Podcasts about warrior connection

Elizabeth Fields of the Warrior Connection is here to discuss mental health issues among our veterans. For more information: www.warriorconnection.orgOr listen on your favorite podcast platform!AUTO-GENERATED TRANSCRIPT:Hey greetings everyone. Lieutenant Colonel Allen West here and welcome to the Steadfast and Loyal Podcast.[MUSIC][ALLEN WEST] Hey greetings everyone. Welcome back to the Steadfast and Loyal Podcast. Elizabeth Fields is the Chief Executive Officer at The Warrior Connection. Elizabeth served as President and Co-Founder of Jackson Fields Consulting, a firm that leveraged 20 plus years of nonprofit leadership experience to help organizations reorganize and scale effectively to ensure sustainable impact. Prior to that, Ms. Fields served as Chief Operating Officer at the Gary Seneese Foundation as well as held various executive roles at leading nonprofits and academic institutions to include National Public Radio, the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Chicago's Booth School of Business, and the University of Arizona where she is a graduate, Eller College of Management. So we are now joined by Elizabeth Fields who is top dog at The Warrior Connection.[ELIZABETH FIELDS] Well thank you so much for having me on the show today. It's an honor to be here.[ABW] It's my pleasure. And you just recently moved down here to Texas so welcome to our Texas Heat.[EF] Well thank you very much. It's a little bit different from that Arizona heat because that's pretty much so dry heat. We have a little humidity we throw in there. Just a little bit. Just a little bit.[ABW] Well tell us about your background starting out in the not-for-profit world because that can be a world that really has a lot of intricacies and can get bogged down and a lot of not-for-profits do fail. So what are the keys to success for being a nonprofit organization?[EF] Run it like a business. Run the nonprofit like a business. I don't think what happens a lot of times are a lot of nonprofits, I don't think, a lot of nonprofits are a start-up for because people have a passion. They want to make the passion happen. They want to go run the program. They want to help people. And they just do all that. And they forget that you need to raise awareness. You need to raise money. You need to actually have proper operations because that's what's going to help you grow and become sustainable. So you need to run it like a business and you can't forget about the admin needs that are associated to actually make it grow. Now how often do you see these nonprofits that, you know, they go through maybe some type of ramp-up, some type of train-up as opposed to those that just, you know, "I got a great idea. Like I said, I got a passion. I'm going to apply for a 501(c)(3) status." And then it's like, "Okay, what do I do now?" I'd say that most of them sit there and just go and they forget about everything else. And then it's, "What do I do now?"The really effective ones will actually sit there and raise capital for a year or two before they even do programming. And then they're set up to actually raise money for, you know, the next year. They don't have to worry about raising money when they're actually trying to run programs at the same time. So now they're establishing a seed money, a base, a foundation. Yes. That is definitely the most effective way to ensure success. Now the branding and of course, you know, the donor contacts. I mean, is there a means by which people can get, you know, good education on doing these things so that it's not, you know, starting from ground zero in many cases?[ABW] Well, nowadays you can actually go and get a degree in how to run a nonprofit. Wow. That's fairly new. I'm old school. I didn't go and get a degree in that. I learned hands-on and I have to say I still think that's the best way. But being able to, so a lot of times you'll see fundraisers in particular jumping around a lot of nonprofits and people are like, hey, why are they doing that? There's a variety of reasons. But one of them is because you're trying to get different kinds of skill sets that you can then take with you to wherever your final destination is and tweak those processes and procedures that you learned and bring them to that nonprofit and tweak it accordingly. So a lot of times that's why you see that a lot of jump around as well. It's because you're trying to build a tool or skill set, I guess, to take with you. What about board composition? How important is that for a nonprofit organization?[EF] It's important. You don't want to make it too big because then there's just a lot of different opinions and you can't get any work done. I'd say between 9 and 11 is a perfect amount. You definitely want a combination of people who are tied into the community who can bring a skill set that you might not have available on the board. So for instance, a lot of nonprofits don't like to invest in marketing because it's just a lot of admin costs. So having marketing professionals on the board is a good offset.