Empowering Navy Resilience: Rachel Oswalt's Journey Through Adversity, Mental Health Advocacy, and Transformative Leadership

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<v Speaker 1>Welcome to your Thoughts, your Reality with Michael Cole, the podcast that shines a compassionate light on the journey of veterans battling through life's challenges.

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<v Speaker 1>Michael is a dual elite certified neuro encoding specialist in coaching and keynote training presentations dedicated to guiding military veterans as they navigate the intricate pathways of post deployment life.

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<v Speaker 1>Join him as we delve into the profound realm of neuroencoding science, empowering these brave individuals to conquer universal battles procrastination, self-doubt, fear and more.

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<v Speaker 1>Together, let's uncover the strength within you to re-engage with families and society, forging a new path forward.

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<v Speaker 2>Hello, hello, hello everybody.

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<v Speaker 2>Hey.

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<v Speaker 2>So today we have a special guest.

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<v Speaker 2>I'm really excited to talk to Rachel Oswalt.

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<v Speaker 2>Rachel is a dedicated Navy veteran, firsthand experience navigating the complex challenges of military life.

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<v Speaker 2>We're going to dive into some of that.

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<v Speaker 2>I'm super excited.

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<v Speaker 2>She's the host of Impactful Podcast.

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<v Speaker 2>Your Story Doesn't End here.

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<v Speaker 2>Fantastic podcast.

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<v Speaker 2>I have listened to it, but don't tell her.

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<v Speaker 2>She's passionate about breaking the stigma around mental health and advocating for better support systems for veterans and their families.

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<v Speaker 2>Through her work, rachel empowers veterans to share their stories and access resources they need to thrive.

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<v Speaker 2>So I'm really excited, rachel, to get on here and talk.

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<v Speaker 2>So why don't you just tell us a little bit more about yourself?

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<v Speaker 3>Yeah, thank you so much for having me, michael.

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<v Speaker 3>A little bit about me.

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<v Speaker 3>I grew up in the Midwest Iowa, born and raised.

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<v Speaker 3>There's not a lot of us out there that have left the state, but we do exist, currently living in the Pacific Northwest.

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<v Speaker 3>The Navy brought me out here and I had no idea that there were islands in Washington until the Navy sent me to an island, and so I've lived in Whidbey Island, washington, ever since, served in the Navy from 2015 until 2021.

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<v Speaker 3>I was an aviation electronics technician.

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<v Speaker 3>It was actually my second time serving in the military.

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<v Speaker 3>Well, I can't say serving my second time enlisting in the military.

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<v Speaker 3>The first time I enlisted was 2012.

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<v Speaker 3>I was supposed to be a whole technician, which they say is the plumber of the Navy.

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<v Speaker 3>Super glad that did not happen, because everyone that I talked to that is an HG says you will get human feces on you at some point, and I'm not about that life.

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<v Speaker 3>And I also never stepped foot on a boat in the entire six and a half years that I served because I was aviation.

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<v Speaker 3>So super glad that life took me down the path that I did.

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<v Speaker 3>But the reason that I didn't end up joining the first time is just because I was in a toxic relationship with someone that just wasn't working, wasn't really contributing, and trying to make that all work out didn't work out.

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<v Speaker 3>And so I'm such a huge believer that everything happens for me and everything happens for a reason.

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<v Speaker 3>And so, you know, when I had that conversation with the chief and the recruiting office and they're like, listen, you can never join the Navy again, I said, listen, that wasn't like the end, all be all for me.

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<v Speaker 3>I wasn't like you know that, joe, navy, like this has to happen.

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<v Speaker 3>It is what it is.

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<v Speaker 3>But it was 2014, like not even two years later, that the same recruiter called me up and was like, hey, we need people for the Navy.

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<v Speaker 3>Surprise, surprise, we're doing waivers.

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<v Speaker 3>Now there's a waiver for everything.

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<v Speaker 3>Everyone knows that.

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<v Speaker 3>And so I ended up deciding, just kind of on a whim.

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<v Speaker 3>I had gotten out of that same toxic relationship and probably a few months prior, and I was like you know what?

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<v Speaker 3>I'm just going to go for it.

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<v Speaker 3>But this time I decided I wanted to go for something that I wanted to do, and aviation electronics technician is not what I wanted to do, but I was going for a spec war, and so I was training to either be a Navy diver or an air rescue swimmer, and so there's a lot that I learned in that year that I was just training and doing the PSTs the physical fitness test for spec war.

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<v Speaker 3>I was the only female in the entire state of Iowa that was even attempting to go for spec war and I didn't end up getting a contract.

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<v Speaker 3>But the person that I became in that year going from zero dead hang pull-ups to six dead hang pull-ups, going from a 15, over a 15 minute mile and a half to an 11 minute and 32nd mile and a half just watching myself improve and grow and do this thing that I never even thought would be possible for me was really cool.

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<v Speaker 3>But I ended up shipping out in March 2015 as an aviation electronics technician.

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<v Speaker 3>They call it AV because they split you into either I-level or O-level, intermediate or organizational when you hit the end of boot camp and all that stuff and I would say that you know, boot camp for me was a bit of a culture shock, just because, coming from Iowa and the Midwest, you just don't really see like what else there is throughout the nation and I didn't realize how many different people there were throughout the entire United States, and so that was a bit of a culture shock for me, as well as being a female in boot camp in the Navy, a few years after they just started implementing more rules as far as sexual assault prevention and response, and so I just felt like my experience there was a bit disappointing.

