October 25, 2024 • 32 mins
Sandra Brownlee is a retired Master Sergeant of the U.S. Army and the visionary behind Discovering Soldiers Potential II (DSPII), a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering veterans and their families. With over 27 years of service in the Army Medical Department, Sandra deeply understands the challenges soldiers face during and after their military careers. She founded the Waypoint Veteran Service Centers to provide veterans with transitional support, housing assistance, and employment services, offering them the care and resources they need at no cost. Sandra’s commitment to service and leadership continues to impact countless lives beyond the uniform.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:15):
Are you a transitioning military or veteran woman looking for support,
guidance and inspiration. You've come to the right place. Welcome
to Living Unapologetically Beyond the Uniform with your host, Renee
Jones Hudson. Renee brings powerful stories, practical advice, and expert
insights to help you redifine, rediscover, and reaffirm your life
(00:38):
after military service, whether navigating a career change, seeking personal growth,
or focusing on your well being. We are here to
empower you every step of the way. So welcome the
host of Living Unapologetically Beyond the Uniform, Renee Jones Hudson.
Let's embark on this journey together.
Speaker 2 (01:03):
Hello, Hello, and welcome to Living Unapologetically Beyond the Uniform.
I'm your host, Renee john Sussen, a retired Army veteran,
empowerment coach and financial strategist. So this show is all
about helping female veterans navigate the challenging yet rewarding transition
(01:25):
from military life to thriving in the civilian world. Each week,
I bring on inspiring guests who have walked this path
and share their stories of resilience, leadership, and growth, empowering
you to reclaim your power and purpose beyond the uniform.
So this week I am honored to introduce an incredible guest,
(01:49):
Sondra Brownlee. Sondra is a retired Master Sergeant with over
twenty seven years of service in the Army Medical Department.
She is the visionary behind Discos of Ring Soldiers Potential
to the Second Time Around, a nonprofit organization that empowers
veterans and their families through transition support, housing assistance, and
(02:11):
employment services. Her leadership and commitment to veterans have impacted
many lives, and today we'll dive into her inspiring journey,
her transition to civilian life, and the amazing work she's
doing to support veterans. Sondra, Welcome to the show.
Speaker 3 (02:31):
Good morning or afternoon. I guess I should say we're
close enough. How are you?
Speaker 2 (02:37):
I am well. I am so happy to have you
on the show. I should have told a little bit
about how we met, because I am truly a fan.
As you know, I call her boss everyone because she's
just She's just. I remember the first time I met Sondra,
I didn't really know her. We are both part of
(02:58):
another group, and I remember when she walked in, she
was talking like I felt like I was back in
the service. I was like, I don't know if I
should salute, go to parade rest. I don't know what
to do. But she was so commanding, but it was
still engaging. She was still you know, she just had
a presence about her. And later I had to do
(03:20):
a project with the city and I was like, I
need to know how many veterans are in the city
of Britain, and everyone I talked to there like, you
gotta talk to Sondra. So I was like, I don't
know who Sondra is. I had her phone number on
my phone and then we called. I talked to her.
She was like I was like, oh, I know you,
but just meeting her and then just you'll hear more
(03:43):
about her journey, her baby, that we're both apart. I'm
proud to be her vice president. She's a great mentor,
a big sister. I'm learning from her in every aspect.
So Sondra, just tell us a little about yourself, a
little bit about yourself, and then we're going to go
into some questions about how you're living unapologetically beyond the uniform.
(04:06):
So give us a brief synopsis of who you are
and how you got here.
Speaker 3 (04:11):
I have never had an introduction like that in my life.
Can we record that? Just keep it and use it
for every time I go somewhere, because that was fantastic.
Thank you. I feel like I feel warm, I feel welcomed,
And I tell you, I can't tell you. And people
(04:32):
always ask, and the first thing they always say to
me is, why did you join the militaries? I was
your million dollar question, what'd you join? And my madi answers,
I don't know. I honestly do not know. There was
no family lineage of people in the military. There was
no influences around me that I was aware of at
the time that were military related because I just didn't know.
(04:55):
And growing up it was doing that Vietnam era, so
I didn't know that era at the time. So I
chalk it up to a couple of things. I think
maybe I wanted to see something different. I was an
avid reader growing up, so I wanted to see all
the places I'd read about, and I thought, hey, the
military might be a good way to do it. Plus
I can run, I can do pushups. I'm pretty athletic
(05:16):
do that. Plus I had a dad that was a
disciplinarian my mom and dad didn't play. So I follow
rules very well, and so I actually joined early. I
had joined on the delayed entry, and of course my
parents were like, that's not going to happen. I don't
even know what are you talking about. Go sit down,
that's not going to happen. So I actually had to
(05:36):
wait a whole year where I could actually join myself,
and my parents were not allowing it. Now, mind you
that the most proudest people I could ever come across,
you know, based on what I've done for this country.
So that was my journey beginning. And I knew that
I enjoyed helping people, even at that young age. I
knew I was going to be some type of medical professional,
(05:57):
some way of helping people, because I did that also
through high school in this medical service program they had
in high school. And so I knew what my path
was supposed to be. I just didn't know what route
it was going to take. It I can appreciate it. Yeah, yeah,
So the military, I don't want you.
Speaker 2 (06:15):
To answer all my questions before I ask them, Okay, okay,
so because you know we can, we can talk very long. Okay.
So with over twenty seven years in the military, especially
in the aim at Army Medical Department. You've seen firsthand
the challenges soldiers faced during and after their military careers. Right,
(06:39):
so what inspired you to find or to you know,
create discovering soldier's potential the second time around? The two
on that means the second time around, and it's kind
of like a two part question. And how is that transition,
your transition influenced how you serve veterans today.
Speaker 3 (07:00):
I always use myself as an example. I never use
anyone as I use myself. And what I, as a
twenty seven year vet, would have expected to receive leaving
the Armed forces, and I have to explain to the
world outside of the military, is that what people don't
realize when you actually go into that little room at
that MED station and raise your hand, you are actually
(07:21):
begetting a transitional process yourself to become a fighting force
to protect this country. And so everything that you are
used to knowing is actually removed from your thought process.
You're supposed to be converted to be one fighting union.
And that's what those drill sergeants job was to do.
And so with that being said, it works well for
(07:45):
us because we follow a direct path and our mission
to protect this country, and we do that very well
with such a small force. The problem is that only
works while you're on active duty, because there's pieces to
the puzzle and you're a piece to that puzzle. And
so I did that for twenty seven years. So of
course I was military oriented. That's all I knew. I mean,
(08:08):
even having children's the military, even their military oriented based
on what you do. Everything is based on that protocol.