[ABW] And then of course you do need some people who are connected and have the ability to give because at the end of the day, if you don't raise awareness and you don't raise any money, you're not going to be offering any program. So you want a nice mixture of skill set, connection, somebody who can actually give money and service to the community. You've got to make sure they're functional. And I used to be on the board of the National Rifle Association and I got to tell you, 76 members. That's a lot. Yeah, I mean you want to talk about inertia. But the interesting thing is that there was a core group that always had the ear of the executive vice president and what have you. And so it was very interesting dynamic to have a board that was that big and to see really that it didn't end up being quite functional. And there was a lot of inability to move forward because like I said, it was that core group. So tell us now, okay, you're in this not-for-profit world and then all of a sudden you get the opportunity to be with some I've met personally on a few times. Mr. Gary Sinise, Lieutenant Dan. Lieutenant Dan. Lieutenant Dan, everyone knows. What was that like to go from being maybe a little bit behind the scenes to now you're the COO of a very large foundation?[EF] Well, I'm certainly grateful that had that experience, right? Gary's foundation does a lot of work with veterans and first responders. And I was actually originally hired there to be the lead fundraiser. Okay. And then there was a leadership change. The executive director at the time, her daughter had a baby and she said, "I'm retiring and I'm going to move across the country and good for her." Right?And the board decided to bring in the retired four-star general, Robin Rand, to be the CEO. And he did a little restructure and he actually gave me the honor and appointed me to be the COO.And I learned a lot, under Gary and General Rand, about operations, about strategy, all those things I talked about beforehand, but at a much higher level.During COVID actually, there was a lot of specialty campaigns going on too. So there was a lot more external work that I got to experience that I wasn't expecting as the COO. So it really actually set me up for success to go into this next level, like the CEO position at the Warrior Connection.[ABW] Now, what were some of the key takeaways as you come over to the Warrior Connection? What were some of the things, great lessons learned from being with the Gary Sinise Foundation that enable you now to transition? And like I said, now you're the top dog with the Warrior Foundation here. Yeah, I'd say one of the key-- Warrior Connection, I'm sorry. Well, that's okay. One of the key takeaways is definitely finding what makes you unique and stands out in this particular space that you are in. So there is a uniqueness at the Warrior Connection.[EF] I mean, if I may, just go right there. Yeah, yeah, we want to. Okay, at the Warrior Connection, there's two things that actually really make us unique. And the very first one is while we're trying to prevent veteran suicide, we are one of three organizations in the entire country that serve, offer specialty programming for servicemen and women that experience military sexual trauma during their service. We're one of three. The second thing is that we've had unparalleled success. And as you know, I've been in the nonprofit world for 26 years. And I've never seen anything like I've seen at the Warrior Connection's impact. We are trying to prevent veteran suicide. We've offered 13 years of programming, and we've yet to lose one veteran to suicide after going through one of our programs. So you need to find what makes you unique. You do. And let the community understand, like, the impact you're having to the community and that this impact needs to continue. Yeah, because the thing is, because I'll be very honest, because of the shortfalls and failures, I think, of the VA system, we have so many of these, you know, veterans organizations that are out there to step in and fill that gap. But it's becoming flooded without a doubt. And of course, when you flip on the TV, you're going to see the Wounded Warrior Foundation and all of the many others that are out there to include some of these scam artists that are, you know, capitalizing on Camp Lejeune and the water that's there. And so it's critical that you do find that niche, that thing that separates you out. Talk to us about, you know, this program about the sexual trauma, the victims of sexual assault, because that's something you don't hear about with many of these other programs. You hear about, you know, losing limbs and things of this nature. But you don't hear about that invisible trauma that especially affects