November 14, 2025 • 42 mins
The hardest part of leaving the military isn’t the paperwork—it’s the silence that follows. Len from Irreverent Warriors joins us to share how humor, short shorts, and shared miles become a lifeline for veterans navigating the identity gap after service. We get real about the numbers, the isolation, and the way a veteran-only space can flip a switch from “I’m fine” to “I’m understood.”
We walk through exactly how a Silkies hike works: Friday meet-and-greet, Saturday’s ruck at an easy pace with support vehicles and water stops, a surprise route that keeps the focus on connection, and a Sunday brunch to cap the weekend. First-timer bracelets spark conversations, sober-friendly guides offer safe company, and accessibility is built in for all abilities. Beyond hikes, IW now runs retreats, floats, fitness events, and destination cruises, pulling vets out of the house and into a tribe that gets them in five minutes without a heavy backstory.
We talk about the power of humor as a pressure valve, the stigma women veterans still face, and how her show, The Mental Health Warrior, spotlights practical healing modalities from equine therapy to cold plunges. If you’ve been waiting for a sign to show up, this is it: you don’t need special gear, perfect shoes, or a full ruck. You just need to take the first step.
Search Irreverent Warriors on your platform of choice or head to irreverentwarriors.com to find an event near you. If this conversation helped you think of someone, share it with them, hit follow, and leave a quick review so more veterans can find their people.
Leave us a message!
Visit Our Website!
Follow Us!
Facebook
YouTube
Instagram
TikTok
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_03 (00:20):
Hey guys, so welcome to Suke Stevas.
Today we have Len withIrreverent Warriors.
Welcome, Len.
Welcome, Len.
Thank you for having me.
Absolutely.
So if you could tell us a littlebit more about Irreverent
Warriors and how you becameinvolved in that.
SPEAKER_00 (00:38):
Okay, so Irreverent Warriors is a nonprofit.
We are in over 150 plus citiesaround the nation and the world.
That includes Guam, Hawaii,Alaska, Puerto Rico, Virgin
Islands, London, Germany, Italy.
Say that five times.
Woo! Yes, impressive.
So what we do is we cater toveterans.
(00:59):
And the whole mission is webring veterans together using
humor and camaraderie to improvemental health and prevent
veteran suicide.
Why is that important?
Because 22, at least 22 veteransa day kill themselves.
A lot of people don't understandthat number.
Since 9-11, since GWAT, our eraof war veterans, 200,000
(01:22):
veterans have killed themselves.
Now the 22 number, that is low.
That is low because it could,it's probably possibly up to 44.
The 22 is only the veterans thatseek veteran affairs care, VA
medical care.
Those are the people who areregistered with the VA.
Not every veteran is registeredwith the VA.
(01:43):
So it's super important.
So we started this mission in2015 with Donnie O'Malley.
And he was like, yo, like he's acombat veteran.
He's a Marine Corps officer.
And he got out, he's like, yo,all my friends are killing
themselves.
What the hell?
What do I need to do?
SPEAKER_03 (02:00):
What can we do?
SPEAKER_00 (02:02):
What happens when we get out of the military is we
not only do we lose our job, butwe lose our identity and our
purpose.
Because in the military, theytell you what to do, where to
go, how to look like, how todress, how to how to go to
sleep, how to even eat, how tostay fit.
(02:22):
You don't even have to worryabout paying bills at that point
because you're either staying ina barracks on a ship or
wherever.
And it's your choice, you know,if you're married and have kids
to stay outside in town.
But you're pretty much likegroomed into being like a robot
less killing machine, if youwill, like to fight the mission.
So not everybody obviously is acombat rating or combat job, but
(02:45):
our job is to support themission, and everybody has their
purpose, and you know exactlywhat your purpose and your
mission is.
When you get out the militaryand you spent years in there,
especially in formidable years,from the age of 18 to 25, which
is the bulk of our military, youyou pretty much grow up in that.
(03:05):
So when you get out, now what?
Who am I?
Who am I?
SPEAKER_03 (03:10):
I didn't even think about it like that.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (03:12):
So now when you are faced being alone, because now
you're in a world full of otherpeople who've never served in
their entire life.
So they don't know what it'slike.
So now you feel like an outcast.
Now you're like, and now you'vealways also been trained to suck
it up.
So you don't go to the VA, youdon't go get help, you're too
(03:33):
proud, you don't ask for help,you don't tell people you're
going through stuff becausewe're trained to do that.
We're trained for the mission.
So what happens when you getout?
You're lost.
A veteran is lost.
Where are we supposed to go?
What are we supposed to do?
Who can we connect with?
My friend that I serve with isin San Diego or in Virginia.
(03:55):
I live in Florida.
There's people in Michigan.
Everyone comes from all overparts of the world.
It's not like you join themilitary with your class of 2015
or whatever.
No, I joined the military on myown.
I got out on my own.
Now I'm on my own.
Where is my people at?
So we brought IrreverentWarriors came up, and uh it's
(04:17):
only for, and this is why it'sonly for veterans, active duty,
service members, reserves, CoastGuard.
It's only for us who can getDD214s.
And that is the reason why isbecause we share this
connection.
It doesn't matter if I met youfive minutes ago or if I've
known you for 20 years, we'regoing to have the same
(04:38):
connection and we're going to beable to relate to each other and
have that humor.
The way that we got through ourdeployments, being away from
family and all that stuff isthrough humor.
And so that's part of ourmission, is through humor.
And when you when we sayirreverent, people are like,
Well, what's that?
Irrelevant.
No, it's irreverent.
And so if you think of comedieslike old school, like Anchor
(05:02):
Man, like The Office, like youknow how it's a dry and dark
humor or whatever.
Yeah.
Yeah, you have to laugh oryou'll cry.
You know, you'd have to, youhave to, you have to have some
kind of outlet.
It's like it's like a deadpankind of humor, right?
Or slapstick comedy.
Like that's how veterans getthrough things because we're
probably like maybe you'regetting shot at, maybe you're
(05:23):
deployed, maybe you're in themiddle of the ocean, maybe
you're in the middle of thedesert.
And then you have to laugh atthings, right?
Correct.
The reason why I laugh and Ihave all this humor is because I
have all this trauma, right?
And so we all we all go throughthe we all go through the same
things, but different things atthe same time.
So everybody's going throughsomething.
(05:43):
So that's part of our mission isbringing veterans together using
humor and camaraderie.
And camaraderie is importantbecause, like I said, you go in
alone, you get out alone, andnow you don't have that
brotherhood, that sisterhoodthat you you you made that blood
of the covenant, right?
You made that covenant of bloodwith these people, like you
sacrifice your life, you'regiving your life to the country,
(06:06):
you sign that bottom line, andyour paycheck is like giving
your life, you know.
Right, absolutely.
SPEAKER_03 (06:12):
And what part of the sisters what part did you serve
in the military?
SPEAKER_00 (06:17):
I was in the Navy, I was in the United States Navy
for 10 years.
I served from 2003 to 2013, andthe mission is important to me
because every single veteranthat I've come across has
similar stories.
They have lost somebody throughsuicide, or we're fighting our
own demons, or both.
(06:38):
And we're all going throughsomething, so it definitely has
meaning for me, it has meaningfor for all of us that
participate, and you could seethe joy and like the relief and
like just the therapy in theseunconventional ways after the
veterans get back from thehikes.
You've seen it, Jackie.
You you came and you helpedvolunteer, and you have too,
(06:58):
Denise.
I absolutely have.
What have you seen after thehikes?
SPEAKER_03 (07:04):
I just I mean, for me personally, Jackie, you go
ahead.
You haven't said much to one.
SPEAKER_02 (07:09):
I can talk a lot about irreverent warriors.
I am wearing my IW Puerto Rico.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Yeah, no, it has been truly anamazing experience.
I will say, like, I'm I'm sohonored to be able to go and
volunteer with you guys.
And as you know, like I said,like, hey, I'm new in Florida, I
want to go meet people.
I went right to an IW hike.
Like, you guys are an amazinggroup of people, and yeah, it
(07:32):
just it blows my mind everythingthat you guys have been through.
But the mission I think is sopowerful and important, and
that's why you know I absolutelylove it and everything.
And one thing that I did want toask like I know you are in the
leadership role and everything.
And was that kind of part ofyour mission when you were drawn
to sorry, I know I froze, but tobe a leader?
SPEAKER_00 (07:53):
No, I um kind of just fell into it, and that's
the story of my life.
I just fall into leadershippositions.
They're like, you, you look likea leader.
SPEAKER_03 (08:03):
You look like you know what you're doing.
Come on.
SPEAKER_00 (08:07):
He looks like someone we want to lead.
I'm like, no.
Well, it just like it just fellinto place.
I think because we are so usedto turnover in the military,
right?
The only constant is change.
SPEAKER_01 (08:22):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (08:22):
And we adapt to change all the time.
I think the last person, theirtime was just up, right?
So like for me, every threeyears, we used to move duty
stations or get permanentlychange of station PCS every
three years.
So after your time is up, you'reready to move on in something
better and just become a hiker.
And so that's kind of like whathappened.
(08:43):
It was a progression.
They brought me into the team.
They're like, you can beco-lead.
And then eventually, the verynext year, they're like, Well,
you you've you did it, you gotit.
So my background actually isproject management.
I have my master's degree inthat.
I got my I did my GI Bill.
So I got my Bachelor of Sciencein Business Administration
(09:05):
Concentration Accounting, mymaster's in business
administration and projectmanagement, and I tried to get
my doctorates and I am a PhDdropout.
SPEAKER_02 (09:14):
So that's what I always pick as the leader.
I see that now.
SPEAKER_03 (09:18):
Well, I was like, listen, I would like to be at
your level as a dropout.
I got my I got my master's, Igot my doctorate, and then at
the very you're you're doingokay what you're doing.
SPEAKER_00 (09:32):
And and this is the thing, I never lead with that.
I never tell people my what mycredentials are.
Right.
I'm just like, I'm just myauthentic self, and that's all
you could be is your authenticself.
And I guess when you staypositive and you're just you
just give that listening ear orthat shoulder to lean on or cry
on, you know, people kind ofgravitate to you, you know, kind
(09:53):
of like flies flies to thelight.
