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

At times, life had been a bad trip for Marine Corps veteran Brandon Sparks. After experiencing service-connected trauma, his life began to crash. From depression to addiction and from suicide to homelessness he thought it might be hopeless. But a chance encounter with a group promoting psilocybin therapy changed his life ... and as Sparks will tell you, "without micro-dosing ... I would not be here." Today he's living 100 percent and in our in-depth interview, he shared his wild ride.

Though Robin C Fortner may not be as loud as she was at Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island, SC, her message is just as powerful. Hear how she helped change the game for women in the military. And we discuss the message she delivers to corporate America as a speaker, trainer, and founder of RC Fortner Enterprises. See more about Robin C Fortner here https://rcfortner.com/

When Laurie Sayles, founder of Civility Management Solutions joined the Marine Corps she probably never thought it was the path to becoming a CEO. In our interview, she shares how she went from the military to becoming a government contractor, and how her logistics and supply skills help her effectively manage multi-million dollar government contracts. Read more about Civility Management Solutions https://civilityms.com/about-us/

Way more than just a resume builder, Hire Heroes USA places thousands of veterans in great careers every year. We hear more about what they offer from Nadine Bullock-Pottinga, Chief Development Officer at Hire Heroes USA.  For more info click here Hire Heroes USA Got a good story? Email phil@connectingvets.com     Follow Eye on Veterans Host on Twitter @philbriggsVet And for more veteran and military news check out Connecting Vets dot com  

Feel like you missed out because you don't have a computer science degree? Don't worry! Revature is a company ready to help veterans get high-paying jobs in technology, and they’re offering this opportunity to ALL vets, even those without a computer software background. Army infantry veteran and Revature Recruiter, Jim Chitwood explains how they "train and deploy" vets for jobs with major corporations. Find out more about careers with Revature Got a good story? Email phil@connectingvets.com     Follow Eye on Veterans Host on Twitter @philbriggsVet And for more veteran and military news check out Connecting Vets dot com  

Vets dreaming of being an entrepreneur can get free help building a small business that succeeds. Army veteran Joe Giordano shares how Project Opportunity has helped veterans build multi-million-dollar companies. And why vets do extremely well as small business owners. Check out Project Opportunity Got a good story? Email phil@connectingvets.com   Follow Eye on Veterans Host on Twitter @philbriggsVet And for more veteran and military news check out Connecting Vets dot com  

Wendy Lang is the founder of Operation College Promise, a national policy, research, and education program and she explains what veterans need to look for when selecting a college or university. In 2009, she developed and published the nation’s first resource manual for veterans’ service providers in the Post-9/11 era. The OCP Field Guide provides a blueprint for local, state, and national support services to aid veterans in transition. For more on Operation College Promise https://ocpstudentveterans.com/ Got a good story? Email phil@connectingvets.com    Follow Eye on Veterans Host on Twitter @philbriggsVet  And for more veteran and military news check out Connecting Vets dot com

Marine Corps veteran Derek Abbey is a rare breed. He went from flying jets to Spec Ops, and now he leads teams on a quest to find and repatriate Americans missing in action since World War II. Hear his incredible story and how Project Recover is using 21st-century science and technology to bring joy and pride to veteran families. See Project Recover https://www.projectrecover.org/ Got a story? Reach out to phil@connectingvets.com Or follow Host, Phil Briggs on Twitter @philbriggsVet 

Plagued by "inept policy" USMC Col. (Ret.) Andy Milburn says US military aid to Ukraine is not getting to the front lines. Milburn, a former Marine Corps Special Operations (MARSOC) Regiment commander and is now in Kyiv assisting Ukrainian forces. His non-profit The Mozart Group is seeking donations to keep his team of Spec Ops veterans on the ground and assisting the Ukrainian military to defeat Russian forces. with his. He shared how US weapons are not getting through, training is incomplete, and troops are in dire need of medical equipment and assistance right now. And as US POLICY WILL NOT PROVIDE FUNDING for these veterans, THEY NEED OUR SUPPORT. You can DONATE HERE https://fundly.com/the-mozart-group-aid-to-ukraine For more on how The Mozart Group delivers critical capabilities to the Ukrainian front lines: https://www.themozartgroup.com/ Milburn is clear, "We are not mercenaries ... we are not looking for trigger pullers". They are however doing what it takes to assist Ukrainian military leadership in developing tactics and strategies to win the fight. To reach CBS Eye on Veterans, Host, Phil Briggs phil@connectingvets.com Or follow on Twitter @philbriggsVet

