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Episode 267 of the Transition Drill podcast explores law enforcement careers, undercover work, and life after retirement for first responders and veterans navigating the loss of identity and purpose that can follow service. You’ll hear Jenn Benjamins on the personal cost of letting the job become your life, and what it takes to rebuild relationships, purpose, and direction after the badge. Jenn grew up in Las Vegas, played college softball, studied criminal justice at UNLV, and entered the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department without the lifelong dream of becoming a cop. What followed was a 22-year career that took her from patrol into vice, undercover investigations, and deep undercover work. Jenn became LVMPD’s first female vice sergeant and later served as Director of Peer Support, helping officers through serious personal and professional crises. But while she was investing heavily in the job, her own family relationships were paying a price. In 2022, a series of personal crises led Jenn to retire earlier than planned. Civilian life hit hard. The phone stopped ringing, her identity disappeared, and she found herself without a plan or purpose. A stint at Wynn Las Vegas followed, but rebuilding her relationship with her children and completing an emotional intelligence leadership program changed her direction. Today, Jenn trains law enforcement professionals in undercover operations, created a women-led undercover school, speaks at police conferences, and is building a second career around preparing the next generation while staying present for the people who matter most. CONNECT WITH THE PODCAST: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paulpantani/ WEBSITE: https://www.transitiondrillpodcast.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulpantani/ SIGN-UP FOR THE NEWSLETTER: https://transitiondrillpodcast.com/home#about QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS: [email protected] CHAPTERS 0:00:00 — Intro: The Three Versions of Jenn 0:02:49 — When Her Family Began to Fracture 0:13:37 — Brothers, Arrests and Different Paths 0:20:30 — Policing the City Where She Grew Up 0:27:48 — Undercover Is a Skill Set, Not a Look 0:30:47 — An Accidental Path Into Policing 0:35:31 — Entering the Academy Completely Naive 0:49:52 — When Police Work Suddenly Became Real 0:53:58 — 9/11 Changes the Reality of the Job 0:55:36 — Route 91: Responding to the Unthinkable 1:03:16 — Discovering Her Talent for Undercover Work 1:09:50 — Going Undercover to Target Pimps 1:24:53 — The Vice Case That Told Her It Was Time 1:32:58 — Living Undercover Beyond the Job 1:35:17 — When the Job Began Costing Her Family 1:40:24 — Retirement Exposes the Broken Relationships 1:46:36 — Ego, Promotion and a New Career Chapter 1:50:25 — Becoming Metro’s First Female Vice Sergeant 1:52:12 — Peer Support and Three Life-Changing Days 1:57:34 — Retirement, Isolation and Losing Her Purpose 2:02:01 — Building a New Mission After the Badge 2:06:00 — Rebuilding Herself and Her Relationships 2:10:01 — Be Present for the People Who Remain SPONSORS: GRND Collective: Premium, veteran-owned sportswear built for those who show up, outwork the excuses, and give 100%. Score 15% off your order at thegrndcollective.com using promo code TRANSITION15 at checkout Blue Line Roasting: Premium, law-enforcement-owned coffee roasted to fuel the shift. A portion of every order directly supports law enforcement families facing line-of-duty injury or loss. Save 10% at bluelineroasting.com with promo code Transition10 Frontline Optics: Premium eyewear founded by a firefighter and built to withstand the job. Every single purchase helps support the First Responders Children’s Foundation, serving families who’ve paid the ultimate price. Save 10% off your pair at frontlineoptics.com using promo code Transition10

Episode 266 of the Transition Drill podcast explores identity loss, combat trauma, and rebuilding purpose for veterans and first responders navigating life after service. You’ll hear Prime Hall on being medically forced out of the Marine Raiders, and what it takes to heal, reconnect, and build a mission beyond the uniform. Prime grew up in and around the water in Corpus Christi and South Padre Island, Texas. After childhood abuse, family upheaval, military school, arrests, and years without direction, his grandparents helped him through an 18-month enlistment process. He entered the Marine Corps in 2005, struggled with anger, alcohol, and discipline, then rebuilt his reputation through relentless training. That turnaround opened a path from artillery and the infantry to MARSOC. As a Marine Raider, Prime deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan, and the Philippines, worked in operational and intelligence roles, and trained Afghan forces. In 2012, an insider attack sent 12 RPGs into his compound. He survived blast injuries, concussions, and a damaged back, masking the consequences until an MRI triggered an abrupt medical separation after nearly 13 years. Civilian life brought lost identity, medication side effects, chronic pain, and a difficult break from the military medical system. Relationships, mentors, emotional intelligence work, and alternative healing helped him rebuild. Today, Prime co-founded Deep End Fitness, helped create the Underwater Torpedo League, coaches elite athletes, and builds communities through breath, water training, trust, and accountability. In his book, Permission to Heal, he gives veterans ways to reframe trauma, avoid isolation, and create a meaningful next mission. CONNECT WITH THE PODCAST: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paulpantani/ WEBSITE: https://www.transitiondrillpodcast.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulpantani/ SIGN-UP FOR THE NEWSLETTER: https://transitiondrillpodcast.com/home#about QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS: [email protected] CHAPTERS 0:00:00 — Intro: Relationships Are Everything 0:03:06 — When the Marine Corps Says You’re Done 0:07:36 — The Injuries He Tried to Hide 0:15:28 — Walking Away From Military Retirement 0:22:50 — Growing Up Around the Water 0:31:07 — The Water as a Microcosm for Life 0:35:12 — Check Your Ego at the Door 0:38:21 — The Power of an Outward-Focused Why 0:44:20 — Grandparents, Abuse, and a Different Path 0:54:07 — Military School Changes His Direction 0:59:00 — Lost, in Trouble, and Looking for Purpose 1:03:03 — Finding His Place in the Marine Corps 1:07:21 — Nearly Losing His Marine Corps Career 1:16:57 — The Road to Marine Raiders 1:32:16 — The RPG Attack That Changed Everything 1:45:40 — The Injuries That Followed Him Home 1:59:25 — Survival Ends, the Real Battle Begins 2:03:08 — Building Deep End Fitness Through Transition 2:17:16 — Don’t Let Someone Else’s Fear Stop You 2:19:14 — Vulnerability, Therapy, and Learning to Heal 2:30:16 — Building the Underwater Torpedo League 2:34:55 — Why He Wrote Permission to Heal 2:38:09 — A Lifeline for Those Struggling to Transition 2:41:07 — The Words You Use Shape Your Reality

