The Mettle of Honor Podcast: Stories of, Strength, Courage, & Perseverance™️

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(S1:E21) My Weapon of Choice? Strength and Perseverance Mar 17, 2021

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⚠️TRIGGER WARNING⚠️In this episode, there is a discussion containing details of sexual assault and suicide. If you are sensitive to these topics, I encourage you to proceed with caution and only listen if you feel as though you are able to do so. Lakeydra Houston | Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex | Sexual Assault Prevention Advocate | Public Speaker | K.E.Y. Fit Company | HR Recruiting Manager | Mental Resiliency Advocate | YouthMentor Meet Air Force veteran Master Sergeant Lakeydra Houston of the Dallas, Texas area. Lakeydra entered into the military as a Security Forces Airman, became an Enlisted Accessions Recruiter, and is currently serving as a Recruitment Manager. She’s a volunteer for VETS2INDUSTRY and is a Sexual Assault Prevention & Mental Health Advocate. With Key Fitness Company, she is found empowering people and businesses to create a connection between physical and mental fitness. "My goal is to empower our military and civilian community to become fit mind, body, and spirit through veteran assistance, wellness resources, resiliency workshops, mental sharpness techniques, and mentorship. Our focus should be on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; we all matter. I am a SURVIVOR of suicide, sexual assault, and a wellness/mental health advocate. This is the driving force behind the vision of my business, KEY (Knowledge/Empowerment/You-nity) Fit, to help others understand there is hope." Features include Dateline NBC, Live at the Table, VCV, and V2I. “My past has not defined me, destroyed me, deterred me, or defeated me; it has only strengthened me.” Dr. Steve Maraboli Let’s heal mind, body, and soul. Knowledge • Empowering • You-nity LINKEDIN https://www.linkedin.com/in/lakeydra-houston-405926b6/ COMPANY WEBSITE: keyfit.life/ Air Force Veteran Brian Arrington, the CEO, and Founder of Vets2Industry was a guest on the Mettle of Honor (S1:E5) VETS2INDUSTRY: https://vets2industry.com Brian Arrington:

(S1:E20) The Original Private Benjamin Mar 10, 2021

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Annie Brock | Army Veteran | LTI President & Founder Annie spent 9+ years in the US Army. She, as an enlisted soldier, was a Human Resources Specialist, Paralegal Specialist, and found herself not only airborne qualified, but was one of the first 100 females in the 82nd Airborne Division at Ft. Bragg, N.C. Annie commissioned as an Army Officer serving as a specially trained Aeromedical Evacuation Aviator flying UH-60 and UH-1V helicopters. As an Army Officer in the Medical Service Corps, Annie served in Landstuhl, Germany in the late 1980s as an Interim Supervisor, OIC of MEDCEN's Outpatient Clinic. Annie has a B.A. in Political Science and Psychology from the University of New Hampshire as well as a Master’s in Public Leadership with specialization in Multi-Sector Management from George Washington University. She also earned her certifications in both the lean six Sigma green belts (LSSGB) and Lean Six Sigma Black Belt (LSSBB). Annie Brook is the CEO and Founder of the Leader Transition Institute (LTI). The Leader Transition Institute assists individuals who are transitioning from one industry sector to another, with a special emphasis on service members, veterans, and their spouses who are transitioning from active military service to the civilian sector. Changing Focus is designed for service members who will leave, or who have left, active duty within the next/past two years. All veterans, regardless of when they left active duty, are eligible to attend. ANNIE BROCK CONTACT INFORMATION Company Website: https://www.leadertransitioninstitute.org/ LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anniebrock

(S1:E19) Breaking Ice and Breaking Glass Mar 03, 2021

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“The Leader of Character” formula others want to follow is Hard Work + Perseverance = Success In Breaking Ice and Breaking Glass: Leading in Uncharted Waters, Vice Admiral Sandy Stosz, US Coast Guard (retired) draws upon her 40 years of extensive experience and wisdom as a woman directing mostly all-male teams in front-line leadership positions to provide tools that will help leaders, particularly those at the middle level, reach their goals and succeed. The purpose of the book is to provide tools that will help leaders navigate complexity to reach their goals and succeed at every level. Character-centered, proven leadership principles emerge from Admiral Stosz’s engaging, personal stories that teach leaders how to find, and then become, an inspiring mentor; implement effective diversity, inclusion, and equity programs; successfully lead in an ever-changing environment, and much more. Current Volunteer Experience Chairperson, U.S. Coast Guard Academy Sailing Council (August 2018 – present) https://uscgasports.com/sports/sailing/index Flag Officer Advisory Council Arizona State University (January 2019 – Present) https://www.asu.edu/ Board Member, The Flag and General Officers Network (June 2018 – Present) https://www.flagandgeneralofficers.org/ Board Of Advisors, Darley Defense (January 2019 – Present) https://www.darleydefense.com/ Website: www.sandrastosz.com "Breaking Ice and Breaking Glass: Leading in Uncharted Waters" can be purchased at this link: https://sandrastosz.com/book/breaking-ice-and-breaking-glass/ U.S. Coast Guard Academy https://www.uscga.edu/