our female troops. And I'm sure some male troops as well. And actually, it's interesting that you talk about the male perspective, because as a, for men, right, it's hard to raise your hand and say, I need some help. Oh, God, yeah. It gets even harder when there's been military sexual trauma added on. A lot of times when we offer a retreat, it's going to be specific for post-traumatic stress, because that's what the men are feeling, much more comfortable going to a PTS retreat. And then a lot of times the MST comes out from that retreat because they're in a safe space. And MST is military sexual trauma? Correct. Military sexual trauma. And we definitely have a four to one demand, though, for women to come through one of our programs. And there's 600 veterans on our wait list. Wow. Yeah, 600. We've served over a thousand to date, but every single day, we don't have a director of programs right now. And so I'm the one getting the inquiries, and it's nonstop every day. Are you looking for a director of programs? We are. We actually identified somebody. Okay. Sorry, I was trying to get a finder's fee out there, but no. He's onboarded a few hours a month. Okay. And then hopefully we'll get him on full-time soon. We definitely need him. And he is a combat veteran, so I'm excited to announce who he is, hopefully shortly. Wonderful.But it's definitely a problem, but we're here to be part of that healing journey. And like I said, we're one of three organizations, so the demand is there. Yeah. The product's there, and we have a very successful, impactful product, for sure. Now, let's talk about the scope. You're based here in the Texas, the North Texas area. Where are many of your programs conducted, your retreats and things of this nature, and how well is your reach across the country? So we operate our program out of Graham, Texas. We're very grateful to have a relationship with another nonprofit called the Young County Warrior Ranch, and they let us use their ranch for free. We do need a large space to do it.And we originally were founded in Vermont and moved here a couple years ago. And we serve veterans and actual spouses. We do retreats for spouses as well across the country.Eventually, what we'd like to do is keep serving veterans nationwide. We're never going to stop that. But eventually, we'd also really like to make sure that we're really servicing our community as well, since Texas is our home. And Texas only retreats at some point, too. So make it a combination. Ideally, we'd be doing retreats twice a month, but you need to build some financial capital to have that happen. So we're not quite there, but we're going to get there. Now, when you talk about retreats, give us an idea about what a retreat program looks like, you know, the length, what the focus is. Yeah. So we run them from a Saturday to a Saturday. OK. And then it's they're holistic. They're not traditional clinical behavioral. So it's a combination of daily yoga, expressive arts is a critical part of it, peer to peer group discussions, reflection time. There is some spirituality, nature activities. This is the reason why we want the ranch. Yes.They're small. And we keep them small on purpose. There's only eight veterans that go through at a time. Right. It's very different if we had 500 veterans at a hotel convention center. Nobody's going to open up. No. So by bearing eight veterans together, we usually have a mentor, a facilitator in training and then two facilitators that run the retreats. And this is this is interesting. Our facilitators are all volunteers. And there's always one veteran facilitator appeared with a civilian facilitator. And the veteran facilitator has most likely gone through the program. Good. And they go through that mentor ship and then the facilitator in training. And when they feel like they're ready to step up to that level, then they will actually facilitate a program. And we have a few that are that have been with the program the entire time.[ABW] Now, how can people get engaged and get involved in supporting you? And what's the cost for bringing eight veterans down for one of your your training programs? So they can go to WarriorConnection.org. That's the best way to learn about how to support our program, how to get involved with the program, how a veteran can sign up and unfortunately go on the wait list at this moment. The program.[EF] I'm actually lost my train of thought. Sorry. I forgot the question.[ABW] Well, what we're talking about is, you know, the cost because we want to make sure how can people support you because, you know, you're talking about Saturday to Saturday and you're talking about airline travel or some type of travel down to Graham, Texas. And of course, the lodging, the meals and all of these type of things. So what's that cost for one person to be able to go through one of your retreat programs?