Rally Point 52 Dr Rose and Kendra Simpkins Walsh

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Rally pointers fun.

Speaker 2 (00:02):
In good afternoon and morning wherever you're going to be
in the world today across the world. This is James
Thesartim ring with Amena Laciado Lecano here with you at
the rally point and of course we have the man
behind the microphone day in the brain. How are we
doing today, folks.

Speaker 1 (00:19):
I'm good, loving life.

Speaker 3 (00:21):
And folks, we have an outstanding show today.

Speaker 1 (00:24):
For this morning segment, we have with us here via phone,
doctor Radiance Rose. She is the founder and CEO of
vv cole Coaching and Consulting. She also happens to be
a dear friend of mine and very much so my
Air Force sister from another mister. So, good morning, doctor Rose,
how are you?

Speaker 4 (00:41):
Good morning, Good morning. I'm fantastic this morning. Thank you
for having me.

Speaker 1 (00:45):
Yeah, absolutely, We're so glad to have you on this show.
So we're just going to jump right in. Tell America
about your military experience, as far as what led you
to join the military, make it a career where you served,
high points, the highlights, just all that good stuff. Tell
us about your service.

Speaker 4 (01:03):
Well, I am an Elizabeth, New Jersey native. I usually
call myself a jer Yorker because I grew up between
there and New York kind of sor, but the Air
Force actually chose me, so I'll tell you have When
I graduated high school, I was at the top of
my class, but I wasn't really digging college. Both of
my parents are college edcated, so I am first generation military.

(01:24):
Nobody has ever served in the armed forces. Also my
mom's only child. So unlike many many stories that you
will hear veterans, I'm not a patriot, or at least
I wasn't. I am now at times was. I was
just really trying to do something different with my life.
So I had a recruiter that came into high school
when I was a junior, several of them, and the

(01:44):
Air Force just stood out to me. I kind of
put the Air Force in the parking lot of my mind,
and I said, well, I know I'm going to get
some scholarships when I leave high school, but I still
wasn't really really feeling it. I wasn't feeling college, and
I was very afraid to tell my parents at the time.
I remember being really scared. Long story short, the Air
Force recruiter was the most impressive, and that's why I
wind up joining the Air Force. It didn't. It wasn't

(02:07):
without any family transitional pain. So my dad was really
not a fan of my you know me wanting to
take that pass. And my mom passed shortly after joining.
So the beginning of my career well somewhat rocky. But
to answer this skinny, the of the question, was the
Air Force actually chose the presentation the quality of life.
Everything that was packaged in the presentation of that recruiter

(02:29):
sold me over and it won me over at the
big time. Throughout my journey, I had thirteen different military assignments,
a couple of different deployments, and I've just traveled the world.
That's amazing. People, friends, food, just lifetime commitment to love
and relationship. You are one of them, Amanda. You know
I love dearly. You are truly my Air Force sister.

Speaker 1 (02:49):
Yeah, and I love how our careers kind of like
mirrored each other so much because I also did not
join for patriotic purposes, and I think we discussed that
many many moons ago. We've known each other for about
I would say at least sixteen years now, so which
is gosh, that's crazy to even have that come out
of my mouth. But yes, we've known each other for

(03:10):
about sixteen ish years, maybe seventeen something like that. Anyway, So,
but yeah, I didn't come in for patriotic purposes either.
I came in to get the heck out of where
I grew up and have a change of scenery and
do something to stand up on all ten toes myself. Yeah,
I get that. I felt that. When you said that,
I was like, I think we've talked about this, but
I don't remember.

Speaker 4 (03:28):
Yeah, we didn't. We touched on it, yeah, for the years,
but in detail, like I just needed to get out
of the inner city and I wanted to do something
different that didn't look like college and control. Honestly, if
i'm if I'm getting quite honest, only in control anyway, Yes.

Speaker 1 (03:45):
We jumped out of the fire and into the frying pan,
I would.

Speaker 4 (03:47):
Agree, But it was the most incredible experience of a lifetime.
Being a professional airman changed me in ways that I
cannot describe. That I'm still reaping the benefit of the
decision that I made at seventeen and a half to day.
When it comes to just the life and leadership pills
that the military gave me, they're just a match. And
so now that I am on I say the civilians treats.

(04:09):
I'm in the civilians treets now, and I see my
peers or people that are in my AID group who
aren't as developed. They aren't as purposeful, positive, or you know,
they're not even as passionate as I am about life.
But it's based on their level of exposure. So they
hadn't been exposed when I'm finding out, most people aren't
exposed to the things that we were exposed to Amanda
in the military. So even though we're in the same

(04:30):
age group and some of us have maybe similar careers,
it seems like they're light years behind where I am.

Speaker 1 (04:37):
I would agree with that for sure, because then too,
you find yourself being like the youngest person in some
of your circles. Now, I think in this season of life,
all of a sudden.

Speaker 4 (04:45):
The youngest and we were retired.

Speaker 1 (04:47):
We were like old enough to be people's moms or like,
oh yeah, that's that's kind of when you know it's like, okay,
retirement's coming, because like all of a sudden, you're airmen,
like those those inbound reports come in in your life, like,
oh my goodness, this airman was born. Like the year
I graduated high school. After I graduated high school, you're like, yeah,
it's oh, dear, But now it's like, yeah, now in

(05:10):
this season, we're like some of the younger ones in
our group. So I would agree with you that it's
like the experiences we got in the military prepared us
for a life that is, you know, we're getting to
experience some things now sooner than others.

Speaker 5 (05:24):
Yes.

Speaker 4 (05:24):
Absolutely. One of the things that I really loved as
being I need to say what I was in the military,
because that's important. I was a four eight one, which
is medical logistic and I absolutely enjoyed that job because
I touched every single patient without touching a patient. So
my responsibilities were medical equipment, purchasing, medical supply, pharmacy. So
think of all of the things that you need to

(05:44):
run a hospital. My career field was responsible for outfitting
that and so I just really took a lot of
pride in being a loggy. Shout out to the log
dog wherever you are. I really really enjoyed being You know,
there are people.

