Behind The Mission
Duane K. L. France
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Top 10 Behind The Mission Episodes
Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best Behind The Mission episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to Behind The Mission for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite Behind The Mission episode by adding your comments to the episode page.
BTM134 - Nick Howland and Ryan Haczynski - Suicide Prevention with The Fire Watch Program
Behind The Mission
09/05/23 • 31 min
Show Summary
On this episode, we’re featuring a conversation about suicide prevention with representatives of The Fire Watch, a state-wide suicide prevention program in Florida that provides training to community members about how to identify and support service members and veterans who may be at risk for suicide. My guests today are Nick Howland, a Navy Veteran and CEO of The Fire Watch, and Ryan Haczynski, a suicide loss survivor and Citizen Watch Stander with The Fire Watch program.
About Today’s Guests
Nick Howland is Executive Director of The Fire Watch, Florida’s fight to end veteran suicide. Nick is a Navy veteran, defense industry executive, husband and father of two boys. After serving 4 years as a Naval Officer, Nick spent the next 20 years leading U.S. defense manufacturing businesses focused on protective products for soldiers, airmen and sailors, including body armor, life rafts and tactical boats. In late 2019, Nick helped found The Fire Watch, and in 2022, he was elected to the Jacksonville City Council, At Large Group 3, serving all of Duval County.
Ryan Haczynski is a former educator who spent two decades in the classroom impacting the lives of others. He now leads a small team as the Director of Protocol Relations at Lucky Friday Labs, a blockchain infrastructure provider in the Web3 industry. He has both former and current military members in his family, and serves as a Citizen Watch Stander with The Fire Watch organization.
Links Mentioned In This Episode
Watch Stander Training Program
PsychArmor Resource of the Week
This week’s PsychArmor resource of the week is the one of the many PsychArmor courses that support education related to suicide, the PsychArmor course Suicide in Military Members & Veterans. Dr. Craig Bryan provides an overview of military suicide statistics and explains unique factors that may be related to increased rates in military suicide.
You can find the course here: https://learn.psycharmor.org/courses/suicide-in-military-members-and-veterans
This Episode Sponsored By:
This episode is sponsored by PsychArmor. PsychArmor is the premier education and learning ecosystems specializing in military culture content PsychArmor offers an. Online e-learning laboratory that is free to individual learners as well as custom training options for organizations.
Contact Us and Join Us on Social Media
Theme Music
Our theme music Don’t Kill the Messenger was written and performed by Navy Veteran Jerry Maniscalco, in cooperation with Operation Encore, a non profit committed to supporting singer/songwriter and musicians across the military and Veteran communities.
Producer and Host Duane France is a retired Army Noncommissioned Officer, combat veteran, and clinical mental health counselor for service members, veterans, and their families. You can find more about the work that he is doing at www.veteranmentalhealth.com
BTM175 – Recap of Year One of the Behind the Mission Podcast
Behind The Mission
06/25/24 • 28 min
Show Summary
On today’s episode, we take a look at year one of the Behind the Mission Podcast, as well as provide listeners with an opportunity to provide feedback on the show
Provide Feedback
As a dedicated member of the audience, we would like to hear from you about the show. Please take a few minutes to share your thoughts about the show in this short feedback survey. By doing so, you will be entered to receive a signed copy of one of our host's three books on military and veteran mental health.
Episode Partner
Are you an organization that engages with or supports the military affiliated community? Would you like to partner with an engaged and dynamic audience of like-minded professionals? Reach out to Inquire about Partnership Opportunities
Contact Us and Join Us on Social Media
Theme Music
Our theme music Don’t Kill the Messenger was written and performed by Navy Veteran Jerry Maniscalco, in cooperation with Operation Encore, a non profit committed to supporting singer/songwriter and musicians across the military and Veteran communities.