Episode 265 of the Transition Drill podcast explores military transition, mental health, and renewed purpose for veterans and first responders navigating life after service. You’ll hear JD Dickson on leaving a 27-year Navy career, and what it takes Born in Washington, D.C., and raised in Trinidad and Tobago, Dickson returned to the United States at 18 and entered the Navy in 1995. He began as an undesignated sailor before finding his place in aviation ordnance aboard the USS Independence in Japan. Mentors pushed him toward instruction and leadership. Marriage led him to make the Navy a career, with assignments in Pensacola, Brunswick, Rota, and San Diego, service aboard the USS Carl Vinson and USS Makin Island, and advancement from chief petty officer to chief warrant officer five. Dickson speaks candidly about relentless operational tempo, his father’s death, accumulated stress, and the toll service took on his family. In 2022, he chose family over another assignment and retired. He immediately launched government-contracting and e-commerce businesses, but the nonstop work lacked the purpose he needed. A family mental health crisis changed his direction. After experiencing brain-based treatment himself and seeing his daughter recover, Dickson joined Wave Neuroscience, where he now serves as director of veterans affairs. Today, he works to expand objective, individualized mental health care for veterans and first responders. His transition offers a direct lesson: leave the familiar circle, accept discomfort, build new relationships, and stay curious enough to recognize an unexpected opportunity. CONNECT WITH THE PODCAST: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paulpantani/ WEBSITE: https://www.transitiondrillpodcast.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulpantani/ SIGN-UP FOR THE NEWSLETTER: https://transitiondrillpodcast.com/home#about QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS: [email protected] CHAPTERS 0:00:00 — Intro: Grace, Curiosity, and Transition 0:02:21 — From Trinidad to a Life in Uniform 0:05:26 — The Recruiter Who Changed Everything 0:11:34 — Leaving Trinidad for the Navy 0:15:01 — Thrown Into Aviation Ordnance 0:17:51 — Surviving Culture Shock at Sea 0:25:27 — Mentors Who Saw His Potential 0:28:37 — Marriage Changes the Mission 0:29:10 — 9/11 Changes Everything 0:40:52 — Learning to Lead People, Not Rank 0:44:02 — Becoming a Chief Warrant Officer 0:52:53 — The Deployment That Broke Through 0:54:36 — Stress Finally Shows Itself 0:57:36 — Transition Begins Before Retirement 0:59:54 — COVID Reveals a New Direction 1:09:19 — Choosing Family Over the Navy 1:13:24 — A Year of Loss and Overload 1:15:38 — The Opportunity That Changed His Path 1:17:08 — The Brain Scan That Changed His Life 1:39:08 — Get Uncomfortable and Stay Curious SPONSORS: GRND Collective: Premium, veteran-owned sportswear built for those who show up, outwork the excuses, and give 100%. Score 15% off your order at thegrndcollective.com using promo code TRANSITION15 at checkout Blue Line Roasting: Premium, law-enforcement-owned coffee roasted to fuel the shift. A portion of every order directly supports law enforcement families facing line-of-duty injury or loss. Save 10% at bluelineroasting.com with promo code Transition10 Frontline Optics: Premium eyewear founded by a firefighter and built to withstand the job. Every single purchase helps support the First Responders Children’s Foundation, serving families who’ve paid the ultimate price. Save 10% off your pair at frontlineoptics.com using promo code Transition10

Episode 264 of the Transition Drill podcast explores law enforcement retirement, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, and career transition for police officers and first responders navigating life after the badge. You’ll hear Tom Chuckerel on leaving a 25-year police career without a clear second-career plan, and what it takes to turn skills, relationships, and genuine interests into meaningful work after service. Tom wanted to be a Montgomery County police officer from the time he was six. He joined the department in 1994, spent years working patrol in the community where he grew up, became an FTO, and explored narcotics, surveillance, and SWAT before a medical issue unexpectedly redirected his career toward training. That move became pivotal. Tom joined the police academy staff, helped modernize defensive tactics, and brought his growing Brazilian Jiu Jitsu experience into law enforcement training. He’d started training in 1997, eventually became a black belt, taught Jiu Jitsu and Thai boxing, and built a relationship with Rener Gracie while hosting Gracie Survival Tactics (GST) courses. When Tom retired in 2017 and moved to Monterey, California, he still wasn’t sure what came next. He considered everything from X-ray tech school to becoming a butcher. Instead, years of training and relationships created opportunities. He ran a Jiu Jitsu school, worked private security and executive protection, and began teaching GST. Today, GST is his primary work, with roughly 150 classes led, allowing him to continue serving law enforcement through teaching, safer arrest-and-control tactics, and the work he genuinely loves. CONNECT WITH THE PODCAST: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paulpantani/ WEBSITE: https://www.transitiondrillpodcast.