SPEAKER_03 (09:57):
But in a more but in a more positive way, in a more
positive way, yeah.
Veterans are don't don't likeyeah, we're not going like don't
what is it like?
No, no, we're no, you're just apositive draw, you're like a
vibe, like like yes, yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (10:14):
So I think energy attracts energy, and so I agree,
absolutely.
SPEAKER_03 (10:19):
Well, and going back, just like I I I've only
been on one, I've onlyvolunteered once, but but it's
gonna be the first of many,because that was just last year,
and it was amazing.
And I under I totally understandthat it's just for the veterans,
and it's so but that's why it'sso cool.
As like my dad was in the army,my have brothers that serve.
I like I have I'm from amilitary family, so it it was
(10:43):
nice to be able to come and helpout and give back to one small
little event at a time.
It's just amazing to see thesepeople come together, and then
and we had during our lunchtime,I'm not gonna lie, they talk and
they talk their truths and theytalk what they've been through.
And it is it, it is it veryemotional uh to hear what
(11:10):
they've been through.
And and if they hadn't foundthis group, then they would not
be here today.
And that is just like to me,he's like, if I helped anybody
with with any of my stories, orif I drew anybody into this web
that could help them so they'renot so that they're still here,
so they still want to come up.
And I mean, to me, I I've gotgoosebumps right now, like the
(11:33):
organization and what they'redoing, you're saving lives.
I mean, you guys are savinglives, really, and it's it is
really an amazing Go ahead.
Sorry.
No, I'm sorry.
I'm just I'm a little emotional,but it what you do is amazing,
and I'm happy to be a littletiny part of it.
SPEAKER_00 (11:50):
I appreciate you being part of it, and thank you
for that story.
It does pull at yourheartstrings.
Yeah, um, what we do is anunconventional therapy, right?
So we call it a differentmodality of healing, and so
bringing veterans togetherthrough these ruck marches, and
we call them silkies marches,which are aka ranger panties,
aka PT shorts, aka runningshorts.
(12:12):
They're short, the shorter, thebetter.
Hoochie daddy shorts, okay.
And that's the humor in it,right?
Because like we like, of course,we hate we hated wearing it in
the military, but now weembraced it because like that
was like that's our thing.
So, and um, you see all thesecostumes and then all that
stuff, you know, and it'sunconventional, but it works.
(12:34):
And there's several accounts andtestimonies you could find on
YouTube or on even on theirreverentwarriors.com page or
any other IW group page onFacebook.
You can find those testimoniesthat this works.
Now, we have also expanded, andI don't think y'all know this
because we don't just do rocksanymore, we have retreats, we
(12:55):
have camping retreats, we havefloats.
Like I host a float in Floridaonce a year, except this year.
We have we have fitness, andthen we have we have cruises and
destinations.
So, like IW just came back fromAlaska.
There's another destinationcoming up in Cozumel.
They're having another cruisethat stops at Puerto Rico,
(13:16):
they're gonna link up with thePuerto Rico team out there.
So if you go on the website,there's all of these different
modalities or active things thatyou can do.
And the number one thing that wewant is to get veterans out of
that isolation.
So once you get them out of thatisolation, you get them out of
that head.
I have a friend that I met here.
(13:37):
She is a marine and she's beenthrough a lot, a lot of trauma,
and she's on meds.
Okay, let me tell you about theprescriptions that the VA does.
They just stack you medicineupon medicine upon medicine.
I remember what one time I hadlike 15 prescription meds.
That's just gonna make you gocrazy like a zombie, right?
And then in kind of a personalstory of mine, I of course, I,
(14:01):
you know, I had PTSD, I was acombat vet, and my, you know, I
experienced a lot of things.
So I had depression and anxiety,so they put me on these pills.
Well, these pills, they likezapped my brain, turned like I
felt like a zombie, and I wasjust like a shell of myself.
So one day, this is when I wasliving in Hawaii, going to
college, I just walked intotraffic, not even thinking about
(14:24):
looking both ways.
Now that that wasn't just oneday, it happened again.
And then after I got safelyacross the street, and this is
mind you, this is a busy, thisis busy like highway kind of
roads.
They're not really highway, butit's busy street roads, right?
Um, so not to walk out intraffic.
Something clicked, and I waslike, these medicines don't work
(14:47):
at all.
I need to get off of these.
They actually made me moreanxious, they made me more
depressed, they made me prettymuch the reason why they made me
more depressed is because Icouldn't feel anything, it was
just blank, like I was just ashell of myself.
So I got myself off these meds,and then when you don't take the
meds, you're kind of like hookedon it.
(15:07):
It's like kind of you're you'releaning on that.
That's your crutch.
You have to have the meds, or orI'm gonna go crazy, you know.
And granted, some people do needthem, right?
But you don't need 15 of them,right?
There's a limit, maybe three ofthem, you know, like give me one
pill, and then like, orwhatever.
(15:27):
I don't need all these pills, soanyway, that's that's what
happened with my story, and I'mnot the only veteran that has
that story.
My friend, right now, she's amarine and she's gone all these
pills and trying to go totherapy.
She goes to the VA like it's herjob three times a day, and she's
still secluded and isolated.
Uh it's so hard for me to gether out, and I was just I just
(15:50):
was nagging her.
I was like, just come out, justcome out, just come out.
And this last hike was her firstone.
Oh yeah, and she was so like sheshe was so thankful.
She's like, So thank you somuch, thank you so much.
I really needed this.
This is something that I didn'tknow that I needed.
SPEAKER_03 (16:09):
So it's a support group that that she absolutely
needed, and and it's fabulousthat you guys have that.
I would everybody need support.
We're all going through stuff,but in in your situation,
obviously it's different.
And I I think it's amazing thatyou guys have created this
support group that actuallysaves lives.
It absolutely there's statisticsout there that show that it
(16:30):
saves lives.
SPEAKER_00 (16:31):
Absolutely out of isolation, right?
Yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (16:34):
So, and I will even say, even at this past hike,
there were I noticed there werequite a few newer people.
It's one of the hikes, there wasa lot of people.
SPEAKER_00 (16:42):
We are at uh one of those destinations hikes because
we're in North Florida,Jacksonville Beach, and it was a
night hike.
So if you're if you knowanything about Florida, in the
summertime, it's thunderstormsand it's humid, it sucks, the
weather is so muggy, right?
But at night, after the daytimethunderstorms are over, it's
nice.
(17:02):
So the actual like we werewalking on the beach at 8:30
p.m.
and that sun was still out, butit was still nice out there.
So Jacksonville Beach, Floridais a destination hike that
people want to come to.
I mean, Florida in general.
So we did have people come asfar as Texas, Brownville,
Houston, Alabama, SouthCarolina, all over Florida.
(17:24):
And I was just surprised becauseyou know, this was a last-minute
hike.
And I say hike, right?
So whoever's listening outthere, it's not, it's a two to
three mile-hour pace.
I have arthritis and plantarfasciitis.
I'm an old lady, okay?
You're not an old lady.
I am 21 years old.
I'm service connected, disableveteran.
My back hurts.
(17:45):
Okay.
The on Sunday I called him towork and I told my my
supervisor, and he he was aMarine.
I said, My back hurts.
I am not, I am laying down.
Okay, and but it's so we get wehave these hikes, and uh, this
is the first time we allowedfriends and family to hike on
with us on Friday.
So we did 2.2 miles, signifyingthe you know, the 22 a day.
(18:09):
So 2.2 miles on that Fridaynight.
We allowed spouses and children,and they had a great time.
Yeah.
Very first time doing it allaround the country, the nation.
We had a goal, they said do itin July.
A lot of us did it in July.
I just piggybacked my hike offof that, and I was like, okay, I
got two months to plan this.
Let's get it done.
Let's get her done.
SPEAKER_01 (18:29):
Yep.
They did it with that.
SPEAKER_00 (18:32):
Yeah, yeah.
So so it was a good time.
Lots of first timers for sure.
And uh, our big hike is in Marchin the springtime, which is uh
great weather here in Florida.
It's really, really nice.
If you've ever been to like SanDiego, it kind of compares to
that.
Okay, yeah.
So kind of like that in thespring.
Um, so that's our bigger hike.
(18:53):
We get last time we had 350veterans, and they came from all
all over the nation, includingyour.
That is that's a great turnout.
SPEAKER_03 (19:01):
350.
Wow.
I think in the Pinehurst one, wehad maybe it was one of the
smaller ones, and they said andthey knew that because this is a
little golf club, like aPinehurst Golf Club, though, is
like where the PGA is a NorthCarolina.
I'm sorry, I'm in NorthCarolina, yeah.
I'm outside of Charlotte.
Okay, um, and so this is kind ofin the sand hills, but this is
(19:23):
where they have like the PGAtour and stuff like that.
So we're rolling around on thesegolf courses and we're hiking
through it, and they are all intheir silkies.
It was just a fabulous time.
SPEAKER_00 (19:32):
I think that's Matt Reeves and what's his name?
Oh my god, Kyle Page.
Matt Reeves and Kyle Page.
SPEAKER_03 (19:39):
That is, and we had a great time, and we got to hang
out at the country clubafterwards at the pool.
SPEAKER_00 (19:44):
So it was not too, it was not too shabby.
That's awesome because I likethat you mentioned that you went
to that hike.
So most most rock marches orhikes we stop at parks, beaches,
bars.
We have bar and restaurants.
We stopped at a bar.
Okay.
So I didn't know if you guys didor not.
I know that there's a hike in inNorth Carolina where there is no
(20:06):
bar stop or there's only one barstop, and and and people, you
know, you're not going tosatisfy everyone.
But we have people in recovery.
So a lot of times in thosehikes, if you are not a drinker,
there's somebody that's that hasan IW recovery on or like a sign
on so that, or like I am hikingsober, you know, so you can find
your people.
(20:26):
So you don't always have to bearound the browdy, crazy drunk.
So we're trying to get away fromthat saying that it's a bar
curl.
It's not, it's a healingopportunity for veterans.
So you can always find someonein your tribe.
And the reason why we have thosebracelets that says new first
timers is that so everyone cancome up to them and say hi.
You know, you how you know howdifficult it is to insert
(20:48):
yourself in like this newscenery with new people you've
never been around.
