Nov. 11, 2025

Jenna Carlton: How A Millennial Navy Veteran Turned Pain Into Purpose

Jenna Carlton: How A Millennial Navy Veteran Turned Pain Into Purpose

Shoot me a message! We trace a raw, hopeful route from burnout and impostor syndrome to practical community, women veterans’ needs, and real-world resources that work. Jenna shares why “moderate” matters, how to face trolls, and what it takes to turn service into daily service. • bridging service, leadership, transition, and civilian readiness • creative work vs burnout and boundaries • impostor syndrome as a sign of growth • handling trolls and viral backlash with perspective • loneliness i...

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Season 4

Shoot me a message!

We trace a raw, hopeful route from burnout and impostor syndrome to practical community, women veterans’ needs, and real-world resources that work. Jenna shares why “moderate” matters, how to face trolls, and what it takes to turn service into daily service.

• bridging service, leadership, transition, and civilian readiness
• creative work vs burnout and boundaries
• impostor syndrome as a sign of growth
• handling trolls and viral backlash with perspective
• loneliness in large cities and shrinking veteran cohorts
• civilian misconceptions and hiring gaps
• standards, professionalism, and social media culture
• VFW myths, membership, and post-level change
• reimagining posts with family-first, health-forward programs
• therapy fit, VA literacy, and peer recommendations
• women veterans’ safety, visibility, and health topics
• housing navigation and landlord education for veterans
• journaling as a tool for identity and healing
• first steps when you feel lost after service

“Formation Nation, take what you heard today. Make sure you check on your people as well. Community is not luxury, it’s survival.”


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Episode Powered By Act Now Education

00:00 - Welcome & Mission Of The Show

01:56 - Jenna’s Journey And Creative Drive

04:26 - Burnout, Boundaries, And Staying Productive

09:16 - Imposter Syndrome And Finding Push

10:51 - Handling Trolls And Viral Backlash

15:26 - Online Hate vs Real-World Respect

18:41 - Authenticity Over Clout Culture

22:56 - The Loneliness Of Modern Veteran Life

27:26 - Civilian Misconceptions And Hiring Gaps

31:56 - Social Media In Uniform: Standards And Stories

37:36 - Navy And Army Standards: Personal Reflections

43:16 - Early Career Detours And Resilience

48:26 - Drinking, Harassment, And Coping

53:36 - Radical Self-Awareness And Moderation

57:36 - Making Moderate Appealing

01:01:26 - Conferences, Community, And Real Connections

WEBVTT

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Warriors fall in.

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It's time for formation.

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I have a long time podcasting uh military content friend of mine on the podcast today.

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And here on the Morning Formation, we bridge military service leadership, transition, and the fight to stay ready in the civilian world.

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I'm your host, KP Formation Nation.

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Today we have a very powerful voice in our community, Jenna Carleton, known across social media as the Millennial Veteran, a U.S.

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Navy veteran, host of Vet Chairs, founder of Millennial Veterans Community, and the author of The Veteran Workbook.

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Jenna, you become one of the leading voices helping post-9-11 veterans rediscover their purpose, identity, and connection after service.

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I want to thank you for giving us your time and attention today.

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Yeah, absolutely.

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KP, we go way back.

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Um, you were there at the beginning of my journey, way back when I had maybe, I don't know, less than 2,000 followers on IG.

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And uh it's cool to see how our journeys have continued.

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Continue.

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That's a big that's a big word because uh there's a few people that I know that have dropped off that have have kind of found that fork in the road.

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And not that that's a bad thing.

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I mean, everybody has their own journey, but I want to talk about that real briefly because man, I I can tell you that I experience burnout all the time.

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Like people don't realize sometimes that we have regular lives, like full-time jobs, things breaking at the house that you have to fix, uh, kids, family, I mean, you name it.

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I mean, how how's it been for you?

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Yeah, I've been um kind of on a vacation lately because I haven't been working, but I've just created so much more work for myself.

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Um, because you know, you gotta stay busy, otherwise you're gonna lose it.

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And um yeah, that that causes me to burn out because I love working on all things veterans.

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But it is it is hard to be around other veterans constantly and you know, trying to be a bright spot for others and while also like dealing with your own inner inner battles.

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What do you tell yourself when you think about how much free time, extra free time you would have if you were just to stop?

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Oh do you keep going?

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Because I can tell you that that voice is in my head all the time.

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I'm like, man, if if I could just if I could just drop doing the podcast, drop doing content, the money, the time, the energy that I would save would be awesome.

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Yeah, uh I don't know.

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I guess I I feel like I would fill it with with bad habits.

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I have such a tendency to self-sabotage.

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And if if I'm not being productive, I feel like I'm failing.

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I need to work on that.

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Um but I honestly I think my version of that is like how much mental capacity I would have to be a little more um to show up for others in my life a lot better.

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I really think that I would regret it because productivity is something that is is a true measurement for me.

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Um it's good to be non-productive, as in waste your time, you know, mentally to kind of zone out, right?

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Read a book, play your video games, whatever, but I know a lot of people that just waste an incredible amount of time doing things that's more or less gonna set you back, like going and drinking beer almost every other day, or just I don't know, man.

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I'm like, well, like how do you after doing that, how do you feel like fulfilled?

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And like that's what I think about is like if if I didn't do this, if I wasn't sitting here talking to you, broadcasting this out to my tens of fans, just kidding.

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Um, if if I wasn't sitting here doing this and had this opportunity, like what else kind of nonsense would I be doing, like during my free time?

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So I I feel you on that.

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And that's it's been what four years I've known you now?

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Yeah, at least.

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Okay.

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Yeah.

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Yeah, it's been uh I've watched you I've watched you grow over the years, and you are naturally creative.

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Like even when we logged into this podcast today, I saw your microphone, and it's just a simple USB microphone.

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And I and I made a comment about it because I'm over here with this$400 audio mixer, this really expensive microphone, and all this fancy stuff, right?

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And then you just have that, but so everything that you're doing is Jenna.

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Like you are the you are the creative, like you are the reason why you are successful.

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Like you're not propped up like I am with audio mixers and all this sexy equipment and stuff.

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And I I'm very proud of you for for writing a book, doing the workbook, um, and and hanging in this game for so long.

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Thank you.

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I I really needed to hear that because like we talked about, I've just been burnt out with like, you know, when we started, I was really just doing stuff online.

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I was looking for other veterans to connect with and and constantly like chasing something with you know, putting out content.

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And now I feel like I'm doing so much more in person and like it really has consumed my whole life, like doing stuff with other veterans, and it it's even more draining now.

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You know, I I find it like not as much of an outlet, more of a chore.

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And I like to um I like when I have something to post because it's been on my heart, and I'm like, I need to share this.

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I don't even care who reads it, I just need it out of me.

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And that's those are my favorite type of posts to do.

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How do you fight the imposter syndrome?

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I I've tried to look at it as a good thing, and honestly, I've been thinking of that.

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I was like, Jenna, you're too comfortable lately, you know?

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And I know it's a good thing, but I'm just like like looking at different things to try, um, even outside.

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But I feel like I have been too comfortable lately and not pushing myself.

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And I I want to feel like an imposter.

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I like that feeling because it means that you're learning.

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Do you push yourself or do you have someone that pushes you?

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Um that encourages you to challenge the challenge that line.

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Yeah, it's it's definitely if it's not myself, it's you know, some of my older ladies, my older lady veterans that um constantly check in on me, constantly give me new opportunities and say, you would do this, you're great.

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Um, you know, it just makes me realize like, wow, I I could do this, you know?

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It's like that little push.

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Yeah.

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I think that's really important is to have uh that encouragement to kind of push the push the line because I know you've been challenged.

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You're you're on social media, you've got every troll out there, every keyboard warrior out there, you're a female, you're navy.

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Um, what else do they bring up?

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Like all these different things, all these negative things, right?

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So how how is that how how have you been uh dealing with that and handling that and combating that that whole front?

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I'll be honest, and I hate to say this because it's not reality for a lot of people.

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Um I don't even care about any hate comments.

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I I it all it tells me is that hey, my my content is reaching outside of my audience because nobody in my audience would comment on my stuff.

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And that's the only way you grow is if you go outside your audience.

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So I'm just like, oh, okay, I'm reaching a new part of the internet that doesn't know who I am.

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They're a little triggered by whatever I'm saying.

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So that's a good thing because that means it's showing other people that haven't seen me before.

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But it took me so long to get that.

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I had so many therapy sessions, and especially when my when my video went viral back in March about me losing my federal job, that that ripped me open because people were attacking my personal life.

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I had shared about my kids.

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And when when people attack my family or like say that I I should be doing more as a mother, that hurt really bad.

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Yeah.

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Have you met anyone in person that's had the guts to say anything that they would say online, or most of these people just hiding behind their screens?

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Had people be rude to me, especially in veteran spaces and probably people you know.

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Um, but never say anything, you know, like never a stranger.

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Like this internet it people on the internet are strangers, but I'd never have a stranger come up to me and say anything ever.

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Um I might get some eye rolls at the VFW once in a while, but that's it.

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That's something that, you know, it's it's funny because there's certain people in this space that I love talking to and I'll talk to over and over again.

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Because of that reason, like I am very I'm not looking to just grab anybody to talk to and have a conversation.

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Like I want quality people that are authentic and are here for the right reasons.

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And um, I've had people reach out to me before and say, hey, you know, I want to I want to be interviewed.

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And sometimes I just don't get to them.

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And other times it's like I'm just not really interested.

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Like I don't think we have any any any vibe.

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Like I don't think we you and I would have a good conversation.

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Like I don't just go to the bar and talk to everybody there, right?

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There's certain people that you talk to, and then there's at certain events, and then there's others that you don't.

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And I've actually met you in person at the Mick and um you stole my tickets for the uh for the dinner, right?

