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Air Force Veteran Mark Harper found his niche as a content creator for combat camera. After leaving service, he leveraged his military experience for a career in the entertainment industry. He now leads a media company that publishes military stories.The son of a green beret, Harper earned his undergraduate degree and commission through Air Force ROTC at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, NY. The 9/11 attacks prompted his deployment to Iraq as part of a communication squadron. In 2004, his animations, cartoons and videos received recognition, and he was referred to and joined combat camera. For most of his Air Force career, Captain Harper was the video flight commander for the 1st Combat Camera Squadron.In combat camera, Harper led combat-ready documentary teams that showed the world a glimpse into military operations, contingencies, exercises, weapons tests, and humanitarian relief operations. He used his position and leadership to teach Air Force commanders how useful media is for missions and how it can change and even save lives. Additionally, he led teams of trained visual information professionals in global deployments to provide the Department of Defense (DoD) footage of wartime and peacetime activities.Due to a 2007 reduction of forces, Harper left the Air Force and headed to Los Angeles to look for work in Hollywood.Although he entered the entertainment industry at an inopportune time, Harper persevered. He eventually found work at companies like Paramount and Technicolor before moving into entrepreneurship, where he co-founded Audeze LLCand landed $4 million in startup costs in a pitch to Atlantic Records.After leaving Audeze, Harper met with David Gale, who offered him a position as a content producer for a new media company that focuses on telling the military’s story. Instead of accepting, he decided to give his own personal pitch on his skills, experience, and accomplishments to rebrand himself for a better job – and it worked. Gale offered Harper a co-founder title with We Are the Mighty.We Are the Mighty is a multi-platform media brand dedicated exclusively to creating genuine and impactful content for the armed services community. As the company moves into 2021, Harper hopes to expand the company’s current intellectual property and move into longer form content.Borne the Battle Veteran of the Week:Air Force Veteran Kenneth Bottoms Mentioned in this Episode: VA confirms authority for its health care professionals to practice across state lines America Salutes You partners with VA to bring attention to suicide prevention resources  VA recruiting volunteers for COVID-19 clinical trials VA report lists 71 top customer experience improvements and initiatives Federal partners plan with VA for COVID-19 vaccination distribution  VA chief research officer receives award for advancing prostate cancer research for Veterans

While serving as an electrics technician aboard USS Davis during the Vietnam War, Blue Water Navy (BWN) Veteran John Burns said he never felt like his life was in danger. He appreciated the experience because he was able to visit parts of the world he had never seen before. The last thing he expected was to have been exposed to Agent Orange while off the coast of Vietnam.In this episode of Borne the Battle, two Veterans from two very different generations come to talk about the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act of 2019. Burns, a Vietnam War Veteran spoke about: His unanticipated participation in the Vietnam War The symptoms he had after Agent Orange exposure His experience filing a BWN claim How the BWN Act benefits improved his life David Eckert, an Iraq War Veteran and lead policy analyst for VA Schedule for Rating Disabilities, also joined this episode. Eckert leveraged his background working with the BWN Act to share: How Veterans can file a claim  The criteria VA uses to evaluate applicants What benefits eligible Veterans can expect to receive Burns never regretted serving in Vietnam. Nor does Burns believe he suffered too badly from Agent Orange.  However, he still encouraged all Navy Veterans who believed they were exposed to the chemical in Vietnam to apply for benefits. He argued BWN Veterans deserve the compensation and that the application process was easy enough to justify simply trying.Eckert and Burns emphasized BWN Vietnam Veterans should try and submit a claim even if they submitted a claim before the BWN Act passed, never filed one or received a denial but want to try filing again. In some cases, their surviving family members may also be eligible for benefits. There are countless ways to file a claim: File themselves through VA Receive assistance from Veteran Service professionals recognized by VA Filing through a VA regional office and receive VA employee assistance Though from two different generations of the U.S. Armed Forces, Burns and Eckert said they hope BWN Vietnam Veterans will file a claim and get the compensation they deserve.Borne the Battle Veteran of the Week:Navy Veteran Regis Philbin Mentioned in this Episode: VA releases 2020 National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report VA releases COVID-19 Response Report  New nursing research and training collaboration with the Prostate Cancer Foundation VA, American Kidney Fund join efforts to help Veterans diagnosed with kidney disease 