Producer and Host Duane France is a retired Army Noncommissioned Officer, combat veteran, and clinical mental health counselor for service members, veterans, and their families. You can find more about the work that he is doing at www.veteranmentalhealth.com
05/14/24 • 32 min
BTM140 - Dr. Edil Torres Rivera – From the Army to the President of the American Counseling Association
Behind The Mission
10/17/23 • 27 min
Show Summary
On this episode, we feature a conversation with Army veteran Dr. Edil Torres Rivera as he shares his military experience in the Army and his post-military career as a Counselor, Counselor Educator, and President of the American Counseling Association
About Today’s Guests
Dr. Edil Torres Rivera has a Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology with a concentration in multicultural counseling from the University of Connecticut, Storrs. He is a professor of counseling and the director of the Latinx Cluster initiative at Wichita State University, Wichita, Kansas. Edil Torres Rivera is native Puerto Rican with a career of over 25 years in counseling. This includes 12 years in the United States Army. He currently serving as the President of the American Counseling Association (2023-2024).
Dr. Torres Rivera research interests are in multicultural counseling, group work, chaos theory, liberation psychology (decolonial approaches), indigenous counseling, Puerto Rican studies, identity development, and gang/prison-related behavior. Specifically, his primary research focuses on complexity and how indigenous healing techniques are a necessary ingredient when working with ethnic minority populations in the United States. Dr. Torres Rivera has additional interests in studying the implications of social injustice and oppression in counseling and psychotherapy with ethnic minorities in the United States.
His community work includes consultation services to the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe Council in Nevada, visiting professor to the Universidad del Valle, Guatemala, and he was the director of the Graduate School of Education’s School Counseling Program in Singapore
Links Mentioned In This Episode
The American Counseling Association
PsychArmor Resource of the Week
This week’s PsychArmor resource of the week is the PsychArmor a course from the Brain Health and Wellness Learning Series, Bolstering Resilience. This course, sponsored by the Wounded Warrior Project, highlights five factors of wellness: goal setting, mental health, nutrition, sleep, and exercise. You’ll learn why these supporting pillars are so important to overall well-being, their application in daily life, and how it’s never too late to make a lasting change.
You can see find the course here:
https://learn.psycharmor.org/courses/WWP-BHW-bolstering-resilience
This Episode Sponsored By:
This episode is sponsored by PsychArmor. PsychArmor is the premier education and learning ecosystems specializing in military culture content PsychArmor offers an. Online e-learning laboratory that is free to individual learners as well as custom training options for organizations.
Contact Us and Join Us on Social Media
Theme Music
Our theme music Don’t Kill the Messenger was written and performed by Navy Veteran Jerry Maniscalco, in cooperation with Operation Encore, a non profit committed to supporting singer/songwriter and musicians across the military and Veteran communities.
Producer and Host Duane France is a retired Army Noncommissioned Officer, combat veteran, and clinical mental health counselor for service members, veterans, and their families. You can find more about the work that he is doing at www.veteranmentalhealth.com
05/07/24 • 27 min
Show Summary
On today’s episode, we feature a conversation with Army Veteran and Gold Star Family Member Jennifer Ballou, Chief of Staff of the Global War on Terrorism Memorial Foundation, an organization that is guiding the development of a national memorial that honors the service and sacrifice of all who have contributed to global counterterrorism efforts since September 11th, 2001.
About Today’s Guest
Jennifer R. Ballou is originally from Mentor, Ohio. In June of 1994, three weeks after her high school graduation, she enlisted in the United States Army as a Dental Assistant. Jennifer served for almost 21 years, retiring in May 2015. She held numerous leadership positions throughout her Army career, culminating as the Senior Enlisted Advisor of the United States Army Resilience Directorate, Army G1, Pentagon. She also served as First Sergeant, 257th Dental Company (Area Support), 44th Medical Brigade, Fort Bragg, North Carolina. It was during this assignment, while deployed to Afghanistan, that her husband, SSG Edwardo Loredo, was Killed in Action.
Some of Jennifer’s awards and decorations include the Secretary of the Army Public Service Award and the Legion of Merit. She is currently enrolled at Maryland University of Integrative Health, pursuing a Master’s Degree in Yoga Therapy. Jennifer holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and is an alumnus of the 2022 Stand-To Veteran Leadership Program through the President George W. Bush Presidential Center.