So when you decide to hang up your boots and
retire and or just leave the service because you feel
you've done your part, what the shortcomings is. And we
have great transitional services on installation that you're supposed to
(08:29):
have opportunity to do. But we also know the realism
of the world is we have a small fighting force
and if you're an intricate part, it's not so easy
just to release you to go prepare yourself for civilian world.
We have to be realistic about certain things. And once
again I'm using myself as an example as a senior
no income, you don't get that six months to a
year to actually become demilitarized, as I say, And so
(08:52):
because of that, you leave the force looking for those
things that you're used to getting on active duty. I
tell people all the time, the military is spoils us
because we only have to focus on one thing, protecting
this country.
Speaker 2 (09:05):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (09:06):
So if you have a headache, you know, there's a medache.
If you your money loan, there's a finance building. If
you're hungry, there's a mentalhole. If you're sleepy, mean, for
everything that you need, they're all taken care of. Yeah,
and it's not like that, yeah, you.
Speaker 2 (09:22):
Know, And and that's kind of why I wanted to
do this. This part is two parts, right, to help
our veterans transition, you know, as best as you know
we can, and to educate people that the transition we
have to transition as well. You know, the way we
went in is not how we came out. We are
(09:43):
literally structured or what's the word programmed, you know, for
lack of a better term, to do things a specific way.
So for us, the way we process things, you know,
we're always one step ahead or maybe ten, you know,
on this side of the fence. So I appreciate you
sharing that. One of the things I would really love
(10:05):
for you to share because I know you is your
your path to starting discovering soldier's potential. And I want
you to talk about, you know, where you started with
the dunkin Donuts. I really want to, really because I
love that because you know, we're so like you said,
we're so programmed to serve that. It's something sometimes we
(10:29):
cannot help, right and it's oftentimes misunderstood, but we're we're
very resilient. We have a know how or we we
know we know how to tap into resources to provide support.
So tell us a little bit about your story and
how you where you started in dunkin Donuts.
Speaker 3 (10:50):
You know, I was actually I'm kind of like a
little bit off in that market because I was coming
down the highway coming from somewhere North Atlanta and I
was getting on the exit where for Gillium is and
there was a guy standing there and hit the sign
of it says I'm a veteran's at this gas station corner.
He's like, I'm a veteran and I'm homeless and I
need food and so okay. So if you're a veteran
(11:15):
or serving the armed forces, you know that that's sort
of like a computer glitch. It just doesn't compute that
the first thing he sees a veteran who's homeless and
need food. It was like, this doesn't even make sense.
So because it didn't make sense to me, I pulled
over the station and I walked up to the guy
and I was like, excuse me, I just want to
ask you something. Where did you serve and how long
(11:36):
did you serve? And he told me, because you got
to verify certain things that said did you have a
d D two fourteen? He was like, who are you?
And I told who I was. I was like, I
want to help you. If this is the situation you're in,
tell me what situation you're in. And he said he
was living in this shelter, but he had attempted to
go to the VA and he didn't have he didn't
(11:56):
know how to process, he didn't know how to do
those playing he's already getting rolled, and because he didn't
have an address at the time, he couldn't get enrolled.
It was just a lot of things he said that
were I don't know if they were true or not,
but this is the story that was given to me.
And so because of that, I said, I tell you
what you do? You see this dunkin donuts here? It
was the one indicator over by the south of Camp Mall.
(12:20):
He said, I said, meet me at this duck in
Donuts tomorrow morning about nine o'clock. You're going to be here.
And he's like, yes, ma'am, I'll be here. So I
showed up the next day there and I had my
little laptop and my little paperwork and stuff. And you know,
I tracked by saying, you know, being an IG in
the military in the Medical Service Code was a great benefit.
I learned a lot of what right looks like. And
(12:41):
so enrolling him was very simple. He had his DD
two fourteen. I mean, that's the magic sheet, and you
have that thing, you're well on your way to being successful.
So getting him roll was not that difficult. And then
from there you find shelter to place him, and there
was at the time of shelter downtown that were housing
veterans on the fourth floor. There was a great place
for him to be. But in that process of getting
(13:03):
him enrolled, he was in able to start going to
the VA for these services. And then I did foil
his conversation in that dunk and Donuts now and so
from him I get a call during the week of
him saying I have a friend could you see him
at Duncer Donuts and so dunk and Donuts at that location,
I think for the next six months, I was there
(13:24):
every Monday and Thursday, and there was always folks waiting
to see me. And then I think I may probably
went to maybe forty different ducat Donuts across the state
until I actually found a hard top home in Spalding County.
But until then, yeah, we were laptop will travel. Duncket
Donuts was fantastic because, I mean the people there, guys
(13:45):
so used to seeing me, especially one in Riverdale. I
liked those guys because they would give me an ice
cream cone if I was still working after one o'clock
or they knew I had a coffee I liked, so
they'd always get it ready and they would say this, really,
do you want this today? And I'll be thinking, you
already know me. So they of the best people. So Dunky,
don't you have a great crew of folks. I always
tell folks that's my favorite place to go is dunck
(14:05):
and Donuts because they allowed me to sit in that
corner and take care of veterans. Unbeknownst to them, they
had free WiFi, so that was fantastic, and then they
didn't care about what that veteran looked like or what
he was going through because they weren't always in the
best Some of them were homeless, but no one would
bother us as we you know, as I did what
I did to help what I could at the time.
(14:27):
And that let where we are right now.
Speaker 2 (14:30):
And I want to give a shout out to Duncan
Donuts Indicator, thank you, because now now our journey from
Duncan Donuts is to two locations, two locations in what
seven years? And yes, it's amazing. So I want you
to share that story every time someone asks you how
(14:51):
you guys are to start with Duncan.
Speaker 3 (14:57):
Okay, all right, Duncan's okay with me, okay, okay, So.
Speaker 2 (15:01):
We're gonna switch gears a little bit. You know about leadership,
because that's been your life too, right, serving in the
military as a leader and everything. What are some of
those key moments when you had to redefine yourself as
a leader in civilian life and how did you kind
(15:22):
of navigate those changes?
Speaker 3 (15:26):
So I'll tell you the first way I had to
was I had taken a year off from work when
I first got out of the service, sort of like
comers have taken a hiatus, you know, done twenty seven years.