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<v Speaker 3>I didn't think that I was pushed as much as I wanted to be in that environment and so that was a bit of a disappointment for me but made it out of boot camp.

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<v Speaker 3>My A school is in Pensacola and I was kind of glossing over the stuff because I don't want to take too long getting into Okay.

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<v Speaker 3>But so Pensacola I actually spent I want to say I got there in, I think, july and then I didn't leave until October.

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<v Speaker 3>I left a month later than I was supposed to because I got in trouble when I was in a school.

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<v Speaker 3>I went to captain's mast.

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<v Speaker 3>Reason being I bought alcohol for two Marines Don't hang out with Marines under the age of 21.

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<v Speaker 3>And one of them got caught.

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<v Speaker 3>So I hear he ratted and sold.

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<v Speaker 3>I don't really know exactly what happened.

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<v Speaker 2>Let's call him right now.

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<v Speaker 2>Let's call him Right.

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<v Speaker 3>Call him up.

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<v Speaker 3>What happened?

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<v Speaker 3>He claims he didn't.

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<v Speaker 3>I don't know, nor does it really matter honestly at this point, nor did it even at that time.

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<v Speaker 3>I was more just Navy member and the other two were Marines and they could not take the Marines through the same non-judicial punishment process as me, and so they just kind of had to take my word for what I was saying and believe me, and so I knew to tell that sounds terrible.

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<v Speaker 3>I knew to tell just enough so that they couldn't like dispute my story, because I knew that, like what happens on base, half the incident happened off base but we didn't get like caught or anything off base.

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<v Speaker 3>So what I did was I curated a story so that it made sense and it kind of made me seem better, but at the same time it made me seem like an alcoholic because I was like, yeah, I didn't buy alcohol for them off base.

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<v Speaker 3>I was slinging back drinks and I'm really like not a drinker like that.

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<v Speaker 3>But I'm like, yeah, I didn't buy alcohol for them off base.

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<v Speaker 3>I was slinging back drinks and I'm really not a drinker like that.

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<v Speaker 3>But I'm like, yeah, I'm slinging back all these drinks because I know how many drinks I bought off base.

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<v Speaker 3>But I'm like I'm not going to sit there and tell them that I bought four drinks off base for these underage guys.

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<v Speaker 3>All they know is that these dudes showed up to base with a bottle of Coke that had some uh, what is it?

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<v Speaker 3>Jack daniel's whiskey, the apple stuff, jim beam, it was jim beam, the apple jim beam.

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<v Speaker 3>That's all they know is that they had some jim beam mixed with coke in a bottle on base, and it was only one of them that got caught, I think, um, but there were two, two guys that ended up in that whole incident.

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<v Speaker 3>One of them got kicked out because he had prior alcohol issues.

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<v Speaker 3>The other one just wasn't able to reenlist.

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<v Speaker 3>And then me, um, I went through the whole NJP process, which, as a student, I think is a bit ridiculous.

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<v Speaker 3>I wasn't like 18 years old when I joined the Navy, I was 22.

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<v Speaker 3>And so I had already, like, experienced a little bit of life before the military.

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<v Speaker 3>And so, um, I tell you, like, when you first get in trouble, they always tell everyone in the military, like, tell us first.

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<v Speaker 3>They're like you know, make sure you tell us first, because we want to know, because if we find out.

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<v Speaker 3>It's going to be way worse.

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<v Speaker 3>Okay, cool.

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<v Speaker 2>so the second, they don't want to be bullshit, they don't want to be like exactly.

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<v Speaker 2>So the thing is is be like exactly.

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<v Speaker 3>So.

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<v Speaker 3>The thing is is when I when I messed up, I didn't go tell them, but when I found out from someone else that, hey, they know, I went straight to my barracks and I was like listen, you guys probably don't know this yet, wanted to let you know before you hear it.

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<v Speaker 3>This is what happened.

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<v Speaker 3>I bought alcohol for someone underage.

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<v Speaker 3>I messed up.

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<v Speaker 3>There you go.

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<v Speaker 3>They're like okay, cool, thanks for letting us know.

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<v Speaker 3>And that was it.

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<v Speaker 3>I'm like okay, obviously there's going to be more to this.

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<v Speaker 3>Well, I get called back into the office, which is like the size of a small like broom coat closet and there was like 10 different MTIs in there.

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<v Speaker 3>Mtis are like the people that watch over the barracks.

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<v Speaker 3>I don't remember what it stands for and they're like yelling at me asking why I did what I did.

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<v Speaker 3>I guess I was like the third.

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<v Speaker 3>I was a yeoman in my barracks because it was the easiest watch to stand.

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<v Speaker 3>I didn't have to stand at like the front in my dress whites I just had to stand at the desk and like check people in when they walked in, answer questions, and so they're like you're like the third yeoman that's gotten in trouble.

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<v Speaker 3>Why do you guys keep doing this and I'm like I don't, like I can't answer why.

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<v Speaker 3>I don't know, life just happens.

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<v Speaker 3>Yeah, sometimes you just make dumb decisions and like they're like you've done this before.

