Advertise on podcast: Welcome Home - A Podcast for Veterans, About Veterans, By Veterans

A lot of veterans swear they “don’t have a story,” and then, the moment someone who gets it starts asking the right questions, the real memories show up. That’s why we brought on Dan and Roger from Tracer Burnout, a veteran-run YouTube channel and podcast built around honest conversations with people who served across every branch and every kind of job. We get into where they came from, how they joined, and the duty stations that left the biggest marks, from Fort Drum cold to Fort Bragg’s nonstop pace, with a few laughs along the way.  We also talk about the tough stuff that follows a long Army career: bodies breaking down, surgeries, constant pain, and the decision to retire for reasons that have nothing to do with headlines and everything to do with family. Dan and Roger share why they encourage veterans to use VA benefits without guilt, and they unpack the old “zero-sum” myth that still keeps some people from filing claims or getting care.  Then we dig into what Tracer Burnout is really trying to build: a living archive of military service stories that families can hear years from now. In a world where the written word is fading and social media disappears in a scroll, recording voices becomes its own kind of history. If you care about veteran mental health, military transition, leadership, and preserving firsthand accounts, this conversation delivers. Subscribe, share this with a veteran in your life, and leave a review so more people find these stories.

Only a small slice of eligible veterans ever use a VA home loan, and that number should bother all of us. We sit down with Eric Bernstein, founder of LendFriend Mortgage, to get brutally clear about what’s actually stopping veterans and active duty families from using one of the most powerful mortgage benefits in the United States. We talk through the real reasons the VA loan gets misunderstood: the myth that you need a down payment, the belief you can only use the benefit once, and the confusion around entitlement and restoring eligibility. Eric explains how a strong VA-focused mortgage broker can act like an advocate, not just a rate quote, especially when sellers or builders hesitate because of outdated fears about VA appraisals and requirements. We also get practical about the timing of transitioning service members, including how preapproval can start early and what lenders look for in documents such as a Certificate of Eligibility (COE) and a Leave and Earnings Statement (LES). Then we go deep on VA refinancing and the IRRRL streamline refi. We cover the 210-day rule, how to calculate break-even, why a full point rate drop often matters, and how discount points and padded closing costs can make a “great deal” far less great. If you’re seeing nonstop mailers, this conversation gives you a checklist to stay safe and compare offers apples to apples. If this helped you, subscribe on your favorite podcast app, share it with a veteran who’s house hunting, and leave a quick review so more military families can find the facts. What VA loan myth did you hear first?

A PCS can look routine on paper and feel like an earthquake at home. We sit down with Dr. Michelle Bubnik-Harrison, a licensed psychologist leading work with military families through Kennedy Krieger Institute, to talk about what military-connected kids actually carry when they change schools, lose hard-won friendships, and rebuild their lives over and over again. Yes, military kids are resilient, but she makes a sharp point: resilience has limits, and a single tough move can tip stress into anxiety, worry, sleep problems, or blowups that confuse parents who are used to their child “handling it.”  We get specific about access to care because logistics are often the biggest barrier. Dr. Butnick-Harrison explains how telehealth therapy supports highly mobile families, how family-based sessions work, and why caregivers stay involved even when a teen needs private time. We also dig into practical questions families ask right away: what ages the program serves, what a first appointment looks like, how long counseling typically lasts when the goal is getting back to everyday functioning, and how coordination works if ADHD or other concerns bring medication into the picture.  We also talk about heavier chapters of military family life, including what can happen when a parent returns from deployment with PTS or TBI and kids get pulled into adult roles. Throughout it all, the focus stays on realistic coping skills, early support, and building a plan that fits your timeline, whether you need a few sessions or ongoing check-ins. If you know a military parent, educator, or caregiver, share this one, subscribe for more, and leave a review so more families can find help when they need it.

A nurse’s kindness can change a life, and sometimes it can change a career. I sit down with retired Army Colonel Ed Yackel, RN, to trace how childhood surgeries and long hospital stays became the first spark for a lifetime in the Army Nurse Corps. From commissioning as an officer to learning the rhythms of real clinical work, Ed shares the moments that shaped him as a nurse and as a leader. We also get honest about what military nursing looks like when the stakes are high. Ed explains how care works inside a combat support hospital, what “treat everyone who needs help” means in practice, and how the evacuation chain connects frontline medicine to larger facilities like Landstuhl and stateside specialty care. If you’ve ever wondered how medical teams operate during deployments to places like Iraq and how civilian casualties fit into the mission, this conversation makes it clear and human. Then we shift to the systems that keep patients safe. Ed describes why standardization across military medicine matters, from shared formularies to consistent sets, kits, and equipment, and how those choices reduce risk when teams deploy. After leaving the Army, he brings that same mindset to the Veterans Health Administration as the leader of the VA National Center for Patient Safety, where he focuses on preventing harm by designing processes that account for normal human error. We also highlight the Army Nurse Corps Association, including scholarships, research and evidence-based practice funding, conventions, and current advocacy priorities. If you’ve ever been cared for by a military nurse, consider supporting the people who supported you. Subscribe, share this episode with a nurse veteran, and leave a review. What part of Ed’s story hit home for you?

