Podcasts about pcsing

Happy Monday!  Today I get to introduce you to Elaine Willing, who is officially on staff as teh lead for our new PCS (Permanent Change of Station) initative. At Organize 365®, we've developed a course to help spouses, supporting their soldiers, to find community faster and make each move a little easier. I first met Elaine through her father in law at a home school co-op conference. He was sent to get a picture with me. Elaine found Organize 365® about 10 years ago when she was maxed out and looking for solutions. Then I got to meet Elaine and the rest is history! I share in her desire to help military spouses through the PCS process. Elaine has supported her husband for many years, is raising her three boys, and now it's her turn to do something that fills her cup! She sees how spouses just kind of circle in the lower levels of Mazlow's Hierarchy of Needs and never get to rise to the level where you explore your purpose, what you are uniquely created to do. Elaine knows all too well about PCSing (13 times) and understands the struggle with #alltheemotions, #allthepaperwork and is eager to get to spouses organized and in community sooner. The Emotional Toll  Elaine was very vulnerable in sharing her experience, to this point, being a military spouse. She shared aspects of her life I had never thought of! I never considered the friendships they have to build quickly and let go at a moment's notice. The grieving process you go through as you leave your current station (although she joked that sometimes you are relieved to leave if it just wasn't a good fit) and anxiety or excitement about what lies ahead with a new duty station. Think of how much you trust the people you put down for your children's emergency contact…Elaine has to find that stranger quickly, as all the forms continue to request it, as she gets her family settled in each new location. There's a different at home cadence with each location based on the soldier's new job. My jaw was on the floor as she explained to me how she got to fly home to see family. Yes they get free SA (space available) flights, but I'm not sure that's a flight I want to take. And their stations overseas, they've only had one car which made daily activities challenging with little ones in tow.  All the Moving Pieces Oh the checklists we've accumulated and compiled to assist with the repetitive nature of PCS'ing. There are checklists for utilities, vehicles, homes, packing the house, and what not to pack.  I included 10 steps to an organized move. When military families move, lots times they are living out of a suitcases for 30 days. You better believe there's a checklist for those suitcases. Some bases are equipped with a lending closet for basic things like maybe some toys for your kids or small appliances that weren't necessities.  And then where do you get groceries in your new location (tricky for Elaine with her family having food allergies), house keepers, after school activities, sports, babysitters, and even for you to find friends. There's a checklist of services you'll need to find and establish. A lot of the post-move checklists you could review on the plane ride to your new duty station. The very last checklist “Just tell me what to do” for when you are drained but know you need to keep going.  What to Expect Over the many moves, Elaine has found a way to mentally process PCS. She's figured out how to stop the spinning in your brain with the mention of PCS and turn it into productive actions. The workbook helps you to process your emotions and proactively make a plan for the relocation. PCS'ing can be a lonely isolating process that only builds in complexity as your family grows and you “survive” another duty station. We realize the need to get to community quicker in these moves. The places Elaine has been pained to leave were those when she had a supportive community.  Two Opportunities to Build Community: *4 Hr. Virtual Planning Day for your base via zoom. *6 Hr in person (in the 48 continuous states), on base training. Includes the PCS bundle. Two hours will be interactive with me in a questions and answer or book signing interactive capacity.  *With this in person opportunity you get the PCS Planning Course, Workbook & The PCS  Productivity Bundle which includes a Portable Sunday Basket, 2.0 slash pockets (pink, purple, blue, green), and 2.0 Productivity tabs. Your pink slash pocket is for travel, purple slash pockets is for all things related to your home, blue slash pocket for your family and pets, and green for finances including an expense tracker so you get things paid for that should be by the military. **If you have questions and/or interest in one of these opportunities please email military@organize365.com EPISODE RESOURCES: PCS Planning Course PCS Productivity Bundle Sign Up for the Organize 365® Newsletter Did you enjoy this episode? Please leave a rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Share this episode with a friend and be sure to tag Organize 365® when you share on social media.

We're almost at the end of 2024. It's a great time for reflection and for looking ahead to the new year. But how you enter the new year matters.   We can enter a new year thinking about all the things that will prevent us from going after our goals and dreams, or we can focus on what's possible for us, and how to make progress towards creating a life that matters to us.   Today's conversation is about making the most of your military spouse life. I chat with milspouse Bonnie Conrad about building a business in the middle of nowhere, and how she's been able to discover and pursue her true passion as a military spouse, while PCSing and raising a family.   Better Together, Christine   Connect with Bonnie Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/inn8ly Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/inn8ly/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bonnie-conrad83/   RESOURCES Work With Me Join The Free Community Free Clarity Workshop What Matters Most Worksheet Clarity Course Leave a Show Review. Pretty Please!

