media: Twitter https://twitter.com/SGillumsLinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/sherman-gillums-jr/Instagram: www.instagram.com/victory_podcast/ LinkedIn:  www.linkedin.com/company/thevictorypodcastThe Victory Podcast Youtube Playlist: https://bit.ly/3VxXMsgLink to Youtube: https://youtu.be/eIOtS8bLbioLink to Podcast MP3: 

IN THE NEWS Jeff and Ashley talk about the new video game release from Steam Games. “Company of Heroes 3″ takes on a new facet of WWII history, and brings players into the battle between U.S. Forces, British Forces, Wehrmacht, and Deutsches Afrikakorps that ensued during campaigns in Italy and North Africa. THIS WEEK'S GUEST HillVets founder and CEO Justin Brown tells the origin story of how a networking event for veterans working in the Capitol has evolved into a veteran and military community helping one another in their pursuit of continued service in government. Justin explains the leadership and fellowship programs, and how HillVets works with other VSOs to accomplish their mission. RAPID FIRE I'm a U.S. Marine turned Hooters girl - people thank me for my service... of their wings Wisconsin post provides proper send-off to deploying commander African Americans in USCG Special Guest: Justin Brown.

Welcome to the One CA Podcast.  On this episode, we have Jodi Harman for the HillVets Foundation (www.hillvets.org)  HillVets helps service members and their families gain policy positions on Capital Hill and is an excellent resource for accessing military support and Veterans advocacy programs. If you are interested in coming on the One CA Podcast or guest hosting, contact us at capodcasting@gmail.com. One CA is a product of the Civil Affairs Association: https://www.civilaffairsassoc.org/.   

Justin Brown, CEO of the Nimitz Group, and founder of HillVets, talks about how his organization works to enhance the voice of veterans on Capitol Hill, through internships and job placement.

In this week's episode, Chris speaks with NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Health) Chief Strategy and Impact Officer and US Marine Veteran Sherman Gillums Jr. about his leadership journey. A humble man, Sherman attributes his success to the many people who helped him along the way and talks about how a leader's success is a product of his follower's beliefs. Sherman believes that a leader's readiness is measured by their accountability for every aspect of their team's well-being. As a leader, Sherman stresses the importance of making enough mistakes and learning from them to build trusting relationships with your team. Sherman and Chris recount the many “holes” they must overcome to get to their positions today. Furthermore, Sherman shares how it is important to align your experience with your mission and reflect the constituency of the people you are trying to serve. Through NAMI, Sherman has shared his story and strength with countless other veterans and propelled them through their difficulties. Through his relentless character and valiant journey, Sherman demonstrates that no obstacles can stop a determined leader, as long as they have a passion to change someone's life and make a difference in their world. Additional Biography:Sherman Gillums Jr. is a retired U.S. Marine officer and former senior executive at Paralyzed Veterans of America and AMVETS, two of the largest congressionally chartered veterans service organizations in the country. For 17 years, he has fought to remove barriers to timely access to quality care and worked to reduce unemployment and suicide among the nation's most vulnerable veterans, as well as military families and caregivers.He has testified on Capitol Hill, engaged the White House on a host of issues, and appeared on major networks such as CNN, NPR, and C-SPAN, and in national print media as an influential voice on policy and government accountability. He was selected by HillVets as among the 100 Most Influential Persons in 2016 and one of the Mighty 25 Military Influencers by “We Are The Mighty” in 2020.Sherman holds a graduate degree from the University of San Diego School of Business Administration and completed his executive education at Harvard Business School. Sherman enlisted in the Marines at age 17; twelve years later, shortly after the 9/11 terrorist attacks and while preparing to deploy to Afghanistan with the 1st Marine Division, he suffered a spinal cord injury (SCI) in an automobile accident. At age 29, this recipient of two Navy/Marine Corps Commendation Medals, a Navy/Marine Corps Achievement Medal and a Global War on Terror Service Medal, was paralyzed and honorably discharged from the Marine Corps. He turned to Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA), the advocacy organization founded by returning WWII service members with spinal cord injuries, for support in re-entering the job market after his SCI. Not only did he find a career he enjoys - and return to school for a master's degree - but, today Sherman is PVA's Associate Executive Director for Veterans Benefits, overseeing field services, vocational rehabilitation services, and architecture services.He reflects upon the extraordinary courage and determination he mustered on his path to recovery, being able to reach out for help and not only survive, but become that person who can extend a helping hand.https://www.linkedin.com/in/sherman-gillums-jr-8148231a9/https://nami.org/Home