[EF] So the average cost is twenty five hundred dollars. And it also depends. Right. The airline ticket is the most expensive. Hands down. When we have offsetting costs, it obviously brings the average down. So, for instance, the last couple of retreats, H.E.B. stepped up and provided all the food, the Graham and Lions Club and Rotary Club. They provided all the transportation for these last two treats. So it wasn't twenty five hundred dollars. But on average, it's twenty five hundred dollars to put one veteran through the program. It is one hundred percent covered for every veteran and every facilitator. So there was no out of pocket expenses to them. Now, can someone just say, you know, I want to volunteer to be behind the scenes, you know, help you with making phone calls, coordinate, whatever, sweep the facility. You know, how can people do that and step into that gap? They definitely can.One of the most common ways is to bring meals. So a lot of people like to cook or come to the property and cook and have a meal with the veterans and the participants.So that's a great offsetting cost for us. Yes. So we always encourage that. One of the most critical parts of the healing journey is the very last day. So that Friday afternoon is inviting the community to come in and meet with the participants. They have an opportunity to share their stories as much as they want and their experience. And the community shares their gratitude. And it's a really important bonding moment for the individuals that are going through the retreat. Quite frankly, it's exceptionally impactful for the community to have this interaction with these veterans and these heroes.And the only thing I ask and the only thing that's needed is if your listeners want to come to a retreat graduation to please, you know, contact us at info at WarriorConnection.org so we can be prepared to host them at the property. That'd be great.[ABW] So as we get ready to wrap up this interview, you talk about scale. So where you are right now, where do you see the Warrior Connection being three to five years from now?[EF] Well, we try to do seven to nine retreats a year. Oh, seven to nine retreats. I thought you meant years. But seven to nine retreats. Yeah, seven to nine retreats a year. We'd like to be running a retreat monthly for sure, if not twice a month. At some point, it would also be great to be partnering with additional nonprofits in other parts of the country so we could actually be operating multiple retreats in multiple locations and helping more veterans.[ABW] And hiring the staff to do that, is that going to be a challenge or?[EF] I suspect so. I suspect so. We're not quite there yet. You know, we want to scale here and make sure that we're doing monthly retreats here in Texas first. Super. But we do have actually other nonprofits that are interested in partnering with us. But let's make sure that we get sustainable here in Texas and then we'll get there. You do the blocking and tackling here and then you can worry about the fancy plays later.[ABW] Right. Absolutely great. OK, again, how can people get in contact with you to help support you to volunteer to bring meals, things of this nature, the Warrior Connection?[EF] The best way is to go to WarriorConnection.org, but they can contact me at info at WarriorConnection.org. That mailbox comes to me. And quite frankly, you can give me a call. 940-315-4777 is my cell. And I'm happy to take calls and emails and to visit our website, WarriorConnection.org, to learn more and to help us out. And for you veterans out there that are dealing with the MST, the military sexual trauma, please seek out the Warrior Connection to get the help, because again, this is a very unique trauma that is out there that you've got to fight through it and you've got to admit that you do have a problem. Male or female, you've got to say that I need the help and the Warrior Connection is there to help you.[ABW] Any parting words, thoughts or anything else you want to get out about the Warrior Connection, Elizabeth?[EF] I want to thank our veterans and their families for the service. We obviously wouldn't be here if you hadn't offended our democracy and our freedom and our way of life. So thank you so much. We are here to help you. So feel free to reach out. We want to help. And thank you again for hosting us today.[ABW] My pleasure. Thank you, Elizabeth. Thanks. God bless. Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for joining us on this episode of the Steadfast and Loyal Podcast. Special thanks to Elizabeth Fields for being with us and discussing the Warrior Connection and what they are doing to help the lives of our veterans who are still struggling with an unseen enemy. And if you like this podcast, please click the like button and share it with others. And until next time, Steadfast and Loyal. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit allenwest.substack.com/subscribe