Speaker 1 (05:57):
On the other end of this this broadcast prize are.

Speaker 4 (06:02):
To let's talk about right, Yes, I enjoyed it because
on the support side of the house, you got to
touch patients without touching them, so that was really cool.

Speaker 2 (06:10):
Definitely, Doctor Ross is James Henry just call me Sarage
for sure.

Speaker 4 (06:15):
Okay.

Speaker 2 (06:15):
Sorry, First and foremost, I want to say thank you
for your sacrifice to our our to our country, and
to our to our branch or Air Force. I was
wondering if you could tell America that's listening right now
a little bit of your military background and what you
did during your time in and what you're doing now.

Speaker 4 (06:31):
So some of the things, as I stated, was just
being a medical logistician. My responsibilities were to outfit the
hospital hospitals with critical supplies and equipment to take care
of patients. Several deployment, did some remote tours Korea, which
was also exciting. Of what I can remember of Korea
because it was a couple of hazy days, there.

Speaker 2 (06:50):
A lot of fun.

Speaker 4 (06:51):
I've just said it was a lot of fun in Korea.

Speaker 1 (06:53):
I think most people who have been to Korea would
agree with that statement.

Speaker 4 (06:56):
I had a really unique opportunity to serve and profess
military education, which is just your for those people who
are military savvy, techy, acronym savvy, I should say, was
professional military education. Was basically p and me which you
needed for promotion. You had to go to the different
various stages and I got to teach the basic level,
which was airmen leadership go at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland.

(07:19):
So that was really unique, I could imagine.

Speaker 2 (07:21):
So, and one of the things I'm glad that you
touched upon and I tried to kind of hammer on
the young people, is that when you're enjoying the military,
basically you're right your own ticket to what you want
to learn. You can with the opportunity and motivation, and
when you provide that, it takes you in different parts
of the world you never thought you ever end up into.
And there's that moment of oh my gosh, I want

(07:42):
to get myself into and then by the time you're
midway through it, you don't want to end or you know,
the experiences you have during that time it's completely unique
and you have a different flavor for life.

Speaker 3 (07:52):
Would you agree that.

Speaker 2 (07:53):
There's a definite I say, a different appreciation for our
lives after service compared to the average pavilion that didn't
have that same opportunity.

Speaker 4 (08:02):
Absolutely, because you get to see the world differently. So
if you never leave your hometown. That is the extent
of your exposure. So that's the way you think in
your outlook. So because we were exposed to more, not
just geographically, but relationally, we got to meet people from
all different walks of life. Whether they were our coworker
or our commanding officer, everything is different. And I know

(08:25):
a lot of times when people reflect on their military
service and experience, they go and they focus on the location.
But I'm always very people centric in my responses because
the people that I encountered along the way really impacted
my life, some for better and some for worse. But
even in the situations or the relationships that I consider
to be lackluster or on the work side, I still

(08:46):
learned how not to be. I still learned something from
those experiences. And that's what I truly believe that people
are experiences.

Speaker 2 (08:53):
Most definitely both good and for bad. Education comes back,
it comes out in both forums, and what you do
with this really up to you. My next question would be,
is based on your perception being a woman in the
military and a woman veteran, what was your personal experience
with the whole situation and do you feel that the

(09:14):
military was dated or gender biased or anything like that.
And if so, what experience would you provide younger veterans
or service women that are currently abroad right now.

Speaker 4 (09:24):
That is a very interesting question. I believe that the
Air Force I can only speak to the Air Force
and not the military at large. Man, I don't believe
that it was gender biased. However, I do appreciate the
evolution of things. So when I first joined, there were
a lot of, how can I say that, seemingly limitations
when it came to special duties. I can only speak

(09:47):
to that because that was something that I tried to
do earlier in my career, and it seemed like if
you unless you were a white male at the time,
those were the people who were afforded certain opportunities. So
I do, like I said, appreciate the fact that the
Air Force is evolving in the sense of everybody has
an opportunity. And again that could just be my perception
of what I was seeing at the time based on

(10:07):
where the first couple of assignments that I was, it
was only certain demographics of people getting opportunities. But as
I continue to progress, maybe about three quarterways down the
line in my career, I started to say key things evolved,
and I do a lot of reach back into the
Air Force because I still mentor several airmen who are
still serving, and I'm loving the conversations that I'm hearing
in terms of opportunity and equality. So I really think

(10:30):
that you have to be intentional with doing research, asking questions,
and networking. And that's not just in the military, it's
prevalent in my new life within the civilion. I say,
my civilian life, my new face. But if I am
going to give some advice to those still serving abroad,
speak up. You have more of a voice than I've
ever had. I'm pretty sure Amanda could attest to some

(10:50):
of that to that, you know, certain aspects, speak up,
ask questions. There's so many more resources available and opportunities
than it was when we first joined.

Speaker 1 (10:58):
Yeah, I would also say too, though, that's something you
and I, I mean and I seriously share so much
in common. We were station to Andrews together, that's where
we met. So I was the Medical Group executive officer
and she came in two execs behind me. So like
we you know, I started looking at things through the
lens of always find your look for your replacement in

(11:21):
a position and so I had already reached out to
her while I wasn't exact and said, and everybody in
the military has a call signed, so hers is V.

Speaker 4 (11:28):
Though.

