Veterans Be Real

Latest Episodes:

Marine Veteran Trace Johannesen Jul 09, 2020

Show notes

Marine Veteran Trace Johannesen was elected to Rockwall City Council in 2018. He and his wife Amy live in Stone Creek Estates with their three children. Trace works in business strategy and technology consulting for a purpose-driven consulting firm called Slalom. Prior to joining Slalom, Trace worked for technology professional services firms in varying leadership roles.

Before City Council, Trace served on Rockwall’s Architectural Review Board. He also proudly serves Rockwall in varying capacities including leading Communications for the local American Legion Post, as a partner in the Chamber of Commerce, a Founding Member of Rockwall Veterans Business Alliance, and a Founding Member of 100 Business Leaders of Rockwall County.

A fourth-generation US Marine, Trace left his job to enlist in September 2001 in the wake of the terrorist attacks. He deployed to Okinawa and the Philippines, completed his service in 2005, and returned to Texas A&M University in College Station only to be recalled to service in 2007. He then deployed to Iraq on a Military Transition Team (MiTT) embedded with the Iraqi Army as a military instructor cadre. Upon his return to Texas, Trace completed his bachelor’s degree in Business Administration-Management Information Systems at Texas A&M.

In this episode, Trace talks to Sgt. BeReal about his experiences during service and his transition out of the Military. They exchanged words about getting involved and giving back to the community as veterans because they know that when you do this, good things happen not just to yourself but to the whole community.

Let’s listen to them and get golden nuggets that can help you function better as a civilian and find that greater purpose that everyone is trying to figure out.

Key Notes:

Figured out while still in the Marine Corps that he would get back to college and do business

Back in college campus at 29 years old

Recalled and got deployed to Iraq but with his terms

Worked for a software firm for almost 6 years

During his transition, finding a job for Trace wasn't that difficult, it's finding the right job that was hard

He felt his life is missing a bigger purpose

Get involved in the community and good things will happen

The stronger the community, the better the community

Connect with Trace:

Website:

https://www.tracejohannesen.com/

Book Suggested:

Tribe - Sebastian Junger

Connect With Sgt. 1st Class (SFC) John Valentine:

Website:

https://veteransbereal.com/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/veteransbereal/

Apple Podcast:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/veterans-be-real/id1507792755

Please don’t forget to subscribe to our podcast and leave us a 5 star written review on iTunes.

Army Veteran Annette M Whittenberger Jul 06, 2020

Show notes

U.S. Army (RET) MAJ. Annette M. Whittenberger understands the challenge of veteran transition and development as she is a Retired Combat Veteran, an Army Spouse, and a mother. Annette has a B.A in Psychology and an MS in Environmental Management.

Because she understands the difficulty of transitioning out of the military as a female, she can talk through the steps, make a plan, and offer resources to fulfill your passion. She focuses on coaching others through PTSD, anxiety, and depression and overcoming trauma.

She is also in the process of collaborating with other like-minded and like-hearted people to help end the stigma on mental health.

In this episode, Sgt. BeReal and Annette talk about finding her identity again when she got out of the Military and the invisible wounds that they suffer. They also pointed out that the suicidal rate is very high due to depression and all veterans go to a lot of challenges whatever their rank is because the Military forgot the mental health part.

Let’s listen to them and get lots of information about transitioning from the Military and know how Annette can help you through her business and life experiences.

Key Points:

Finding her identity again when she got out

The Military forgot the mental health part

Veterans have invisible wounds that they suffer

Suicidal rate is very high due to depression

Raising a kid while in the Military is so hard for both men and women

A support system is very important

We all go to a lot of challenges whatever your rank is

When you get out of the Military, you can do more than just get a job

Connect with Annette:

Website:

https://www.awildridecalledlife.com/coach

Blog:

https://www.awildridecalledlife.com/blog

Podcast:

https://www.awildridecalledlife.com/podcast

Email Address:

awildridecalledlife@gmail.com

Connect With Sgt. 1st Class (SFC) John Valentine:

Website:

https://veteransbereal.com/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/veteransbereal/

Apple Podcast:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/veterans-be-real/id1507792755

Please don’t forget to subscribe to our podcast and leave us a 5 star written review on iTunes.