I need to take a breather. But then after as
I wanted to work. So I went over to the
unemployment office, which is the veteran service department there, and
I was telling them I was looking for a job,
you know, and he saw that I had the ability,
(15:49):
has you know, some background or degree background. So he
was like, you know, I having this great teaching job.
It's at this post secondary school where they teach medical
assisting and all this, and I thought, okay, it's my world.
Unbeknownst to be, I'm not a teacher. I'm not even
teaching material. But didn't know that then. I was only thinking,
you know, drill sergeants, they know how to lead and
(16:10):
do And so I went over. They accepted me into
the program. They you know, I got the job. I
loved my executive director, she was fantastic, and they gave
me this really defunct program that was not getting folks
enrolled and people didn't want to take the program. And
it was a four part program, so that was a
little more extensive than just medical assisting. So my job
(16:31):
was to revive this program. Well, okay, that's exactly what
I did. I went to the recruiters there and between
the two of us, we started to actually advertise this program.
And then once I got the kids in the door,
the job was. You just gave these folks fourteen thousand dollars.
I gotta get you trained and get you hired. You
got to pay that money back. And what I realized
(16:52):
that all the directors weren't thinking that way. I'm thinking
military wise. I'm thinking mission completion. And so we worked
very hard, and thank goodness to having connections in the
medical field from you know, being at Fort Macpherson and
being the chief medical there for years, and at the
MEP station on Fort Gilliam for a few years there,
I got to know a lot of medical professionals who
(17:15):
were willing to hire these young folks. So, needless to say,
I created a whole little platoon of your young PCTs
who wanted to do great stuff. And we inspected our
uniforms every day, we did physical fitness training. I mean,
we just sort of set a whole new presidents. But
unbeknownst to me, that did not go well with the
(17:36):
rest of the departments. I sort of overshadow that, and
I'm looking at perfection, which is the military expects of
us to do things and do them one hundred percent.
Most civilian communities may not think that way per se Y,
and it was evident because I was I was fired.
I found out what at will means in this state.
(17:57):
It means that they can fire you at I was like,
what did it even mean?
Speaker 2 (18:01):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (18:02):
You never think about different thing.
Speaker 2 (18:05):
From what we know for seven three sixty five.
Speaker 3 (18:09):
So yeah, yeah, so you know, and I have.
Speaker 2 (18:13):
I've had some similar experiences and you know, being the
person that I am, you know, and I think we're
similar in that way too. We are always wanting to help.
I didn't really receive I didn't understand why it wasn't
received because in my mind, I'm just trying to help, right,
(18:35):
And for a little while it really affected me because
it was taken out of context when like I said,
we're programmed to get the mission done by any means necessary,
except unless it's you know, it has to be ethical
and moral, right, But we're so programmed at getting the
(18:56):
mission done, and we're when we know how to tap intos.
We may not have the skill set, but we may
know someone that does. So we're all and I feel
like with us and you can correct me from wrong.
It's almost like we're constantly redefining and trying to figure
out where we fit in because we do have so
(19:18):
many skill sets that we can tap into. You know
that that on the civilians, which is this is kind
of what I want you to talk to as well,
because which is why we offer the support that we
do at DSP waypoint, because it's helping them to transition
from the military, transition your skills to civilian life, you know,
and you can kind of speak to that a little bit.
(19:40):
How do we help them with that? Like how can
we support or how can they you know, garner the
support they need in that area.
Speaker 3 (19:49):
So the first thing in they I realized is that
it's not so much as getting the veteran prepared for
the community. It's getting the community prepared for the veteran.
And so that's what people don't realize. The community is
more than overjoyed and more than proud of our veterans.
They love the military, they love how we protect this country,
and they want to do everything they can, but sometimes
(20:12):
they don't know how or they don't know what to say.
And oftentimes they show that through sympathy and empathy, and
sometimes those are not the tools that are good us
on a soldier or a veteran. Sometimes we need good
hole solid facts. So my job, initially, I believe, was
to enlighten the community on exactly how you could actually
(20:34):
help a veteran versus because you can thank them for
their service and they're very appreciative, but the next million
other questions should be like, hey, have you been enrolled
in the VA, or hey, do you know what compensation is?
If you don't, you need to go to waypoint and
let them tell you what this means. And so I
want to I want to armor up the community and
(20:56):
give them the tools needed to be able to help
these veterans move forward and transition, and even family, more
so families, because we're the most We receive more sympathy
from our families because they just don't know anything else.
And not only that, they immediately think that there's either
something not right with us, or we're different. We sound
(21:17):
the same and we look the same, but they know
that they're not the same person. So helping a family
understand who that veteran is in their space helps them
understand how they can better help. And so my biggest
job going into any community, opening up any service centers,
first of all, getting the community on board and understanding
why it's important to transition veterans properly.
Speaker 2 (21:40):
Yeah, I love that. So dspak to offers services to
veterans and families at no cost, right, which speaks volumes
to your commitment to serve, Like I love that because
you're not on active duty, but you the mission still continues, right,
So how do you say true to your mission and
(22:01):
maintain that drive to continue serving others? I mean, even
after such a long military career, how do you keep
that fire going?
Speaker 3 (22:12):
You know, some people join the military for various reasons.
Some people join because they want to go to school.
Some people join because they want the adventure, some people
join because they want maturity. But some people really do
join because they want to be a part of something
bigger that's going to help people. Really and not trying
(22:32):
to sound all patriotic or anything like that, because you
know me, I'm human, I can go over at anytime,
but I really truly join because I wanted to help people.
I want to see the world, but I wanted to
do good in the process of because I wanted to
make sure that all that work and hard work and
sacrifice my mom and dad did go through that, I
was going to show them that they raise somebody good.
(22:55):
And so I know that sounds hokey. I mean it's
sound corny, but it's a fact. And So after twenty
seven years of service and going through some stuff, coming
back out and just sitting around knowing there were things
that were undone just did not make sense to me.
Speaker 2 (23:14):
Yeah, you know, I love this quote by lesbron I
say it all the time. You can't see the picture
when you're in the frame, right, and my you know,
like I said, I've said this before. You know, when
we're serving in the military, when we're soldiers, we don't
see veterans, right, we see the mission head only serving.
We're working with soldiers, that's our mission. But coming out
(23:35):
and you see it's almost like there's more there's more
support needed as veterans than it is as soldiers, because
like you said, we have all those resources at our fingertips, right,
and it's people like you and I who have overcome
Because it's not saying that we haven't had our fair
share of struggles or we're not struggling, but we've tapped
(23:57):
into something that help us to keep moving. Right. So,
in saying all of that, you've dedicated your life to
impowerm veterans and their families. So what advice do you
have for veterans, especially women, struggling to rediscover their sense
of purpose and identity after leaving the military.