On Support for Veterans and the IVMF with Nick Armstrong | Justice For All Ep.16 | LegalShield Join @LegalShield CEO Jeff Bell as he chats with Dr. Nick Armstrong - Managing Director of Research & Data at The Institute for Veterans and Military Families, known as the IVMF, and he is also an adjunct professor at The Maxwell School for Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University. Dr. Armstrong served in the U.S. Army for 8 years, including 3 years deployed in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Bosnia. He has served as a research fellow at the Syracuse University Institute for Security, Policy, and Law. Dr. Armstrong has also been named in the HillVets 100 list of the nation's 100 most influential veterans, service members, and veteran community advocates. #IVMF #SupportVeterans #DrNickArmstrong #Veteran Crisis #VeteranMentalHealth #VeteransWithoutMedical #VeteransBenefits #VeteransCause #VeteransHealth #JusticeforVeterans #LegalShield #Legal Shield 00:00 Introduction 01:48 Can you share your experience of being in the service and how this has influenced your work with veterans 06:00 How do you recruit people and organizations to the program to support veterans through the IVMF? 08:50 How does the organization help veterans engage and find a meaningful way forward when leaving the service? 12:48 Do you have special programs for veterans and unique support systems to deal with veterans coming out of active duty? 15:38 Is there an even distribution of support across all levels of the military? 17:50 Does the retraining support cover a range of industries and skills such as management, tech, and so on? 19:03 Are you able to leverage the nature of evolving leadership in the military in the programs for veterans? 22:10 What is some of the other work that you do as a teacher at Syracuse University? 25:45 About the other organizations that also help to provide support for veterans 27:10 About your wider influence for veteran support aside from the IVMF? 29:20 Are there any other critical takeaways today, and what ways can people interested in helping get involved? 31:23 Who do you think we should invite on to continue to advocate for equal access to justice, especially around veterans and military families? Visit IVMF.syracuse.edu for more information on the organization, what support is available, how you can benefit from the support as a veteran or family of a veteran, and get involved.