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<v Speaker 3>I'm like actually no, like I'm not that person out there like alcoholic, regularly buying alcohol for minors, like that's just not me and it's never been me.

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<v Speaker 3>But you know, they're just sitting there berating me and I'm like okay, in my head I'm thinking like I've just got to take the yelling, answer their questions and just move on with my life, and so I just sat there Looking back, rachel.

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<v Speaker 2>what'd you learn from this?

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<v Speaker 3>From this Um, don't buy alcohol for my um.

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<v Speaker 3>You know, I think, honestly, the overarching big picture of this.

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<v Speaker 3>I was in just such a weird place in my life where I was trying to balance, like freedom and being somewhere completely new, and just like trying to balance so many different things.

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<v Speaker 3>For most of my time that I was in Pensacola I had one really good friend that I hung out with and we did everything together, we explored.

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<v Speaker 3>I never really had issues with getting in trouble and then when my group of friends left, it was like that change, like almost triggered something, where I just started hanging out with people that like I don't want to say they weren't great people, but they were just a little more.

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<v Speaker 3>They were Marines mostly, but you know, they just more like erratic behavior and things that I normally wouldn't do.

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<v Speaker 3>And I would say that, realistically, the entire time I was out there I probably wasn't in a fully great place mentally because I was just trying to deal with a lot of change.

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<v Speaker 3>And like that's the thing with the military is, I don't think we we take into account how much change there is and how much.

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<v Speaker 3>We just don't take the time to sit back and process and deal with that, and you see a lot of people deal with that with alcohol.

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<v Speaker 3>I mean, the, the base in Pensacola has a bar on base, which is, in my opinion, a terrible idea.

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<v Speaker 3>I think it turns a lot of people into if this is even a thing like temporary maybe not alcoholics but I think it creates an alcoholism problem for a lot of people in that time that they're there at that base, because it makes it easy to cope.

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<v Speaker 3>And so what I found myself doing was falling into these different unhealthy coping mechanisms.

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<v Speaker 3>I was overeating, I was drinking a lot of alcohol, I was, you know, going out late at night, I was breaking rules.

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<v Speaker 3>I mean there was a phase system that I was supposed to follow when I first got there, where I wasn't supposed to go off base unless I was in my uniform for my first like two weeks, until I like hit this many quals, and that was phase one, and then phase two.

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<v Speaker 3>I could stay out till like midnight or something, and I don't remember what they all were, but I found myself like packing civilian clothes, going out off base and like doing just stupid things.

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<v Speaker 2>I mean things that like could have royally messed up my entire military career um, testing the waters to see what you could get away with, or were you just retaliating?

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<v Speaker 2>Looking back now, what do you think the process was there in your mind?

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<v Speaker 3>I think for me it was just like this is the first time that I was out of Iowa and I grew up in a very family and a very religious family, and so I never really got to experience freedom to that level.

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<v Speaker 3>But then for Iowans, like Florida is like the vacation spot, right.

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<v Speaker 3>So like being in Florida, there's the beaches there, there's, you know, alcohol there.

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<v Speaker 3>I'm old enough to drink.

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<v Speaker 3>I never really drank much when I was younger.

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<v Speaker 3>I always, I think, kept myself in this like bubble, because I was always so afraid of like getting in trouble, and so I think, yeah, there was a point of me pushing the boundaries.

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<v Speaker 3>But then I think what that turned into throughout the process was me starting to use alcohol as a way to just kind of like escape from the things that I just didn't want to think about and deal with, because I did hit a point where I was like drinking like four um amfs a night, which is like excessive for me and um yeah, I don't know how I survived that part of life, but yeah.

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<v Speaker 2>That's the normal pattern.

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<v Speaker 2>Right as we're trying to cope or trying to escape things, we go to doom scrolling video games, alcohol, drugs.

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<v Speaker 2>Whatever the case may be, that's still the natural human condition or human pattern.

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<v Speaker 3>Right.

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<v Speaker 2>It's just on steroids.

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<v Speaker 2>Generally with military.

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<v Speaker 2>Right, because there are lots of reasons.

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<v Speaker 2>Won't get into all that right now.

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<v Speaker 2>So, if we can, what was the pivotal moment, Rachel, where you from the naval journey to really focus on mental health, being an advocate and that kind of thing once you were out?

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<v Speaker 3>Yeah.

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<v Speaker 3>So I would say that that pivotal part actually happened while I was still active duty.

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<v Speaker 3>I like to say that my pivotal moment was in 2019.

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<v Speaker 3>I was on a detachment to Japan and in Japan I probably hit the lowest point mentally that I did the entire time I was in the Navy.

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<v Speaker 3>I was out on that detachment we weren't in small groups of people, but I was supposed to go to Greece.

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<v Speaker 3>They changed my detachment two weeks before I was supposed to go to Greece and decided to send me to Japan, they claimed because I was the most qualified worker.

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<v Speaker 3>Part of it, I know, is because I didn't get my collateral duty inspector qualification that they really wanted me to get, but I was refusing to get kind of out of protest and I didn't have to because I was an E4.

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<v Speaker 3>I was required for excuse me, the E5s, but anyway, they sent me out to Japan with just this really toxic human being and he didn't know a whole lot about his job, which is why they sent me out there with him and I really tried to go out there in the beginning with an open mind of okay, like you know, we're just going to get through this Right.