Speaker 1 (11:28):
Anyways, I reached out to V and said, hey, I
think you should be exact. And at the time, the
timing did not align for her to be my immediate successor. However,
after the next person behind me, she took the seat.
And then when I deployed in nine who came to
replace not long after me? V showed up And then
it was like so, and then I got picked up

(11:49):
for I can't remember who got picked up first, but
I got picked up for Airman and Family Readiness and
I go over to the Airman Leadership schoolhouse and who
do I see? V? So it was just crazy, see
how our paths just kept kind of aligning, and it
was like some similar opportunities. But I would agree, like
we started seeing a change where more doors to opportunity

(12:09):
got opened for women for you know, just it became
a more merit based thing, not a this is what
we think the poster child should look like kind of situation.
It was more of a what's the merit in the
application process? And so that broke a lot of barriers
for a lot of people because it stopped being a
nepotistic like kind of good old boys thing. But at
the same time, it also was a matter of are

(12:32):
you just sitting in a seat and fill in a
position or are you actively out seeking the person that
you thinks should take your spot when you're done. And
that makes a difference too, because if you can find
these people and maybe either mentor them, which I didn't
mentor v we were peers, but once we realized that
we were basically like bookends, it was like a no brainer.
And so you can kind of try to mold that

(12:55):
person or at least let them know like, hey, this
is what I do. This is what would kind of
be the construct of the situation, but you would take
it to the next level, you know kind of thing.
I think the mentorship that comes from that really helps
change or I think it helped change some of those
perceptions of only this poster child type of person is
who gets these jobs or these roles or these opportunities

(13:17):
to lead whatever. And it started changing. But I think
part of why it started changing was because as leaders,
we started being a little more deliberate and a little
bit more intentional about who we thought should take those
positions or or who we felt was a pool of
qualified candidates that we felt would be a good fit,
so that when we left, we could tell our superiors, Hey,

(13:38):
now that I'm leaving this person, this person, this person,
this person, these are all really good options that you
should look into as well as obviously open up the
application process. But I'm just saying, you know, these are
the people that I have seen for myself that I
think would be worthy to take this on. And so
I think that's kind of where we started seeing some
things change. But I definitely think as I was get

(13:59):
ready to retire too, I saw more, you know, more equality,
and it just seemed like it was a little bit
more intentional as far as you know, how people were
being looked at for promotion, for opportunities, for special duties,
whatever the case might be. Off the case, yeah, and
so so now you kind of touched on it, though,
V as far as like what you're doing now, how

(14:20):
you still kind of dip back into the Air Force,
because I kind of do too. But tell us about
bb Coal consult coaching and consulting. Tell us about what
that is, how you got that started? How did that?
How did you come from, you know, being in the
Air Force, having an amazing career too, and now you
have yet another amazing career with your coaching and consulting

(14:41):
job as a doctor.

Speaker 4 (14:42):
Yeah, thank you, So bb Cole coaching and consulting. So
the name, let's talk about the name. People ask me
this all the time. So I just felt like I
was in front loaded. Bb Cole is a derivative of
my legal name, my middle name Levine in the Cole,
so a lot of people ask that question. So I
just wanted to kind of take that piece down. So
when I retired, initially I was not going to work.

(15:04):
I said, I'm not working. I just needed a break.
And I know you felled to burn to Amanda, I
know we.

Speaker 1 (15:09):
Had oh my gosh. So even when in retirement, we
had similar challenges come at us as we were retiring
or shortly after we retired. We both had a very
similar season of challenge and kind of like really hardbreaking
to be like, Okay, here's this challenge being set before me,
but now what am I going to do about? I

(15:30):
think that's probably way to sum that up without getting
too personal about anything.

Speaker 4 (15:35):
Lit phone calls, some.

Speaker 1 (15:37):
Tears, some a lot of support and love. But it
was just crazy because we always laughed about how like,
oh my gosh, our careers mirror each other, mirror each other,
and now it's like, fully crap, We're retired and our
personal lives are mirror.

Speaker 4 (15:51):
Very true. Ye can't make it up. We can't make
it up. So Coal is from my middle name, so
the name of it. I just set of using radiance roles,
which is already fabulous, yes you know. And I decided
to become an entrepreneur. I said, look, I don't want
to go and clock in on anybody's job. I'm not
interested in a traditional nine to five, so what am
I going to do? But initially I started doing adjunct
work at a local community college outside of the metro

(16:13):
Atlanta area. And then I said, while I'm figuring out
my life, I'll just know, build a business. So I
decided to pattern my business after who I am, maybe
cod services veterans, educators, and first responders, and I helped
them unpack and attack their lives in the area of trauma, work, life, productivity,
and goal setting. So I literally am a walking model
of my business because I'm a veteran. I'm an educator

(16:35):
and in the military, I was a first responder as
a medical professional. So that's what I do. I coached
those that community of people and help them overcome things
that they need to talk about or goals or whatever
it is that they have. Because who takes care of
the people that take care of the people, So think
about it, your first responders, medic fire lead, who did
they talk to? Nobody? Probably because yeah, like that. So

(16:57):
I created my business to support the community that I
came from and who I am as a total person.

Speaker 1 (17:03):
So your care for the caregiver, yes, and.

Speaker 4 (17:05):
So it's really really awesome. I'm fossil trauma informed, so
I'm a trauma informed coach and I really help people
get to the root of their issues in the safe
face speaking to a community that I came from. So
when I'm speaking to you, I'm thinking to you from experience.
So what I'm finding out is through some of the
different coaching clients that I have is that they feel
like talking to Joe blow over here, who doesn't know

(17:26):
what I've done, is not going to be impactful or
effective for them. So their first mental roadblock is you
don't really understand my world. You don't get it, so
because I get it, it makes my coaching sessions much
easier and much more productive. So I'm really excited in
this space. In addition to bb Cole, I'm also a
United Nations Ambassador in the Department of Economic and Social Affairs,

(17:47):
which has seventeen sustainable goals, and my areas of focus
are zero hunger, good, wealth and wealth excuse me, health
and well being, and gender equality. So those are my
focus areas, and I try to tie everything back to
my military. So I'm really, really, really really passionate about
homelessness and eradicating that. So those are the spaces that
I'm walking in these days.

Speaker 1 (18:08):
That's so impressive. I'm so proud of you. I'm like,
I know this girl, like well, this woman. I'm very
grateful and I will brag about the fact that I
know you to anybody, and I just.