Army Veteran Zack Knight Jul 02, 2020

Show notes

Zack Knight is currently an Infantry Lieutenant and platoon leader in the United States Army Georgia National Guard. His time spent in the Army has involved extensive training in risk assessment and mitigation techniques that have been proven in the most intense environments.

From the streets of metro-Atlanta as a police officer and SWAT Operator, to the mountains of Afghanistan as an Infantry leader, Zack has been tested on his crime and risk mitigation expertise as well as his leadership. He has built this experience into Knight Protection Services, where he and his team provides those techniques to a wide array of businesses. Zack has recently started Be a Tactical Leader in an effort to share the lessons that business leaders, as well as his own lessons in business, have learned after years of experience. This was fostered from the launching of the podcast Tactical Leadership, which he hosts. Zack also volunteers on the board of Vetlanta, the physical security council for ASIS, and as co-chair of Surviving To Thriving.

In this episode, Sgt. BeReal and Zack talks about his journey as a policeman to becoming an Army. They also talked about Zack’s wife, a policewoman who can hustle from one work to another to running a business. They also discussed the importance of your network and what should the Military be doing to prepare veterans with their civilian life.

Let’s listen to them and absorb all the information that they willingly share to help veterans and those who are still active in duty deal with their civilian lives.

Key Points:

His Police Officer Wife That Can Hussle From One Thing To Another

The Military Didn't Prepare Us For Transition Like They Trained Us

The Military Should Have An 8-Week Course To Prepare Veterans With Their Civilian Life

Your Network Is So Important, It's Your Networth In Business

Connect With Zack:

LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/zaknight/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/tothrivingatl/

Websites:

https://knightprotectionllc.com/

https://beatacticalleader.com/

Non-Profit Website:

https://tothriving.org/

Twitter

https://twitter.com/KnightProLLC

https://twitter.com/tothrivingatl

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/KnightProLLC/

https://www.facebook.com/ToThrivingAtl/

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/knightprollc/

https://www.instagram.com/tothrivingatl/

Connect With Sgt. 1st Class (SFC) John Valentine:

Website:

https://veteransbereal.com/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/veteransbereal/

Apple Podcast:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/veterans-be-real/id1507792755

Please don’t forget to subscribe to our podcast and leave us a 5 star written review on iTunes.

Navy Veteran Thomas McConnell Jun 29, 2020

Show notes

Navy Diver Veteran Thomas McConnell was raised in Lake Pontchartrain in Louisiana and he is the owner of 15 Fathoms Deep Sea Apparel. He used to swim competitively as a freestyle swimmer and it was really the one sport that he gravitated to. He found out about the Navy diver program and knew that’s what he wanted to do. It took him about seven months to get in shape for it, but he put in the work and got into shape.

When he showed up to dive school, they let them know that they would weed half of them out, but he was determined to make it to the end. Just as they predicted half the team washed out and they graduated with 16 after starting with 36.

After graduation, he ended up getting orders to Hawaii to be a part of a salvage unit. When ships come into foreign ports, they hop in deep-sea waters on scuba then checks and clears the piers so the sailors are clear to come in.

He spent 8 years in the Navy and when he got back in San Diego and doing a routine working dive, he lost feeling in his legs and started having a lot of neurological symptoms. This diving incident in December 2017 gave him some vestibular issues, a little bit of brain trauma, and found out that he had an unruptured brain aneurysm. He could not move on so he went on medical retirement. He retired on December 28, 2019, and moved to Canada with his wife.

In this episode, Sgt. BeReal talks to Thomas about his transition out of the Navy, his medical and mental condition, and his business. They also discussed how moving to Canada affected his ongoing treatment and life because a lot of VA benefits don’t extend overseas.

