On this special Memorial Day episode of the Rising Tide, Jake invites Michael "Top" Washington, Master Sergeant, USMC retiree & Gold Star Father.

Top served 23 years in the Marine Corps and simultaneously served in the Fire Service in Seattle and areas in the Pacific Northwest. Since retiring from the fire service, Top graduated with a Master's Degree and serves as a trauma therapist for law enforcement.

Throughout the episode, Mike and Jake chat about Team Rubicon, dealing with PTSD as a service member, and what it means to continue to live with a purpose despite the hardships that come.

Time Stamp:
0:00 - Introduction
5:03 - Michael Washington joins the conversation
6:39 - Mike speaks on his first Team Rubicon deployment and reuniting with Jake Wood.
7:50 - Mike explains why he joined the Marine Corps, why he continues to serve
10:44 - Mike Jr's legacy
11:42 - How will Top Washington spend memorial day?
15:23 - Crossing paths at Team Rubicon 10 years ago, Mike speaks about the power of service.
16:27 - Mike speaks about the power of service, the aftermath of the death of his son, Mike Jr., and stepping off the bridge and continuing his service.
23:12 - "All those things that happened to me up until that point made me into the person I am today."
25:50 - Mike serves with his daughter in response to a hurricane in the Bahamas
26:59 - Mike speaks about going from a peer support specialist to being a therapists for law enforcement and firefighters
29:00 - Understanding that our service members experience a ton of trauma.
32:42 - "Are you bullish on America moving forward?" Blending the old generation with advancing technology and cultural changes.
36:41 - Closing thoughts

Top Washington
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/topwashington/

Jake Wood

📸 Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/jakewoodtr
💼 LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jakewoodusa/
🐦 Twitter: https://twitter.com/JakeWoodTR 

Groundswell

📸 Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/groundswell.io/⁠
💼 LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/givegroundswell/⁠
🐦 Twitter: ⁠https://twitter.com/GiveGroundswell