Speaker 3 (24:22):
I think the first most important thing is to make
sure that you're transitioned. Make sure so you can come
out and get the best job on the planet you
can get a lot of people do that, but I
will tell you, within a year's time, you're going to
start to feel the pressure of trying to take your
old self and make it into a new self. And
(24:42):
it's like putting around Pagan a square hole or whatever
that saying. Is it really truly is? And I'm witness
to that. I And here's the kicker, Renee. It doesn't
matter if you starve for two years or twenty seven years.
Your mindset is different. It has to be converted back
to a way of thinking that it's more amenable to
the community. Because we were raised to do one thing
(25:05):
in the military, and that's be a superhero. We were
trained to defend against all enemy. We were trained to
be willing to take a bullet for this country. So
our thought process is more heroic and more We just
put ourselves in a category that only less than one
percent of this country will do. So we feel that
(25:28):
that makes a special that The problem is when you
leave that you know that league of justice called the military,
you become just a regular civilian. You have to understand
just like Clark Kenton. Then I'm not compared us to
superheroes of that way. We just know that when you
put on the suit, he had act a certain way
(25:48):
versus what he had on his superhero outfit. And especially
with women, because it's funny that after twenty seven years
of service, if people didn't know me, they would never
assume that I served. We are always invisible heroes because
I call us the Wonder Womans because we are in
that invisible plane and I guess they don't see us
(26:09):
unless we have on that uniform, and so we're the
ones who number one. You have to make sure you
define yourself, take a moment to figure out who you
are and make sure you are getting all of those services,
be the physical, compensatable, or mental and there's nothing wrong
with it. I check my mental status every day. I
(26:30):
have to based on what I do for other people,
because I take on a lot of other people's mental
So you have to make sure you keep your stuff
in intact. But love you, that's the first thing. So
when you love you like Mysteryne loved her selfie, which
you it's evident to see, and I hope there's everything
that I do love myself, then you can do whatever
(26:51):
you want. You do whatever you want. We're gonna do
enough private. Yo.
Speaker 2 (26:58):
Yes, you know one of the one of the things
you said that I absolutely agreed agree with now that
I know better, but I didn't do myself. I do
believe that once we get out, especially if you serve
for a long time like you and I we served
over twenty years. I really do believe we should take
(27:18):
some time to decompress.
Speaker 3 (27:20):
Do not rush back.
Speaker 2 (27:22):
This is my belief. This is not what I'm telling
anybody to do, but I do because I didn't do
this either. But it's an advice that I'm gonna put
out there. Don't rush back into the workforce because actually
you really don't know what that's like. Even if you
get back into the federal government as a civilian, it's
still different, right, So take some time, you know, and
(27:45):
it doesn't mean that the time is going to completely
transition you. It's just it gives you some time to
reset a little bit and prepare yourself and like you said,
find the resources to support figure out what do I
need to transition because one of our biggest challenges many
of us is the mental health piece, right, trying to
(28:06):
sift through that. So we're almost coming to the close,
but I want to ask you this, how are you
living unapologetically today?
Speaker 3 (28:21):
First of all, I'm very proud that I'm sixty two,
and I tell everybody that knows me, yes, I'm sixty
two and living it and loving it. So I'm unapologetic
about my age number one umber two. I'm unapologetic about
what I do and what I say because two of
things you always keep in mind. I never have ill
intentions in mind to ever hurt anyone, but I always
(28:41):
want my veterans to know fact. The fact is what
you need. So if I have to give that thing
to you straight, no chaser, that's exactly how you take
that shot. But it's for you good. I'm going to
take care of you, that's for sure.
Speaker 2 (28:54):
Yes, and she is telling the truth. I told you
I didn't know whether to salute or go to parade rests.
I just sat still. But I love that she is
very open, very transparent, and she does everything with love.
I am proud to be your VP, and I am
looking forward to continuing to learn from you and to serve.
So yeah, thank you everyone for joining us today. This
(29:17):
was our guest today was Miss Sondra Brownlee of DSP
two Waypoint. So, Sandra, I want to last thing, How
can our guests find you? How can we reach you? Well,
there's several ways you can reach me. You can always
go to our website which is Dspwaypoint dot org and
learn everything about us. You can even put in an
(29:38):
application right there online. If you're needing assistance.
Speaker 3 (29:41):
And understand what we say, sis does that mean in any aspect?
We've covered all the gasment. These are free services. So
if you need legal advice, I have a couple of
judges who are willing to go to out there and
give you free legal advice. If you need housing advice,
if you need whatever it is. There is no question
that you can't ask. So we have a list of
(30:02):
things that we offer. But my thing is whatever that
what if question is, be it you the veteran or
your family member. Understand we do take care of your
family members. We know you come as a package deal,
even the dogs. So if you have any questions about
any of these things, just do not hesitate to contact us.
Our informations on the website. I think we have a
Facebook page and some other Twitter stuff that I'm not
(30:24):
keen over. I know we got all that kind of thing.
But anyway you reach out to us, we will gladly
reach out back to you. And you do not have
to live in the state of Georgia. We serviced veterans
all over this country. We do do things you know
through via web or zoom and or email, so the
sound of my voice, if you need assistance with transitions,
we will take care of it and we would do
(30:45):
it free. We do have certified vsos on board to
make sure we give you the best possible care to
share that you get what you deserve. Thank you for
your service. I'm proud of each and every one of you,
and you like my family.
Speaker 2 (30:57):
So let's do thissode again. Everyone is dspwaypoint dot org,
so reach out and we will definitely provide you with
the support that you need. So thank you everyone. That's
it for today. Thank you for joining us on living
unapologetically beyond the Uniform. I hope today's episode left you
(31:18):
feeling inspired and empowered to take on your next chapter
with confidence and purpose. Remember, your journey doesn't end when
the uniform comes off. It's just the beginning. So if
you enjoy today's conversation, don't forget to subscribe, to share,
and leave us a review until next So join me
again next Friday at eleven am for another powerful episode
(31:42):
as we continue to redefine what it means to thrive
beyond the uniform. Until then, keep living unapologetically.