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulpantani/ SIGN-UP FOR THE NEWSLETTER: https://transitiondrillpodcast.com/home#about QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS: [email protected] Johnny Collins Episode: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/188-never-give-up-6-bud-s-classes-to-be-a-navy-seal/id1582888787?i=1000740317114 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6z64p4xHrzZLB2rlWLy5AU YouTube: https://youtu.be/ZT90jdj14ig SPONSORS: GRND Collective: Premium, veteran-owned sportswear built for those who show up, outwork the excuses, and give 100%. Score 15% off your order at thegrndcollective.com using promo code TRANSITION15 at checkout Blue Line Roasting: Premium, law-enforcement-owned coffee roasted to fuel the shift. A portion of every order directly supports law enforcement families facing line-of-duty injury or loss. Save 10% at bluelineroasting.com with promo code Transition10 Frontline Optics: Premium eyewear founded by a firefighter and built to withstand the job. Every single purchase helps support the First Responders Children’s Foundation, serving families who’ve paid the ultimate price. Save 10% off your pair at frontlineoptics.com using promo code Transition10

Episode 263 of the Transition Drill podcast explores military career transition and rebuilding your identity after service for veterans and first responders navigating the move into civilian life. You’ll hear retired Navy Senior Chief Timothy Henderson on leaving behind nearly three decades in uniform, and what it takes to turn military experience into a meaningful next chapter. Tim grew up in Chicago’s Cabrini-Green projects surrounded by gangs, drugs, and limited examples of what life could become. After losing both parents young, becoming a father as a teenager, getting into trouble, and nearly losing his direction, a judge pushed him toward a military recruiter. He joined the Navy in 1997. What began as one enlistment became a 27-year career. Tim went from an undesignated sailor to Gunner’s Mate, serving aboard ships, in San Diego and Japan, with Naval Special Warfare, in training commands, and ultimately in senior leadership. Along the way, mentors changed how he viewed education, leadership, professional development, and preparing for the day the uniform came off. Tim didn’t wait until retirement to think about what came next. He built relationships, developed his network, and lined up civilian work before leaving service. Still, employment didn’t eliminate the challenge of separating Tim Henderson from Senior Chief Henderson. Today, he’s a civilian department head at Navy Munitions Command while pursuing public speaking, mentoring, process-improvement consulting, and plans for a future business focused on ethical AI. His story shows why transition isn’t simply finding another job. It’s figuring out who you’re becoming next. CONNECT WITH THE PODCAST: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paulpantani/ WEBSITE: https://www.transitiondrillpodcast.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulpantani/ SIGN-UP FOR THE NEWSLETTER: https://transitiondrillpodcast.com/home#about QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS: [email protected] CHAPTERS 0:00:00 — Intro: The Decision That Changed Everything 0:00:46 — Growing Up in Cabrini-Green 0:08:05 — Trouble, Loss, and Losing Direction 0:10:51 — Fatherhood at Seventeen 0:13:08 — A Judge Offers Another Path 0:20:30 — Joining the Navy in 1997 0:28:44 — Reenlisting Before 9/11 0:30:43 — Finding His Calling as a Gunner’s Mate 0:35:13 — Going Home Changed His Perspective 0:42:30 — Trouble in the Navy and a Second Chance 0:44:34 — Stop Living for Other People 0:47:24 — The Leaders Who Gave Him a Clean Slate 0:50:31 — Earning His Way to SEAL Team One 0:57:31 — Responsibility Changed the Sailor 0:59:30 — Finally Making Navy Chief 1:00:21 — Why He Stayed Beyond 20 Years 1:04:52 — Education as Personal Growth 1:11:32 — Preparing for Life After the Navy 1:15:16 — When the Uniform Is No Longer You 1:18:12 — Building the Next Mission 1:23:36 — Your Transition Is Your Own 1:26:27 — Outro: The Next Chapter Begins SPONSORS: GRND Collective: Premium, veteran-owned sportswear built for those who show up, outwork the excuses, and give 100%. Score 15% off your order at thegrndcollective.com using promo code TRANSITION15 at checkout Blue Line Roasting: Premium, law-enforcement-owned coffee roasted to fuel the shift. A portion of every order directly supports law enforcement families facing line-of-duty injury or loss. Save 10% at bluelineroasting.com with promo code Transition10 Frontline Optics: Premium eyewear founded by a firefighter and built to withstand the job. Every single purchase helps support the First Responders Children’s Foundation, serving families who’ve paid the ultimate price. Save 10% off your pair at frontlineoptics.com using promo code Transition10

Episode 262 of the Transition Drill podcast explores reinvention, discipline, and rebuilding after major life consequences for veterans and first responders navigating life after a demanding career. You’ll hear GC Brown, author of SNIFF, on losing everything after business success, and what it takes to rebuild your identity, purpose, and future from the ground up. Brown grew up working on his grandfather’s Indiana farm, surrounded by a family with deep military and law enforcement roots. A talented baseball player, he earned a college scholarship but chose work instead, quickly discovering he loved making money and building businesses. That drive took him across the country and eventually into real estate, restaurants, computer software, international flowers, and the diamond trade in Africa. By his early thirties, he’d built significant wealth, but his willingness to keep pushing into unfamiliar territory eventually collided with a federal investigation, a criminal trial, and a 20-year federal prison sentence. Brown ultimately served 16 years. Several years into that sentence, he says he finally recognized what his success had always lacked: discipline, follow-through, and the willingness to change himself. Prison became the place where he began writing, developed the routines that still shape him today, and committed to a different life after release. He returned home in November 2023 and went to work immediately. Today, Brown is an author, his first of a series, SNIFF, was released in November 2025, as well as co-owner of UpCup Koffee, a functional mushroom coffee company he built with a former cellmates. CONNECT WITH THE PODCAST: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paulpantani/ WEBSITE: https://www.transitiondrillpodcast.