Strength From Service
If you are not careful and you let yourself be captured by the news and all the noise, it can confuse you into believing that there is more wrong in our society than right with it, that there are more selfish people than selfless people. It is easy to fall into this trap, because that’s how traps work, they are designed to bring you in and then keep you there. The antidote to this comes when you realize that world isn’t full of traps, it’s full of world, it’s full of goodness, a goodness that far outweighs the bad. Everyday there are more people that you know, that you meet, that you pass by who focus their efforts and energy into helping others, in service to others, to making their country, their community better. Just as the saying goes Iron sharpens Iron, we draw in strength from service and our service spreads strength to others. The people who spread that strength often blend in with the noise of the world, they are teachers, doctors, nurses, veterans, police officers and many others. We refuse to listen to the noise and we want to spread our common goodness by telling the stories of service of everyday people, from our citizen servants, this is the Strength from Service Podcast.
Episodes
This week on Strength From Service, Jack and Jake sit down with Cheri Rohlfing — a Minnesota-born Delta Airlines pilot whose aviation journey began at Minnesota State University, Mankato.
Cheri shares how she first fell in love with flying, the determination it took to earn her wings, and the path that led her to the cockpit of a Delta jet. She opens up about training, setbacks, milestones, and the drive that kept her moving for...
This week on Strength From Service, Jack sits down with Chris Jansma — a small-town Minnesota kid who went on to serve his country in Iraq and is now serving in a different, deeply personal way.
Chris shares his journey from rural roots to the U.S. Army, his deployment experience, and the powerful transition into becoming the full-time caregiver for his son. His story is one of resilience, responsibility, and a continued commitm...
Al Travis joins Jack and the team on Strength From Service to share his journey from serving in the U.S. Reserves to building a career in media and radio. He walks us through the lessons he learned in uniform, how they shaped his role behind the mic, and why connection and service matter no matter the uniform.
Check out his platforms:
🎙 Website – The Al Travis Show: altravisshow.com
📺 YouTube – The Al Travis Show: youtube.com/...
Tim Unterseher was born into the military life, following in his family’s footsteps of service. He began his journey as an infantryman, driven by a deep commitment to serve, but his path would soon take flight—literally. Tim shares his story of transitioning from the ground to the skies, what drew him to aviation, and the lessons learned along the way.
A powerful story of duty, discipline, and discovering new purpose in the air.
...
In this episode of Strength From Service, we welcome back Tom McLaughlin for his second appearance on the show.
Tom is a Vietnam veteran who shares what Veterans Day looked like for him during the war, what it has come to mean now, and how life as a veteran has changed through the years. He also reflects on what life looked like after being wounded in Vietnam—how it shaped his perspective on sacrifice, resilience, and the meanin...
In this episode of Strength From Service, we sit down with Christine Portillo — Edina graduate, former University of Minnesota golfer, and now an insurance professional with Twin City Group.
Christine shares her journey from competing in college athletics to building a career in business, and now stepping into a new role of service by organizing the inaugural Magnus Veterans Foundation Gala on November 21st.
We talk about leadership,...
In this episode of Strength From Service, we sit down with Christine Portillo — Edina graduate, former University of Minnesota golfer, and now an insurance professional with Twin City Group.
Christine shares her journey from competing in college athletics to building a career in business, and now stepping into a new role of service by organizing the inaugural Magnus Veterans Foundation Gala on November 21st.
We talk about leadership,...
In this episode of Strength From Service, we sit down with Stu McGee, a Vietnam veteran from Cleveland, Minnesota.
Stu grew up a small-town farm kid before being drafted into the Vietnam War. He shares what it was like to suddenly find himself halfway across the world, the day he was on point and wounded, and how life changed after returning home.
This is a story of courage, resilience, and perspective—one man’s journey from the fiel...
In this episode of Strength From Service, we sit down with Zach Gerhardt — promoter of Fairmont Raceway, owner of Zac’s Trailers, and a cancer survivor.
Zach shares his journey through the racing world, the passion and challenges of running a track, and the grit it took to beat cancer. He also talks about building a business around service and reliability with Zac’s Trailers. From the roar of dirt track racing to the quiet fight...