Brig. Gen. Gavin Marks '96 discusses the absolute importance of standards and integrity in leadership, and how a new, more rigorous approach at the Academy will build that in to cadets making them Day-1 leaders. SUMMARY Brigadier General Gavin P. Marks, Commandant of the Air Force Academy, shares his journey from being a young man in Atlanta, Georgia to becoming a pilot and eventually serving as the Commandant. He discusses his experiences at the Air Force Academy, including basic cadet training and the challenges he faced. General Marks emphasizes the importance of perseverance, leaning on support networks, and maintaining high standards in leadership. He also reflects on the impact of the Academy on his personal and professional development. General Gavin Marks reflects on his personal journey and the impact of his wife on his military career. He discusses the importance of being adaptable and humble as a leader and the unique responsibilities of command. He shares his decision to return to the Air Force Academy and the changes he is implementing to better prepare cadets for the challenges of great power competition. General Marks emphasizes the love and passion that the leaders at the Academy have for developing future officers and encourages listeners to continue dreaming big.   OUR FAVORITE QUOTES "How you do anything is how you do everything." "There's always somebody better." "I want to make sure that they feel like they got their money's worth from a military development perspective or military training perspective."  "The leaders at the Air Force Academy, from top to bottom, love deeply, deeply love the institution, and are incredibly passionate about the development of these young men and women into officers in the Air Force and the Space Force." "Continue to dream big. Don't let anyone dissuade you from goals that you have. And as it relates specifically to the Air Force Academy, it is absolutely worth it."   SHARE THIS EPISODE LINKEDIN  |  FACEBOOK   CHAPTERS 00:00:  Introduction and Background 01:53:  Returning to the Air Force Academy 02:52:  Young Gavin Marks: Childhood and Calling to Serve 07:04:  Challenges and Growth in Basic Cadet Training 08:29:  Lessons in Leadership and Perseverance 11:45:  Choosing the Air Force Academy and Pilot Training 15:06:  Reflections on the Academy's Impact 20:52:  Leadership Experiences as a Cadet 23:43:  Lessons in Leadership and Perception 27:55:  Successes and Career Progression 32:35:  Meeting His Wife and Reflecting on Tinker Air Force Base 37:25:  Personal Journey and the Impact of Relationships 57:54:  Changes in the Life of a Cadet 01:05:48:  Challenges and Partnerships 01:09:39:  Rigor and Expectations 01:11:09:  Love and Passion for Developing Future Officers 01:12:34:  The Value and Worth of Attending the Air Force Academy   TAKEAWAYS The importance of perseverance, resilience, and grit in overcoming challenges, especially during difficult experiences like the Air Force Academy. The value of having a strong support network, including family and friends, to help navigate challenging times. The significance of leadership roles and experiences during the Air Force Academy in shaping one's development and future success. The Air Force Academy's focus on evolving its training and development methods to better prepare cadets for the challenges of great power competition. The deep passion and commitment of the Air Force Academy's leadership in developing leaders of character who are ready to serve their country.   ABOUT GEN. MARKS BRIG. GEN. MARKS' BIO Brigadier General Gavin P. Marks is the Commandant of Cadets, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colorado. He commands the 4,300-member Cadet Wing and more than 200 Air Force and civilian personnel. He guides military, leadership, character development, Basic Cadet Training and Expeditionary Skills Training for the Air Force Cadet Wing in addition to providing facilities and logistical support.  Brig. Gen. Marks earned his commission from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1996 and his pilot wings from Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training at Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi, in 1998. Brig. Gen. Marks has served as a T-1A instructor pilot (at both the undergraduate and graduate training levels) and flight examiner, an E-3B/C instructor pilot and flight examiner, an Air Force Intern, a staff officer on multiple joint staffs, and has commanded at the squadron and wing levels.  Prior to his current assignment, he served as the Director, Electromagnetic Spectrum Superiority, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.   Brig. Gen. Marks is a command pilot with more than 3,400 flying hours in the T-3, T-37, T-1A, E-3B/C/G, RC-135S/U/V, TC-135W, OC-135B, and WC-135C aircraft.   - Copy credit:  AF.MIL   CONNECT WITH GEN. MARKS INSTAGRAM: @‌USAFACOMMANDANT     ABOUT LONG BLUE LEADERSHIP Long Blue Leadership drops every two weeks on Tuesdays and is available on Apple Podcasts, TuneIn + Alexa, Spotify and all your favorite podcast platforms. Search @AirForceGrads on your favorite social channels for Long Blue Leadership news and updates!          FULL TRANSCRIPT OUR SPEAKERS Guest:  Brig. Gen. Gavin P. Marks '96  |  Host:  Naviere Walkewicz '99   Naviere Walkewicz 00:01 My guest today is Brig. Gen. Gavin P. Marks, USAFA Class of '96, and currently serving as the commandant of the Air Force Academy. This is his third command position since becoming a member of the Air Force. Gen. Marks was drawn to service as a young man in Atlanta, Georgia, and joined the Junior ROTC program in high school before coming to the Academy in 1992. After he graduated, he became a pilot and flew for 26 years, in addition to continuing his personal and professional development. In 2000, Gen. Marks graduated with distinction from Squadron Officer School at Maxwell Air Force Base in Alabama. In 2015, he again graduated with distinction from the National War College at Fort McNair in Washington, D.C. He has held command positions at the squadron and wing levels. His attachment to the Academy has remained strong, so much so that 20 years ago, he committed to returning and had been working his way back to USAFA when he was called to service, assuming his role as commandant in 2023. Gen. Marks, it is a pleasure. Welcome to Long Blue Leadership. Thank you for being here.   Brig. Gen. Marks 01:03 Thank you very much. It is an honor for me to be here. It really is.   Naviere Walkewicz 01:07 This is an exciting time for us, because especially for me, being a Class of 1999 — “Gold will shine” — I had to get that in there. We go back to Arnold Hall in Basic Cadet Training, when you were the commandant of cadets during Basic Cadet Training for us. So I remember you vividly as your taps from your shoes hit the floor in Arnold Hall. So this is truly a pleasure, sir, thank you.   Brig. Gen. Marks 01:29 It is absolutely surreal to be back, and especially during this period that we're in right now during Basic Cadet Training, and as I interact with basic cadets and the cadre, it's hard not to reminisce about that time. It's hard not to share stories as well. I'm careful that I don't inundate the cadets with my stories of when I was the Basic Cadet Training commander. But it's just it's absolutely wonderful to be back here. Yeah, really is.   Naviere Walkewicz 01:53 Well, we'll get to hear some of those, I think, you know, from your perspective, back then, and also, more recently, as we weave through this podcast. But really excited. And where we like to start is when we go back to young Gavin Marks. So Gen. Marks, tell us about what you were like as a child.   Brig. Gen. Marks 02:08 My mother would tell you that I was precocious, that I was inquisitive. I was very, very talkative as well. So I have an older brother, and we are the sons of two parents that have been married for 55 years, and that's important, because 55 years is a long time, and it taught me the value of being committed. It also taught me the value of what love really looks like, up close and personal as well. I'm from Atlanta, Georgia, as you mentioned, so I'm a product of the South. I am a product of public schools, Baptist churches and Southern upbringing. So, I love sweet tea. I love this disgusting candy called Sugar Babies. And just about anything that you think of with regard to the South, you could probably say that that's pretty accurate as it relates to me and my personality as well. I call everyone ma'am and sir, regardless of rank, just based on my upbringing as well. I really would tell you that I got a calling to serve in the military by virtue of JROTC. I followed my brother into JROTC. We went to different high schools, and he enjoyed it, but it just wasn't his calling. I got involved in it and knew immediately that it was something that I wanted to do. I love shining my shoes. I love shining the brass belt buckle that I had on my trousers. I love marching. I love drill. I did Color Guard. I did Drill Team. It was wonderful for me. It was, I think, the thing that was missing in my life in terms of knowing what my niche was going to be. And so, my professor at that time in that particular JROTC program, I think he saw something in me, and he was the first one to actually bring up a military service academy. Prior to that point, I hadn't heard of anything about West Point or Annapolis or the Air Force Academy at all. And so, I took a trip with my father and we went out to all three and I can't swim, and so Annapolis was pretty difficult for me to wrap my mind around. West Point was too gray. You know, this is a 17-year-old at the time, or a 16-year-old at the time thinking these things. It's like, “Wow, this was really gray and dreary.” No offense to West Point. And then I got to the Air Force Academy, and I remember stepping off the plane and again, coming from Atlanta, Georgia, to see the snow-capped mountains, to immediately be able to feel the difference in the air, I knew that this was the place that I wanted to be. And so, I told my dad right then, as we stepped off the plane, I said, “This is it.” And he said, “What do you know about this place? You haven't even gone here yet.” But I knew, and the rest, as they say, is history.   Naviere Walkewicz 04:48 Wow. So, neither your parents served and your brother was the first kind of introduction to Junior ROTC. What was that like growing up without having that, in Atlanta, not having that military, I guess, presence around you, and you said that's what you learned was missing. But what kind of got you to that point?   Brig. Gen. Marks 05:08 So, I would say, just to be clear, so dad did not have a career in the military, but my father and my uncle both were drafted in Vietnam, and so to that extent, what I would say is, while there wasn't discussions or a lot of military impact in my household, I think, more than anything else, just through watching television, et cetera, there was something about the discipline. There was something about the professionalism. There was something about how revered those that are in service to their nation were in this country that really drew me to the profession of arms. It was just something about the fact that this is a career field. This is a profession that is extremely highly regarded across all facets of life, and I wanted to be a part of it.   Naviere Walkewicz 06:03 So, as a young man in public school, did you find yourself drawn to things, like, I started to think about programs that were like discipline-based, like taekwondo or sports in that manner. Did you have some of those experiences as young man?   Brig. Gen. Marks 06:16 I played — I ran track, following after my brother. My brother thrived in track and field. I followed him, and I absolutely loathed it. I was not athletically inclined, and try as I might, you know, I work out and I try to stay in good shape, but I would not call myself necessarily an athlete of the highest order by any stretch. And so that absolutely was an albatross around my neck coming to the Air Force Academy, especially during basic training, especially during Jacks Valley.   Naviere Walkewicz 06:52 Well, let's talk about that a little bit. Was there a specific instance in Jacks Valley where — because I feel like now you might be able to run circles around some of us.   Brig. Gen. Marks 07:01 Well, I will tell you — so, what I remember a lot about Jacks Valley, I remember the power-line runs. And back then we had the M1 Garand, 11, 12 pounds and we carried it everywhere. And it was heavy. You know, 12 pounds doesn't seem like it's heavy, but it's heavy when you're at port arms, and you're running for miles and miles on end, and the altitude, obviously, is vastly different. Jacks Valley is very dusty. You know, “Jacks Hack” is a thing. And so, all of those things, in aggregate, really caused me a lot of trouble. And so, what I remember is thinking often “I'm not going to make this. This is not going to happen for me,” in terms of graduating out of basic training, because I am falling behind in my runs, et cetera, et cetera. But I made it. I made it.   Naviere Walkewicz 07:56 I love that. And I think for some of our listeners, the key thing, even just in that one was, you know, you didn't give up. You recognized you just had to keep working at it, and you got through it. And you're now serving as a commandant of cadets. So, I feel like there's definitely a story here that talks about you and your grit and your perseverance and everything throughout these years.   Brig. Gen. Marks 08:15 The thing that I took from the Air Force Academy experience probably more than anything else — and there are several things that I took from it — is that this is a an incredibly difficult journey that is made better if you think about it from the perspective of just taking one step at a time every single day. Just show up, just show up, just be present, and that's 80% of it. If you just keep showing up, you are going to be OK. And so that was my mentality: They were going to have to kick me out. I was not going to self-eliminate at all. And so, no matter how slowly I ran back, then they were going to have to kick me out and I was going to keep showing up. The other thing is, I would say this: I had tremendous teammates. Our squad, well, in Jacks Valley, our flight, which became our squadron — we were so close, even back then. And if one of us was falling behind, “Come on, Gavin, let's go. Pick it up.” And that really helped a lot, because you didn't want to let your teammates down.   Naviere Walkewicz 09:22 So, we got a little glimpse of Jacks. So I'm just gonna' dial it back just real quick, back to the point where you said to your dad, “This is it. This is where I'm going.” So, what was that journey like from Junior ROTC to getting into the Academy? Because I think a lot of people want to know what that looked like for you.   Brig. Gen. Marks 09:38 So, I knew that from probably my junior year in high school that I wanted to go into the Air Force or to into the military. I didn't know which branch to be perfectly clear. So I applied to all three service academies. I applied to The Citadel and I applied to VMI and to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Those are all of the ones that I could think of at the time, and the visits helped a lot to crystallize in my mind what I wanted to do. But what really also helped was this fascination with flying. Originally, I wanted to be an astronaut, a dentist, a doctor, an actor, and so many different things when you're growing up, but the idea of flying was really at the forefront of my mind as well. I also knew I wanted to lead. And so, combining those two desires, it made sense to go to the Air Force Academy. And again, I couldn't swim. I tried as much as I possibly could to learn how to swim through the YMCA, et cetera. I'm a product of basic swimming at the Air Force Academy — twice. If I'm being completely candid with you and your listeners, if I could have swam at the time, it is likely that I would have gone to Annapolis, and it is likely that I would have been a Marine, because that is much more, at least in my thinking back then, in line with my personality. Because I am — I will just say the military pillar of the Air Force Academy was, as the young people would say, that's my jam, for sure.   Naviere Walkewicz 11:15 I can see that. While I appreciate that, I can see that. We're so glad that we were able to get you here at the Air Force Academy. So, let's talk about your time at the Academy. You wanted to be an astronaut. You turn the dials toward pilot. Let's talk about what that experience looked like.   Brig. Gen. Marks 11:30 So, the Academy was very, very challenging. What made it challenging primarily was the balance of so many requirements, and that's on purpose. It is rigorous on purpose because the profession of arms requires it, and the nation needs it, it deserves it. I wasn't prepared for it. High school — I wouldn't say high school came easy for me. I would say I did well in high school, and I did well in high school by virtue of cramming and by virtue of instincts. So, I came to the Air Force Academy not really knowing how to study. I didn't know how to prioritize tasks or manage tasks well at all. And the Academy humbled me tremendously.   Naviere Walkewicz Can you share a story about that?   Brig. Gen. Marks Oh, well, I would say this, and the dean, who I know has also been on the Long Blue Leadership podcast as well, she would cringe. So, I never got an F, I'm proud to say, but I certainly am on the team of Ds. I received a D in Aero, and, if I recall, Astro, civil engineering when we had that as a core as well. And that was an incredibly humbling experience for me, because prior to that point, I had never had anything in my career lower than a C in high school or anything like that. And so that kind of thing makes you think, “What am I doing wrong here?” And as you are engaged in that type of introspection, you're still having to get ready for the PFT, and you're still having to get ready for this chemistry test, and you're still having to shine your shoes and get ready for this knowledge test, et cetera, et cetera. And so it was just in my mind, based on my training to that point, not enough time in the day for the reflection that I needed in order to make some changes to my habit pattern. And you're just trying to survive, and you're just showing up every day, one step at a time. So that made it very difficult: the inability for me to study, to not know how to study, the prioritization of tasks. I loved the military piece, and I probably spent more time on that than I should have spent on other things.   My roommates would often comment on the fact that I would be shining my shoes for hours, and I would bypass the need to study until the last minute, until the test came. And that didn't work out very well for me. The other thing I would tell you is this: I wouldn't say that I got homesick, but it was a long way from home. It really was, and so going home really helped to fill my cup back up in terms of just being able to reacclimate with my family and those that were around me — extended family, church, friends, et cetera. It was a long way from home.   I developed a lot of great friends in my squadron. We were in the same squadron all four years, Way of Life committee, gospel choir at the time as well. And then this team of friends that I had on the Cadet Honor Guard as well. What an interesting year that was on the Cadet Honor Guard. But we became incredibly close, and they're still close to this day.   Naviere Walkewicz 14:47 So, I'd like to talk more about the Honor Guard, but before we get there, I think it's important for people to understand that when you find yourself in those tough situations in life and in experiences, how did you pull yourself out of that? You know, you obviously got through. So, something had to change. How did you maneuver that?   Brig. Gen. Marks 15:06 So, I will start by saying this: I talked to my parents a lot, and their support was incredibly helpful for me. They approached it from a different perspective. You know, I learned a lot of great things from both of my parents: hard work, my father's work ethic, my mother and unconditional love and what that truly means. And so, when I'm talking to my parents about the rigors of the Academy experience, my mom would say, “You know, baby you can just quit and come on home and go to Georgia Tech. It's right around the corner, and we'd love to have you, and you don't need this.” And my dad would say, “You better not quit. If you come home, it's for Christmas and you're going back.” And reflecting on both of those comments, my mother was basically saying, “No matter what, we're gonna' love you.” My dad was saying, “No matter what, you can do this, I know you can do it.” And the amalgamation of those emotions and those messages really helped me a lot. It let me know that no matter what, I have support, but I also have the confidence of my parents as well, that leaning on friends is — the friend groups that I talked about as well was really important. And then to a large extent, I would say this: The ability to dig deep inside and pull yourself up even when you are struggling, or even when you are faltering, to be able to show up the next day is really, really important, that grit, that resilience — the thing that we preach to our cadets about now we try to instill in them through the rigors of the Academy experience. It's really important. It's not only important at the Air Force Academy, it's important throughout life, because life obviously throws so many different curveballs your way, right?   Naviere Walkewicz 17:11 I appreciate that you shared that leaning into your support network, not only for their love and their confidence in you, but also it sounds like there was a bit of asking for help and what that was, and so I think that's important for people to hear too. While you are having to pull yourself up, there's no shame in asking for help along the way.   Brig. Gen. Marks 17:27 Not at all. And I would tell you, my mother has so many letters at home and letters that I don't even remember writing during my time at the Air Force Academy, where I was explaining to her different things that were going on that would bring a smile to my face now, because I would be shocked that I would have said these things to my mother or my father in terms of what was taking place and the help that I perhaps needed at the time.   Naviere Walkewicz 17:53 That's great perspective. So, you mentioned Honor Guard, and what an incredible year. I was not part of Honor Guard, but I did appreciate how they helped us stay militarily ready. What was that journey like for you?   Brig. Gen. Marks 18:08 Hard. It was very, very difficult. What I would say is this: So the Cadet Honor Guard attracted me because of the discipline that they had, that they have because of what they represented for the institution as well. These were the cadets that in every formation, carried our nation's flag. These were the cadets that were held up as the example of what a good uniform looked like and what military professionals should strive to look like and resemble and the precision with which they drilled was incredibly impressive to me. And so, when they had an opportunity to showcase what they were about to the fourth-class cadets at the time, so that we could show interest in different clubs, et cetera…   Naviere Walkewicz 19:02 Because you had to try out for honor guard. Is that correct, sir?   Brig. Gen. Marks 19:06 I'm trying to think if I would call it a try-out.   Naviere Walkewicz That's probably not the right word.   Brig. Gen. Marks I think it's probably one of the greatest examples that I can talk to about just showing up, which is to say, “Come one, come all, and there's going to be a lot of physical activity, a lot of running, a lot of drill work, et cetera, all meant to condition you and build your endurance for challenging times when you're in formation, and bad weather and things of that nature, because you know, when you're carrying the nation's flag, it's a no-fail mission, and you can't drop it. And it doesn't matter that it's 20 degrees and 50 knots of wind, you can't drop it.” And so how do I build that into you: the importance of what you're doing means to not only this institution, not only to the Cadet Wing, but to the nation as well? It was a grueling year. It was a hard year. And so I think we started probably with 70-ish fourth-class cadets, and our team ended up at the conclusion at about 16. And that was our team, and that was the team that we carried forth throughout the remainder of our time at the Air Force Academy. And again, I still stay in touch with them to this day. It was a fantastic group of people.   Naviere Walkewicz 20:35 That's incredible. So aside from Honor Guard and some of the time that you spent as a cadet, let's talk about your leadership as a cadet, because you've had multiple positions of leadership.   Brig. Gen. Marks 20:47 So, the two that resonate most with me right now, and that I gained a tremendous amount from — the summer leading into my two-degree year I was the Basic Cadet Training group training non-commissioned officer. That's a mouthful, and so the privilege of being able to, and I'm gonna' use air quotes, “greet” every new appointee as they arrived on the bus to the base of the ramp was given to me, and it was quite an honor. And so, I got to get on the bus and welcome every single basic cadet in the Class of 1998. I will never forget that. And then the next summer, I was the Basic Cadet Training commander, like you were talking about in your earlier comments,   Naviere Walkewicz I definitely recall that.   Brig. Gen. Marks I had a lot of fun, and beyond the fun that you have as cadre during Basic Cadet Training, I had a lot of fun in this regard. As the training NCO, seeing the progress, the development of the basic cadets from I-day, or from that first day of basic training, until the Acceptance Day Parade, if you will, or until we handed them off to the Jacks Valley cadre was something that I really appreciated, because it was very, very noticeable: the changes in drill, the changes in customs and courtesies, the changes in uniform wear, the changes in Mitchell Hall decorum, the changes in how they kept their rooms, et cetera. It was noticeable. And I really appreciated being able to see the fruit of the labor of the cadre. As the BCT commander in so much that you can learn executive-level leadership as a cadet, it taught me a lot about that. So this is the first time that I had an opportunity to conduct my own staff meetings, to build my own staff, to chart a vision, to set objectives, to hold accountable. It taught me a tremendous amount beyond the fun and the great memories of walking across the stage with my taps on during the Fourth of July at A-Hall, which I absolutely still remember to this day, I absolutely remember to this day. But both of those experiences are indelible for me at this point. And I talked to the BCT cadre about them now, because I want them to know that this time that they have is so precious, precious not only because of the memories that they're going to make, but precious because of the impact that they're going to have on these basic cadets. They will remember them forever. They will remember them forever.   Naviere Walkewicz 23:30 Truth. So, I think one of the things that is so unique about that: You said, it was the first time you had the experience of conducting kind of your own operations, or what that looked like, the battle rhythm, the vision. I think a lot of our listeners, you know, they look at you, you're a general, you've been a leader. You know all this. What are some of the things you learned about yourself in that experience that maybe you would share just some lessons in leadership in the early parts of your leadership journey?   Brig. Gen. Marks 23:55 So, I learned very early on, probably as a three degree, that standards really, really matter. It crystallized for me as a probably a three degree, and it just continued to resonate throughout the rest of my career that standards matter greatly in our profession, and perhaps across all walks of life. They matter because of the fact that if we allow someone to not be questioned about meeting standards, we will likely allow further deterioration down the road and erosion down the road, which could lead to catastrophic occurrences. And I've seen it in numerous instances, whether we're talking about accidents, aircraft accidents, whether we're talking about units that have toxic cultures. Because oftentimes it starts with the breadcrumbs that you can walk back to the erosion of standards. There's a line that I love in John Wick. I'm a big John Wick fan. The fourth movie, the bad guy, I don't remember his name, said that his father used to tell him, “How you do anything is how you do everything.” And that is so powerful to me. It is so incredibly powerful. “How you do anything is how you do everything.” I believe that. I truly, truly do. And I learned that for the really, for the first time, as a three degree. I would also tell you perception matters. And I learned that as a firstie as well. How you conduct yourself — as Patton would say, “You're always on parade.” It's important. And if your staff thinks that you are cutting corners here or showing favoritism there, whether that's true or not, it's their reality, and they are going to respond based on how they view their reality, how they view the world in that context. And so, I as a firstie through the experience of the BCT group commander, began to truly pay attention to what perceptions I was perhaps enabling. How about I put it that way? Those are two that come to mind in terms of lessons in leadership that I learned here at the Air Force Academy. When I talk about the idea of building a staff and running a staff meeting, they seem minor. Building the staff was important because it was at that time that I realized that while I may have some things that I'm pretty good at, there are a lot of things that I'm not, and I want to surround myself with people that are good in those areas that I'm not. And so I was very, very deliberate in who I surrounded myself with from a BCT group staff perspective. And then I would also say it's important to, especially when you walk into a group for the first time, to know what you're going to say, to have an agenda for how you want to run things. Because that first impression when you walk in as the leader, as the boss, as the commander, et cetera, it's gonna matter. It is absolutely gonna matter, and you will never have another opportunity to make a good first impression. And so, I could go on and on. I learned a lot from my experiences here in leadership at the Air Force Academy.     Naviere Walkewicz Those are excellent examples.     Brig. Gen. Marks That's why I wanted to come back. While I understood what standards meant and the importance of them as a three degree, I didn't fully put together the impact that the Academy had on me until I was a captain. Leaving here, probably like you and others, I drove away as fast as I could.   Naviere Walkewicz The rear-view mirror…   Brig. Gen. Marks Absolutely, and I told myself that I would never be back here.   Naviere Walkewicz Really?   Brig. Gen. Marks I really did at that time, because enough time hadn't passed to allow me to reconcile all of the wonderful things that had taken place in my development during that four-year period. And it wasn't until I was a captain that I realized that who I was as a function of the Air Force was in large part due to the development that I had received at the Air Force Academy. I credit my parents as well, for sure, but the Air Force Academy, for sure, had a lot to do with that, and I wanted to give that back to other cadets.   Naviere Walkewicz 29:03 Was that in a moment of reflection that you realized that, or was that — did something happen where you were like, “Wow, that's something that I kind of took from the Academy.”? How did you come to that realization?   