Speaker 4 (18:20):
Love you for it, and I just love you for
always being my sister across the miles, across the aisles. Yes,
and you know I say you are my soul. May
really you're my life partner. If that look like friendship
and sisterhood, it would be useful. Yep.

Speaker 1 (18:34):
And that's the beauty of the military. I mean, it
really brings about a fraternity like that. I have a
friend whose son is about to leave for the Air
Force in March. Here we go and so and.

Speaker 4 (18:45):
He wants to go.

Speaker 1 (18:46):
Yeah, he wants to be an aircraft mechanic, which is
cool because my husband's are a retired crew chief. So
we were like giving him a lot of information and
stuff like that. But you don't want to know. Something
really interesting is this generation of young people who are
joining our armed forces. One of their biggest concerns, surprisingly enough,
is am I going to be able to make friends
when I join the military? I promise you that is

(19:09):
a big concern for them. And so we were explaining
to our friend's son the other day. Listen, when you
go in the military, you are going to meet people
from all different walks of life. But there is an
automatic built in like fraternity, brotherhood, sisterhood that comes out
of that, and like you're just going to be surprised,
Like you'll come in contact with other veterans and it's

(19:30):
kind of like you speak a similar language, if not
the same, and it's like bam, a connection is made.
Like you're going to see you're not going to have
a problem having a network of support where you are.
I think the concern for them is when they leave
home and they don't have their parents, they don't have
their friends they grew up with. Well, who's going to
be that network of support? And it's like, man, if
you wait till you get in you know, Like I

(19:52):
was trying to explain to him, I'm like, I have
people who are like my family for life, like family, right,
your friends who become family, you know, you forge those
bonds with people, and that's like, that's powerful and that's
like in the in the words of metham if I
can even quote methad Man, but I think I can't.
Well ever, like do you know how long? Forever is?

(20:12):
Like that is what the military fraternity is like. And
I know that was a horrible impersonation of methad Man.
I hope he'll forgive me, but it's a fact, like
forever got you, that's how that rolls. And so yeah,
that's that is such the beauty of the military life
is those bonds that you make for the rest of
your life, really and then anytime you come in contact

(20:34):
with somebody who's a veteran there's almost like an instant
connection on some level because of your service, which is and.

Speaker 4 (20:42):
It's not brand specific either, No.

Speaker 1 (20:44):
Sure isn't. The language. The dialect might be a little
bit different because sometimes the sergeant me when we're talking,
you know, he talks in MOS I talk in AFFC.
It's whatever. But for the most part, like we can
kind of we can kind of jive in the same
direction because we we kind of have some semblance of
an idea of what we're talking about. He just speaks

(21:06):
the army dialect of English, and I speak there for
a dialector. So but it's wonderful that like even in
your you know, your new life, your new season, like
you can still support veterans, first responders, you're still mentoring
military people. I still am too, So I just I
love it. It's that's to me, that was the best

(21:28):
part of retiring was that, like I got to leave
a lot of the nonsense, but I got to keep
the goodness of still mentoring, still celebrating and cheering for
my people, you know, still keeping in touch with them
and helping them in whatever way I can from where
I am now. Like I think you would agree, that's
like the beauty and the blessing of a military career

(21:48):
and then retirement.

Speaker 4 (21:49):
Yes, but I think that we are even more effective
in our approach to mentorship for those people that we're
reaching back to connect with because now we don't have
to have verbal guardrail, right, Yes, you know the subject
speak freely. You know we can freely and I always
just say it without the verbal guard real.

Speaker 1 (22:10):
I love that that's better than saying no filter.

Speaker 2 (22:13):
Are Yeah, are any of our listeners able to contact you?
Because what you provide is a relief and I'm pretty
sure in your area or even for our listeners nationwide,
to have an opportunity to be, you know, the verbal
guards removed. This being you as a as a veteran
would be invaluable to everyone.

Speaker 1 (22:34):
Absolutely, Let's get your website, any social media platforms that
you're on, anything that you care to share that would
be great. In closing, for sure, Yes, thank you.

Speaker 4 (22:44):
I can be reached at bbcol dot com. So I'm
going to give it also phonetically, you know how we
do it. Victor India, Victor India, Charlie oscar lima Echo
dot com and I also can be reached at the
real coach ray on Instagram are a thank Yes, I go.

Speaker 2 (23:01):
There, we go and we'll talk offline because I was
wondering if you'd be shy about being on YouTube due
to inspirational shorts for our listeners that might want to
get to know you quickly nationally, and you know what,
just give the flavor of the week and put you
out there.

Speaker 4 (23:16):
Oh I'm not sad.

Speaker 1 (23:17):
No, that's one thing you have to know. I would say,
to know her is to love her, but to know
her and to see her in all her beauty and glory. Yes, there,
she is not shy, and that is the biggest blessing ever,
because if you were shy, you would be denying the
world such a blessing.

Speaker 4 (23:37):
Oh, thank you, Thank you up like I'm doing it,
you know, like I'm doing this differently. So I just
want to tear that with you.

Speaker 1 (23:44):
You better send me a selfie. That's all I'm going
to say. But thank you so much for being on
the show and giving us your time this morning. We
so appreciate you. I love you like a fat kid
loves cake.

Speaker 4 (23:56):
Yes, I love you too. Sorry, it was a pleasure.
Thank you so much for the opportunity to be able
to speak to you all this morning. It's early, it's
a Monday morning.

Speaker 3 (24:05):
It's fantastic, Doctor Rose. We have our way.

Speaker 2 (24:08):
We'll be seeing a whole seeing in here from you,
a whole lot often.

Speaker 4 (24:11):
Yeah, thank you so much, Thank you.

Speaker 1 (24:13):
Take care. I'll talk to you soon.

Speaker 4 (24:15):
All right, bye bye, now take care.

Speaker 1 (24:18):
In our next segment, we have with us via phone,
Kendra Simpkins Walsh. She is an Army veteran and she
is also the founder and CEO of Operation Warrior Resolution.
Good morning, Kendra, thanks for being on the show.