Key Points:

Medically Retired
Moved to Canada where his wife is from
A lot of VA benefits don't extend overseas
His Mental Health Struggle
Became his Wife's Medical Plan Dependent in Canada
Wife as his Therapist
Doing your homework before you get out, develop a business plan
Surround yourself with the correct people
Printful Business

Connect With Thomas McConnell:

Website:

https://www.15fathoms.com/

Instagram:

15_fathoms

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/15fathoms1982/

10% Military Discount Code:

Buzo

Groups, Companies, Foundations, and Organizations:

Printful
One More Wave Foundation
Head Strong Project

Connect With Sgt. 1st Class (SFC) John Valentine:

Website:

https://veteransbereal.com/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/veteransbereal/

Apple Podcast:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/veterans-be-real/id1507792755

Please don’t forget to subscribe to our podcast and leave us a 5 star written review on iTunes.

Marine Veteran Kyle Page Jun 22, 2020

Show notes

Disabled Marine Corps Veteran turned Realtor, Kyle Page has the skills, knowledge, and cutting edge tech and takes pride in representing his clients' best interest in what could be the largest transaction of their lives.

After high school, Kyle Page enrolled in Anthropology at the University of Alabama and dropped out to join the Marine Corps.

He started as a mechanic in the Marine. He was deployed to Afghanistan in 2012 and experienced losing a couple of good guys out there because of IEDs. After he got out of Afghanistan, he became a marksmanship instructor and was promoted as a Corporal. Things were really going great for him until the Marine found some complications with him medically.

He applied for mechanic jobs before getting discharged, got an offer, and started working the day after he got out. He got a lot of help from organizations and groups outside the Military during his transition. He also tried welding as a profession but his calling was into Real Estate.

Kyle joined his wife Lisa Page in the summer of 2018 and started their "Power Couple" team The Next Page Team in the world of Real Estate. Their focus is on helping people by giving back to the community through charitable organizations. They strive to make a difference in the community every day. One such charity is Homes For Our Troops, which is a Non Profit who they partner with and donate a portion of their commission too. In just a short time they have hit the ground running and have become one of the top producing teams in their market.

Let's listen to Sgt. BeReal and Kyle as they talk about his transition, the "highs and lows" and how Kyle managed to become what he is today.

Key Points:

The effects of losing good guys in your unit
How he prepared his life before being discharged using the skills he learned in the Military
Asking for help from non-profit organizations and other groups really helps a lot in your transition
Life as a mechanic and welder outside the Military
Real Estate journey with his wife
Giving back to the community as realtors

Connect with Corporal Kyle Page:

Website:

https://nextpage.kw.com

Facebook:

www.facebook.com/nextpagerealestateteam

Organizations:

Connect With Sgt. 1st Class (SFC) John Valentine:

Website:

www.veteransbereal.com

Facebook:

www.facebook.com/veteransbereal

Apple Podcast:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/veterans-be-real/id1507792755

Please don’t forget to subscribe to our podcast and leave us a 5 star written review on iTunes.