Jennifer initially joined the Global War on Terrorism Memorial Foundation as the Gold Star Fellow. She was previously the Deputy Chief of Staff for the National Veterans Memorial and Museum in Columbus, Ohio. Additionally, she is a Certified Professional Life Coach, and a 200-hour Registered Yoga Teacher, specializing in trauma-sensitive, therapeutic, and adaptive yoga.
Jennifer is the wife of Omari Ballou, Command Sergeant Major, US Army Retired, and is the proud mother of Alexis, Eddie, and Sophia.
Links Mentioned In This Episode
Global War on Terrorism Memorial Foundation
PsychArmor Resource of the Week
This week’s PsychArmor resource of the week is the blog post, The Silent Plea of Monuments. This blog article is a reflection on the words of the Gettysburg Address, which includes some additional thoughts on why memorials and monuments are important, not only for remembrance, but for reminding us of our responsibilities to the memories of those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice.
You can see find the article here: https://veteranmentalhealth.com/monuments/
Episode Partner:
This episode is sponsored by PsychArmor. PsychArmor is the premier education and learning ecosystems specializing in military culture content PsychArmor offers an. Online e-learning laboratory that is free to individual learners as well as custom training options for organizations.
Contact Us and Join Us on Social Media
Theme Music
Our theme music Don’t Kill the Messenger was written and performed by Navy Veteran Jerry Maniscalco, in cooperation with Operation Encore, a non profit committed to supporting singer/songwriter and musicians across the military and Veteran communities.
Producer and Host Duane France is a retired Army Noncommissioned Officer, combat veteran, and clinical mental health counselor for service members, veterans, and their families. You can find more about the work that he is doing at www.veteranmentalhealth.com
BTM158 - Dr. Cameron McCoy - The Montford Point Marines
Behind The Mission
02/27/24 • 29 min
Show Summary
In this episode, we feature a conversation with Dr Cameron McCoy, author of a recently released book on the first Black Marines called, Contested Valor: African American Marines in the Age of Power, Protest, and Tokenism. In this book, Dr. McCoy shares the stories of the Montford Point Marines, the first African American Marines that trained at Montford Point, North Carolina and served overseas in combat.
About Today’s Guest
Dr. Cameron McCoy is a native of Washington, D.C. and teaches courses in 20th and 21st century US history. Dr. McCoy has taught at the United States Military Academy at West Point, Brigham Young University, and currently in residence at the United States Air Force Academy. He earned his doctorate in US history at the University of Texas at Austin after receiving a master’s in military history at Texas A&M University, and his bachelor’s in International & Area Studies at BYU.
In addition to being an assistant professor and teaching courses on US Race Relations, the Great Wars, Modern Warfare Studies, and Foreign Policy, Dr. McCoy also serves in the Marine Corps Reserves as an infantry officer. He has held several positions of command while serving multiple combat tours and deployed to various countries in support of Operations IRAQI and ENDURING FREEDOM.
Links Mentioned In This Episode
Contested Valor Book (University Press of Kansas)
PsychArmor Resource of the Week
This week’s PsychArmor resource of the week is the PsychArmor podcast episode Podcast Episode number 7, a conversation with General Sinclair Harris and Kathy Roth-Douquet about the Blue Star Families Racial Equity Initiative.
You can see find the course here:
https://psycharmor.org/podcast/kathy-roth-duquet-and-sinclair-harris
This Episode Sponsored By:
This episode is sponsored by PsychArmor. PsychArmor is the premier education and learning ecosystems specializing in military culture content PsychArmor offers an. Online e-learning laboratory that is free to individual learners as well as custom training options for organizations.
Contact Us and Join Us on Social Media
Theme Music
Our theme music Don’t Kill the Messenger was written and performed by Navy Veteran Jerry Maniscalco, in cooperation with Operation Encore, a non profit committed to supporting singer/songwriter and musicians across the military and Veteran communities.