This week’s Marine Corps Birthday episode of Borne the Battle features Marine Corps Veteran, former police officer, MMA champion, bestselling author and founder of the Mighty Oaks Foundation, Chad Robichaux. He turned his passion and greatest struggles into a foundation that helps his fellow Veterans who suffer from PTSD.Robichaux grew up in a dysfunctional home and turned to the Marine Corps to escape it. By 15, he was living alone. He entered the Corps without graduating high school and earned his GED while he served. As a Force Recon Marine, he served eight deployments in Afghanistan as part of a Joint Special Operations Command Task Force. Now, he is a board-certified pastoral counselor with an MBA.When PTSD ended his military career, Robichaux fell back on his skills as a martial artist. He fought in Strikeforce and Bellator, won HDNet’s Legacy FC belt and became a world champion MMA fighter. However, his fighting career consumed him, worsening his PTSD and delivering a reckoning to face his serious issues.At the height of his MMA career, Robichaux was on the verge of suicide. After realizing that he needed a holistic approach to self-care instead of drowning himself in fights, he made the choice to seek help from his wife and found support in faith. Now, he strives to help other Veterans discover the strength of a multifaceted approach to treating PTSD before they become statistics.In this episode, Robichaux discusses: His life-altering experience as a police officer. His struggles with PTSD, self-esteem, and family issues during and after his military service. His MMA career and how it helped and harmed him. How family, faith, martial arts and counseling help him in his daily battle with PTSD. What the Mighty Oaks Warrior Programs are and how they help soldiers and Veterans learn to take care of their minds, bodies, souls, and spirits. Borne the Battle Veteran of the Week:Marine Corps Veteran Foster L. Harrington Mentioned in this Episode: Chad Robichaux – White Chair Film – I Am Second BtB #42: Brian Stann BtB #154: Conrad Washington, VA Center of Faith and Opportunities Initiative BtB #170: Dale Dye, Marine Corps Birthday Episode

Army Veteran David Muir is the Senior Vice President of the Veterans Staffing Network, a social enterprise project of Easterseals DC, MD and VA.Muir was sold on joining the Army National Guard the moment his friend’s sergeant showed him a video of soldiers rappelling out of helicopters. He was just 17-years old when he joined the Virginia Army National Guard through the Split Training Option program in 1989. He served as an infantryman and M-60 gunner while studying to be a teacher.Following his service, Muir worked in staffing and went to a Department of Labor Transition Assistance Program (TAP) Employment Workshop in 2009, where he discovered that the program needed updating. In 2011, he won the bid to revamp the TAP curriculum.After he finished the TAP redesign, Muir joined a nonprofit organization named Easterseals. The organization was looking for someone to start a new program called the Veterans Staffing Network.The Veterans Staffing Network was created to catch the people who fell through the cracks of other programs. Because it is a nonprofit, the organization offers courses and coaching that help build job seeking skills at no cost to the participant.In this episode, Muir discusses: His journey from infantryman to life skills teacher. America’s need for better job search skills. Civilian versus Veteran perspectives on life. How the Veteran Staffing Network empowers Veterans and their families to get their own jobs. Additional Veteran programs within Easterseals. Borne the Battle Veteran of the Week:Marine Corps Veteran Kevin ElderAdditional Links: Find an Easterseals near you Veteran Staffing Network in U.S. Veterans Magazine David Muir on effective interview structure to hire Veterans Homefront: Easterseals opens doors for Veterans

This is not your typical episode of Borne the Battle. It’s a Halloween Special with returning guest and Navy Veteran, Jennifer Marshall. Marshall is an actress and a trained private investigator. In “Mysteries Decoded,” an ongoing paranormal series on the CW television network, she gets to put those skills to work on paranormal activity, like vampires, Bigfoot, Area 51, The Mothman and many others.In the podcast, Marshall shares some of her theories on Bigfoot, based on her interviews with academics and observations while spending time in British Columbia.CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT MYSTERIES DECODEDMarshall switches to talking about temporarily shutting the show down, due to the COVID-19 outbreak, and how being flexible in switching to Zoom interviews allowed her team to be creative in making episode updates.Later, she shares her personal investigations into Area 51, as well as other alien evidence that marries up to new revelations from the government, in reference to recently confirmed naval UAP (AKA UFO) footage.Marshall then reveals her laundry list of dream mystery investigations, including other paranormal mysteries over international waters; the Australian Bigfoot, Yowie; a Titanic conspiracy, and the haunted Waverly Sanitarium in the United Kingdom. Eventually, she would like produce a true crime program that delves into military true crime cases and mysteries.Borne the Battle Veteran of the Day:Navy Veteran Hildreth Walker Jr. Additional Links:  jennifermarshall.com VA, Blue Star Families to support Veterans impacted by COVID-19 VA creates National Women Veterans Oncology System of Excellence in fight against breast cancer Formation of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline Find a flu shot VA location or in-network community care provider.