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulpantani/ SIGN-UP FOR THE NEWSLETTER: https://transitiondrillpodcast.com/home#about QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS: [email protected] CHAPTERS 00:00:00 — Intro: The Turning Point in a Prison Cell 00:03:20 — Farm Roots and a Family of Service 00:09:37 — Baseball, Arizona, and a Scholarship 00:10:43 — Choosing Money Over College 00:15:29 — From Farm Kid to Serial Entrepreneur 00:18:25 — One Mobile Home to a $30 Million Empire 00:21:30 — The Miami Vice Lifestyle 00:25:06 — The $130,000 Diamond Scam 00:29:32 — Losing $470,000 in the Congo 00:32:14 — Turning $70,000 Into $7 Million 00:35:46 — The “Bloody Diamonds” Investigation 00:46:10 — Federal Trial and Firing His Attorney 00:53:59 — Conviction, Appeals, and Prison 00:57:04 — Gang Unit, Solitary, and Pennsylvania 01:06:17 — “240 Months”: The Sentence Becomes Real 01:14:39 — Discovering Writing Behind Bars 01:23:09 — Three Signs and a New Purpose 01:30:32 — Writing Sniff During COVID Lockdown 01:36:20 — Reinvention, Release, and UpCup Coffee 01:44:15 — Writing His Love Story Into Existence 01:47:19 — Words Are Powerful SPONSORS: GRND Collective: Premium, veteran-owned sportswear built for those who show up, outwork the excuses, and give 100%. Score 15% off your order at thegrndcollective.com using promo code TRANSITION15 at checkout Blue Line Roasting: Premium, law-enforcement-owned coffee roasted to fuel the shift. A portion of every order directly supports law enforcement families facing line-of-duty injury or loss. Save 10% at bluelineroasting.com with promo code Transition10 Frontline Optics: Premium eyewear founded by a firefighter and built to withstand the job. Every single purchase helps support the First Responders Children’s Foundation, serving families who’ve paid the ultimate price. Save 10% off your pair at frontlineoptics.com using promo code Transition10

Episode 261 of the Transition Drill podcast explores identity, leadership, family sacrifice, and life after law enforcement for veterans and first responders navigating the transition out of service. You’ll hear James Snow on what happens when the job becomes too much of who you are, and what it takes to build purpose, relationships, and leadership in and beyond the uniform. Back for a second time since Episode 155, James reflects on a 28-and-a-half-year law enforcement career that included time in Orange County, 10 years with Rialto Police Department, and the San Bernardino Sheriff’s Department; retiring as a sergeant. He talks candidly about promotions, organizational culture, ego, leadership failures, and the hard truth that being great at the job doesn’t automatically make someone a great leader. He also looks at the personal cost. James talks about his biggest career regret is the time and attention his family didn’t receive while he chased assignments, advancement, and professional growth. Retirement has given him space to recognize those costs, change old habits, raise his granddaughter differently, and reconnect with the people and priorities that matter. Three years into retirement, James has built a life that isn’t defined by his former title. His first book, The Pivot, focused on identity and transition. His new book, The Quiet Professional, turns toward leadership, arguing that rank and authority aren’t the same as influence. It’s a conversation about leaving service without losing purpose, leading without ego, and becoming more than the career you left behind. CONNECT WITH THE PODCAST: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paulpantani/ WEBSITE: https://www.transitiondrillpodcast.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulpantani/ SIGN-UP FOR THE NEWSLETTER: https://transitiondrillpodcast.com/home#about QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS: [email protected] CHAPTERS 0:00:00 — Intro: Life Beyond the Badge 0:05:31 — The Family Paid the Price 0:15:21 — When the Job Becomes Your Identity 0:18:31 — Build a Life Outside the Uniform 0:23:08 — Escaping the Echo Chamber 0:32:18 — Expertise Doesn't Make You a Leader 0:42:21 — Can Leadership Be Taught? 0:49:19 — Take Care of Your People 0:56:08 — Your Idea May Be the Worst One 1:01:16 — Why He Wrote The Quiet Professional 1:04:53 — Your Position Will Be Filled 1:09:02 — Leaders Have to Admit They're Fallible 1:13:18 — What You Tolerate, You Condone 1:18:16 — What Each Generation Leaves Behind 1:26:11 — Hard Work, Opportunity, and Gratitude 1:31:07 — Who Are You When It Really Matters? 1:33:59 — Rebuilding the Body After the Career 1:36:20 — The Craftsman Project Takes Shape 1:46:09 — Getting Back the Time With His Dad 1:53:43 — The Meaning of the Quiet Professional SPONSORS: GRND Collective: Premium, veteran-owned sportswear built for those who show up, outwork the excuses, and give 100%. Score 15% off your order at thegrndcollective.com using promo code TRANSITION15 at checkout Blue Line Roasting: Premium, law-enforcement-owned coffee roasted to fuel the shift. A portion of every order directly supports law enforcement families facing line-of-duty injury or loss. Save 10% at bluelineroasting.com with promo code Transition10 Frontline Optics: Premium eyewear founded by a firefighter and built to withstand the job. Every single purchase helps support the First Responders Children’s Foundation, serving families who’ve paid the ultimate price. Save 10% off your pair at frontlineoptics.com using promo code Transition10