Speaker 5 (24:30):
Good morning, it's really great to be here with you.

Speaker 3 (24:33):
Morning, Kendraw.

Speaker 1 (24:36):
I'm outnumbered again this time, so so yeah, thank you
for being here. We've had you on the show before
talking about Operation Warrior Resolution, but today we just want
to really introduce America to you, the Kendra, and so
if we can talk about that, just tell us about
your military service as an intelligence analyst, and you know

(24:57):
where you are assigned significant achievement or milestones or moments
in your military career and what that was like.

Speaker 5 (25:04):
Tru were absolutely, well, of course, that's where the journey
begins is in the military. So I went into the
military as an intelligence analyst, was stationed in South Korea
most of the time. And then I encountered some difficulties
in the military with some trauma traumas that I had experienced.

(25:27):
So I had a really incredibly challenging time while I
was serving. But yet I loved it. I loved serving.
I was always called to go into the military. My grandfather,
who raised me, was a World War Two veteran and
really infilled that in me while I was growing up.
So I was planning on being a lifer, but that

(25:48):
life took another turn due to the challenges that came
up while I was serving. So due to that, I
was discharged with some service connected injury. So I only
for two years. But now I just feel like that
I get to serve in another way.

Speaker 1 (26:05):
Awesome. And So from the military, you went on to
pursue your Masters of social at Columbia University. What is
it that inspired you to make that shift from being
an intel analyst to a social worker.

Speaker 5 (26:19):
No, I definitely didn't grow up saying I want to
be a social worker when I grow up.

Speaker 1 (26:23):
I don't think any of them ever do. I think
it's the kind of calling that finds.

Speaker 5 (26:28):
You right absolutely well. As I mentioned, I was discharged
of the military is pretty severe mental health challenges going on,
and I was trying to find my own care through
the BA, and I was having an incredibly difficult time
just getting established, you know, finding a good provider, finding
somebody that I could get in frequently enough with, and

(26:51):
it just wasn't finding the support that I needed. So thankfully,
during that time, I went outside to find resources like
operation where Resolute See and that we weren't around them,
but just finding alternatives that could help me start to
get back on my feet and start to recover and
start to heal from all of the anxiety and depression

(27:13):
and alcohol use that was going on. And so once
that finally happened and I became sober twelve years Ober
now and started feeling mentally, physically, emotionally, spiritually well again,
I started going back to school to finish my bachelor's
and it was there that I met other veterans. I
felt really disconnected in life until I met other veterans

(27:36):
there and started mentoring them, and started mentoring veterans who
were recently transitioning, who were struggling like I once was.
And I said, you know, what is really what I
want to do for a living I just went back
to school to finish my business degree, taking classes that
I hated, and then I started realizing, like, Wow, this
is what I want to do with my life, that

(27:57):
I want to give back and help my fellow brothers
and sisters also move through the challenges that I had
and start to drive in life after the military, because
I know that it was possible because I did it,
and I also wanted others know that too. So that's
when I decided that I would go on to do
clinical social work that I could support support others in

(28:20):
that respect, and thinking that I really just wanted to
do direct therapy, I went through a program at Columbia
University to do dialectal behavior therapy. It's something that the
VA uses mainly for those that are in extreme crisis,
you know, have suicidolity or self harm and things like that,
which is a very useful modality. But as I started

(28:41):
getting into that, I noticed that it was a real
struggle to learn these new skills to overcome these things
because there was all this underlying trauma that was going on,
and it wasn't treating the trauma in order to learn
these new skills. So I said, we have to treat
the trauma first, and then people have the capacity to
access or resilience and internal strength and to learn new

(29:02):
things and move forward through difficult, stressful time. So that
was my journey as a clinical social worker, and it's
been an incredibly rewarding and fulfilling experience. I never could
imagine it.

Speaker 2 (29:14):
Let me in this direction, I can imagine and Kendra, Hello,
Jay the starage again. First and foremost, like always, I
want to start by saying thank you for your sacrifice
in service, and then thereafter I when we first met
and I first learned about Operation War Resolution, I have
felt that I think one's life defines one's purpose, if

(29:36):
that makes any sense, and that I have found that
in seeking to heal, and I'm speaking about my experiences
this in seeking to find answers for myself, I discovered
that there are many questions that don't have answers, and
you start asking questions, why, why are they're not answers
for this? Et cetera, et cetera, And then all of
a sudden you find yourself chin deep in into a plan.

(30:00):
I guess it starts out with you, but it ends
up you find out you're not by yourself and then
all of a sudden you've turned back and you've gone
ten miles ahead of the other of the battle, buddy,
and all of a sudden.

Speaker 3 (30:11):
You have a process.

Speaker 2 (30:13):
And I want to say thank you for what you've
done and kind of, you know, provide a reflective mirror.
Sure to speak of dough trauma becomes a pain, becomes
a purpose and with purpose as a plan, and you're
an example area of that. You don't need me to
say that, and I would say thank you. And I
want to say thank you also for those you've helped
and we shall help throughout America.

Speaker 3 (30:33):
Listen to our show here today.

Speaker 5 (30:34):
Thank you, Thank you. I truly appreciate that. You know,
we never realize it when we're going through it. But
now that I can look back and say, now I
absolutely know why I was called to go into the military.
It was one of those things that I said, if
there's one thing at the end of my life I
look back and regret, going to be not going into
the military. So that's when I find out. Though now
I know why that was so such a big calling
in my life is because coming polls for Cole like

(30:56):
those you help others definitely.

Speaker 2 (30:59):
I find that individuals like yourself and Amanda beside me
here are gigantic mentors for women in the military and
even not in the military. And what you've been able
to accomplish through adversities has been tremendous because I think
the misconception is if you have an issue, whether it
being a military or not, once you resolve it, it's over.