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<v Speaker 3>I think that's kind of the mindset you have to cultivate a lot of times in the military, because we don't always get what we want, which is fine, um, but what it turned into was, um, just very toxic leadership.

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<v Speaker 3>Um, and it wasn't just from that individual.

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<v Speaker 3>You know, I think I saw a lot of people using alcohol as a coping mechanism, people just doing dumb things and, having already had that ARI, the alcohol related incident, being in the wrong place, wrong time means that I could have gotten kicked out of the military, and so I spent a lot of time actually isolating when I was there, which also didn't help my mental health, because I didn't want to be outside with the people who were drinking and running away and you know, climbing on the roofs of the gateway and in suites and you know someone sees Rachel, and then you know I just automatically get affiliated with this, even though I wasn't.

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<v Speaker 3>So isolation, you know, toxic leadership, long work days, there was just a lot of things combined and I hit this point where my mental health hit really an ultimate low.

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<v Speaker 3>And so I still have this picture on my cell phone today.

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<v Speaker 3>I don't know why I keep it.

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<v Speaker 3>I think I keep it as a reminder, but I had the chains from the plane wrapped around my neck and there was probably about 10 people standing a few feet away from me because we were doing a turret change that turret camera that's in the nose of the plane.

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<v Speaker 3>And I was just on the other side of the nose of the plane and I took the chains and I wrapped them around my neck and I leaned forward into them and I can see in this picture like my face is like turning purple.

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<v Speaker 3>And I remember there was our LPO walked by me and he like asked me a question.

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<v Speaker 3>I don't remember what he asked me, but I remember like I answered the question.

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<v Speaker 3>He like a giggled, and this was very, very common.

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<v Speaker 3>Like they would ask us every day, how are you?

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<v Speaker 3>And I would very commonly answer that I was not okay.

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<v Speaker 3>And then you know when they couldn't give like an immediate answer right there and then like, oh, what do you need?

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<v Speaker 3>Oh, you need to go home.

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<v Speaker 3>Oh, sucks to suck, I can't help you.

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<v Speaker 3>They would just kind of like laugh and move on.

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<v Speaker 3>And so it was very common to just kind of like brush off mental health issues and I think it's because everyone there was struggling and so we didn't really quite know how to help each other.

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<v Speaker 3>And so you know, I don't go back and say like, yes, it's their fault that I felt like like ending my life, life was one of the only options.

00:18:00.634 --> 00:18:03.990
<v Speaker 3>Obviously I didn't, but I felt really, really low that entire time, and so I think we were there for like three to four months.

00:18:03.990 --> 00:18:12.596
<v Speaker 3>When I came home, I took 30 days of leave and that's when I started trying to re-up my therapy journey again, which is a whole other story.

00:18:12.596 --> 00:18:23.692
<v Speaker 3>But that's also the time that I started a petition to the Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy and it's actually still live on changeorg.

00:18:23.692 --> 00:18:32.772
<v Speaker 3>But I essentially told him like, hey, this is what happened with me, this is the experience that I have, this is not acceptable and the Navy needs to change something when it comes to mental health.

00:18:33.173 --> 00:18:34.659
<v Speaker 3>And I did get a response from him.

00:18:34.659 --> 00:18:35.441
<v Speaker 3>I got an email.

00:18:35.441 --> 00:18:38.317
<v Speaker 3>He basically said hey, thank you for this.

00:18:38.317 --> 00:18:39.641
<v Speaker 3>This is what we're doing.

00:18:39.641 --> 00:18:43.240
<v Speaker 3>In San Diego, they had started a walk-in clinic for mental health.

00:18:43.240 --> 00:18:44.997
<v Speaker 3>They said we're going to test this out here.

00:18:44.997 --> 00:18:49.260
<v Speaker 3>If we get good results, we will try this in other areas.

00:18:49.260 --> 00:18:59.381
<v Speaker 3>But I would love to sit down and have coffee sometime if I'm in Whidbey Island and blah, blah, blah, and so that was really all I heard about that and nothing really changed.

00:18:59.381 --> 00:19:14.723
<v Speaker 3>But what really sparked something in me is when I started that petition, I also sent a letter to the McPawn that had all these suggestions immediate suggestions, a year, three years, five years.

00:19:15.090 --> 00:19:35.672
<v Speaker 3>I sent stories from people because when I tell you the amount of stories that flooded into me from people who had experienced horrible things in the military when it came to their mental health, I said, hey, thank you for speaking up and saying something to the McPond, because I feel like I haven't been seen or heard and I feel like what I need does not exist in the military, thank you.

00:19:35.912 --> 00:19:39.991
<v Speaker 3>And I got so many stories and so that's really what like sparked the idea for the podcast.

00:19:39.991 --> 00:19:43.701
<v Speaker 3>And then I didn't obviously do the podcast until I got out in 2021.

00:19:43.701 --> 00:19:50.679
<v Speaker 3>But I heard so many stories from people that I felt needed to be shared with the world.

00:19:50.679 --> 00:20:16.433
<v Speaker 3>And so you know, even since then 2021, it's now 2024, every single Monday I'm putting out a story or I'm putting out value, you know, something that people can tangibly take away, or sometimes I'm using it as my own platform to share something about myself or just have a solo episode and just kind of use it as my like journal or diary to the world and a very public platform to have as a diary or a journal.