You know, some people might notbe inclined to talk.
So you start up the you startup, you look for those first
timer bands and you startconversations with them.
SPEAKER_02 (21:01):
Yeah, that is very cool because it would be
difficult to come out.
So I will ask this now.
I know we you kind of startedtalking about how a hike, I know
we we call it a hike, how a hikegoes.
So could you give, you know,anyone listening if they've
never been to one or if it'stheir first time?
It's like I noticed there wasone first timer who was actually
stayed back at the volunteertable with us because he was
(21:21):
like, I'm a vet, but I came wayunprepared.
He's like, I had no idea what toexpect.
I'm not dressed for this, I'mnot packed for this.
Like, yeah, love it.
I'll participate next time.
So what should they expect?
SPEAKER_00 (21:33):
You know, on uh okay, so heike, so we would say
like the rough march is onSaturdays, right?
But it really starts on Friday.
So Friday, it's really a wholeweekend.
So if you can get that wholeweekend out or available, that
would be great.
I mean, a lot of people travelanyway, so that's why we make it
the entire weekend.
(21:53):
So Friday, meet and greet.
Normally it'll be at a locationor restaurant bar type thing.
We have ours at the VFW, wepartner with VFW.
That's another thing.
IW front-facing nationalsponsors is the veteran of
foreign wars headquarters.
They nationally sponsor IW underGrunt Style Foundation.
(22:14):
So if you are a veteranlistening, make sure you join
your VFW.
And if you if you're not aveteran of foreign war, you can
join the auxiliary.
Anyway, um that's good advice.
Thank you for putting it outthere.
SPEAKER_03 (22:27):
That's all great advice.
SPEAKER_00 (22:28):
Yep, absolutely.
So we start with the Fridaymeeting greet.
There's usually a theme.
My theme last year was glowparty, and yep, and then so this
year kind of glow party too,because it was night hike, and
then my theme the other year waswe're in the county of Duval, so
it was called Duval Dads inDenham or Denim Dads in Duval,
(22:49):
something like that.
So we all just wore like funshorts, yeah.
So there's some sort of theme tomake it fun, yeah.
And then and then the next day,usually it's a it's a day hike
in the morning, so you meet up,I want to say like anywhere from
7 to 8 a.m.
Yeah, and you don't have to comedress, you don't have you could
just have walking shoes, youdon't have to dress up in gear,
(23:13):
you don't have to have metalplates, you don't have to have
pouches, you don't have to havetactical, cool stuff, tactical
gear, you know.
You don't have to have that.
Like a lot of times I just showup in my yoga pants and a shirt,
you know.
Number one, I can't really wearthe silkeys, I got thighs,
thunder thighs, okay?
So the chafing is real.
(23:33):
So yeah, so the next day we havethe we we muster or we gather
around, there's a safety brief,and then we go.
So there's volunteers.
You check in at the volunteerbooth, there's merch available a
lot of times, and sometimesthere's not.
There's always for my big hikes,I provide coffee and free
(23:53):
breakfast.
And then throughout the hike,you have your leader, and then
you have other people on thesame team who's kind of
wrangling everyone together.
We have support vehicles forpeople who can't walk far.
So we also have a guy who's atriple amputee, no legs, one
arm, and he does the hike withus.
So this is for all kinds ofbodies available.
(24:16):
That's good to know.
We have so we have what's calledfallout vehicles: a truck in the
front, truck in the back, andusually a truck in the middle or
a golf cart in the middle.
If you can't, if you can't hikeanymore or walk anymore, fall
out in one of those vehicles.
It's it's perfectly normal.
And I'm gonna tell you this Ihave arthritis and plantar
fasciitis, those long hikes.
I gotta have to fall out.
(24:37):
I I can't do it.
I can't.
So I'm very thankful for that.
We have volunteers throughoutthe hike passing out water,
Gatorade, snacks, trail mix,chips, crackers.
Okay, that's your girl.
Look for me at one of yourhikes.
Yep, we have that, and then wehave various stops.
It could be anywhere from two tothree stops to just one stop to
(24:58):
five stops.
It just depends on the hikeroute.
What people want to know is whatthe hike route is.
That is secret, it is asurprise.
That's why it keeps you focusedon making connections instead of
focusing on where we're goingnext.
Don't worry about it.
We're just hanging out with yourbuddies.
We'll we'll get there when Itell you.
You know, normally I put out alot of information.
(25:21):
I tell them this 0.5 miles untilour next stop.
So just follow us, we'll go.
So we'll for my hike, forinstance, for the big hike, we
hike around the block, we godown um a really busy street, we
like woo-hoo.
Everyone that says hi or in thebalconies, we woo-hoo to them.
SPEAKER_03 (25:40):
Um, I do see a lot of cheering.
I did love that, and I love andI record it, but I will say it
it just is like it gives youkind of that American pride
thing when you see these guyswalking down, men and women.
When I say guys, I'm from thenorth, so that means men and
women.
Yeah, but that's a southernthing.
(26:00):
But yeah, you can say that inthe north.
But I have been down here longenough that I should probably be
seeing.
SPEAKER_00 (26:06):
I do I do want to say that it is not politically
affiliated.
We do not represent anypolitical party.
So when you're seeing us in ourgear, proud to be military
veterans in American flag, Ilove that patriotic stuff.
We are not affiliated with anyuh political party.
I love that we are, and we'renot, and so we also give out
these mission cards.
So when people are asking, whatare you doing?
(26:28):
Somebody asked, is this a pride,gay pride parade?
Because of all how the silkyshorts, I get it.
It's a fair question.
It's a fair question.
It is so we give out these, wegive out the mission cards, it
gives out our mission.
We're preventing suicide, we'renot spreading awareness, we're
pre actively preventing it.
(26:50):
So we go down the street, wewoo-hoo around town.
My first stop is the park.
We this for bathroom breaks andall that stuff.
Mind you, no open containers.
And I don't care if who'sdrinking or everyone's a grown
adult, just follow the rules.
Yeah, you do you.
Yeah, don't have open opencontainers, don't get too drunk,
all that.
So, first stop, bathroom breakat the park.
(27:11):
We take a picture, group photo.
We do a big group photo, everysingle branch, female veterans,
and then fogs.
Fogs are effing old guys.
And then and then somebody askedme at the highest year, they're
like, What about the fogs?
I said, Oh, you want a pictureof the fogs?
Okay, 50 and up.
Get over here.
She's like, I don't like you,Lynn.
(27:35):
And I was like, Well, you askedfor it.
And I said, and I'm I'm rightbehind you, I'm almost there.
So anyway, we take all thephotos, make sure we have proof,
you know, with our littlebanner.
We walk down from the park, it'sabout 15 minutes off.
We walk down the park, down thebeach.
So we go up the beach, and we'rewoo-hooing up and down the
beach.
You know, some of the Marineslike to take a dip into the
(27:55):
water, but the the unit doesn'tstop.
We keep going.
Then we go out of the beach toour first bar stop.
And so last year that was ourlunch stop.
And lunch was catered, it'sprovided, it's free.
Then after that, so that's aboutan hour stop to give everyone
time to rest and get drinks,close out the tabs, and all that
stuff.
After that, we get went to aplace called Go Rut.
(28:17):
They make all the tactical stufflike backpacks, play cards, and
very cool.
We had the Delta, the thefounder of Delta Force came to
speak.
And yeah, and then they hadobstacle courses for us where um
Marines love this, where youpick heavy stuff up and put
heavy stuff back down.
SPEAKER_01 (28:34):
Um I gotta better back.
SPEAKER_00 (28:37):
Um, so we had that, and then you know, push-ups,
when you two push-ups, thingslike that.
If a marine sees a pull-up bar,they start lining up.
SPEAKER_01 (28:46):
They do.
Why?
SPEAKER_00 (28:47):
That's what Marine is.
Because that's what they know.
They're like, let's see how manypull-ups I can there.
So they do that.
So then our next stop, we wentto um another bar, restaurant,
grill, and then we hike backaround to another bar, and then
we hike back around around tothe fire station where I
coordinate with the fire stationto hose us all down because
(29:07):
we're almost at the end of ourhike.
So everybody like they they makethe hose like in the you know,
like that, and then everyonejust runs through it, and it's
just great.
Everyone just runs through thewater, and then make our way
back around to the VFW, and thenfood is after snacks is
provided.
We have sandwiches and crackersand so of food and sustenance on
(29:33):
these hikes.
The only thing that's providedis alcohol.
We don't we don't support thealcohol thing.
I don't care if you do it, youknow.
I don't care if you but I'm notgoing to provide it for you,
yeah.
SPEAKER_03 (29:46):
Right, yeah, yeah, yeah.
And I will say each hike isdifferent, like absolutely so so
and so some sometimes they do,yeah.
It's it's all different.
So let me ask you this thoughyou've been around and you've
been Doing this, what would yousay is your favorite?
Was there a favorite hike thatyou had or favorite?
Oh, okay, okay.
(30:07):
I'm gonna that was an easyquestion.
I'm gonna ask you outside ofyours, is there a location or a
hike that you really enjoy?
SPEAKER_00 (30:16):
I really like all the I mean, I'm just particular
to Florida.
So all the Florida hikesdestined for Walton.
We had one in Tampa for a while,South Florida and Fort
Lauderdale, Key West hikes areis a destination hike in the
world.
The bomb, we're gonna be there.
Suit Case David will be there.
That's December 13th.
That is December 13th guy.
So I would say all of Floridaones, but once you get down,
(30:37):
once you're done with that,every single hike has something
different offered, differentpeople.
The we are the largest group ofveterans out there is the GWAT
vets.
So there's so many of us outthere weren't like I said, most
150 cities, so most major citieshave it.
But yeah, I'm not done with thehike weekend.
So after the hike, oh sorry, I'mso sorry.
SPEAKER_03 (31:00):
Well, I think it's Saturday, so that's important.
SPEAKER_00 (31:02):
All right, all right.
We do a post-hike brief, andthen I'll usually there's um the
raffle, you must be present towin.
And then after that, there is anafter party or a meetup.
So there is an after party, youmeet somewhere else, do you do
the after party?
Then when that night is over,probably like three in the
morning, the next day peoplehave to leave.
So we meet up for brunch.