Episode 260 of the Transition Drill podcast explores military transition, leadership, and rebuilding purpose for veterans and first responders navigating life after a long career of service. You’ll hear retired Navy Chief Warrant Officer 5 David Sledge on leaving behind 33 years of structure and identity, and what it takes to build purpose beyond the uniform. Growing up in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, Sledge initially joined the National Guard to help pay for college before switching to active-duty Navy service during the Gulf War, even though he couldn’t swim. What began as a two-year commitment became a career spanning five ships, deployments, 9/11, the 2011 Japan earthquake and tsunami response, and assignments around the world. Along the way, he became a Gunner’s Mate, Recruit Division Commander, instructor, Chief Petty Officer, and ultimately a Chief Warrant Officer 5, carrying forward lessons in mentorship and leadership first demonstrated by the sailors who invested in him. Sledge also explains what happened when that career stopped. After retiring in 2023, he discovered that slowing down created space for memories, questions of identity, and the struggle to replace the routine and purpose military service had provided. He turned toward consulting, continued education, mentoring, coaching basketball, public speaking, and writing. Today, Sledge is the author of Leadership Alchemy and Hurry Up and Wait, using decades of experience to teach leadership, patience, empathy, listening, and the value of genuinely connecting with people. CONNECT WITH THE PODCAST: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paulpantani/ WEBSITE: https://www.transitiondrillpodcast.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulpantani/ SIGN-UP FOR THE NEWSLETTER: https://transitiondrillpodcast.com/home#about QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS: [email protected] SPONSORS: GRND Collective: Premium, veteran-owned sportswear built for those who show up, outwork the excuses, and give 100%. Score 15% off your order at thegrndcollective.com using promo code TRANSITION15 at checkout Blue Line Roasting: Premium, law-enforcement-owned coffee roasted to fuel the shift. A portion of every order directly supports law enforcement families facing line-of-duty injury or loss. Save 10% at bluelineroasting.com with promo code Transition10 Frontline Optics: Premium eyewear founded by a firefighter and built to withstand the job. Every single purchase helps support the First Responders Children’s Foundation, serving families who’ve paid the ultimate price. Save 10% off your pair at frontlineoptics.com using promo code Transition10

Episode 259 of the Transition Drill podcast explores military transition, career planning, and life after service for veterans and first responders navigating the move into civilian careers. Colin Pena addresses leaving the Marine Corps sooner than expected, rebuilding life as a single father, and what it takes to create a meaningful second career after the uniform comes off. Colin grew up in San Antonio, Texas, with a fascination for aviation, adventure, and military service. After a rebellious moment in middle school forced him to confront the consequences of his actions, he found direction through JROTC and committed himself to becoming a naval aviator. Following 9/11, that commitment became even stronger. He earned an aerospace engineering degree at Texas A&M through NROTC before ultimately choosing the Marine Corps, where he became an F/A-18 Weapons Systems Officer. Colin shares what it took to master one of the military's most demanding aviation careers, from flight school and the F/A-18 Hornet to deployments throughout the Indo-Pacific, instructor duty at MCAS Miramar, and advanced tactical training. Along the way, he explains the responsibility of operating in a two-seat fighter, mentoring younger aviators, and leading in an environment where precision, trust, and teamwork have no margin for error. His transition came from circumstances he never expected. While navigating family challenges and becoming a single father, he also faced the reality that his active duty career was ending after being passed over for promotion. Instead of waiting until separation, Colin built multiple transition plans, leveraged his engineering background and operational experience, and networked his way into the aerospace industry. Today, he serves as a team leader and payload integration engineer, helping develop unmanned aircraft while continuing to lead, mentor, and solve complex problems in a different uniform. This conversation is an honest look at identity after service, preparing before your transition date arrives, and why your greatest mission may begin after military life ends. CONNECT WITH THE PODCAST: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paulpantani/ WEBSITE: https://www.transitiondrillpodcast.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulpantani/ SIGN-UP FOR THE NEWSLETTER: https://transitiondrillpodcast.com/home#about QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS: [email protected] SPONSORS: GRND Collective: Premium, veteran-owned sportswear built for those who show up, outwork the excuses, and give 100%. Score 15% off your order at thegrndcollective.com using promo code TRANSITION15 at checkout Blue Line Roasting: Premium, law-enforcement-owned coffee roasted to fuel the shift. A portion of every order directly supports law enforcement families facing line-of-duty injury or loss. Save 10% at bluelineroasting.com with promo code Transition10 Frontline Optics: Premium eyewear founded by a firefighter and built to withstand the job. Every single purchase helps support the First Responders Children’s Foundation, serving families who’ve paid the ultimate price. Save 10% off your pair at frontlineoptics.com using promo code Transition10