(31:21):
And for myself again, I find it's a daily challenge.
I have to have a process, a daily process, repeated
every day through sixty five because healing is not over.
There's not a finite beginning and a finite end. It's
a constant process, constantly evolving. And I feel that many
of us veterans, male or female, just don't They lack

(31:42):
that starting point. And with that being said, I want
to ask you, in the process of healing, what do
you think veterans should look for within themselves to get
that they have that I guess initiative spark to start
that healing process for themselves.

Speaker 4 (31:56):
Yeah.

Speaker 5 (31:56):
I you know, it was incredibly dark times for me
when I was going through the hardest of the heart
for me. And you know, when you have so much
pain and you don't really know what to do. All
you know is that you want a pain to stop,
and so you don't have to know exactly what to do,

(32:17):
otherwise you would have done it right. So exactly just
being open to, you know, what else is there? What
can I possibly find more information on, Who can I
call to connect with, What suggestion can I take from somebody?
Just being open to just take that next step, no
matter how small it is. Just like when when when

(32:42):
we have family members reach out or we hear that
there's a veteran who really really need mental health support
but they may not be open to it. It's like, hey,
just just tell them to call us. All they have
to do is just get information and then they can
take the next step from there. So it doesn't matter
how mall it is. But being open to what else
could possibly be there to.

Speaker 1 (33:03):
Help absolutely, And so I mean with your story is
so incredible. I mean, I know we haven't like deep
dived into anything necessarily, but just the fact that you know,
the military chose you to serve, and through that service,
it kind of propelled you into your life's work as
far as you know, pursuing the business degree, which maybe

(33:23):
you didn't think was valuable, but I think maybe now
you see as a little bit more valuable due to
Operation Warrior Resolution and operating that coupled with your MSW.
So I mean, in addition to that, how did the
path to creating Operation Warrior Resolution kind of form? And
I mean were there obstacles that you overcame on the journey?
I mean, I would think obviously with because of the

(33:45):
fact that you had to address and overcome your own
trauma first, But were there any other obstacles or any
other victories big wins involved with forming Operation Warrior Resolution
and how that's come to be what it is today?
Oh my god, I know, I'm sorry, that's like a
really overwhelming question. Basically, how did the past forming operation

(34:08):
where a resolution kind of lay out? Were you?

Speaker 5 (34:11):
Yeah, Well, if somebody had told me ahead of time
everything that was involved in running a non profit, I
wouldn't have actually believed them because you didn't fish.

Speaker 1 (34:20):
That sentence with I wouldn't have done it says the
world needs what you're doing.

Speaker 4 (34:26):
Well?

Speaker 5 (34:26):
And really I was had a private practice specializing in
a brain based healing type of trauma treatment that doesn't
require individuals to have to resive past events in order
to resolve trauma. It's just it's based out of neuroscience
to rewire the blank brain. So it's a very easy,
gentle uplifting way of doing treatment, and it's something that's

(34:48):
not offered in the VA. And I saw veterans coming
in for treatment and with one to two sessions, they're
walking out talking about, you know, a trauma that happened
while they were deployed and which you used to cause
their body to go into this whole kind of response.
And now they're talking about it as if they're reading
a story out of the newspaper. So I said, this

(35:10):
is there's so many service members out there that need
this therapy, and I want to get that to them.
I want to get this. I want to get this
to as many as possible. And it seems that the
way to do that was to start a nonprofit. And
I thought, you know, how how hard could it be.
I started this for a for profit private practice, you know,
a nonprofit. I'll just get some grants and it'll be

(35:32):
no problem. So I googled how to start a five
to one C three, Like anyone who wants to start
a nonprofit?

Speaker 1 (35:37):
Right, I had a boss that used to tell me
that anytime I would come to him and ask him
questions in the Air Force, it was like if it
was me, I would google whatever question I had just
asked him. I used to get irritated with that, but
then after a while I was like, no, there's actually
real value in that response.

Speaker 5 (35:53):
Okay, yeah, yeah, So literally I knew I knew nothing.
I was trained to do direct practice, direct therapy with individuals,
not run a nonprofit, which I wish I had taken
those classes, but I never thought that I would be
interested in that, and I started from there, you know,
just building, building a website, talking to people, going to

(36:15):
community events, and getting the word out, getting other therapists
to join the team so that they would also be
interested in doing therapy. And I remember that first year
of just talking about it, because if you have something
that you believe in it and you know that, it's
like people can sense it when they're talking to you
like this, that you have something here and they want
to get behind it and support it. And then once

(36:36):
they come on board and actually see the results in
the outcome that come from it, they just want to
support more and get others involved. And I remember that
first year, you know, we get we get, we get
the first dollar donated and reframe it and uh, towards
a year after of just you know, I have a
full time job too, and then I'm also starting the
nonprofit because you work many years in a nonprofit before

(36:59):
you get anything back monetarily wise, you get a whole
lot of other other things.

Speaker 1 (37:04):
Going to say that the dividends pay out in non
tangible ways, I'm sure.

Speaker 5 (37:09):
Yes, absolutely.

Speaker 4 (37:11):
Uh.

Speaker 5 (37:11):
And then after a year of really just working hard
and raising enough money to start our first program. It
took a whole year, but we started our first program.
And then once veterans started going through our programs and services,
and then the word just started spreading because they would
go and tell five other veterans that they know, like, hey,
you've got to come check out Operational Way Resolution. I

(37:33):
had this incredible experience with them. It'd be really valuable
for you. And then it just continued to grow in
terms of supporters, owners, volunteers, veterans interested in services. And
so we really want to continue to help get that
word out, especially into the veteran community, because there's so
many out there that need our services and they just

(37:54):
don't know about it.

Speaker 2 (37:55):
Definitely don't know or don't trust what's out there. I
won't talk about one thing that's out there that I've accessed,
and it's a big, gigantic merry go around, And that
self becomes very frustrating when you find out after fifteen
eight twenty five minutes, if they don't have the process
it diet, the program doesn't exist anymore, or you don't qualify.
And I've had many veterans come to me completely cringe

(38:17):
or they say, I give up, and giving up is
not even an option.