About Today's GuestBetty Rhoades joined the HillVets Foundation in December of 2019 as the Executive Director. Betty lives in Washington, DC – just steps from the HillVets House! – with her husband, her rescued pit bull, Jack, and her “quarantine kitty,” Rex. Betty's husband, Jason, was one of the original class of HillVets Fellows; he worked in Congresswoman Ann Kirkpatrick's office and then moved on to achieve success in federal government, consulting, and private legal practice. Betty has seen firsthand how HillVets changes people's lives for the better, and she and Jason have been enthusiastic supporters ever since.Betty began her career with the Department of Veterans Affairs as a Presidential Management Fellow in 2005. Subsequently, she served as a Specially Adapted Housing (SAH) agent, SAH Coordinator, then Assistant Valuation Officer at the Atlanta Regional Loan Center. She was selected as the Chief of SAH in January of 2013. Betty's dedication to Veterans led to record numbers of SAH grant approvals and also to her eventual promotion to Executive Management Officer (Chief of Staff) to the Deputy Under Secretary for Economic Opportunity in 2016. Betty came to HillVets from Jared Allen's Homes for Wounded Warriors, where she served as Director of National Capital Relationships since 2017. She has been serving the military/veteran community for more than 15 years, during which time she has published numerous articles and presented at a variety of conventions and events.Betty earned her Doctor of Jurisprudence from the University of Tennessee College of Law in 2005 with a Concentration in Business Transactions. While in law school, she served on the staff of the Tennessee Law Review and received the National Association of Women Lawyers award and a Dean's Citation for Excellence in Community Service. She also holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Georgia, where she graduated cum laude, with honors, in 2002. She was also inducted into the Phi Beta Kappa Society.Links Mentioned In This EpisodeHillVets Web SiteHillVets House FellowshipHillVets LEAD ProgramPsychArmor Resource of the WeekThe PsychArmor Resource of the Week is Episode 13 of Behind the Mission, a conversation with Rye Barcott and Maine Congressman Jared Golden. On this episode, Congressman Golden and Mr. Barcott, both Marines, join the show to talk about With Honor, an organization that supports cross-partisan collaboration in federal politics, and civic engagement and public office as a way for veterans to continue to serve after their time in the military. You can find a link to the podcast in the show notes https://psycharmor.org/podcast/rye-barcott-and-congressman-jared-golden This Episode Sponsored By:This episode is sponsored by PsychArmor, the premier education and learning ecosystem specializing in military culture content. PsychArmor offers an online e-learning laboratory with custom training options for organizations.Join Us on Social Media PsychArmor on TwitterPsychArmor on FacebookPsychArmor on YouTubePsychArmor on LinkedInPsychArmor on InstagramTheme MusicOur theme music Don't Kill the Messenger was written and performed by Navy Veteran Jerry Maniscalco, in cooperation with Operation Encore, a non profit committed to supporting singer/songwriter and musicians across the military and Veteran communities. Producer and Host Duane France is a retired Army Noncommissioned Officer, combat veteran, and clinical mental health counselor for service members, veterans, and their families.  You can find more about the work that he is doing at www.veteranmentalhealth.com  

Stand Up is a daily podcast. I book,host,edit, post and promote new episodes with brilliant guests every day. Please subscribe now for as little as 5$ and gain access to a community of over 800 awesome, curious, kind, funny, brilliant, generous souls Check out StandUpwithPete.com to learn more All this month and next I will be promoting GiveWell.org and I hope you will consider sending them a donation. They will match new donors up to $250! Please go to GiveWell.org/StandUp Kristofer Goldsmith is the CEO of Sparverius, a veteran-owned open-source intelligence firm specializing in the detection and disruption of today's greatest threats against democracy: disinformation campaigns and domestic extremism. Kris is the founder and president of High Ground Veterans Advocacy, a 501c3 not-for-profit, which partners with military and Veterans Service Organizations to train veterans to become grassroots advocates and leaders in their local communities. High Ground Veterans Advocacy was