Marine Veteran Joseph Gibbons Jun 18, 2020

Show notes

Capt. Joseph Gibbons was born and raised in Alaska and moved out of state when he joined the Marines at the age of 18. He always wanted to be a Marine since he was 7 years old, had an adolescence rebellion and moved out at the age of 17 and lived with a girlfriend who became his wife in 2011. He was in the Marines for 5 years and was a Plane Captain on Cobra and Huey helicopters. He inspected them and performed maintenance to make sure that they were safe for flight so that our pilots could carry out the mission and return home safely. He missed his chance for the sandbox (Afghanistan) by 27 days, roster was already filled but the Marines really formed him to be able to persevere and to be able to be confident in everything that he does. He was also in contact with a lot of good guys because of his learnings from the leadership above him. In this episode, Sgt. BeReal (John) talks to Captain Joe about his transition out of the Military, was it hard? Yes! He had bumps along the road where he dealt with alcohol and drugs and was in the middle of a divorce. He even sent 250 applications to find a job and when he got one, he spent more than 40 hours every month travelling for his job. But guess what? He endured all hardship because of a very supportive family and the state of Texas, he even won his wife back. He also established his own company as a Business and Individual Solutions Consultant. He specializes in Employee Benefits to individual financial analysis, from the seed of an idea to the final product. He also does Retirement Income Protection, Legal Services Coverage, Identity Theft Coverage & Restoration, Life Insurance, Dental Insurance and HR Consulting Services for Employers. Let's listen to this podcast and learn the details of Joe's hardships, how he endured all of it, how he bounced back and started his business, and how Joe's business can help us. Key Points: Who is Captain Joseph Gibbons before a Marine, as a Marine and after a Marine? Hardships with job hunting Dealing with alcohol and drugs after his Marine life Losing his wife due to bad decisions How the state of Texas turned his life around How can Joe’s business help us with his areas of service Connect With Capt. Joseph Gibbons Website: https://gibbonssolutions.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gibbonssolutions/?ref=py_c Email Address: GibbonsSolutions@Gmail.com Phone Number: (972) 697-1992 Connect With Sgt. 1st Class (SFC) John Valentine: Website: https://veteransbereal.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/veteransbereal/ Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/veterans-be-real/id1507792755 Please don’t forget to subscribe to our podcast and leave us a 5 star written review on iTunes.

Army Veteran Chas Sampson Jun 15, 2020

Show notes

Chas L. Sampson is Iraq war Veteran whom served in the U.S. Army for 5 years. After his military service he served as a Decision Officer (Rater) for the Board of Veteran Appeals at U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs in Washington, D.C., followed by service as a Human Resources Executive for Department of Defense at the Pentagon and at Andrews Air Force Base, MD. Chas, a former mayoral candidate for Spring Lake, NC received his bachelor’s degree in business psychology from Washington State University and his master’s degree in organizational leadership from Argosy University. He currently serves as the CEO of Seven Principles Corporation and GreenLeaf Financials where he uses his knowledge, skills, and abilities to lead and direct Veterans with their VA disability ratings, entrepreneurship, military transitioning, personal credit, and business credit. Chas is a proud father to two daughters and loves to travel the world. His belief is that strangers are friends, and friends are family. Everyone else just falls in between. He resides in North Carolina. In this episode, Chas will talk about how he prepared for his transition from military life to a civilian. He and Sgt. BeReal (John) will talk about some points to consider when you are planning to get out of military service or if you are currently in the process of doing so. They also discussed how important it is for veterans to be well educated and aware about their VA disability ratings, how they can improve it and how it really works. Chas and John will also tell us about how mentors can help you even if you don’t like him or her and the importance that they bring during and after your transition. They will also tackle how your relationship to other people play a vital role in the success of your business or life. Let’s listen to Chas and John for a very informative discussion to help and make you ready for the transition that you are planning and live a successful and happy life after military service. Key Points: Served 5 Years in the US Army, 92 Foxtrot Petroleum Guy Transition was easy for him because he had 2 plans Deciding between staying in the Military and do training again to become an officer or get back to college and finish his Master’s degree? Few transitional bumps when he got out like mortgages and vehicle responsibilities, unorganized spending Mentors that you can trust helped a lot Built business through relationships with other people Whats, Whys and Hows of VA Benefits for Veterans/VA Disability Ratings Chas provides a service that gives advice to veterans on how to transition out by gathering medical records and explaining what it means monetarily Provides services such as VA Claims, Personal and Business Credit Repair, , Entrepreneurship, Military Transitioning Seven Principles is after the Seven Army Values Connect with Chas: Website: sevenprinciplescorp.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sevenprinciplesgroup/ Phone Numbers: 24/7 Call Operation: 202 999 6310 Text Veteran to 797979 Connect With Sgt. 1st Class (SFC) John Valentine: Website: https://veteransbereal.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/veteransbereal/ Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/veterans-be-real/id1507792755 Please don’t forget to subscribe to our podcast and leave us a 5 star written review on iTunes.