Doctors Molly Klote and Chad Kessler join this bonus episode of Borne the Battle to discuss the various ways VA is helping with the national effort to combat COVID-19. The two doctors are fighting it in very different, but equally important ways.Dr. Klote, VA’s director of Office Research Protections, Policy, and Education, oversees all the research VA conducts, including many of the vaccine trials for COVID-19. She goes into specifics on the following topics: In what ways VA is helping with developing a vaccine Types of treatments the public might expect to be used to treat COVID-19 What happens when a vaccine is approved by the FDA Dr. Klote also calls for anyone able to participate in a COVID-19 clinical trial to think about signing up. She particularly encourages Black and Hispanic populations to volunteer. A strong minority turnout to vaccine trials ensures the vaccine gets the broadest exposure possible, increasing the likelihood that a finalized product can be successfully used among all groups of people to treat COVID-19.Dr. Kessler fights against COVID-19 through the emergency department. As VA’s national director for Emergency Care, he oversees 141 emergency departments and urgent care centers. He goes in depth about the successful procedure emergency departments adopted to sort COVID-19 patients and mitigate the possibility of transmission.During the earlier months of the pandemic, Dr. Kessler noticed VA medical centers across the country needed to quickly communicate with one another about successful treatments and therapeutics.He solved the communication problem in a unique way. He began hosting livestreams in a series he called COVID in 20. The series was a resounding success among frontline workers and medical staff. Dr. Kessler also talked about the different strategies he used to add a bit of fun and humanity to his livestreams because he knew how stressed frontline workers were.Though coming from different parts of the pandemic battle, the two doctors stressed the importance of getting a flu shot. In the episode, they explain how a flu shot would not only protect the recipient, but also help them along with their COVID-19 work.Additional Links: Research is always voluntary. The Army will never force anyone to participate. More reading on the steps researchers must take to protect clinical trial volunteers. VA’s digital COVID-19 screening tool to streamline Veteran access to medical care.

This week's Borne the Battle features Air Force Veteran David Tenenbaum, the creator of Honor Media and Heroes Linked.From a young age, Tenenbaum wanted to help others in need. Inspired by his father, a Holocaust survivor liberated by US forces, he grew up with the stories of seeing good people standing against great injustice. Like the men who freed his father, he wanted to follow in their footsteps, to do good for others.His journey began in 2001, at Officer Candidate School a month before 9/11.Tenenbaum served in the Air Force for six years as an Aircraft Instructor Navigator, leading stateside and overseas operations for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance aircraft. He left the service during a downsizing period to begin a new journey, but the Great Recession made it a rough transition.Moving to Los Angeles, Tenenbaum pursued a new profession direction: media production. He created Honor Media, a nonprofit that supports other Veteran nonprofits with media production, distribution, photography and social media support. He is also the director of Heroes Linked, an online platform that pairs Veterans with mentors to help them get to the next step in their post-military journey.Borne the Battle Veteran of the Week:Navy Veteran Barton "Buddy" KesslerAdditional Links: Borne the Battle #204: Air Force Veteran Blake Stilwell, Military.com Staff Writer VA resumes in-person benefits services halted by the COVID-19 response VA awards contract for Region 5 of Community Care Network to increase Veteran access to health care in Alaska VA dedicates Cheyenne National Cemetery in Wyoming Federal electronic health record connects with more community partners 