Suicide doesn’t just take one life. It can leave an entire family, unit, and friend group trying to function while carrying grief, trauma, and a thousand urgent decisions they never asked for. We sit down with Dr. Carla Stomf Patton, Director of Suicide Postvention at TAPS (Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors), to talk about what actually helps after a suicide death and why the right response can reduce risk for everyone left behind. We get clear on a term many people mishear: postvention. It’s the care and coordinated support that happens after a suicide attempt or suicide death, and it’s tightly linked to prevention because isolation, shame, and untreated trauma are real risk factors. Dr. Patton explains how peer-based grief support creates safety fast, why talking openly about suicide matters, and how accurate training helps us ditch the myths that keep people silent when they should be reaching out. You’ll also hear what the TAPS process looks like from the first contact, including how survivors find support through TAPS.org and the 24/7 helpline, how peer mentoring works, and how caseworkers help families address immediate needs such as talking to kids, navigating benefits, and finding trauma-informed resources. We close with a simple action step anyone can take today: save 988 plus one in a buddy’s phone to create a pause that can save a life. If this conversation helps you, subscribe, share it with one person, and leave a review so more veterans and families can find these resources.

Some stories from Iraq and Afghanistan still get told like footnotes, even when they changed how missions worked on the ground. We sit down with Heidi Rippy, Vice President of Development for the Special Operations Association of America (SOAA), to talk about what it meant to serve as one of the small number of women selected for Cultural Support Team work alongside special operations and civil affairs. Heidi walks us through enlisting at 17, choosing the Army airborne path, and what selection and training can look like at Camp Mackall, from language training and cultural studies to negotiation skills and high-risk driving. We also slow down on the parts of service that don’t fit neatly into a highlight reel: medical retirement, living with a 100% disability rating, and the shock of transitioning out during peak COVID when so many offices and programs felt out of reach. That transition story matters for every veteran planning a civilian career because it shows how quickly identity, paperwork, healthcare, and community can collide. Then we get into the mission that drives Heidi’s work at SOAA: advocacy, policy, and ensuring no brother or sister feels alone after taking off the uniform. We talk suicide loss, the importance of community, and the JAX Act, including why recognition for CST and female engagement work connects directly to VA benefits, combat-related care, and long-term health outcomes for women veterans. If this conversation resonates, subscribe, share it with a friend who’s navigating transition, and leave a review so more veterans can find it. Learn more at soa.org and consider hitting the donate button to support the work.

You can spot a military kid in a crowd, not because of a uniform, but because they learned to adapt before they learned to drive. Chef Larry welcomes Lisa and Rose, the sisters behind the Punk Brats YouTube channel, for a sharp, funny, and honest talk about what it’s really like growing up as military brats across continents. We trace their story from Seoul and Fort Hood to Camp Zama, and then Germany, where living off base brought a level of independence that still surprises people today. They unpack the hidden stressors civilians rarely see: curfews, last-minute moves, the pressure of representing your parents’ career, and the strange feeling of being “from everywhere and nowhere.” Along the way, we talk about culture and identity, too, including what it means to juggle American life, host-nation life, and a parent's nationality at home. From there, we get into the why behind Punk Brats: military nonprofits often focus on service members and spouses, while military children are often overlooked. Lisa and Rose explain how their interviews span generations, why mental health for military kids deserves real attention, and which guests have stuck with them most. We also spotlight their nonprofit, Hats Off for Veterans, including peer support groups, scholarships and grants, and their upcoming Courage to Connect, Breaking the Silence effort addressing military sexual trauma. If you want to support the mission, visit hofv.org, then subscribe, share this with a fellow military family, and leave us a review so more people can find these stories.

Leaving the military can feel like stepping out of a unit and into a world without a map. I talk with Marine Officer and Veteran Ryan Murray, Managing Director at Greencastle Consulting, about the moments that force a real pivot: choosing the infantry mindset, hitting the eight-to-ten-year decision window, managing injuries, and trying to make smart calls for your family while the transition clock is still running. We also get honest about VA disability ratings and why they often slide down the priority list when life gets busy. Ryan shares how he found Greencastle after an unexpected career turn, and what makes the firm stand out in veteran hiring and veteran employment: it’s an all-veteran consulting company, built to prove that performance beats pedigree. We dig into what actually matters in consulting and corporate life when you have influence but no authority, including emotional intelligence, relationship-building, culture fit, and “learning velocity,” the ability to learn fast and adapt without losing your identity. If you’re working on military-to-civilian resume translation, project management positioning, or just trying to find your next tribe, you’ll get practical language and a clearer framework. We also spotlight VetFest in Malvern, Pennsylvania, a family-friendly veteran community festival that brings together nonprofits, veteran service organizations, vendors, food, music, and resources for both veterans and civilians who want to support them. Subscribe for more conversations like this, share the episode with a veteran who’s navigating the jump, and leave a review so more people can find the show.

