We talk with Marine Corps Major Tom Schueman about his new book, “Always Faithful: A Story of the War in Afghanistan, the Fall of Kabul, and the Unshakable Bond Between a Marine and an Interpreter”. It’s a dual memoir told by both Maj. Schueman and his interpreter Zainullah Zaki. It covers some of the fiercest combat of the war in Afghanistan, and Zak's harrowing escape before the US evacuated and the country fell back into the deadly hands of the Taliban. Get the book here

Veterans are creating a groundswell of support for federal medical marijuana legislation. (Which is frankly long overdue) Marine Special Operations (MARSOC) veteran Bryan Buckley is the co-founder of the Helmand Valley Growers Company, a cannabis company in California, and from his own experience to his foundation’s clinical research trials, he talks about his recent trip to Capitol Hill. He shares updates on pending marijuana legislation and how with the assistance of conservative Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC), Republicans seem ready to take over this issue. For more information on Helmand Valley Growers Company and to support the Battle Brothers Foundation check out https://hvgcompany.com/

What can we do to end the suicide epidemic in the US? Former SEAL Dave Berkenfield offers some cool life experiences and highlights the principles of American Legion’s “Be the One" suicide prevention campaign. For more on the great things American Legion offers vets and how we can all "Be the One" for somebody right now, check out https://www.legion.org/betheone

America’s Warrior Partnership believes that ending veteran suicide is not a program, it is an outcome. AWP employs a holistic approach to veteran care, such as helping veterans find a job, buy a home, repair their family relationships, etc. We talked with AWP, President, and Air Force veteran Jim Lorraine.

Vet Centers provide a wide range of counseling services to veterans, and their families, which is especially important to discuss during Suicide Prevention Month. We learned more from Michael Fisher, VHA’s Chief Officer of Readjustment Counseling Service.

Army veteran Mark Jackson is sick from diseases related to his time at a remote US military base in Uzbekistan. The VA has denied his claim, and The PACT Act, which was recently signed into law by President Biden, does not cover the osteoporosis (and other conditions) he is suffering from. His private insurance (Blue Cross Blue Sheild) also denied coverage for another year of the medication he desperately needs. Without insurance, the monthly bill for these meds is almost $5K per month. We talked at length about his story, the toxic base known as K2, and how he continues to fight for the medical care and benefits he and many other veterans deserve. Veterans dealing with toxic exposure-related illnesses who served at K2 (and other areas) can get support by contacting The Stronghold Freedom Foundation https://strongholdfreedomfoundation.org/

Attention student veterans- Do some homework before you enroll in school. USMC veteran Will Hubbard, Vice President for Veterans & Military Policy for Veterans Education Success explains how colleges like Westwood and ITT Tech were ripping off vets with useless degrees. He also explains the impact on student veterans' federal loans and GI Bill. For more on what Veteran Education Success can do for you check out https://vetsedsuccess.org

We discuss the anniversary of the US withdrawal from Afghanistan with Army combat veteran, Intelligence Officer, and fierce Afghanistan activist Matt Zeller. He cites specific examples of how the US State Dept officials on-site knowingly stranded thousands of interpreters and shares some stunning data from The Association of Wartime Allies.  Zeller also discussed how this botched evacuation process, can lead to suicide among veterans who are now suffering the moral injury of being unable to assist those who fought to save their life. Here are some key takeaways from our interview, and the ways Zeller offers everyone to get involved:Hammer your Senator and/or Representatives to Pass The Afghan Adjustment Act now! If we can get 100K Ukranains here to safety, we can do it for allies who fought with us. Join and/or support IAVA, Iraq Afghanistan Veterans of America https://iava.org/Donate to the Association of Wartime Allies https://www.wartimeallies.co/projects-3Get involved with any of the organizations currently helping Afghanistan refugees resettle in the US. See groups like; HIAS https://www.hias.org/afghan-refugee-crisis-how-you-can-help, Catholic CharitiesLutheran Immigration and Refugee Services https://www.lirs.org/The Jewish Federations of North America https://www.jewishfederations.org/ Follow Matt Zeller for more information @mattczeller

In this episode, we hear the story of Jonathan Kantor, the grandchild of Jewish WWII Holocaust survivors who were hidden by righteous gentiles during the war. Kantor shares his grandparents' dramatic escape from the Nazi occupation, how they found each other after Poland was ravaged by war and how their life story inspired him to lead a volunteer circle in his community to resettle Afghan refugees that supported our service members. For more information and how you can support The Jewish Federations of North America click here: https://www.jewishfederations.org/ Or contact Darcy Hish darcy.hirsh@jewishfederations.org