(S1:10) You Are A Masterpiece. Go Act Like It Feb 27, 2021

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James McNeil | Burlington, North Carolina, United States | Motivational Speaker | Author | Owner at The Inspirational Connection This episode's guest is James McNeil- a U. S. Army Combat Veteran. James shares about his struggles with finding his true identity when he was medically discharged from the military. He talks about those periods of loneliness and isolation due to depression. Times were so low, dark, and depressing he attempted suicide on multiple occasions. While the transition from life in a uniform filled with comradery to isolation in civilian life, James shares that while you may feel suicide is the only way out, but this is not the case. You are not alone. You may feel like it so you isolate yourself and, chances are, you then feel more depressed than you did before. Sure, there are dark seasons in life but you weren’t made to do it alone. There are people who care about you and value you. ⛔️ TRIGGER WARNING ⚠️ While details of suicide are not shared in the episode, if you have any sensitivity to discussions about suicide to the point of it disturbing or triggering you in any way, please listen with caution. James McNeil Contact Information Website: Army Veteran James McNeil – Veterans Be Real LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jameslmcneil Email: jamesmcneil72@outlook.com IF YOU ARE HAVING THOUGHTS OF SUICIDE, PLEASE REACH OUT FOR HELP. Suicide Prevention: Veterans - Mental Health (va.gov)

The Grit Institute: Commit, Learn, and Launch Feb 24, 2021

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Shannon Polson, Optimist | Badass | Speaker | Veteran | Author of “The Grit Factor” (HBR Press) | Founder of The Grit Institute: building courageous, compassionate, creative leaders with a focus on grit and resilience in a time of challenge and change. At age 19, Shannon Huffman Polson became the youngest woman ever to climb Denali, the highest mountain in North America. She went on to reach the summits of Mt. Rainier and Mt. Kilimanjaro and spent more than a decade traveling the world. Yet it was during her experience serving as one of the Army's first female attack helicopter pilots, and eventually leading an Apache flight platoon on deployment to Bosnia-Herzegovina, that she learned the lessons of leadership that forever changed her life. Where did these insights come from? From her own crucibles of experience - and from other women. Shannon Huffman Polson is the author of The Grit Factor: Courage, Resilience and Leadership in the Most Male-Dominated Organization in the World, and the founder of The Grit Institute, a leadership institute committed to whole leader development and a focus on grit and resilience. As one of the first women to fly the Apache helicopter in the U.S. Army, leading line units on three continents, Polson combines her passion and firsthand experience in and study of leadership and grit to deliver world-class keynotes and training to companies and organizations on leadership and grit. After serving for a decade in the armed services, Polson earned her MBA at the Tuck School at Dartmouth and led outstanding teams in the corporate world at Microsoft. Polson lives with her husband and two boys in Washington State. The Grit Factor: Courage, Resilience, and Leadership in the Most Male-Dominated Organization in the World With its gripping narrative and relatable takeaways, The Grit Factor is both inspiring and pragmatic, a book that will energize and enlighten current and aspiring leaders everywhere—whether male or female. Learn more from publisher Harvard Business Review “Truly one of a kind, a giant and unique step forward” - Tom Peters, co-author, In Search of Excellence “...will inspire and instruct new generations of leaders in any context. A must-read." — General Charles C. Krulak, US Marine Corps, Retired, 31st Commandant of the Marine Corps SHANNON POLOSON'SCONTACT INFORMATION WEBSITE http://www.shannonpolson.com LINKEDIN http://linkedin.com/in/shannonhpolson TWITTER: https://twitter.com/ABorderLife ORDER THE GRIT FACTOR ON AMAZON, BARNES AND NOBLE, INDIEBOUND

