The Soldier For Life Podcast

Our Community Salutes helps communities around the country recognize, honor, and support high school seniors who are enlisting in the U.S. military after graduation. Learn more on this week's all new Soldier For Life Podcast as SFL's Director, COL Jarrett Thomas, talks with the President and Founder of OCS, Dr. Ken Hartman.

MilGears is a customized career-building tool offered by the U.S. Department of Defense that is designed to help service members, veterans, potential Soldiers, their family members, and more plan and achieve their career goals by highlighting career possibilities and helping them visualize how to reach those goals. Learn more on this week's brand new Soldier For Life Podcast as MSG James Wire chats with Mr. Keith Boring, the Acting Division Director of Strategy, Innovation, Credentialing, and Voluntary Education for the Naval Education and Training Command. https://milgears.osd.mil

On this week's Soldier For Life Podcast, we talk with Hiring Our Heroes Senior Director COL (Ret.) Adam Rocke about the resources and opportunities Hiring Our Heroes offers to help connect the military community with meaningful employment opportunities.

Veteran Shark Tank was created in 2012 to promote and assist veterans who are starting or growing their businesses. This year's pitch competition is happening next month on December 4, 2023. On this week's Soldier For Life Podcast, we talk with Veteran Shark Tank Founder Alex Archawski and 2022 Veteran Shark Tank winner and CEO of TORCH Warriorwear Haley Marie McClain Hill about the Veteran Shark Tank experience and what it takes to be an entrepreneur.

If you have your own business while your family is serving in the military, what do you do when it's time for a PCS move? On this week's Soldier For Life Podcast, we talk with two military spouse entrepreneurs, Lizann Lightfoot and Lauren Hope, about how to move your business when you PCS.

The Universal Technical Institute (UTI)/BMW Military Service Technician Education Program (MSTEP) is a 16-week on-post Career Skills Program at Fort Liberty and Camp Pendleton that trains transitioning service members to become Certified BMW Technicians. Learn more about UTI and MSTEP on this week's all new Soldier For Life Podcast as we chat with UTI VP of Military Admissions John Decoteau and BMW of North America Military and STEP Recruiting Manager Robert Witte.

RecruitMilitary connects employers to military community job seekers via recruiting, career fairs, a job board, and career services that are free of charge to the military community. Learn more on this week's Soldier For Life Podcast as we chat with RecruitMilitary CEO and Army veteran Tim Best.

We all agree that military spouses are the backbones of our military families. But what is it really like to be a military spouse? On this week's #SoldierForLifePodcast, we talk with three military spouses - Laura Torres, Lydiah Owiti, and Laura Abubekr - about the highs, lows, challenges, and victories military spouses face every day.

Financial readiness. We all know this is vital, but how many of us can say that we - and our military families - are fully prepared? On this week's Soldier For Life Podcast, we have a fantastic discussion with Sarah Bumgardner, the Director of Partnerships and Member Engagement for the American Armed Forces Mutual Aid Association, about what it means to be financially ready, why this is so crucial for military families and military spouses, and (most importantly) the steps we need to take to ensure that our families are financially sound. Resources mentioned during the podcast: 👀 AAFMAA Transition Timeline - https://life.aafmaa.com/transition-timeline 👀 MilSpouse Money Mission - https://www.milspousemoneymission.org 👀 U.S. Department of Defense Office of Financial Readiness - https://finred.usalearning.gov

We've got another military transition resource for you on this week's all new Soldier For Life Podcast! In this episode, SFL's Employment Director, LTC Ismael Ortizrivera, talks with Matt Scherer, the President of the Military Transition Roundtable, about the networking, support, and community-building opportunities and resources the Military Transition Roundtable provides to transitioning service members and veterans to help them navigate the transition process. (And as an extra bonus, there is a great discussion about LinkedIn and how to optimize your profile for networking, job searching, telling your story, and more!)

The Easterseals Veteran Staffing Network connects employers with military talent and helps veterans and their spouses find meaningful jobs. Learn more from this week's all new #SoldierForLifePodcast as we talk with David Muir, Jr., the Senior Vice President of the Veteran Staffing Network, in the third and last episode in our Easterseals DC MD VA #SFLPodcast series.

Are you interested in pursuing an educational degree or certificate but aren't sure how because of your busy military lifestyle? Or are you interested in obtaining a professional certification? On this week's Soldier For Life Podcast, we talk with Liz Green, the Executive Director of the Office of Online Student Success at Syracuse University, and Michael Schoeneck, the National Program Director for Onward to Opportunity with the Institute for Veterans and Military Families, about flexible online degree, certificate, and professional certification opportunities available to the military and veteran communities through Syracuse University.

Interested in pursuing a career in the trades after your transition out of the Army? On this week's Soldier For Life Podcast, we talk with ForgeNow, a Texas-based authorized U.S. Department of Defense SkillBridge and U.S. Army Career Skills Program provider that offers 8-week hands-on HVAC Maintenance Technician and Electrical Wiring training programs.

This week's Soldier For Life Podcast features a discussion with FourBlock, a nonprofit organization that helps veterans and military spouses build meaningful professional relationships and prepare for future employment via its in-person and online career readiness programs.

Military spouses...are you looking for a new career or side gig that is flexible enough to fit your military lifestyle? On this week's #SoldierForLifePodcast, SFL's Employment Director, LTC Ismael Ortizrivera, chats with Katrina Tysinger and Sarah Rezac from Learn Design Apply about how grant writing could be an excellent option and fit for military spouses who are looking for flexible, remote, or portable work opportunities.

In this episode of our Easterseals DC MD VA #SoldierForLifePodcast series, SFL's Health and Wellness Director, MAJ Katherine Little, talks about mental health with Grace Caulfield, Easterseals DC MD VA Vice President and Clinic Director of the Steven A. Cohen Military Family Clinic at Easterseals, with a focus on the most common behavioral health issues that transitioning military and their families face, the perceived stigma in the military community when it comes to seeking care, and mental health resources for the military and veteran communities.

Easterseals DC MD VA provides mental health care, employment, education, and respite care opportunities and programs for military families to help them integrate into the community and enhance their quality of life. Learn more about the services that Easterseals provides for our military and veteran families on this week's #SoldierForLifePodcast as SFL's Health and Wellness Director, MAJ Katherine Little, chats with Easterseals DC MD VA President and CEO Jonathan Horowitch and SFL's Director, COL David Grant.

Veteran One uses technology to identify and match veterans’ unique experiences, skill sets, and interests with companies and jobs that are the right fit for them. Learn more as SFL Director COL David Grant talks with Tyler Warren, Berno Lans, and George Pegues from Veteran One about how Veteran One can help you find a job that matches your personality and your passion.

Interested in a career with the United States Secret Service? On this week's Soldier For Life Podcast episode, we talk with Uniformed Division Officer Lieutenant Tameka Owens, Special Agent Avery Herbison, and Supervisor for the Secret Service Outreach Branch Lieutenant Jeffery Walker about what it's like to work for the Secret Service and what YOU need to do as a transitioning service member, veteran, or a member of the Army Reserve or the National Guard to find your next career with the Secret Service.

Finding the right job after leaving the military can be tricky business. But fortunately, there are many organizations out there who can help. And this week's #SoldierForLifePodcast features one such place! Listen as LTC Ismael Ortizrivera talks with Ms. Stacy Bayton, the Senior Executive Vice President of VetJobs, about the individualized employment services (including no-cost one-on-one job placement support, career exploration, and employment training) that VetJobs provides for transitioning service members and veterans.