In episode 153, I sat down (again) with my friend, Dan Horgan, USAF TAC-P veteran and founder of Arrow and Honor Co., to talk about what it really takes to build a community-driven business from scratch with our own resources. We talked about how the only thing that keeps us moving forward is the network we build through genuine honesty and real relationships with other human beings.

Arrow and Honor Co. isn’t just about selling t-shirts or archery gear; it’s about forging a tribe where every handshake, every story, every honest conversation matters more than any marketing funnel or digital ad spend. We dove into the reality that creative services and marketing only work when we’re brutally transparent about our challenges, ourr wins, and our failures because that’s what attracts real partners and lifelong friends, not just customers.

I pushed Dan — and myself — to get specific about how community isn’t some abstract buzzword. It is the product. It’s built by showing up, being vulnerable, and leveraging every authentic connection we’ve made, whether it’s a vendor, a client, or a fellow veteran. We talked about the necessity of owning our story, sharing it honestly, and refusing to hide behind corporate polish.

The truth is, business is personal, and the only way to scale anything meaningful is by being aggressively open, direct, and unafraid to ask for help or admit what we don’t know.

Use code: veteranmade10 for 10% a purchase at Arrow and Honor Co.

Episode Sponsors:

• VM Merch
• Go Pills -- use "VM15" at checkout for 15% off your order.
• BUBS Naturals -- use "veteranmade" at checkout for 20% off your order.
• True Made Foods -- use "VET" at checkout for 15% off your order.
• Ruck Sox -- use "VETERANMADE15" at checkout for 15% off your order.
• Bravo Actual -- use "Veteran Made" at checkout for 15% off your order.

Intro Song composed and produced by Cleod9.

SOCIALS:

https://www.instagram.com/veteranmade.ck/

http://x.com/veteranmade.ck

https://www.instagram.com/dan_horgan_/

https://www.instagram.com/arrowandhonor.co/

Creativity is not a gentle muse that visits the idle; it’s a relentless force that demands your full engagement, discipline, and honesty. In episode 152, Gary Stevens strips away the romantic myths surrounding creative work and expose its true nature: ideas are raw materials mined from the grind of lived experience, relentless questioning, and the courage to confront failure head-on.

Stevens, a visual artist and the author of All of Your Friends are Imaginary, reveals that creativity flows from the friction of real-world challenges and that the spark of an idea is only the beginning. The real test is in execution: the willingness to distill complex insights into their core components, to pare down the noise, and to shape raw intuition into something others can learn from and use.

The conversation is a masterclass in creative rigor. Stevens describes his process of ruthlessly editing his work, soliciting brutally honest feedback across industries and generations, and refusing to let past failures die unused — salvaging frameworks and lessons from abandoned projects and transforming them into new successes. We emphasize that the work of creativity is not just about having ideas, but about refining them through iteration, feedback, and the humility to recognize what we don’t know. We argue that true creative value comes from making your insights accessible and actionable for others, using our own hard-won lessons as blueprints and warnings. If we want to create work that matters, we must be willing to thicken both our skill and our skin, distill our experience down to their essence, and share it with clarity and conviction.

No shortcuts, no excuses, just relentless execution.

Episode Sponsors:

• VM Merch
• Go Pills -- use "VM15" at checkout for 15% off your order.
• BUBS Naturals -- use "veteranmade" at checkout for 20% off your order.
• True Made Foods -- use "VET" at checkout for 15% off your order.
• Ruck Sox -- use "VETERANMADE15" at checkout for 15% off your order.
• Bravo Actual -- use "Veteran Made" at checkout for 15% off your order.

Intro Song composed and produced by Cleod9.

SOCIALS:

https://www.instagram.com/veteranmade.ck/

http://x.com/veteranmade.ck

https://www.instagram.com/gary_stevens_art/

Episode 151 with Steve Callahan, author of sometimes I go away, Dead Reckoning Collective’s latest collection of poetry is a relentless exploration of creativity — not as a gentle muse that occasionally visits, but as a force that demands engagement, discipline, and honest labor.