Brenda a Female Desert Storm 90-91 veteran is interviewed Re about Gulf war illness. Then we covered  about her COVID19 hospitalization and her whole course being intubated with a tracheotomy and sedated and possible ECMO  then having to go to rehabilitation.  She was hospitalized from 6 July to 26 August then to rehabilitation facility until September 18. This was prior to vaccines being available in 2021. We are all lucky to still have Brenda an Army Desert Storm Veteran with us! This was early on before the vaccines were available.  Hear her thoughts and recommendations. 

Entering the workforce, or transitioning from one job to another at any stage of your professional life, can be difficult. Resources are available, but you may not always know where to turn. Goodwill provides outstanding opportunities across the country, and especially right here in the Lowcountry. Highlighting these programs is the focus of today's episode with Joe Queen, a Coast Guard veteran, College of Charleston graduate, and Team Lead for Goodwill Palmetto Warrior Connection. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/biz-ewerk/message

I this episode, we're going to accomplish two objectives. We're going to go through the process of typing someone else's personality temperament through a simple conversation. The objective is to listen for those guiding principles that the person believes will lead to success. In simple terms, these 'guiding principles' are what we call a person's "values." Each of the four individual personality temperaments has a set of common values that are different from the other three temperaments. When a person talks, those values naturally come out. We just have to tune our brain to listen for them. Once you hear and recognize them, you can type the person simply based on the values. It is like a game of bingo. When you hear the other person express a "value," you can check it off on the bingo card. When you have enough of the values, you can shout out "BINGO" - which means: "I've typed you!" Instead of typing someone based on their "behavior," we're going deeper and typing them based on their "values." The advantage is that it is faster and more accurate. The person we're typing in this episode, who is our guest, is Scott Aaron. The other objective in this episode is to listen to the secrets that Scott shares on how to be successful when you're reaching out to others on social media. He is a business owner with a 23 year background in health, wellness, personal training and personal coaching. He now does online consulting and coaching for entrepreneurs looking to build their business, brands and impact via the means of LinkedIn. To reach out to Scott, see his webpage at: https://scottaaron.net Get Tim's book: Selling by Personality Type on Amazon. Visit the Customer Secrets website --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

September  16 edition of Warrior was a discussion former Army Sgt and  American  hero Garrett Anderson about succeeding in college  and life after severe traumatic injuries in combat.    

September 9 edition of Warrior was discussion about 9- 11 and it's horrible medical consequences.

The September 2nd edition of Warrior connection  was a discussion  with producer and director Joseph Stillman about  his new film on the life off Ramsey Clark. His film is available on Amazon.  

Today on the NH Business Show I speak with Bob Brusa, Chairman of the board for The Warrior Connection. This organization is working to help veterans with PTSD deal with their condition through therapy and art. It's a fantastic program, check them out! Get more from The Warrior Connection at: https://www.warriorconnection.org https://www.facebook.com/TheWarriorConnection Sponsors: B2B - http://www.newenglandb2bnetworking.com/ Sponsorship - https://bit.ly/2kcPcza Lammore Training - https://bit.ly/2FFLZQM Use code NHBS to get 25% off your order. Funnels by Ciara - https://bit.ly/2wX3m0A Leave reviews and/or subscribe! Please, it's helpful: Itunes: https://apple.co/2syXPIb Google Play: https://bit.ly/2LhMT9A Stitcher: https://bit.ly/2syY85N IheartRadio: https://ihr.fm/2xzdg8V For more from the NH Business show, check us out at : www.NHBusinessShow.com

The Jun 10th edition of Warrior Connection was dedicated to Ray Clark's USMC Vietnam era platoon members who were killed, were wounded, or survived the horrors of ground combat during the Vietnam War.   We also read two poems from Western Illinois University's 2018 edition of SITREP: Veteran Perspectives on Combat and Peace.  

Our guest for this week is Desert Storm Veteran, USAF Capt. (retired) , Lydia Pace..  Lydia served as a USAF reservist from 1981-1991 during which time she was activated and deployed first to Desert Shield and then Desert Storm from October 1990 to the end of Desert Storm in February 1991..  She is an RN and while in country she served as a charge nurse with the 34th Medical Evacuation Service (MSEC) attached to the 1st Tactical Areomedical Staging Facility. Deployed right at the Desert Storm Flight Line her duty in theater  was to help prepare wounded soldiers for flight to US military hospitals located in Germany (Ramstein primarily)   or in Spain.  Serving in that capacity she helped save the lives of countless soldiers for which out country owes her a debt of honor....a debt America has yet to pay her or the other hundreds of thousands Desert Storm Veteran suffering from Persian Gulf War Illness.  Lydia her self is quite ill as a consequence of her service and she is here today to tell us about this and about her experience in war and post Desert Storm in 'battle' against the VA..  She is an unsung American hero and we are proud to have her our program today. Guest. co-host, Patricia Axelrod Director of the Desert Storm Think Tank and All Veterans' Advocate has known her for about 25 years or so and is proud to have the chance to air her story.  (Axelrod stands by to assist veteran/soldiers in need  and can be reached at 775-412-5980). 