Former Blackhawk helicopter pilot Chris Videau went from saving soldiers on the ground to saving oceans from tons of plastic laundry bottles. Videau and his wife (also a veteran) founded Sheets Laundry Company, which ships degradable detergent sheets the size of a postcard direct to consumers. We discussed how they discovered the business opportunity, how a chance meeting at their son’s T-ball game evolved into a garage-based business and how they hope to make a world of difference in an industry that is a major source of plastic pollution. (Note: Every second the equivalent of a dump full of plastic is dumped into our oceans.)  To order Sheet Laundry Club detergent Sheets and other eco friendly products: https://sheetslaundryclub.com/

Army combat veteran and Paratrooper Brandon Friedman wants to rebuild communities torn apart by war … one cup at a time. Freidman war took command of his first platoon 5 days after 9-11 and after deployments to AFG and IRQ he saw the true cost of war. But he also discovered the power of tea, and the sense of community associated with it. So, he and his veteran partners created “Rakkasan Tea Company.” (Inspired by the nickname of their former Airborne unit). Now they hope to rebuild these communities by helping local farmers introduce US tea drinkers to some of the best teas in the world. To order tea and hear more about the incredible "Rakkasan Tea Company" story: https://www.rakkasantea.com/pages/about

Now that the law establishes a service connection for 23+ health conditions, we asked VA Press Secretary, Terrence Hayes, “What do veterans need to do next?” Hayes is more than just a senior VA spokesperson. He spent over a year in Iraq and truly understands how toxic exposures have hurt veterans over the last two decades. In this interview, we discussed:Precisely which health conditions are now presumed to be “service-connected”? What vets need to do right now? Does VA have the staff to process all these new claims? Will the backlog will affect how VA processes these claims?When veterans can expect to get their claims approved? Veterans- start the process today! To begin go to: VA.gov/PACT

On Wednesday August 10, President Biden signed “The PACT Act” into law. The signature took only minutes but the effort to secure health care and monetary benefits for vets dying from toxic exposures was a fight that took decades. A few hours after the White House ceremony, we sat down with one of the fiercest veteran fighters, Marine Corps combat vet, and leader of Grunt Style T-Shirts and apparel Tim Jensen.  We discussed how Jensen and others like Rosie Torres and Jon Stewart confronted Senators who had the gall to vote against this monumental bill. And we heard what it was like behind the scenes during their exhaustive 5-day protest, where they camped out on the steps of Capitol Hill. Jensen also revealed if this law will do enough, why this journey was one of the most significant moments in his life, and how this law will touch the lives of American military veterans from the Vietnam era to future generations.

Marine Corps veteran Jason Walters went from homeless to hi-tech executive. After enduring some painful life events, he fought to find a way into the growing software and IT field and became the founder of the global IT and cloud services company Cloud Warriors.  Walters describes how he lived in his car behind a YMCA, to save enough money to get an apartment. Later he would land his first job in the software industry but would be forced to sacrifice a year away from his daughters.  Walters also explains how a company that exclusively trains military veterans for IT and web services jobs was born over a beer in Nashville. Now that COVID changed the way Americans work, Cloud Warriors adapted and has become a leader in servicing companies that rely on applications like Zoom and Amazon Web Services. Walters explains how veterans, with little or no tech experience, can get trained for these high-paying jobs with Cloud Warriors.   Check out Cloud Warriors: https://www.cloud-warriors.com/

Iraq war vet and former TX State trooper LeRoy Torres lost his job after developing a debilitating lung disease caused by the toxic burn pits in Iraq. His wife Rosie is a fighter and after founding Burn Pits 360, they battled VA, Doctors, and Congress and eventually won a landmark decision from the US Supreme Court. In this interview, we’ll hear the whole story; how they’re on the verge of Congress passing a law that will change life for every IRQ/AFG veteran in America, and how Pennsylvania Sen. Pat Toomey (R) is one of the only politicians standing in their way. 

Off-the-beaten-path historical sites and great veteran-owned breweries! Navy veteran, historian, and beer lover Michael Embrich shares some excellent travel advice in his book "March On! A Veterans Travel Guide". This book is definitely something you'll like using to help to plan your next summer road trip. Get a copy here: https://www.amazon.com/March-Veterans-Travel-Michael-Embrich/dp/1737489309

Can drug/alcohol addiction or PTSD be cured at the beach? Army vet and Primary Therapist Tamara Evans discusses Transformations Treatment Center in Delray Beach, Fl., and their program “Help for Our Heroes”. It’s designed to help vets, cops, firefighters, and nurses defeat the demons beneath their drinking, drugs and PTSD. Hear how this program uses way more than just traditional talk-based therapy. See more about Transformation Treatment Center's substance abuse and mental health programs here. https://helpforourheroes.com/