The conversation explores how ideas arrive, asserting that creativity is a process of dictation and translation: ideas may flash into the mind from mysterious, — even mystical sources — but it is the maker’s responsibility to wrestle them onto the page, to shape and refine them through persistent work. We dissect the mechanics of creativity, drawing parallels between poetry, film, and military service, and emphasizing that the act of making — whether it’s a poem, a screenplay, or a new life after service — requires not just inspiration but the courage to execute, to risk failure, and to keep pushing until the work stands on its own legs.

We challenge listeners to consider the transcendentals — goodness, truth, and beauty — as the pillars that must anchor any creative act. Art is not just self-expression but a responsibility: to communicate with clarity, to wrestle honestly with one’s own moral injuries, and to offer the audience something that is not only aesthetically compelling but ethically resonant. Through candid discussion of military transition, moral injury, and the ongoing challenge of contextualizing painful experiences, the episode insists that our duty as artists is to bridge the gap between the ineffable and the tangible, to translate private wounds into universal language, and to do so with integrity, humility, and a relentless commitment to the good, the true, and the beautiful.

Episode Sponsors:

• VM Merch
• Go Pills -- use "VM15" at checkout for 15% off your order.
• BUBS Naturals -- use "veteranmade" at checkout for 20% off your order.
• True Made Foods -- use "VET" at checkout for 15% off your order.
• Ruck Sox -- use "VETERANMADE15" at checkout for 15% off your order.
• Bravo Actual -- use "Veteran Made" at checkout for 15% off your order.

Intro Song composed and produced by Cleod9.

SOCIALS:

https://www.instagram.com/veteranmade.ck/

http://x.com/veteranmade.ck

https://www.instagram.com/uneven_steven03/

https://www.instagram.com/deadreckoningcollective/

Too many veterans make the mistake of dragging every military habit, mindset, and experience into civilian life, expecting the world to adapt to them. That’s unrealistic, and it leads to frustration and irrelevance. The hard truth is, you must aggressively shed the skills and attitudes that no longer serve you as a citizen. Stop clinging to the notion that your past rank entitles you to anything now. Instead, ruthlessly identify which of your skills and experiences — leadership, adaptability, problem-solving, teamwork — are truly valuable and relevant to new operating environment. Translate your experience into language and actions that matter in your workplace, your community, and your family. Don’t expect others to understand or care about your service unless you show them its value through meaningful contribution, not nostalgia or entitlement.

Here’s the line in the sand: civilians consume; citizens contribute. You are not here to take up space, reminisce about the “good old days,” or demand respect for what you did. We are here to make the world around us better. If you want your next chapter to be as meaningful as your service, you must transform, not just transition.

Episode Sponsors:

• VM Merch
• Go Pills -- use "VM15" at checkout for 15% off your order.
• BUBS Naturals -- use "veteranmade" at checkout for 20% off your order.
• True Made Foods -- use "VET" at checkout for 15% off your order.
• Ruck Sox -- use "VETERANMADE15" at checkout for 15% off your order.
• Bravo Actual -- use "Veteran Made" at checkout for 15% off your order.

Intro Song composed and produced by Cleod9.

SOCIALS:

https://www.instagram.com/veteranmade.ck/

http://x.com/veteranmade.ck

https://www.instagram.com/jc_glick31/

https://www.instagram.com/thecommitfoundation/

https://x.com/jc_glick

https://x.com/COMMIT2Vets

The Call of Duty Endowment stands apart in the veteran employment space by deploying an aggressive, business-driven system to vet, coach, and hold accountable the non-profits it funds to ensure only the highest-performing organizations are available to junior enlisted veterans seeking meaningful careers. With over 44,000 veteran-serving organizations in the U.S. alone, the Endowment’s Seal of Distinction is earned through a rigorous, data-driven process: applicants must prove, with hard numbers, their effectiveness in placing veterans into high-quality jobs, their cost efficiency, and their organizational integrity. This isn’t a one-time check. CODE — in partnership with Deloitte — conducts ongoing audits and only those who consistently deliver results receive continued funding and support. If a grantee fails to meet placement or quality targets, they’re coached intensively; if they still fall short, CODE moves on, scaling up only those partners who prove their impact year after year.