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Yes.

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Yes, I did.

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Did you go this year?

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I did not go.

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Are you uh planning on going back in the future?

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I'm not.

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I'm not for personal reasons.

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Um yeah.

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Gotcha.

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What about any other uh um conventions coming up?

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You plan on going to any social media or um want to because that was so much fun.

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I loved I loved going to the military influencer conference.

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I had a blast.

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I feel like I finally found my people.

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It was like the first time in my life where I was like, oh my gosh, I'm around other people that really are authentic, are pushing themselves and really care.

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I cried with so many different people there.

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Um I felt the love, so I would love to do that again.

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Yeah, I thought it was a great stepping stone for me to get out and to get into sort of a colosseum of others with different things going on.

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But I would love to next year take the next step and actually go to a content creators convention, just a civilian one or a podcasting one.

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I think that would be really cool.

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Plus, think about it.

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I mean, someone as talented and creative as you in a pool of like you like you will be the like the niche, like you will be the expert of the like that would be cool versus like being in a sea of like, you know, entrepreneurs and entrepreneurs, and I think I'm this and I'm that.

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You know what I mean?

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Like that's what I'm thinking.

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No, I love that.

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I I've never thought of that, and I think that would be great.

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And also that's something you could find local to you.

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I could probably find one here in Philly, and you would stand out a lot more because Yeah.

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Yeah.

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I love that idea.

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You're it, right?

00:11:39.039 --> 00:11:39.519
Yeah.

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You'd be surprised, man.

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LA is a lonely place.

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It's a lonely, lonely city.

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Like people think that you have what?

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We have like 13 million or I don't know, tons of people here.

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And huge.

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Huge, but we're so it's so lonely here.

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Like you cannot find other veterans as easy as you think because it just we're we're just far apart.

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And we're just uh veterans don't realize how how rare we really are.

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I mean, we're less than six percent.

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Um, I'm the only one in my entire family that's a veteran.

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I mean, on both sides of the house.

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So um, yeah, it's it's a it's a lonely place.

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Even when you live in a big city, it it gets lonely.

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So Yeah, and it and it's becoming more rare.

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You know, there's less and less uh people needed for service.

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So it's it's just gonna go down.

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And I think that's what people don't realize about our generation.

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It's like you probably graduated with so many people, like World War II, World War or you know, Vietnam when so many other every other person was drafted, it felt like you at least graduated with a few buddies who also went to war.

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You know, we're not doing that anymore.

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It's not as as common.

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Right.

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And you know, that that's a really important point that I bring up too.

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Like during World War II, during Vietnam, the assimilation was, I think, easier for for for people to some in some degree, because when you came back from that, there was a good chance that your neighbor or the mailman or the guy running the store down the street, like they all went there and they experienced what you experienced too.

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Now, the Vietnam guys, when they came back, they got a lot of civilian hate.

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And I think that's when we started seeing that line.

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And I think people have become more passively insulting towards veterans.

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And there's a lot of flag waving, especially with employers out there, where they they go, Yeah, we're we're veteran friendly, we're veteran friendly.

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Sure.

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And then you go to apply for the job, and the job is like the lowest position that they have.

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Uh and when you interview, they will talk about like how, oh yeah, my uncle on my wife's side was in the military, and he was a he was like a a captain in the Navy or something like that.

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And they'll they'll just say something, and he was only in for four years.

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They'll just say something weird where you know that they don't know anything about the military, and this person is now interviewing you for a position.

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Yeah, and I wish I could get in like really that civilian narrative of what they actually think of veterans when they, you know, they associate us with some random relative, but what do you think of you know, like what else do you think?

00:14:32.159 --> 00:14:33.039
Oh my god.

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And you know, I because I went through it, and um I twice went through uh military headhunters to to find uh new employment, and I would say a good majority of the time the recruiters or the people that were doing the interviewing had no idea, like anything, didn't know rank structure, didn't know the difference between an E2 versus an O three.

00:14:58.639 --> 00:15:05.519
Um and I feel like in America, like everyone should have base knowledge about the military, very base knowledge.

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You don't have to know MOSs and all that stuff, but just know that you don't have to know how to swim necessarily to be in the Navy.

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Like you don't have to know how to fly a plane to be in the Air Force.

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Like that's I hear that all the time too.

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Like with just I mean adults.

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They will tell you that like or not everyone is in a soldier.

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That gets me all the time.

00:15:24.159 --> 00:15:24.480
Right.

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Everyone's like, yeah, and it I just hear all these crazy stories, and I'm like, you gotta you gotta know like Hollywood and reality are two different things.

00:15:32.639 --> 00:15:41.279
Um and I the problem is is a lot of these people sitting in these chairs are the ones that are gonna be hiring you, and they don't know anything about the military.

00:15:41.519 --> 00:15:42.799
So Right.

00:15:42.960 --> 00:15:44.320
Um, I have a question.

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Do you think that the normalization of uniform personnel on TikTok, Instagram has bridged that gap, or do you think it's created further mistrue narratives?

00:15:58.399 --> 00:16:00.720
I think it's I think it's made it worse.

00:16:02.559 --> 00:16:06.000
I do because I see a lot of unprofessionalism.

00:16:06.320 --> 00:16:19.600
I see more profession I'm I see more unprofessionalism today, and I don't want to sound like grandpa, but I am gonna sound like grandpa because I've seen more unprofessionalism today than I've saw during my time.

00:16:19.759 --> 00:16:20.080
Right.

00:16:20.240 --> 00:16:26.879
And I can tell you that there's one event that sticks out in my mind, and I almost I almost and I if I could go back, I would have done it.

00:16:27.039 --> 00:16:29.039
I almost recorded them doing it.

00:16:30.639 --> 00:16:31.600
And I should have.

00:16:31.759 --> 00:16:34.879
I should have put them on Front Street because it really irritated me.

00:16:35.039 --> 00:16:38.559
But the rest of my group that was with me was like, Oh, why like why you trippin'?

00:16:38.639 --> 00:16:39.200
Why you trippin'?

00:16:39.360 --> 00:16:44.639
And I'm like, so I was at a USC game at the Coliseum about three years ago.

00:16:45.200 --> 00:16:54.720
Okay and there was a r an entire army recruiting team walking around the tailgates, were drinking in uniform.

00:16:55.200 --> 00:16:59.679
Some of them had uniforms on and were had their stuff untucked and every it just looked like shit.

00:16:59.840 --> 00:17:01.279
And they were taking shots.

00:17:02.080 --> 00:17:04.559
I mean, they look like pure ass.

00:17:05.279 --> 00:17:20.000
And I was like standing there like what an embarrassment to the uniform and to everything that like from Iraq, Afghanistan to Vietnam, to every conflict, to everybody that's ever served, what an embarrassment.

00:17:20.079 --> 00:17:21.599
And this was a recruiting team.

00:17:22.480 --> 00:17:23.119
Yeah.

00:17:24.640 --> 00:17:27.680
Mmm, I'm so shocked that they would do that.

00:17:28.079 --> 00:17:28.559
I'm not.

00:17:28.960 --> 00:17:30.319
I'm not because it's army.

00:17:30.640 --> 00:17:34.000
Army does the I was army, and I'm gonna tell you something right now.

00:17:34.160 --> 00:17:36.880
Army is the worst when it comes to standards.

00:17:37.279 --> 00:17:38.000
The worst.

00:17:38.240 --> 00:17:38.640
Period.

00:17:38.799 --> 00:17:56.079
Because at the end of the day, even during the Iraq War and Afghanistan war, um you know, we started taking in felons, we started loosening a lot of the the regulations, whereas like the Marines, they pretty much maintained their standards, and the army just like let things loose and let things go.

00:17:56.240 --> 00:18:00.240
So over the years, the army has like fluctuated so much on standards.

00:18:00.400 --> 00:18:13.519
Um, even when I was in the army, um, I was at the captain at the battalion level, uh, it got to a point where I was like one of maybe there was two of us that would show up to physical fitness training in the morning, PT.

00:18:14.559 --> 00:18:20.559
Uh, there was probably maybe 10 officers that were supposed to be there, 10 to 12, and two of us would show up.

00:18:20.720 --> 00:18:25.599
The rest of them would go to officer PT, which was playing frisbee with each other or just sitting in their cars.

00:18:25.759 --> 00:18:26.880
That was officer PT.

00:18:27.039 --> 00:18:30.400
So that was one of the reasons I got out, just to be raw with you.

00:18:30.480 --> 00:18:34.319
Like I was not happy with the standards that were being set.

00:18:34.559 --> 00:18:42.960
Um, I think I thought it looked poorly upon uh the rank, and you know, I I my time in the military was not good.

00:18:43.119 --> 00:18:52.799
Like I did not but but with that being said, I I look at that and I look at what not to do, how not to be.

00:18:53.119 --> 00:18:53.839
What about you?

00:18:54.000 --> 00:18:56.319
What was your experience like in the Navy?

00:18:56.799 --> 00:19:06.799
Yeah, I I I feel like I had like this very prestige vision, even just of Navy, you know, I was like, I'm gonna be around the best of the best.

00:19:07.039 --> 00:19:13.759
Um, so when I went to boot camp and I was there was only one guy who beat me in the mile and a half run.

00:19:13.839 --> 00:19:15.119
I smoked everyone.

00:19:15.279 --> 00:19:22.559
And of course, like I was a track star, but I was like, wow, you know, these guys, every I was just like so shocked.

00:19:22.640 --> 00:19:24.480
I'm like, how did you guys end up here?

00:19:24.640 --> 00:19:25.759
Like I was training.

00:19:25.839 --> 00:19:28.960
I I mean, okay, I wasn't really training, but I was in great shape.

00:19:29.119 --> 00:19:30.319
I was just like, wow.