According to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), 1 in 4 women and 1 in 10 men experience intimate partner violence (IPV) during their lifetime. Veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injuries are at an even greater risk for IPV. Yet, both victims and perpetrators of IPV oftentimes don't seek help. They are instead motivated by feelings of shame, guilt, embarrassment, or fear to keep quiet and accept the violence around them.Dr. LeAnn Bruce, National Program Manager for the Intimate Partner Violence Assistance Program (IPVAP), joins this week’s episode of Borne the Battle to share why no one should ever feel ashamed to seek IPV support and describes what services VA offers to help Veterans in need. Among the issues Dr. Bruce discussed include: What IPV means The many forms IPV can take Where to get immediate IPV help With COVID-19 and natural disasters disrupting lives across the country, promoting IPV awareness will be more crucial than ever during this October’s Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Moments of crisis or long periods of isolation can amplify violence in relationship conflicts or abusive situations. IPVAP coordinators remain ready at every VA Medical Center to guide any Veteran or their partner in the right direction.VHA also encourages everyone to make the White Ribbon VA Pledge to stop violence against others. In acknowledging the ways violence and harassment can manifest, the world can become a safer place for everyone.If in need of 24/7 support, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233 (SAFE) or TTY 1−800−787−3224.Additional Links: VA is ready to help women Veterans during COVID-19 Intimate partner violence associated with women Veterans’ experience of housing instability How lockdowns due to COVID-19 can cause a spike in IPV Borne the Battle Veteran of the Week:Army Veteran Randall ShughartAdditional Links: VA is ready to help women Veterans during COVID-19 Intimate partner violence associated with women Veterans’ experience of housing instability How lockdowns due to COVID-19 can cause a spike in IPV

This week’s Borne the Battle features Marine Veteran Stephen Kupryk, also known as the WWE Smackdown superstar and Forgotten Sons member, Steve Cutler. In this episode, Kupryk talks about how his participation in high school athletics and the influence of 9/11 took him down a road which would ultimately land him in the country’s premier wrestling promotion.As a Marine infantryman, Kupryk was assigned to the Second Battalion, Eighth Marine Regiment and deployed twice to Helmand province in Afghanistan. He talks about finding inspiration and thanking those who mentored him while serving from 2007 through 2011.Kupryk spoke of using VA's GI Bill benefits to attend Rowan University, where a chance encounter with a WWE contact at a local bar would set him upon a career of WWE superstardom, including the early days when he trained at the Monster Factory Wrestling School before being called up in 2013 to the WWE’s NXT division. He also talks about forming the The Forgotten Sons, which Stephen takes a nuanced approach to by using military symbolism and his experiences to flesh out his character's role and persona.The team attained instant success and it helped Kupryk break into the SmackDown roster with a win over the then-Smackdown tag-team champions, The New Day.Kupryk also shares his enthusiasm behind WWE’s collaboration with Hire Heroes USA, an organization which aims to help Veterans and their families secure lifelong careers. As for his return to the ring, everyone stand by - targets will appear. 

This week's Borne the Battle features Army Veteran Erika Land, who shares the story of how she changed her suicide letter into “War Song.”Before 9/11, Erika joined the Army as a pharmacy technician. Her job was to dispense medications in the emergency department. At work, she experienced pain, sorrow, anger, anxiety, depression and helplessness. After leaving service, she believed the only way out from feeling those emotions was to take her life – until she found poetry.VA’s Art Therapy Program allowed Land to express herself. She wrote about the trials and tribulations she experienced while being deployed to Iraq. But in Poetry, Land felt she could speak from the soul, to express to others on the same path that they, too, could find healing. "Poetry is the window into the soul and a reflection of life," she says, in the podcast.After service is when Land realized she wasn't alone. As she found poetry, she found passion for life and began touring and making arrangements for theaters and venues to market her shows. On Borne the Battle, she talks about how her performances not only allowed her to heal, but how it enabled her to connect with others to answer the deep questions she never asked herself.PTSD Hotline Phone Number855-698-4677National Suicide Prevention Hotline Phone Number1-800-273-8255#BtBattle Veteran of the Week:Marine Veteran Cecil "Steve" StibbensAdditional Links Helping Veterans and Their Families Make it Back to Better. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline VA offers debt relief to Veterans impacted by natural disasters  