In this era of smack-talk politics, and a media environment that stokes hate and fear ... how can we trust anything in politics? Or that our elections are actually functioning right? That's where "Vet The Vote" comes in. We talked with Ellen Gustafson, VTV Executive Director and US Army (Ret.) General George Casey, former Joint Chiefs of Staff and now a northern Virginia election volunteer, about their search for 100K veterans to step up and possibly restore America's faith in elections and democracy ... regardless of political affiliation. Check out Vet the dot vote for ways you can get involved in your local precinct. Or just click the link below: https://vetthe.vote/

Tim Kennedy is an elite Green Beret veteran who survived brutal combat in Iraq and Afghanistan. But he’s likely best known as a former UFC Champ and Mixed Martial Arts master. In his new book “Scars and Stripes: An unapologetically American story of fighting UFC Warriors, the Taliban, and Myself” he documents his life. But it’s not your typical warfighter motivation book- he shares his mistakes, the jobs he lost, the bloody fights, and how we can all learn from his scars. Plus we dive deep into his non-profit Save Our Allies and the work they've recently done in Afghanistan and Ukraine. And we ask if the military veteran speakers are accidentally creating a more gun-filled, fight-prone society? Check out Scars and Stripes here https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Scars-and-Stripes/Tim-Kennedy/9781982190910

Mass shootings have become a tragic part of life in America. Beyond the prayers and politics, one veteran is dedicated to helping make schools safer. Marine Corps combat veteran Jake Edwards, served in Fallujah, Iraq, and is now teaching a system he developed called LEAD Tactics. In this episode, we look at his detailed and customized approach for schools and students of all ages, plus we discuss the state of current events and gun control. For more information about LEAD Tactics and how your local school system can receive his threat response training check out traintactics.com   

Last year 100K Americans died from a drug overdose. Several years ago, (Ret.) Navy Admiral and former Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Sandy Winnefeld’s son overdosed and died while in college.  Adm. Winnefeld and his wife Mary directed their grief toward finding solutions to this epidemic. They founded the SAFE Project and together with Navy veteran and CEO Jeff Horwitz they are showing cities, campuses, and military vets how to stop OD deaths ... and it's not just telling them to get clean. They offer some surprisingly candid and raw advice for addicts in the grips of addiction. Find more information and resources from the SAFE Project here: https://www.safeproject.us

Memories, Merica, and good music! We talk Memorial Day Weekend with Michelle Black, Goldstar widow of Green Beret SSgt Bryan Black, Navy SEAL Team 6 veteran Rob O'Neill and Nashville country singer, Marine Corps combat vet Sal Gonzalez.

Life is too short for bad beer, and this Summer craft brewers are not just making good IPAs, they're making a difference. The national nonprofit Soldiers’ Angels is inviting professional craft breweries of all sizes to brew a custom recipe, "Homefront IPA™" as a fun and unique way to raise funds and honor U.S. service members, veterans, and their families. We talked about it with the initiative's founder and former pro baseball pitcher Chris Ray, and US Air Force veteran and owner of 1700 Brewing, Kevin Mead, and Amy Palmer, President & CEO of Soldiers’ Angels. Now go ask your local brewer to join the movement and brew Homefront IPA! For more information check out the Hops for Heroes page here https://soldiersangels.org/hops-for-heroes/

Supply Chain issues can be bad news for the delivery of online shopping orders, but it also highlights the explosive growth in the trucking and transportation industry. Marine Corps vet Kevin Clark, SVP Cox Automotive Fleet Mobility Services, shares how he’s looking to train and fully equip military veteran mechanics for incredible careers right now. To learn more about killer opportunities with Cox Automotive Mobility Fleet Services, check out: https://dickinsonfleet.com/ And their career page has more info about their "FleeTec Academy" https://dickinsonfleet.com/careers/

Is the cure for PTSD, and other mental health issues like depression, all around us ... and we don’t even utilize it? This week we look another example of how Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy is successfully treating PTSD in veterans. We hear the story of Retired Army Colonel Andy Smith. We examine Colonel Smith’s life experiences and the treatment he received from Dr. Mohammed Elamir, Director of Aviv Clinics, in The Villages retirement community in central Florida. And we'll learn how their new twist on HBOT therapy works. Plus some startling facts about how teenage screen use and social media is proving to be seriously damaging to their brains.   For more info see Aviv-clinics.com To reach CBS Eye on Veterans host, Phil Briggs phil@connectingvets.com Follow on Twitter @philbriggsVet