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Brandon Held shares his first memory—witnessing his father's brutal assault on his mother when he was just two years old—and how this traumatic experience shaped his identity as a protector for the next 50 years. This raw, unfiltered introduction to Brandon's life story begins his journey through childhood trauma, abandonment, and finding purpose through protecting others.

Go to my site BrandonHeld.com

• 51-year-old Brandon holds degrees in Mass Communications and a Master's in Business Administration
• Served eight years of military service split between Air Force and Army
• Created this podcast to leave a legacy for his three sons and help others facing similar challenges
• Mother Eva divorced his abusive biological father when Brandon was two
• At age 9, his mother abandoned him and his sister at their grandmother's house for over a year
• When his mother returned with a new abusive husband, she once used Brandon as a human shield
• The birth of his half-brother RJ awakened a deep sense of protection and responsibility
• Plans to release two 20-30 minute episodes weekly with honest, authentic storytelling

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From poverty to purpose, Brandon shares how his brother's birth sparked a transformation in his outlook on life during a childhood marked by neglect, hunger, and searching for guidance amidst family dysfunction.

Please start with Episode 1. Go to my site BrandonHeld.com

• Experiencing a new sense of responsibility and protectiveness after his brother's birth
• Growing up with an emotionally absent mother who spent much of her time in bed
• Surviving on limited food from food stamps and sometimes eating raw potatoes when nothing else was available
• Finding hidden snacks in his mother's closet while being told there was no food for him
• Cherishing Christmas at his grandmother's as a rare bright spot of abundance and care
• Developing a persistent positive attitude that confused his family members
• Setting clear goals to join the Air Force and become a police officer as an escape plan
• Learning from watching what not to do rather than having positive role models

Join me next time as I continue the story of how I transformed my challenging childhood into a path forward.

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Brandon Held recounts his transformative four years in the Air Force, a period that changed his life trajectory and helped him escape a troubled upbringing with minimal guidance and support.

Please start with Episode 1. Go to my site BrandonHeld.com

• Graduating high school early with a 1.5 GPA to join the Air Force at age 17
• Struggling through the ASVAB test, failing the first attempt but passing on the second try
• Driven by determination to break family cycles of alcoholism, drug abuse, and underachievement
• Experiencing culture shock during his first solo travel to Cleveland and first-ever flight
• Enduring the physical and psychological challenges of boot camp at Lackland Air Force Base
• Gaining 20 pounds of muscle during basic training and finding pride in military accomplishment
• Facing the heavy responsibility of Security Police technical training at just 17 years old
• Having his Security Police badge pinned by his cousin, a Lieutenant Colonel and Thunderbird pilot
• Receiving orders to Minot, North Dakota despite requesting only warm-weather locations

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Brandon shares how his life dramatically changed after joining the Air Force, from women suddenly showing interest in him to facing a mental health crisis following a relationship breakdown. His journey from Ohio to North Dakota reveals both the external transformations and internal struggles that shaped his early military experience.

Please start with Episode 1. Go to my site BrandonHeld.com

• First experience returning home on military leave after six months in the Air Force
• Women who previously ignored him suddenly showing romantic interest
• Getting lost in a dangerous Chicago neighborhood during his drive to North Dakota
• Cramped living conditions at Minot Air Force Base with a difficult roommate
• Complicated love triangle with roommate's romantic interest
• Overreacting to a breakup by threatening suicide, resulting in hospitalization
• Important life lesson about not overreacting in emotional situations

Stay tuned for episode five where I'll pick up where I left off in this story about my time at Lackland Air Force Base's mental health facility.

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Brandon continues his life story, transitioning from a mental health crisis back to military service as a missile security cop and eventually into an unexpected journey to fatherhood that changes everything.

Please start with Episode 1. Go to my site BrandonHeld.com

• Returning to missile security duty after his mental health facility stay, surprisingly regaining his Personnel Reliability Program clearance
• Embracing an all-or-nothing approach to sports during off-duty time, often playing basketball for 12 consecutive hours
• Meeting and pragmatically marrying a woman for atypical reasons
• Experiencing the devastating loss of a birth of a premature daughter during marriage
• Divorcing after four years, only to learn immediately afterward that his ex-wife was pregnant
• Feeling an overwhelming rush of love upon meeting his son Ethan for the first time
• Firmly rejecting his ex-wife's request to stay out of his son's life, determined to break the cycle of absent fatherhood

Join us next time as we backtrack to explore more of Brandon's Air Force career and life experiences.

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Brandon Held recounts his Air Force career trajectory and the pivotal moment that led him to abandon his original plan of military retirement for a completely different path. A false report from a vindictive master sergeant and subsequent lack of support from leadership sparked a series of events that ultimately led Brandon to pursue broadcast journalism after watching Marv Albert interview Michael Jordan.

Please start with Episode 1. Go to my site BrandonHeld.com

• Worked hard to demonstrate value through polished uniforms and professional excellence
• Won Airman of the Quarter for his security police squadron
• Selected as flight security controller despite being significantly junior for the position
• Falsely failed a quality control test by Master Sergeant Danford without actually being tested
• Commander refused to believe Brandon over the master sergeant despite the false report
• Discovered unexpected academic ability after scoring well in a college math class
• Significantly improved ASVAB scores but was denied retraining opportunities
• Made life-changing decision to become a sportscaster after watching Marv Albert interview Michael Jordan
• Left the Air Force in January 1995 and prepared to attend Minot State University
• Enjoyed unexpected transition period playing basketball and golfing while collecting unemployment

Join me next time for episode seven where I'll share more significant incidents from my military career that have stayed with me for over 30 years.

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I take you behind the scenes of my four years in the Air Force, sharing the wild personal stories and intense human drama that defined my military experience beyond the uniform and duties.

Please start with Episode 1. Go to my site BrandonHeld.com

• Strong military camaraderie formed with friends like John Copado, Dan Malone, and Dave Everson
• Lost friendship with Dave after my divorce when he became romantically interested in my ex-wife
• Shocking story of Dan's wife stealing my checks, which revealed her web of financial deception
• Dan discovered his other betrayal from his wife in this madness
• Three suicides occurred in the security police barracks within three months
• Multiple uncomfortable encounters with married women making advances
• Despite challenges, overall Air Force experience was positive compared to later Army service
• Would recommend Air Force over other branches based on quality of life and work environment

Thank you for joining me. I'll continue my life story in episode eight as we explore what happened after I left the Air Force.

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Brandon reflects on his journey through college after the Air Force, exploring the complex choices around dating, fatherhood, and personal transformation that shaped his character during a pivotal time in his life.

Please start with Episode 1. Go to my site BrandonHeld.com

• Remaining in a failing marriage while attending college partly for practical benefits
• Dating three women simultaneously and the moral boundary crossed when discovering one was married
• Making the difficult decision to transfer to Wright State University to be near his son Ethan
• Attempting to reconcile with his ex-wife before creating a new independent life
• Developing friendships with fraternity members without officially joining
• Transforming physically through weightlifting, gaining 25-30 pounds of muscle
• Maintaining strict personal standards in dating, refusing relationships with women who used drugs despite their attractiveness
• Building the courage to approach an intimidating woman at the gym

Join me for episode nine to find out what happened when I finally approached the redhead from the gym!

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