00:20:16.433 --> 00:20:18.662
<v Speaker 3>But the thing is is, I think people can relate.

00:20:19.084 --> 00:20:22.273
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, at least you're getting it out and people relate.

00:20:22.273 --> 00:20:28.192
<v Speaker 2>And you know, even if people aren't saying hey, me too, or this is, this, is I dealt with the exact same thing.

00:20:28.192 --> 00:20:38.226
<v Speaker 2>And even with you know, my podcasts and trainings and all the things that I do I all of a sudden someone will pop up, you know, and they're like hey, you really helped me.

00:20:38.226 --> 00:20:42.201
<v Speaker 2>Hey, that one time you really changed something for me, you know.

00:20:42.201 --> 00:20:44.190
<v Speaker 2>So it's awesome, you're doing it, rachel.

00:20:44.190 --> 00:20:48.821
<v Speaker 2>And being vulnerable is, you know, the most courageous thing we do, right.

00:20:49.230 --> 00:20:59.855
<v Speaker 2>I mean especially, as you know, military, and you know it's so fantastic when a military veteran stands up and says you know what?

00:20:59.855 --> 00:21:01.660
<v Speaker 2>Because it changes the stigma.

00:21:02.141 --> 00:21:02.321
<v Speaker 3>Yes.

00:21:02.402 --> 00:21:03.223
<v Speaker 2>I can be vulnerable.

00:21:03.223 --> 00:21:12.054
<v Speaker 2>I'm courageous because it's more courageous to stand up and say something or talk about it, ask for help, than it is to just sit there and suffer.

00:21:12.494 --> 00:21:12.934
<v Speaker 3>Absolutely.

00:21:13.276 --> 00:21:14.978
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, it's fantastic what you're doing.

00:21:15.018 --> 00:21:15.378
<v Speaker 3>Thank you.

00:21:15.398 --> 00:21:16.740
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, no, thank you.

00:21:16.740 --> 00:21:20.045
<v Speaker 2>So when was this that you sent that letter?

00:21:24.450 --> 00:21:27.369
<v Speaker 3>So I sent it around the same time that I started the petition and I had emailed it to him because I was still active duty.

00:21:27.369 --> 00:21:41.913
<v Speaker 3>I still had access to the McPond's email address and it was just in global and I just looked it up and I sent that to him via email and I know he got it, because he had sent the response to that email just letting me know like this is what we're working on and this and that.

00:21:41.913 --> 00:21:45.462
<v Speaker 3>And so I'm still actually trying to get that McPond on my podcast.

00:21:45.462 --> 00:21:48.416
<v Speaker 3>I have been in contact with him.

00:21:48.416 --> 00:21:50.762
<v Speaker 3>I can imagine why he wouldn't want to be.

00:21:50.903 --> 00:21:57.916
<v Speaker 3>But you know, I think when you're in a leadership position like that in the military, it's not always black and white.

00:21:57.916 --> 00:22:09.140
<v Speaker 3>You know why you make the decisions you make, and so for me I'm just mainly curious, like you know, what's it like being in this position where you are head of the entire Navy and you know that all these problems exist?

00:22:09.140 --> 00:22:15.665
<v Speaker 3>You can't just go in like guns blazing and make changes, but like what's that decision-making process like?

00:22:15.665 --> 00:22:23.580
<v Speaker 3>And so I'm legitimately curious and so someday, fingers crossed, I will have McPawn, former McPawn Russell Smith, on my podcast to ask him those questions.

00:22:26.152 --> 00:22:31.315
<v Speaker 2>So, russell, you make two, two millimeter changes, not everything at one time.

00:22:31.315 --> 00:22:33.080
<v Speaker 2>How much will that change over 10 years?

00:22:33.080 --> 00:22:35.250
<v Speaker 2>I'm just putting it out there yeah.

00:22:35.250 --> 00:22:37.272
<v Speaker 2>Little, two millimeter changes.

00:22:37.272 --> 00:22:45.904
<v Speaker 2>Because when you're steering the ship right and you change that two millimeters, two centimeters, whatever it is, where's your destination in five years from now?

00:22:46.224 --> 00:23:07.363
<v Speaker 3>Right, the biggest issue and and maybe people don't want to talk about this, but I think the biggest issue is that we as leaders, the leaders that are in like the pentagon and these higher positions they want to make these changes so that someone can be like, oh bravo, we passed the brandon act.

00:23:07.891 --> 00:23:09.835
<v Speaker 3>Oh bravo, we changed this in the military.

00:23:10.016 --> 00:23:32.683
<v Speaker 3>Oh, sexual assault allegory, sexual assault investigations are now outside of the chain of command, and like, we're making all these big changes, right, but when you talk about these two millimeter changes, like the ones that are actually making a difference and impacting people's lives and yeah, maybe it won't give you all the accolades in the news and maybe it won't, like, put you in the forefront of the entire military and say, oh my goodness, look what this leader did for us.

00:23:32.743 --> 00:23:42.699
<v Speaker 3>But, like I think, for me, I see through for lack of better words, see through the bullshit of like, okay, yes, you created this massive policy, but we have to focus on changing the culture.