00:19:30.480 --> 00:19:37.920
And then when you you got to the fleet and you saw your leadership, and you're just like you know, it's what year was that?

00:19:39.279 --> 00:19:39.759
What year?

00:19:39.920 --> 00:19:40.559
What year?

00:19:40.880 --> 00:19:42.480
This was 2013.

00:19:43.039 --> 00:19:43.359
Okay.

00:19:43.759 --> 00:19:47.519
And you when you say track star, you're from Wisconsin, right?

00:19:47.680 --> 00:19:48.160
Mm-hmm.

00:19:48.480 --> 00:19:50.480
When you say track star, are we talking like state?

00:19:51.359 --> 00:19:54.880
Yeah, I went to state two two years in a row.

00:19:55.039 --> 00:20:03.440
Um, I'll tell you this, my best mile time, and I have I have records to prove this, you could Google this, is five thirty-two.

00:20:03.759 --> 00:20:05.440
So like I I could run.

00:20:05.599 --> 00:20:09.599
My best quarter mile time was one oh one.

00:20:10.240 --> 00:20:13.839
And in the navy you run what, mile and a half, two miles?

00:20:14.079 --> 00:20:15.279
A mile and a half, yes.

00:20:16.160 --> 00:20:17.440
What was your time in that?

00:20:18.480 --> 00:20:20.240
My best mile and a half, okay.

00:20:20.400 --> 00:20:25.519
Because like I I just, you know, I didn't feel like anyone was taking it seriously.

00:20:25.599 --> 00:20:28.240
So of course I'm a junior sailor, I'm impressionable.

00:20:28.400 --> 00:20:35.519
I didn't take it you seriously either, you know, and I and after I had some like incidences, I was drinking a lot.

00:20:35.759 --> 00:20:42.240
So I just didn't take my PT seriously until deployment, and that's when I had my best time.

00:20:42.559 --> 00:20:44.079
I could not tell you what it was.

00:20:44.400 --> 00:20:45.039
Yeah.

00:20:45.599 --> 00:20:48.960
Why, if you were a track star, why wasn't college in your cards?

00:20:49.680 --> 00:20:50.160
It was.

00:20:50.319 --> 00:21:01.440
I really thought about going to run for college, but honestly, track I put so much pressure on myself um with training, and I really stressed myself out.

00:21:01.759 --> 00:21:03.759
So and I wasn't ready.

00:21:03.839 --> 00:21:07.599
I partied a lot in high school, but track season I would not mess around.

00:21:07.759 --> 00:21:11.039
And so um, yeah.

00:21:11.519 --> 00:21:12.960
Was it your grades?

00:21:13.839 --> 00:21:15.519
My grades weren't that great either.

00:21:15.680 --> 00:21:15.920
No.

00:21:16.240 --> 00:21:16.559
Yeah.

00:21:16.720 --> 00:21:17.359
Same here.

00:21:17.599 --> 00:21:18.640
I was terrible, man.

00:21:18.720 --> 00:21:20.079
I was to 2.5.

00:21:20.400 --> 00:21:26.240
I think I had maybe a 2.5 GPA when I I was in the middle of my class.

00:21:26.480 --> 00:21:33.680
Um, I was told by my counselor, my junior year, when I wanted to take college prep courses in high school or whatever.

00:21:33.839 --> 00:21:37.200
She's like, those classes are reserved for the kids that are gonna go to college.

00:21:37.440 --> 00:21:40.000
And I was like, I want to go to college.

00:21:40.160 --> 00:21:43.680
Like, what that was but that was a wake-up call for me.

00:21:43.839 --> 00:21:47.440
I was like, obviously, she thinks I'm not college material.

00:21:48.000 --> 00:21:48.559
Yeah.

00:21:48.880 --> 00:21:50.720
Guidance counselor, Miss Susan Smith.

00:21:50.799 --> 00:21:52.960
Shout out to you for motivating me.

00:21:53.039 --> 00:21:54.400
I now have three degrees.

00:21:54.559 --> 00:21:56.400
Um he's a listener.

00:21:56.640 --> 00:21:57.359
Yeah, right.

00:21:57.599 --> 00:22:04.480
Um yeah, so when you joined the Navy, um, you took on an MOS as an aeriographer's mate.

00:22:04.640 --> 00:22:07.519
Um, how did that shape your career early on?

00:22:07.920 --> 00:22:09.759
Yeah, so I didn't want to join as that.

00:22:09.839 --> 00:22:15.359
I wanted to be an intelligence specialist because you know, I thought that would be really cool.

00:22:15.599 --> 00:22:18.640
Um and then I I got a drinking ticket.

00:22:18.720 --> 00:22:19.759
I got in trouble.

00:22:20.000 --> 00:22:21.920
So I before I even left.

00:22:22.000 --> 00:22:27.440
And so they bumped me down to aerographer's mate, which is still an awesome job uh doing weather.

00:22:27.519 --> 00:22:30.319
But instead of six years, I only had to do four.

00:22:30.559 --> 00:22:33.440
Um and yeah, I was like okay about it.

00:22:33.519 --> 00:22:39.920
You know, I just I kind of I was just grateful that I had that because um I thought I wasn't gonna be able to join after that.

00:22:40.160 --> 00:22:41.359
So you got in trouble?

00:22:41.599 --> 00:22:42.079
Mm-hmm.

00:22:43.200 --> 00:22:45.200
When you were in high school before you signed up?

00:22:45.519 --> 00:22:46.400
Yeah, this summer.

00:22:46.559 --> 00:22:49.519
I was already graduated in the summer before I was leaving.

00:22:49.599 --> 00:22:55.680
I got um yeah, got a drinking ticket, um, minor in possession.

00:22:56.319 --> 00:22:56.799
Wow.

00:22:57.039 --> 00:22:59.759
Well, I love how you're honest and raw about that.

00:22:59.839 --> 00:23:03.519
I've been in I've been in I've not without flaws either.

00:23:03.759 --> 00:23:07.279
People always think that perfection is the way to go.

00:23:08.079 --> 00:23:09.599
And you don't have to be perfect.

00:23:09.680 --> 00:23:17.279
You just have to be gritty, you have to be willing to get get up, brush yourself off, keep going, resilient.

00:23:18.640 --> 00:23:20.079
That's what that's what really matters.

00:23:20.240 --> 00:23:27.599
It's not I mean, I think people put too much stress on themselves having being a perfectionist about life and making good decisions all the time.

00:23:27.680 --> 00:23:41.039
And once you screw up, and I I told someone recently who got a DUI, um, a friend of mine, um she was just completely blasted, upset, whatever.

00:23:41.119 --> 00:23:50.640
I said, Look, this is not your last chapter, this chapter doesn't define you, this chapter is where you pick yourself up, and the next chapter is where you show your resiliency.

00:23:50.799 --> 00:23:52.960
So don't get down on yourself.

00:23:53.599 --> 00:24:00.880
Yeah, as long as you make those mistakes a pivot point, you can make them great.

00:24:01.119 --> 00:24:07.599
Um you can redeem not redeem yourself, but you're gonna continue your story.

00:24:07.759 --> 00:24:08.640
Um Yeah.

00:24:09.599 --> 00:24:17.440
And now when you went into the Navy, did you clean things up or did you continue the immaturity and growing up?

00:24:18.000 --> 00:24:21.519
Yeah, you know, you I thought that would be like my pivot point.

00:24:21.599 --> 00:24:25.039
I was like, okay, I'm done drinking, done with everything.

00:24:25.200 --> 00:24:30.160
But I was just surrounded by, you know, not good kids.

00:24:30.319 --> 00:24:37.200
I mean, I was not a good kid myself, so it was hard when I I went to boot camp and I I got everything together.

00:24:37.440 --> 00:24:39.920
Um I was like really looking forward to it.

00:24:40.000 --> 00:24:43.200
I wanted to be in a leadership role and everything.

00:24:43.519 --> 00:24:50.640
And then um I got sexually harassed in A school and I was just so self-conscious about myself.

00:24:50.880 --> 00:25:07.359
Um we shared barracks with Marines, and so like the Marines were caught texting about me, and it was shared with me, and I didn't know who it was, so like it was just like everyone's the enemy talking about my body in like a very degrading way.

00:25:07.519 --> 00:25:16.240
And it it was just like I, yeah, I just got a really bad anxiety and I started drinking and just wanting to have friends.

00:25:17.200 --> 00:25:17.519
Wow.

00:25:17.680 --> 00:25:32.559
And at what point did you because you could have easily gone down that road of just continuing doing the drinking and the negative stuff, but at what point, like what what made you wake up and realize and and say, like, look, I gotta I gotta figure this out?

00:25:32.880 --> 00:25:34.559
I don't think I figured that out in the Navy.

00:25:34.640 --> 00:25:38.480
I don't think I figured it out until I got pregnant and I couldn't drink, really.

00:25:38.640 --> 00:25:42.079
That was like, you know, I it's something that I always struggled with.

00:25:42.160 --> 00:25:44.720
Um and I still kind of struggle with it too.

00:25:45.599 --> 00:25:46.240
Yeah.

00:25:46.559 --> 00:25:48.079
I'm not a big drinker myself.

00:25:48.160 --> 00:25:52.319
I mean, every now and then I go to the football games and stuff, you know, have a few beers and things like that.

00:25:52.480 --> 00:25:58.400
But the one thing that I really like about your story is that you're you're aware.

00:25:58.559 --> 00:26:04.000
You're very aware of yourself and you're raw and you're honest about it.

00:26:04.160 --> 00:26:17.759
And I I when we drive here in LA and I see like someone on the streets, you know, on drugs or whatever, I always tell my my kids, I always say, look, that person right there, they didn't plan to be there.

00:26:18.720 --> 00:26:26.079
That happened because they were not paying attention, they were not moderate, they were not self-aware.