Producer and Host Duane France is a retired Army Noncommissioned Officer, combat veteran, and clinical mental health counselor for service members, veterans, and their families. You can find more about the work that he is doing at www.veteranmentalhealth.com
BTM12 - Dr. Samuel Odom and 1LT Marlon Dortch - Cultural Diversity in Military Social Work
Behind The Mission
03/30/21 • 33 min
Dr. Samuel Odom is President of the CRISP Board of Directors. He is an Adjunct Professor at Tulane University School of Social Work and a former professor in the Millie M. Charles School of Social Work on the campus of Southern University at New Orleans where he served as Faculty Senator and Faculty Senate Secretary.
A native of Brewton, Alabama, he joined the United States Army in 1986 as a Forward Observer, Field Artilleryman, later becoming a Logistician and ultimately earning an Army ROTC Commission as a Medical Service Officer where he worked in Behavioral Health for more than ten years. Dr. Odom served as a Company Commander for the 377th Theater Sustainment Command. Dr. Odom is a US Army Combat Veteran of Operation Enduring Freedom /Operation Iraqi Freedom. Dr. Odom served 24 in the United States Army with deployments in Southwest Asia and was awarded the National Defense Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Expert Field Medical Badge, Global War on Terrorism, Army Achievement Medal with Two Oak-leaf Clusters and several other awards.
He earned a BA degree in Philosophy at Dillard University, a Master of Social Work degree at Southern University at New Orleans and he earned a PhD in Counseling at the Harold Abel School of Social and Behavioral Sciences at the Capella University. Dr. Odom is currently or has held memberships in the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), National Association of Social Workers, Council on Social Work Education, Academy of Certified Social Workers, American Psychoanalytic Association, Association of Military Surgeons United States (Life Member), American Philosophical Association and Prince Hall Free and Accepted Masons.
He is a member of the American Red Cross Regional Board of Directors (New Orleans). He served on the ABO Board for the City of New Orleans. Dr. Odom is a Life Member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. where served as a board member of the Southwestern Province (Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico and Texas). He is currently the C. Rodger Wilson Leadership Conference National Chairman for Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.
1LT Marlon Dortch commissioned in 2017 and earned a MSW in the Army – University of Kentucky program in 2019. He earned a MEd from Iowa State University in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies and a BA in Sociology from Norfolk State University. He is currently in the Army’s Social Work Internship Program at Fort Bliss, Texas under clinical supervision with Senior Leader Sustainment Program at the United States Army Sergeants Major Academy. Prior to the Army, 1LT Dortch worked in higher education as a student affairs practitioner, teaching and presenting at national conferences on politics related to race, gender, and identity.
Links Mentioned In This Episode
Congressional Research Institute for Social Work and Policy
Tulane University School of Social Work
PsychArmor Resource of the Week
The PsychArmor resource for this week is the PsychArmor Course, Telling Your Story. This course provides a compelling glimpse into the lives of four United States military Veterans. Narrated by David Vobora, CEO and co-founder of the Adaptive Training Foundation and former NFL Linebacker, this course offers service members and Veterans insight into talking about their military experience.
This Episode Sponsored By:
This episode is sponsored by PsychArmor, the premier education and learning ecosystem specializing in military culture content. PsychArmor offers an online e-learning laboratory with custom training options for organizations.
Join Us on Social Media
Theme Music
Our theme music Don’t Kill the Messenger was written and performed by Navy Veteran Jerry Maniscalco, in cooperation with Operation Encore, a non profit committed to supporting singer/songwriter and musicians across the military and Veteran communities.
Produc...
BTM48 - Bill Braniff - Countering Misinformation and Disinformation with We The Veterans
Behind The Mission
12/14/21 • 34 min
About Today’s Guest
Bill Braniff is an Army veteran and Director of the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START) and a Professor of the Practice at the University of Maryland. He previously served as the director of practitioner education at West Point’s Combating Terrorism Center and an instructor in the Department of Social Sciences, as a foreign affairs specialist within the National Nuclear Security Administration, and as an Armor Officer in the United States Army. Bill is a graduate of the United States Military Academy and the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Study. His father served in the New Jersey Army National Guard, and his maternal grandfather volunteered for U.S. Army service alongside his brothers during WWII.