recognized in 2016 by HillVets as one of the nation's top new veterans organizations. Kris was born in New York and joined the Army to serve as a forward observer with the Army's Third Infantry Division shortly after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. He deployed with Alpha Company of the Third Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom for the year of 2005. Since separating from the Army with a General Discharge after surviving a PTSD-related suicide attempt, Kris has become an advocate for veterans with PTSD and those with less-than-honorable discharges. Twelve years after his separation from the military, the Army corrected his discharge characterization to Honorable. As a disabled student veteran using the VA's Vocational Rehabilitation program, Kris found an opportunity both to recover from PTSD and to continue serving his fellow veterans. At Nassau Community College (NCC), he established a million-dollar veteran-resource facility, which serves as a center for hundreds of student veterans. After two years as president of NCC's Student Veterans of America chapter, he transferred to Columbia University's School of General Studies where he recently received a bachelor of arts in political science. From 2016-2020, Kris worked on the policy and government affairs team at Vietnam Veteran of America, where he had the opportunity to develop and see implemented the congressional budgetary trick that removed the delimiting date for what became the "Forever GI Bill." As VVA's chief investigator, he wrote the definitive work on foreign entities that target troops, veterans, and their families online. He believes it is the responsibility of today's young veterans to keep the motto of Vietnam Veterans of America alive: “Never again will one generation of veterans abandon another.” Sparverius is a veteran-owned open-source intelligence firm specializing in the detection and disruption of today's greatest threats against democracy: disinformation campaigns and domestic extremism. Our adversaries are deliberate and persistent in their imitation and modernization of propaganda efforts engaged in by history's most notorious nationalist and fascist political parties, harnessing the power of the internet and social media to create dangerous networks of radicalized individuals. Online, they trade not only hateful rhetoric but instructions on how to avoid detection by law enforcement, effective recruiting practices, and combat training and preparedness. Offline, these domestic extremists plaster public property with propaganda and coordinate in-person rallies to intimidate minority communities and democratic institutions alike.   We will not allow our country to live in a constant state of fear. With service to our nation as a core tenet of our operations, we provide the research, monitoring, and critical reporting to empower our clients to counter domestic extremism in ways that even the most advanced automation cannot. Our inspiration comes from the Falco Sparverius, one of the world's smallest and most prolific predators. Known for its hunting prowess and an immense appetite for rodents, the sparverius is roughly the size of a songbird and targets its prey from great distances.  Like this unassuming predator, we use our targeted understanding of threat actors to help partners develop a deeper understanding of these issues, giving them the tools to proactively undermine the efforts of our adversaries and force them into a defensive posture.  We provide our clientele with comprehensive and customized digital investigations services and threat intelligence reports about current and forecasted extremist activity. We also provide research and training on how to identify both foreign and domestic influence operations, particularly those targeting military and veteran-affiliated communities.  Sparverius partners with leading experts who share our values in the industries of threat detection and digital analysis. We work with organizations in the public and private sector to develop and deploy scalable defenses to protect vulnerable and frequently targeted communities online, including veterans, women, and minorities. The tragic events of Charlottesville and at the U.S. Capitol were not spontaneous events. They were meticulously planned online, and therefore, preventable. While many of the individuals and groups responsible for encouraging these events have gone underground, we're still watching. Check out all things Jon Carroll Follow and Support Pete Coe Pete on YouTube Pete on Twitter Pete On Instagram Pete Personal FB page