(31:23):
We normally have a brunch spotmeetup.
So and then people go out theirseparate ways.
So it is a full weekend fromFriday through Sunday, starting
with meet and greet, the hike,after party, and then brunch.
So if you can make it a weekend,please go.
I have I would say Tennesseehikes also wonderful hikes.
I and it's the funny thing islike my family is from Texas.
(31:45):
I still haven't made it out toTexas hike, and I need to.
I used to live in Galveston andin Houston, and then my family's
from Dallas and Fort Worth area,and then my in-laws live in
Canyon Lake, you know, hillcountry area.
SPEAKER_02 (31:58):
So I came from Dallas, Fort Worth.
So I've been trying to get mydad to the Dallas hike, he lives
like an hour outside of there.
SPEAKER_00 (32:04):
So I've been trying to get him there, and uh, so
I've been to the Virginia Beachhike, really great.
I've been to the Wilmington hikewhen it was on Carolina Beach,
awesome hike.
Yeah, I went to Nashville,really good hike.
Oh, it's really hilly, too.
I would I would recommend askthem is it flat or is it hilly?
So, you know, I'm from Florida,it's flat out here.
(32:26):
Like I went up to Tennessee andI'm like, Whoa, what what are
these mountains?
SPEAKER_03 (32:30):
And even in North Carolina, Pinehurst, we're
Pinehurst is hilly, NorthCarolina is hilly, depending on
when you go.
So that is a great question toask.
And when you're on the hikes, iswhat is the terrain?
Like, what am I looking at?
But the good thing is, like youmentioned before, you can always
come and do what you can justfor the connection.
And then if you can't make theactual full walk, you have those
(32:53):
people coming in to help youout.
But come still come for the forthe camaraderie.
SPEAKER_00 (32:58):
So you can ride on the the fallout vehicles.
The fallout vehicle is gonnastay with the element throughout
the whole hike, so you can ridein you can still ride with the
element right throughout thewhole thing.
They're not gonna take you backuntil like there's a long break
if you need it, but you can gojump in one of the trucks in the
beds or a golf cart orsomething.
It just depends on what theyhave available for every hike.
SPEAKER_02 (33:21):
So I know I've talked about all the different
locations and everything.
So what is and like I know I'mpersonally part of like maybe 15
different Facebook groups, butwhat is the best way for someone
to get started?
Would you recommend like thewebsite?
Do they start searchingFacebook?
How was the best way to find ahike?
SPEAKER_00 (33:36):
Well, it depends on what your social media outlet
is.
For us millennials, we likeFacebook because we're old,
right?
So like thank you for being sodirect about that because you're
right, it works.
You're born in the 1900s, okay,Denise.
If you're born in the 1900s, youare old, okay?
I know.
I just check your ID.
(33:56):
All they have to look is, oh,there's a 19 there.
You're good, right?
SPEAKER_02 (34:00):
I know.
SPEAKER_00 (34:01):
Yeah, you're born in the 1900s.
We're all born in the 1900s.
We like Facebook.
I, you know, that's how we keepin touch.
Now we have to keep in mind thatthere are like Gen Zs also that
are at our hike, and then wehave older Zenyels and X and
some boomers as well.
SPEAKER_02 (34:16):
Love that you know all the names of the
generations, first of all,because I don't know any of
those.
So thank you.
SPEAKER_00 (34:21):
It just depends on what outlet you get your media.
I agree.
Irreverentwarriors.com, thewebsite.
Is it from Facebook?
Is it from Twitter?
Is it from TikTok?
Is it from Instagram?
So all the information is there.
Just look up Irreverent Warriorsat whatever social media you
have.
Now, personally, I want to saythat we are heavily on Facebook.
We have lots of groups.
(34:42):
So whatever city you're at, oror even state you're at, put
North Carolina IrreverentWarriors, put South Carolina
Irreverent Warriors, whatever.
It's all gonna be out there.
Also, Grunt Style Foundation, weare under, we are with, we're
partners with GruntstyleFoundation.
Like we have merged with them.
SPEAKER_03 (35:01):
So And we will put all of this out there for on our
podcast.
Speaking of podcasts, though, mygirl has a podcast, Lynn.
SPEAKER_00 (35:09):
I do, it's called the Mental Health Warrior, and
we record live every Wednesdays,and then it's aired also again
on Fridays and Sundays on theiHeartRadio app, Spotify, and
Audacity app, or any apps thatyou get your podcasts on.
And we will link those as well.
SPEAKER_03 (35:27):
So going into your podcast, I know you're so
passionate about irreverentwarriors, and you said I could
talk all day.
You you I could I could talk allday.
All day long.
But we do want to give you ashout out to your podcast.
But so now moving towards, andwe will link your podcast too.
Now I have a question like, whatwas the most like person, what
(35:48):
was the most emotional guest orsomething, something that
changed you on your podcast?
Because you have veterans onyour podcast and you hear their
stories and you hear things thathappen.
Like, is there any one inparticular that like really
moved you or you know I startedmy podcasting in 2020 when we
were in during COVID dark times,yep.
SPEAKER_00 (36:10):
I had nobody, I didn't even know about IW.
I didn't know about theseveteran groups.
So I found these veteran groups.
So I'm with veteran trash talk,so you can link them also.
Veterantrashtalk.com.
On there, you can find all ofour podcasts in our merch.
Um, shameless plug, right?
But no worries.
One of the first women femaleveteran podcasts, and we talked
(36:33):
about military sexual trauma.
And unfortunately, one out ofevery three persons, this is
women and men, have gotten the Rwords assaulted.
So one out of N, I'm one ofthem, and and one out of three,
keep that in mind.
Keep that in mind.
(36:53):
So when you're talking aboutwhat is the most moving or like
what's the most heart-wrenching,I would say that's one.
I mean, I've had people on mypodcast that don't walk.
You know, I've had people like Ihave from all different
spectrums of different traumas,just hearing their stories, and
like at the end of the day, it'sall about improving your own
mental health and what you'redoing to make it better and to
(37:16):
destigmatize this, right?
And so um fortunately, the VAhas taken some strides that
there are actual clinics, andthis is why it's a problem in
the military.
Actual clinics that are calledMST clinics.
And what does MST stand for?
Military sexual trauma.
Military sexual trauma.
It is a big, big, big, big deal,and you can get PTSD from that.
(37:41):
So they have clinics like that.
So when I started my podcast, itwas about the stigmatism about
women in the military, right?
So a long time ago, people belike, Oh, you're so pretty, and
you're female, you're notveterans.
Oh, I want a veteran discount.
Okay, where's your husband?
Like, uh, no, period.
(38:01):
I am the vet.
I am veteran.
SPEAKER_01 (38:04):
Disrespectful, right?
SPEAKER_00 (38:05):
Yeah, well, and then I remember one year uh it was uh
uh Fabletics said we will onlygive discounts to male veterans
or something.
What?
Yeah, and it was like a big Allright, I'm gonna boycott
Fabletics.
They corrected themselves, okay.
They corrected themselves.
All right, good.
I was about to write a stronglyworded letter.
(38:28):
When it comes to veteran, it'severyone, and so that was one of
the leading podcasts who startthat that movie.
That's amazing.
I am the veteran.
I am I'm I'm not congratulating.
So I uh you know, a lot of ushave that sticker, like even on
my my decals, like my sticker onmy truck, it says Navy Woman
(38:50):
Veteran or woman Navy veteran orsomething like that, just to
make sure because I'll park inyou know veteran parking spots
or disabled parking spots, andthey'd be like, Well, who's a
veteran at?
Like, mother, you got me this,right?
SPEAKER_03 (39:07):
Listen, um, I'm glad that you're trained in like I
mean, you're like, do you reallywant to say that to a combat
veteran?
Right?
Like, I can kick your ass.
SPEAKER_00 (39:17):
I mean that parking for your husband.
Like, let me give you the bird.
So even I I had so that was myfirst podcast.
Now I have professionals thatare veteran business owners that
also help to work improve mentalhealth.
I'll have people who have camps,people who have farms, people
who have who have equinetherapy, people who do cold
(39:39):
plunge therapy, differentmodalities.
I have um healthcareprofessionals that come on, I
have business owners that go outthere, I have models that do
pinups, you know, on my podcast.
I have widows of 22 a day.
I have combat veteran spousesurvivors, you know, those those
(40:00):
white star survivors, I thinkthat's what they called, are
still, I don't know.
Don't don't don't persecute me.
SPEAKER_03 (40:07):
The point is too, but the point is it seems like
you your your support groups arephenomenal.
And we're gonna link all of themso that as you can, if you need
any kind of support, we can findLen will help you reach out to
any support, and she will getyou where you want to be.
But in wrapping up, do you haveanything else?
(40:29):
Like, is there a a hike goingforward that you think everybody
should be at?
Or it's just really they're allamazing.
Like, what do you think?
What are your final closingpoints?
SPEAKER_00 (40:38):
If you want to look at a hike, or you want to find
one near you, go to irreverentwarriors.com.
On there, you can search eithercommunities or search next event
near you.
So you can always find somethingnear you that is probably
drivable and stuff.
And so, like I said, theactually the hikes cost either
five dollars or for free.
Most people sign up for free,and then uh food and all that
(41:01):
stuff is food and water andGatorade is provided.
Right.
So you really don't need anyexpense other than gas.
Most veterans will get to a hikeand they'll say, Let's share a
room, or or you can get to ahike and be like, I don't have a
place to stay.
Can I have a couch to crash on?
And so you don't need any muchthat much expenses.com, you can
(41:23):
find everything on there.
As far as podcasts go, you canfind veteran trash talk.com.
Okay, you can go on there.
SPEAKER_02 (41:30):
One thing I do want to just kind of remind people,
and maybe you can also speak onthis, these do happen every
weekend all across the country,world, etc.
So there's always anopportunity, you know,
somewhere.
SPEAKER_00 (41:42):
Absolutely, absolutely.
SPEAKER_02 (41:43):
We have one in Vegas in December, so even in
December, and even when you weretalking about some of those
events, well, I don't know ifanyone in Florida is listening.
I know they're having Epcot Daycoming up.
I know South Florida's comingup, Key West is still later this
year.
So if you're in the Floridaarea, there's definitely some
events happening.