In this special Strength From Service episode, Jack, Mike, and Jake sit down for a Service Announcement — a chance to step back, catch up, and talk about life.
We cover:
What’s going on in the world and how to still find the good
The importance of disconnecting when life gets heavy
Mike’s time coaching football and the lessons it brings
Jake’s work on a boat giveaway and the joy of giving back
Jack’s speaking, hunting, and fi...
In this episode of Strength From Service, we sit down with Brian Taylor, a National Guard veteran who deployed to Bosnia and Iraq before building a career at Mankato Motors.
Brian shares stories from his time in uniform, the lessons learned while serving overseas, and how those same values—discipline, teamwork, and service—shaped his approach to leadership and business. We dive into the transition from the military to civilian l...
Congressman Brad Finstad joins Jack and the crew to share his journey from growing up on his family farm to serving in the United States Congress. We dive into his roots, the values he learned in agriculture, and the many roles he’s played along the way — from local leadership to national policymaking. Brad also shares insights on veterans’ issues, highlights key initiatives he’s championing, and talks about the importance of commu...
Tim Adams’ career reads like an action novel — Naval aviator, Army pilot, ROTC instructor, and Veterans Resource Center leader at MSU. Now serving as Executive Assistant to the Vice President for Institutional Research, Tim joins Jake and Mike to share his incredible journey. From flying missions to shaping veteran resources on campus, Tim talks leadership, service, and the lessons learned in and out of the cockpit.
🎧 Strength From...
Dr. Shawn Alderman, Army veteran and founder of the Magnus Veterans Foundation, joins Jack and Mike on Strength From Service. In this deeply personal conversation, Dr. Alderman opens up about how following in his family’s footsteps led him into military medicine, and how those experiences inspired him to launch a healing sanctuary for veterans.
You’ll hear how his service journey unfolded—from Green Beret to physician—and how th...
Joel Peterson: Friendly Fire, Resilience, and Leading Through Service
In this episode of Strength From Service, we sit down with Joel Peterson — a combat veteran, Purple Heart recipient, small business owner, and VFW Commander. Joel shares his incredible story from Iraq, including surviving a friendly fire incident and the chaos and heroism that followed.
We talk about what it takes to recover from trauma, the strength it takes to le...
Dr. Staci Born — Breaking Down Barriers in Therapy
Dr. Staci Born joins Strength From Service to talk about real-world therapy—what works, what doesn’t, and how to actually help people. She’s the founder of Blue Couch, a therapy practice based in Mankato, Minnesota, and brings years of experience helping individuals navigate trauma, relationships, and mental health struggles.
In this episode, we cover:
The difference b...
Navy veteran Rick Martagon joins Jack, Jake, and Mike on Strength From Service to share his journey from military service to his mission today: helping veterans and civilians alike explore the trades through Building Strong Communities, a nonprofit that partners with all the union trades in the area.
Rick explains how programs like Helmets to Hardhats create a clear path for veterans to transition from military life into high-de...
Tim Murray is back on Strength From Service—and if you haven’t heard his first episode, go back and give it a listen before diving into this one. In today’s update, Tim shares powerful progress on the Bravo Zulu House, a project that’s transforming the lives of veterans in need. From the mission to the momentum, this episode is all about what can happen when purpose meets persistence. Whether you’re familiar with Tim’s journey or m...
In this episode of Strength From Service, we sit down with Marine veteran George Blais to hear his story—from growing up in small-town Minnesota to serving with 1st Marines and carrying forward a lifelong commitment to leadership and service. George opens up about what the Marine Corps taught him, the importance of mentorship, and how he continues to give back through his community and faith. This is a powerful conversation about d...
Dr. Dale Schmoll—known simply as “Doc”—joins us to share his journey from small-town Minnesota to the Army and eventually into chiropractic care. A passionate advocate for veterans, Doc gives insight into holistic medicine, healing beyond the physical, and why he continues to give back. Great conversation, great perspective.
Check out the link we talked about in the episode: https://lifewave.com/drds
Available now wherever yo...
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