00:26:27.119 --> 00:26:37.519
They may have gone through a bad time in their life, but instead of getting the help they need, they chose uh not to be aware of where they were.

00:26:37.839 --> 00:26:50.880
And I think that's a in my opinion, that's a lot of people's issues is being self-aware and with the willingness to take the steps to be accountable for for your actions, right?

00:26:51.119 --> 00:26:52.240
Yeah, it's hard.

00:26:52.319 --> 00:26:55.920
It's hard to look in the mirror and realize like, hey, I'm the problem.

00:26:56.160 --> 00:26:59.599
You know, I th I think it's really easy to blame situations.

00:27:00.559 --> 00:27:07.680
Um but ultimately, you know, it's I know it's good for me now, and I know it's not good for me.

00:27:07.759 --> 00:27:13.920
And I know what is momentary pleasure and what is um the type of life I want to live.

00:27:14.160 --> 00:27:14.480
Right.

00:27:14.720 --> 00:27:19.359
And it I just like with everything else, the one thing that our world has lost, in my opinion, is moderate.

00:27:19.599 --> 00:27:30.720
Being moderate, whether it's politics, whether it's food, whether it's exercise, whether it's video games, like we have lost our sense of gauging where is the middle?

00:27:30.799 --> 00:27:33.200
Like, how do we stay here?

00:27:33.440 --> 00:27:35.759
And I I tell people that all the time.

00:27:36.000 --> 00:27:39.200
Um Yeah, because you can't monetize moderate.

00:27:40.240 --> 00:27:40.880
Yeah.

00:27:41.119 --> 00:27:41.839
You're right.

00:27:42.000 --> 00:27:43.359
I like wow.

00:27:43.920 --> 00:27:48.319
That is That's why that's not moderate's not gonna be on the news.

00:27:48.480 --> 00:27:50.720
Moderate's not gonna be on your TikTok page.

00:27:50.799 --> 00:27:52.160
It's all the extremes.

00:27:52.559 --> 00:27:54.240
Moderate is not sexy.

00:27:54.880 --> 00:27:55.200
No.

00:27:55.839 --> 00:27:56.319
Hmm.

00:27:56.480 --> 00:27:57.279
That's my problem.

00:27:57.440 --> 00:28:00.799
I need to figure out how to not be moderate, be extreme, I guess, huh?

00:28:00.880 --> 00:28:01.359
No, I'm not sure.

00:28:01.519 --> 00:28:02.720
Yeah, there you go.

00:28:04.319 --> 00:28:09.119
How to make moderate appealing because I think that's the life most of us want to live.

00:28:09.200 --> 00:28:14.799
You know, we want to have, you know, we don't want to have extreme wealth, but we don't want to have extreme poverty.

00:28:14.880 --> 00:28:20.079
We want to just have moderate, you know, we just want to be able to live and enjoy ourselves.

00:28:20.480 --> 00:28:22.000
I think that's huge.

00:28:22.720 --> 00:28:23.359
That's huge.

00:28:23.440 --> 00:28:26.000
Yeah, we need to figure out how to make moderate sexy.

00:28:26.799 --> 00:28:27.599
There you go.

00:28:27.759 --> 00:28:29.359
That's your campaign slogan.

00:28:29.599 --> 00:28:31.440
We're making moderate sexy over here.

00:28:31.680 --> 00:28:41.839
So me wearing my my uh Kohl's khaki shorts and my branded shirt here, uh, you know, with no fancy jewelry on.

00:28:42.079 --> 00:28:44.880
Um that's cool.

00:28:45.039 --> 00:28:46.400
That how do we make that cool, Jenna?

00:28:46.559 --> 00:28:47.440
We need to figure that out.

00:28:47.759 --> 00:28:49.279
Well, okay, here's my theory.

00:28:49.440 --> 00:29:08.079
With AI taking over everything and everything looking too perfect, I think we're gonna have to really lean in on flaws because it's human and we're gonna be so used to seeing generated images and that you know, flaws are actually going to be a a point of connection with people.

00:29:08.400 --> 00:29:09.119
That's true.

00:29:09.279 --> 00:29:16.160
Um, at least that's what I'm hoping for because I am social media is just such bullshit.

00:29:16.319 --> 00:29:32.640
Like over the years, uh going to the conferences and when I say that, what I mean is going going to the conferences, um, meeting people in real life, meeting what they're really about, and then also too, like even the civilian conferences that I've been to.

00:29:32.799 --> 00:29:40.400
It's all about the Rolex and the cool car and look at my big muscles, and I'm so cool.

00:29:40.720 --> 00:29:44.880
Like I am I am so far from that because I do Brazilian jujitsu.

00:29:45.279 --> 00:29:47.119
So I'm not like weightlifting.

00:29:47.200 --> 00:29:50.000
I'm not like trying to look physically impressive.

00:29:50.240 --> 00:29:54.960
Um, my watch, my dad gave it back to me because I gave it to him as a Christmas gift because he didn't like it.

00:29:55.039 --> 00:29:56.640
So I've been wearing it for 20 years now.

00:29:57.759 --> 00:30:01.359
Um like I'm just a very Fucking normal dude.

00:30:01.440 --> 00:30:05.359
Like I'm just and I'm not willing to go that way.

00:30:05.680 --> 00:30:10.559
And I can tell that you are very humbled and very grounded as well.

00:30:10.640 --> 00:30:14.640
And that's why I love talking to you and people like you and Michelle.

00:30:15.119 --> 00:30:18.559
Um because you're you're here for the right reasons.

00:30:18.720 --> 00:30:19.599
And yeah.

00:30:19.839 --> 00:30:22.000
So do you feel like pressure from society?

00:30:22.079 --> 00:30:28.960
Maybe it's different for guys or or I don't know, especially maybe guys in the military like are officers really.

00:30:29.119 --> 00:30:30.240
I feel like that's a whole different world.

00:30:30.559 --> 00:30:34.000
No, because I could fucking I could fucking beat most of them in jujitsu, so it doesn't.

00:30:34.319 --> 00:30:39.279
I mean, at the end of the day, like I don't care how tough you think you look on social media.

00:30:39.440 --> 00:30:39.680
Yeah.

00:30:39.920 --> 00:30:43.440
And I hope maybe and maybe this will get cut out and put on my stuff.

00:30:43.519 --> 00:30:55.680
Because I'll I'll say it right now, like I've met people in real life and um I've stood in the same room as some of these fucking bad dudes and you know cool social media influencers, and I'm like, really?

00:30:56.400 --> 00:30:56.799
Really?

00:30:56.960 --> 00:30:58.240
Because I don't have a fancy car.

00:30:58.319 --> 00:31:01.359
I've drive a Honda, like, because I don't have a cool watch?

00:31:01.519 --> 00:31:01.839
No.

00:31:02.000 --> 00:31:06.559
Like I don't feel I don't feel um pressure.

00:31:08.400 --> 00:31:11.119
But I want to ask you the same question.

00:31:11.680 --> 00:31:20.400
Because you have a lot of women on your side of content creation that are a little more revealing.

00:31:20.640 --> 00:31:21.839
Do you feel pressure?

00:31:22.480 --> 00:31:25.039
I think I have I definitely have at points.

00:31:25.279 --> 00:31:29.920
I'm like, you know, oh that's that's what gets the attention, you know.

00:31:30.400 --> 00:31:36.240
But I kind of stay grounded in the fact that I don't want to be known for that.

00:31:36.480 --> 00:31:45.599
You know, if I'm gonna be known for anything, I wanna be someone who who keeps it real, honest, and and someone who's learning and and trying their best.

00:31:45.920 --> 00:31:51.200
But yeah, I I I like how your grounding is actually like I could beat the shit out of them.

00:31:51.359 --> 00:32:02.960
You know, like there's always some some thought that comes to our minds, like when when you're presented with someone that's a little like not threatening, but like, oh, I'm kind of intimidated by this person.

00:32:03.039 --> 00:32:12.400
And then what the thought that I guess that may might come to my mind is like I'm funnier than them, or you know, like I love myself more.

00:32:12.559 --> 00:32:19.200
That's kind of like my like inner thing when I'm I'm feeling intimidated and I want to make myself feel better.

00:32:19.680 --> 00:32:22.559
I guess because I'm I'm I'm about that life.

00:32:22.720 --> 00:32:25.039
Like I'm about like I'll fight.

00:32:25.279 --> 00:32:26.079
Like I don't care.

00:32:26.400 --> 00:32:26.720
Okay.

00:32:27.200 --> 00:32:29.519
Like I'm just saying, like I'm about that life.

00:32:29.680 --> 00:32:32.000
I can be, but I'm very humble at the same time.

00:32:32.079 --> 00:32:33.359
Like you've met me in person.

00:32:33.599 --> 00:32:40.640
I'm not trying to be like a a peacock, you know, and have my feathers behind me and showing it to the world.

00:32:40.799 --> 00:32:42.319
Like I don't care about that stuff.

00:32:42.640 --> 00:32:48.559
But it's interesting because social media, if you don't do that, then you don't get the clicks, you don't get the attention.

00:32:48.720 --> 00:32:50.480
And right?

00:32:51.519 --> 00:32:52.000
Right.

00:32:52.160 --> 00:32:54.400
But like at the end of the day, it's still cringy.

00:32:54.480 --> 00:33:00.559
It's still cringy to be like opening your podcast, like doing curls, dumbbell curls or something.

00:33:00.640 --> 00:33:06.480
It it's still like cringy to me to if I ever get that way, you call me out on it, please.

00:33:07.440 --> 00:33:09.119
I'll encourage you.

00:33:09.440 --> 00:33:12.240
Yeah, just I'll be like, yes, we've been waiting for this.

00:33:12.480 --> 00:33:14.720
Yes, finally, finally, he sold out.