SPEAKER_00 (42:01):
Absolutely, absolutely.
I want to thank you guys forhaving me on the podcast so
much.
And if you guys need anything,the listeners out there, find me
online.
Pacific Tita is what I go by, myonline persona.
And I also have a link tree outthere.
Just look for Pacific Tita, likePacific, like the ocean, Tita
T-I-T-A.
SPEAKER_03 (42:20):
And we'll absolutely tag all of these on our podcast.
So thank you so much, Len, forbeing here.
And I think that's gonna wrap upour episode today.
So, guys, there's support outthere.
Go find it.
Absolutely.
And thank you for your service,Len, and thank you for your
service to all of our veteransout there.
Thank you.
Yeah.
Hey guys, so welcome to Suke Stevas.
Today we have Len withIrreverent Warriors.
Welcome, Len.
Welcome, Len.
Thank you for having me.
Absolutely.
So if you could tell us a littlebit more about Irreverent
Warriors and how you becameinvolved in that.
SPEAKER_00 (00:38):
Okay, so Irreverent Warriors is a nonprofit.
We are in over 150 plus citiesaround the nation and the world.
That includes Guam, Hawaii,Alaska, Puerto Rico, Virgin
Islands, London, Germany, Italy.
Say that five times.
Woo! Yes, impressive.
So what we do is we cater toveterans.
(00:59):
And the whole mission is webring veterans together using
humor and camaraderie to improvemental health and prevent
veteran suicide.
Why is that important?
Because 22, at least 22 veteransa day kill themselves.
A lot of people don't understandthat number.
Since 9-11, since GWAT, our eraof war veterans, 200,000
(01:22):
veterans have killed themselves.
Now the 22 number, that is low.
That is low because it could,it's probably possibly up to 44.
The 22 is only the veterans thatseek veteran affairs care, VA
medical care.
Those are the people who areregistered with the VA.
Not every veteran is registeredwith the VA.
(01:43):
So it's super important.
So we started this mission in2015 with Donnie O'Malley.
And he was like, yo, like he's acombat veteran.
He's a Marine Corps officer.
And he got out, he's like, yo,all my friends are killing
themselves.
What the hell?
What do I need to do?
SPEAKER_03 (02:00):
What can we do?
SPEAKER_00 (02:02):
What happens when we get out of the military is we
not only do we lose our job, butwe lose our identity and our
purpose.
Because in the military, theytell you what to do, where to
go, how to look like, how todress, how to how to go to
sleep, how to even eat, how tostay fit.
(02:22):
You don't even have to worryabout paying bills at that point
because you're either staying ina barracks on a ship or
wherever.
And it's your choice, you know,if you're married and have kids
to stay outside in town.
But you're pretty much likegroomed into being like a robot
less killing machine, if youwill, like to fight the mission.
So not everybody obviously is acombat rating or combat job, but
(02:45):
our job is to support themission, and everybody has their
purpose, and you know exactlywhat your purpose and your
mission is.
When you get out the militaryand you spent years in there,
especially in formidable years,from the age of 18 to 25, which
is the bulk of our military, youyou pretty much grow up in that.
(03:05):
So when you get out, now what?
Who am I?
Who am I?
SPEAKER_03 (03:10):
I didn't even think about it like that.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (03:12):
So now when you are faced being alone, because now
you're in a world full of otherpeople who've never served in
their entire life.
So they don't know what it'slike.
So now you feel like an outcast.
Now you're like, and now you'vealways also been trained to suck
it up.
So you don't go to the VA, youdon't go get help, you're too
(03:33):
proud, you don't ask for help,you don't tell people you're
going through stuff becausewe're trained to do that.
We're trained for the mission.
So what happens when you getout?
You're lost.
A veteran is lost.
Where are we supposed to go?
What are we supposed to do?
Who can we connect with?
My friend that I serve with isin San Diego or in Virginia.
(03:55):
I live in Florida.
There's people in Michigan.
Everyone comes from all overparts of the world.
It's not like you join themilitary with your class of 2015
or whatever.
No, I joined the military on myown.
I got out on my own.
Now I'm on my own.
Where is my people at?
So we brought IrreverentWarriors came up, and uh it's
(04:17):
only for, and this is why it'sonly for veterans, active duty,
service members, reserves, CoastGuard.
It's only for us who can getDD214s.
And that is the reason why isbecause we share this
connection.
It doesn't matter if I met youfive minutes ago or if I've
known you for 20 years, we'regoing to have the same
(04:38):
connection and we're going to beable to relate to each other and
have that humor.
The way that we got through ourdeployments, being away from
family and all that stuff isthrough humor.
And so that's part of ourmission, is through humor.
And when you when we sayirreverent, people are like,
Well, what's that?
Irrelevant.
No, it's irreverent.
And so if you think of comedieslike old school, like Anchor
(05:02):
Man, like The Office, like youknow how it's a dry and dark
humor or whatever.
Yeah.
Yeah, you have to laugh oryou'll cry.
You know, you'd have to, youhave to, you have to have some
kind of outlet.
It's like it's like a deadpankind of humor, right?
Or slapstick comedy.
Like that's how veterans getthrough things because we're
probably like maybe you'regetting shot at, maybe you're
(05:23):
deployed, maybe you're in themiddle of the ocean, maybe
you're in the middle of thedesert.
And then you have to laugh atthings, right?
Correct.
The reason why I laugh and Ihave all this humor is because I
have all this trauma, right?
And so we all we all go throughthe we all go through the same
things, but different things atthe same time.
So everybody's going throughsomething.
(05:43):
So that's part of our mission isbringing veterans together using
humor and camaraderie.
And camaraderie is importantbecause, like I said, you go in
alone, you get out alone, andnow you don't have that
brotherhood, that sisterhoodthat you you you made that blood
of the covenant, right?
You made that covenant of bloodwith these people, like you
sacrifice your life, you'regiving your life to the country,
(06:06):
you sign that bottom line, andyour paycheck is like giving
your life, you know.
Right, absolutely.
SPEAKER_03 (06:12):
And what part of the sisters what part did you serve
in the military?
SPEAKER_00 (06:17):
I was in the Navy, I was in the United States Navy
for 10 years.
I served from 2003 to 2013, andthe mission is important to me
because every single veteranthat I've come across has
similar stories.
They have lost somebody throughsuicide, or we're fighting our
own demons, or both.
(06:38):
And we're all going throughsomething, so it definitely has
meaning for me, it has meaningfor for all of us that
participate, and you could seethe joy and like the relief and
like just the therapy in theseunconventional ways after the
veterans get back from thehikes.
You've seen it, Jackie.
You you came and you helpedvolunteer, and you have too,
(06:58):
Denise.
I absolutely have.
What have you seen after thehikes?
SPEAKER_03 (07:04):
I just I mean, for me personally, Jackie, you go
ahead.
You haven't said much to one.
SPEAKER_02 (07:09):
I can talk a lot about irreverent warriors.
I am wearing my IW Puerto Rico.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Yeah, no, it has been truly anamazing experience.
I will say, like, I'm I'm sohonored to be able to go and
volunteer with you guys.
And as you know, like I said,like, hey, I'm new in Florida, I
want to go meet people.
I went right to an IW hike.
Like, you guys are an amazinggroup of people, and yeah, it
(07:32):
just it blows my mind everythingthat you guys have been through.
But the mission I think is sopowerful and important, and
that's why you know I absolutelylove it and everything.
And one thing that I did want toask like I know you are in the
leadership role and everything.
And was that kind of part ofyour mission when you were drawn
to sorry, I know I froze, but tobe a leader?
SPEAKER_00 (07:53):
No, I um kind of just fell into it, and that's
the story of my life.
I just fall into leadershippositions.
They're like, you, you look likea leader.
SPEAKER_03 (08:03):
You look like you know what you're doing.
Come on.
SPEAKER_00 (08:07):
He looks like someone we want to lead.
I'm like, no.
Well, it just like it just fellinto place.
I think because we are so usedto turnover in the military,
right?
The only constant is change.
SPEAKER_01 (08:22):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (08:22):
And we adapt to change all the time.
I think the last person, theirtime was just up, right?
So like for me, every threeyears, we used to move duty
stations or get permanentlychange of station PCS every
three years.
So after your time is up, you'reready to move on in something
better and just become a hiker.
And so that's kind of like whathappened.
(08:43):
It was a progression.
They brought me into the team.
They're like, you can beco-lead.
And then eventually, the verynext year, they're like, Well,
you you've you did it, you gotit.
So my background actually isproject management.
I have my master's degree inthat.
I got my I did my GI Bill.
So I got my Bachelor of Sciencein Business Administration
(09:05):
Concentration Accounting, mymaster's in business
administration and projectmanagement, and I tried to get
my doctorates and I am a PhDdropout.
SPEAKER_02 (09:14):
So that's what I always pick as the leader.
I see that now.
SPEAKER_03 (09:18):
Well, I was like, listen, I would like to be at
your level as a dropout.
I got my I got my master's, Igot my doctorate, and then at
the very you're you're doingokay what you're doing.
SPEAKER_00 (09:32):
And and this is the thing, I never lead with that.
I never tell people my what mycredentials are.
Right.
I'm just like, I'm just myauthentic self, and that's all
you could be is your authenticself.
And I guess when you staypositive and you're just you
just give that listening ear orthat shoulder to lean on or cry
on, you know, people kind ofgravitate to you, you know, kind
(09:53):
of like flies flies to thelight.
SPEAKER_03 (09:57):
But in a more but in a more positive way, in a more
positive way, yeah.
Veterans are don't don't likeyeah, we're not going like don't
what is it like?
No, no, we're no, you're just apositive draw, you're like a
vibe, like like yes, yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (10:14):
So I think energy attracts energy, and so I agree,
absolutely.
SPEAKER_03 (10:19):
Well, and going back, just like I I I've only
been on one, I've onlyvolunteered once, but but it's
gonna be the first of many,because that was just last year,
and it was amazing.
And I under I totally understandthat it's just for the veterans,
and it's so but that's why it'sso cool.
As like my dad was in the army,my have brothers that serve.
I like I have I'm from amilitary family, so it it was
(10:43):
nice to be able to come and helpout and give back to one small
little event at a time.
