Exit Buddy: Veteran Stories to Guide You shines a light on the real struggles and triumphs of veterans navigating life after military service. Each episode dives into the heart of military transition—sharing tales of resilience, setbacks, humor, and growth as veterans move from boots to business or rediscover purpose in civilian life. If you’re seeking inspiration, practical advice on military transition, or just a reminder that you’re not walking this path alone, Exit Buddy is here to help ...
…
continue reading
1
The Lessons We Learned from Our Honorary Exit Buddies
17:26
17:26
Na później
Na później
Listy
Polub
Polubione
17:26It’s the Season 1 finale! Kathleen and Rachel sit down to reflect on the incredible veterans who joined us on Exit Buddy: Veteran Stories to Guide You. From pilots to cyber warriors and nonprofit founders, each guest left us with hard-won wisdom on mindset, identity, resilience, networking, purpose, and navigating military transition. This episode …
…
continue reading
1
Brewing Your Next Chapter: Translating Supply Corps Skills to Starbucks
25:33
25:33
Na później
Na później
Listy
Polub
Polubione
25:33In this episode of Exit Buddy: Veteran Stories to Guide You, we meet Stephanie West, a Navy veteran who charted a course from the supply lines of the military to the heart of Starbucks operations. She discusses joining the Navy at 17 through the Buddy Program, how she turned night classes into degrees (all the way to an MBA), how her passion for St…
…
continue reading
1
Breaking Barriers in Aviation & Turning Passion into Nonprofit Purpose
23:29
23:29
Na później
Na później
Listy
Polub
Polubione
23:29In this episode of Exit Buddy: Veteran Stories to Guide You, retired US Air Force pilot Jessica Ruttenber shares her remarkable journey navigating—and ultimately transforming—the world of military aviation. Jessica recounts battling physical and cultural obstacles to become a pilot, and how she advocated for lasting policy changes at the Pentagon. …
…
continue reading
1
Buckle Down & Break Through: From Devil Dog to Cyber Champion
26:43
26:43
Na później
Na później
Listy
Polub
Polubione
26:43Join Kathleen Smith and Rachel Bozeman as they welcome Tom Eston, a Marine turned cybersecurity trailblazer, podcaster, and mentor, for an inspiring dive into his journey. From his infantry days to carving out a security career, Tom shares how curiosity, self-discipline, and determination fueled his rise. Tom emphasizes the importance of mentorship…
…
continue reading
1
Don’t Tough It Out: A Marine's VA & Vitamin M Warning
33:59
33:59
Na później
Na później
Listy
Polub
Polubione
33:59Join Kathleen Smith and Rachel Bozeman as they welcome Rob Fuller, a U.S. Marine veteran, cybersecurity leader, and community founder, for a raw look at his journey. From blowing up 300 pounds of C4 as a combat engineer to thriving in cybersecurity, Rob’s story takes a sobering turn with his struggle for VA benefits. Impacted by a culture of "tough…
…
continue reading
1
From Chief to "Just" Jaimee: Soul Searching & Taking Your Shot
22:25
22:25
Na później
Na później
Listy
Polub
Polubione
22:25In this episode of Exit Buddy: Veteran Stories to Guide You, Air Force veteran Jaimee Freeman shares her recent military transition experience—shedding her Chief identity for "just" Jaimee after 28 years of service. Jaimee reveals how she pivoted from linguist to Pentagon event planner, turned down a lucrative job upon transition (not allowing fear…
…
continue reading
1
It Sucks, but I Love It: Finding Joy Through the Tough Stuff
31:30
31:30
Na później
Na później
Listy
Polub
Polubione
31:30Air Force veteran Josh Mason shares his journey of military transition and personal growth on this episode of Exit Buddy: Veteran Stories to Guide You. From cybersecurity to teaching, entrepreneurship, podcasting, and building a chicken coop, Josh showcases the power of creativity, networking, and embracing challenges with a stoic grin. He reveals …
…
continue reading
1
Carrying the Load and Uplifting Others
20:08
20:08
Na później
Na później
Listy
Polub
Polubione
20:08Army veteran Daniel Benjamin steps up to the mic to share his military transition story, from 20 years in signals intelligence to a program manager in cybersecurity and healthcare, on this episode of Exit Buddy: Veteran Stories to Guide You. He recounts how the reserves offered a helpful safety net during his transition into contracting, and how hi…
…
continue reading
1
Red Nails, New Trails: Forging Your Identity After Service
19:42
19:42
Na później
Na później
Listy
Polub
Polubione
19:42In this episode of Exit Buddy: Veteran Stories to Guide You, 20-year Air Force veteran Trecie Spencer shares her journey from joining the Air Force at 17 to a successful career as a project manager at GSA. She dives into how a phone line snafu at Nellis Air Force Base launched her networking mindset, how dreams of colorful nails signaled her milita…
…
continue reading
1
From Tech to Tarmac: A Fighter Pilot’s Second Act in Aviation
26:13
26:13
Na później
Na później
Listy
Polub
Polubione
26:13Air Force veteran Steve Luczynski shares his remarkable journey from soaring the skies in F-15s and F-22s to navigating national security policy, diving into a cybersecurity leadership path, and eventually pivoting back to his first love—flying—in this episode of Exit Buddy: Veteran Stories to Guide You. With a career that spanned Japan to Europe a…
…
continue reading
1
Hawk & Hack: Finding Your Personal Brand and Cyber Tribe
27:15
27:15
Na później
Na później
Listy
Polub
Polubione
27:15Army veteran John Stoner shares his resilient path from signals intelligence analyst to cybersecurity leader in this episode of Exit Buddy: Veteran Stories to Guide You. With a decade of Army service—spanning time in Afghanistan, Bagram, Ottawa, and NSA headquarters—John was primed for a return to intelligence work after separating. Instead, repeat…
…
continue reading
1
Behind the Mic: Meet Your Exit Buddies, Kathleen & Rachel
16:20
16:20
Na później
Na później
Listy
Polub
Polubione
16:20In this bonus episode of Exit Buddy: Veteran Stories to Guide You, hosts Kathleen Smith and Rachel Bozeman pull back the curtain for a fun, heartfelt "get to know us" chat. From the inspiration behind the podcast name to their career journeys, military connections, and top advice for transitioning vets, they share laughs, life lessons, and a peek a…
…
continue reading
1
Fire on Deck to Fire in the Belly: If You Lose Your Passion, You've Lost at Life
32:30
32:30
Na później
Na później
Listy
Polub
Polubione
32:30Navy veteran Shanon Raab discusses his journey from machinist’s mate to passionate recruiter, in both the Navy and civilian worlds, in our first official episode of Exit Buddy: Veteran Stories to Guide You. Shanon shares how a chance visit to the mall at 17 sparked his military career, how mentoring a shipmate led to his Navy recruiting role, and h…
…
continue reading
1
Welcome to Exit Buddy: Veteran Stories to Guide You
1:01
1:01
Na później
Na później
Listy
Polub
Polubione
1:01Join hosts Kathleen Smith and Rachel Bozeman for the launch of Exit Buddy: Veteran Stories to Guide You! This podcast is your go-to resource for navigating the transition from military to civilian life. Each episode features a veteran sharing their real stories, practical tips for career transitions, advice on building strong support networks, and …
…
continue reading