I signed up to serve. No hesitation. But service doesn't always come with clean answers. And years later, sitting with my dad (a Vietnam veteran) I found myself being honest about something I don't think gets talked about enough. There are questions that stay with you long after you come…
Transitioning out of the military and landing a civilian job is harder than most people think. A lot of it comes down to communication. The person interviewing you has no idea what your world looked like. You have to learn how to tell your story in a way that actually…
You versus you. That's it. That's the whole game. All you can do is be better than you were yesterday. Better than you were six months ago. If that's happening, you're winning. This clip comes from a podcast episode that aired last year, but is worth going back to. Check…
Almost 5 years ago I posted this video... I was sad. I was lost for words. And I just needed to say something real... Check on each other. That's it. That's the message. Mental health is real. The people in your life are real. And sometimes the most important thing…
As Mental Health Awareness Month comes to a close, I wanted to bring this one back up. 🙏 Athena Desai put together a 20 minute guided meditation specifically for The Morning Formation community... and it's all about letting go. Whatever you're carrying right now, this one's worth your time. Find…
Veterans are not the stereotype. 🙄 So many of us are actively working on ourselves, showing up for our relationships, and trying to be the best version of who we are. What's the most annoying veteran stereotype you've heard? Drop it in the comments. (Veterans and civilians both welcome on…
The military world is smaller than you think. Drop your wildest "small world" military story in the comments. 👇 I know you've got one. #VeteranStories #MilitaryCommunity #MilitaryFamily
Yeah, the name is provocative. That's kind of the point. 😂 But here's what MJ wants you to know about their Instagram page ... 90% of the veterans submitting to their platform aren't looking for a hookup. They're looking for their person. The name gets the attention. The mission keeps…
I judged this Instagram page immediately. I was completely wrong. 😂 A big thank you to MJ & David for coming onto the podcast to discuss the mission of F**k Veterans You two are offering a unique and much needed service to the military community. Keep up the great work!…
The civilian world operates differently. And figuring out how to bridge that gap without losing yourself in the process... That's definitely a challenge I know firsthand. David and I get into all of it. ~ This clip is just one piece of a bigger conversation about reintegration, connection with others,…
That's what happens when a community is built with real intention behind it. If your active duty or a veteran and you've been nervous to put yourself out into the dating scene, you'll appreciate the mission behind F**k Veterans. Check out the full episode on 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗽𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁 to…
Two hours of sleep. Fresh out the club. Standing in military formation. What was in my pocket had absolutely no business being there. 😂 #MilitaryHumor #WorkHardPlayHard #OnlyInTheMilitary
MJ put it perfectly... while she's freaking out, her veteran spouse is already in problem-solving mode. Calm and focused. Almost like he's been waiting for something to go wrong just so he can fix it. 🤣 That's not a coincidence. That's years of training showing up in real life! For…
You spend months counting down to getting home. Then you get there and something's just... off. The relationships feel different. The conversations feel different. The way people communicate doesn't quite match the way you're wired anymore. David and KP both know that feeling. Two GWOT veterans who can talk to…
The name is provocative, but the mission is real. MJ built a brand around dark humor and veteran culture... F**k Veterans is all about helping veterans and military members who are looking for genuine connection. Dating after service is tough. Reintegration is already hard enough without trying to explain yourself…
A shocking name can hide a serious purpose, and that’s exactly what drew me into MJ and David’s work. They’re the creators behind a viral Instagram community that celebrates veterans, makes civilians laugh, and quietly does something most “support the troops” content never touches: helping veterans date, reconnect, and feel…
You can hate on me for this, but it needs to be said: your ego is keeping you from your next level. Sometimes it's arrogance. And sometimes it shows up as "I only do what I'm good at." The willingness to be bad at something new... to show up as…
Most people wouldn't connect the table-top game, Warhammer 40K to healing from combat, but Mike Keevil does. After years of being wired, always on, and running from himself... it was the hobby that helped him ask the question that actually mattered. Not "where am I going?" But "who am I?"…
Most people don't know that when your teammates get medevaced... their gear stays with the platoon. Someone carries it. On top of everything else. That was Mike Keevil... heavy ruck, at full sprint, uphill, and in the dark. Full episode with Recon Marine Mike Keevil is available on The Morning…
Mike Keevil helped make me harder to kill. That's not an exaggeration. The training he put me through showed up in real time last week when I ran CQB alongside trained law enforcement and held my own. This episode is a long time coming. We talk about it all... combat,…
130-pound ruck. Mountains. Moving 0.1 kilometers an hour. No quick comms. No shortcuts. Just slow, deliberate movement... because in Recon, speed can get people killed. Mike Keevil breaks down what a long-range recon patrol actually looks like. This is just one piece of a conversation that goes deep. Mike also…
Most of the doors that change your life, open up because you were willing to say "yes" to the unknown. Mike Keevil didn't build his life by waiting for perfect conditions. He said yes when he didn't know the outcome. He jumped when he couldn't see the landing. That's the…
"𝘕𝘰𝘣𝘰𝘥𝘺 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘐 𝘸𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩." That thought keeps a lot of veterans (and a lot of people in general) isolated. Recon Marine Mike Keevil pushes back on it hard. The details may differ between all of us, but the weight of the trauma doesn't. Whether it's combat, a toxic…
We do a lot to take care of ourselves physically: we train, we push, we stay sharp. But mental health? That’s the part a lot of people avoid. Check out the full conversation with Mike Keevil of 40K Dirtbags, available now on The Morning Formation Podcast. 🎧 𝙃𝙞𝙙𝙙𝙚𝙣 𝘾𝙤𝙨𝙩 𝙤𝙛…