00:33:14.799 --> 00:33:19.039
I mean, we can thank we can thank the idea that any press is good press, right?

00:33:19.119 --> 00:33:28.240
So it started with like maybe the Kim Kardashian sex tapes, and we thought, oh my god, her career's over with, but now she's like a billionaire, right?

00:33:28.400 --> 00:33:38.559
And then so since then there's been a lot of people like that have taken that same template and just done outrageous stuff to like get whatever, right?

00:33:38.799 --> 00:33:47.359
And um I love talking, I love talking to you because at the end of the day, like I I feel better, I feel more energized.

00:33:47.440 --> 00:33:56.000
Like I'm gonna get up after this and start moving stuff around and start because this this whole area that I work in, just this part looks good, but the rest is just completely blasted.

00:33:56.240 --> 00:33:58.400
I was gonna say I really like your background.

00:33:59.839 --> 00:34:03.519
Oh, it's being held together by scotch tape, so don't be too impressed by that.

00:34:04.079 --> 00:34:07.519
Hey, I mean, I just got this blank, nice burnt orange wall.

00:34:07.759 --> 00:34:16.000
Um So Jenna, I I could I could talk to you for forever and go down these rabbit holes because I have I think I have ADD.

00:34:16.239 --> 00:34:22.480
Um, but I want to get into like what you've been doing recently with the the VFW.

00:34:22.800 --> 00:34:28.079
Um and can you talk to us a little bit but a little bit about that and understand you've got a sponsorship with them as well?

00:34:28.480 --> 00:34:33.760
Yeah, I think the last place people thought the millennial veteran would be is the VFW.

00:34:34.079 --> 00:34:36.400
But I'm there, I'm showing up weekly.

00:34:36.559 --> 00:34:39.440
Um I'm going to their meetings, I'm their newest member.

00:34:39.519 --> 00:34:47.039
I also dragged my husband to become a member because he really needs to socialize with someone else besides his family.

00:34:47.280 --> 00:34:51.920
Um but it's it's been pleasantly surprising.

00:34:52.159 --> 00:34:58.400
We just did a trunk retreat on Saturday there, and I got to actually meet more of the families.

00:34:58.800 --> 00:35:02.480
And I was just really impressed with uh one lady.

00:35:02.719 --> 00:35:10.400
She came up to me, her husband is National Guard, and she's like the VFW has been such a support for me while my husband's been deployed.

00:35:10.480 --> 00:35:20.239
And I was like, I love to hear that, and and and just go around and and talk to more people and who have younger kids because you know it's rare to find veterans.

00:35:20.320 --> 00:35:24.639
It's also rare to find veterans that have kids, you know, in school still.

00:35:24.800 --> 00:35:30.960
So it was just cool to connect with other people like that and and know that they're a part of the VFW.

00:35:31.039 --> 00:35:38.239
Now I'm in a smaller town and it's almost like more of a default thing to join the VFW to find that sense of community.

00:35:38.880 --> 00:35:40.960
But I would I would give it a try.

00:35:41.119 --> 00:35:52.960
I, you know, I I walked in and it it was a bar, but there's there's more behind the bar, I found out so what are some of the myths about the VFW?

00:35:53.039 --> 00:35:58.000
Because it's VFW stands for Veterans of Foreign War, and then you also have the American Legion.

00:35:58.159 --> 00:36:00.800
So what's the difference between the two?

00:36:01.599 --> 00:36:01.840
Right.

00:36:02.000 --> 00:36:08.159
So the difference between the two is you're probably either gonna have one or the other in your small town, or you're gonna have both.

00:36:08.320 --> 00:36:09.280
No, I'm just kidding.

00:36:09.440 --> 00:36:22.000
Um so membership-wise, I wasn't sure if I was going to qualify because I've never, you know, I've done a deployment on a ship, but I wasn't sure if that counted as foreign service.

00:36:22.159 --> 00:36:29.920
And I had um my sea service ribbons, so my I think it's I don't know, one of them on my DD214, and they're like, yep, this is good.

00:36:30.079 --> 00:36:33.119
So I was really shocked that I was able to be a member.

00:36:33.360 --> 00:36:48.239
Um, also, if I wasn't to be a member, I would have qualified as a part of the auxiliary, which is someone who's either like son, you can be their son, daughter, you can be their parent, you could be their sibling.

00:36:48.400 --> 00:36:52.800
Um the auxiliary really extends to the family member.

00:36:54.079 --> 00:36:54.400
Okay.

00:36:55.039 --> 00:36:58.639
There's a few um American Legions around where I live at.

00:36:59.280 --> 00:37:01.760
I don't know of any VFWs around where I live.

00:37:01.840 --> 00:37:06.239
There's a few here, here and there in LA, but the closest one's American Legion.

00:37:06.719 --> 00:37:06.960
Okay.

00:37:07.519 --> 00:37:11.840
Have you been to other posts before or just the one that you're in?

00:37:12.400 --> 00:37:17.039
I've just been to the one I've been in, um, besides one back in Wisconsin.

00:37:17.599 --> 00:37:17.920
Okay.

00:37:18.480 --> 00:37:22.480
Um and did the VFW reach out to you to get sponsored?

00:37:22.880 --> 00:37:23.199
Yes.

00:37:23.280 --> 00:37:24.639
So they sent me an email.

00:37:24.719 --> 00:37:29.840
Um, and I was like, yeah, you know, I've been meaning to go down to the VFW and join.

00:37:30.000 --> 00:37:37.039
And so I'd love to film that experience and share that with with other younger veterans and encourage them.

00:37:37.519 --> 00:37:39.280
And it's because of your outreach, right?

00:37:39.519 --> 00:37:39.840
Yes.

00:37:40.000 --> 00:37:43.119
I think they're doing a kind of nationwide campaign.

00:37:43.199 --> 00:37:50.239
I think there's a few other creators that were involved also doing this push of just showing how you're still serving.

00:37:50.639 --> 00:37:55.920
So, in my opinion, the VFW, American Legion both are they're a little dated.

00:37:56.320 --> 00:37:56.719
Yeah.

00:37:56.960 --> 00:38:02.960
Um, are they looking to reshape who they're serving and how they're serving in a more positive manner?

00:38:03.199 --> 00:38:18.320
Because I've been to both VFW and American Legions, and from post to post, uh it depends on who's running that post, on whether or not it's actually veteran-friendly, or they're using it as their own personal clubhouse.

00:38:18.639 --> 00:38:22.639
Um so I've seen that before, which is really irritating to me.

00:38:22.800 --> 00:38:28.079
Um, and they usually are the guys that have had control for like years and years and years.

00:38:28.320 --> 00:38:40.639
Is VFW trying to make a push now to do things that are a little more appealing, like the exercising, the um the race events and things like that for to appeal?

00:38:41.039 --> 00:38:44.960
Yeah, I I think they're trying to do more family friendly.

00:38:45.119 --> 00:38:54.400
Um, I can't really speak for I think it really varies from post to post, from different town to town on what they're doing.

00:38:55.119 --> 00:39:06.559
But I could see um just talking to some of the members that a lot of them want them to relax the standards on who can join the BFW because they are really hurting for younger members.

00:39:06.719 --> 00:39:12.480
And um, you know, there's a lot of people that are there that aren't even members because they don't qualify.

00:39:12.559 --> 00:39:20.960
You know, they served in peacetime or some some older guys that served in like the the 80s or um mid-70s era.

00:39:21.679 --> 00:39:28.239
That's really surprising to me because we just came out of a like 20-year wars in two fronts, Afghanistan and Iraq.

00:39:28.559 --> 00:39:30.719
So I don't know.

00:39:30.880 --> 00:39:36.400
I mean, uh you have a market out there, it's just how do you appeal to that market?

00:39:36.480 --> 00:39:45.920
And I think one of the things that a few years ago I thought about trying to take over my local American Legion just because I wanted to make a gym.

00:39:46.079 --> 00:39:47.519
Like I wanted to put a gym in there.

00:39:47.840 --> 00:39:50.639
Because a lot of us younger folks need to work out.

00:39:50.800 --> 00:39:53.280
Like instead there's a gigantic bar in there.

00:39:53.679 --> 00:40:06.559
Um and I feel like you cut part of that out at least and then put a gym in there and just make it free to VFW members, that would be a huge draw for people, you know, to go work out.

00:40:06.880 --> 00:40:16.559
Yeah, or even offer like some exercise classes, some yoga classes, or you know, different things that you could even like a sound bath.

00:40:16.639 --> 00:40:18.880
I don't know, maybe this is more for the women.

00:40:19.360 --> 00:40:21.599
But I would totally show up for that.

00:40:21.760 --> 00:40:22.880
And and it was nice.

00:40:22.960 --> 00:40:31.920
I think we joined at a good time because we got a tour and you know, they just gutted the whole basement and took out a bunch of stuff and they're trying to redo things.

00:40:32.079 --> 00:40:38.159
They redid their their kitchen, and you know, they're they're open to new ideas, which is exciting.

00:40:38.320 --> 00:40:49.519
But again, I can't speak for every post because I I feel like I've I'm pretty lucky with this one and and our commander is pretty young, so it's like Well, you're I mean, it's a start in the right direction.

00:40:49.679 --> 00:41:00.159
I'm glad that they're reaching out to influencers like yourself, and it should have been done years ago in reality, because we're how many years out from Iraq and Afghanistan?

00:41:00.320 --> 00:41:01.360
We're over 20 years now.

00:41:01.519 --> 00:41:03.280
Like why'd it take so long?

00:41:04.000 --> 00:41:12.880
Um You as a sponsor though, you're just basically helping market, helping influencing people to get back into the VFW, right?

00:41:13.440 --> 00:41:14.079
Yes, yeah.

00:41:14.159 --> 00:41:21.199
So I'm making um content, you know, I have different uh items I want to hit, like talk about the auxiliary.