(S1:E17) USMC Veteran Amy Forsythe is live in 5-4-3-2... Feb 18, 2021

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Meet Marine Corps Veteran Amy Forsythe of San Diego, CA. Amy is a Communications and Visual Information Strategist. In the military, Amy served as a Combat Correspondent in the Marine Corps and currently serves in the Navy Reserves as a Public Affairs Officer. She is an award-winning digital media content creator. Amy is a multimedia journalist and military veteran with more than 25 years of experience in storytelling, public speaking, and multimedia content creation. TV anchor and host, global traveler, and adventure enthusiast. Amy Forsythe, a lifetime USMCCCA member, never goes anywhere without a camera. Her content has been published on Fox News Channel, CNN, MSNBC, ABC News, Newsweek Magazine, Soldier of Fortune Magazine, Leatherneck Magazine, CENTCOM's Unipath Magazine, and many other news outlets. Multimedia Journalist: Experienced TV producer and reporter with expertise in shooting, editing, and distribution. Anchored lifestyle program called "North County's Endless Summer" for KOCT, general assignments reporter for NBC 7 San Diego, anchor, and correspondent for The Pentagon Channel. As a public speaker and educator, she served as an adjunct professor creating curriculum and teaching social media, organizational development, and entrepreneurship at the undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral levels at California International Business University. Certified Instructor at Defense Information School(DINFOS), Fort Mead, MD. Amy Forsythe is a writer, author, speaker, combat veteran, and global traveler. Her international travel includes Afghanistan, Argentina, Bahrain, Bahamas, Czech Republic, England, Germany, Iraq, Jamaica, Japan, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco, Niger, Palau, Romania, Singapore, Spain, Sri Lanka, The Netherlands, and Switzerland. With all that travel, no wonder she takes her camera with her everywhere she goes. Amy Forsythe Contact Information http://linkedin.com/in/amyforsythe https://twitter.com/Amy_Forsythe

(S1:E16) Fear Kills More Dreams Than Failure Ever Will: It’s all about action Feb 14, 2021

Show notes

In this week's episode, I speak with fellow Army Veteran Jeffery Knight of Salt Lake City, Utah. Jeff enlisted into the Army National Guard as a Carpenter and later transitioned to becoming a Human Resources Officer in the Army Reserves. In the last half of his career, he served in a special duty position and talks about the impact it had on him as well as the importance of exercising self-care. Jeff is the Co-Founder of Angels 14. As if that weren't enough, Jeff does some freelance work in Leadership Development with Mission Six Zero is devoted to leadership training for corporate teams, professional sports and other organizations using Special Forces mastered techniques, particularly for enhancing performance in volatile, uncertain, complex, or ambiguous situations. (https://missionsixzero.com) Mission 6 Zero https://missionsixzero.com LinkedIn profile linkedin.com/in/jeff-knight

(S1:E15) It Takes Courage Chaplain (COL) Khallid Shabazz Ph.D, DMin Feb 14, 2021

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Chaplain (COL) Khallid Shabazz Ph.D, DMin | Command Chaplain at USARCENT | Sumter, South Carolina, United States Shortly after converting to Islam, then-Sgt. Khallid Shabazz struggled to find his way while his devout Lutheran family and fellow Soldiers questioned his move. And with a few Article 15s for insubordination on his record, Shabazz, a field artilleryman at the time, wanted out of the military. Then, one day while training out in the field, an Army chaplain approached him and struck up a conversation. “Honestly, it was like a revelation from God,” Shabazz said. “When it hit my ears, I knew that was what I was going to do in life. It was incredible.” “I didn’t want to convert; I was happy where I was,” he said. “I’m a very inquisitive person. If I don’t know something, I’m going to get to know it.” While Shabazz found more peace and solace by switching faiths, which included the Islamic custom of changing his name, many people in his life stopped talking to him. His commander at the time, Shabazz said, even asked why he sided with the enemy. “I was so hurt by those statements,” he said. He eventually came to realize it was a lack of understanding some people had with Islam, which he was also guilty of until he studied it. Islam is sometimes distorted by extremist groups, he said, similar to how other religions can be twisted to incite violent acts. “Whether it’s the Bible, Quran, or the Torah, I want people to understand that religion really has nothing to do with violence,” he said. “99.9 percent of the people in religion are good people.” Chaplain Shabazz holds two doctorate degrees on top of four master’s degrees. He has written three books and teaches online courses at four colleges. He has 28 years of experience as a U.S. Army officer working at the highest level and is currently a fellow at the University of Texas studying senior-level strategy. I view myself as a competent, consistent, compassionate self-starter willing to tackle new challenges. If you are seeking an Instructor who is loyal and committed to achieving total success for your students and the university, please consider what I have to offer. Chaplain (COL) Khallid’s Profile linkedin.com/in/chaplain-col-khallid-shabazz-ph-d-dmin-701074a6 I also have twenty years of experience working with military adult learners that include active-duty soldiers, their spouses and family, and Department of Defense civilians. My Ph.D. was earned from Trident University. I would like you to consider my continuing Instruction with Adult learners which includes: • Served as an Adjunct Faculty, Trident University, and American Allied University, Claremont Lincoln University for 10 years • Taught 50 classes with over 120 students in support of coordinating Professor 6 years • Conducted A philosophy and Ethics Professor with over 65 students for 3 years • Adult instruction for the last 17 years • Instruction Training, Supervision Methods • Myers Briggs Process Training • Instructional Training on PTSD, Suicide Prevention, Conflict Analysis • Primary trainer for over 4,500 soldiers, civilian and family members