It's just amazing to see thesepeople come together, and then
and we had during our lunchtime,I'm not gonna lie, they talk and
they talk their truths and theytalk what they've been through.
And it is it, it is it veryemotional uh to hear what
(11:10):
they've been through.
And and if they hadn't foundthis group, then they would not
be here today.
And that is just like to me,he's like, if I helped anybody
with with any of my stories, orif I drew anybody into this web
that could help them so they'renot so that they're still here,
so they still want to come up.
And I mean, to me, I I've gotgoosebumps right now, like the
(11:33):
organization and what they'redoing, you're saving lives.
I mean, you guys are savinglives, really, and it's it is
really an amazing Go ahead.
Sorry.
No, I'm sorry.
I'm just I'm a little emotional,but it what you do is amazing,
and I'm happy to be a littletiny part of it.
SPEAKER_00 (11:50):
I appreciate you being part of it, and thank you
for that story.
It does pull at yourheartstrings.
Yeah, um, what we do is anunconventional therapy, right?
So we call it a differentmodality of healing, and so
bringing veterans togetherthrough these ruck marches, and
we call them silkies marches,which are aka ranger panties,
aka PT shorts, aka runningshorts.
(12:12):
They're short, the shorter, thebetter.
Hoochie daddy shorts, okay.
And that's the humor in it,right?
Because like we like, of course,we hate we hated wearing it in
the military, but now weembraced it because like that
was like that's our thing.
So, and um, you see all thesecostumes and then all that
stuff, you know, and it'sunconventional, but it works.
(12:34):
And there's several accounts andtestimonies you could find on
YouTube or on even on theirreverentwarriors.com page or
any other IW group page onFacebook.
You can find those testimoniesthat this works.
Now, we have also expanded, andI don't think y'all know this
because we don't just do rocksanymore, we have retreats, we
(12:55):
have camping retreats, we havefloats.
Like I host a float in Floridaonce a year, except this year.
We have we have fitness, andthen we have we have cruises and
destinations.
So, like IW just came back fromAlaska.
There's another destinationcoming up in Cozumel.
They're having another cruisethat stops at Puerto Rico,
(13:16):
they're gonna link up with thePuerto Rico team out there.
So if you go on the website,there's all of these different
modalities or active things thatyou can do.
And the number one thing that wewant is to get veterans out of
that isolation.
So once you get them out of thatisolation, you get them out of
that head.
I have a friend that I met here.
(13:37):
She is a marine and she's beenthrough a lot, a lot of trauma,
and she's on meds.
Okay, let me tell you about theprescriptions that the VA does.
They just stack you medicineupon medicine upon medicine.
I remember what one time I hadlike 15 prescription meds.
That's just gonna make you gocrazy like a zombie, right?
And then in kind of a personalstory of mine, I of course, I,
(14:01):
you know, I had PTSD, I was acombat vet, and my, you know, I
experienced a lot of things.
So I had depression and anxiety,so they put me on these pills.
Well, these pills, they likezapped my brain, turned like I
felt like a zombie, and I wasjust like a shell of myself.
So one day, this is when I wasliving in Hawaii, going to
college, I just walked intotraffic, not even thinking about
(14:24):
looking both ways.
Now that that wasn't just oneday, it happened again.
And then after I got safelyacross the street, and this is
mind you, this is a busy, thisis busy like highway kind of
roads.
They're not really highway, butit's busy street roads, right?
Um, so not to walk out intraffic.
Something clicked, and I waslike, these medicines don't work
(14:47):
at all.
I need to get off of these.
They actually made me moreanxious, they made me more
depressed, they made me prettymuch the reason why they made me
more depressed is because Icouldn't feel anything, it was
just blank, like I was just ashell of myself.
So I got myself off these meds,and then when you don't take the
meds, you're kind of like hookedon it.
(15:07):
It's like kind of you're you'releaning on that.
That's your crutch.
You have to have the meds, or orI'm gonna go crazy, you know.
And granted, some people do needthem, right?
But you don't need 15 of them,right?
There's a limit, maybe three ofthem, you know, like give me one
pill, and then like, orwhatever.
(15:27):
I don't need all these pills, soanyway, that's that's what
happened with my story, and I'mnot the only veteran that has
that story.
My friend, right now, she's amarine and she's gone all these
pills and trying to go totherapy.
She goes to the VA like it's herjob three times a day, and she's
still secluded and isolated.
Uh it's so hard for me to gether out, and I was just I just
(15:50):
was nagging her.
I was like, just come out, justcome out, just come out.
And this last hike was her firstone.
Oh yeah, and she was so like sheshe was so thankful.
She's like, So thank you somuch, thank you so much.
I really needed this.
This is something that I didn'tknow that I needed.
SPEAKER_03 (16:09):
So it's a support group that that she absolutely
needed, and and it's fabulousthat you guys have that.
I would everybody need support.
We're all going through stuff,but in in your situation,
obviously it's different.
And I I think it's amazing thatyou guys have created this
support group that actuallysaves lives.
It absolutely there's statisticsout there that show that it
(16:30):
saves lives.
SPEAKER_00 (16:31):
Absolutely out of isolation, right?
Yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (16:34):
So, and I will even say, even at this past hike,
there were I noticed there werequite a few newer people.
It's one of the hikes, there wasa lot of people.
SPEAKER_00 (16:42):
We are at uh one of those destinations hikes because
we're in North Florida,Jacksonville Beach, and it was a
night hike.
So if you're if you knowanything about Florida, in the
summertime, it's thunderstormsand it's humid, it sucks, the
weather is so muggy, right?
But at night, after the daytimethunderstorms are over, it's
nice.
(17:02):
So the actual like we werewalking on the beach at 8:30
p.m.
and that sun was still out, butit was still nice out there.
So Jacksonville Beach, Floridais a destination hike that
people want to come to.
I mean, Florida in general.
So we did have people come asfar as Texas, Brownville,
Houston, Alabama, SouthCarolina, all over Florida.
(17:24):
And I was just surprised becauseyou know, this was a last-minute
hike.
And I say hike, right?
So whoever's listening outthere, it's not, it's a two to
three mile-hour pace.
I have arthritis and plantarfasciitis.
I'm an old lady, okay?
You're not an old lady.
I am 21 years old.
I'm service connected, disableveteran.
My back hurts.
(17:45):
Okay.
The on Sunday I called him towork and I told my my
supervisor, and he he was aMarine.
I said, My back hurts.
I am not, I am laying down.
Okay, and but it's so we get wehave these hikes, and uh, this
is the first time we allowedfriends and family to hike on
with us on Friday.
So we did 2.2 miles, signifyingthe you know, the 22 a day.
(18:09):
So 2.2 miles on that Fridaynight.
We allowed spouses and children,and they had a great time.
Yeah.
Very first time doing it allaround the country, the nation.
We had a goal, they said do itin July.
A lot of us did it in July.
I just piggybacked my hike offof that, and I was like, okay, I
got two months to plan this.
Let's get it done.
Let's get her done.
SPEAKER_01 (18:29):
Yep.
They did it with that.
SPEAKER_00 (18:32):
Yeah, yeah.
So so it was a good time.
Lots of first timers for sure.
And uh, our big hike is in Marchin the springtime, which is uh
great weather here in Florida.
It's really, really nice.
If you've ever been to like SanDiego, it kind of compares to
that.
Okay, yeah.
So kind of like that in thespring.
Um, so that's our bigger hike.
(18:53):
We get last time we had 350veterans, and they came from all
all over the nation, includingyour.
That is that's a great turnout.
SPEAKER_03 (19:01):
350.
Wow.
I think in the Pinehurst one, wehad maybe it was one of the
smaller ones, and they said andthey knew that because this is a
little golf club, like aPinehurst Golf Club, though, is
like where the PGA is a NorthCarolina.
I'm sorry, I'm in NorthCarolina, yeah.
I'm outside of Charlotte.
Okay, um, and so this is kind ofin the sand hills, but this is
(19:23):
where they have like the PGAtour and stuff like that.
So we're rolling around on thesegolf courses and we're hiking
through it, and they are all intheir silkies.
It was just a fabulous time.
SPEAKER_00 (19:32):
I think that's Matt Reeves and what's his name?
Oh my god, Kyle Page.
Matt Reeves and Kyle Page.
SPEAKER_03 (19:39):
That is, and we had a great time, and we got to hang
out at the country clubafterwards at the pool.
SPEAKER_00 (19:44):
So it was not too, it was not too shabby.
That's awesome because I likethat you mentioned that you went
to that hike.
So most most rock marches orhikes we stop at parks, beaches,
bars.
We have bar and restaurants.
We stopped at a bar.
Okay.
So I didn't know if you guys didor not.
I know that there's a hike in inNorth Carolina where there is no
(20:06):
bar stop or there's only one barstop, and and and people, you
know, you're not going tosatisfy everyone.
But we have people in recovery.
So a lot of times in thosehikes, if you are not a drinker,
there's somebody that's that hasan IW recovery on or like a sign
on so that, or like I am hikingsober, you know, so you can find
your people.
(20:26):
So you don't always have to bearound the browdy, crazy drunk.
So we're trying to get away fromthat saying that it's a bar
curl.
It's not, it's a healingopportunity for veterans.
So you can always find someonein your tribe.
And the reason why we have thosebracelets that says new first
timers is that so everyone cancome up to them and say hi.
You know, you how you know howdifficult it is to insert
(20:48):
yourself in like this newscenery with new people you've
never been around.
You know, some people might notbe inclined to talk.
So you start up the you startup, you look for those first
timer bands and you startconversations with them.
SPEAKER_02 (21:01):
Yeah, that is very cool because it would be
difficult to come out.
So I will ask this now.
I know we you kind of startedtalking about how a hike, I know
we we call it a hike, how a hikegoes.
So could you give, you know,anyone listening if they've
never been to one or if it'stheir first time?
It's like I noticed there wasone first timer who was actually
stayed back at the volunteertable with us because he was
(21:21):
like, I'm a vet, but I came wayunprepared.
He's like, I had no idea what toexpect.
I'm not dressed for this, I'mnot packed for this.
Like, yeah, love it.
I'll participate next time.
So what should they expect?
SPEAKER_00 (21:33):
You know, on uh okay, so heike, so we would say
like the rough march is onSaturdays, right?