00:23:42.699 --> 00:23:54.041
<v Speaker 3>We have to focus on these people and how they are actually reacting to and implementing these policies, because there are still people that exist in the military that hear a policy and they look at it and they say, cool.

00:23:54.041 --> 00:24:01.356
<v Speaker 3>I don't have to follow that because I'm an E8 or I'm an E9 and I don't follow the rules.

00:24:01.356 --> 00:24:06.277
<v Speaker 3>So I'm going to continue to create this toxic culture because hashtag old school Navy or something you know like, it's just, that's just the culture.

00:24:06.277 --> 00:24:07.824
<v Speaker 3>And how do you change the culture?

00:24:07.824 --> 00:24:09.832
<v Speaker 3>It's not necessarily with massive policies.

00:24:09.832 --> 00:24:11.416
<v Speaker 3>It is those two millimeter changes.

00:24:11.596 --> 00:24:26.356
<v Speaker 2>It really is and you don't have to go through all the red tape and everything to make those little changes and you're going to get more respect from the people that you're leading and they're going to follow more just by them seeing you making the changes yourself.

00:24:26.356 --> 00:24:42.094
<v Speaker 2>I want to also add we had Mr Whiskey on here yesterday and he had a very similar story about just the stigmas and how he wanted to be in because of the leadership that was in there.

00:24:42.094 --> 00:24:46.394
<v Speaker 2>You know I'm not saying everybody, so please understand I'm not creating a blanket statement here.

00:24:46.394 --> 00:24:58.730
<v Speaker 2>I've also heard amazing stories of amazing leaders, but if you want those good quality Rachels in there or Mr Whiskies or whatever, those little changes will go a long way.

00:24:59.310 --> 00:24:59.571
<v Speaker 3>Yeah.

00:24:59.612 --> 00:25:00.453
<v Speaker 2>I really believe that.

00:25:00.795 --> 00:25:01.256
<v Speaker 3>Absolutely.

00:25:01.797 --> 00:25:04.011
<v Speaker 2>Awesome, hey, so we only got about five minutes left.

00:25:04.011 --> 00:25:06.211
<v Speaker 2>I talk too long.

00:25:06.140 --> 00:25:06.798
<v Speaker 3>Absolutely Awesome, hey.

00:25:06.798 --> 00:25:07.266
<v Speaker 3>So we only got about five minutes left.

00:25:07.266 --> 00:25:07.597
<v Speaker 3>I talk too long, I'm sorry.

00:25:08.226 --> 00:25:09.250
<v Speaker 2>Oh, this is what this is about.

00:25:09.250 --> 00:25:13.795
<v Speaker 2>Conversation Rachel do not apologize for just being you and being real.

00:25:13.795 --> 00:25:14.195
<v Speaker 2>Never.

00:25:14.195 --> 00:25:16.010
<v Speaker 2>Don't ever apologize for that, please.

00:25:16.010 --> 00:25:23.633
<v Speaker 2>How does your podcast your Story Doesn't End here contribute to the larger conversation about mental health and well-being for veterans?

00:25:28.724 --> 00:25:29.826
<v Speaker 3>Let's dive into that with the time we have left.

00:25:29.826 --> 00:25:34.758
<v Speaker 3>Yeah, so you know the thing is is I tell people to share their raw, real, honest stories and you know we don't filter anything on the podcast.

00:25:34.758 --> 00:25:44.192
<v Speaker 3>What I think is maybe not unique, but I allow people to come on anonymously and share their story and change their name if they need to.

00:25:44.192 --> 00:25:49.934
<v Speaker 3>I'm not fancy enough to change voices, but I think just changing the name makes a huge impact for people.

00:25:49.934 --> 00:26:01.636
<v Speaker 3>And the reason I say that is because when the whole Me Too thing happened with Vanessa Guillen, I watched a lot of people a lot of women mainly step forward and say, hey, Me Too, I experienced this.

00:26:01.636 --> 00:26:13.696
<v Speaker 3>And I also watched a lot of women tear those women down, and I watched a lot of women who thought that they were doing the right thing by reporting and saying, hey, let me help you, but that's not what those women needed at that time.

00:26:13.696 --> 00:26:36.374
<v Speaker 3>And so to protect these guests that I have that maybe want to share their story but they're not quite comfortable with the world knowing that this story is affiliated with their name, I allow people to change their names and I know it works because I've heard you know people that know someone that's a guest of mine and they don't realize that it's that person because you know the name has changed and so it is effective.

00:26:36.374 --> 00:26:38.886
<v Speaker 3>But it allows people to be able to speak freely.

00:26:38.926 --> 00:26:44.337
<v Speaker 3>And I think that's so important, because when we hear these things that are happening in the military, we need to hear the real story.

00:26:44.337 --> 00:26:50.772
<v Speaker 3>And you know, I think when you're going through chain of command for people who are active duty, it's like a giant game of telephone right?

00:26:50.772 --> 00:26:58.491
<v Speaker 3>Because the E1 can't just go up to the con typically and say, hey, this is what's happening to me and let's figure out how to change this.

00:26:58.491 --> 00:27:04.578
<v Speaker 3>It's always the E1 has to talk to the E4, who has to tell the E5 to the E6, to the E7.