Links Mentioned In This Episode
BTM Episode 39: Veterans in Journalism with Zack Baddorf
BTM Episode 46: Military and National Defense Journalism with Thomas Brennan
PsychArmor Resource of the Week
The PsychArmor Resource of the Week is the course, How to Connect With a Checked Out Veteran. This course provides information to help family and caregivers identify if a Veteran is checked out or emotionally disconnected. It explains how to rebuild an emotional connection, how to recognize and avoid common mistakes when engaging with checked out Veterans, and understand how to approach the Veteran. You can find a link to the course by going to this link: https://psycharmor.org/courses/connect-checked-veteran/
This Episode Sponsored By:
This episode is sponsored by PsychArmor, the premier education and learning ecosystem specializing in military culture content. PsychArmor offers an online e-learning laboratory with custom training options for organizations.
Join Us on Social Media
PsychArmor on Instagram
Theme Music
Our theme music Don’t Kill the Messenger was written and performed by Navy Veteran Jerry Maniscalco, in cooperation with Operation Encore, a non profit committed to supporting singer/songwriter and musicians across the military and Veteran communities.
Producer and Host Duane France is a retired Army Noncommissioned Officer, combat veteran, and clinical mental health counselor for service members, veterans, and their families. You can find more about the work that he is doing at www.veteranmentalhealth.com
03/19/24 • 30 min
Show Summary
On this episode, we feature a conversation with Dr. Jason A. Higgins, Assistant Professor at Virginia Tech University and author of the recently released book, Prisoners After War: Veterans in the Age of Mass Incarceration
About Today’s Guest
Dr. Jason A. Higgins is the Digital Scholarship Coordinator for Virginia Tech Publishing and an assistant professor, jointly affiliated with VT University Libraries and the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences. He teaches the Vietnam War, African American History, and Oral History. He earned a Ph.D. in History and a graduate certificate in Public History from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. He is the co-editor of Service Denied: Marginalized Veterans in Modern American History (UMass Press 2022). His forthcoming book, Prisoners After War: Veterans in the Age of Mass Incarceration will be published by the University of Massachusetts Press in the Veterans series in January, 2024.
Jason earned a Master’s in English from Oklahoma State University, studying literature and writing a thesis on Vietnam veterans’ autobiographies, trauma, and disability. He is a first-generation college graduate, who double-majored in English and History at the University of Arkansas at Monticello.
Links Mentioned In This Episode
Service Denied: Marginalized Veterans in Modern American History
Prisoners After War: Veterans in the Age of Mass Incarceration
PsychArmor Resource of the Week
This week’s PsychArmor resource of the week is the PsychArmor course Supporting Someone with Invisible Wounds. Not all wounds can be seen and invisible wounds are just as serious as visible ones. This course introduces four types of invisible wounds - Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Traumatic Brain Injury, Substance Use Disorder, and Depression.
You can see find the course here:
https://learn.psycharmor.org/courses/supporting-someone-with-invisible-wounds
This Episode Sponsored By:
This episode is sponsored by PsychArmor. PsychArmor is the premier education and learning ecosystems specializing in military culture content PsychArmor offers an. Online e-learning laboratory that is free to individual learners as well as custom training options for organizations.
Contact Us and Join Us on Social Media
Theme Music
Our theme music Don’t Kill the Messenger was written and performed by Navy Veteran Jerry Maniscalco, in cooperation with Operation Encore, a non profit committed to supporting singer/songwriter and musicians across the military and Veteran communities.
Producer and Host Duane France is a retired Army Noncommissioned Officer, combat veteran, and clinical mental health counselor for service members, veterans, and their families. You can find more about the work that he is doing at www.veteranmentalhealth.com
BTM173 - Andrea Norton and Erika Hoover - LGBTQIA+ Veteran Series
Behind The Mission
06/11/24 • 33 min
Show Summary
On today’s episode, we conclude our mini-series of four episodes on LGBTQIA+ Veterans with returning guests, veterans Erika Hoover and Andrea Norton, as part of public awareness campaign developed in partnership with the Michigan Governor’s Challenge to Prevent Suicide among Service Members, Veterans and their Families
About Today’s Guests
Erika Hoover has been working at the Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency and serving veterans since October 2017. In her role, Erika oversees a team that includes our Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Analyst, Community Health Technicians, Homeless Veteran Coordinator, Women Veterans & Special Populations Coordinator and General Office Assistant-Veteran Connector. She is also the Chair of the Michigan Women Veterans Coalition, a statewide coalition created by MVAA to engage with federal, state and local organizations to solve statewide female veterans' issues.