Speaker 1 (31:54):
This has been living Unapologetically Beyond the Uniform with your host,
Renee Jones. We hope you found inspiration and valuable insights
in today's episode. Remember your journey of redefining, rediscovering, and
reaffirming your life post military is unique and powerful. Stay
connected with us for more stories, advice and support. Until
(32:18):
next time, Stay strong and stay empowered. Listen Friday's eleven
am Eastern on the Bold Brave TV Network powered by
B two Studios
Are you a transitioning military or veteran woman looking for support,
guidance and inspiration. You've come to the right place. Welcome
to Living Unapologetically Beyond the Uniform with your host, Renee
Jones Hudson. Renee brings powerful stories, practical advice, and expert
insights to help you redifine, rediscover, and reaffirm your life
(00:38):
after military service, whether navigating a career change, seeking personal growth,
or focusing on your well being. We are here to
empower you every step of the way. So welcome the
host of Living Unapologetically Beyond the Uniform, Renee Jones Hudson.
Let's embark on this journey together.
Speaker 2 (01:03):
Hello, Hello, and welcome to Living Unapologetically Beyond the Uniform.
I'm your host, Renee john Sussen, a retired Army veteran,
empowerment coach and financial strategist. So this show is all
about helping female veterans navigate the challenging yet rewarding transition
(01:25):
from military life to thriving in the civilian world. Each week,
I bring on inspiring guests who have walked this path
and share their stories of resilience, leadership, and growth, empowering
you to reclaim your power and purpose beyond the uniform.
So this week I am honored to introduce an incredible guest,
(01:49):
Sondra Brownlee. Sondra is a retired Master Sergeant with over
twenty seven years of service in the Army Medical Department.
She is the visionary behind Discos of Ring Soldiers Potential
to the Second Time Around, a nonprofit organization that empowers
veterans and their families through transition support, housing assistance, and
(02:11):
employment services. Her leadership and commitment to veterans have impacted
many lives, and today we'll dive into her inspiring journey,
her transition to civilian life, and the amazing work she's
doing to support veterans. Sondra, Welcome to the show.
Speaker 3 (02:31):
Good morning or afternoon. I guess I should say we're
close enough. How are you?
Speaker 2 (02:37):
I am well. I am so happy to have you
on the show. I should have told a little bit
about how we met, because I am truly a fan.
As you know, I call her boss everyone because she's
just She's just. I remember the first time I met Sondra,
I didn't really know her. We are both part of
(02:58):
another group, and I remember when she walked in, she
was talking like I felt like I was back in
the service. I was like, I don't know if I
should salute, go to parade rest. I don't know what
to do. But she was so commanding, but it was
still engaging. She was still you know, she just had
a presence about her. And later I had to do
(03:20):
a project with the city and I was like, I
need to know how many veterans are in the city
of Britain, and everyone I talked to there like, you
gotta talk to Sondra. So I was like, I don't
know who Sondra is. I had her phone number on
my phone and then we called. I talked to her.
She was like I was like, oh, I know you,
but just meeting her and then just you'll hear more
(03:43):
about her journey, her baby, that we're both apart. I'm
proud to be her vice president. She's a great mentor,
a big sister. I'm learning from her in every aspect.
So Sondra, just tell us a little about yourself, a
little bit about yourself, and then we're going to go
into some questions about how you're living unapologetically beyond the uniform.
(04:06):
So give us a brief synopsis of who you are
and how you got here.
Speaker 3 (04:11):
I have never had an introduction like that in my life.
Can we record that? Just keep it and use it
for every time I go somewhere, because that was fantastic.
Thank you. I feel like I feel warm, I feel welcomed,
And I tell you, I can't tell you. And people
(04:32):
always ask, and the first thing they always say to
me is, why did you join the militaries? I was
your million dollar question, what'd you join? And my madi answers,
I don't know. I honestly do not know. There was
no family lineage of people in the military. There was
no influences around me that I was aware of at
the time that were military related because I just didn't know.
(04:55):
And growing up it was doing that Vietnam era, so
I didn't know that era at the time. So I
chalk it up to a couple of things. I think
maybe I wanted to see something different. I was an
avid reader growing up, so I wanted to see all
the places I'd read about, and I thought, hey, the
military might be a good way to do it. Plus
I can run, I can do pushups. I'm pretty athletic
(05:16):
do that. Plus I had a dad that was a
disciplinarian my mom and dad didn't play. So I follow
rules very well, and so I actually joined early. I
had joined on the delayed entry, and of course my
parents were like, that's not going to happen. I don't
even know what are you talking about. Go sit down,
that's not going to happen. So I actually had to
(05:36):
wait a whole year where I could actually join myself,
and my parents were not allowing it. Now, mind you
that the most proudest people I could ever come across,
you know, based on what I've done for this country.
So that was my journey beginning. And I knew that
I enjoyed helping people, even at that young age. I
knew I was going to be some type of medical professional,
(05:57):
some way of helping people, because I did that also
through high school in this medical service program they had
in high school. And so I knew what my path
was supposed to be. I just didn't know what route
it was going to take. It I can appreciate it. Yeah, yeah,
So the military, I don't want you.
Speaker 2 (06:15):
To answer all my questions before I ask them, Okay, okay,
so because you know we can, we can talk very long. Okay.
So with over twenty seven years in the military, especially
in the aim at Army Medical Department. You've seen firsthand
the challenges soldiers faced during and after their military careers. Right,
(06:39):
so what inspired you to find or to you know,
create discovering soldier's potential the second time around? The two
on that means the second time around, and it's kind
of like a two part question. And how is that transition,
your transition influenced how you serve veterans today.
Speaker 3 (07:00):
I always use myself as an example. I never use
anyone as I use myself. And what I, as a
twenty seven year vet, would have expected to receive leaving
the Armed forces, and I have to explain to the
world outside of the military, is that what people don't
realize when you actually go into that little room at
that MED station and raise your hand, you are actually
(07:21):
begetting a transitional process yourself to become a fighting force
to protect this country. And so everything that you are
used to knowing is actually removed from your thought process.
You're supposed to be converted to be one fighting union.
And that's what those drill sergeants job was to do.
And so with that being said, it works well for
(07:45):
us because we follow a direct path and our mission
to protect this country, and we do that very well
with such a small force. The problem is that only
works while you're on active duty, because there's pieces to
the puzzle and you're a piece to that puzzle. And
so I did that for twenty seven years. So of
course I was military oriented. That's all I knew. I mean,
(08:08):
even having children's the military, even their military oriented based
on what you do. Everything is based on that protocol.
So when you decide to hang up your boots and
retire and or just leave the service because you feel
you've done your part, what the shortcomings is. And we
have great transitional services on installation that you're supposed to
(08:29):
have opportunity to do. But we also know the realism
of the world is we have a small fighting force
and if you're an intricate part, it's not so easy
just to release you to go prepare yourself for civilian world.