Brig. Gen. Marks 29:15 I was having — a lot of positive things occurred to me in my career. At that point, I was having a lot of successes, and at some point, I thought about the fact that while certainly I am truly blessed, and certainly there is some luck that plays into that as well, I at some point, through introspection, just kind of look back on the journey that I had gone through from being the knucklehead kid from Atlanta, Georgia, to being this captain in the Air Force, and the metamorphosis that occurred and how that happened. And, so I can only attribute it — some of that, again, is the development over time, when your parents are teaching you things and instilling values and virtue into you, and at the time, when you're a know-it-all teenager, you don't think that it's sinking in, but it does, and it shapes you over time. So, some of it's that, but some of it was the Academy itself. I will tell you this: So, there was a program that I participated in as a junior, I guess, in high school, where I got to come to the Academy for an overnight visit. And I stayed with a cadet, and what I remember about that is this: So I think I stayed two nights. But the first night I went to a pay phone to call a friend, and there was a $20 bill at the top of the pay phone. And so, I went back to the room to tell the cadet, “Hey, somebody left some money there,” and he said, “Don't worry about it. Whoever left it, they'll remember that they left it there, and they'll come back and get it.” And I was bewildered. I was like, I don't understand how that's possible. OK, so the next night, I went to the same pay phone, and it was still there. And I was blown away, and I never forgot that, that this is a place where honor really, really matters. And certainly my parents have integrity, and certainly they, you know, preached and instilled those types of values, but here at the United States Air Force Academy, it was practiced every single day, and it was visibly discernible to me throughout all facets of the Academy experience that undergirding these, you know, push-ups that I was doing and this chemistry test that I was taking, et cetera, was this honor code and these core values that all of us together share. And I just absolutely love that. Reflecting on that over the course of seven years changed my life, truly, for the better.   Naviere Walkewicz 32:15 Thank you for sharing that story. And I actually got chill bumps just thinking about, well, I mean, but you're, right now, you can't think about a lot of places where you can leave something and it's probably still going to be there, or if it was identifiable, it would probably been returned. So, I think that is something we can be so proud of. So, you mentioned, sir, some of your successes. They were kind of, you know, happening outside of the Academy once you'd graduated. Let's talk about what your career looked like and what those successes were.   Brig. Gen. Marks 32:50 So, I was a casual lieutenant. And I guess the claim to fame that I have is that I was Gen. Lorenz's casual lieutenant. So Gen. Lorenz was the commandant immediately after I graduated, went on to become a four-star general, and he is still incredibly active here in the Academy community, and being his casual lieutenant, specifically, his special projects officer, was enlightening in a lot of different ways. Gen. Lorenz is a great leader. He's a unique leader as well. And I learned a lot from being in his space, being in his presence, and seeing how he conducted business. Interestingly enough, when you walk up to the office spaces of the Cadet Wing where my office is, in the hallway is a display of all the previous commandants and their biographies. That was one of my projects as a lieutenant, believe it or not, a long, long, long, long time ago. And so, it gave me an opportunity to be able to research all of the previous commandants to that point and see the commonalities between them as well. So I did that for a little less than a year, and then I went to pilot training. Pilot training was hard. Pilot training was very, very hard. In fact, I came back, if I recall correctly, either in the middle of pilot training or just as I was graduating to talk to the Cadet Wing, the Class of 1998 — one of the classes, '98 or '99 — invited me back to talk at M5.   Naviere Walkewicz I'd like to say it was us.   Brig. Gen. Marks I would like to say it was you all too.   Naviere Walkewicz Can I claim it?   Brig. Gen. Marks And you all gave me the bird, and it was wonderful, and I still have that bird in my office to this day. And I talked about how hard pilot training was, but maybe you'll remember this. I listed the top five hardest things that I've ever done in my life to that point, and I can't remember — I remember No. 1, but I can't remember the exact order, but it was something along the lines of the four-degree year, the entire cadet experience, pilot training, SERE at the time, and my four-degree Honor Guard experience was No. 1 for sure. But all of that to say, just being able to come back to the Academy was a tremendous honor, especially for this silly second, actually, I was a first lieutenant at the time. So went to pilot training and then was selected to be able to stay at pilot training and be an instructor. I went from Columbus to Vance Air Force Base and did that for three years in the T-1, which I absolutely loved. The T-1, that aircraft was probably, if I had the resources, if I was well healed, I would buy myself a T-1 and if I could afford the maintenance. I absolutely love flying that plane and enjoyed my time in AETC. And really, there's nothing special about me. When you enjoy what you're doing and feel like you have a passion for it, oftentimes you're going to do well. I think that's that holds true for just about anybody. I did pretty well in the T-1. After that, I went to an internship at the Pentagon, and so I was there on 9/11 and I got my master's in D.C., left there. After that, I went to Tinker Air Force Base. I did not want to go fly AWACS, and I love AWACS now, but I did not at the time. And I remember when I drove up to the gate for the first time after my year in D.C., and the Security Forces airmen that saw me at the gate asked me, “Are you OK?” just based on the, luckily, based on the look on my face after driving cross country. But what was special about Tinker is that that is where I truly learned, as I would call it, meat-and-potatoes flying, stick-and-rudder flying, no kidding, no thrills and frills. In the AWACS aircraft, you've got to know how to move that jet where you need it to move. You've got to know how to compensate for the aerodynamics of the roto-dome when you're refueling, you've got to know how to fly. And I so it was very enjoyable in that regard, and just being operational was enjoyable. Tinker, though, what I will always credit Tinker for is this: Tinker is where I met my wife.   Naviere Walkewicz 37:15 So I was gonna' ask when the magic happened.   Brig. Gen. Marks 37:19 Yeah, it happened at Tinker. We met through a mutual friend and so, interestingly enough, I always say that the two best decisions I ever made in my entire life, I show on my left and my right hand: my wedding ring on my left, my class ring on my right. Best decisions I've ever made for myself. My wife is retired Air Force 23 years, and she was a first lieutenant, I was a captain. We met through a mutual friend and became friends, and over time, over a period of about a year and a half, we started dating. I asked her to marry me after another year and a half or so, probably a little longer than I should have waited. So, I arrived in 2002, we were married in 2005.   Naviere Walkewicz 37:59 Was her uniform better than yours, sir.   Brig. Gen. Marks 38:05 Oh, goodness, no. So my wife, she will listen to this. My wife would tell you that she has had a wonderful 23-year Air Force journey. Started off with 13 years enlisted time and went to OTS, et cetera. My wife would tell you that I am, I think the term is, I am very “ate up” in terms of the military. Hopefully your listeners know what that means.   Naviere Walkewicz 38:32 Yes.   Brig. Gen. Marks She was not, at all. Not at all. That was not her personality.   Naviere Walkewicz They say opposites attract.   Brig. Gen. Marks 38:35 But I think really, more than anything, what I loved about her, beyond her candor and her honesty, was her compassion as well, her intellect, her ability to be able to see the world in a different way than I saw it — for us to respect each other's opinions about different things, for her difference of a net of opinion, but how she viewed the Air Force and her journey through the Air Force differently than I viewed mine. But we respected each other's nonetheless. And my wife is the reason why I'm still serving and I say that because of this, if my wife was not still in love with this Air Force journey, I would have stopped. I absolutely would have, because being married — and our family is, I hate to say it, is more important to me, truly it is. And so, I would have absolutely stopped. But she loves it. I loathe PCSing. Can't stand it. I'm in a great career field, but my wife loves it, loves the excitement, loves thinking about what's next. And so as long as she's enjoying it, I'm enjoying it too. Yeah, she's my best friend, my best friend for sure. So, we met after that, got married. Fast forward, I left Tinker and went to a Staff assignment in Suffolk, Virginia, stayed there for about three years, went back to the T-1 as a director of operations, a commander in the 99th of Tuskegee Airmen heritage. Then I went to National War College, went to Staff, went back to Tinker, 10 years as the vice wing commander, Offut as the wing commander, back to Staff again, and then here as the commandant.   Naviere Walkewicz 40:32 So, when did the idea trickle back to the mind of, “I want to get back to the Academy?” How did that come into play? Was that just a natural progression of your career? Or how? How does one navigate that?   Brig. Gen. Marks 40:43 So, it was at the time this realization that it had changed me so much and so positively. How can I be a part of another person's just incredible admiration for the experience and appreciation for the experience that they had while they were here? And so, I started investigating becoming an AOC, because at the time, that was where my status in life was in terms of rank, and was the most appropriate, if you will. It just didn't work out for me in terms of the timing.   Naviere Walkewicz 41:24 So, you'd already been looking throughout your career to come back.   Brig. Gen. Marks 41:27 At different points in my career, so about the seven-year point is when I said, “No, I would really like to go back and give back.” And now it's a function of trying to maneuver the timing and all of the other facets that make up an assignment and career progression to try to see how that could work. As an Air Force intern, that counted as my in-residence intermediate developmental education. And so, because of that, I was fast-tracked to staff immediately. And so, timing just didn't work in terms of that intermediate level, getting back to the Academy and making a difference. And so, the next opportunity for me was as a lieutenant colonel, because at that time, our group commanders were group AOCs and they were lieutenant colonels, the opportunity didn't present itself and command of a flying squadron did, and so I absolutely jumped on that with both feet. The idea kind of was off in the back portions of my brain after graduating from command and it didn't come back into the forefront until I got back to the Pentagon because I view the Pentagon as most people do. You know, it's a necessary evil. There is tremendous virtuous work that takes place at the Pentagon. It really is. And I certainly don't mean to poo-poo it. Staff work is important. It's necessary. I wanted to get back into, no kidding, base, desperately. And it had been 27 years-ish to that point. I'd come back for coronavirus. I was working for Gen. Brown and for Secretary Kim. I came back for corona and that was one of the first times that I had been back. And I knew I had to get back here. And interestingly enough, I brought my check to Doolittle Hall. I wanted to be a life member, and I had my $800 check in my pocket. My wife gave me permission, and I was like, “I'm ready.” And I'll never forget this. I don't remember who I talked to, but she said, “Hey, if you wait just a few more months, it'll be free for everybody.”   Naviere Walkewicz Membership for all graduates!   Brig. Gen. Marks I was like, “Sweet!” And then she happened to look at my ring, and she's like, “You got a chip on your ring. Why don't you hand that over to us? Your buying this ring came with a lifetime warranty.” And I was like, “This is unbelievable. This is like, divine intervention. I gotta get back to this place. I love it.” Yeah, I'm so happy to be back here.   Naviere Walkewicz 44:18 That is wonderful. So maybe before we go into arriving back here, kind of some of the surge of what that experience was like — what were some of the leadership nuggets, or the leaders that you worked either under with as peers, those you learned from that worked under you, that you kind of continued to evolve yourself as a leader. What were some of those that shaped you?   Brig. Gen. Marks 44:39 So, I think I will start with my time at Tinker as a flight commander. I think one of the things that I learned then was the importance of being credible in an operational flying squadron. Yeah. Your worth is, especially in a flying squadron, especially as a CGO, your worth is in how well you fly, speaking for pilots in that career field. And so, when you fast forward that to now, what I tell junior officers is this, “As a CGO, your No. 1 objective, your sole objective, is to be a master of your craft. Nothing else really matters. Being a master at your craft is the recipe for success, and if you are not able to do that, it is going to be difficult for you.” So, I learned that at Tinker Air Force Base, I would say, fast forwarding a little bit further to some of my Staff assignments, I would imagine, one of the reasons why I have never been incredibly fond of Staff is because I have — there has never been a good fit for me in terms of the staff assignments that I've been in. I could argue maybe the last one was perhaps, but where I'm going is this: It taught me the need to be able to be adaptable to learn as you go, to be open to learning, and to be humble enough to ask a lot of questions. And I think that that's a tremendous leadership trait to have, to humble yourself to your team, to come in and say, “I don't know everything. I don't know all that you all are doing.” Your stories even, “Please help me to understand. Please teach me.” So Staff, for all of the pains at times, really has developed me to have a better appreciation for that. I would tell you in command, “Oh, my goodness, command is all I ever want to do,” which is both naive and probably a very elementary way of thinking about things I just love command, and command has taught me so much.   Naviere Walkewicz 47:16 What do you love about command?   Brig. Gen. Marks 47:20 So, command is special because there isn't really, not really. There isn't period another position in the military where you are statutorily and regulatorily responsible for mission and people, nothing else. There is no other position in the Department of Defense military like command and to — especially at the unit level, the squadron level — to have such an immediate impact on mission like you are able to, as a squadron commander, and have such a positive impact, direct impact on airmen's lives. It is so incredibly fulfilling. And as you progress and command at higher levels, the direct impact on individuals lives lessens, but the direct impact on mission grows exponentially. I absolutely, not only that, but as you command at higher levels. While the impact, and I probably should have said it this way, the impact that you would have on so many individual airmen's lives' lessons, the impact that you can have on an individual airman's life magnifies based on rank. It is significant also. And I always — one of the things that I tell people all the time is the… it's an oversimplification, but the only reason to have rank is to do good, is to do good things, to make things happen in a positive way that affect positively mission and benefit airmen's lives. That's it. That's all. And if it if rank becomes something different than that for you, you are in the wrong business, or we've given it to the wrong person, if I'm being honest with you.   Naviere Walkewicz 49:11 Thank you for sharing that. So how did you find out that you — how did it work to become the commandant of cadets? Is that something that you're selected for? How did you find out?   Brig. Gen. Marks 49:23 So, I — well for your listeners, there's a dream sheet, if you will. We have a module that we go into and identify things, jobs, positions, perhaps even locations that we think that our skill-set matches up nicely for or that match our family circumstances, and in that module, I talked about the fact that I wanted to be able to give back to the Air Force Academy in this way. And talked about the fact that for 20 years or so, give or take, I have been trying to get back here to be able to have an impact. And I listed some of the things that I felt enabled me to have that type of impact. And then I got a call from the colonel's group or the general officer's group. I can't remember which one, probably general officer's group, that said, “Hey, the superintendent would like to interview you.” And I said, “OK, very good. I look forward to talking to a superintendent.” And what I will tell you is this: It is very difficult to prepare for an interview like that. Number one, you know, in the short amount of time that you're given to prepare for it. And then two, you just really don't know what you're going to be asked. And my knowledge of the Academy was very, very dated, you know, for 27 years ago when I graduated. But I said, “OK, let's go. Let's do it.” And so, I talked to him on the way home from the Pentagon in my car driving home, and we had a really nice conversation. And I remember parking in our driveway, and I remember staying in the driveway for about 15 more minutes as the conversation concluded, and I remember going into the house, and I remember talking to my wife, and I said, “You know, there are probably a number of people that interviewed, and they are, I'm positive, incredibly well suited for the position. There's always somebody better.” That's another great lesson that the Academy taught me, is there's always somebody better. But I said, “I think I feel like that went well. I don't know that I could have given any more to that interview.” Eventually, the superintendent made a decision. The superintendent had to vet that decision through higher levels as well. And eventually you come out on a list and it is announced that this is your next job.     Naviere Walkewicz That's how you found out? You saw the list?   Brig. Gen. Marks So admittedly, you know, birdies are talking to me ahead of time. But at the same time, you are just as a professional, more than anything else that is, that's meant to be private information for just and your family to kind of get your mind wrapped around those types of things. Because, as we've seen over the course of numerous years now, sometimes these lists come out later, and if you were to find out solely by that, that's not a lot of time to house hunt. That's not a lot of time to arrange schools. That's not a lot of time to arrange PCSing, you know, those types of things. So, and in this particular case, I needed to PCS from the Pentagon. I needed to perform a promotion ceremony. I needed to work a change of command ceremony here as well. And so, my wife and I joke, now this last move was the most difficult move we've ever, ever had, because I did all that in 30 days.   Naviere Walkewicz 53:27 Wow, it was a lot, but this was probably one that you were both excited for, not just her.   Brig. Gen. Marks 53:31 Oh, we were. The amount of YouTube videos that we watched in our household about basic training and about the Wings of Blue, just to get our kids excited about this, which is why, I mean — there is no excuse for not knowing what you're walking into at the Air Force Academy, because there are thousands of videos out there. Yeah, and so we were very excited, and the kids were incredibly well educated on what they could expect, everything from the wildlife that's on the installation, to the climate and the altitude, to what cadet life was going to be like. And so, we were really excited. And I remember — and because the kids had never been here at all, my wife and I had taken a trip here early in our marriage, our kids had never seen it and the excitement over the five days of driving was just really, really building up. And so, when we finally were able to see the big white box on the horizon,     Naviere Walkewicz Yes, the chapel-in-the-box.   Brig. Gen. Marks Yeah, when we were able to see that, and I was pointing to it as we were driving, they were just, they were just absolutely bubbling over with excitement. It was amazing.   Naviere Walkewicz 54:34 How did you feel when you saw it?   Brig. Gen. Marks 54:38 Very, very excited. A little overwhelmed. Also, I would tell you, I was really — I was both naive and I was also incredibly humbled and respectful of what I was walking into. Naive in this regard: I felt like, my goodness, I don't know that I've ever been more prepared for a position that I'm walking into than being the commandant of cadets at the Air Force Academy. Because I graduated from here. I surely have to be well prepared and well suited. You know nothing about the inner workings of the Air Force Academy as a cadet. Nothing, nothing. And so, there was so much to learn about governance, not only that — I will tell you this: I had some troubles academically. I never had any run-ins from an honor perspective. I never had any discipline issues, either. And I don't say that to sound self-congratulatory. I say that to show my ignorance, because there were significant gaps in my knowledge and my understanding of how to manage the Cadet Wing, because I had never had any experience with honor, I'd never had any experience with discipline, and so I had to dive into those when I got here and learn that where somebody else might not have had to do that. Very respectful of what I was — the Academy is an incredibly special place. It is also, I don't say this, I don't mean this pejoratively, it is also a lightning rod for attention. There is always attention being drawn to the Air Force Academy and coming into the institution knowing that, it certainly had my attention up front, and I realized also that the opportunity to shape 4,000 cadets and to be able to be the one with a great, amazing team responsible for their military development, their character and leadership development, to ensure that on graduation they had achieved everything that they needed to do in terms of commissioning education to be responsible for their honor education, to be the one that is ultimately overseeing cadet life, it's an awesome, awesome responsibility, and I had a tremendous amount of respect for it when I came into the institution. So overwhelmed in that regard.   Naviere Walkewicz 57:22 I almost could feel through your eyes what you just expressed in coming back and seeing the Academy again and I think this is a wonderful time, because some of us have had the opportunity, whether it's been recent reunions, to hear you speak at reunion briefings, to catch a glimpse of you know, some of the changes or some of the things that you've brought back. Maybe this is an opportunity to share what's Academy life like now, but through the eyes of the commandant. What would you like to share with our listeners?   Brig. Gen. Marks 57:49 So, I would tell you and your listeners that the life of a cadet has changed and is going to change even more. So, I would start much more strategic and talk about this geo-strategically. Being in an era of great power competition, we recognize that because of who our competitor is, because of the advances that they have made, et cetera, it is incredibly important. It's critical for us to rethink how we do just about anything. Rethink how we train, how we develop, how we organize, how we employ force, how we sustain that employment of force, everything. At the Air Force Academy we're in a developmental business and so it's important for us to step back and ask ourselves, with no indictment on the past and the cadets and the lieutenants, rather that we have created and that we have graduated, but right now today, are we doing everything that we can to ensure that the lieutenants that we graduate are ready to lead on Day 1 and win ultimately, should deterrence fail in great power competition? In that deep dive, we have to explore some of the training techniques that we employ here and whether they are applicable on the outside and the force the greater force, or whether they are potentially creating a hazard of negative transfer, we have to ask ourselves whether some of the traditions that we enjoy, or that we have enjoyed here at the United States Air Force Academy, are appropriate for this day and age, send the wrong message, or are potentially harmful in terms of our culture and our climate. Deep diving into all those things, one of the things that I've come to the realization about is this: What I want to be able to do is ensure that a cadet that has graduated — and I know that I won't be here for four years, but assuming that I was — meeting a cadet on I-Day and walking with them through four years, I want to make sure that they feel like they got their money's worth from a military development perspective or military training perspective. And here's what I mean by that: Anecdotally, as I talked to cadets, hundreds of cadets, and talked about their journey at the Air Force Academy, one of the things that I found is that the institution and the curriculum challenged them as a four degree. I think that is universal. But I would also say, and I would imagine, that many of your listeners who are grads would agree that once you were out of your four-degree year, the institution allowed for it to be, if this was your desire, very easy for you to coast militarily, or, dare I say, potentially hide militarily. And I didn't want that. I wanted essentially the same level of rigor that is placed on you academically and the same level of rigor that is placed on you physically and athletically to be placed on you militarily. Said another way, the same sweaty palms that you get in anticipation of your GR are the same sweaty palms that you get in anticipation of your PFT. I want you to have an anticipation of your inspection, or an anticipation of your formation, or an anticipation of your knowledge test, et cetera, throughout your four years. And so, we have evolved our thinking and more importantly, our focus to developing across all four years with the same level of diligence and the same level of rigor that we placed in our fourth-class development. And so the moniker, or the catch phrase, the bumper sticker that we use is that we have transition from a focus on the fourth-class system, to a four-class system, where you can expect, as a rising three degree, or as a rising two degree, to be taught what we need you to do in terms of your military development, expectations and responsibilities, let loose to go practice those things, those supervisory skills, et cetera; assessed on those things, taught warfighting skills as well, that will prepare you for great power competition, et cetera, et cetera. And I can go into a lot more detail, but suffice it to say, this is a significant shift in how we've been operating, and it's a shift for the better, because this is what our nation needs. This is putting us in a better position to be ready on Day 1 to lead and to win on Day 1. So, I'm really excited about it.   Naviere Walkewicz That is exciting. Brig. Gen. Marks We're also bringing some rigor back into expectations about what it means to be a member of the Cadet Wing. So, in other words, we are increasing the number of formations. We are increasing the number of inspections. We are putting our money where our mouth is with respect to the fact that we say and rightly so, that we value character. We are now adding that too as a function of how we assess from a military performance average perspective, how we assess character, because it's so important, it's so critical. There are a lot of changes that are happening for the better, and these changes are going to affect not only the readiness of our cadets, but it's going to affect the culture of our Wing as well in a positive way. It's just going to take some time.   Naviere Walkewicz 1:04:00 That's outstanding. Do you see that trickling up as well into some of the officers that are involved in this, with you, and shaping the cadets — so the AOCs, also your AMTs, and how they're doing that? Is that part of this as well?     Brig. Gen. Marks 1:04:13 It is, and I'll be honest with you, I don't want to be short-sighted or to minimize the impact that the entire institution is going to have. Believe it or not, the touch points that our faculty have, our coaches and staff have, they are abundant, and we would be doing ourselves and our cadets a disservice if all of us in lockstep were — not attacking the problem, but weren't in this together in terms of this development and this approach that we're taking. And so we are. We absolutely are. The dean and I are classmates. We have a tremendous and positive relationship, same with the athletic director and the executive director of Athletics as well. And together we have coffee on a regular basis, and we share ideas and talk about our approaches so that we can together positively impact our cadets. So yes, it is an all-of-USAFA approach and an all-in approach.   Naviere Walkewicz 1:05:22 Absolutely love that. Well, I have two questions. I want to give them to you so you have a chance to think about. The first one being, you know, as a commandant, what keeps you up at night? I think that's something on the minds of our listeners. But then also, would you share maybe, what's something that you're so proud of that's happened since you've been here kind of under your leadership, and maybe something that you're not so proud of? And you can answer those however you'd like.   Brig. Gen. Marks 1:05:48 What keeps me up at night is the resilience of cadets. And let me explain that just a little bit. In no way is that an indictment of a generational thing; this generation of cadets is less. Not at all. It's me talking about human behavior and saying that our program is difficult, it's challenging, and individuals respond in different ways to that, and what keeps me up is an individual feeling like there is no way out. That bothers me a lot. It really, realy, really concerns me a tremendous amount. And so I spend a lot of time talking to our command teams about this and about the need for us to administratively ensure that we are being as efficient as possible when we adjudicate certain matters, because what we don't want to do is leave someone dangling in terms of decision making for months and months on end, because that exacerbates that problem and my concern. In terms of what I am most proud of — so, the jury is still out, but here's what I'll say: I'm very proud of a lot of things. I'm proud of the team we've assembled. I'm proud of the work that is being done at the Staff level. I'm proud of the work that our commanders and our AMTs are doing. Our commanders, our AOCs. I am also very proud of the partnership that we have across the installation. That partnership has enabled us to make a significant change to what is called the schedule of calls, the construct that defines how cadets, day to day, spend their time, essentially. We have made a significant change to it that enables us to provide a more professionalized delivery of commissioning education. It has allowed for us to provide some white space in cadets lives, significant white space. It has allowed for us to build in time for unit fitness. Unit fitness being the operative phrase there, because the unit is so important and developing that cohesion is so important. It ha