Episode 258 of the Transition Drill podcast explores military transition, veteran mental health, and finding purpose after service for active duty military members and first responders navigating life beyond the uniform. You'll hear Steve Bunting on the hidden cost of high performance, identity, and operational stress, and what it takes to build a meaningful life after service without losing yourself in the process. Steve Bunting's story begins far from the elite military world he eventually entered. After being born in Oceanside, California, his family relocated to rural Alabama, where he grew up with limited resources, struggled in school, fought regularly, and searched for direction. A mentor helped him believe his circumstances didn't have to define his future, but it was his younger brother's decision to join the military that ultimately pushed Steve to enlist. After an unexpected turn led him from the Marine Corps recruiting office into the Navy, he became a Corpsman and eventually earned his place as a Special Amphibious Reconnaissance Corpsman supporting Marine Reconnaissance and MARSOC. He shares the demanding selection pipeline, deployments during the Global War on Terror, combat medicine, leadership, family sacrifices, and the personal mistakes that nearly derailed his career. The conversation doesn't stop when the uniform comes off. Steve explains how leaving the military in 2017 without a transition plan forced him to confront financial uncertainty, family challenges, identity loss, and the emotional weight of losing teammates and his own brother to suicide. Rather than continuing toward medical school, those experiences redirected his mission. Today, as a mental health and performance coach with Sharp Performance, he helps veterans, first responders, and tactical professionals better understand stress, nervous system regulation, resilience, and sustainable performance. His journey shows that transition isn't about replacing a career. It's about rebuilding your identity, strengthening your relationships, and finding a new way to continue serving others. CONNECT WITH THE PODCAST: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paulpantani/ WEBSITE: https://www.transitiondrillpodcast.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulpantani/ SIGN-UP FOR THE NEWSLETTER: https://transitiondrillpodcast.com/home#about QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS: [email protected] SPONSORS: GRND Collective: Premium, veteran-owned sportswear built for those who show up, outwork the excuses, and give 100%. Score 15% off your order at thegrndcollective.com using promo code TRANSITION15 at checkout Blue Line Roasting: Premium, law-enforcement-owned coffee roasted to fuel the shift. A portion of every order directly supports law enforcement families facing line-of-duty injury or loss. Save 10% at bluelineroasting.com with promo code Transition10 Frontline Optics: Premium eyewear founded by a firefighter and built to withstand the job. Every single purchase helps support the First Responders Children’s Foundation, serving families who’ve paid the ultimate price. Save 10% off your pair at frontlineoptics.com using promo code Transition10

Episode 257 of the Transition Drill podcast explores combat injury, military transition, and rebuilding purpose for veterans and first responders navigating life after service. You’ll hear Geoffrey Quevedo on surviving a devastating IED blast in Afghanistan, and what it takes to build a meaningful life after losing the career and identity you thought would last forever. Geoffrey, a former Army Specialist, enlisted with one goal in mind. He wanted to serve as a 19D Cavalry Scout, deploy to combat, and earn his place alongside the soldiers he admired. After growing up in California working alongside his family, he entered the Army in 2010, completed One Station Unit Training at Fort Knox, arrived at Fort Drum, and was quickly deployed to Afghanistan. Just eight months into that deployment, Geoffrey stepped in to accompany his partner while clearing an IED-making compound. A hidden explosive changed his life in an instant, leaving him with catastrophic injuries that ultimately resulted in the loss of his left arm and lower leg. The conversation goes far beyond the battlefield. Geoffrey shares the physical and emotional reality of Walter Reed, more than 40 surgeries, rehabilitation, traumatic brain injury recovery, learning to use prosthetics, and the difficult moment he realized he would never return to combat. Instead of allowing that loss to define him, he focused on finding a new mission. After medically transitioning from the Army, he remained in Southern California for continued treatment, rebuilt his life through adaptive running and soccer, volunteered in his community, became a motivational speaker, and now mentors and encourages other amputees through organizations including the Challenge Athletes Foundation. Throughout the conversation, Geoffrey's humor, resilience, and refusal to live in regret reveal what real perseverance looks like when service ends but purpose doesn't. Veterans, first responders, and anyone facing a life-changing setback will find practical perspective, honesty, and hope in his story. CONNECT WITH THE PODCAST: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paulpantani/ WEBSITE: https://www.transitiondrillpodcast.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulpantani/ SIGN-UP FOR THE NEWSLETTER: https://transitiondrillpodcast.com/home#about QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS: [email protected] SPONSORS: GRND Collective: Premium, veteran-owned sportswear built for those who show up, outwork the excuses, and give 100%. Score 15% off your order at thegrndcollective.com using promo code TRANSITION15 at checkout Blue Line Roasting: Premium, law-enforcement-owned coffee roasted to fuel the shift. A portion of every order directly supports law enforcement families facing line-of-duty injury or loss. Save 10% at bluelineroasting.com with promo code Transition10 Frontline Optics: Premium eyewear founded by a firefighter and built to withstand the job. Every single purchase helps support the First Responders Children’s Foundation, serving families who’ve paid the ultimate price. Save 10% off your pair at frontlineoptics.com using promo code Transition10

