Borne the Battle
Department of Veterans Affairs
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Top 10 Borne the Battle Episodes
Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best Borne the Battle episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to Borne the Battle 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 Borne the Battle episode by adding your comments to the episode page.
08/21/19 • 66 min
School. Military. Streets. In 1996, Curtez Riggs graduated high school and those were his options in Flint, Michigan. By that time, the auto industry that built “Buick City” had moved away. As a kid, Curtez picked up bottles, turned in cans and always had a side gig to bring in extra money. When it came time to make the decision, Curtez figured the Army was the best way to start his future.
His entrepreneurship did not stop when he joined the Army. Curtez continuously started businesses outside of his day job as a career recruiter. In this episode, you will hear how Curtez prepared for his military transition - years before he ended his active service.
Currently, Curtez is the CEO of the Military Influencer Conference (MIC). Started in 2016, the conference is a community of entrepreneurs, influencers, creatives, executives, and leaders who are connected to the military community. Curtez said he sees the conference as a mentorship and connection hub for future and current military Veterans looking to make the military transition with an entrepreneurial mindset. This year’s conference is in Washington, D.C., Sept. 8-10. Starting in 2020, the conference will be placed in a different region each year.
The conference has certain tracks attendees can follow:
- “Going Live” – Podcasters and Video
- Real Estate
- Founders and Innovators
- Social Impact
- Content Creators
- Empower – Milspouse Track
- Workshops
- Mighty Talks#BtBattle Veteran of the Week
- Air Force and Army Veteran Erin McLyman
Enjoy the episode. Additional Links:
#169: Benefits Breakdown - Appeals Modernization
Borne the Battle
10/30/19 • 54 min
Executive Director of the Veterans Benefits Administration’s (VBA) Appeals Management Office (AMO) and Army Veteran David McLenachen talks about the appeals modernization process.
McLenachen briefly discussed his service in the Army with counterintelligence. He later left the Army to pursue a career in law. He worked as law clerk for a federal judge before he eventually came to work at the VA.
Before becoming executive director of the VBA’s AMO, McLenachen acted as deputy under secretary for disability assistance. While in this position, he began helping the VBA improve their appeals system in order to better assist Veterans.
The Appeals Modernization Act took effect Feb. 19, 2019. Congress created the act in 2017 to help solve problems VBA had with appeals and claims. The act created three new ways to help Veterans submit appeals and get their results at a quicker pace:
- Higher-level review
- Supplemental claim
- Board of Veterans’ Appeals
McLenachen and the VBA continue to strive to find ways to improve the appeals process. You can reach them through Ask a Question on the Veterans Affairs website. Additional Helpful Links:
- https://www.va.gov/disability/file-an-appeal/
- https://www.va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressrelease.cfm?id=5207
- https://www.blogs.va.gov/VAntage/62997/four-important-things-know-appeals-modernization/
- https://benefits.va.gov/BENEFITS/factsheets/appeals/Appeals-Brochure.pdf
- https://benefits.va.gov/benefits/appeals.asp
- https://www.cencstudy.org/
- https://msepjobs.militaryonesource.mil/msep/home
- https://www.blogs.va.gov/nvspse/national-veterans-creative-arts-festival/#BtBattle Veteran of the Week:
- Air Force Veteran Mary Weiss Hester
#96: Alphi Quitevis – Marine Veteran; Meditation Practice
Borne the Battle
04/18/18 • 42 min
Alternative healing and mental health awareness is becoming more important and more popular. One thing Veterans are trying out is meditation. Meditation can be defined as a practice where an individual focuses their mind on a particular object, thought or activity to achieve a mentally clear and emotionally calm state. Like many Veterans, I have tried mediation and enjoy it, but I struggle with regular practice.
When I first exited the military, I got involved with a brand called Veteran Empire which was led by my friend Alfred "Alphi" Quitevis. Alphi was hustling with school, a business, and a busy social life. He noticed it started catching up with him and he put it all aside to explore the world and himself. During this exploration, he studied and practiced meditation. Now, he's an expert on the subject with plenty of insight to offer.
I watched Alphi go through this transition and followed him along his journey. I knew he'd be the right guy to discuss meditation and how it can apply to Veterans. He's going to talk to us about his time in the Corps, becoming too busy, becoming less busy, and finding meditation.