00:27:04.578 --> 00:27:09.333
<v Speaker 3>And then somewhere along the way, you know, someone doesn't have the same passion as that E1.

00:27:09.653 --> 00:27:15.376
<v Speaker 3>So it's going to get changed, it's going to get dampened, it's going to get filtered, and I see this over and over and over and over.

00:27:15.376 --> 00:27:26.920
<v Speaker 3>Someone needs to go to the guys that have the ability to make change and say listen, I know you don't want to hear this and I know you don't want to believe that this is happening in your military, but this is what's happening in your military.

00:27:26.920 --> 00:27:33.846
<v Speaker 3>Let's use this as fuel to make these positive changes instead of just dwelling in oh my gosh, that happened in my military.

00:27:33.846 --> 00:27:39.106
<v Speaker 3>I can't believe that happened, because the things are happening and they do every day and we just don't talk about them.

00:27:39.106 --> 00:27:45.938
<v Speaker 3>So I think that conversation piece and just talking about it is a huge, huge change maker if we allow it to be.

00:27:46.618 --> 00:27:47.519
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, I agree.

00:27:47.519 --> 00:27:51.635
<v Speaker 2>If no one says anything, nothing will ever change.

00:27:51.635 --> 00:27:53.565
<v Speaker 2>I mean, how much change will happen in the world?

00:27:53.565 --> 00:27:58.877
<v Speaker 2>I'm not even talking about the military, the world because someone finally said you know what Boop you.

00:27:58.877 --> 00:28:01.071
<v Speaker 2>I'm going to talk about it, you know.

00:28:01.132 --> 00:28:01.292
<v Speaker 1>Yeah.

00:28:02.286 --> 00:28:07.134
<v Speaker 2>Sorry, I had to do an explicit podcast thing yesterday so I was just trying to not do that.

00:28:07.134 --> 00:28:11.875
<v Speaker 2>So you know little shit like that, but changes the game Right.

00:28:11.875 --> 00:28:18.438
<v Speaker 2>So thank you again, because without your podcast, your voice out there, it's not there.

00:28:18.438 --> 00:28:23.384
<v Speaker 2>I mean, there may not be the you know, there may be other ones similar out there.

00:28:23.384 --> 00:28:24.409
<v Speaker 2>I've not seen any.

00:28:24.409 --> 00:28:26.190
<v Speaker 2>To be honest, they're exactly like yours.

00:28:26.190 --> 00:28:29.714
<v Speaker 2>But without your voice out there, man, it just nothing's going to change.

00:28:29.714 --> 00:28:30.236
<v Speaker 2>Thank, you.

00:28:30.236 --> 00:28:33.172
<v Speaker 2>So keep the mission going, man, let's keep going.

00:28:33.492 --> 00:28:33.854
<v Speaker 3>Thank you.

00:28:34.335 --> 00:28:35.057
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, absolutely.

00:28:35.057 --> 00:28:37.112
<v Speaker 2>So we are at the end.

00:28:37.112 --> 00:28:38.763
<v Speaker 2>This went way too fast.

00:28:38.865 --> 00:28:39.809
<v Speaker 3>That went very fast.

00:28:45.164 --> 00:28:45.987
<v Speaker 2>We got to definitely have you back on.

00:28:45.987 --> 00:28:46.708
<v Speaker 2>If you're good, let's do it Awesome.

00:28:46.728 --> 00:28:48.531
<v Speaker 3>So before we go though, how do people reach you, rachel?

00:28:48.531 --> 00:28:49.894
<v Speaker 3>Yeah, so easiest way is my website.

00:28:49.894 --> 00:28:52.278
<v Speaker 3>It's ysdehcom.

00:28:52.278 --> 00:28:54.588
<v Speaker 3>You can also find me on social media.

00:28:54.588 --> 00:28:57.776
<v Speaker 3>It's either ysdeh or it's underscore ysdeh.

00:28:57.776 --> 00:29:01.855
<v Speaker 3>I think I may have finally got everything to the underscore ysdeh.

00:29:01.855 --> 00:29:09.998
<v Speaker 3>Search either, or, and you'll see the logo uh, the black logo, uh, with the two hands, uh, intertwined, and the American flag.

00:29:09.998 --> 00:29:14.685
<v Speaker 3>Your story doesn't end here, uh, for the podcast, and you can reach out to me on any social media platform.

00:29:14.685 --> 00:29:18.536
<v Speaker 3>There's a contact us page on the website as well, um, but feel free to reach out.

00:29:18.536 --> 00:29:24.032
<v Speaker 3>And then we were recently on YouTube now, which I've been terrible at keeping up on, but we're still there nonetheless.

00:29:24.032 --> 00:29:29.642
<v Speaker 3>So, yeah, feel free to subscribe to the YouTube channel and check out the episodes that come out every week.

00:29:30.063 --> 00:29:30.784
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, very cool.

00:29:30.784 --> 00:29:31.505
<v Speaker 2>Thank you so much.

00:29:31.505 --> 00:29:37.883
<v Speaker 2>So before we get out of here, can you give three tips to get veterans and their families further fast?

00:29:38.525 --> 00:29:38.625
<v Speaker 3>Yeah.

00:29:38.744 --> 00:29:41.253
<v Speaker 3>So the first thing I would say is connect.

00:29:41.253 --> 00:29:43.913
<v Speaker 3>Connect with other veterans.