We have to be realistic about certain things. And once
again I'm using myself as an example as a senior
no income, you don't get that six months to a
year to actually become demilitarized, as I say, And so
(08:52):
because of that, you leave the force looking for those
things that you're used to getting on active duty. I
tell people all the time, the military is spoils us
because we only have to focus on one thing, protecting
this country.
Speaker 2 (09:05):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (09:06):
So if you have a headache, you know, there's a medache.
If you your money loan, there's a finance building. If
you're hungry, there's a mentalhole. If you're sleepy, mean, for
everything that you need, they're all taken care of. Yeah,
and it's not like that, yeah, you.
Speaker 2 (09:22):
Know, And and that's kind of why I wanted to
do this. This part is two parts, right, to help
our veterans transition, you know, as best as you know
we can, and to educate people that the transition we
have to transition as well. You know, the way we
went in is not how we came out. We are
(09:43):
literally structured or what's the word programmed, you know, for
lack of a better term, to do things a specific way.
So for us, the way we process things, you know,
we're always one step ahead or maybe ten, you know,
on this side of the fence. So I appreciate you
sharing that. One of the things I would really love
(10:05):
for you to share because I know you is your
your path to starting discovering soldier's potential. And I want
you to talk about, you know, where you started with
the dunkin Donuts. I really want to, really because I
love that because you know, we're so like you said,
we're so programmed to serve that. It's something sometimes we
(10:29):
cannot help, right and it's oftentimes misunderstood, but we're we're
very resilient. We have a know how or we we
know we know how to tap into resources to provide support.
So tell us a little bit about your story and
how you where you started in dunkin Donuts.
Speaker 3 (10:50):
You know, I was actually I'm kind of like a
little bit off in that market because I was coming
down the highway coming from somewhere North Atlanta and I
was getting on the exit where for Gillium is and
there was a guy standing there and hit the sign
of it says I'm a veteran's at this gas station corner.
He's like, I'm a veteran and I'm homeless and I
need food and so okay. So if you're a veteran
(11:15):
or serving the armed forces, you know that that's sort
of like a computer glitch. It just doesn't compute that
the first thing he sees a veteran who's homeless and
need food. It was like, this doesn't even make sense.
So because it didn't make sense to me, I pulled
over the station and I walked up to the guy
and I was like, excuse me, I just want to
ask you something. Where did you serve and how long
(11:36):
did you serve? And he told me, because you got
to verify certain things that said did you have a
d D two fourteen? He was like, who are you?
And I told who I was. I was like, I
want to help you. If this is the situation you're in,
tell me what situation you're in. And he said he
was living in this shelter, but he had attempted to
go to the VA and he didn't have he didn't
(11:56):
know how to process, he didn't know how to do
those playing he's already getting rolled, and because he didn't
have an address at the time, he couldn't get enrolled.
It was just a lot of things he said that
were I don't know if they were true or not,
but this is the story that was given to me.
And so because of that, I said, I tell you
what you do? You see this dunkin donuts here? It
was the one indicator over by the south of Camp Mall.
(12:20):
He said, I said, meet me at this duck in
Donuts tomorrow morning about nine o'clock. You're going to be here.
And he's like, yes, ma'am, I'll be here. So I
showed up the next day there and I had my
little laptop and my little paperwork and stuff. And you know,
I tracked by saying, you know, being an IG in
the military in the Medical Service Code was a great benefit.
I learned a lot of what right looks like. And
(12:41):
so enrolling him was very simple. He had his DD
two fourteen. I mean, that's the magic sheet, and you
have that thing, you're well on your way to being successful.
So getting him roll was not that difficult. And then
from there you find shelter to place him, and there
was at the time of shelter downtown that were housing
veterans on the fourth floor. There was a great place
for him to be. But in that process of getting
(13:03):
him enrolled, he was in able to start going to
the VA for these services. And then I did foil
his conversation in that dunk and Donuts now and so
from him I get a call during the week of
him saying I have a friend could you see him
at Duncer Donuts and so dunk and Donuts at that location,
I think for the next six months, I was there
(13:24):
every Monday and Thursday, and there was always folks waiting
to see me. And then I think I may probably
went to maybe forty different ducat Donuts across the state
until I actually found a hard top home in Spalding County.
But until then, yeah, we were laptop will travel. Duncket
Donuts was fantastic because, I mean the people there, guys
(13:45):
so used to seeing me, especially one in Riverdale. I
liked those guys because they would give me an ice
cream cone if I was still working after one o'clock
or they knew I had a coffee I liked, so
they'd always get it ready and they would say this, really,
do you want this today? And I'll be thinking, you
already know me. So they of the best people. So Dunky,
don't you have a great crew of folks. I always
tell folks that's my favorite place to go is dunck
(14:05):
and Donuts because they allowed me to sit in that
corner and take care of veterans. Unbeknownst to them, they
had free WiFi, so that was fantastic, and then they
didn't care about what that veteran looked like or what
he was going through because they weren't always in the
best Some of them were homeless, but no one would
bother us as we you know, as I did what
I did to help what I could at the time.
(14:27):
And that let where we are right now.
Speaker 2 (14:30):
And I want to give a shout out to Duncan
Donuts Indicator, thank you, because now now our journey from
Duncan Donuts is to two locations, two locations in what
seven years? And yes, it's amazing. So I want you
to share that story every time someone asks you how
(14:51):
you guys are to start with Duncan.
Speaker 3 (14:57):
Okay, all right, Duncan's okay with me, okay, okay, So.
Speaker 2 (15:01):
We're gonna switch gears a little bit. You know about leadership,
because that's been your life too, right, serving in the
military as a leader and everything. What are some of
those key moments when you had to redefine yourself as
a leader in civilian life and how did you kind
(15:22):
of navigate those changes?
Speaker 3 (15:26):
So I'll tell you the first way I had to
was I had taken a year off from work when
I first got out of the service, sort of like
comers have taken a hiatus, you know, done twenty seven years.
I need to take a breather. But then after as
I wanted to work. So I went over to the
unemployment office, which is the veteran service department there, and
I was telling them I was looking for a job,
you know, and he saw that I had the ability,
(15:49):
has you know, some background or degree background. So he
was like, you know, I having this great teaching job.
It's at this post secondary school where they teach medical
assisting and all this, and I thought, okay, it's my world.