The May 13 th edition of Warrior Connection was a discussion with Pastor Bob Shaw about ljngering  ethical and moral issues. 

This show began with guest Patricia Axelrod of The Peoples' Advocate/Desert Storm Think Tank and ALL Veterans' Advocate revealing her work with a whistle blowing high ranking VA doctor who has complained to regional and onsite VA Supervisory and Directorship Personnel about extraordinary  shortage of medical equipment , instruments, support  and technical staff impairing the quality of care he is able to provide for his veteran patients.  Axelrod went on to inform listeners of the VA retaliatory persecution and prosecutorial efforts the VA has launched against him as he has now been charged  by the VA with 'creating a hostile environment in a Federal workplace'.  The VA has sworn the doctor to secrecy in the matter even though they have already begun hearings against him for which he was denied access to counsel or adviser. Axelrod complaints of wrong doing to the VA Office of Special Counsel (VAOSC) who has statutory supervisory oversight of these hearings has resulted in VAOSC failure to act in accordance with their own law.  Host Rokke related his first hand knowledge of whistle-blower retaliation  afterwhich the show segued into military base  toxic contamination.   

The  May 6 th edition of Warrior Connection was a discussion with University of Illinois ROTC cadre about the benefits of a ROTC education for prior service  or family members.  

The Feb 27 the edition of Warrior as a discussion about the horrific events in Parkland,  Florida  high school.

The February 11th edition of Warrior Connection was a discussion about acute and chronic pain causes and pain management  

The February 4th edition of Warrior Connection was a discussion about denied, delayed, and  ineffective medical care with the wife of  an american hero - DU - burn pit - etc. casualty  of OIF OEF  who's uncle is one of our nation's greatest and legendary WW2 heroes.  

The January 14th edition of Warrior Connection was dedicated reading and discussing the new poetry  book  "DANCING BAREFOOT IN THE WIND" written by Bonnie Rokke Tinnes , a retired psych nurse, teacher, and Russian linguist.  Bonnie's  poetry and other books in the "Growing Up Margaret" series are available through your bookstore and on line.  Her work focuses on the good things of life.     

The October  8 discussion on Warrior Connection was about alternative treatments such as acupuncture and tens unit use with  Dr. Lisa Conboy, MA, MS, ScD; Instructor in Medicine, Part-time, Director of the Research Department, The New England School of Acupuncture at MCPHS University  and her colleague Dr. Beth Sangree  of The Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School.

The September 24th edition of Warrior Connection was a discussion about the new Ken Burns- Lynn Novick PBS documentary "The Vietnam War".  Fifty years later Vietnam remains a thorn in the life of millions.        

The July 16th edition of Warrior Connection was a essential and timely discussion with John Boch- Executive Director of Guns Save Life, author, and extraordinary basic firearms, concealed carry, and force-on-force instructor with GSL defense training about how to avoid nasty situations and what to do if you find yourself in harms way.  John  provided us warning signs of what to look for and common sense validated procedures of how to avoid those nasty situations that we might encounter during our daily lives.  John and his GSL defense partners provide probably the best training in the  midwest and beyond.

The July 9th edition of Warrior Connection was a discussion Dr Ann Lopex, with Professor and Director of the Farm Workers institute about the health and environmental effects of pesticides on farm workers, children, and all.  It is extremely clear and frightening how pesticides have infiltrated our diet with horrific effects, The effects on warriors going bsck to the Vietnam War and until the present is a similar travesty. We also discussed the plight of migrant farm workers who hand harvest  most of our fresh fruit and vegatables. .          

The June 25 th edition of  Warrior Connection was a discussion with Durham North Carolina VA  "Writing to Wellness "program co-directors and veterans  Iretha Alston and Diana Graham.           

The June  4th edition of Warrior Connection was a discussion with 87 year old Korean war hand to hand combat survivor and Vietnam war journalist SISI Mosby.  SISI a retired but active  historian, actor- director,  and journalist provided unique insight into the meaning of war and it's profound effect on our lives. As one of the founders of Veterans for Peace and as a wartime correspondant for the Chicago Defender and Negro Press International SISI provided unique and very important insight into not only the black warrior's experiences but how war transforms everybody. SISI was editor of Veterans Stars and Stripes for Peace.        