The “standards were lowered” talking point spreads fast, but it falls apart the moment you look at how elite military training and real-world performance are actually measured. I sit down with Sue Fulton, a West Point graduate from the first class to include women and the founder of the Women in the Service Coalition (WISC), to get specific about what changed, what didn’t, and why the truth matters for force readiness. We dig into women in combat roles, Ranger School standards, and why the idea of a “free pass” doesn’t survive contact with the facts. Sue walks through how Ranger School enforced the same requirements, what washout rates looked like during the early pilot, and why preparation and mentorship matter without changing the bar. We also get into the current Pentagon review of women in uniform, and how flawed study design and selective headlines can steer policy in the wrong direction, especially when research ignores decision quality, communication, observation, and performance under stress. Then we shift to women veterans and VA benefits, where the obstacles are often cultural: not being recognized as a veteran, not feeling safe in certain spaces, and not having women-centered care consistently available. If you care about a merit-based military, veteran healthcare access, and leadership that stays apolitical, this conversation lays out what’s at stake and what listeners can do next. Subscribe for more, share this with someone who still believes the myth, and leave a review to help more people find the show. What’s one “standard” you think the public misunderstands most?

Every two to three years, military orders can flip a family’s life upside down. New home, new friends, new routines, and too often, a school reset that leaves kids paying the price. We talk with Natalie Mack, founder and CEO of the Military Homeschoolers Association, about why so many military families choose homeschooling as the one lever they can control: stability, continuity, and a learning environment that survives PCS moves, deployments, and the long grind of workups. Natalie shares how the organization formed from real-life leadership on installations, not from a polished master plan. We get into the biggest gap she kept seeing: military homeschoolers were everywhere, but hard for other military child support organizations to find and serve. That visibility problem is why her team invested in research, including the first major survey focused solely on military homeschool families across CONUS and OCONUS, capturing who they are and what they need. We also dig into policy and advocacy that can remove real burdens. Homeschool materials are heavy, PCS weight limits are strict, and families can end up paying to move the very books they use to educate their kids. Natalie explains the push to treat homeschool materials as Pro Gear under the Joint Travel Regulations, plus the Compass Act effort that would let families choose to follow the homeschool laws of their state of legal residence instead of relearning compliance with every move. If you’re a military spouse, a veteran, an educator, or just curious about military child education, this conversation is a practical look at what’s working and what still needs to change. Subscribe, share this with a military family, and leave a review. What part of military life would you most want education to protect your kids from?

A leadership lesson can come from a classroom, a coach, or a job. Sometimes it comes from a handwritten letter and a story that still hurts to tell. I’m Larry Zilliox, Director of Culinary Services at the Warrior Retreat at Bull Run, and I’m joined by Debbie Borza, a special advisor to The 9:57 Project Student Leadership Challenge, our summer leadership camp for high school students. Debbie brings a perspective shaped by United Flight 93. She shares the story of her daughter, Diora, who was 20 years old when she died on September 11, 2001. Because Diora was so close in age to the teens in this program, her words connect in a direct, peer-to-peer way. We talk about what Diora valued, how she treated friends and family, and why community service is more than a requirement. It’s a way to move outside yourself and build the kind of character that shows up when it matters. We also dig into what it took to create the Flight 93 National Memorial near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, including the lengthy planning timeline, partnerships with the National Park Service, and a mix of federal, state, and private funding. Debbie previews how the 25th anniversary is being shaped to honor families while welcoming the public, and I share why the memorial is worth the trip for anyone who wants to understand 9/11 beyond headlines. If you care about teen leadership, service projects, 9/11 history, Flight 93, or the power of kindness to create a ripple effect, this conversation is for you. Subscribe, share this episode with someone who leads by serving, and leave a review so more listeners can find it.