Unbeknownst to be, I'm not a teacher. I'm not even
teaching material. But didn't know that then. I was only thinking,
you know, drill sergeants, they know how to lead and
(16:10):
do And so I went over. They accepted me into
the program. They you know, I got the job. I
loved my executive director, she was fantastic, and they gave
me this really defunct program that was not getting folks
enrolled and people didn't want to take the program. And
it was a four part program, so that was a
little more extensive than just medical assisting. So my job
(16:31):
was to revive this program. Well, okay, that's exactly what
I did. I went to the recruiters there and between
the two of us, we started to actually advertise this program.
And then once I got the kids in the door,
the job was. You just gave these folks fourteen thousand dollars.
I gotta get you trained and get you hired. You
got to pay that money back. And what I realized
(16:52):
that all the directors weren't thinking that way. I'm thinking
military wise. I'm thinking mission completion. And so we worked
very hard, and thank goodness to having connections in the
medical field from you know, being at Fort Macpherson and
being the chief medical there for years, and at the
MEP station on Fort Gilliam for a few years there,
I got to know a lot of medical professionals who
(17:15):
were willing to hire these young folks. So, needless to say,
I created a whole little platoon of your young PCTs
who wanted to do great stuff. And we inspected our
uniforms every day, we did physical fitness training. I mean,
we just sort of set a whole new presidents. But
unbeknownst to me, that did not go well with the
(17:36):
rest of the departments. I sort of overshadow that, and
I'm looking at perfection, which is the military expects of
us to do things and do them one hundred percent.
Most civilian communities may not think that way per se Y,
and it was evident because I was I was fired.
I found out what at will means in this state.
(17:57):
It means that they can fire you at I was like,
what did it even mean?
Speaker 2 (18:01):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (18:02):
You never think about different thing.
Speaker 2 (18:05):
From what we know for seven three sixty five.
Speaker 3 (18:09):
So yeah, yeah, so you know, and I have.
Speaker 2 (18:13):
I've had some similar experiences and you know, being the
person that I am, you know, and I think we're
similar in that way too. We are always wanting to help.
I didn't really receive I didn't understand why it wasn't
received because in my mind, I'm just trying to help, right,
(18:35):
And for a little while it really affected me because
it was taken out of context when like I said,
we're programmed to get the mission done by any means necessary,
except unless it's you know, it has to be ethical
and moral, right, But we're so programmed at getting the
(18:56):
mission done, and we're when we know how to tap intos.
We may not have the skill set, but we may
know someone that does. So we're all and I feel
like with us and you can correct me from wrong.
It's almost like we're constantly redefining and trying to figure
out where we fit in because we do have so
(19:18):
many skill sets that we can tap into. You know
that that on the civilians, which is this is kind
of what I want you to talk to as well,
because which is why we offer the support that we
do at DSP waypoint, because it's helping them to transition
from the military, transition your skills to civilian life, you know,
and you can kind of speak to that a little bit.
(19:40):
How do we help them with that? Like how can
we support or how can they you know, garner the
support they need in that area.
Speaker 3 (19:49):
So the first thing in they I realized is that
it's not so much as getting the veteran prepared for
the community. It's getting the community prepared for the veteran.
And so that's what people don't realize. The community is
more than overjoyed and more than proud of our veterans.
They love the military, they love how we protect this country,
and they want to do everything they can, but sometimes
(20:12):
they don't know how or they don't know what to say.
And oftentimes they show that through sympathy and empathy, and
sometimes those are not the tools that are good us
on a soldier or a veteran. Sometimes we need good
hole solid facts. So my job, initially, I believe, was
to enlighten the community on exactly how you could actually
(20:34):
help a veteran versus because you can thank them for
their service and they're very appreciative, but the next million
other questions should be like, hey, have you been enrolled
in the VA, or hey, do you know what compensation is?
If you don't, you need to go to waypoint and
let them tell you what this means. And so I
want to I want to armor up the community and
(20:56):
give them the tools needed to be able to help
these veterans move forward and transition, and even family, more
so families, because we're the most We receive more sympathy
from our families because they just don't know anything else.
And not only that, they immediately think that there's either
something not right with us, or we're different. We sound
(21:17):
the same and we look the same, but they know
that they're not the same person. So helping a family
understand who that veteran is in their space helps them
understand how they can better help. And so my biggest
job going into any community, opening up any service centers,
first of all, getting the community on board and understanding
why it's important to transition veterans properly.
Speaker 2 (21:40):
Yeah, I love that. So dspak to offers services to
veterans and families at no cost, right, which speaks volumes
to your commitment to serve, Like I love that because
you're not on active duty, but you the mission still continues, right,
So how do you say true to your mission and
(22:01):
maintain that drive to continue serving others? I mean, even
after such a long military career, how do you keep
that fire going?
Speaker 3 (22:12):
You know, some people join the military for various reasons.
Some people join because they want to go to school.
Some people join because they want the adventure, some people
join because they want maturity. But some people really do
join because they want to be a part of something
bigger that's going to help people. Really and not trying
(22:32):
to sound all patriotic or anything like that, because you
know me, I'm human, I can go over at anytime,
but I really truly join because I wanted to help people.
I want to see the world, but I wanted to
do good in the process of because I wanted to
make sure that all that work and hard work and
sacrifice my mom and dad did go through that, I
was going to show them that they raise somebody good.
(22:55):
And so I know that sounds hokey. I mean it's
sound corny, but it's a fact. And So after twenty
seven years of service and going through some stuff, coming
back out and just sitting around knowing there were things
that were undone just did not make sense to me.
Speaker 2 (23:14):
Yeah, you know, I love this quote by lesbron I
say it all the time. You can't see the picture
when you're in the frame, right, and my you know,
like I said, I've said this before. You know, when
we're serving in the military, when we're soldiers, we don't
see veterans, right, we see the mission head only serving.
We're working with soldiers, that's our mission. But coming out
(23:35):
and you see it's almost like there's more there's more
support needed as veterans than it is as soldiers, because
like you said, we have all those resources at our fingertips, right,
and it's people like you and I who have overcome
Because it's not saying that we haven't had our fair
share of struggles or we're not struggling, but we've tapped
(23:57):
into something that help us to keep moving. Right. So,
in saying all of that, you've dedicated your life to
impowerm veterans and their families. So what advice do you
have for veterans, especially women, struggling to rediscover their sense
of purpose and identity after leaving the military.
Speaker 3 (24:22):
I think the first most important thing is to make
sure that you're transitioned. Make sure so you can come
out and get the best job on the planet you
can get a lot of people do that, but I
will tell you, within a year's time, you're going to
start to feel the pressure of trying to take your
old self and make it into a new self. And
(24:42):
it's like putting around Pagan a square hole or whatever
that saying. Is it really truly is? And I'm witness
to that. I And here's the kicker, Renee. It doesn't
matter if you starve for two years or twenty seven years.
