Borne the Battle

In this week's Benefits Breakdown, Army Veteran Ursula Draper talks about the development of the VA's Assistive Technology program; how the program started, how a Veteran can get in the program, and some examples of the technology being developed to assist Veterans in their everyday lives.

Curtez is the CEO of the Military Influencer Conference (MIC). Started in 2016, the conference is a community of entrepreneurs, influencers, creatives, executives, and leaders who are connected to the military community. Curtez said he sees the conference as a mentorship and connection hub for future and current military Veterans looking to make the military transition with an entrepreneurial mindset. Tanner also discusses recent VA news - New VA National Cemetery, New VA App and Operation Song Partnership.

This week’s Borne the Battle interview is with Army Iraq War Veteran, David Gowel, a West Point and Ranger School graduate who later became an assistant professor at MIT’s ROTC program. David is currently the CEO of RallyPoint, a military-themed social media network. Currently there are 1.7 million RallyPoint members, many of whom, in addition to active duty and Veterans, are family members, caregivers, civilian recruiters, and VA and DoD civilians.

Since some veterans have multiple traumas, known as polytrauma, VA dedicates resources to help Veterans with very complex issues. This week's Borne the Battle interview is with Army Veteran Ursula Draper, who developed the VA Assistive Technology Program in 2010. The program finds adaptive ways for Veterans to access their environment, such as turning on lights or accessing computers. Draper talks about some of the specific technologies VA has developed to help Veterans. Enjoy.

If you have a Facebook or Instagram account, you either follow this week's guest or have seen his work shared on your social media feed. This week’s Borne The Battle episode interview is with Marine Veteran Daniel Sharp, the Chief Executive Officer of PopSmoke Media and podcast host of The Smokepit. Sharp talks about his transition from the Marine Corps as an infantryman to starting his own media company. We discuss his personal relationship with his local VA Medical Center.

Back in episode 43, Gary gave his original testimony on Borne the Battle. This week’s Borne The Battle episode provides an update from the Senior Director of Military Programs at Walmart on the hiring initiatives through the company and the Walmart Foundation donating $1 million to Hire Heroes USA. Profit is the first person to serve in his role—a role that has now spanned a decade. He plans on retiring by the end of this year.

The VA understands that sometimes, faith is the best way to reach a Veteran. Therefore, VA set up a resource that educates local clergy on Veteran concerns and Veteran benefits so they can be the one to tell the Veteran what is available to them. In this episode we talk with the center's acting director, Marine Veteran Conrad Washington. In addition to breaking down the center's purpose and goals, he explains how his career and his faith eventually let him to his current role.

Perry Firoz is smart. Not just Air Force smart, but “can I copy off your paper,” smart. He was an Analytical Scientist for the Air Force. His entire job was to figure out how to make the Air Force more efficient. Returning to his first love, music, Perry moved out to Los Angeles and started Epic Music LA. They work with experienced composers to create a music library that films and television shows can license. They have recently signed deals with CBS, MLB and NHL Networks. Enjoy.

This week we interviewed Camp Valor Outdoors’ Chief Operating Officer, Army Veteran Denise Loring. She is a world class competitive shooter, having shot in a CMP and NRA Nationals, USA Olympic Trials (Air Rifle), and World Championships. We talked about Camp Valor's mission, how Denise was being recruited to the Army for shooting, her 29+ year career, her transition out, and how she came to find a home with Camp Valor Outdoors.

Walter Stitt was a Sherman tank gun loader in General Patton’s 3rd Armored Division. He was one of the first tanks to cross the Siegfried Line – receiving a Purple Heart in the process. During WWII, Victor Marulli served as a frogman in Guam, Philippines and during the Battle of Midway. Frogmen were underwater demolition-men and are the forefathers to the current Navy SEAL teams. #BtBattle Veteran of the Week: Army and Korean War Veteran Dale Quick

On June 22, VA will celebrate the 75th anniversary of the G.I. Bill. In honor of this historic event, Army Veteran Maxine Henry and Air Force Veteran Mark Connors of the VA’s Loan Guaranty Service team sat down with Borne the Battle to discuss one of the best and most popular Veteran benefits--the VA home loan entitlement. 

For three days, the MidAtlantic Air Museum brings WWII Veterans, reenactors and a full air show to their community. This year included two living survivors of Pearl Harbor.  Richard Schimmel was one of the first soldiers to ever work with radar. He shipped out to Hawaii to help form the new Signal Aircraft Warning unit. William Bonelli was a mechanic at Hickam Field when the attacks occurred. He also flew 30 missions over Italy and received the Distinguished Flying Cross for his actions as a pilot.

75th Anniversary of D-Day

David talks about becoming a Green Beret, being attached to a MIKE Force in Vietnam, being a security contractor in Iraq and Afghanistan as a 55-60 year old man, and helping advocate to reform Arizona's university system to work friendlier with the GI Bill and the VA system.

One couple, Marine Veteran Brett D’Alessandro and his partner, Alexa Modero, have made it their mission to help those Veterans that find themselves with nothing but a backpack. The first thing they are doing is literally improving the backpacks that rest on homeless Veterans shoulders. They have patented their very own pack that is created specifically with the homeless veteran in mind. Their goal is to go to a one-for-one sale model. For each Bowery Pack sold, they can give one to a homeless Veteran.