Sometimes in life, when there is an important decision to be made, all you can do is sit down and make a list of ‘pros’ and ‘cons.’ Understanding the relative priority of short-term opportunity versus long term vision, or the kind of care you need versus what others in the same position will decide to do – those are hard decisions that decide the course a person’s life…
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Humble, Hungry, and Hard Working: U.S. Navy Veteran Kai Henderson
While there are many resources available to Veterans transitioning to the private sector, knowing which ones will be the best help for you can be a challenge. From housing to education to advice and counseling, there are plenty of people willing to help along the way. In this interview, Mary Kate Soliva welcomes Kai Henderson. Kai was working as a police officer…
Having the Wherewithal to Look Out for Yourself with John Freeman
In this interview, Veteran Voices host Mary Kate Soliva welcomes John Freeman, a U.S. Army Veteran and Director of Law Enforcement Operations at the Human Trafficking Institute. After being raised in a military family, he became a combat paratrooper and went on to serve and work in Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Kuwait, Bosnia, Panama, St. Criox, Nigeria…
A Woman’s Place is in the Military with Marina Rabinek
In this interview, Veteran Voices host Mary Kate Soliva welcomes Marina Rabinek, President and founder of the Military Women’s Collective and a Veteran of the United States Navy. While still in the Navy, Marina faced the unwanted advances of a fellow service member, and although she reported it up the chain of command, no action was taken until much later…
Veteran Voices Crossover: Don’t Ever Mistake Kindness for Weakness with Mary Bell
Respect for other people should exist and be earned on an individual level, but that doesn’t mean differences of opinion and perspective based on things like appearance and gender don’t continue to present challenges. In this interview, new Veteran Voices host Mary Kate Soliva welcomes Mary Bell, the Co-founder and Chief Operating Officer for Team Themis and…
Don’t Ever Mistake Kindness for Weakness with Mary Bell
Respect for other people should exist and be earned on an individual level, but that doesn’t mean differences of opinion and perspective based on things like appearance and gender don’t continue to present challenges. In this interview, new Veteran Voices host Mary Kate Soliva welcomes Mary Bell, the Co-founder and Chief Operating Officer for Team Themis and…
Adventure Can be Hard – Mentally & Physically
The experience each person has in the military varies by branch, unit, and whether they served in wartime or peacetime. But there are also differences between fully enlisting and serving in the National Guard, or – as the British Army calls it – the Territorial Army. In this interview, host Scott Luton speaks with two Royal Engineer veterans from the British…
You Can’t Manufacture Valor with Rob Tiffany
On March 19, 2003, President George W. Bush went on TV to announce the beginning of the war in Iraq. At the time, Rob Tiffany was working his way through college and he immediately felt called to go. He wanted to fly the latest planes with stealth technology. There was a waiting list to enter the Air Force, so he enlisted in the Navy. After all, it worked for Tom Cruise…
Reimagine, Reassess, Reinvigorate: Becoming The First Black Female Combat Pilot
Some barriers are harder to break than others – at least until the right person comes along. Vernice “Flygirl” had to fight to get into the Marine Corps, but once she got in, she was determined to rise to the top and seize every opportunity. Vernice is a retired United States Marine Corps Officer and holds the distinction of being the first black female combat pilot in the…
Life Is a Battle and Life Is a Journey with Kevin Potts
Many people join the military to have life experiences that wouldn’t be possible anywhere else – some of those experiences are formative and other ones just leave veterans grateful that what could have happened didn’t. Kevin Potts is a Software Product and Marketing Executive, but his buttoned-up professionalism and polished LinkedIn persona are laid on top of…
Taking a Unique Journey on a Crowded Road with JB Jaso
Most people spent a certain amount of time during the height of the pandemic locked down, just trying to get by under extraordinary circumstances. JB Jaso found himself near Fort Bragg in North Carolina, having time to take care of himself for the first time in nearly 20 years. That’s when he knew it was time to retire from the military and move on with his life…
Networking Should Not be a Dirty Word with Kristina Rodriguez
Kristina Rodriguez is the Regional Operations Manager for The Brokerage for Virginia and North Carolina, and the co-manager of the employee resource group for Colliers North American diversity equity and inclusion program. She comes from a big military family, with her older brother (Marines), uncle (Vietnam war), and great aunt (Army) all entering the service…