A PCS or Permanent Change of Station impacts every part of your life, including your finances and jobs. Understanding the basics of PCSing can help you avoid costly mistakes and maybe make some money on it.  In this episode, Kate Horrell breaks down the financial basics of a PCS, the allowances provided by the DoD for your move, and advice to make everything go smoother.  Kate is an Accredited Financial Counselor®, Chartered Financial Consultant®, Military Qualified Financial Professional, and founder of Kings High Media. She creates personal finance content that helps our military and veteran community make the most of their pay and benefits. In addition to being a financial expert, Kate knows a thing or two about being a military spouse and PCSing. She's been married to a now-retired sailor for 30 years, corralling four girls and two cats across four OCONUS tours and a handful of homes in the US. Show notes and resources: https://milmo.co/podcast/pcsing

Rewind with us to a stellar episode as Kevin chats with military spouse and top Airbnb host, Kaitlyn Dannhardt! Kaitlyn shares her secrets to building a dream team and thriving in real estate while TDYing or PCSing. Tune in to discover how Kaitlyn and her husband achieve short-term rental success—even from afar—and how you can start your own journey! Don't miss this invaluable episode packed with insights for remote investing!"I wanna give people that permission to try it out; get your feet wet; have a trial run. You don't have to be perfect – you're not going to be. Accept that and accept that it's a learning experience and then have fun!"-Kaitlyn DannhardtHere are 5 Key Takeaways from this episode:Pivoting When Things Don't Work Out As PlannedWhat Makes a Competitive AirBnB Home?Kaitlyn's AirBnB Deal BreakdownTax Incentives of AirBnBsAirBnB Systems to Facilitate SuccessHonorable Mentions & Useful LinksThe Disciplined Pursuit of LessConnect with KaitlynEmailDo you want to join a community of like-minded Military Real Estate Investors offering real estate education that actually works while celebrating camaraderie, and competition, and fostering a spirit of support? Introducing ADPI Campus™ - the premiere platform and online space for Military Real Estate Investors worldwide! Podcast listeners can JOIN ADPI CAMPUS FOR FREE now and get in on the action! Helpful ResourcesConnect with the ADPI: Facebook |  Instagram | YouTubePlease Subscribe, Rate, & Review on Apple PodcastsThanks for tuning in to this week's episode of the Active Duty Passive Income Podcast! If the information shared in these weekly interviews has inspired you to pursue your dreams of financial independence, please do me a personal favor and head over to Apple Podcasts, subscribe to our show, and leave us a 5-star review.Support the Show.

Hear from experienced PCSers about the financial side of military moves and how to avoid pitfalls to reduce stress. Learn about understanding entitlements for different types of moves, what to keep in mind when PCSing overseas, practical matters to consider and the importance of making good memories along the way. Host Bruce Moody speaks with three veterans of military moves: Andy Cohen, Jennifer Walker and Josie Beets. The guests have 27 moves among them and two are preparing for their next PCS. They share their experiences and lessons learned along the way. Visit Military OneSource at https://www.militaryonesource.mil/moving-pcs/ to learn about the resources and support available to service members and families. Bruce Moody is a public affairs specialist with the office of Military Community and Family Policy. Share your feedback about this podcast as well as ideas for future episodes by visiting the Military OneSource Podcasts Feedback Form at https://public.militaryonesource.mil/podcast-feedback. The Military OneSource Podcast series is an official resource of the Defense Department. For more information, visit MilitaryOneSource.mil or call 800-342-9647. Military OneSource is your 24/7 connection to information, answers and support to help you reach your goals, overcome challenges and thrive.

On the Available Worldwide podcast, we want to highlight the inspiring stories of the accompanying partners of the Foreign Service. But, we don't want to hide the very real challenges that many spouses face. In this interview for Pride month, you'll hear Maciej Szumny share some of the challenges he has faced as a same-sex partner and foreign-born spouse. You'll be inspired by Maciej's resilience, optimism, and adaptability. And he's a great storyteller!Maciej also shares important, actionable advice for other spouses who leave their home countries to join diplomatic spouses moving from post to post. .BIOBorn and raised in Warsaw, Poland, Maciej Szumny had a successful career working in Public Relations and Marketing for big international companies like Nike and Reebok. He was a published poet and a writer, cooperating with different lifestyle magazines in Poland and the UK.One day he met his future husband who was posted to the U.S. Embassy in Warsaw. They fell in love, and Maciej decided to leave everything behind to start a new life as a diplomatic spouse.Maciej has lived in Praia, Cabo Verde, Montreal, Canada, and Washington DC, where he became the number-one seller of the luxury line of Armani fragrances in the United States.Maciej was most recently living in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, where he took care of his family of six, including four canine members. He also spent time saving the lives of homeless animals, earning him the nickname Saint Maciej of Assisi.Maciej and his spouse are currently PCSing back to Washington D.C. where Maciej is open to new professional opportunities. ..AW SPONSOR: DIPLODASHThis episode is sponsored by DiploDashAre you struggling to figure out how you will survive PCS? If sorting your shipments, planning logistics, and managing pack-out days wakes you from a deep sleep, DiploDash® can help!When you hire DiploDash to support your PCS, you get a partner in the process. We have been there -- overwhelmed by the packers swirling around us while battling decision fatigue. We've also struggled with PCS amnesia and the strong desire to pretend like it isn't really happening.Working with DiploDash you have an advocate supporting you through your move. You don't have to go it alone!Get the PCS help you want. Contact DiploDash to schedule a complimentary call today.www.DiploDash.comhttps://www.facebook.com/diplodashservicehttps://www.instagram.com/diplodash/

Learn what the Defense Department and the Air Force's Air Mobility Command are doing to provide care, comfort and safety when moving your pets during a PCS. You will learn about steps to take to ensure pet health prior to the move, in addition to how the DOD defines a pet, breeds that qualify for moving assistance as well as breeds with added health risks, and details of the pet reimbursement policy for both CONUS and OCONUS moves. Host Bruce Moody speaks with Angela Delauter, logistics management specialist for Air Passenger Movement and Fleet Service Policy Branch, and Major Jose Hinojosa, action officer, Headquarters Air Mobility Command Commander's Action Group. Visit Military OneSource's PCS and Military Moves landing page at https://www.militaryonesource.mil/moving-pcs/plan-to-move/pcs-and-military-moves/ to learn about the resources and support available to help make your next move a smooth one. Find additional information about moving pets at https://www.militaryonesource.mil/moving-pcs/plan-to-move/moving-with-pets/. Bruce Moody is a public affairs specialist with the office of Military Community and Family Policy. Share your feedback about this podcast as well as ideas for future episodes by visiting the Military OneSource Podcasts Feedback Form at https://public.militaryonesource.mil/podcast-feedback. The Military OneSource Podcast series is an official resource of the Defense Department. For more information, visit MilitaryOneSource.mil or call 800-342-9647. Military OneSource is your 24/7 connection to information, answers and support to help you reach your goals, overcome challenges and thrive.

Reece and May found out they were PCSing to Alaska from Texas. Listen to them share their journey through Canada with multiple dogs and hear what they think about living in Alaska after their first winter. Jamin Goecker ⁠⁠Contact Jamin: ⁠⁠https://jgoecker.kw.com/contact⁠⁠⁠⁠ Monthly Meetup Group: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/groups/13090...⁠⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn: / jamingoecker Instagram: / jamin_goecker Podcast: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://anchor.fm/jamin-goecker⁠⁠⁠⁠ App: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://jgoecker.kw.com/myapp⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook: / gojaminrealestate Keller Williams Realty Alaska Group

On the 3rd anniversary of the Available Worldwide Podcast, we chat with co-host Lauren Steed about her small business, Nomad Educational Services. Lauren shares how her students are changing, how she's adapting, and what she's learned more about the value she adds in the process. We also touch on the stress of PCSing while running a business, plus the AW Podcast and Network. .BIO Dr. Lauren Steed has over 20 years of experience in test prep, classroom and college teaching, and student mentorship at all levels of education.She started Nomad Educational Services in 2017, building on past work as a college prep consultant and executive functioning coach in Northern Virginia, and as a freelance writing and essay coach for expat undergraduate and graduate student applicants.Dr. Steed works with families looking for a low-stress, high-confidence mentoring approach for their college-bound students. Families can feel confident that their student:will be fully supported along their path to college,will apply to schools that match their academic history and interests and will help them succeed, andwill submit applications they are proud of.Nomad Educational students apply to all kinds of schools —  from the Ivy League to art school, from hands-on, career-focused schools to those specializing in the classics, from small and supportive to massive and athletic, and every type and size of school in between. All of Dr. Steed's students are excited about the schools where they end up. Find out more about Nomad Educational Services: nomad-ed.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/lauren-steed-phd/https://www.facebook.com/NomadEdServices/.This episode is sponsored by the Available Worldwide Network.Are you looking for a safe and supportive online community where you can connect with other Foreign Service spouses who just get it?The Available Worldwide Network is a community-led platform providing professional development, personal connection, and social support for the accompanying partners of the US Foreign Service.Our goal is to help EFMs and MOHs who are trying to maintain or build careers abroad or at home to feel connected, valued, and empowered; to share our challenges and celebrate our successes, and to work together to find solutions through solidarity. You can join the Available Worldwide Network today to participate in co-working sessions, LinkedIn and resume workshops, professional development book clubs, small business masterminds, and monthly member match-ups to expand your network.Find all you need to know at https://availableworldwide.net/available-worldwide-network/ 

Empowering Military Spouses with Financial Education: A Comprehensive Guide  This episode of the Waiting Warriors Podcast features Michelle Bowler and guest Lizanne Lightfoot, the seasoned spouse and representative of Go VA, discussing the unique financial challenges and opportunities military families face. The conversation covers the importance of budgeting, how to effectively manage finances despite the unpredictable military life, and introduces Go VA's digital platform, The Edge, designed to empower military couples through free, comprehensive financial education. From assessing money personalities to setting financial goals and utilizing neutral tools for budgeting and planning, this episode provides invaluable insights and practical advice for military spouses seeking financial stability and growth. Check out THE EDGE: https://mygova.com/ Get more Waiting Warriors content and resources: https://www.instagram.com/thewaitingwarriors/ TIMESTAMPS 00:00 Introduction to Financial Empowerment for Military Spouses 01:41 Meet the Expert: Lizanne Lightfoot, The Seasoned Spouse 03:18 The Unique Financial Challenges of Military Life 07:31 Practical Tips for Budgeting and Financial Planning For Military Spouses 13:23 Leveraging Tools for Financial Education and Empowerment During Deployments and PCSing 27:03 Setting Financial Goals and Building a Strong Partnership as a Military Couple 36:46 Conclusion: Empowerment For Military Couples Through Education

Today KateLynn talks to Daniel Taylor from DTV. Daniel is a military spouse living in Germany. Realizing how overwhelming the process of moving OCONUS can be, he decided to start a business to help others. Using his content creator background, he now has a top rated blog at http://www.dtvdanieltelevision.com complete with videos and content to cover all things pcsing to Europe. The post MMP #1030: PCSing to Europe? DTV is there for you. first appeared on Mission: Milspouse.