Navy Veteran Samantha "Fergie" Fergus Jun 11, 2020

Show notes

Navy Veteran Samantha "Fergie" Fergus is a UX/UI Designer and Artist. Her creative journey began in the supply chain as a chef which later turned into a pastry chef for the United States Navy. For those 7 years, she learned and grew her skill to collaborated and cultivated new ways to explain her design and creative process. Now as a multidisciplinary designer, she brings to the table her leadership skills, cross-team collaboration, and an innovative approach to the design thinking process, allowing her to understand and design for the user but also to continue to push innovation and creation to its limits. All of these roads thus far have given her a unique perspective on how to take someone’s vision and truly turn it into a tangible reality. Studying and always learning different ways for a user to experience the product is, at its base what every designer does when creating for the client and business.

In this episode, Samantha Fergus shares her experiences as a Navy veteran and how she dealt with the military sexual trauma while aboard the Eisenhower as a bakery chef. Fergie shares the steps she took to recover and thrive.

Key Notes:

Challenges she had to overcome after Navy life:

Who am I besides Petty Officer Fergus?

Dealing with a divorce while recovering

The night with a 9mm

Celebrate baby steps of recovery every day

Thriving through tattoos

An entrepreneurial journey of art through web design

Profiting through creativity

Connect With Fergie:

Website:

https://fergi3ink.com/

LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/samanthafergus/

Connect With Sgt. 1st Class (SFC) John Valentine:

Website:

https://veteransbereal.com/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/veteransbereal/

Apple Podcast:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/veterans-be-real/id1507792755

Please don’t forget to subscribe to our podcast and leave us a 5 star written review on iTunes.

Black Lives Matter Jun 10, 2020

Show notes

In this episode, Sgt. BeREal gives his perspective about the George Floyd incident. He urges the veterans to stand up and do something about this thing. Sgt. BeReal thinks that veterans should have a presence in their own communities and should have a sit down with the City Council, City Mayor, The Chief of Police and the Police Union to know/adjust/change the rules of engagement of our Police Officers.

He stated that veterans fought for our country's freedom so our country can be free -- free of racism, free of bigotry, and free of unfair treatment of our citizens. He also said that black lives matter, all lives matter.

Let's listen to Sgt. BeReal's view about the George Floyd incident and know how we as veterans can take part to make our own communities better and make sure that this kind of incident does not and will not happen to the place that our families and friends live in.

Key Points:

Black Lives Matter, All Lives Matter Rules and Engagement of Police Officers Veterans Should Have a Presence in their Own Communities

Black Lives Matter Website:

https://blacklivesmatter.com/

Connect With Sgt. 1st Class (SFC) John Valentine: Website: https://veteransbereal.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/veteransbereal/

Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/veterans-be-real/id1507792755

Please don’t forget to subscribe to our podcast and leave us a 5 star written review on iTunes.

Army Veteran Robert Blacklidge Jun 01, 2020

Show notes

Air Force Veteran Robert Blacklidge is an Ecosystem Builder, a Serial Entrepreneur Speaker, an Educator, and a Mentor.

His work building the Lakeland Ecosystem has had and continues to have a significant impact. Robert has worked to bring several international programs to the Lakeland community. (1 Million Cups, Startup Grind, and Techstars Startup Weekend.)

These current efforts are built on his experience creating and running Hackathons including Office Depots, IEEE, Code Tampa, Startup Bus, and Biz Sprint. Robert volunteers running programs for several organizations to include Action Zone a veteran-focused business accelerator and Techstars Startup Weekend.

In this episode, Sgt. BeReal talks to Robert about how he started, how he ended, and where he is at now. Robert also shares how he stumbled and got his feet up again. They also discussed that the Military doesn’t prepare you as a civilian after Military duty.

Let's listen and know how Robert entered the entrepreneurial world and know how to have a proper mindset and focus to function as a civilian.

Key points

He is focused to serve the country and give back to the community.

A lot of politics in the military

The military will tear you down and build you up

A team to execute, a team to lead

Finished Masters in Entrepreneur Education

Building relationships as a civilian

Engage entrepreneurs in communities around the world

Connect with Robert:

Website:

http://RobertBlacklidge.com/