(S1:E13) The Four Chaplains: Merging Military History and Personal Faith aboard the USAT Dorchester Feb 13, 2021

Show notes

It was the evening of Feb. 2, 1943, and the U.S.A.T. Dorchester was crowded to capacity, carrying 902 servicemen, merchant seamen, and civilian workers. Once a luxury coastal liner, the 5,649-ton vessel had been converted into an Army transport ship. The Dorchester, one of three ships in the SG-19 convoy, was moving steadily across the icy waters from Newfoundland toward an American base in Greenland. SG-19 was escorted by Coast Guard Cutters Tampa, Escanaba, and Comanche. On Feb. 3, at 12:55 a.m., a periscope broke the chilly Atlantic waters. Through the crosshairs, an officer aboard the German submarine U-223 spotted the Dorchester. The U-223 approached the convoy on the surface, and after identifying and targeting the ship, he gave orders to fire the torpedoes, a fan of three were fired. The one that hit was decisive–and deadly–striking the starboard side, amidship, far below the waterline.

Those chaplains were Lt. George L. Fox, Methodist; Lt. Alexander D. Goode, Jewish; Lt. John P. Washington, Roman Catholic; and Lt. Clark V. Poling, Dutch Reformed. Quickly and quietly, the four chaplains spread out among the soldiers. There they tried to calm the frightened, tend the wounded and guide the disoriented toward safety. "Witnesses of that terrible night remember hearing the four men offer prayers for the dying and encouragement for those who would live," says Wyatt R. Fox, son of Reverend Fox.

Of the 902 men aboard the U.S.A.T. Dorchester, 672 died, leaving 230 survivors. When the news reached American shores, the nation was stunned by the magnitude of the tragedy and heroic conduct of the four chaplains. "Valor is a gift," Carl Sandburg once said. "Those having it never know for sure whether they have it until the test comes." That night Reverend Fox, Rabbi Goode, Reverend Poling, and Father Washington passed life's ultimate test. In doing so, they became an enduring example of extraordinary faith, courage, and selflessness. The Distinguished Service Cross and Purple Heart were awarded posthumously December 19, 1944, to the next of kin by Lt. Gen. Brehon B. Somervell, Commanding General of the Army Service Forces, in a ceremony at the post chapel at Fort Myer, VA. A one-time-only posthumous Special Medal for Heroism was authorized by Congress and awarded by President Eisenhower on January 18, 1961. Congress attempted to confer the Medal of Honor but was blocked by the stringent requirements that required heroism performed under fire. The special medal was intended to have the same weight and importance as the Medal of Honor.

Thanks to:

Information for this episode retrieved from The Four Chaplains Memorial Foundation website at http://fourchaplains.org/four-chaplains/ retired Air Force Chaplain, Dr. Dondi Costin https://www.linkedin.com/in/dondi-e-costin-ph-d-major-general-retired-97119b46/ Army_Chaplain (COL) Khallid Shabazz Ph.D, DMin https://www.linkedin.com/in/chaplain-col-khallid-shabazz-ph-d-dmin-701074a6/

(S1:E9) Melissa Washington Navy Veteran | Military Spouse | Founder Women Veterans Alliance Feb 10, 2021

Show notes

Melissa Washington is a Navy veteran and the spouse of a Marine. Melissa is the Founder & CEO of the Women Veterans Alliance (https://www.womenveteransalliance.org), Listen in as she talks about her time in the Navy. Awards 2019 Department of Veterans Affairs Women Veterans Trailblazers: Women Breaking Barriers 2018 Sharif Jewelers Sacramento Kings Hometown Hero 2018 Cal Vet Trailblazer Award 2018 Tapestry Impact Award 2017 Sacramento's Women Who Mean Business 2016 KFBK (iHeart Radio) Hometown Hero 2016 Congressional & Assembly Award and Recognition. Name listed on Congressional Record. Veteran Community Founder and Chairperson Women Veterans Giving Special Advisor American Veteran Organization of Women Magazine (AVOW) Advisor and Former Co-Chair VA Community Veteran Engagement Board (CVEB) Board Member of Lincoln Veterans Memorial Coalition Member of Military Women Coalition & Women Veteran Speakers Member of the Military Family Research Institute Advisory Council, Purdue University Charter Member- Women in Military Services of America (WIMSA) Veterans Foreign Wars (VFW) Lifetime Member & American Legion Member Former Chair California Women Veterans Leadership Council Former Board Member Placer County Veterans Stand Down Author Get Back to Work: Smart & Savvy Real-World Strategies to Make Your Next Career Move, 2014

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