Join this discussion with Betty Rhoades and Abigail Gage from HillVets- a way for veterans to enter the policy world in DC.

Ryan Manion has dedicated her life to supporting our nation's military, veterans, and families of fallen heroes. She is inspired by the character, leadership, and sacrifice of her brother 1st Lt Travis Manion, USMC, who made the ultimate sacrifice in the Al Anbar province of Iraq while drawing fire away from his wounded comrades on April 29th, 2007. Ryan is the co-author of the newly released book, The Knock at the Door, Three Gold Star Families Bonded by Grief and Purpose.   Serving as the President of Travis Manion Foundation since 2012, Ryan leads a national movement focused on assisting veterans and families of the fallen to take the next step in their personal journeys and inspiring the next generation of leaders. As a highly regarded advocate for the military community, Ryan has been invited to address national audiences on numerous occasions—including Good Morning America, CBS this Morning, CNN, The Today Show, Fox News and many more. Carrying on the legacy of her brother Travis, Ryan continues to lead a life of service to others. This was most notably recognized in 2015 when she was selected to receive the President's Lifetime Achievement Award for Volunteer Service. Ryan served on the Advisory Committee at Arlington National Cemetery and remains committed to their mission. As a leader in the Veteran Non-Profit sector, Ryan serves on the Advisory Boards of the Global War on Terror Memorial Foundation and With Honor.    Some additional accolades include: ● 2018 Bush Institute Stand-To Veteran Leadership Fellow ● 2018 Sage Foundation Charity Pioneer  ● 2017 United States Naval Academy Honorary Graduate  ● 2016 HillVets 100 list ● 2014 Joseph D. Helton, Jr. Award for Leadership ● 2013 Hillier (Ignite) Warrior for Warriors Award Ryan resides in Doylestown, PA with her husband and three children, Maggie Rose, Honor and Travis Brendan. Ryan continues to serve her local community by serving as a Township Supervisor since elected in 2011. While responsibilities of this position are focused on deciding issues of public safety, growth management, environment, etc., Ryan most appreciates the personal connection with those within the community she is able to directly serve.    The Interview Highlights    Ryan worked alongside her mother, Janet, at the Travis Manion Foundation for approximately 18 months before her mother passed away.   The board of directors for the foundation then appointed Ryan President of the organization.     Talk about big shoes to fill!  To help her fill her mom's shoes, Ryan hired really smart people to work alongside her.  She is very humble and doesn't take credit for the organization but gives all credit to her mom for laying a foundation for success.     The organization supports military veterans and their families.   So many people want to give and serve and honor the men and women who have served and sacrificed for our country.      The Hero's Run, which was started as a grassroots effort with approximately 500 people participating, now occurs in 90 places across the world with more than 70,000 people showing up to run and support first responders and veterans.  Robyn ran the 1st Hero's run with her daughter in the jogging stroller and remembers the passion and emotions associated with the event.      One of the reasons Ryan wrote the book, “The Knock at the Door” was to show the real side of her.   She is in the public eye a lot and appears to be so strong, not shedding tears for her brother, Travis or her the loss of her mom.   People asked her how she does it and as a result of all of the questions she wanted to tell her story and her journey.  Ryan and her co-authors, Amy and Heather wanted to show that their stories didn't end with the knock at the door.  Their stories were just beginning.      Ryan believes that setting goals to get through each day after a major life event occurs is key.  Setting small goals and thinking about today and not next year is important.  It helps to think about tomorrow but no further into the future.  When you go through a traumatic event or loss you have to set small goals at first.     Setting intentional goals is the key.  One has to be comfortable with the fact that life is not a sprint.  And it's important to remember that failure is a bruise, not a tattoo.  It's the little failures that have the power to set us back, so mindset is important.   Each day is a new day and an opportunity to be the best we can be. Tomorrow is a new day to turn the setbacks around.     When we realize that life is a series of successes and failures and that a success is just around the corner, the failures and setbacks don't hurt as bad.  The best way to honor those we've lost is to not give up but be the best version of ourselves.     The Travis Manion Foundation is an empowerment organization.  The organization helps provide opportunities for men and women who served in the military to help educate our youth on the importance of character and gives an opportunity for continued service, even without their uniforms.    Fifty-five percent of veterans say they feel disconnected to community when they return to civilian life.  Through the program, volunteers have talked to more than 350,000 students across the US.   One third of kids do not have a positive role model or, example, of good character in their lives.   The veteran volunteers can positively influence the children to become men and women of good character.     Ryan's Book Recommendations   Brothers Forever by Tom Manion   The Knock at the Door, Three Gold Star Families Bonded by Grief and Purpose by Ryan Manion, Heather Kelly, and Amy Looney Heffernan   Ryan's Favorite Quote “If not me, then who.” ~ Travis Manion    Learn more about or connect with Ryan   Website The Travis Manion Foundation  Instagram   To learn more about me, your host, Robyn Graham, click HERE.     To learn about The Brand Insider by Robyn Graham, click HERE.  

In this episode, Host Adam Bird sits down with his good friend and the new Executive Director of HillVets, Betty Rhoads. Betty is a lawyer by education but realized the traditional practice of law wasn't really her thing. She found herself having a calling to serve and quickly found herself on a path that lead […]

In this episode, Host Adam Bird sits down with his good friend and the new Executive Director of HillVets, Betty Rhoads. Betty is a lawyer by education but realized the traditional practice of law wasn't really her thing. She found herself having a calling to serve and quickly found herself on a path that lead her to the Federal Government and into the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).  She worked in the VA, mostly in housing, helping with the VA home loan programs.  From their Betty found herself in the Non-Profit world working with Jared Allen's' Home 4 Wounded Warriors.  Today, Betty finds herself as the NEW Executive Director for HillVets (www.hillvets.org).  We discuss what HillVets is all about, how it got started and talk about their big gala coming up March 25th2020, HillVets 100!  We close the show with Betty sharing a very powerful and inspirational Decision Hour. HillVetsnon-profit organizationand community of bipartisan Veterans, Servicemembers and supports interested in governance, international affairs, policy and politics.   