Today KateLynn talks to Daniel Taylor from DTV. Daniel is a military spouse living in Germany. Realizing how overwhelming the process of moving OCONUS can be, he decided to start a business to help others. Using his content creator background, he now has a top rated blog at http://www.dtvdanieltelevision.com complete with videos and content to cover all things pcsing to Europe. The post MMP #1030: PCSing to Europe? DTV is there for you. first appeared on Mission: Milspouse.

In our newest episode, Executive Director Juliana gets to spend time with the PCS Homegirls Tracey Greene + Annie Pepoon. Get ready as they talk about the upcoming PCS season and provide you with tips for buying and selling houses.  They will share their top reasons why hiring a qualified vetted agent is a MUST if you are PCSing this season.  Protecting, educating, and supporting other military families is a no brainer in our world - so we strive to help provide these free services to help our people! The post MMP# 1026: PCS Homegirls first appeared on Mission: Milspouse.

In our newest episode, Executive Director Juliana gets to spend time with the PCS Homegirls Tracey Greene + Annie Pepoon. Get ready as they talk about the upcoming PCS season and provide you with tips for buying and selling houses.  They will share their top reasons why hiring a qualified vetted agent is a MUST if you are PCSing this season.  Protecting, educating, and supporting other military families is a no brainer in our world - so we strive to help provide these free services to help our people! The post MMP# 1026: PCS Homegirls first appeared on Mission: Milspouse.

Earlier this week I went LIVE inside our Facebook community to talk about setting goals for the year. I'm a big believer in NOT relying on January 1 as a goal start date. It's never too late to set some goals and create your intentions for the year. In this training, I share my personal annual planning process and how it's possible to have your Best Year Yet, even if… Even if you are PCSing this year Even if your spouse will be gone more than their home Even if you have a major life event that happens At the end of the day it's less about whether we achieved our big hairy audacious goals, and more about how we showed up and WHO we become in the process. This training will only be left up through the end of the month, so make sure you listen before it's GONE FOR GOOD. Better Together, Christine   MENTIONS Free Annual Goal Setting Workbook (Only Available for A Limited Time) Milspouse Purpose Playbook: Discover Who You Are Meant to Be (40% OFF through JAN 31)   RESOURCES Free Milspouse Community Free Unstuck Coaching Session Free Clarity Workshop What Matters Most Worksheet Design a Life You Love Assessment Leave a Show Review

As a military spouse, it can be tempting to play small…to set small goals…or to not set goals at all. Perhaps you are PCSing this year, or you know your spouse will be gone a lot, or your kids are at an age where it feels impossible to pursue any of your own passions.   Of course, there will be challenges and obstacles that get in the way of you pursuing your goals. In fact, you might not achieve your goals. And you might feel discouraged or defeated. So does that mean you shouldn't set goals?   In this episode we're talking about whether it makes sense to set goals for your season of life, what happens when you don't set goals, and what I think you should do instead. Can't wait to unpack this with you! Better Together, Christine   MENTIONS Free LIVE Training on How to Create Your Best Year Yet as a Military Spouse on JAN 17 inside the Free Milspouse Community.   RESOURCES Free Unstuck Coaching Session Free Clarity Workshop Milspouse Purpose Playbook: Discover Who You Are Meant to Be What Matters Most Worksheet Design a Life You Love Assessment Leave a Show Review

Hear how to help military families find homes on today's Real Estate Rockstars podcast with Ayren Pfeifer. Ayren is a real estate expert who has over a decade of experience working with military home buyers. She explains VA loans, shares why service members should not sell when PCSing, and more. Ayren and Shelby also discuss systems and how to run a real estate business remotely. Links: Ayren's Job Forum for Military Spouses Group Follow Ayren Pfeifer on Instagram Follow Aaron Amuchastegui on Instagram Learn More About Shelby and Five Pillars Nation Get Hundreds of FREE Real Estate Tools From the Toolbox

We are rounding out our Holiday Mil Spouse Shop series with Emily from Thriving Homefront.Emily is a Navy wife and mom of 2 littles who was looking for a little more after leaving her teaching career to stay home with their kids. Like so many of us do while our spouses are deployed, Emily picked up a new hobby and taught herself to sew on a sewing machine.She started to make headbands for her and her daughters and people kept asking about them, so she opened up a shop and took off running!Emily had a lot of success early on with being connected with a subscription box company and talks about the trials and tribulations of wholesale orders and volume and difficulty finding material during the pandemic.Thriving Homefront has lots of holiday themed items for you to check out! Hair accessories make great teacher gifts and stocking stuffers!We then shift gears quite a bit to talk about potential PCSing, and orders changing mis PCS, that challenges of being on a flight schedule and having such limited time with your spouse and the effects all of those things have on home based businesses.This past year Emily decided to homeschool her kiddos. We talk about that decision and what homeschooling looks like for them. Emily also shares an amazing program if you are a FL resident and homeschooling where you can get up to $8000/per year per kid in financial assistance!Connect with Emily on Instagram @thrivinghomefrontVisit her website: www.thrivinghomefront.comhttps://view.flodesk.com/pages/63e17c34781752946ff2b424 Support the showI so appreciate you listening to the show!If you wouldn't mind leaving a rating and review I would really appreciate it!!Check out The Ultimate Do It Yourself or DITY guide for FREE!Podcasting is a labor of love for sure! I would love your support! Subscribe to the show HERE! To get in touch with Alison with questions or potential topics or guests please email themilspousepodcast@gmail.com Follow us on IG @themilspousepodcast And please check out our website! www.themilspousepodcast.com

There's never been a better time to elevate your skills and your business. With so many tools at our disposal, we can increase our visibility and become thought leaders in our marketplace. But first, we have to get out of lurk-and-learn mode and into learn-and-implement mode.    How did I turn a “no” into a huge leap forward in my business? What measures did I put in place to manage my mental health during the pandemic?    In this episode, I'm joined in the hot seat by seasoned real estate veteran, Tamara Inzunza, as we cover how to equip yourself for success in 2022 and beyond.      Three Things You'll Learn In This Episode    - How to start our day in action mode  It's so easy to scroll ourselves out of productivity. Is it possible to make our time on social media more productive?    - The importance of creating connections away from our local markets How do we get the transaction in our local market and still get a referral from another market?    - The real story behind Six-Figures in Twelve Months How did one “no” inspire me to make one of my biggest dreams come true?     Guest Bio   Tamara Inzunza is a seasoned veteran in real estate. Licensed in 1997, Tamara earned her Associate  Broker's license in 2006. For the past 24 years, she has been committed to learning while building her real estate business. As a RE/MAX agent for 15 years, she earned 100% Club and Platinum Club status multiple years, securing a place in the RE/MAX Hall of Fame.   Tamara earned the Certified Residential Specialist (CRS) designation in 2003 and has served as the regional representative for the  Northern Virginia chapter. Locally, she volunteers with the Northern Virginia Association of Realtors  (NVAR), serving on the Grievance Committee and on the Education Advisory Group. She also serves on the Economic Advisory Group for the Virginia Association of Realtors (VAR).   Tamara is currently the Vice President of Education and Training at Realty One Group Capital in Alexandria VA. As a Virginia Housing  Certified Trainer, she has built a successful business helping first-time homebuyers in addition to serving active-duty military and veterans who are PCSing to the area as a Military Relocation Professional (MRP).   Tamara holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Computer Information Systems from James  Madison University. Presently, she is committed to helping the agents in Realty One Group unleash their potential and grow their business.   For more information, visit http://www.movingtonova.com and follow @therealtamzoo on Instagram.

This summer we're taking a break from interviews to bring you a series of themed episodes especially relevant to newly minted EFMs — spouses whose partners have just joined the Foreign Service or who are about to be posted abroad for the first time.You'll hear from your hosts—Lauren Steed and Stephanie Anderson—as well as from a smattering of other accompanying partners who left voicemails to share their own advice..Summer Special #3: PCS PlanningIn this episode of our summer advice column series, Lauren and Steph delve into the topic of PCS (permanent change of station) moves in the Foreign Service lifestyle.We discuss staying organized, researching activities, making connections, and the importance of community support. We reflect on our own experiences and offer advice on flexibility and embracing the adventure of PCSing. And whether you're an "Excel monster" or a relaxed "wine mom," we want to remind you that it's okay to cry.

James joins us this week/month/episode. We talk a bit about shifting fitness goals as we age and James' coaching services. We spend a good amount of time talking about the future of CronusFit and upcoming plans (we're still working on the app). 1:00 - fireworks are triggering 5:00 - competition mentality 15:00 - Army talk (APFT/ACFT, PCSing, recruiting) 25:00 - nutrition and coaching 35:00 - changing fitness goals 40:00 - future CronusFit plans 1:00:00 - transitioning from active duty 1:10:00 - books and warhammer