Episode 256 of the Transition Drill podcast explores military transition, family reintegration, and finding purpose after service for veterans and first responders navigating the move into civilian life. You'll hear Ramone Resop on the unexpected challenges of leaving the Navy behind, rebuilding his role as a husband and father, and what it takes to redefine success when life changes faster than any mission plan. Ramone retired from the U.S. Navy after more than two decades of service as a Hospital Corpsman and Chief Petty Officer. Growing up in Portland, Oregon, he learned the value of hard work, resilience, and adventure long before putting on the uniform. Inspired by a Vietnam Marine's stories about Navy corpsmen, he joined the Navy determined to serve alongside Marines. That decision launched a career filled with deployments, leadership, and operational medicine. From earning his place with the Fleet Marine Force to multiple overseas deployments, including an 18-month unaccompanied tour in Bahrain during the height of COVID, Ramone shares the realities of military service and the sacrifices made by both service members and their families. Retirement brought a different kind of challenge. After years of deployments and responsibility, he returned home expecting to step naturally into family life, only to discover that reintegration required a completely different set of skills. He talks candidly about the difficult transition from Chief to husband and father, the lessons he learned about communication, and why he now believes slowing down after retirement may have been one of the most valuable investments he could have made. Ramone also shares when his family needed him most. When his young daughter Lily was diagnosed with leukemia just months after his retirement, everything changed. Then through years of treatment, multiple relapses, bone marrow transplants, clinical trials, and the emotional weight of balancing fatherhood, work, and hope while refusing to quit. Today, Ramone continues serving others through government contracting and training roles that allow him to remain present for his family while still supporting the military and first responder communities. His story is a powerful reminder that transition isn't simply about finding another job. It's about rediscovering your purpose, protecting what matters most, and learning that the greatest mission you'll ever lead may be waiting for you at home.. SPONSORS: GRND Collective: Premium, veteran-owned sportswear built for those who show up, outwork the excuses, and give 100%. Score 15% off your order at thegrndcollective.com using promo code TRANSITION15 at checkout Blue Line Roasting: Premium, law-enforcement-owned coffee roasted to fuel the shift. A portion of every order directly supports law enforcement families facing line-of-duty injury or loss. Save 10% at bluelineroasting.com with promo code Transition10 Frontline Optics: Premium eyewear founded by a firefighter and built to withstand the job. Every single purchase helps support the First Responders Children’s Foundation, serving families who’ve paid the ultimate price. Save 10% off your pair at frontlineoptics.com using promo code Transition10 #transitiondrillpodcast #militarytransition #firstresponders

Episode 255 of the Transition Drill podcast explores military transition, identity after service, entrepreneurship for veterans and first responders navigating life after a long military career, and becoming a USC Graduate . You’ll hear Angela Baker-Creary on losing both her military identity and her father at the same time, and what it takes to rebuild your purpose when the future you planned suddenly disappears. Angela reflects on entering the military as an 18-year-old who initially viewed it as nothing more than a job. She shares the lessons she wishes she had learned earlier about education, professional development, mentorship, and preparing for life after service. As her career progressed through assignments in Mississippi, Korea, Japan, South Dakota, North Carolina, Germany, and Illinois, she discovered a passion for leadership, continuous improvement, and serving others. The attacks of September 11 fundamentally changed how she viewed military service, transforming it from employment into a mission larger than herself. Assigned to medical administration, Angela eventually earned one of the Air Force's most respected Aero Medical Evacuation assignments, coordinating the movement of critically ill and injured service members around the world. Her work demanded precision, leadership, and the confidence to make decisions that directly affected patient care, reinforcing the importance of preparation, teamwork, and accountability. Just as retirement approached, Angela's life changed dramatically. After her humanitarian request to care for her terminally ill father was denied, she made the emotional decision to retire early. Within a short period, she lost both her father and the military career that had defined much of her adult life. The grief, combined with PTSD, made pursuing a career in homeland security impossible despite earning a master's degree in the field. Instead of giving up, Angela rediscovered an old passion she hadn't fully recognized. What began as merchandise promoting a children's book she co-authored with her daughter eventually became Mobillionairez, a clothing brand built around encouragement, resilience, and believing in yourself. Today, she continues helping others through entrepreneurship, mentorship, and her message that transition doesn't have to be the end of your purpose. Sometimes it's the beginning of the dream you were always meant to pursue. CONNECT WITH THE PODCAST: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paulpantani/ WEBSITE: https://www.transitiondrillpodcast.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulpantani/ SIGN-UP FOR THE NEWSLETTER: https://transitiondrillpodcast.com/home#about QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS: [email protected] SPONSORS: GRND Collective: Premium, veteran-owned sportswear built for those who show up, outwork the excuses, and give 100%. Score 15% off your order at thegrndcollective.com using promo code TRANSITION15 at checkout Blue Line Roasting: Premium, law-enforcement-owned coffee roasted to fuel the shift. A portion of every order directly supports law enforcement families facing line-of-duty injury or loss. Save 10% at bluelineroasting.com with promo code Transition10 Frontline Optics: Premium eyewear founded by a firefighter and built to withstand the job. Every single purchase helps support the First Responders Children’s Foundation, serving families who’ve paid the ultimate price. Save 10% off your pair at frontlineoptics.com using promo code Transition10

