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

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