Speaker 3 (38:20):
I agree hundred percent what you just said.

Speaker 5 (38:23):
Absolutely.

Speaker 1 (38:24):
I think to your program will help to offset I mean,
in a way, it's kind of a godsend that you
offer something that the VA doesn't in the sense that
through what you offer with brain based healing, hopefully that
can help to diffuse some things that are just look
like the great Wall some veterans that they just feel
will never be able to break through or get over

(38:45):
or you know, whatever metaphor want to use for it.
But I feel like your services can also help reduce
a real problem that we have in our community with
veterans who they give up. They give up like eternally,
and they end up taking their own lives. So hopefully
the benefit of what you are providing people through brain
based healing has helped them overcome whatever obstacle might have

(39:07):
previously led them down a path that now they wouldn't choose.
And so I know that your website also talks about
your website, Operationwarrior Resolution dot Org talks about how you
help feel the veteran and their family and you do
it in a multitude of different ways. One of which
that has really gotten a lot of attention I know
from the Sergeimmy since we're obviously both veterans, is the

(39:31):
ninety day brain based healing program that you do that
involves a five day retreat and then follow on care
after that. Can you tell our listeners about what that
entails and also, like the cool part about where it's
located exactly.

Speaker 2 (39:46):
And and remember this, folks of America, remember this particular facility
that we had the opportunity to actually visit. The healing
begins once you open the door, and I will tell
you that it is phenomenal. And that's one of the
things that struck all struck the minute I went there.
Literally when you open up the car door, the healing
begins and it's hard for me to articulate it. And

(40:07):
for those who are in service that you know we're
mission based and go, go, go, go go. I will
make you this guarantee. The minute you open your door,
the healing begins that fast. And don't take my word
on it. I would have Kendrick talk about the five
day program.

Speaker 1 (40:23):
Possibly, absolutely, and.

Speaker 2 (40:25):
You'll experience that completely in I Go America, your veterans
out there and family members. And again, I'm not going
to steal this thunder here before you say anything. Let
our guests explain what we're talking about.

Speaker 5 (40:37):
Yes, and they just have to come to our location
and experience what you're talking about and then they'll know.
But yes, our brain base feeling is actually our main program,
and that it's such a powerful way of optimizing the
way that the brain works. You know, if you're just feeling,
you know that you could feel better or maybe you

(40:58):
could optimize the way that brain is working and thinking better.
It's a it's a way to tap into that power
of neuroplasticity to really shift the way that the brain
is functioning so that it's working in your benefit. So
you know, who couldn't use that, whether it's or those
who are really on the deep, the severe end of

(41:19):
no longer wanting to be here in our suicidal we
can get them quickly stabilized in a place at where
we can provide other services for them. Or if it's
just you know, I had a bad day at work,
I'm not feeling well. I mean, this is such a
beautiful technique to just quickly shift and adjust the way
that somebody is thinking and feeling so that they're in
a much better place, which is wonderful.

Speaker 1 (41:41):
And it's simplicity. Well it sounds like simplicity, but it's
also wonderful and just how like you described it, the
shift happened, yes.

Speaker 5 (41:48):
And they don't even have to do anything. It's it's
the practitioner who's trained to guide them through this process
of experiencing something new and different so that it starts
to change the way the brain is working for the better.
And so we know that that's where we can have
the quickest and most profound impact, So we try to
get all of the well all of the veterans come

(42:09):
in to receive that service as well. It's it's also
open to the spouse and children. So we didn't initially
provide services to the family members. But we started noticing
that we would get the veterans back into a much
better stabilize different place, but that they would go home
and their family members were still struggling, and then it
would cause the veteran to also then begin to move

(42:32):
out of that place that we set them up in too.
So we also provide services that to the south. Even
if the veteran doesn't come in, we still want the
family to get care, and then hopefully, if the family
gets care, can then move the veteran into also receiving services.
And then, as you mentioned, the ninety day technical healing
program that includes a fire Dayit treat is our most

(42:54):
popular and most impactful program, and that's because they come
to this beautiful property that you were just talking about,
and the veterans will come. And one of the things
that we do not just focus on is the brain
based healing, which is based in neuroscience. But everything we
do is based in neuroscience. It's a holistic approach that

(43:15):
we do. We can't just treat chronic pain and physical
injuries in the body without treating the mind, and we
can't treat the mind without treating the body because they're
so interconnected. So in the Taxico Healing program, we really
draw in the holistic approach of not just taking care
of the physical body, emotional, mental, spiritual, assault social as well.

(43:37):
So we bring ten veterans together to do a five
day retreat. They will receive brain based healing and coaching
before to start to cause this shift to happen and
start to really get them into a prime position where
they can have the most benefit when they come into
the retreat and then have to retreat to treat physical injuries.

(43:57):
We have them meet with a chiropractor, they receive a
medical massage. We have a whole protocol that alleviates chronic
pain in the body to down two levels zero maybe two,
but the highest.

Speaker 1 (44:08):
Because wonderful as somebody chronic pain.

Speaker 5 (44:12):
I can't process trauma. Yeah, I was.

Speaker 1 (44:14):
Going to say that, just even hearing you talk about
that just makes me feel all kinds of wonderful and
excited because I'm like, a day without pain would be amazing, right.

Speaker 5 (44:24):
And it's very intentional the way that it's structured. And
then the first day the veterans will engage in equine therapy,
which is such a beautiful way on the first day
to get them connecting with one another, starting to have camaraderie.
They have this beautiful creature that's also a bridge to
that as well, where they're also learning fells on self
regulating their nervous sism, building confidence leadership. They get to

(44:47):
be outdoors in nature, which is very healing. We also
integrate yoga and breathwork another way to teach them how
to calm their nervous sysm in states of stress. And
also nutrition is a big part of it, so talking
to them more about an anti inflammatory diet, so bringing
in foods that will cause less stress on the body,
because foods can either create stress or alleviate stress, So

(45:09):
how do we alleviate stress on the body, which then
alleviates stress on the mind. And then they'll also do
some fun things like have veterans love to view jiu jitsu.
It's another great camaraderie building activity. So they'll also receive
coaching and that's a big component as well, because we
have our coaches who've actually been through the program themselves,
so they've been in their shoes. They know what it's

(45:31):
like to go through it and have come out the
other side and have all of these knowledge, all of
this knowledge resources deals be able to coach them once
they go home. And that's a really important epiece because
all the veterans go through this incredible experience and transformations
during the retreats, that we want to also support them
with that going home. So that's what the coaches will do.