When the empowering VBAC experience she envisioned took a hostile and combative turn, Carlise knew she needed to change birth locations immediately. Though signing an AMA was not something she thought she would ever have to do, Carlise found the strength to fight for the birth she deserved. Her thorough research and supportive husband and doula gave her the confidence to not tolerate a doctor's inappropriate behavior.Meagan shares the pros and cons regarding AMA forms to help you feel educated if you find yourself in a situation similar to Carlise. While it was extremely difficult, leaving that first hospital during labor was ultimately what allowed Carlise to have her beautiful, unmedicated VBAC!Additional LinksCarlise's InstagramAMA ArticleHow to VBAC: The Ultimate Prep Course for ParentsThe VBAC Link Facebook CommunityFull Transcript under Episode DetailsMeagan: Hello, hello. You are listening to The VBAC Link and we have another story for you today. We have our friend Carlise and she is from all over the place but she is in Texas currently. This is where you had your VBAC. In Texas?Carlise: Yeah, so both of my pregnancies have been here in El Paso, Texas. Meagan: Perfect. She had a VBAC in Texas and she had a wild journey kind of similar to a month or two ago, I want to say maybe it was Morgan where she had to sign an AMA and leave while in active labor. We are going to talk a little bit about AMAs today as well in addition to her VBAC because it's something that we don't talk about a ton. If you don't know what AMA is, it's against medical advice. That is a form that we would have to sign to pretty much say that we are leaving against medical advice but sometimes we are put in situations– and I'll share a story that I've been to as a doula– where we feel that we have to sign these AMAs. Review of the WeekIn this situation, you signed the AMA and went on to another hospital and had a VBAC and a different experience. So we'll talk a little bit about AMAs but first, we have a Review of the Week as always. Just a reminder, if you haven't left a review, we would love your review. You can leave it on Apple Podcasts or on Google. You can just search for The VBAC Link on Google. You can email us at info@thevbaclink.com or wherever you listen to your podcasts. We love your reviews. This is from runnervt. It says, “This podcast helped me get my VBAC.” It says, “I started listening to The VBAC Link to process my Cesarean due to breech presentation. It helped so much to hear women put into words all that I had thought and felt. Then I listened to it in preparation for my VBAC. Today, 8/7/22 and there were times I thought that my VBAC was slipping away but I was able to be prepared and get a little lucky and pushed out my 9-pound baby in 48 minutes with no tearing!” It says, “Thank you so much. Talk about the feeling of being superhuman. Thank you so much, Julie and Meagan.”I love that, superhuman. You are all superhumans. Birth is just so wild. Wouldn't you agree, Carlise? It is such a crazy experience but it is so amazing. It is so beautiful. It is crazy to think about how different births can be. Carlise: 100%. It's crazy. Meagan: Between one baby to another or say you have five babies and you're like, “Yeah, this has been the same.” I have a friend who has had her 5th baby. She was like, “Okay. I have had easy peasy births” and all of these things, and her 5th baby was a Cesarean. She was like, “That came out of left field.” It was a whole crazy thing. She was really sick and baby was really tangled in her cord. But yeah. It's wild. It's wild to think just how the unexpected can happen so I think it's so important to listen to stories just like the one that we are going to be sharing today and all of the stories on the podcast so you can get a better grasp and understanding of childbirth, how it looks, the interventions, and all of the things that can happen in childbirth. Sometimes it's really hard to listen to those Cesarean stories for sure because you're not wanting another Cesarean or if you're a first-time mom listening to the podcast which we do have first-time parents listening to the podcast, it's hard to want to listen to those because it's not what you're preparing for or it's not what you think would ever happen but like 90% of us on this podcast, we didn't think a Cesarean would happen either so it's so, so, so important for us to learn all of the ways birth can come at us. We are going to get to your story but I would love to know if you have anything that you would like to add in the beginning of advice to the parents listening. Carlise: I think just doing as much research as you can possibly do and know that you may have some pushback in getting your VBAC or the birth that you want in general. But be confident in that research and also share that with your spouse or your support. Let them know, “Hey, this can happen or these are choices that we might have to make,” so that everybody's educated and everybody goes in the room knowing what can happen because anything can prep for all of it but you've got it and it'll be fine. Meagan: Yeah. Yep. I love it.Carlise's StoriesMeagan: Okay. Well, we are going to get into this story but first, I just want to quickly introduce you a little bit more. We talked about how you are in Texas but you are from a small town in Missouri where you met your husband right after high school which is so awesome. You have been married for six years. You've lived in Alabama, Germany, and now Texas. You are a stay-at-home-mama providing stability for your girls. You have the two girls. What are their ages?Carlise: My oldest daughter is two and we just had Amelia last month so they are almost exactly two years apart. Meagan: Two years apart. That is so awesome. Your husband is an Active Duty Pilot?Carlise: Yes. He flies Apaches.Meagan: Yes. That's so awesome. That's really, really cool. I am so grateful to you for being with us today and I would love to turn the time over to you to share your VBAC story. Carlise: All right. My first pregnancy was super uncomplicated. There weren't any issues throughout the entire time. We actually got pregnant in Germany and then when we were PCSing or moving back to the States, I was 17 weeks. We didn't have any issues. Then we got to about 34 weeks and baby was breech. They were like, “No, no. It's good. It's good. Baby can flip, whatever.” I'm over here planning my vaginal birth, no problem. I have all this research done and then 35 weeks, still breech. 36 weeks, yep. Still breech. They gave me all of the things. ECV, moxibustion, Spinning Babies, and chiropractic care, but it was right in the middle of COVID so I couldn't do chiropractic care. I couldn't do acupuncture. I tried all of the things but she just wanted to be like a little taco. She was my little frank breech baby. We scheduled a C-section for 40 weeks. She wanted to come at 38+4 so we had gone in because I had a very, very slow leak. It was slow enough to where I was like, “Okay. Is this my water? Is it not my water?” Yeah. Sure enough. So when we got in, we had to wait a few hours because I had eaten that morning. We had a pretty uncomplicated C-section. The spinal took multiple different tries so that was horrible. The drain was at my collarbone so I didn't get skin-to-skin after. All of the medication just made me super foggy and I straight up don't remember the first two hours of my daughter's life. I don't remember latching her for the first time. It's still really rough because that's not the experience I wanted at all. Meagan: Right. Carlise: So when I got pregnant again 14 months later, honestly I walked into it a little naive because when I had done my research for my first pregnancy, I knew I wanted that vaginal birth. I had seen information on VBAC a lot actually when I was doing some of my research. I just kept seeing that it was a good thing. It was recommended by ACOG or whatever so I just thought that that was normal. Meagan: You didn't even question it. You're like, “Okay, great.”Carlise: I didn't even think about it. When I was trying to make my appointment on post because we have Tricare Prime and you have to be seen on post. They were like, “Yeah, no. We can't get you in until you're 17 weeks pregnant.” I was like, “No. That's not going to work.” They pushed me into the network off post and that's actually kind of what I wanted but little did I know, the military hospital is the most VBAC friendly. I didn't know that at the time. I had chosen an OB that everybody was like, “He's great. He's so good.” I was like, “Awesome.” At my first appointment with him, he sounded so supportive. He was like, “Yeah. You sound like a really good candidate.” He looked at my OP report. I was feeling really good about it. Then every consecutive appointment with him, I think I had three legit appointments, he just kept saying, “C-section this. C-section that. Whenever you want to schedule a C-section–” and I'm like, “Yeah. I have a sneaking suspicion that this is going to be a bait and switch here.” Meagan: Which is a terrible feeling. It's not a fun feeling when you're like, “Why is everything switching?” Carlise: Especially when he sounded so supportive, it was so disappointing, and then having to switch at 20 weeks, you're like, “Okay, great.” Then, the anatomy scan that he did was literally less than five minutes. We both know that is not an anatomy scan. He pointed out major features. He didn't look at the spine. He didn't look at the heart. He didn't look at any of these things. I was just feeling so uncomfortable with my care so I was like, “Yeah, no. I think I'm going to be done.” I was interviewing doulas and my doula had asked where this doctor delivered. I told her. The two hospitals that he delivers at have the highest rate of C-sections in the area as well as really, really bad reputations for episiotomies. Hearing her stories from being a doula at those hospitals was not great. I was like, “Okay, yeah. No, I'm going to switch now.” I talked to her about where she recommended and she's like, “Honestly, on post. If you can get back on post, that's going to be the most recommended but if you can't,” which I wasn't able to, the university hospital was going to be the second best place to get the VBAC. I switched my care. My pregnancy was super uncomplicated again. At the university, I never saw the same doctor which I really didn't want but I was just like, “Whatever. I'm going to do this whether or not I have a supportive provider, so it's good. You're just here to give me prenatal care.” They were definitely more tolerant than fully supportive. They kept saying at every single appointment, “You're going to get an epidural, right? You're going to get an epidural.” I was like, “No.” They're like, “Okay, well it's just in case.” I hear that a lot.  But no, I'm planning on going unmedicated. They just kind of left it. Then we got to about 38 weeks and my doula had called me. She's like, “Hey, I just had a horrible experience at UMC. The nurses were really pushing back at everything that this first-time mom had wanted.” They didn't treat her well and it just sounded super, super iffy. She's like, “We can obviously still go. I just want you to be prepared that it might be something that we could encounter.” The whole time, I was like, “I just want to go to the military hospital.” I had my daughter there. I was really comfortable with the staff. I really liked their care. So I was like, “You know what? We're just going to go to the military hospital in labor.” She was like, “Okay, cool. Sounds good.” So that's what we ended up trying. One day before 40 weeks, I went into labor super early in the morning. It was 1:30 in the morning. They were very odd contractions. It was like a rollercoaster for 24 hours. They started at ten minutes apart and then six but they would bounce around. They weren't consistent at all. That just happened forever. I was just like, “I just want to be done.”Meagan: You're like, “I'm tired.” Carlise: I was so tired. I was trying all of the things like the Miles circuit and curb walking, playing with my daughter, and trying to rest. Nothing was working. My doula was like, “Do you think it's a mental block? Do you think there's something?” I was like, “No, I feel good. The TENS unit is amazing.” I baked a cake while I was in labor. I was just like, “I don't understand.” She's like, “You've got this. It's fine. It's going to progress. Just try to rest as much as you can.” Then it was at 40 weeks at 1:30 in the morning that we started progressing a lot quicker. I was at 6 centimeters and I was like, “Yeah, I'm going to call the doula.” My husband ended up calling and while he was on the phone with her, they were just getting really, really intense. He was like, “Yeah. I think we're ready for you to come.” She started making her way. It was about a 45-minute drive. At about halfway for her, she calls and she's like, “You know, Carli sounded like she was ready to go. Is she progressing?” Doug was like, “Yeah. It's getting serious.” She's like, “Okay. Let's just meet at the military hospital. Let's meet there. I'll meet you at the parking lot.” We go ahead and make our way over there. It's about a 15-minute drive so it's not too bad. She gets there at the exact same time that we do. The doula had also let the hospital know that we were on our way. They were already expecting us. When we got to the L&D, the nurses took me back. They did all of the normal blood pressure. They hooked me up to the monitors. They asked me why I had decided to go to the military hospital in labor. I gave them my whole explanation and they were like, “Yeah. Okay, sounds good.” They were super nice and very supportive. I had also taken all of my labs with me, the GBS strep results, and all of the things as well as printed out my post-OP report for them to have as quick and easy access. Meagan: Which as a side note is always good to have even if you're not planning on going to another hospital because you never know if a precipitous labor happens or anything but it's really nice and usually providers enjoy having that. It brings comfort. Carlise: Yes so that's why we brought it. They also had seen that I had been in triage two weeks before because my daughter wasn't moving as much. I decided to go there so that way they could check the baby and also have me in the system already. I had talked to a doctor as well about coming there in labor. They asked me all of the things like if I knew the risks and benefits of VBAC, just took some medical history, and were very supportive. They were like, “Yeah, absolutely. We don't mind you coming here in labor at all.” I felt so confident. I felt so confident going in. The nurses had been like, “Okay, cool. Sounds good. Are you wanting an epidural? Are you wanting an IV?” I was like, “No. I don't want an epidural. I just want a heplock. I've been able to keep down fluids and everything so I'm not having any issues with that. I just want a heplock.” They were like, “Cool.” So very supportive and nice nurses.They were like, “Okay. We're going to get your support.” They went and got my doula and my husband and then they did a cervical check. At this point, my contractions were three minutes apart and very consistent. When they checked me, I was at 4 centimeters, 90% effaced, and -1 station. Baby was still up there a little bit. They also noticed some decels on the monitor. I was on my back and I was so incredibly uncomfortable. My daughter did not want me on my back. Every time I was on my back, it was awful. We had asked the nurses if that was a possibility and they were like, “Yes, but you bought your ticket for admission because of those decels.” We're like, “Okay, no problem.” We were expecting to get admitted anyways. So then the nurses were like, “Okay, we're going to get the doctor but I want you to know that he's very military.” My husband, my doula, and I are looking at each other and we're like, “Hmm. That's a weird way to describe a doctor. Okay.”We were just expecting very blunt and very upfront. While we were waiting, I was just so uncomfortable so I got up beside the bed by the nurses' station and was just rocking. I was having a really hard time with my contractions at this point. My doula came up behind me and gave me hip compressions. Then the doctor comes in. He doesn't introduce himself. He's not like, “Hi, how are you guys doing?” Literally nothing. He goes over to the doula and just goes, “And who are you?” The doula introduces herself and he's just going on and on about how she's in the way. He's yelling at her like, “You're in my way. You can't be in my way. You can't be in front of medical equipment.” She's just helping me with a contraction so he's not even recognizing or caring at all that I'm having contractions and that I'm in pain and she's trying to help me. He's just more concerned that she's in the way. So then she moves beside the bed and he looks at her and goes, “After the exam, we're going to have a chat.” We're like, “What is with this dude? Why is he being so aggressive?” So then the first thing that he says to me again just in a very disrespectful tone is, “Why are you here?” I'm like, “What a weird question to ask someone in labor.” I was like, “I'm in labor.” He goes, “No. Why are you at this facility when none of your prenatal care has been here at all?” The nurse was trying to tell him because again, I'm having contractions pretty often but no. He wanted all of the answers from me. He was just being so aggressive and I told him the whole explanation that I had already told the nurses. I also mentioned, “You're being really, really combative. You're making me uncomfortable.” He's like, “You know, I'm not trying to. That's not my intention, but you need to understand the position that you're putting me and this hospital in by changing your care at 40 weeks.” I was like, “Okay. I'm sorry, but I'm already here.” He just goes on for 30 minutes about how we're putting him in a precarious position and we need to understand this. We need to understand that. We don't have your records. I was like, “Dude, I brought you all of my labs. I brought you my post-op. What else do you want? What else do you need?” Again, he just keeps going on and on. Eventually, my husband was just like, “Okay, man. What do you need from us? Do I need to go to the other hospital and get your records? Can you request the records or can we just move on because we are getting nowhere?” The doctor was just like, “You need to understand.” I was just like, “Dude, we get it. We understand.” After that, he was like, “Okay, well I need to see if you are intact” which is a very weird way to say that he needs to check my waters. For some reason, I just had the fog. I knew that it was a swab. My doula was like, “It's okay. It's just a swab. They're just going to swab you to see if your water broke. It's not a big deal.” The nurses are like, “We're pretty sure that her water hasn't broken yet.” He's like, “No. I need to check myself.” So they're prepping the swab and then my doula hears him ask the nurse for lubricant. I could have sworn that he said something about a speculum but I'm not sure about that. My doula was like, “Hey, Carli. Do you consent to a cervical exam?” I was like, “Wait, no. No, no. I do not consent. I just had one not even ten minutes ago. So, no.” So then the doctor starts yelling at the doula again and saying, “Stop. You don't give medical advice.” Then I'm having a contraction and he's accusing her of making medical decisions, of moving me before the doctor came in the room, but he didn't like that I was beside the bed standing up. He thought that she did that. So then after the contraction, I was like, “Dude, no. She's only acting on my behalf when I have asked her to do something. You really need to back off. No. I do not consent to a cervical exam.” So then he explains why he wants to do a medical exam. Meagan: Again, you had just had one not long ago. Carlise: Right, exactly. Meagan: A little backstory, guys. I was reading this story on social media and I remember when I was reading this, I was like, “Why? Why? Why?” Every time, in my head, I'm like, “Why do we need to do this? Why do we need to do this? They just did this.” I was putting myself in your situation. Carlise: It was so aggravating. The fact that he was prepping the cervical check without talking to me first. The doula had to mention it. You're like, “Okay, that's a super big red flag. Thank you for letting me know,” because if she wasn't there, my husband would have no idea. So he explains why he wants to do a cervical check again and I'm like, “No. I don't want a cervical check.” So then he goes and sits down, stops prepping any exam at all, and he's like, “I'm a really good doctor but I need to be able to do my job.” I'm like, “Dude. I already said that you could do the swab to check my water. I'm not refusing your care. I just don't want a cervical exam.” He's like, “No. You're refusing my care. I have to do both in order to–”Meagan: Make an assessment. Carlise: Make a decision. I was like, “Okay. I'm really uncomfortable with your insistence here. I want a new doctor. You're not listening to me. You don't seem to care that I'm having contractions every three minutes. I want a new doctor.” He goes, “There isn't one.” I'm like, “What?” He's like, “Yeah. I'm it.” So then the doula was like, “Okay. There has to be somebody on call. Can you go ahead and call them in?” So then he says, “Stop” again to her and says, “I do not engage with you.” I was like, “Okay. I'm going to repeat the question. Can you call the person who's on call please?” He was like, “No, there isn't anybody on call. It's just me. The next provider doesn't get in until 8:00 AM.” At this point, it's around 4:00ish. I was like, “Okay. Can I just labor with the nurses? Because you're not touching me.” Meagan: And the nurses were being so great. Carlise: They kept trying to interject and answer questions for me but he wanted the answers from me. At that point, I was like, “Okay, dude. Just get out. Everybody needs to leave. I need to talk to my doula and my husband.” They go ahead and leave. I'm like, “Okay. I don't know what to do.” I'm freaking out. My doula was like, “It's okay. You're fine. We can stay here and deal with this dude. We can go ahead and just leave and go home. Your contractions are probably going to slow down since we're dealing with this or we can go straight to the other hospital.” I was like, “Okay. Let's definitely just leave. I'm done.” We told him that we were leaving and he just seemed shocked. Meagan: I'm sure. Carlise: Just completely shocked. I was just like, “No. We're leaving.” So then they were like, “You have to sign out AMA then.” I was like, “Cool. I'll go ahead and do that. You're not touching me.” We went ahead and signed the paper. As we were walking out, I'm having to stop every minute. The doula is like, “Okay. Yeah. We've got to go straight to the hospital.” We ended up, and in mind fog, I was like, “I forgot my birth plan so we're going to run home real fast. I'm going to get my birth plan.” That turned into an F-1 pitstop because I'm over here with really, really low sounding and having a rough time. Doug, my husband, is also freaking out. He's like, “We're going to have a car baby.” Meagan: Oh yeah, I'm sure. Carlise: He's just panicking. So he's speeding on the way to the other hospital. We get there and I had never gone through that entrance before. I had always gone in a different one on the back because my prenatal care was with Texas Tech and UMC, they're right next to each other. So I always went into a different entrance. So the entrance that we went into, I had no idea where to go. I'm over here. I swear I'm about to push and we don't know where to go. This super nice lady who was coming into work was like, “Do you guys need a wheelchair?” Doug was going to say no! I'm like, “Yes. Yes, I do.” So she gets a wheelchair. She brings us up to triage. As soon as we get up there and there was a trash can right next to the elevator. I'm just throwing up right next to the elevator. They're trying to get Doug to fill out paperwork and have me sign things. I'm just kind of dying. Then I needed to go to the bathroom. I didn't need to push. I just needed to go to the bathroom. I go in there and my water breaks. My plug comes out. So then I'm just gripping the walls. I'm just blinded here by my contractions. So they get me into a triage bed and they're like, “Oh yeah. Yep. Mhmm. She is ready to go. She is fully dilated. Baby is definitely ready.” The doula is over here like, “Okay, yeah. We need to switch her bed too.” So they switched me into a labor and delivery room. She's calling all of the shots here because the lights were so bright. I'm over here like, “Oh man.” So she's like, “Okay, those lights need to be dimmed. We need to take this gown off of her.” She was taking off my TENS unit. They're trying to put on monitors and I'm promptly trying to take them off so just being very unhelpful which I did not care about. So then they were trying to get the monitor on to check the baby. I was on my hands and knees which they did not want me on. I did not care. The doula is trying to help so she had reclined the bed so that I could lean over it so that way they could get the monitors on. That actually ended up working super, super well. Then I was feeling the need to push. Then I was just really self-conscious because I was feeling like I needed to poop. I was just like, “Oh no. This is horrible.” She's like, “No, that's normal. It's fine.” I was like, “No, I actually think I need to go.” So she's like, “It's fine. They're going to catch it. Don't even worry about it. Just focus on the baby right now. You're okay.” She snapped me out of it. I was like, “Okay, we've got this.”I was pushing and they were like, “No, no, no, no. The doctor's not in. Don't push. Don't push yet.” I was like, “I'm not not pushing so y'all need to figure it out.” So then the doula's over here like, “She's crowning. Baby's crowning right now.” Then they're just rushing in and I could feel the ring of fire. I was like, “Okay. I need to pause for just a minute,” because I could feel if I kept going that I was going to tear up. I honestly loved that I could feel that versus having an epidural and not being able to feel that. Within another couple of pushes, baby was out and I didn't have any tearing. I didn't have any issues at all whatsoever. I did not get the Pitocin for the delivery of the placenta and I didn't have the IV. I didn't have anything, just honestly the most natural birth except for the hospital situation. Meagan: Yeah, yeah. But no interventions other than maybe a cervical exam here and there. Carlise: Exactly. It went super well honestly overall and I was so proud of myself because I was just like, “I did that and I was able to advocate for myself.” My doula was amazing. My husband was very supportive even though he was freaking out. Meagan: Oh I'm sure. Yeah. Carlise: He told his dad. He's like, “It was super, super intense. The last couple of pushes, she sounded like a banshee and then baby was out.” I was like, “Wow, babe. Thank you. Thanks. That's super sweet of you.” The nurses afterward kept coming in and they were like, “Okay, we need to drain your IV and we need to check your stitches.” I'm over here like, “No guys, I don't have any of that.” They're like, “Wow, okay. You're the easy patient.” That birth, I was able to feel her before she came out. That was amazing. She got right on my chest. Delivering the placenta was super easy. I love that I can remember it and I'm proud of myself. The first thing that I said after birth was very colorful which definitely included, “F that doctor” which we then had to be like, “No, no. Not you, ma'am. Sorry.”Meagan: Yeah, yeah. I can relate to that one because that's what I said. I said, “Screw you,” and then I named the doctor. Take that. Carlise: Mhmm. I was just amazed and then everybody that I tell when I'm like, “Yeah. I left the hospital at one-minute contractions,” and they're like, “Oh, no.” I was like, “Yeah, no. I would rather have had a car baby legitimately–”Meagan: –than to go there. Carlise: Absolutely not. I was so disappointed and the fact is that's what we encountered. We put in all of the complaints that we could possibly put in and I'm still waiting on the head of OB to contact me but the doula had a really, really good meeting actually with the head of OB, a lot of the staff, the provost marshall apparently was in there as well. Meagan: Wow. How did she connect? How did she go about doing that? Carlise: Apparently, with doulas, there is a different system for them. I'm not entirely sure but there are different routes that they can go because they are professional birth workers. She had contacted the head of OB and then the head of OB was like, “Okay, this is really serious.” So I think they just coordinated together. The end of that resulted in a giant meeting with all of the OBs to basically educate them on what to do when a doula comes in. Meagan: Oh wow!Carlise: And that doctor that we encountered has to go to those meetings. My doula's teaching it. It's a class. I was like, “Yeah man. You're going to deal with that.” Meagan: That's actually really cool to help that space be a little bit more collaborative because I feel like we are a little spoiled here in Utah. People are like, “How do the doctors treat you and handle things when you are in there?” Usually nine times out of ten, it's very friendly and it's not hostile like that but if it were, I think that we would probably want to be doing something like that as well and say, “Hey, we are all here for this patient. We are all one team here. We're not here to be combative and create trauma emotionally.” That's really cool. That's really awesome. Good for your doula. Carlise: Yeah. I was so proud of her, especially being yelled at by a doctor. Meagan: Yeah. Yeah. Carlise: She's trying to advocate for me as much as she can but she also doesn't want security called on her so she was having to find a balance between that. Meagan: And she doesn't want to make it any worse for you. Carlise: Exactly. That was super, super odd. The fact that I meant to mention it in my story, but he had been quizzing me over VBAC facts, then he was telling me that I was wrong. I was just like, “What?” and just freaking out. She just helped me so much. I'm a huge advocate for doulas and having one and I 100% recommend anybody to have one for sure. My husband would have had just no idea exactly how to advocate for me in the way that my doula had. It was great. Meagan: Yeah. Yeah. I feel like there are so many benefits of doulas but just like we were saying, she helped him too. She helped him through this process I'm sure to feel more comfortable and at ease with the things that were taking place. Even that alone whether you had a lot of help with counterpressure and stuff like that but being able to have a sounding board and someone there that you feel is on your team and it's not you two against one person. I'm sure that brought so much comfort to him. Carlise: 100%. The fact that the doula had also done some childbirth education with him so that he knew how baby comes out and the different stages as well. Meagan: Yes and then when you have a provider questioning the facts around VBAC and you're saying this and then they're saying no or they're shutting you down or they're giving you false percentages which I know is a thing, that can be really, really scary if a partner is not educated or doesn't know ahead of time. So that's another really great pro of doulas is that they usually meet with you before, counsel, and go over all of those stats. I remember the feeling. I literally was on the treadmill walking, trying to pass the time because I hate the treadmill, reading your story and I'm like, “Oh my gosh. This is just so intense. It's so intense.” Carlise: It was nuts. When I was trying to prep my husband for the VBAC, I'm pretty sure he just got really annoyed by me listening to this podcast all of the time. I'd be like, “Babe, you should have heard this from this mom.” He's just like, “Ugh, I can't wait until you've had the baby because I'm so done hearing about all of these VBACs all of the time and all of these stories.” But then honestly, it prepared him. I was like, “Babe, this can happen,” so when we were facing this doctor, he wasn't second-guessing me at all. When I told the doctor the different things that I knew about VBAC because he wanted to make sure that I knew, Doug was like, “No. She definitely knows the stuff. She could spout this off normally.” He was confident. That made me more confident and with my doula being there, it helped a lot. Meagan: That makes me smile. I love it. Now you can be like, “Yeah, now I'm one of those people on the podcast.” Carlise: Mhmm, yeah. He was like, “I get to hear this story for the 35th time.” Meagan: I love it. Carlise: I was like, “Last time, babe. Last time.” Meagan: Last time. Maybe, maybe not. You'll be sharing it for years. You'll be sharing it for years. Carlise: Exactly. Meagan: Well I want to talk a little bit about the AMA, the Against Medical Advice form. It is one that like I said, maybe I'm crazy. It might have been a year ago actually that we talked about. It's not one that happens often or that people maybe even know exists. I just want to give a little side note. It's not something I suggest always doing like, “I'm just going to sign this AMA.” Against Medical Advice forms are taken pretty seriously but when you are in a combative, hostile environment, an AMA may be something that can get you out of that experience. I, as a doula, was at a birth where a mom chose to sign an AMA. From a doula's standpoint, it was really interesting. I was like, “I would have totally done that too as a mom.” We were very much in labor. It was very clear that we were in labor but the toco, the monitor, wasn't picking up the contractions. This doctor comes in very rudely and says, “You're not even contracting. I don't even understand why you're here.” She looks at me and her husband. She's like, “I'm contracting, right?” We're like, “Yeah, you're contracting. You're doing really great.” They're like, “We're probably just going to send you home anyways so we can just sit here and wait,” and just was very rude, questioning her, and pretty much saying that she was not even in labor and that she was over the top. Carlise: Oh, lovely. Meagan: This one doctor that came in was like, “You are just highly sensitive and being overdramatic. Maybe you should learn how to cope better because you're not even contracting yet,” and just talking down and being very rude. She's vomiting. She's shaking. She is clearly laboring. They leave and she turns to us and says, “What other hospital takes my insurance?” As a doula, I wasn't expecting that but at the same time, I should have expected that because of how rude they were to her. I said, “Well, this hospital and this hospital.” She rips out her IV because they had given her an IV for fluids for vomiting. She ripped it off, was holding her arm, and was like, “Let's go!”Carlise: That's intense. Meagan: I was like, “What?!” She was literally holding her arm and she was like, “I am done.” Her husband was like, “Me too.” They were getting her dressed and as a doula, I'm like, “Okay. I go where you go.” Carlise: Man, all right. We're doing this now. Okay. Meagan: She's walking out and they're like, “What are you doing? What are you doing?” They're freaking out and she's like, “I'm leaving. I am going somewhere else to have my baby. You said that you were going to send me home anyways so I am going home.” They were like, “We'll have to have you sign an AMA.” She was like, “Where do I sign?” They were like, “Oh, but your insurance won't cover this.” Carlise: Mhmm, yeah. Okay. Meagan: She was like, “I don't care. I'm signing this AMA.” We went. We were 6.5-7 centimeters when we got to the hospital and had a baby a couple of hours later. Dad caught the baby. It was a beautiful, beautiful experience. So AMA, what does that mean? It's really leaving the hospital without the physician's advice before they decide to discharge you. It says right here in a NCBI which we will make sure that this is in the show notes today if you want to read a little bit more. But it says, “Leaving a hospital against a physician's advice may expose the patient to risk of an inadequately treated medical problem and result in the need for readmission.” That is important to remember, that we as parents know that. We are signing this form and we are saying, “We assume the risk of us leaving because we are leaving against your advice,” but I also think it's important for us to know and follow our mom's gut to be like, “I'm just going to have this baby and do this.”Carlise: 100%. Meagan: You have to think about it. If you are in an AMA situation, you want to really think about it. You want to weigh out the pros and cons and you want to be educated. If you're listening to this podcast, you're definitely starting your education because as you mentioned, you learn along all of these stories. But it's a big thing. The article says, “The problem with AMA discharge is the prevalence of risk and costs. It can formulate recommendations of managing and preventing them on the basis of available evidence.” That's so hard because they can say, “Well, this happened because you left,” or even the cost of insurance. They can say, “Oh, well we won't do this because you left against our advice.” So it's important to definitely learn more about an AMA and why you would sign an AMA but know that an AMA exists because if you are in a hostile environment, it's probably not a healthy one. Carlise: Right and that was my thing too. I didn't feel safe with this care provider and then being told, “No, there isn't another provider,” I feel like there are going to be so many more interventions and so many things that are going to be done without my consenting because obviously, they already tried to do that once. I would rather sign an AMA and leave than to have you touch me and cause issues that shouldn't have been caused at all. Meagan: Yeah. Yeah, exactly. I think it's important to know that it exists and then know the pros and cons. It's just one of those other things. Know the pros and cons of signing an AMA or what that entails and then having that backup plan. But just know that it exists because for the client of mine, she was like, “I couldn't have stayed there. I was feeling so anxious. I was feeling so triggered and traumatized by what they were doing and what they were saying to me.”She said, “The second I walked into this new hospital, I just truly felt 100% at ease. 100% at ease.” So yeah. It's so important to feel that comfort, know your options, and look at you. You did! You went and you had an unmedicated, no-intervention VBAC. Carlise: Yeah. Honestly, it's been amazing. The recovery has been fantastic and I am so proud of me and every mama who has had a VBAC and had to fight for it. That's just awesome. Meagan: You should be so proud of yourself. Congratulations. Thank you for coming on and sharing this story. I also want to end with a preface by saying that sharing this story is not to bash an OB or anything like that. Carlise: 100%. Meagan: It's not anything like that because OBs are great. I'm sure he was caught off guard. He had his stuff but at the same time very much acted in a very unprofessional way. Carlise: Absolutely. Meagan: It's important to know all sides of things. Carlise: 100%. Absolutely. ClosingWould you like to be a guest on the podcast? Tell us about your experience at thevbaclink.com/share. For more information on all things VBAC including online and in-person VBAC classes, The VBAC Link blog, and Meagan's bio, head over to thevbaclink.com. Congratulations on starting your journey of learning and discovery with The VBAC Link.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-vbac-link/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

