Elliott Rattner did 10 yrs in the Navy as an enlisted with a focus on linguistics. He went to law school at night and graduated 2022 before being commissioned into the Navy JAG Corps. Elliott transitioned to a man during law school and became the first Navy JAG officer trans-man. He talks to host Jim Fausone about leaving the Navy he loved because of the policies of Trump/Hegseth designed to force transmen and trans women out of military service.

Erin Dunn: “When the World Won’t Calm Down: Leading From Your Center”

You can’t eliminate the chaos. But you can stop letting it run you. What if the real leadership skill isn’t handling pressure — it’s building something inside you that pressure can’t reach?

Every ambitious leader knows what it feels like when everything hits at once. The demands stack, the environment is loud, and you’re expected to perform anyway. Most leaders white-knuckle it — they power through, suppress the signal, and wonder why they feel scattered three days later. This episode is for the leader who is ready to stop surviving the chaos and start operating from above it.

Erin Dunn spent 10 years in the Air Force — six in public affairs and four as a special agent with the Air Force Office of Special Investigations. She went on to serve as a geopolitical planner and foreign policy advisor with the joint staff, earned her law degree while deployed as a government civilian to Iraq as a single mom, and retired from federal service. She is now focused full-time on veteran advocacy. What she learned — through post-traumatic stress, through grief, through a VA system that largely failed her — is a masterclass in Tactical Center. The chaos outside you does not have to mean chaos inside you.

IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL DISCOVER: – ✓ Why controlling your environment — not eliminating chaos — is the skill that sustains high performance – ✓ The difference between post-traumatic recovery and post-traumatic growth – ✓ Practical grounding tools for any high-stimulus environment – ✓ Why suppressing negative emotions doesn’t protect performance — it erodes it

10-year Air Force veteran | Air Force Office of Special Investigations | Geopolitical planner and foreign policy advisor, joint staff | Federal civilian retiree | Veteran advocate

Enjoy the full interview on Hardcore and At Ease – powered by Others Over Self®

Erin holds a law degree and has spent a decade helping veterans access the benefits they have earned. She is available for public speaking — to book her, contact info@missionambition.org.

Eric Fretz has a long association with the Student Veterans Association (SVA) including as a faculty mentor at the University of Michigan. Dr Fretz has taught and mentored thousand of veteran students for decades. He talks with host Jim Fausone about his Navy career, the value of SVA and the Veteran Studies Association.

Learn about VETLIFE and its new app for Vets, Battle Buddy

In this episode, VR Board Member and US Navy Veteran Dr. Eric Fretz interviews Josh Parish, an Iraq and Army Veteran who has become a major figure in the Veteran helping space in Michigan and is growing nationwide. His nonprofit, Vetlife, serves veterans all across the state and hosts huge veteran-friendly events throughout the year.

Major focus of the episode is a new app that he has developed called BattleBuddy which provides easy access to just about any Veteran benefit and national level veteran assisting charities. The app is free to download. Tune in to the episode to learn more about Battle Buddy, and download the app for free!

Learn more about VETLIFE here.

This is a personal story of a Christian warrior's experiences in war. Landon Longgrear talks about his book "U.S. Marines at the Battle for Sangin: Operation Enduring Freedom" .The reader feels the author's angst, threat awareness and a growing sense of hostility toward his elusive enemy. Landon talks with host Jim Fausone about his tour and resulting struggles.

Our first guest is Col. Michelle Ruehl

We first talk to Col. Michelle Ruehl (ret.) who is involved with StableStrides in Colorado. StableStrides is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that provides equine-assisted therapies and activities to individuals with physical, mental, and developmental challenges.

Learn more about Col. Michelle Ruehl.

Our next guest is Representative William Bruck

Next we’ll talk to Chief Warrant Officer 4 William Bruck of Monroe, Michigan. Bruck is involved with Little Blessings Veteran Outreach. He is President of the non-profit and a user of this therapy to deal with personal issues he discusses.

Learn more about William Bruck.

The Battle of Fort Myers in February 1965 was a small engagement known as the southernmost land battle of the Civil War. Author Mark Barie explains how this little fort was a thorn in the side of the Confederates and put at risk its supply of food from the area. The fort was defended by a small , under resourced, unit of African American US Army soldiers. Barie explains this history to host Jim Fausone.

GET ANSWERS FROM OUR EXPERT PANEL!

• Dale Throneberry – Founder and Host of Veterans Radio
• Brig. Gen. Carol Ann Fausone (ret) – Legal Help For Veterans
• David Saims – Director, Washtenaw County Veteran Service Office

Join Dale and the rest of the panel for our live broadcast on Sunday at 5:00pm ET or stream later on your preferred podcast platform.

Special Guest Dr. Rebecca Grant with an update on the attacks on Iran. Operation Epic Fury.