(45:52):
They'll continue to meet every other week to check in,
how are you doing on your goals and what can
we help you with afwarding one another, giving each other feedback,
and cheering each other on. So it's a really well rounded,
holistic program that we provide.

Speaker 1 (46:09):
I was just going to say that. I was like,
it's a totally holistic approach, and it's something that's so
different from what a lot of US veterans receive maybe
through our private insurance health care or the VA healthcare system.
So it's a wonderful addition. And the fact that it
includes our families is another wonderful thing because while we're

(46:30):
active duty, we have you know, Soldier and Family Services,
Airman and Family Readiness, or you know, Fleet Family Services,
whatever your branch might be, and they usually do such
a good job taking care of our families and whatnot.
But then once we retire or separate, it's like that
kind of piece of it sort of goes away. So
it's wonderful that you're still encompassing that as part of

(46:53):
that holistic approach. So in closing, how can folks get
more information? We've given your website Operation Warrior Resolution dot org.
And also is there a way on the website if
people are interested in supporting the cause to help expand
your services help. I understand that you're also working on

(47:15):
needing to raise funds to purchase the property that the
retreat is on. I believe how can focus all about
supporting that if they wish to or just get more information.

Speaker 5 (47:26):
Absolutely. Yeah, So we actually had this wonderful opportunity earlier
this month to move into an actual retreat location, which
is on seven and a half acres of beautiful, peaceful land.
It was actually an operating yoga retreat center before we
came in and took it over. So it's really created

(47:47):
bring in peace, serenity, balance, harmony in your life.

Speaker 1 (47:52):
I can personally attest to that, and I think I
spent all of two and a half hours there at
the property. But absolutely it is a site to behold
and it's open to anybody that lives in the state
of Florida. Correct, yeah, ok.

Speaker 5 (48:04):
Yes, and so we just moved in, but we're looking
to acquire the property and own it by next year.
We've also brought in I forgot to mention we did
our first retreat there last weekend and it was amazing
because we're also able to bring an ice bath and
infrared saana, so really making it a healing wellness center

(48:25):
as well. It's open to veterans, of course, and we're
actually going to double the amount of programs that we
provide next year because we now have the space to
do so, and if it's great, because we're on a
waiting list and we really want to get the veterans
through this program. Of course they can receive brain base
feeling at any time, but we were really excited to

(48:47):
be able to offer this in the community. First of all,
to be able to offer this to veterans. This service
is life changing. It's life saving. Actually, I mean I
hear it all the time. Just two veterans last week
told me that they wouldn't have been be here anymore
if it wasn't for OWR.

Speaker 1 (49:04):
That's powerful.

Speaker 5 (49:04):
So please, if you are a service member, are of
a service member, or a family member of a service
member who could use our support, please reach out to
our website, Operation Warrior Resolution. Any community members who want
to support in various ways, of course, is those individual
donors that make our mission happen, as well as volunteers.
So if you would like to get involved in anyway

(49:27):
and that respect, lease is our website as well, Operation
Warrior Resolution dot org.

Speaker 1 (49:31):
Awesome. Thank you Kendra Simpons Walsh for being with us
this morning. We appreciate you sharing your story of your
military service. Thank you so much for being a fellow's
sister in arms, and thank you for being the founder
and CEO of Operation Warrior Resolution. We're excited to have
you on the Rally Point Show. More often talk about
your ever expanding and highly successful programs. So thank you

(49:54):
again for being on today.

Speaker 5 (49:55):
Thank you so much. It's truly an honor. I really
appreciate it.

Speaker 1 (49:59):
And that's our show today. Folks. We want to thank
you so much for joining us on the Rally Point
Show and just being part of our community. Thank you
for the feedback and thank you for the support. We
want to share with you an event coming up in
the Charlotte County area on Saturday, December fourteenth, from noon
to three pm, there's going to be a Veteran Resource
Fair at the Frans Ross YMCA. It's located down on

(50:21):
Cusada and they just want you to come join for
a special day celebrating and supporting veterans. It's a great
way to network, learn what resources are in the Charlotte
County community for veterans or their families, and just find
a way to plug in, meet some new folks, people
you might have more in common with than you realize.
So it's open to all veterans, family members, community supporters.

(50:43):
So basically it's a great opportunity to connect, celebrate and
support the veteran community. So we hope you'll join us Saturday,
December fourteenth, between noon and three pm at the Frans
Ross YMCA for a Veteran Resource Fair. If you're interested
in being a part of the Veteran Resource Fare, you
can contact me. My email address is Machiato. It's m

(51:05):
AS and Mike A C. C H I A t
O at the number one Rallypoint dot org and we
can get you in touch with the organizer for that.
After the Veterans Resource Fair, there's also going to be
a watch party for the Army Navy game, So if
you'd like to stay and watch that, that'll be a

(51:25):
great opportunity to cheer on your team and enjoy a
thrilling game day experience with fellow veterans and fans. So
another point of contact for both the Veterans Resource Fair
and the watch party is Justin Ledford. His email address
is JA Ledford. That's Ellis and Lima E. Dias in delta,

(51:45):
f as in fox o r das in delta at
YMC A sw f L dot org and his phone
number is nine four one six two nine nine two two.
Again Justin's phone number nine four one six two nine

(52:07):
nine six two two. We hope to see you out
at the Veterans Resource Fair and we hope you all
take care of yourselves and each other till next time
Rally Pointers fall out