00:41:21.280 --> 00:41:26.960
I also talked about how my great grandma was the president of the VFW for a long, long time.

00:41:27.119 --> 00:41:38.639
Like she was known, and that gave her support when her husband came back injured from World War II and you know later died really early.

00:41:38.800 --> 00:41:42.480
So it was like her way of um community.

00:41:43.119 --> 00:41:43.519
Wow.

00:41:43.679 --> 00:41:46.480
That's wow, you even have family ties to the VFW.

00:41:46.559 --> 00:41:47.760
It's like it was meant to be.

00:41:48.079 --> 00:41:50.000
Yes, yeah, it really was.

00:41:50.159 --> 00:41:57.440
I was really happy to find that picture of my great grandma in um in my aunt's photo album.

00:41:57.920 --> 00:41:58.880
That's so cool.

00:41:59.119 --> 00:42:06.239
I love how you're so enthused about the community and all that is being in the military and being a veteran.

00:42:06.320 --> 00:42:15.679
Um, what are some of the positives that you've seen so far uh when veterans engage physically, not just online in in the community spaces like the BFW?

00:42:15.760 --> 00:42:19.519
Like earlier you mentioned meeting the family of the National Guard member.

00:42:19.760 --> 00:42:21.840
What other positives have you seen?

00:42:22.239 --> 00:42:26.000
Oh, so many, especially when I do my women veterans.

00:42:26.159 --> 00:42:36.639
You know, some of these like I've ran into women who have retired, they've served honorably for 20 years and don't have any help from the VA.

00:42:37.199 --> 00:42:44.960
You know, they they didn't even get their DD214 because they just I I don't know, they just were told no.

00:42:45.760 --> 00:42:48.480
Yeah, they were well, um no, they served 20 years.

00:42:48.559 --> 00:42:49.920
They got out in their 40s.

00:42:51.039 --> 00:42:58.559
Yes, I've I've known two women and they went to go get help, and that first person told them no, and they just decided, okay, that must be it.

00:42:58.719 --> 00:42:59.119
Yeah.

00:42:59.360 --> 00:43:10.320
And never came back until, you know, they they found one of my events um and they see that it's women only, and they're like, okay, maybe it'll be more comfortable.

00:43:10.639 --> 00:43:21.119
And it's it's just awesome to see people open up and and talk about things that they wouldn't normally feel comfortable talking about.

00:43:21.840 --> 00:43:22.639
That's amazing.

00:43:22.719 --> 00:43:40.800
That 20 years, after 20 years, you don't even you don't even walk away with the D214, but I believe it it I could see that totally happening because sometimes when people separate, it's not under good terms, either in their personal life or professional life, whatever the case is, and they just want to get out and move on with their lives.

00:43:40.880 --> 00:43:41.840
I was that way.

00:43:42.320 --> 00:43:48.079
I was like just I'd walked around with my outprocessing paperwork and it's like, just sign this, sign this, sign this, taps, sign this.

00:43:48.159 --> 00:43:49.280
And they're like, But you didn't take any tap.

00:43:49.440 --> 00:43:50.639
I was like, I don't care, just sign it.

00:43:50.719 --> 00:43:52.239
I'm a captain, just sign it.

00:43:52.320 --> 00:43:53.280
I want to get out of here.

00:43:53.599 --> 00:43:54.639
Yep, yeah.

00:43:54.880 --> 00:44:04.559
I want anyone who's listening to this to go to my Instagram page or my TikTok, and I just posted a video last week that says how many, how long did it take you before you went to the VA?

00:44:04.800 --> 00:44:12.559
And you're gonna be shocked at some of these people saying never, some people saying um 20 years, some people saying 30.

00:44:12.639 --> 00:44:19.760
It wasn't until I lost my hearing, it wasn't until this happened, and then I realized that I I could apply for disability.

00:44:19.920 --> 00:44:23.199
Like the stories on there are just like shocking to me.

00:44:23.280 --> 00:44:34.719
They're actually heartbreaking because I'm like, you see so many people who suffered in silence, or they were afraid of the VA, or they got turned down and decided that it wasn't something they had access to.

00:44:34.960 --> 00:44:36.239
It makes me so mad.

00:44:36.559 --> 00:44:52.480
Oh man, I tell you what, because it makes me mad too, because the story about the um imposter veteran that is making all these like claims, like the the person that's full of crap basically.

00:44:53.119 --> 00:45:00.800
That story gets heard more than the story of like my dad, who it took him 30 years after doing 20 years in the army.

00:45:01.039 --> 00:45:05.840
Um it took him 30 years to put in for any service connection at all.

00:45:05.920 --> 00:45:08.400
Like he was at zero percent for 30 years.

00:45:08.960 --> 00:45:18.079
You don't hear about him, but you hear about the guy who did like three years, you know, in the army or whatever, sitting behind a desk, um, getting 100%.

00:45:18.480 --> 00:45:26.559
Like you hear all these other stories of like fraud, but then you won't hear about the veterans that just, like you said, suffer in silence.

00:45:26.960 --> 00:45:27.360
Yes.

00:45:27.519 --> 00:45:38.320
Yeah, I don't think people realize how many veteran benefits go unused, how many people do not use their GI Bill, how many people are 0% connected.

00:45:38.639 --> 00:45:41.360
It's it's let's talk about that.

00:45:41.519 --> 00:45:42.239
Let's talk about that.

00:45:42.320 --> 00:45:51.119
Let's talk about how many veterans I knew prior to the 9-11 GI Bill that would let their GI bill lapse after what was it, 10 years or whatever.

00:45:51.840 --> 00:45:53.280
Lots, lots.

00:45:53.679 --> 00:45:57.199
And it's just the same thing with the disability stuff.

00:45:57.360 --> 00:46:01.679
Like people do their time and they don't most people don't expect a handout.

00:46:01.840 --> 00:46:06.239
Most people don't expect to like get the benefits of like getting their ticket punched.

00:46:06.639 --> 00:46:08.559
They didn't even know that was a thing joining.

00:46:08.719 --> 00:46:11.039
I had no clue until like right before I got out.

00:46:11.119 --> 00:46:12.320
Uh, people were talking about it.

00:46:12.480 --> 00:46:14.159
I was like, oh, I don't have anything.

00:46:14.239 --> 00:46:15.280
I didn't claim anything.

00:46:15.360 --> 00:46:19.280
I didn't go until five years later and filed my claim.

00:46:19.440 --> 00:46:21.199
So I also was just like, what's the point?

00:46:21.280 --> 00:46:22.719
You know, I know I'm fine.

00:46:23.119 --> 00:46:23.519
Yeah.

00:46:23.840 --> 00:46:27.760
Honestly, before I even sought therapy through VA, I was like at the end of my rope.

00:46:27.840 --> 00:46:32.639
I was getting ready to go to an Indian reservation and just like get away from everyone.

00:46:33.039 --> 00:46:39.519
Like I just wanted to, I was like literally at the point because I was trying to find therapy myself.

00:46:39.599 --> 00:46:42.000
So I would go to civilian therapist.

00:46:42.159 --> 00:46:47.360
But the problem is, is civilian therapist, there's a lot out there that shouldn't be doing that job.

00:46:47.760 --> 00:46:50.400
There's a lot out there that should not be doing that job.

00:46:50.480 --> 00:46:52.639
And I could tell you horror stories about that.

00:46:52.880 --> 00:47:00.719
That was like I literally have I've literally walked into a therapist's office, looked around and how filthy it was and disgusting it was.

00:47:00.800 --> 00:47:08.880
And I like one of them I walked into, I looked at the couch and it looked like it was it looked like a couch that belonged on the streets or in the alley.

00:47:08.960 --> 00:47:10.480
It was just fucking garbage.

00:47:10.559 --> 00:47:12.000
I was like, You want me to sit on this?

00:47:12.559 --> 00:47:14.320
He's like, Yeah, go ahead and sit down.

00:47:14.559 --> 00:47:26.159
And then uh he proceeded to tell me about how he has this condition where he can remember everything in his life the to the finest details, and the entire time he's he's like, tell me all this stuff.

00:47:26.239 --> 00:47:27.599
I was like, What's this have to do with me?

00:47:27.679 --> 00:47:29.920
And I'm looking around his office, I'm like, this place looks like trash.

00:47:30.000 --> 00:47:34.800
So I got up and I was like, I'm not going to I'm not going to talk to you.

00:47:35.039 --> 00:47:37.119
Like, your office looks like shit.

00:47:37.280 --> 00:47:38.639
Your couch is disgusting.

00:47:38.800 --> 00:47:41.280
I was like, you don't make any sense, and I walked out.

00:47:41.840 --> 00:47:42.079
Wow.

00:47:42.239 --> 00:47:43.679
And he goes, Well, I'm sorry to hear that.

00:47:43.920 --> 00:47:58.239
And I felt bad, but I was so in fe I was so frustrated, man, because this was like the third person that I the the last draw was m I finally just was ready to say, you know, I just need to find isolation.

00:47:58.480 --> 00:48:00.159
I went to the I went to the VA.

00:48:01.199 --> 00:48:01.679
Yeah.

00:48:01.920 --> 00:48:04.320
Yeah, it seems like the last resort.

00:48:04.480 --> 00:48:10.239
I mean, I just got my husband enrolled in the VA and he's been out since 2019.

00:48:10.400 --> 00:48:14.400
I'm like, come on, you know, get the help.

00:48:14.800 --> 00:48:20.719
I think it's important for people to understand that you can't just go on Yelp and find a therapist.

00:48:20.960 --> 00:48:24.480
You have to find someone that understands your community.

00:48:24.800 --> 00:48:33.119
Um and the veteran community, it's important that your therapist be conditioned to listening to the stories of what's happening.