The May 7 edition of Warrior Connection was a discussion with Becky Hayes a highway - concrete construction union employee who was exposed to DUCRETE a mixture of depleted uranium metal dust and normal concrete components who al of the same serious medical problems as specified by the VA and DOD and as experienced by military and civilian personnel exposed to depleted uranium during combat or other military operations.   The Tragedy of DU just never ends.

The April 23 edition of  Warrior Connection was an EXCEPTIONAL AND INFORMATIVE discussion with Gavin P. Smith, Founder and President of Civilian Exposure  (civilianexposure.org)  that dedicated to unraveling, revealing, and discussing the extent of environmental contamination and resulting health effects caused by military operations and the extensive list of bases that have extensive contamination affecting everybody, animals, and plants and especially the military personnel and their families who lived, worked, played on these contaminated installations. We need to remember that contamination does not stop at the fence line  and is a world-wide problem created by us.  Clearly God sent us an "angel" in the form of Gavin to help us.     

Jim Stilwell is a painter of visions.   The images originated from some intense experiences he has had on Vision Quests.  Hence the parental warning at the beginning of the audio.  I wanted parents and other adults with children in their care to come here and read this post before deciding whether to listen to Jim's interview in the presence of children. The issue is that Jim very generously shares the details of his Vision Quest during the audio, including some events that could be frightening or confusing for children.  Jim was out for four days fasting in the desert and describes feeling visited by a demon.  He also alludes to his enactment of being in a coffin (his sleeping bag), and there area other references to death in the interview.  Also, because Jim has collaborated with veterans to paint their visions, there are mentions of post-traumatic stress disorder in this interview. Ironically, out of an experience that included intensely frightening events came work that many find extremely uplifting and beautiful.  Some of the paintings do send strong messages about societal behavior and consequences (see below "Tipping Point" and "Welcome Home").   Others include Native American imagery and imagery involving the natural elements and spiritual world. Like many artists, Jim began his career as a commercial artist.  He became known for his architectural renderings and worked with developers and architects in Florida.   Along with examples of his paintings, below you will also find one of his architectural illustrations. Soul Gift Jim's intention during his Vision Quest was to discover his soul gift.  Surprisingly, the answer was not art, even though creative images flowed as a result of the Quest.  A true highlight of this interview is hearing Jim reveal what he learned about himself and the purpose of his art. To connect with Jim and see more of his work: SCROLL down the page visit his website http://www.jimstilwell.com visit his educational website for all his tips on drawing proper perspective follow his Facebook page Jim is available for hire to paint images others would like to see created as paintings, what he refers to as collaborations Jim also is available to create drawings of private residences (example below) Other Highlights of this interview include: Jim walking us through what his Vision Quest was like what Jim refers to as "collaborations" in which he works with someone else to understand and then paint the other person's vision.  Jim has worked on collaborations with members of the military and generously donates his work to veterans organization Jim's journey from architectural illustrator to creating the inspired types of paintings he does now Jim's love of sharing his knowledge of perspective drawing via classes his website and workshops. He has a whole separate website dedicated to sharing his methods.  He will be teaching an already-sold-out and wait-listed class at Olli (at UNC Asheville) called "Easy Steps to Creating Perspective in Art" beginning in January 2017.  Other opportunities to learn from Jim will be posted on his website as they arise. Links mentioned during this episode: Hero's Journey Foundation (the organization that conducted Jim's first Vision Quest) Animas Valley Institute (the organization that conducted the Vision Quest Jim describes in-depth) The Warrior Connection, a retreat center in Vermont which helps returning military veterans process their experiences and adjust to being back home.  Jim plans to donate 100% of the proceeds from the sale of his painting "Welcome Home" (the first one below) to the Warrior Connection and has also donated prints to them to sell. his class at Olli (Osher Lifelong Learning Center at UNC Asheville) Zapow Gallery, which carries Jim's work Other work by Jim Stilwell  (Some pieces are noted as available for sale.  Prints of all of the pieces in this article are availa...