In this episode, I talk about how much anxiety comes with PCSing and making that transition. It's hard, it sucks and trying to say otherwise is just wrong. That doesn't mean there aren't resources and opportunities to make this transition better. Listen and let me know what you think! www.focusproject.orgwww.militarynostresspcs.orgwww.USO.orgwww.militaryonesource.mil

Change. It's hard. I talk about our start to PCSing and begin to feel all the feels as I start this stressful journey. How do you handle change? Change is hard because it's not supposed to be easy.  Are you moving this summer? Who do you rely on to help you with all the stressing? 

Overstreet OrganizingToday we are talking to Army mil spouse Caroline. Caroline is the owner of Overstreet Organizing, a in person and virtual home organization business.We chat about their different duty stations and the challenges that has created for her career.She shares how she got Overstreet Organizing off the ground with the help of social media connections and the benefits of a mentor.Caroline is brutally honest about the challenges of moving a service based business over and over and what that has looked like for her. She shares some of the strategies she has used to get established in a new area as a business owner.Caroline tells us about some of the struggles she has seen her military clients face with space planning and the challenges of fitting your stuff to a newhouse and layout over and over. Finally we talk about PCSing, summer moving season will be here before we know it! Caroline shares her best tips for getting ready for the move.To get in touch with Caroline….https://www.overstreetorganizing.comOn FacebookOn IG @overstreetorganizingI so appreciate you listening to the show!If you wouldn't mind leaving a rating and review I would really appreciate it!!Check out The Ultimate Do It Yourself or DITY guide for FREE!Podcasting is a labor of love for sure! I would love your support! Subscribe to the show HERE! To get in touch with Alison with questions or potential topics or guests please email themilspousepodcast@gmail.com Follow us on IG @themilspousepodcast And please check out our brand spanking new website! www.themilspousepodcast.com

I'm back from the dead or at least the torture that is PCSing (moving in the military), to talk watches and make people mad!!

As milspouses, we often learn that each assignment brings new circumstances and helps us expand our knowledge of the military. Joint Service Installations (bases of the armed forces of the United States utilized by multiple military services) can seem overwhelming as a new assignment. In today's Milspouse Empowerment Moment, KateLynn helps us find our footing in a joint service world. Whether or not you are on a Joint Service Installation now or may be PCSing to one in the future, tune in for our empowering and informative message. The post AWTR Show #942: Finding Your Footing in a Joint Service first appeared on Mission: Milspouse.

As milspouses, we often learn that each assignment brings new circumstances and helps us expand our knowledge of the military. Joint Service Installations (bases of the armed forces of the United States utilized by multiple military services) can seem overwhelming as a new assignment. In today's Milspouse Empowerment Moment, KateLynn helps us find our footing in a joint service world. Whether or not you are on a Joint Service Installation now or may be PCSing to one in the future, tune in for our empowering and informative message. The post AWTR Show #942: Finding Your Footing in a Joint Service first appeared on Army Wife Network.

Christine knows firsthand what a huge effect packout and delivery can have on your leaving and landing when posted abroad or returning home. In this interview, she recalls when she identified gaps in support during her first international move and describes how she came to create a business to fill that need.Now dubbed as the "PCS Doula" or "Consumables Concierge," Christine is on a mission to help ease the burden on families serving their country. At the same time, she's passionate about creating flexible job opportunities at fair wages for Foreign Service and military spouses. She also shares with us her lessons learned from serving two tours as CLO that have helped her as a business owner and that could help you get your next job. BIOChristine Lusk is passionate about supporting busy diplomats and their families through their transitions and while serving overseas.Being a diplomatic spouse, Christine quickly learned that there are a lot of logistics that get managed by families. Often figuring those out can be confusing, complicated, and difficult to manage with all of the other burdens of a move.DiploDash https://www.diplodash.com/ was created from Christine's own need to feel like she could delegate certain tasks to another person when she really needed time for more important priorities. DiploDash supports clients with their pack-out or delivery of household shipments, consumables and supplemental household shipments, strategy sessions for PCSing, and care packages to post.Even though Christine's undergraduate degree is in business, she never dreamed that becoming an entrepreneur was in her future. It seems there are many benefits to becoming a diplomatic spouse and having to start over again and again.At the end of the day, Christine's favorite part of owning DiploDash is knowing that her clients are getting the support they wanted to make their lives easier to manage during a move.DiploDash services include: - Consumables and Supplemental HHE shipments- Pack-Out and Delivery Support- PCS strategy sessions- Care packages to post.Learn more about DiploDash services & contact Christine at https://www.diplodash.com/contactFollow DiploDash on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/diplodash/Facebook https://www.facebook.com/diplodashservice

You know that you'll be PCSing in six months. Or you can see that deployment looming on the horizon. And you realize that there is an underlying sense of anxiety you feel. Not just about the unknowns, but about how you are going to manage all the things. And specifically, if you have a work from home business or a goal that you're working toward, how will this major life change affect it? Will your thing end up on the back burner again? Will you have to put that dream aside like you did during the last move?   Is there a way to still maintain consistency and make progress on your goals in a season of chaos? You better believe it. Here are five things you can do to prepare for and show up consistently through a season of chaos and change.   Better Together, Christine   MENTIONS Connect inside the MilSpouse Mastermind Community Book a Coaching Call   LINKS START HERE: Ready to Get UNSTUCK And Craft A Life With PURPOSE? https://milspousemastermind.com/growthwheel STOP THE OVERWHELM: How to Prioritize What Matters Most to You (FREE WORKSHEET) https://milspousemastermind.com/values  FIND YOUR TRIBE: Join the Free MilSpouse Mastermind FB Community https://milspousemastermind.com/community DISCOVER WHO YOU ARE MEANT TO BE: MilSpouse Purpose Playbook  https://morethanamilspouse.com GET SUPPORT: Request an Unstuck Coaching Session hello@milspousemastermind.com LEARN MORE: https://milspousemastermind.com LEAVE A SHOW REVIEW: https://milspousemastermind.com/show CONNECT VIA EMAIL: hello@milspousemastermind.com CONNECT VIA INSTAGRAM: @milspousemastermind