00:48:33.360 --> 00:48:42.239
Because I can tell you what, I can go to my Thanksgiving dinner table for my family this November, and nobody at that table is going to understand what the hell I'm talking about.

00:48:42.400 --> 00:48:52.880
But it's nice to be able to sit in front of someone that is familiar with the stories, can speak the language, can speak the culture, understands the definitions, understands the acronyms.

00:48:53.119 --> 00:48:56.480
Um it's a lot easier to talk to someone like that.

00:48:56.800 --> 00:48:57.199
Yeah.

00:48:57.360 --> 00:49:08.480
Yeah, they know what to look for, they know what to ask you, they're trained in it, and they can almost guess what you're not saying or kind of like pull on threads that you didn't even know are there.

00:49:08.880 --> 00:49:09.599
Perspectives.

00:49:09.760 --> 00:49:12.320
Perspectives is huge, right?

00:49:13.599 --> 00:49:14.079
Yeah.

00:49:14.320 --> 00:49:14.639
Yeah.

00:49:14.880 --> 00:49:22.000
I encourage everyone and also, you know, in our in our groups where we're talking, you know, therapy gets brought up a lot.

00:49:22.239 --> 00:49:25.039
And we recommend who was good, who was not.

00:49:25.199 --> 00:49:33.199
You know, we we go through the roster list at the VA and say, okay, they're good, they're awesome, they're not, you know, try your best with this one.

00:49:33.360 --> 00:49:38.079
It's like it sounds like you got a really good post over there because that that's really that's really key.

00:49:38.159 --> 00:49:39.119
That's really important.

00:49:39.519 --> 00:49:41.440
Yes, and it makes you feel comfortable.

00:49:41.519 --> 00:49:52.079
And also, you know, sometimes when we have a better bad interaction in medical, we think it's our fault, but sometimes it really is the provider, or you know, there's there's so many more.

00:49:52.159 --> 00:49:58.239
Like I I had so many, so much issues with doctors that I didn't want to go anymore.

00:49:58.320 --> 00:50:01.039
But it's helpful to have others' opinions.

00:50:01.360 --> 00:50:02.639
I feel you on that.

00:50:03.119 --> 00:50:09.199
Now, with women veterans, um, I think they often feel invisible in the larger veteran community.

00:50:09.280 --> 00:50:16.000
What conversations have you been having with the women veterans that more people need to hear or understand?

00:50:17.760 --> 00:50:27.039
A lot of them it is feeling invisible, uh feeling uncomfortable at the VA, um, and understanding, you know, there's there's tools for that, there's help for that.

00:50:27.119 --> 00:50:35.360
You can get escorted from your car to your appointment if you feel, you know, um uncomfortable.

00:50:35.599 --> 00:50:43.519
So just honestly, like that's all the ladies talk about all day is just resources, or you know, you could do this or you could do this.

00:50:43.679 --> 00:50:48.639
Um, and and wanting to get different forms of healing.

00:50:48.960 --> 00:50:55.840
And I think we talk about menopause every single time because that's a big thing for women veterans.

00:50:56.239 --> 00:51:02.880
Uh so with my older, my older ladies, they're really teaching me about that stage of life.

00:51:03.119 --> 00:51:03.840
I'd say wiser.

00:51:04.159 --> 00:51:05.360
Don't don't say older, wiser.

00:51:05.760 --> 00:51:06.239
Wiser.

00:51:06.400 --> 00:51:07.679
My yes, they are.

00:51:07.760 --> 00:51:13.599
They I call them my mentors, my older sisters, because they they're just awesome.

00:51:14.320 --> 00:51:24.320
And um, yeah, I think it's important to understand that being around other women veterans is there's nothing like it.

00:51:24.559 --> 00:51:27.440
You know, you're gonna find your tribe.

00:51:28.320 --> 00:51:39.039
And with that, with that being said, um, what are some of the ways that the community could show up better for women veterans in just daily life, in institutions, and support networks?

00:51:39.199 --> 00:51:40.400
You got any shout-outs?

00:51:40.800 --> 00:51:47.440
Yeah, so I'm also a part of the DAV, and they do we have a women veterans committee that we just put up.

00:51:47.679 --> 00:51:51.119
Uh Jennifer, she's our our leader of that.

00:51:51.199 --> 00:51:52.880
And we welcome men at all our meetings.

00:51:53.039 --> 00:51:57.199
We encourage men to come because, you know, we can't do it alone.

00:51:57.360 --> 00:52:01.119
We don't exist in our own vacuum.

00:52:01.199 --> 00:52:03.679
You know, we're we're a part of the community at large.

00:52:03.840 --> 00:52:17.599
And if we want more women veterans and younger veterans to show up, we need to know how, you know, how they operate and how to treat them and whatnot, and what makes them comfortable, what makes them uncomfortable.

00:52:17.760 --> 00:52:26.480
Because I'm telling you, every single time I go to a meeting and I'm wearing a veteran shirt, I will get asked, are you the veteran or did you borrow that from someone?

00:52:26.559 --> 00:52:30.719
And I'm like, I'm here volunteering at the DAB just like you are.

00:52:30.800 --> 00:52:32.639
Why would I wear this shirt for no reason?

00:52:32.800 --> 00:52:33.920
Like, yeah.

00:52:34.320 --> 00:52:37.360
So did you borrow it for the yeah, I found it in the Lost and Found.

00:52:37.599 --> 00:52:38.159
Exactly.

00:52:38.239 --> 00:52:40.000
Yeah, I should say that.

00:52:41.599 --> 00:52:45.519
Um now, your new occupation.

00:52:45.679 --> 00:52:51.440
You mentioned earlier that you had a lot of content out there about your your federal job.

00:52:52.400 --> 00:52:57.360
You've currently recently, I should say, you recently stepped into a new chapter professionally.

00:52:57.599 --> 00:53:01.440
What does your new role look like and and what drew you to it?

00:53:01.840 --> 00:53:03.760
Yes, I'm gonna find out next week.

00:53:03.840 --> 00:53:07.599
And honestly, I was I was ready for any role.

00:53:07.760 --> 00:53:24.400
You know, I've been applying to jobs since last March and have heard crickets, and the only way I got this job was through networking in the veteran community in my area, showing up to job fairs, showing up to different meetings, and I got in front of this nonprofit called Soldier On.

00:53:24.800 --> 00:53:32.320
I ran into them at four or five different times at different events, and every time I remind them, hey, I'm looking for a job, let me know when anything's open.

00:53:32.559 --> 00:53:38.480
And finally um I sent my resume and they said, Hey, here's your date for an interview.

00:53:38.719 --> 00:53:39.920
And I got the job.

00:53:40.000 --> 00:53:46.639
So I was really excited, and I am going to be a housing navigator for veterans who are experiencing homelessness.

00:53:46.719 --> 00:54:01.199
I'm gonna be working with landlords and um, you know, kind of educating them on the program of, you know, these veterans are not just gonna get their rent paid for, they're also a part of a program.

00:54:01.599 --> 00:54:06.559
You know, they have someone else, a case manager, they're getting support in other ways.

00:54:06.719 --> 00:54:09.519
So this isn't just a handout, they're part of a program.

00:54:09.920 --> 00:54:13.280
You're going to have your rent paid on time.

00:54:13.679 --> 00:54:21.039
Um, so just kind of the more the educated they are on the program, the more likely they are to accept a veteran as a tenant.

00:54:21.760 --> 00:54:34.880
Well, this work may end up uh completely changing how you view perspectively like just veteran military service and leadership altogether, it sounds like, because you're still going to be working within the community.

00:54:35.519 --> 00:54:36.239
Yes, yeah.

00:54:36.400 --> 00:54:57.920
And I I don't have much experience on the homeless veteran side, and that's you know, that's an issue that gets a lot of attention, and there's a lot of federal funding out there right now, which is why this is one of this is the only nonprofit in South Jersey that actually um moves those funds, gets them to veterans, because a lot of rural places don't have that.

00:54:58.079 --> 00:55:01.840
So I'm I'm really excited to be uh a part of setting it up down here.

00:55:02.159 --> 00:55:03.519
Wow, you're absolutely amazing.

00:55:03.599 --> 00:55:06.880
You've you're would would you consider the workbook you did?

00:55:07.039 --> 00:55:08.960
Are you technically you're an author, right?

00:55:09.280 --> 00:55:10.880
Yeah, I guess I am.

00:55:11.840 --> 00:55:15.760
I mean, I I actually bought it and um I was telling someone else about it.

00:55:16.000 --> 00:55:18.880
I hadn't started filling it out, but I was telling someone else about it.

00:55:19.280 --> 00:55:20.800
They're like, that's a really cool idea.

00:55:20.960 --> 00:55:23.119
And um they needed it more than I did.

00:55:23.199 --> 00:55:24.880
They were they were recovering and everything.

00:55:25.039 --> 00:55:28.960
So I I gave it to them um as a gift.

00:55:29.280 --> 00:55:37.280
And um overall, uh how did you how did you come up with how did you come up with that idea?

00:55:37.440 --> 00:55:44.239
Like how how did you come up with the creativity, the journaling, the reflection, all that stuff that you put into that book?

00:55:44.960 --> 00:55:49.519
It was, you know, I think we a lot of times people write books that they need themselves.

00:55:49.760 --> 00:55:51.440
And I love journaling.

00:55:51.519 --> 00:55:53.280
It's something that's been consistent.

00:55:53.440 --> 00:55:59.039
I recently found a journal from when I was 10 years old, and you know, just talking every day.

00:55:59.119 --> 00:56:02.960
It's so cool to go back and look at that and be like, wow, that was my life then.

00:56:03.119 --> 00:56:14.400
Um anyhow, so I wanted to share the tool of journaling and how it's it's helped me find myself, ground myself throughout life with veterans and uh and through podcasting.