00:29:43.913 --> 00:29:56.469
<v Speaker 3>I think I didn't realize how powerful that would be when I got out of the military and I tell this to active duty, In fact I just told someone this last night the one thing I wish I had done when I was active duty was connected with more veterans.

00:29:56.469 --> 00:29:56.769
<v Speaker 3>Why?

00:29:56.769 --> 00:29:59.663
<v Speaker 3>Because active duty only knows the active duty side.

00:29:59.663 --> 00:30:03.211
<v Speaker 3>They've never separated from the military, so they can only answer so many of your questions.

00:30:03.211 --> 00:30:05.576
<v Speaker 3>So connecting with other veterans is really important.

00:30:05.655 --> 00:30:20.736
<v Speaker 3>The second thing I would say is finding the resources out there, and I know that can be so overwhelming, because there are so many different resources for active duty, for families, for veterans, that they're out there and there are so many organizations that are designed specifically to just help us.

00:30:20.736 --> 00:30:40.192
<v Speaker 3>And it doesn't matter if you are a family member, a veteran, if you're active duty, there is a resource out there for you and someone that wants to just help you, whether it be with your quality of life, hiking, just going and doing something fun, something new, or even you know the more serious things like your physical health or your mental health.

00:30:40.192 --> 00:30:45.031
<v Speaker 3>And then let's see the third thing, to get further, faster.

00:30:45.031 --> 00:30:46.496
<v Speaker 3>So is the third one.

00:30:46.496 --> 00:30:47.606
<v Speaker 3>That's the tough one for me.

00:30:47.606 --> 00:30:52.136
<v Speaker 3>So let's see, connect, connect, and you know what?

00:30:52.297 --> 00:30:56.792
<v Speaker 3>For the third one I'm going to say get out of your own way.

00:30:56.792 --> 00:30:58.715
<v Speaker 3>And that's a pretty broad one.

00:30:58.715 --> 00:31:29.740
<v Speaker 3>But I think this is where I've struggled the most as a veteran, and really active duty too is that I created so many rigid rules for myself in my life and I think I'm still battling through, like trying to get out of that mindset where I get in my own way and realizing that there's so much more to life and if we keep ourself in this box of these rules which really the military exacerbates that mindset for a lot of us that we miss out on so many beautiful things.

00:31:29.740 --> 00:31:43.834
<v Speaker 3>And so you know, try something new, Do that thing that scares you, Start the business, Do something that maybe you'll fail at because it's scary, but just get out of your own way because then you won't miss out on all the beauty that life has.

00:31:45.036 --> 00:31:45.998
<v Speaker 2>That's awesome.

00:31:46.439 --> 00:31:46.838
<v Speaker 3>Thank you.

00:31:47.326 --> 00:31:49.093
<v Speaker 2>That is absolutely awesome, hey everybody.

00:31:49.093 --> 00:31:51.329
<v Speaker 2>So just before we go, just want to remind everybody.

00:31:51.329 --> 00:31:54.417
<v Speaker 2>There's a blue QR code on the right-hand side of your screen top side.

00:31:54.417 --> 00:31:57.011
<v Speaker 2>It has books that I've written.

00:31:57.011 --> 00:32:01.611
<v Speaker 2>It goes to EmpowerPerformanceStrategiescom, again for people listening on podcast forums later.

00:32:01.611 --> 00:32:08.901
<v Speaker 2>Empowerperformancestrategiescom there are Facebook groups for both families and veterans to get involved and connect.

00:32:08.901 --> 00:32:11.814
<v Speaker 2>So please reach out, get involved.

00:32:11.814 --> 00:32:18.638
<v Speaker 2>And, rachel, I'd love to talk to you about diving when we get off of here and some other things so hang on.

00:32:19.806 --> 00:32:20.670
<v Speaker 2>Everybody.

00:32:20.670 --> 00:32:22.326
<v Speaker 2>Thank you and Rachel.

00:32:22.326 --> 00:32:25.492
<v Speaker 2>Time is the most precious resource we have as human beings.

00:32:25.492 --> 00:32:27.837
<v Speaker 2>Thank you so much for spending this time with us.

00:32:28.025 --> 00:32:28.950
<v Speaker 3>Thank you for having me.

00:32:29.484 --> 00:32:31.652
<v Speaker 2>Oh, absolutely Going to have you on again Everybody.

00:32:31.652 --> 00:32:32.615
<v Speaker 2>Thank you, have a good one.

00:32:35.525 --> 00:32:41.996
<v Speaker 1>Thank you for joining us on another insightful journey of your Thoughts your Reality podcast with your host, michael Cole.

00:32:41.996 --> 00:32:45.666
<v Speaker 1>We hope the conversation sparked some thoughts that resonate with you.

00:32:45.666 --> 00:32:52.631
<v Speaker 1>To dive deeper into empowering your thoughts and enhancing your reality, visit empowerperformancestrategiescom.

00:32:52.631 --> 00:32:57.208
<v Speaker 1>Remember your thoughts shape your reality, so make them count.

00:32:57.208 --> 00:33:02.259
<v Speaker 1>Until next time, stay inspired and keep creating the reality you desire.

00:33:02.259 --> 00:33:04.011
<v Speaker 1>Catch you on the next episode.