But it really starts on Friday.
So Friday, it's really a wholeweekend.
So if you can get that wholeweekend out or available, that
would be great.
I mean, a lot of people travelanyway, so that's why we make it
the entire weekend.
(21:53):
So Friday, meet and greet.
Normally it'll be at a locationor restaurant bar type thing.
We have ours at the VFW, wepartner with VFW.
That's another thing.
IW front-facing nationalsponsors is the veteran of
foreign wars headquarters.
They nationally sponsor IW underGrunt Style Foundation.
(22:14):
So if you are a veteranlistening, make sure you join
your VFW.
And if you if you're not aveteran of foreign war, you can
join the auxiliary.
Anyway, um that's good advice.
Thank you for putting it outthere.
SPEAKER_03 (22:27):
That's all great advice.
SPEAKER_00 (22:28):
Yep, absolutely.
So we start with the Fridaymeeting greet.
There's usually a theme.
My theme last year was glowparty, and yep, and then so this
year kind of glow party too,because it was night hike, and
then my theme the other year waswe're in the county of Duval, so
it was called Duval Dads inDenham or Denim Dads in Duval,
(22:49):
something like that.
So we all just wore like funshorts, yeah.
So there's some sort of theme tomake it fun, yeah.
And then and then the next day,usually it's a it's a day hike
in the morning, so you meet up,I want to say like anywhere from
7 to 8 a.m.
Yeah, and you don't have to comedress, you don't have you could
just have walking shoes, youdon't have to dress up in gear,
(23:13):
you don't have to have metalplates, you don't have to have
pouches, you don't have to havetactical, cool stuff, tactical
gear, you know.
You don't have to have that.
Like a lot of times I just showup in my yoga pants and a shirt,
you know.
Number one, I can't really wearthe silkeys, I got thighs,
thunder thighs, okay?
So the chafing is real.
(23:33):
So yeah, so the next day we havethe we we muster or we gather
around, there's a safety brief,and then we go.
So there's volunteers.
You check in at the volunteerbooth, there's merch available a
lot of times, and sometimesthere's not.
There's always for my big hikes,I provide coffee and free
(23:53):
breakfast.
And then throughout the hike,you have your leader, and then
you have other people on thesame team who's kind of
wrangling everyone together.
We have support vehicles forpeople who can't walk far.
So we also have a guy who's atriple amputee, no legs, one
arm, and he does the hike withus.
So this is for all kinds ofbodies available.
(24:16):
That's good to know.
We have so we have what's calledfallout vehicles: a truck in the
front, truck in the back, andusually a truck in the middle or
a golf cart in the middle.
If you can't, if you can't hikeanymore or walk anymore, fall
out in one of those vehicles.
It's it's perfectly normal.
And I'm gonna tell you this Ihave arthritis and plantar
fasciitis, those long hikes.
I gotta have to fall out.
(24:37):
I I can't do it.
I can't.
So I'm very thankful for that.
We have volunteers throughoutthe hike passing out water,
Gatorade, snacks, trail mix,chips, crackers.
Okay, that's your girl.
Look for me at one of yourhikes.
Yep, we have that, and then wehave various stops.
It could be anywhere from two tothree stops to just one stop to
(24:58):
five stops.
It just depends on the hikeroute.
What people want to know is whatthe hike route is.
That is secret, it is asurprise.
That's why it keeps you focusedon making connections instead of
focusing on where we're goingnext.
Don't worry about it.
We're just hanging out with yourbuddies.
We'll we'll get there when Itell you.
You know, normally I put out alot of information.
(25:21):
I tell them this 0.5 miles untilour next stop.
So just follow us, we'll go.
So we'll for my hike, forinstance, for the big hike, we
hike around the block, we godown um a really busy street, we
like woo-hoo.
Everyone that says hi or in thebalconies, we woo-hoo to them.
SPEAKER_03 (25:40):
Um, I do see a lot of cheering.
I did love that, and I love andI record it, but I will say it
it just is like it gives youkind of that American pride
thing when you see these guyswalking down, men and women.
When I say guys, I'm from thenorth, so that means men and
women.
Yeah, but that's a southernthing.
(26:00):
But yeah, you can say that inthe north.
But I have been down here longenough that I should probably be
seeing.
SPEAKER_00 (26:06):
I do I do want to say that it is not politically
affiliated.
We do not represent anypolitical party.
So when you're seeing us in ourgear, proud to be military
veterans in American flag, Ilove that patriotic stuff.
We are not affiliated with anyuh political party.
I love that we are, and we'renot, and so we also give out
these mission cards.
So when people are asking, whatare you doing?
(26:28):
Somebody asked, is this a pride,gay pride parade?
Because of all how the silkyshorts, I get it.
It's a fair question.
It's a fair question.
It is so we give out these, wegive out the mission cards, it
gives out our mission.
We're preventing suicide, we'renot spreading awareness, we're
pre actively preventing it.
(26:50):
So we go down the street, wewoo-hoo around town.
My first stop is the park.
We this for bathroom breaks andall that stuff.
Mind you, no open containers.
And I don't care if who'sdrinking or everyone's a grown
adult, just follow the rules.
Yeah, you do you.
Yeah, don't have open opencontainers, don't get too drunk,
all that.
So, first stop, bathroom breakat the park.
(27:11):
We take a picture, group photo.
We do a big group photo, everysingle branch, female veterans,
and then fogs.
Fogs are effing old guys.
And then and then somebody askedme at the highest year, they're
like, What about the fogs?
I said, Oh, you want a pictureof the fogs?
Okay, 50 and up.
Get over here.
She's like, I don't like you,Lynn.
(27:35):
And I was like, Well, you askedfor it.
And I said, and I'm I'm rightbehind you, I'm almost there.
So anyway, we take all thephotos, make sure we have proof,
you know, with our littlebanner.
We walk down from the park, it'sabout 15 minutes off.
We walk down the park, down thebeach.
So we go up the beach, and we'rewoo-hooing up and down the
beach.
You know, some of the Marineslike to take a dip into the
(27:55):
water, but the the unit doesn'tstop.
We keep going.
Then we go out of the beach toour first bar stop.
And so last year that was ourlunch stop.
And lunch was catered, it'sprovided, it's free.
Then after that, so that's aboutan hour stop to give everyone
time to rest and get drinks,close out the tabs, and all that
stuff.
After that, we get went to aplace called Go Rut.
(28:17):
They make all the tactical stufflike backpacks, play cards, and
very cool.
We had the Delta, the thefounder of Delta Force came to
speak.
And yeah, and then they hadobstacle courses for us where um
Marines love this, where youpick heavy stuff up and put
heavy stuff back down.
SPEAKER_01 (28:34):
Um I gotta better back.
SPEAKER_00 (28:37):
Um, so we had that, and then you know, push-ups,
when you two push-ups, thingslike that.
If a marine sees a pull-up bar,they start lining up.
SPEAKER_01 (28:46):
They do.
Why?
SPEAKER_00 (28:47):
That's what Marine is.
Because that's what they know.
They're like, let's see how manypull-ups I can there.
So they do that.
So then our next stop, we wentto um another bar, restaurant,
grill, and then we hike backaround to another bar, and then
we hike back around around tothe fire station where I
coordinate with the fire stationto hose us all down because
(29:07):
we're almost at the end of ourhike.
So everybody like they they makethe hose like in the you know,
like that, and then everyonejust runs through it, and it's
just great.
Everyone just runs through thewater, and then make our way
back around to the VFW, and thenfood is after snacks is
provided.
We have sandwiches and crackersand so of food and sustenance on
(29:33):
these hikes.
The only thing that's providedis alcohol.
We don't we don't support thealcohol thing.
I don't care if you do it, youknow.
I don't care if you but I'm notgoing to provide it for you,
yeah.
SPEAKER_03 (29:46):
Right, yeah, yeah, yeah.
And I will say each hike isdifferent, like absolutely so so
and so some sometimes they do,yeah.
It's it's all different.
So let me ask you this thoughyou've been around and you've
been Doing this, what would yousay is your favorite?
Was there a favorite hike thatyou had or favorite?
Oh, okay, okay.
(30:07):
I'm gonna that was an easyquestion.
I'm gonna ask you outside ofyours, is there a location or a
hike that you really enjoy?
SPEAKER_00 (30:16):
I really like all the I mean, I'm just particular
to Florida.
So all the Florida hikesdestined for Walton.
We had one in Tampa for a while,South Florida and Fort
Lauderdale, Key West hikes areis a destination hike in the
world.
The bomb, we're gonna be there.
Suit Case David will be there.
That's December 13th.
That is December 13th guy.
So I would say all of Floridaones, but once you get down,
(30:37):
once you're done with that,every single hike has something
different offered, differentpeople.
The we are the largest group ofveterans out there is the GWAT
vets.
So there's so many of us outthere weren't like I said, most
150 cities, so most major citieshave it.
But yeah, I'm not done with thehike weekend.
So after the hike, oh sorry, I'mso sorry.
SPEAKER_03 (31:00):
Well, I think it's Saturday, so that's important.
SPEAKER_00 (31:02):
All right, all right.
We do a post-hike brief, andthen I'll usually there's um the
raffle, you must be present towin.
And then after that, there is anafter party or a meetup.
So there is an after party, youmeet somewhere else, do you do
the after party?
Then when that night is over,probably like three in the
morning, the next day peoplehave to leave.
So we meet up for brunch.
(31:23):
We normally have a brunch spotmeetup.
So and then people go out theirseparate ways.
So it is a full weekend fromFriday through Sunday, starting
with meet and greet, the hike,after party, and then brunch.
So if you can make it a weekend,please go.
I have I would say Tennesseehikes also wonderful hikes.
I and it's the funny thing islike my family is from Texas.
(31:45):
I still haven't made it out toTexas hike, and I need to.
I used to live in Galveston andin Houston, and then my family's
from Dallas and Fort Worth area,and then my in-laws live in
Canyon Lake, you know, hillcountry area.
SPEAKER_02 (31:58):
So I came from Dallas, Fort Worth.
So I've been trying to get mydad to the Dallas hike, he lives
like an hour outside of there.
SPEAKER_00 (32:04):
So I've been trying to get him there, and uh, so
I've been to the Virginia Beachhike, really great.