00:56:14.480 --> 00:56:25.280
I'm like, I have these great conversations, and I'm asked questions, I'm asking questions that I would never come up in any other conversation I'm gonna have throughout the rest of that day or week.

00:56:25.519 --> 00:56:29.519
And I wanted to be able to have those intimate conversations with every veteran.

00:56:29.679 --> 00:56:30.880
So that's what it is.

00:56:31.039 --> 00:56:32.639
It's a book of questions.

00:56:32.960 --> 00:56:40.159
Um, and it's really you're you end up being the author and and writing, writing your story, your next chapter.

00:56:40.880 --> 00:56:51.920
I love the trajectory that it puts people on because there's so many times in my life that I have not journaled and have not written down, and I'm starting to forget.

00:56:52.159 --> 00:56:56.239
Like I'm starting to forget things until things come up.

00:56:56.400 --> 00:56:58.639
And I'm older than I'm older than you.

00:56:58.719 --> 00:57:00.800
I mean, I'm I'm 45, Jenna.

00:57:00.880 --> 00:57:01.440
I'm an old man.

00:57:02.880 --> 00:57:03.280
I know, right?

00:57:03.440 --> 00:57:08.880
So with that being said, like journaling is something that I need to at some point in my life figure out.

00:57:09.039 --> 00:57:12.719
And this whole podcasting thing that I do is sort of journaling in a way.

00:57:13.039 --> 00:57:17.920
Um when I'm dead and gone, like hopefully these things will still exist.

00:57:18.239 --> 00:57:30.320
Um and people can and that was one of my main drags for for doing this was that I my dad, I wanted to interview him before you know, before he's gone, and and I got the opportunity to do that in three or four episodes.

00:57:30.480 --> 00:57:38.159
But um I I love how you've helped in that in that manner, you know, just by creating in general.

00:57:38.320 --> 00:57:51.199
And for any veteran out there listening that feels lost, or maybe it's a military spouse or anyone connected to the military that feels lost, disconnected, or between like versions of themselves, what do you think is the first step?

00:57:51.519 --> 00:57:54.480
Oh, I would say get excited.

00:57:54.639 --> 00:58:06.400
I know it seems like a really hard time, and I I've just gone through this with losing my job, and I I lost I lost my Yeah, I went through it so bad.

00:58:06.559 --> 00:58:10.559
I went I had to go back to therapy, I was drinking a lot more.

00:58:10.719 --> 00:58:16.000
Um I felt lost and I still I'm someone who has really healthy hobbies.

00:58:16.239 --> 00:58:20.719
I have a community and I still like I went through it.

00:58:20.960 --> 00:58:36.079
Um just knowing it's temporary is something that helped me a lot and reminding myself because uh every, you know uh what is it called?

00:58:36.239 --> 00:58:43.519
Every rejection I got from jobs was just like a stab or like a like reminder, like, hey, you're not good enough.

00:58:44.000 --> 00:58:47.280
You it does that doesn't define you.

00:58:47.599 --> 00:58:53.599
Write down what you value about yourself, and it probably has nothing to do with your job in the end.

00:58:53.760 --> 00:58:56.000
You know, that's not what's gonna be on your gravestone.

00:58:56.079 --> 00:59:00.960
It's gonna be mother, wife, friend, community member, whatever.

00:59:01.119 --> 00:59:06.239
Um, and and try to be more present um instead of doom scrolling.

00:59:06.480 --> 00:59:07.599
That was another thing.

00:59:07.840 --> 00:59:11.920
Um but yeah, it and and it ended up being exciting.

00:59:12.000 --> 00:59:19.119
That's why I said get excited because you're going, you're gonna open yourself up to something that you're meant to be.

00:59:19.199 --> 00:59:25.920
And I know I was not meant to be a federal employee for the next 20 years, and I'm really excited about my new job.

00:59:26.239 --> 00:59:27.280
Oh, that's awesome.

00:59:27.440 --> 00:59:28.079
That's awesome.

00:59:28.239 --> 00:59:32.800
What's your vision for the millennial veteran community in the next two to five years?

00:59:33.760 --> 00:59:38.719
Oh, they just took away our community chats on Facebook, so I'm upset about that.

00:59:38.800 --> 00:59:42.960
Yeah, because that that was so much fun just checking in with people on the different.

00:59:43.360 --> 00:59:44.400
Why did they do that?

00:59:44.800 --> 00:59:47.920
October 7th, October 8th.

00:59:48.239 --> 00:59:48.960
But why though?

00:59:49.119 --> 00:59:50.000
I mean, why did they do that?

00:59:50.320 --> 00:59:56.400
To get people more on the app scrolling instead of, you know, you can't put ads in a cr in a chat, I'm guessing.

00:59:56.639 --> 00:59:58.719
And that's where people were spending a lot of time.

00:59:58.960 --> 00:59:59.840
So we made a discussion.

01:00:00.079 --> 01:00:04.159
Discord with all the same channels, but we only have 170 people.

01:00:04.320 --> 01:00:07.119
I mean, we have almost 5,000 in the Facebook group.

01:00:07.199 --> 01:00:11.440
So it's it's pretty dead over there right now, but we're we're trying to invigorate it.

01:00:11.599 --> 01:00:13.920
Um so I I just picture that.

01:00:14.000 --> 01:00:15.519
I'd love to do an in-person event.

01:00:15.599 --> 01:00:27.360
I've been saying that for years, but I I just I'd love to to reach more veterans who don't feel like they don't have a place anywhere else to show, see younger veterans.

01:00:27.519 --> 01:00:33.920
Here we are, we're showing up, we're making a difference, we're doing great things with our benefits and giving back to the community.

01:00:34.320 --> 01:00:34.880
Yeah.

01:00:35.280 --> 01:00:36.239
I love it.

01:00:36.559 --> 01:00:40.800
Jenna, I've had you for about an hour now, and I don't want to keep you on here um any longer.

01:00:40.880 --> 01:00:44.239
I know you got stuff going on uh there on your end on the East Coast.

01:00:44.320 --> 01:00:48.239
Um, but was there anything that I didn't mention in this interview that you'd like to bring up right now?

01:00:48.480 --> 01:00:50.880
I think we hit it all and and and even more.

01:00:51.039 --> 01:00:52.960
So it's been a pleasure chatting with you.

01:00:53.280 --> 01:00:54.880
It was a great conversation for sure.

01:00:55.039 --> 01:00:59.440
I you're the kind of person I literally could hang out with and just talk to for hours.

01:00:59.519 --> 01:01:02.000
Um and I've met so many others like yourself.

01:01:02.159 --> 01:01:06.800
I'm looking forward to meeting more people uh in this space and outside this space.

01:01:06.960 --> 01:01:10.239
Um I think this is in some sense therapeutic for me as well.

01:01:10.400 --> 01:01:13.599
I know today's session with you has been therapeutic.

01:01:13.679 --> 01:01:16.559
You've inspired me uh to keep going.

01:01:16.880 --> 01:01:21.679
And um I just want to say thank you for being a friend over the last few years.

01:01:21.840 --> 01:01:25.519
And hey, I I think we met during the pandemic virtually.

01:01:25.760 --> 01:01:26.880
We met in person.

01:01:27.760 --> 01:01:36.159
Um and uh I can honestly say that you're the kind of you're the kind of person that I definitely want to be a part of their circle.

01:01:36.480 --> 01:01:39.599
So um an absolute honor.

01:01:40.239 --> 01:01:40.800
Thank you.

01:01:40.960 --> 01:01:42.880
I really, really appreciate that.

01:01:43.519 --> 01:01:50.400
Anyone out there who hasn't met Jenny yet, make sure you follow her on TikTok, Instagram, where else are you?

01:01:51.280 --> 01:01:52.239
Our Facebook group.

01:01:52.559 --> 01:01:55.039
Facebook group, and then you said Discord, right?

01:01:55.360 --> 01:01:56.719
And Discord, yep.

01:01:57.360 --> 01:01:57.679
Okay.

01:01:58.159 --> 01:01:59.039
What about YouTube?

01:01:59.920 --> 01:02:00.719
I have a YouTube.

01:02:01.039 --> 01:02:07.519
I do the shorts, but uh YouTube talk about uh garbage content.

01:02:07.840 --> 01:02:09.360
It's it's a mess over there.

01:02:09.679 --> 01:02:14.000
Hey, they're all racing for the trashy garbage content for the clicks, right?

01:02:14.239 --> 01:02:15.119
What did you say earlier?

01:02:15.280 --> 01:02:18.559
You said moderate is not trendy, or what'd you say?

01:02:18.800 --> 01:02:20.639
Yeah, you can't monetize moderate.

01:02:20.880 --> 01:02:22.239
You can't monetize moderate.

01:02:22.320 --> 01:02:23.360
Someone told you that.

01:02:23.599 --> 01:02:24.719
That's really cool.

01:02:24.880 --> 01:02:25.519
That's really cool.

01:02:25.840 --> 01:02:28.159
Maybe, maybe subliminally, I remember it.

01:02:28.400 --> 01:02:28.960
Yeah.

01:02:29.199 --> 01:02:32.480
Well, Jenna, thank you for stepping into this space with honesty and purpose.

01:02:32.639 --> 01:02:40.800
Your voice is shifting the landscape for young veterans, women veterans, and anyone navigating the transition into civilian identity.

01:02:40.960 --> 01:02:43.760
Um, formation nation, take what you heard today.

01:02:43.920 --> 01:02:46.639
Uh, make sure you check on your people as well.

01:02:46.800 --> 01:02:49.760
Uh, community is not luxury, it's survival.

01:02:50.159 --> 01:02:56.960
So until next time, as always, I want you to stay tuned, stay focused, and stay motivated.

01:02:57.519 --> 01:02:59.199
Warriors, fall out.