For transitioning veterans, especially junior enlisted, this relentless vetting and accountability means you never have to navigate the chaos of career transition alone or risk wasting time with underperforming organizations. Don’t get lost in a sea of 40,000 choices or settle for generic advice: the Call of Duty Endowment has already done the hard work of finding, funding, and improving the best. You owe it to yourself to leverage these resources because your service deserves more than a transition, it deserves a launchpad to a truly meaningful civilian career.

Visit the Call of Duty Endowment’s website, connect with a vetted partner, and take control of your next mission.

Episode Sponsors:

• VM Merch
• Go Pills -- use "VM15" at checkout for 15% off your order.
• BUBS Naturals -- use "veteranmade" at checkout for 20% off your order.
• True Made Foods -- use "VET" at checkout for 15% off your order.
• Ruck Sox -- use "VETERANMADE15" at checkout for 15% off your order.
• Bravo Actual -- use "Veteran Made" at checkout for 15% off your order.

Intro Song composed and produced by Cleod9.

SOCIALS:

https://www.instagram.com/veteranmade.ck/

http://x.com/veteranmade.ck

https://www.instagram.com/callofdutyendowment/

https://x.com/CODE4Vets

ARTICLES:

https://variety.com/2025/gaming/news/call-of-duty-vets-jobs-endowment-1236404763/

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/coming-tsunami-unemployed-veterans-dan-goldenberg-3cfgc/?trackingId=j2HQtSF9Q4%2BzDbTEzbImXw%3D%3D

Episode 148 features Michael “Rod” Rodriguez, CEO of the Global War on Terrorism Memorial Foundation.

We dive headlong into the tangled realities of the GWOT, refusing to shy away from its complexities or the ways participation in such a conflict can both expand and restrict one’s worldview. He lays bare the war’s multidimensional nature which spans continents, cultures, and generations and challenges listeners to confront the uncomfortable truth that even those who lived it can struggle to define or fully understand it. Rodriguez insists on telling the whole story, not just of soldiers in uniform, but also the intelligence officers, contractors, and families whose sacrifices are often overlooked. He makes it clear: the GWOT is not a series of isolated battles, but a single, ongoing, global campaign that demands a new kind of national reflection and commemoration.

The episode is a masterclass in how one career can prepare you for another. Rod draws a direct line from his experience as a Green Beret, where learning to communicate across cultures and lead diverse teams prepared him for his current mission: navigating the labyrinth of congressional politics and federal bureaucracy to build a national memorial. He is blunt about the emotional toll and the necessity of vulnerability, arguing that only by embracing the full weight of these experiences can we hope to create something lasting and true. Listeners are pushed to reconsider their assumptions, to recognize that service comes in many forms, and to see that the skills honed in service are not just transferable, but essential for tackling the next great challenge.

Episode Sponsors:

• VM Merch
• Go Pills -- use "VM15" at checkout for 15% off your order.
• BUBS Naturals -- use "veteranmade" at checkout for 20% off your order.
• True Made Foods -- use "VET" at checkout for 15% off your order.
• Ruck Sox -- use "VETERANMADE15" at checkout for 15% off your order.
• Bravo Actual -- use "Veteran Made" at checkout for 15% off your order.

Intro Song composed and produced by Cleod9.

SOCIALS:

https://www.instagram.com/veteranmade.ck/

http://x.com/veteranmade.ck

https://www.instagram.com/monsterzdad/

https://www.instagram.com/gwotmf/

https://x.com/gwotmf

https://x.com/monsterzdad

Episode 147 features Mary Kreis and is the last in our series featuring Team RWB and the Old Glory Ultra Relay.