I've been to the Wilmington hikewhen it was on Carolina Beach,
awesome hike.
Yeah, I went to Nashville,really good hike.
Oh, it's really hilly, too.
I would I would recommend askthem is it flat or is it hilly?
So, you know, I'm from Florida,it's flat out here.
(32:26):
Like I went up to Tennessee andI'm like, Whoa, what what are
these mountains?
SPEAKER_03 (32:30):
And even in North Carolina, Pinehurst, we're
Pinehurst is hilly, NorthCarolina is hilly, depending on
when you go.
So that is a great question toask.
And when you're on the hikes, iswhat is the terrain?
Like, what am I looking at?
But the good thing is, like youmentioned before, you can always
come and do what you can justfor the connection.
And then if you can't make theactual full walk, you have those
(32:53):
people coming in to help youout.
But come still come for the forthe camaraderie.
SPEAKER_00 (32:58):
So you can ride on the the fallout vehicles.
The fallout vehicle is gonnastay with the element throughout
the whole hike, so you can ridein you can still ride with the
element right throughout thewhole thing.
They're not gonna take you backuntil like there's a long break
if you need it, but you can gojump in one of the trucks in the
beds or a golf cart orsomething.
It just depends on what theyhave available for every hike.
SPEAKER_02 (33:21):
So I know I've talked about all the different
locations and everything.
So what is and like I know I'mpersonally part of like maybe 15
different Facebook groups, butwhat is the best way for someone
to get started?
Would you recommend like thewebsite?
Do they start searchingFacebook?
How was the best way to find ahike?
SPEAKER_00 (33:36):
Well, it depends on what your social media outlet
is.
For us millennials, we likeFacebook because we're old,
right?
So like thank you for being sodirect about that because you're
right, it works.
You're born in the 1900s, okay,Denise.
If you're born in the 1900s, youare old, okay?
I know.
I just check your ID.
(33:56):
All they have to look is, oh,there's a 19 there.
You're good, right?
SPEAKER_02 (34:00):
I know.
SPEAKER_00 (34:01):
Yeah, you're born in the 1900s.
We're all born in the 1900s.
We like Facebook.
I, you know, that's how we keepin touch.
Now we have to keep in mind thatthere are like Gen Zs also that
are at our hike, and then wehave older Zenyels and X and
some boomers as well.
SPEAKER_02 (34:16):
Love that you know all the names of the
generations, first of all,because I don't know any of
those.
So thank you.
SPEAKER_00 (34:21):
It just depends on what outlet you get your media.
I agree.
Irreverentwarriors.com, thewebsite.
Is it from Facebook?
Is it from Twitter?
Is it from TikTok?
Is it from Instagram?
So all the information is there.
Just look up Irreverent Warriorsat whatever social media you
have.
Now, personally, I want to saythat we are heavily on Facebook.
We have lots of groups.
(34:42):
So whatever city you're at, oror even state you're at, put
North Carolina IrreverentWarriors, put South Carolina
Irreverent Warriors, whatever.
It's all gonna be out there.
Also, Grunt Style Foundation, weare under, we are with, we're
partners with GruntstyleFoundation.
Like we have merged with them.
SPEAKER_03 (35:01):
So And we will put all of this out there for on our
podcast.
Speaking of podcasts, though, mygirl has a podcast, Lynn.
SPEAKER_00 (35:09):
I do, it's called the Mental Health Warrior, and
we record live every Wednesdays,and then it's aired also again
on Fridays and Sundays on theiHeartRadio app, Spotify, and
Audacity app, or any apps thatyou get your podcasts on.
And we will link those as well.
SPEAKER_03 (35:27):
So going into your podcast, I know you're so
passionate about irreverentwarriors, and you said I could
talk all day.
You you I could I could talk allday.
All day long.
But we do want to give you ashout out to your podcast.
But so now moving towards, andwe will link your podcast too.
Now I have a question like, whatwas the most like person, what
(35:48):
was the most emotional guest orsomething, something that
changed you on your podcast?
Because you have veterans onyour podcast and you hear their
stories and you hear things thathappen.
Like, is there any one inparticular that like really
moved you or you know I startedmy podcasting in 2020 when we
were in during COVID dark times,yep.
SPEAKER_00 (36:10):
I had nobody, I didn't even know about IW.
I didn't know about theseveteran groups.
So I found these veteran groups.
So I'm with veteran trash talk,so you can link them also.
Veterantrashtalk.com.
On there, you can find all ofour podcasts in our merch.
Um, shameless plug, right?
But no worries.
One of the first women femaleveteran podcasts, and we talked
(36:33):
about military sexual trauma.
And unfortunately, one out ofevery three persons, this is
women and men, have gotten the Rwords assaulted.
So one out of N, I'm one ofthem, and and one out of three,
keep that in mind.
Keep that in mind.
(36:53):
So when you're talking aboutwhat is the most moving or like
what's the most heart-wrenching,I would say that's one.
I mean, I've had people on mypodcast that don't walk.
You know, I've had people like Ihave from all different
spectrums of different traumas,just hearing their stories, and
like at the end of the day, it'sall about improving your own
mental health and what you'redoing to make it better and to
(37:16):
destigmatize this, right?
And so um fortunately, the VAhas taken some strides that
there are actual clinics, andthis is why it's a problem in
the military.
Actual clinics that are calledMST clinics.
And what does MST stand for?
Military sexual trauma.
Military sexual trauma.
It is a big, big, big, big deal,and you can get PTSD from that.
(37:41):
So they have clinics like that.
So when I started my podcast, itwas about the stigmatism about
women in the military, right?
So a long time ago, people belike, Oh, you're so pretty, and
you're female, you're notveterans.
Oh, I want a veteran discount.
Okay, where's your husband?
Like, uh, no, period.
(38:01):
I am the vet.
I am veteran.
SPEAKER_01 (38:04):
Disrespectful, right?
SPEAKER_00 (38:05):
Yeah, well, and then I remember one year uh it was uh
uh Fabletics said we will onlygive discounts to male veterans
or something.
What?
Yeah, and it was like a big Allright, I'm gonna boycott
Fabletics.
They corrected themselves, okay.
They corrected themselves.
All right, good.
I was about to write a stronglyworded letter.
(38:28):
When it comes to veteran, it'severyone, and so that was one of
the leading podcasts who startthat that movie.
That's amazing.
I am the veteran.
I am I'm I'm not congratulating.
So I uh you know, a lot of ushave that sticker, like even on
my my decals, like my sticker onmy truck, it says Navy Woman
(38:50):
Veteran or woman Navy veteran orsomething like that, just to
make sure because I'll park inyou know veteran parking spots
or disabled parking spots, andthey'd be like, Well, who's a
veteran at?
Like, mother, you got me this,right?
SPEAKER_03 (39:07):
Listen, um, I'm glad that you're trained in like I
mean, you're like, do you reallywant to say that to a combat
veteran?
Right?
Like, I can kick your ass.
SPEAKER_00 (39:17):
I mean that parking for your husband.
Like, let me give you the bird.
So even I I had so that was myfirst podcast.
Now I have professionals thatare veteran business owners that
also help to work improve mentalhealth.
I'll have people who have camps,people who have farms, people
who have who have equinetherapy, people who do cold
(39:39):
plunge therapy, differentmodalities.
I have um healthcareprofessionals that come on, I
have business owners that go outthere, I have models that do
pinups, you know, on my podcast.
I have widows of 22 a day.
I have combat veteran spousesurvivors, you know, those those
(40:00):
white star survivors, I thinkthat's what they called, are
still, I don't know.
Don't don't don't persecute me.
SPEAKER_03 (40:07):
The point is too, but the point is it seems like
you your your support groups arephenomenal.
And we're gonna link all of themso that as you can, if you need
any kind of support, we can findLen will help you reach out to
any support, and she will getyou where you want to be.
But in wrapping up, do you haveanything else?
(40:29):
Like, is there a a hike goingforward that you think everybody
should be at?
Or it's just really they're allamazing.
Like, what do you think?
What are your final closingpoints?
SPEAKER_00 (40:38):
If you want to look at a hike, or you want to find
one near you, go to irreverentwarriors.com.
On there, you can search eithercommunities or search next event
near you.
So you can always find somethingnear you that is probably
drivable and stuff.
And so, like I said, theactually the hikes cost either
five dollars or for free.
Most people sign up for free,and then uh food and all that
(41:01):
stuff is food and water andGatorade is provided.
Right.
So you really don't need anyexpense other than gas.
Most veterans will get to a hikeand they'll say, Let's share a
room, or or you can get to ahike and be like, I don't have a
place to stay.
Can I have a couch to crash on?
And so you don't need any muchthat much expenses.com, you can
(41:23):
find everything on there.
As far as podcasts go, you canfind veteran trash talk.com.
Okay, you can go on there.
SPEAKER_02 (41:30):
One thing I do want to just kind of remind people,
and maybe you can also speak onthis, these do happen every
weekend all across the country,world, etc.
So there's always anopportunity, you know,
somewhere.
SPEAKER_00 (41:42):
Absolutely, absolutely.
SPEAKER_02 (41:43):
We have one in Vegas in December, so even in
December, and even when you weretalking about some of those
events, well, I don't know ifanyone in Florida is listening.
I know they're having Epcot Daycoming up.
I know South Florida's comingup, Key West is still later this
year.
So if you're in the Floridaarea, there's definitely some
events happening.
SPEAKER_00 (42:01):
Absolutely, absolutely.
I want to thank you guys forhaving me on the podcast so
much.
And if you guys need anything,the listeners out there, find me
online.
Pacific Tita is what I go by, myonline persona.
And I also have a link tree outthere.
Just look for Pacific Tita, likePacific, like the ocean, Tita
T-I-T-A.
SPEAKER_03 (42:20):
And we'll absolutely tag all of these on our podcast.
So thank you so much, Len, forbeing here.
And I think that's gonna wrap upour episode today.
So, guys, there's support outthere.
Go find it.
Absolutely.
And thank you for your service,Len, and thank you for your
service to all of our veteransout there.
Thank you.
Yeah.
Popular Podcasts
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
The Bobby Bones Show
Listen to 'The Bobby Bones Show' by downloading the daily full replay.