Your mindset is different. It has to be converted back
to a way of thinking that it's more amenable to
the community. Because we were raised to do one thing
(25:05):
in the military, and that's be a superhero. We were
trained to defend against all enemy. We were trained to
be willing to take a bullet for this country. So
our thought process is more heroic and more We just
put ourselves in a category that only less than one
percent of this country will do. So we feel that
(25:28):
that makes a special that The problem is when you
leave that you know that league of justice called the military,
you become just a regular civilian. You have to understand
just like Clark Kenton. Then I'm not compared us to
superheroes of that way. We just know that when you
put on the suit, he had act a certain way
(25:48):
versus what he had on his superhero outfit. And especially
with women, because it's funny that after twenty seven years
of service, if people didn't know me, they would never
assume that I served. We are always invisible heroes because
I call us the Wonder Womans because we are in
that invisible plane and I guess they don't see us
(26:09):
unless we have on that uniform, and so we're the
ones who number one. You have to make sure you
define yourself, take a moment to figure out who you
are and make sure you are getting all of those services,
be the physical, compensatable, or mental and there's nothing wrong
with it. I check my mental status every day. I
(26:30):
have to based on what I do for other people,
because I take on a lot of other people's mental
So you have to make sure you keep your stuff
in intact. But love you, that's the first thing. So
when you love you like Mysteryne loved her selfie, which
you it's evident to see, and I hope there's everything
that I do love myself, then you can do whatever
(26:51):
you want. You do whatever you want. We're gonna do
enough private. Yo.
Speaker 2 (26:58):
Yes, you know one of the one of the things
you said that I absolutely agreed agree with now that
I know better, but I didn't do myself. I do
believe that once we get out, especially if you serve
for a long time like you and I we served
over twenty years. I really do believe we should take
(27:18):
some time to decompress.
Speaker 3 (27:20):
Do not rush back.
Speaker 2 (27:22):
This is my belief. This is not what I'm telling
anybody to do, but I do because I didn't do
this either. But it's an advice that I'm gonna put
out there. Don't rush back into the workforce because actually
you really don't know what that's like. Even if you
get back into the federal government as a civilian, it's
still different, right, So take some time, you know, and
(27:45):
it doesn't mean that the time is going to completely
transition you. It's just it gives you some time to
reset a little bit and prepare yourself and like you said,
find the resources to support figure out what do I
need to transition because one of our biggest challenges many
of us is the mental health piece, right, trying to
(28:06):
sift through that. So we're almost coming to the close,
but I want to ask you this, how are you
living unapologetically today?
Speaker 3 (28:21):
First of all, I'm very proud that I'm sixty two,
and I tell everybody that knows me, yes, I'm sixty
two and living it and loving it. So I'm unapologetic
about my age number one umber two. I'm unapologetic about
what I do and what I say because two of
things you always keep in mind. I never have ill
intentions in mind to ever hurt anyone, but I always
(28:41):
want my veterans to know fact. The fact is what
you need. So if I have to give that thing
to you straight, no chaser, that's exactly how you take
that shot. But it's for you good. I'm going to
take care of you, that's for sure.
Speaker 2 (28:54):
Yes, and she is telling the truth. I told you
I didn't know whether to salute or go to parade rests.
I just sat still. But I love that she is
very open, very transparent, and she does everything with love.
I am proud to be your VP, and I am
looking forward to continuing to learn from you and to serve.
So yeah, thank you everyone for joining us today. This
(29:17):
was our guest today was Miss Sondra Brownlee of DSP
two Waypoint. So, Sandra, I want to last thing, How
can our guests find you? How can we reach you? Well,
there's several ways you can reach me. You can always
go to our website which is Dspwaypoint dot org and
learn everything about us. You can even put in an
(29:38):
application right there online. If you're needing assistance.
Speaker 3 (29:41):
And understand what we say, sis does that mean in any aspect?
We've covered all the gasment. These are free services. So
if you need legal advice, I have a couple of
judges who are willing to go to out there and
give you free legal advice. If you need housing advice,
if you need whatever it is. There is no question
that you can't ask. So we have a list of
(30:02):
things that we offer. But my thing is whatever that
what if question is, be it you the veteran or
your family member. Understand we do take care of your
family members. We know you come as a package deal,
even the dogs. So if you have any questions about
any of these things, just do not hesitate to contact us.
Our informations on the website. I think we have a
Facebook page and some other Twitter stuff that I'm not
(30:24):
keen over. I know we got all that kind of thing.
But anyway you reach out to us, we will gladly
reach out back to you. And you do not have
to live in the state of Georgia. We serviced veterans
all over this country. We do do things you know
through via web or zoom and or email, so the
sound of my voice, if you need assistance with transitions,
we will take care of it and we would do
(30:45):
it free. We do have certified vsos on board to
make sure we give you the best possible care to
share that you get what you deserve. Thank you for
your service. I'm proud of each and every one of you,
and you like my family.
Speaker 2 (30:57):
So let's do thissode again. Everyone is dspwaypoint dot org,
so reach out and we will definitely provide you with
the support that you need. So thank you everyone. That's
it for today. Thank you for joining us on living
unapologetically beyond the Uniform. I hope today's episode left you
(31:18):
feeling inspired and empowered to take on your next chapter
with confidence and purpose. Remember, your journey doesn't end when
the uniform comes off. It's just the beginning. So if
you enjoy today's conversation, don't forget to subscribe, to share,
and leave us a review until next So join me
again next Friday at eleven am for another powerful episode
(31:42):
as we continue to redefine what it means to thrive
beyond the uniform. Until then, keep living unapologetically.
Speaker 1 (31:54):
This has been living Unapologetically Beyond the Uniform with your host,
Renee Jones. We hope you found inspiration and valuable insights
in today's episode. Remember your journey of redefining, rediscovering, and
reaffirming your life post military is unique and powerful. Stay
connected with us for more stories, advice and support. Until
(32:18):
next time, Stay strong and stay empowered. Listen Friday's eleven
am Eastern on the Bold Brave TV Network powered by
B two Studios
Popular Podcasts
Spooky Podcasts from iHeartRadio
Whether you’re a scaredy-cat or a brave bat, this collection of episodes from iHeartPodcasts will put you in the Halloween spirit. Binge stories, frights, and more that may keep you up at night!
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.