Craig Cummings is the Co-founder and General Partner at Moonshots Capital and was recognized in 2015 as HillVets 100 most influential Veterans. After 17 years of service in the Army and on the cusp of retirement Craig left the Army to start a business that almost failed. Hear his story of determination and why placing his reputation on the line inspired his success. 

Justin is the leader and founder of HillVets, an organization I am proud to be part of. About Justin: Justin Brown is the Founder, of HillVets and is currently the CEO, of the Nimitz Group, a bipartisan consulting firm tackling the most difficult veteran and healthcare issues. He has nearly a decade of Veterans' focused experience and advocacy, fighting on behalf of Veterans and their families to increase educational and employment opportunities, to expand access to benefits and healthcare, and to eliminate homelessness. He has worked for the VA, the VFW, the American Legion, and was a Staff Director for numerous Subcommittees for the House Veterans Affairs Committee.Justin began his commitment to public service at the age of 17 when he enlisted in the United States Navy. There, he completed one deployment in support of Operation Southern Watch and two deployments in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Following Justin's service, he attended the University of Utah, graduating with dual bachelor's degrees in three years. He became active in the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) where he served as the youngest All-American District Commander and Department Chief of Staff in its history.https://www.hillvets.org/about/Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/theprotectors)

Navy Veteran and Founder of HillVets thinks that what Congress is doing regarding veterans needs to be changed.

Navy Veteran and Founder of HillVets thinks that what Congress is doing regarding veterans needs to be changed.

I've known Justin Brown for a couple years now and one thing I've always admired about him is how many people know who he is and know of his efforts. Justin founded HillVets with the intent to bring more Veterans to Capitol Hill in Washington D.C.. Justin believes Veterans can contribute greatly to our government and that they should take advantage of those opportunities. Just swung by our central office and chatted with us about service, transition, HillVets, and more. About Justin: Justin Brown is a senior staffer on Capitol Hill with more than a decade of Veterans’ focused experience and advocacy. He has been fighting on behalf of Veterans and their families, trying to increase educational and employment opportunities, while expanding access to benefits and healthcare. Justin began his commitment to public service at the age of 17 when he enlisted in the United States Navy. There, he completed one deployment in support of Operation Southern Watch and two deployments in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Following Justin’s service, he attended the University of Utah, graduating with dual bachelor’s degrees in three years. He became active in the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) where he served as the youngest All-American District Commander and Department Chief of Staff in its history. Covered in Episode 40: Korean War Armistice Day Interview with Navy Veteran Justin Brown   Why he decided to join the Navy Service and transition Starting HillVets The value of Veterans in government Office of Accountability and Whistleblower Protection #VeteranOfTheDay Army Veteran Jon Nepute

This week's podcast features another participant in the 2017 Women Veterans Art Exhibit, Navy Veteran Debra Russell.  The exhibit is traveling to ten different VA medical centers throughout the month of March to celebrate and honor Women's History Month and how Veterans use art for personal expression. Debra joined the military in 1984 and served until 1997. She worked in supply early on and went on to work on the staff for an Admiral.  She was "med-boarded" after a running accident and was separated from the military. Around that same time, she was dealing with a sexual assault she experienced with a superior. Debra opens up regarding her service, her transition, and how she uses art and photography for therapy. Covered in Episode 22: HillVets 100 Interview with Navy Veteran Debra Russell   Why she joined the military Her experience in the Navy Being sexually assaulted by a superior Overcoming an emotional crisis Using her local Vet Center Why she enjoys photography Being a part of the women veterans art exhibit Resources for women Veterans #VeteranOfTheDay Army Veteran Ralph “Malachias” Gaskin