Erika served in the Navy from 2009-2013 as an Aviation Machinists Mate, Petty Officer Third Class. She holds a bachelor's degree in political science from Portland State University and a culinary arts degree from Oregon Culinary Institute.
Andrea Norton is an USAF Veteran and Licensed Master Social Worker at the Aleda E. Lutz VAMC in Saginaw MI. Prior to working at the VA, Andrea served in the USAF for 8 1⁄2 years as an intelligence analyst and mobile instructor. Ms Norton left the Air Force in 2007 to pursue her education earning both her BSW and MSW at Michigan State University.
She has worked with and advocated for underserved Veterans her entire career as a Housing Specialist, Intensive Case Manager, LGBTQ Veteran Care Coordinator, Women Veteran Program Manager, and most recently as a Community Engagement & Partnership Coordinator on the Suicide Prevention Team.
She is passionate about working with communities to help promote a public health approach to suicide prevention and increase the awareness of the rich diversity that exists in the Veteran community.
Links Mentioned In This Episode
Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency Website
Declaration of June 12th as Women Veterans Recognition Day
PsychArmor Resource of the Week
This week’s PsychArmor resource of the week is the previous three episodes in this series, episode 166 with Erika Hoover and Andrea Norton on the goals of this public health awareness campaign, episode 169 with MaCherie Dunbar and Ashley Carothers on LGBTQIA+ Veteran Healthcare, and episode 171 with Ale Hernandez on Myths and Misconceptions about LGBTQIA+ veterans.
You can see find the episodes here:
Episode 166 with Erika Hoover and Andrea Norton
Episode 168 with MaCharie Dunbar and Ashley Carothers
Episode 171 with Ale Hernandez
This Episode Partner:
This episode is brought to you by partners that believe that education changes lives. The partner this week is the Michigan Governor’s Challenge, working to prevent suicide among Service Members, Veterans and their Families.
Contact Us and Join Us on Social Media
Theme Music
Our theme music Don’t Kill the Messenger was written and performed by Navy Veteran Jerry Maniscalco, in cooperation with Operation Encore, a non profit committed to supporting singer/songwriter and musicians across the military and Veteran communities.
Producer and Host Duane France is a retired Army Noncommissioned Officer, combat veteran, and clinical mental health counselor for service members, veterans, and their families. You can find more about the work that he is doing at www.veteranmentalhealth.com
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FAQ
How many episodes does Behind The Mission have?
Behind The Mission currently has 198 episodes available.
What topics does Behind The Mission cover?
The podcast is about Social, News, Ideas, Culture, Mind, Emotional, Doctor, Hero, Self Care, Tech, Dogs, Learn, Change, Ptsd, Equine, Goals, Story, Career, Army, Speaking, Art, Leadership, Psychology, Equity, Thrive, Care, Experience, Impact, Navy Seal, United States, Creative, National, Community, American, Policy, Writing, Startup, Elearning, Voice, Mental, Wellness, Mentor, Development, Growth, Father, Therapy, Plan, Storytelling, Courses, Justice, Nonprofit, Psych, Podcasts, Caregiver, Connection, America, Education, Gender, Jobs, Mother, Support, Female, Leader, Events, War, Health, Business, Service, Minority, Innovation, Combat, Market, Global, Sustainability, Transition, Online, Child, Government, Military, Inspire and Healthcare.
What is the most popular episode on Behind The Mission?
The episode title 'BTM24 - Doc Shauna Springer - Cultural Competence for Mental Health Professionals' is the most popular.
What is the average episode length on Behind The Mission?
The average episode length on Behind The Mission is 30 minutes.
How often are episodes of Behind The Mission released?
Episodes of Behind The Mission are typically released every 7 days.
When was the first episode of Behind The Mission?
The first episode of Behind The Mission was released on Jan 8, 2021.
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