You can fly a perfect approach and still be miles from help if the “runway” is a strip carved out of jungle. That’s why I wanted to sit down with Fran DeRocher, an old friend from our Guam days, to talk about the kind of aviation most people never see: Mission Aviation Fellowship’s real-world humanitarian airlift across remote parts of Africa, where the airplane is the only road in or out.  We start with the memories that shaped us, from brutal no-AC barracks to scuba dives on Guam’s stunning reefs, then follow Fran’s winding path from Air Force service to earning the training that mission aviation demands. He breaks down what MAF actually carries: medical teams, critical medicine, drums of fuel, pastors and translators, NGO staff, and the everyday supplies that keep remote clinics and communities running. We also dig into the operational side of bush flying, including why MAF historically relied on pilot-mechanics, how the fleet has evolved from piston aircraft to turbine platforms like the Caravan, and what it takes to operate safely when infrastructure is thin.  Fran shares the moments that still raise your pulse, including unrest in East Congo and what it feels like to land in a place where weapons are pointed outward, and nothing is guaranteed. We also talk about Ebola response and the strict protocols that protect patients, crews, and communities when an outbreak turns logistics into life-or-death decision-making. If you care about aviation, humanitarian work, Christian nonprofits, or life after the military, this conversation is for you.  Subscribe on your favorite platform, share this with a friend who’d love it, and leave a review to help more people find the show.

The hidden bill in healthcare is often the drive, the flight, or the miles you rack up while you are already exhausted. We sit down with Melissa Brian, lead transportation coordinator for Mercy Medical Angels, to talk about what happens when a patient or veteran can get an appointment but cannot get there and how a practical ride can be the difference between starting treatment and falling behind. We break down the full menu of medical transportation assistance Mercy Medical Angels coordinates: gas cards for recurring appointments, Amtrak and Greyhound tickets when driving is not an option, commercial flights for specialized care hundreds of miles away, and a volunteer pilot program in the mid-Atlantic where pilots donate their aircraft and time. Along the way, we talk about common use cases like dialysis travel, long-distance oncology care at major centers, second opinions, clinical trials, and why Angel Wings for Veterans also supports travel to PTSD retreats that restore connection and community. You will also hear exactly how the process works, including where to apply, how applications are routed, what documentation is typically required, how far in advance to reach out for flight help, and why medical release forms matter for safe flying. We also talk about what the organization needs most right now: more awareness, more pilots, and more donors, so that more people can access care. If this conversation helps you, subscribe to us on your favorite podcast app, share it with someone who might need transportation support, and leave a review so more listeners can find these resources.

Farming can look like a simple escape plan until you run the numbers and realize the real enemy is the order of operations. Land is expensive, fences cost money, equipment breaks, and a “quick” farm dream can turn into years of stress if you start out of sequence. I sit down with Kate Bowen, program director of the American VetFarm Network (a program of At Ease Orchard), to talk about what it actually takes to help veterans become farmers and stay healthy in the process. We get into the practical questions veteran farmers ask most: how to access land, how to choose the right scale, how to build a basic farm business plan, and how to cut through the maze of veteran resources and agricultural resources without getting overwhelmed by online advice. Kate shares why the network often serves first-generation and small diversified farms, and how farm-to-table demand from chefs and local restaurants can create opportunity when the marketing and timelines are realistic. We also talk about the harder parts people avoid: isolation after leaving the military, the need for camaraderie, and the high suicide rate in agriculture. For veterans farming with injuries or disabilities, Kate explains how adaptive farm equipment and partners like AgrAbility can make the work safer and more sustainable. We close by noting that a USDA 2501 grant is funding nationwide training events, a growing resource library, and hands-on coaching for veterans who want purpose in the soil. They have an informative podcast on their YouTube channel with episodes that veterans will find useful. If you know a veteran with a farming idea, share this and help them find a smarter starting line. Subscribe, leave a review, and tell us: what’s the biggest obstacle you think new veteran farmers face?

Scholarship hunting shouldn’t feel like a second job, especially for military families already juggling PCS moves, shifting school rules, and tight timelines. We sit down with Kristen Ferullo, founder of Partners in Purpose, to discuss a free, searchable scholarship database designed specifically for military children, dependents, spouses, veterans, and ROTC students. If you’ve ever clicked through endless lists only to learn you don’t qualify, this conversation gives you a smarter path. We walk through how the database works, including practical filters like relationship to the service member, state-based options, and application open and close dates, so you can plan around real deadlines. Kristen explains why so many military-connected students miss out on scholarship money: frequent moves can cut students off from local awards, transferring schools can complicate references and credits, and procrastination turns senior year into a whirlwind. Her message is simple and urgent: start early, apply often, and don’t ignore smaller scholarships that can add up to real tuition relief. Kristen also shares what it takes to keep a resource trustworthy, from using exact scholarship language to doing a major “scrub” to fix links, verify details, and add new opportunities, including grants. We also dig into military spouse scholarships and education funding for degrees and certifications, plus broader trends veteran service organizations should watch, such as housing strain and food insecurity. Visit partners-in-purpose.com to explore the database and download the PCS and scholarship handbook, then share this episode with a military family who needs it and leave us a review so more listeners can find these tools.