#95: Rob Jones – Marine Veteran; Month of Marathons
Borne the Battle
04/11/18 • 35 min
I've never run a marathon. I'm definitely one of those people that say, "I'd like to run one someday," but the truth is I probably won't. Rob Jones, a Marine Veteran who has two fewer legs than I do, ran 31 marathons in just as many days. His journey started in England, and then he hopped across the pond for a 30 for 30 marathons to days adventure. His journey wrapped up on Veterans Day 2017 as he finished his last marathon at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C..
Now, Rob hosts a podcast called Use the Weight and uses his recovery from injury as inspiration to others.
Rob joins us this week to talk about his service in the Marine Corps, the logistics of doing 31 marathons in 31 days, and where he may be going from here with his next mission.
Guest: @RobJonesJourney
Host: @TimothyJLawson
VA: @DeptVetAffairs
#94: Benefits Breakdown – Smoke Quitline
Borne the Battle
04/09/18 • 12 min
I smoked for nearly ten years. I picked up the habit when I was 18 or 19 years old, and didn't truly quit until my late 20s. Like many smokers, I tried a number of different philosophies to kick the habit. It was easier to quit when I left the military, but it was still a challenge. Even years after I quit, I still get cravings occasionally, especially if I'm around other smokers.
Like any personal challenge, a support system is always key to success. I wish I had known about VA's Smoking Quitline when I decided to quit. One call to the quitline can get you set up with a counselor to talk about the importance of quitting, help you set up a plan, and schedule follow up calls to check in on your progress.
To get you more familiar with this service provided by VA, I spoke with a cessation counselor about what you need to know about the experience of using our Smoking Quitline.
#93: Robert Blackman - Marine Veteran; President and CEO, Marine Corps Heritage Foundation
Borne the Battle
04/04/18 • 35 min
Washington D.C. is full of amazing museums. The National Mall is lined with preserved history and remembrance. However, one of the best locations in the area for military history, the Marine Corps Museum, is an hour south in Quantico, Virginia. The Marine Corps Museum is beautifully built, meant to resemble the flag staff of the famous Iwo Jima flag raising photo. Inside, guests can learn about about Marine Corps' inception at Tun Tavern and its involvement in America's conflicts since then.
The Marine Corps Heritage Foundation is responsible for the development and upkeep of the museum, preserving and promulgating the history, traditions and culture of the Marine Corps and educating all Americans in its virtues. Our guest on this week's podcast, retired Lieutenant General Robert Blackman is the President of the foundation.
Robert shares his experience in the Marine Corps, the importance of preserving military history, and his role at the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation.
About Robert Blackman:
Lieutenant General Blackman was commissioned as Marine Corps officer upon graduation from Cornell University in June 1970. Toward the end of a long successful career, Lieutenant General Blackman served as the Commanding General, III Marine Expeditionary Force; Commander, Marine Corps Bases, Japan; and Commander, Marine Forces Japan from 2003 to 2005. He then assumed command of U.S. Marine Corps Forces Command; U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Europe; U.S. Marine Corps Forces, South; U.S. Marine Corps Bases, Atlantic; U.S. Fleet Marine Force, Atlantic; and U.S. Fleet Marine Force, Europe, until his retirement in 2007. After leaving active service, Lieutenant General Blackman worked with Marine Corps’ Marine Air-Ground Task Force Staff Training Program. He was named President and CEO of the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation in 2011.
#92: Women Veterans round table featuring Lauren Augustine, Joy Ilem, & Sarah Maples
Borne the Battle
03/30/18 • 43 min
We have some bonus content for you. I sat down with three amazing Veterans to help wrap up our focus on Women Veterans this month. Lauren Augustine from Student Veterans of America, Joy Ilem from Disabled American Veterans, and Sarah Maples from Veterans of Foreign Wars joined me to discuss women Veterans they admire, women Veterans issues from the perspective of their respective organizations, and the growth of women Veterans as icons and leaders in the Veteran community.