The documentary film “From Outlaws to In-laws: The Heroes Harvest Story” shows how Northern California’s notorious cannabis-growing country is now helping veterans by providing them free medical marijuana. We talk with filmmaker Matt Grimshaw and MedVets founder Jake Lawrence. Watch the film "From Outlaws to Inlaws: The Heroes Harvest Story" on YouTube https://youtu.be/iffjoBZ_11c Follow CBS Eye on Veterans, Host, Phil Briggs on Twitter @philbriggsVet For story submission, guest pitches or some salty conversation contact phil@connectingvets.com

Air Force vet Keith McGee survived a violent attack and recovered from a Traumatic Brain Injury. But that couldn't stop him from going after his dream of being a NASCAR driver. Now he's the first-ever disabled vet to compete in NASCAR national series events. We talked with Keith about going from go-carts to the fast track, his recovery, a gold medal family, and a cryptocurrency mistake that almost made him filthy rich! Buckle up and hear this wildly inspirational story. Also, as March is Brain Injury Awareness we discuss how migraines affect millions of Americans. For information about migraines and TBI check out The National Headache Foundation See more at Keith McGee Racing For guest booking and more about Eye on Veterans email phil@connectingvets.com Or follow @philbriggsVet in the Twitterverse

We listen to some incredible reports from former Army Rangers/Journalists with Coffee or Die magazine; Marty Skovlund Jr., Jariko Denman, and Joshua Skovlund. We follow some of Josh's emotional social media posts and get a sense of what life is like as Ukrainians fight for survival amidst Russian attacks. See more at Coffee or Die magazine For stories or guest booking contact phil@connectingvets.com or follow on Twitter @philbriggsVet

Army veteran Chris Jones went from firing missiles to becoming a graphic designer and building luxurious custom home projects for clients around the world. We talked about how the kid's rooms he creates look like Disneyland or Ikea on acid. Plus the T-Shirt company he founded with his son MOS apparel.

Garnet and Zaimis Brooks found each other in the Army, but they found financial success after founding a Stretch Zone franchise near Ft Bliss, Texas. We talked with them about what Stretch Zone does for their clients, how they got started and what it takes to be a successful franchise owner. See more about Stretch Zone here

We talk with Grunt Style apparel's outspoken leader, Tim Jensen about President Biden's SOTU and a recent bill that Congress says will help vets dying from toxic exposure get the care and benefits they deserve. Spoiler alert: Don't do a victory dance yet! We separate fact from bs and tell vets who can help them right now. See more Grunt Style apparel here Read more about the bill Congress is pushing to help vets here

You may know Dakota Meyer as the badass Marine Corps vet who earned the nation's highest honor, or as the host of the American Party podcast. But in his latest book "The Way Forward: Master Life's Toughest Battles and Create Your Lasting Legacy" we hear another side of this warfighter. We talked about growing up a country boy in Kentucky, fatherhood, his days as a cheerleader? And some killer advice that everyone can use in their daily life.

Always quotable and sometimes controversial, former Navy SEAL Rob O'Neill talks about his new book "The Way Forward: Master Life's Toughest Battles and Create Your Lasting Legacy". Known best for being the man who shot Osama Bin Laden we talked about why he chose to go public, but we also hear how basketball helped him become a SEAL, how he wasn't the greatest swimmer and many other incredible life lessons for the average Joe.

Decorated Navy SEAL combat veteran Rob O'Neill is best known for being the SEAL team member who killed Osama Bin Laden. During our recent interview we talked about the insanity of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and what the US should be prepared to do.