This was not just another endurance event—it was a bold, uncompromising statement about what it truly means to represent the entire veteran population. Team RWB’s selection of its 12-person relay team was not about assembling the fastest or youngest athletes, but about building a group that embodies the full spectrum of the veteran community: different ages, backgrounds, service branches, and running abilities. This was vital. Veterans across America are not a monolith—they are men and women in their 20s and their 90s, combat-wounded warriors and those who found purpose after service, elite athletes and those rediscovering fitness after injury or struggle. By fielding a team that mirrors this diversity, Team RWB sends a powerful message: every veteran matters, every story counts, and the journey to health and belonging is for all—not just a select few.

The Old Glory Ultra Relay was a world-record-setting, 3,000-mile gauntlet, but its real impact lies in how it unites veterans of every age and ability into one unstoppable force, proving that resilience is not limited by age or speed. This team is a living, breathing cross-section of the veteran population, showing America that strength comes in many forms. If you care about honoring service, you cannot settle for token representation or surface-level diversity. It is essential to ensure that events like the Old Glory Ultra Relay reflect the entire veteran community. Anything less is a disservice to the millions who have served and continue to seek purpose, connection, and wellness in civilian life. Let this episode challenge you: who is missing from your team, your event, your story? Representation isn’t a box to check — it’s the foundation of real impact.

Episode Sponsors:

• VM Merch
• Go Pills -- use "VM15" at checkout for 15% off your order.
• BUBS Naturals -- use "veteranmade" at checkout for 20% off your order.
• True Made Foods -- use "VET" at checkout for 15% off your order.
• Ruck Sox -- use "VETERANMADE15" at checkout for 15% off your order.
• Bravo Actual -- use "Veteran Made" at checkout for 15% off your order.

Intro Song composed and produced by Cleod9.

SOCIALS:

https://www.instagram.com/veteranmade.ck/

http://x.com/veteranmade.ck

https://www.instagram.com/mary.rwb/

https://www.instagram.com/teamrwb/

https://x.com/TeamRWB

In this episode, the reality of teamwork in Team RWB's Old Glory Ultra Relay is laid bare: this is not a challenge that anyone could possibly conquer alone. The logistics, physical demands, and relentless pace of a transcontinental relay require more than just individual grit—they demand a level of coordination, trust, and mutual support that only a true team can provide. Every runner, from the seasoned ultra veterans to those newer to the scene, must constantly communicate, adapt, and strategize together. Decisions about pacing, shift rotations, and even how to handle injuries or setbacks are made collectively, not in isolation. The episode makes it clear: one person’s miscalculation or overexertion can jeopardize the entire team’s success, and the only way forward is through unwavering collaboration and shared responsibility.

Josh Kraus challenges listeners to abandon the myth of the solo hero. The Old Glory Ultra Relay is a crucible where egos are checked, and the focus shifts to the group’s survival and triumph. The team’s ability to pivot strategies based on terrain, weather, and the unpredictable toll on each runner’s body is a testament to the necessity of collective intelligence and adaptability. Crew chiefs, support staff, and runners all play indispensable roles—no one is expendable, and no single person can carry the flag across the country alone. If you think you understand endurance, think again: this episode will force you to confront the hard truth that, in an event of this scale, individual achievement is meaningless without the power of the team. Step up, listen in, and be prepared to rethink everything you thought you knew about what it takes to accomplish something truly epic.

Episode Sponsors:

• VM Merch
• Go Pills -- use "VM15" at checkout for 15% off your order.
• BUBS Naturals -- use "veteranmade" at checkout for 20% off your order.
• True Made Foods -- use "VET" at checkout for 15% off your order.
• Ruck Sox -- use "VETERANMADE15" at checkout for 15% off your order.
• Bravo Actual -- use "Veteran Made" at checkout for 15% off your order.

Intro Song composed and produced by Cleod9.

SOCIALS:

https://www.instagram.com/veteranmade.ck/

http://x.com/veteranmade.ck

https://www.instagram.com/josh_krausfit/

https://www.instagram.com/teamrwb/

https://x.com/TeamRWB