Episode 254 of the Transition Drill podcast explores military spouse transition, family stress, and life after service for veterans, first responders, and military families navigating retirement from high-demand careers. You’ll hear Angela DeJarnette on what happens when the uniform comes off, the family system changes, and what it takes to rebuild communication, purpose, and support before the home breaks under the weight of transition. Angie grew up in Franklin, Tennessee, and never planned on becoming a military spouse. Before marrying her husband, a Navy SEAL, she had built her own professional life in commercial real estate and was serving as vice president of her firm. Then came the promise of “one more deployment,” a courthouse marriage, and a life that stretched into 17 more years of military service. Angie talks about the hidden cost of service on the spouse and family. She shares what it was like to live overseas, adapt to isolation in Okinawa, give up control over parts of her life, and build strength through the women around her. While her husband deployed, trained, and served, Angie became the person holding the house, the kids, the decisions, and the emotional weight together. But the hardest transition wasn’t a move. It was retirement. When her husband left the SEAL teams in 2019, the family struggled. They were yelling, missing each other emotionally, and learning that they’d been talking at each other instead of to each other. Angie explains how therapy, somatic work, nervous system regulation, and honest communication helped them rebuild. That personal experience became part of her mission. Angie founded The Steps Foundation to support military spouses, female veterans, and Gold Star families through the stress, trauma, identity loss, and uncertainty that come with military transition. Today, STEPS provides long-term support, virtual programming, community connection, and practical tools to help women rebuild their health, purpose, boundaries, and family stability. This episode is a direct reminder that transition doesn’t just happen to the service member. It happens to the whole family. CONNECT WITH THE PODCAST: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paulpantani/ WEBSITE: https://www.transitiondrillpodcast.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulpantani/ SIGN-UP FOR THE NEWSLETTER: https://transitiondrillpodcast.com/home#about QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS: [email protected] SPONSORS: GRND Collective: Premium, veteran-owned sportswear built for those who show up, outwork the excuses, and give 100%. Score 15% off your order at thegrndcollective.com using promo code TRANSITION15 at checkout Blue Line Roasting: Premium, law-enforcement-owned coffee roasted to fuel the shift. A portion of every order directly supports law enforcement families facing line-of-duty injury or loss. Save 10% at bluelineroasting.com with promo code Transition10 Frontline Optics: Premium eyewear founded by a firefighter and built to withstand the job. Every single purchase helps support the First Responders Children’s Foundation, serving families who’ve paid the ultimate price. Save 10% off your pair at frontlineoptics.com using promo code Transition10

Episode 253 of the Transition Drill podcast, explores Marine Corps combat service, life after injury, and veteran transition for military veterans and first responders navigating identity, trauma, and purpose after the job. You’ll hear Marcus Wilson on surviving an IED blast, fighting his way back into uniform, and what it takes to rebuild a life when the mission changes. Marcus grew up in Dermott, Arkansas, with the Marine Corps already planted in his mind. His dad had served, and a photo of him in dress blues became a reminder of the path Marcus wanted. After graduating high school in 1994, he left for boot camp in San Diego, became an infantry Marine, and committed early to making the Marine Corps a career. His service took him from Camp Pendleton to Okinawa, Korea, Australia, Hawaii, Afghanistan, and Iraq. After 9/11, Marcus wanted to be where the fight was. In 2005, he deployed to Afghanistan with 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines and experienced combat during a deployment that included Operation Red Wings in his unit’s area of operations. Then came Iraq in 2006, where the pace and violence in Haditha were constant. On November 14, 2006, Marcus was serving as a QRF platoon sergeant when his vehicle was hit by an IED. Three Marines were killed. Marcus survived, but lost his left leg above the knee and suffered multiple serious injuries, including broken bones, fractured vertebrae, broken ribs, and a punctured lung. After 48 surgeries, years of rehab, and learning to walk with a prosthetic, he fought to stay in the Marine Corps instead of leaving at 12 years. He returned to active duty, became a First Sergeant, served at the School of Infantry, and retired after 21 years. But retirement brought a different fight. Marcus talks openly about depression, losing his sense of purpose, staying in bed for nearly a year, and finally getting help through the Veterans Center. Today, he’s found purpose in the outdoors through Wounded Warrior Outdoors, guiding veterans and first responders on hunting and fishing trips across North America. His story is about dedication, mental health, brotherhood, and finding a new mission after service. CONNECT WITH THE PODCAST: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paulpantani/ WEBSITE: https://www.transitiondrillpodcast.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulpantani/ SIGN-UP FOR THE NEWSLETTER: https://transitiondrillpodcast.com/home#about QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS: [email protected] SPONSORS: GRND Collective: Premium, veteran-owned sportswear built for those who show up, outwork the excuses, and give 100%. Score 15% off your order at thegrndcollective.com using promo code TRANSITION15 at checkout Blue Line Roasting: Premium, law-enforcement-owned coffee roasted to fuel the shift. A portion of every order directly supports law enforcement families facing line-of-duty injury or loss. Save 10% at bluelineroasting.com with promo code Transition10 Frontline Optics: Premium eyewear founded by a firefighter and built to withstand the job. Every single purchase helps support the First Responders Children’s Foundation, serving families who’ve paid the ultimate price. Save 10% off your pair at frontlineoptics.com using promo code Transition10