Lauren Augustine is SVA's Director of Policy, advocating for student Veterans as it comes to policy affecting their pursuit of education. Joy Ilem is DAV's National Legislative Director. She directs the advancement of DAV’s public policy objectives to promote and defend reasonable and responsible legislation to assist disabled Veterans and their families nationwide, while guarding current Veteran’s benefits and services from legislative erosion. Sarah Maples just wrapped up her time at VFW as Director for National Security and Foreign Affairs where she developed, implemented, and promoted the VFW's national security and foreign affairs policy priorities.
#91 Sarah Holzhalb – Coast Guard Veteran, Athlete and Team RWB Relationships Manager
Borne the Battle
03/28/18 • 41 min
This week's podcast marks our fourth and last installment in the series featuring women from the Women Veterans Athlete Initiative put on by the Center for Women Veterans. Today, we feature Sarah Holzalb, a Coast Guard Veteran and Relationships Manager for Team RWB.
Sarah Holzhalb entered the US Coast Guard Commissioned Corps as a deck watch officer in 2002, serving for 5 years. While grieving the suicides of two shipmates, she decided to train for her first marathon. The long training hours proved therapeutic, and her running club provided a new tribe to replace the shipmates she’d left behind.
Sarah talks to us about serving in the Coast Guard, her approach to marathons, the value she sees in Team RWB, and more.
#90 Candice Caesar – Army Veteran, Athlete and Team RWB member
Borne the Battle
03/21/18 • 36 min
This is the third installment of our series spotlighting women from the Women Veteran Athletes Initiative put on by the Center for Women Veterans. Featured on this week's episode is Army Veteran Candice Caesar.
Candice Caesar joined the US Army as a personnel actions specialist, excited to serve her country. A vehicle accident left her traumatized, paralyzed, and medically retired. She vowed to run again one day, and throughout her transition and recovery, she leaned on physical training to keep her going.
She's run a number of different races and events across the country, and is trying to race in 50 out of 50 states. She also aspires to do a half marathon on all seven continents. Candice talks to us about her eagerness to be a soldier, the car accident that left her injured, and how Team RWB and physical fitness have benefited her.
#153: Perry Firoz - Air Force Veteran, CEO Epic Music LA
Borne the Battle
07/10/19 • 49 min
Perry Firoz is smart. Not just Air Force smart, but “can I copy off your paper,” smart.
Perry degrees include:
- Master’s Degree, Operations Research – Advanced Mathematical Applications, George Mason
- Bachelor of Applied Science – Mathematics, Statistics, and Computer Science, Wichita State University
- Bachelor of Science, Music Performance, Theory, Composition, University of Nebraska
He was an Analytical Scientist for the Air Force. A lot of this episode is trying to figure out what an analytical scientist does, and I think we have it figured out. His entire job was to figure out how to make the Air Force more efficient. Where another service (ahem, Marine Corps) would contract a solution, the Air Force paid Perry to figure out how to fix logjams in career progression education systems.
Since he left active duty, Perry has continued military analytical research for the Rand Corporation. He is also taking what he has learned to become an entrepreneur. Returning to his first love, music, Perry moved out to Los Angeles and started Epic Music LA. Epic Music LA is a music licensing company. They work with experienced composers to create a library that films and television shows, post-production companies, sports/news media, public relations and advertising agencies can license. They have recently signed deals with CBS, MLB and NHL Networks.
Enjoy.
Additional Links for this Episode:
- https://www.va.gov/disability/eligibility/hazardous-materials-exposure/agent-orange/navy-coast-guard-ships-vietnam/
- https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/299/text
- operationsong.org
#BtBattle Veteran of the Week
National Guard Veteran Dr. Richard Pinsker
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FAQ
How many episodes does Borne the Battle have?
Borne the Battle currently has 320 episodes available.
What topics does Borne the Battle cover?
The podcast is about Society & Culture, Army, Interview, Personal Journals, Podcasts, Government and Military.
What is the most popular episode on Borne the Battle?
The episode title 'One Number, Countless Benefits: How 800-MYVA411 Simplifies VA Access' is the most popular.
What is the average episode length on Borne the Battle?
The average episode length on Borne the Battle is 48 minutes.
How often are episodes of Borne the Battle released?
Episodes of Borne the Battle are typically released every 7 days.
When was the first episode of Borne the Battle?
The first episode of Borne the Battle was released on Oct 28, 2016.
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