Veterans Never Stop Serving

On today's episode, Mike is joined by Captain Anthony T., a former Special Operations Soldier from the 75th Ranger Regiment.

Anthony shares his journey from military service to civilian life, highlighting the unique challenges and transitions each veteran faces. He discusses his decision to pursue education and eventually earn a JD/MBA from Northwestern University, utilizing the G.I. Bill benefits. Anthony worked in both la...

Today Mike welcomes Chris L., U.S. Air Force retired. He shares his incredible journey from serving in the military for a decade, including deployments with special operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, to his post-military life. Chris expresses his deep gratitude for the support from Sentinels of Freedom, emphasizing the importance of trust between veterans and those offering assistance. He credits them with helping him complete his...

Today Mike Welcomes John Arroyo, U.S. Army retired to the podcast. John has an amazing story to tell, and he is also a wonderful and inspiring storyteller. He begins speaking about his childhood and the absence of a father figure and the vital role that his mother and grandmother played in raising him as a boy. He reveals how his search for affirmation as he went into his teens led him to gangs, drugs, and becoming a father at a ve...

Today Mike welcomes Sandra Ambotaite, a former Army Staff Sergeant, to share her inspiring journey of selfless service, transition, education, and career growth.

Sandra was born and raised in Lithuania during the USSR era. Her path took a turn when she won the diversity lottery, moving her family to Brooklyn, New York. Overcoming language barriers and cultural shock, she eventually joined the military after encountering an army re...

Today Mike welcomes U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Brian Taghadossi who is gearing up for his bar exams in California and Texas. Brian's story begins with his decision to join the Army at 19, feeling fairly confident that the country wouldn't be going to war anytime soon. But that changed in just a little over a year of his signup.

He recounts his deployment to Iraq, transition struggles, and the stigma around mental health that...

Today Mike welcomes Bill Schnarr, U.S. Army Veteran deployed to Iraq in 2010.

Bill tells his story of transition from active duty, navigating challenges like PTSD, and finding a renewed sense of purpose through community service. He and Mike discuss the unique dynamics of the veteran community and the importance of support networks. Bill also discusses his involvement in collaborative projects, including efforts to enhance a veter...

Today Mike welcomes Sentinel Marlene, a Staff Sergeant in the United States Army and a wounded veteran who has graduated from their Bridge for Education Program.

Marlene shares her journey, beginning with her recovery from injuries sustained during her time in the military, her graduation from Texas State University with a bachelor's degree in recreation therapy, and her work as a therapist for the V.A. and nonprofit organizat...

In this episode, Mike welcomes Sam Schoenheit, a Marine Corps veteran with an inspiring story of courage and determination. Sam shares what motivated him to join the Marines and how he ended up in the elite Marine Raiders after a grueling selection process. He recounts surviving a severe head injury during his last tour and the challenging road to recovery, including losing his ability to speak.

After transitioning to civilian life...

On today's episode, Mike has the honor of hosting Janet Mayo, U.S. Marine Veteran who has triumphed over challenges to build a remarkable life. Janet shares her story of transitioning from the Marine Corps to higher education, earning two master's degrees, and her upcoming pursuit of a Ph.D. in criminal justice.

Serving in the Military Police, Janet was initially stationed at Camp Lejeune before completing a tour in Okinaw...

Mike Conklin catches up with graduated Sentinel Captain Jake, a former Marine Corps captain who overcame the loss of both his legs in Afghanistan. Captain Jake shares his remarkable journey, highlighting the crucial role played by Sentinels of Freedom Scholarship Foundation in his recovery and transition to civilian life. From his challenging days at Walter Reed Hospital to his remarkable milestones in rehabilitation, Captain Jake&...

Today Mike welcomes Eric Ballester, Combat Controller, Air Force retired. No one can question Eric's passion and commitment that he had during his time in service, and you will see why in this interview.

Eric's family was rooted in service and he found his purpose on the front lines after 9/11, deployed to Afghanistan. He and Mike discuss the challenges he faced during his transition from military life, including the ...

Today we are joined by U.S. Marine Corps Gunnery Sergeant Jhonnatan "Jhonny" Chinchilla, a true example of the resilience and determination of veterans. Jonathan shares his inspiring journey, from immigrating to the United States from Guatemala as a young child to becoming the first college graduate in his family.

Jhonny discusses his motivation to join the Marine Corps and how he found purpose and direction through milit...

Welcome back to Veterans Never Stop Serving. Today Mike is joined by Joshua Smith, United States Air Force retired, turned elementary school behavior specialist. Josh takes us through his career in the Air Force, where he specialized in aircrew life support and served as a certified instructor. He shares his motivations for joining the military, including his initial hesitation and eventual decision after a job layoff. Despite inju...

On today’s episode, Mike welcomes Army Veteran Casey McEuin, an extraordinary individual whose life journey has been marked by dedication to service, resilience, and a commitment to continuous growth. Casey shares his experiences from joining the Army right out of high school, and how much he loved being a part of it, to his current role as an advocate for inclusion and diversity. He also talks about the injury that ended his caree...

Today Mike welcomes Andrew Coughlan, Specialist US Army Retired, to the show. Andrew joined the Army at 19 after 9/11 having had a brother already in The Air Force. He was deployed to Iraq and his battalion suffered of the greatest number of lost lives than any other during that time. He was medically retired and had severe PTSD, but went through the regular steps to start his transition back into civilian life. But it wasn’t as ea...

Today Mike welcomes Jason Church, United States Army officer retired, Jason begins by sharing his military background, coming from a family with a history of military service. He served in Afghanistan, facing challenging conditions and frequent combat. He describes the harrowing incident in which he lost both his legs due to an IED. After undergoing numerous surgeries and rehabilitation, Jason met Mike at Walter Reed Hospital durin...

Growing up in a military family, it was difficult for today’s guest, Christian Redmon, to imagine any other path than joining the Army, and so he did right out of high school in 2005. 

After tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, his time was cut much shorter than he had ever expected. After 10 years of service, he was unable to continue because of back injuries. This left him feeling somewhat adrift and tried different education and caree...

On today’s episode, Mike welcomes Major Derek Abby, United States Marine Corps retired. Derek recounts his story of tragically losing his mother at a young age, and finding purpose and direction in joining the Marines. He began as a communicator, moved into aviation, and during that period 9/11 happened. He was soon deployed to Kuwait and Iraq multiple times providing F-18 air support.

After 23 years of deployments, his body took a...

Mike’s special guest today is Sergeant Major Chuck Yerry, United States Army Special Operations, retired. Chuck is originally from California, growing up in San Jose. He graduated as an Eagle Scout and enlisted in 1989. Eventually, he went to Fort Benning Airborne School and then to Fort Lewis for around 4 years with the 2/75 Ranger Battalion. Soon after, he became a RIP instructor at Fort Benning. After being asked to go through a...