In this week's episode, Kevin chats with Melissa Litchfield, a 34-year-old southern California native who's been helping online entrepreneurs and the owner of Litchfield Media Co. Melissa will be talking about Multilevel Marketing, how she became a Digital Marketer, learning through online education, and more! Tune in to find out more!"Start using social media, interact, and connect with people in the community."-Melissa LitchfieldHere are 5 Key Takeaways from this episode:Running two businesses, PCSing, being a Mom, no excuses!Multilevel Marketing: How it sparked her interest in marketing and taking that leap of faith Why Melissa wanted to help a company Melissa's future Real Estate plansGaining a lot of knowledge through the online educationHonorable Mentions & Useful Links:ThriveCartConnect with Melissa Litchfield:Private podcast (free ad training)InstagramLinkedInFacebookClubhouseYoutubeTwitterPinterestTiktokEmail: melissa@litchfieldmedia.orgPhone: (760) 271-9095Ready to take the next steps in your Military Real Estate Investing journey? Watch our Masterclass and claim your EPIC reward for action. Tap here to register today!Are you looking for a loan for your next project? Look no further! Check out ADPI Financial Services for all of your residential and commercial lending needs!No Time...No Worries! Get all the info you need now by texting DEAL to 33777Ready to become a PASSIVE INVESTOR? Check out ADPI Capital™ and learn how you can get started passively investing in commercial real estate for only $500! Tap the link above or text ADPI to 33777Helpful ResourcesConnect with the ADPI: Facebook |  Instagram | YouTubeReady to TAKE ACTION and begin building your cash-flowing real estate empire? Don't go it alone! Check out our exclusive education and coaching products designed for self-starters like the Military Real Estate Investing Academy Support the show

Today I am speaking with Ginger Barker, a therapist at Soul Space in Tucson, AZ. Since 1998,  Ginger had experience living in and supporting the military community. Current and former military personnel and their loved ones experience hardships and unique issues specific to military life. Deployment, PCSing, stress, and uncertainty about last-minute change in orders, transitioning, retirement, isolation, parenting, and finances are just a few of the common struggles.  We discuss the stigma of reaching out for mental health support, how to break through the stigma and why the families of military personnel need support too.  If you are in AZ, you can read more & schedule a consult with Ginger: https://soulspacetucson.com/aboutourtherapists/ginger/      

In this episode, I catch up with Military No Stress PCS. We discuss the PCSing season and talk about all the ways they can help you with all your needs. They are a fantastic resource to our military community. You definitelydon't need to be moving to utilize their services. I'm so happy Rob and Erin were able to sit down with me and give me all the details on how they can help you! Instagram is @militarynostresspcsMilitarynostresspcs.orghttps://www.stripes.com/theaters/asia_pacific/2022-06-10/military-family-moving-pcs-stress-6293995.htmlhttps://militaryfamilies.com/military-relocation/nonprofit-aims-to-make-challenging-pcs-season-less-stressful/https://soldierswifecrazylife.com/?s=military+no+stress+pcs

In this episode, I talk about staying motivated with change. Summertime, vacation, etc. It's chaotic trying to keep up with schedules during summertime and change. Whether you are working, PCSing, or just juggling children. 

A military spouse's retirement is an important part of a military family's retirement planning. Thankfully more and more military spouses are taking advantage of using Individual Retirement Accounts or employer 401ks to save for their future. The challenge for military spouses is to decide what to do in situations where you have multiple 401k accounts because of your many job changes due to PCSing. In this episode, I talk with Patrick Ortman, a military spouse and a Certified Financial Planner on best practices military spouses can use to help them make decisions and manage multiple 401ks. Patrick founded Ortman Financial Planning in 2016, a financial planning and investment management firm located in Bethesda, MD. He has a strong focus on his clients' overall financial well-being and recognizes that money is only a tool to help achieve the vision each person has for their life. Show notes can be found here: https://laceylangford.com/podcast/multiple-401ks/

As always, I am so excited to share this weeks episode with you!I am sitting down with Marine Corp wife, mom of 4 boys and family photographer Alison Bell.We get into all the things!We talk about moving a small business over and over and over.We talk about homeschooling 4 boys, why they chose to homeschool and what programs they used.We hit on the challenges of having an in person business, and what it takes to move it.This one gets a little personal with talking about the identity loss of being a mil spouse, the feelings of wanting more for ourselves, and contributing to our families financially.Hold on tight! We are all over the place on this one but thats life! I hope you enjoy!Connect with Alison:https://www.alisonbellphotographer.comIG @alisonbellphotogFor her PCS your business checklist:Alisonbellphotographer.com/PCSI so appreciate you listening to the show!If you wouldn't mind leaving a rating and review I would really appreciate it!!To get in touch with Alison with questions or potential topics or guests please emailthemilspousepodcast@gmail.comFollow us on IG @themilspousepodcast  And please check out our brand spanking new website! www.themilspousepodcast.com

Summertime is here! We are so excited to head to the beach for a much-needed vacation! We are spending time with our friends. No husbands, just us girls, and the kiddos. A weekend is never long enough, so a week it is with our toes in the sand! Much needed break, and I'll be back next week with all-new content. Until then, enjoy the beginning of SUMMER!! Prayers go out to those PCSing, and or being left behind this PCS season! Know that you are not alone. 

What does it actually look like to pursue goals and live a life of purpose as a military spouse? And what does that look like when you're in the middle a major life event, like a PCS? Is it even possible?   That's the question we're diving into in this bonus episode of the MilSpouse Mastermind Show. Over the last few months I've been sharing about preparing for our upcoming overseas PCS, and this month it actually happened. At least the moving part. We physically moved from one location to another.   I share what happened and what I'm learning in the middle of a season of chaos and change. Can't wait to unpack it all with you. Better Together, Christine   MENTIONS Ep. 31 “Will You Be My Emergency Contact?”   Checklists, Binders & Labels, Oh My! My #1 PCS Tip for Your Next Move   LINKS START HERE: How To Get UNSTUCK And Craft A Life With PURPOSE (FREE ASSESSMENT) https://milspousemastermind.com/growthwheel STOP THE OVERWHELM: How to Prioritize What Matters Most to You (FREE WORKSHEET) https://milspousemastermind.com/values  FIND YOUR TRIBE: Join the Free MilSpouse Mastermind FB Community https://milspousemastermind.com/community DISCOVER WHO YOU ARE MEANT TO BE: MilSpouse Purpose Playbook  https://morethanamilspouse.com GET SUPPORT: Request a Get Unstuck Coaching Session hello@milspousemastermind.com LEARN MORE: https://milspousemastermind.com LEAVE A SHOW REVIEW: https://milspousemastermind.com/show CONNECT VIA EMAIL: hello@milspousemastermind.com CONNECT VIA INSTAGRAM: @milspousemastermind

Summer has arrived! And that can mean a lot of things to people, depending on where you are stationed, if you are PCSing, and what season of life you find yourself in. If you have school-age kids in the home, you may be very aware of the change that summer brings. But the truth is that ANYTIME we face a change or enter into a new season, we benefit from taking time to recalibrate and reassess our goals and our schedule. Because when our routine changes, it's easy for us to stop making progress on the things that truly matter to us. So let's talk about how you can make time to enjoy the longer days, warmer temperatures and soak up the sun this summer…while still being intentional about your time and your goals. Better Together, Christine   MENTIONS  Ep 58: Goal Setting Guide for Military Spouses   LINKS START HERE: How To Get UNSTUCK And Craft A Life With PURPOSE (FREE ASSESSMENT) https://milspousemastermind.com/growthwheel STOP THE OVERWHELM: How to Prioritize What Matters Most to You (FREE WORKSHEET) https://milspousemastermind.com/values  FIND YOUR TRIBE: Join the Free MilSpouse Mastermind FB Community https://milspousemastermind.com/community DISCOVER WHO YOU ARE MEANT TO BE: MilSpouse Purpose Playbook  https://morethanamilspouse.com GET SUPPORT: Request a Get Unstuck Coaching Session hello@milspousemastermind.com LEARN MORE: https://milspousemastermind.com LEAVE A SHOW REVIEW: https://milspousemastermind.com/show CONNECT VIA EMAIL: hello@milspousemastermind.com CONNECT VIA INSTAGRAM: @milspousemastermind

TW: Sexual assault, suicide, parental loss, narcissistic abusive relationship Part 3 of our first multi-part podcast series. 5 episodes consisting of one long story, Aneda shares the raw, unfiltered version of the traumas she has experienced throughout her time in the Navy. Hear the girl who was told her past should have turned her into a serial killer, and how she has overcome numerous adversities to keep fighting today.  In part 3 Aneda talks about her sexual traumas, barely getting by financially after PCSing and waiting for money that the Navy promised her, getting taken advantage of by a photographer that she trusted, and more.  **If you are experiencing suicidal ideations or have experienced sexual assault and need help or someone to talk to, please reach out to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255 or the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673** **Any views discussed in this episode are strictly personal views and not views of the United States military. This podcast is in no way affiliated with any branch of the United States military. Some names have been changed in order to protect the identities of speakers and/or names mentioned throughout episodes.** Sign the petition for Better Mental Health Care in the United States Navy here: https://chng.it/K4rr9PBp

The ladies are back with a banger. Listen in to Author, Shermaine Perry-Knights, discuss her experiences as a military child constantly PCSing and her advice on helping children cope with the moving process.  https://www.amazinglyshermaine.com/ Please donate a hardcopy of her book to your local library: https://read.amazon.com/kp/embed?asin=B08VNYKMXH&preview=newtab&linkCode=kpe&ref_=cm_sw_r_kb_dp_3G36C6899F0DWGW5A1DM

For the second episode of the moving series, I bring in my whole mimosas team to discuss our recent moves. Coincidently, my team and I have recently completed the process of moving or are currently preparing to move. This episode showcases different types of moves from PCSing, temporary moves to support family, and diving into home buying process in a competitive market. We each share tales from our moving experiences and different perspectives on things that worked great, the parts that didn't go so well, and some food for thought of how we each survived the process. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/goodmorningmimosas/support

PCSing is one of the most challenging parts of military life, especially for military spouses who are trying to maintain their own career. To help ease the burden, Orion has partnered with PCSgrades, an online platform that supports the biggest relocation needs for military members, veterans, and military spouses through trusted community insights. Their comprehensive resources include detailed area guides, a BAH calculator, and more than 150 articles created by military spouses, veterans, and real estate experts. Jenah Wieczorek, military spouse and Marketing Director at PCSgrades, joins the show to discuss all things PCS. Jenah began her career as a dental hygienist but after PCSing multiple times she knew she needed a career with more flexibility. Since joining the PCSgrades team, Jenah has become an expert on how to conquer all the challenges associated with military life, and she was kind enough to share her best advice with us. During the podcast we discussed: • Challenges military spouses face • Getting connected with your community after each move • Free resources available through PCSgrades https://www.pcsgrades.com/

May is a big month for the military community. It's Military Appreciation Month, and that includes Military Spouse Appreciation Day and Mother's Day. Military spouses are the backbone of the military community. Now, I know I'm biased, but they keep the home fires burning and households functioning through all the transitions military life includes. They're the constant in PCSing, military schools, deployments, childcare, careers, and more. For many different reasons, military spouses are often not working or are working in jobs that don't have retirement savings options through their employer. With all the transitions and un and underemployment, retirement savings for a military spouse is often put on the backburner or, worse, not even considered. On the other side, service members are often working towards a pension, contributing to the Thrift Savings Plan, and in some cases saving in individual retirement accounts. I want to bring military spouse retirement savings top of mind in this episode. I'll go over two ways military spouses can save for retirement.

Whether you're PCSing across the country or just down the road, you still need to find a place to live. But base housing is often not the right fit or even readily available, and finding a home off base can be really expensive, especially in a tight housing market. Military members and veterans have access to a special home loan benefit through the Department of Veterans Affairs, the VA home loan. Yet using it can feel too complicated, while how it works is often surrounded in rumor and misinformation. So what's the real deal? Today's guest, real-estate expert and military veteran JP Pena, gives his best advice for buying a home using a VA home loan. Connect with this episode: Get military PCS advice in your inbox Learn more about military PCSing Get free VA home loan rate quotes Visit the JP Pena Real Estate Team Facebook page Follow the JP Pena Real Estate Team on Instagram

Kim Pease has been married to her active duty Air Force husband for the last 13 years. They have 4 kids and are currently stationed at Joint Base Elemendorf Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska. They have PCS'd 4 times and have lived in Wy, Fl, TX, and AK. Kim and her husband wrote a childrens book called, “It's Time To Say Goodbye”. In this playful and poetic story, a boy who personifies the 1.6 million children of U.S. military service members around the world, is given the news by his mom that he and his family will soon PCS. He reminisces about his time in the neighborhood, the bonds he built and how much he has grown in the few years he has lived there. Though he will miss all of his wonderful adventures, he knows that he has plenty to look forward to when he arrives at his new home. You can buy Kim's book on amazon HERE! You can also follow their Instagram at Movingmilitarykids. If you have any tips your family uses to make PCSing easier please find the post for todays episode on my Instagram at MilitaryWivesTopFives   and leave it in the comments. See you all next week with a new episode! 

Here we are, just the crew, enjoy….When you are old you can never trust a fart; obscure TV shows; Sarge, Flash, and Jesse have no life; luxury tool and unnecessary tool purchases; tracksaw versatility; challenges of having a woodshop while PCSing; first quality tool purchases; Flash says “NO”;  Jesse fails at life; Jesse scores a Moose hunt; real estate shopping in Alaska; Flash and Sarge are going to hike the Appalachian Trail (hopefully not naked); Flash is counting down; as it turns out, the Appalachians are actual mountains; Sarge almost kills a group of kids; Virginia Creeper Trail (no it is not named after Sarge); something is coming we just don't know what it is yet!; why does Sarge want Jesse to stir the pot?; Jesse has a plan to finance his Moose hunting trip; level of sincerity in the concept of “Community Over Competition”; Jesse sucks.  Hosts:Jeff (Sarge) @sergeantmakerJeff (Flash)  @flashpoint_woodworksJesse @steele.woodworksSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/themilitarymakers)

We owe so much to the brave men and women who have served our country, but what about their four-legged counterparts? K9s are often found in law enforcement, military or search and rescue. This episode is for all our K9 Veterans out there who served so selflessly and bravely. It's also important to remember the role pets play in our lives as military families. For most of us, our pets help us through deployments, loneliness, welcome home parties, going away parties, holidays away from family, and everyday struggles. So today, we also share with you some ways to PCS with your pet even if you are moving across the world! We hope these few tips help you keep your family together and stronger than ever!Check out our other channels!Instagram: milspouse_houseFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/milspousehouseWebsite: milspousehouse.vaclaimsinsider.comIs your spouse struggling to win their VA disability claim? Help your service member and check out VA Claims Insider! Schedule your FREE 30-minute, no-obligation Discovery Call with a team member! Click here now!!!Check out the VA Claims Insider blog here and learn more about K9 Veterans Day:https://vaclaimsinsider.com/national-k9-veterans-day/ Check out The VA Claims Insider YouTube channel:https://www.youtube.com/vaclaimsinsiderOrganizations that help rehome K9 veterans and connect veterans with service dogs:Mission K9 RescuePets for VetsMK9S Service DogsGuardian Angels Medical Service DogsHealing4HeroesWorking Dogs for VetsSemper K9 Assistance DogsSoutheastern Guide DogsPatriot PawsNEADS, Inc.VA Claims Insider Veterans helping veterans get the VA disability rating and compensation they deserve by law!Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

In this episode, I talk about how much anxiety comes with PCSing and making that transition. It's hard, it sucks, and trying to say otherwise is just wrong. That doesn't mean there aren't resources and opportunities to make this transition better. Listen and let me know what you think! Helpful links!www.focusproject.orgwww.militarynostresspcs.orgwww.USO.orgwww.militaryonesource.mil