For many Veterans, readjusting to civilian life after leaving the military can be difficult. That's what Aaron Quinonez found when he left the Marine Corps, as he soon faced divorce, homelessness and the inability to secure a long-term job. Over time, his mental health steadily deteriorated as PTSD ravaged his mind. For Quinonez, life seemed to always get worse, and on one July 4th afternoon, he parked in an empty lot, pulled out his SIG Sauer and prepared to end his life.In this week’s episode of Borne the Battle, Quinonez shares his journey from being on the brink of committing suicide to becoming an entrepreneur, sharing how he developed new programs and technologies to help Veterans suffering from PTSD and suicidal thoughts.Quinonez credits his faith as the reason for much of his climbing back up, out of despair. He talks about attending church and being surrounded by supportive people who embraced him. He felt called to help, and was encouraged by church-mates, to build housing for a family in Mexico. Quinonez was so inspired by the experience that he founded the organization, Q Missions, to bring Veterans together to construct buildings around the world.Quinonez also describes the arduous journey he took to launch his most recent project, Operation Pop Smoke, a mobile app which aims to prevent Veteran suicide. The app also brings a sense of military camaraderie to those who've transitioned into civilian life.In 2019, VA reported an average of 17 Veterans die from suicide each day. Borne the Battle (BtB) stands by Veterans grappling with mental health challenges. As part of this September’s Suicide Prevention Month, BtB hopes Quinonez’s story sparks a conversation that inspires people to support Veterans suffering from emotional distress.#BtBattle Veteran of the Week:Army Veteran Duane FranceAdditional Links: VA assistance with the transition to civilian life during COVID-19 VA resources for Veterans in a mental health crisis Recognize the warning signs that indicate risk of self-harm VA’s REACH campaign to save Veteran lives VA notifies Veterans of compromised personal information VA awards $1.3 million to support Veterans at elevated risk of suicide from experiencing or being at risk of homelessness  VA expands Veteran access to telehealth with iPad services

This week's episode of Borne the Battle is a Benefits Breakdown on the VA Debt Management Center (DMC). It features DMC's National Finance Director Joe Schimitt and DMC Director of Operations Jason Hoge. Schmitt and Hoge explain how the DMC helps Veterans with financial relief, how the debt repayment process works, and how the DMC actually assists Veterans by helping to improve their financial planning.Schmitt and Hoge explain the DMC mission, how it guides Veterans' debt repayments, and some recent changes. Those changes include: Technology updates. An oath for employees must take to serve the Veterans in their care. Required 13.5 week debt counselors training. Schimitt, a former Marine, advocates for “compassionate service.” That mission not only comes from his military service, but also from a personal history of having to repay medical debt. His son was diagnosed with Craniosynostosis. The needed surgery, cranial vault remodeling, corrected his son's head shape, enabling the brain, skull, and head to grow. But the treatment put him in serious debt, and one that helps him empathize with those in similar binds.DMC UPDATESDue to the pandemic, Hurricane Laura and the recent wildfires there have recent changes to DMC's operations, including financial relief options: VA has suspended all actions on Veteran debts under the jurisdiction of the Treasury Department. VA has suspended collection action and repayment terms on existing VA debts, as the Veteran prefers. For benefit-based debts, Veterans can contact the VA Debt Management Center at 1-800-827-0648 to make debt repayment arrangements.For health care debts, Veterans can contact the Health Resource Center at 1-888-827-4817 to make debt repayment arrangements.For more info on the DMC, visit https://www.va.gov/debtman/.#BtBattle Veteran of the Week:Navy Veteran Louis G. PalmerAdditional Links: VA’s digital COVID-19 screening for Veterans, employees, aids in low infection rate VA’s Board of Veterans’ Appeals reaches appeal decisions goal early VA announces new clinical trial for Veterans with COVID-19 VA dedicates Acadia National Cemetery in Maine VA offers electronic virtual assistant for Veterans VA offers electronic virtual assistant for Veterans to connect faster with counselors  During Suicide Prevention Month VA encourages supporters to “Be There” for Veterans and help connect them with resources Forbes ranks VA as one of the best employers in 17 states

This week's episode of Borne the Battle features Army Veteran Tony Temerario, who was also a 9/11 responder and a current AT&T executive.Temerario's parents were both WWII Navy combat Veterans. They served in the Pacific and in Operation Neptune during the Normandy D-Day Invasion in 1944. Temerario grew up in the Washington, D.C., area and was so influenced by service that he joined the military, too. In the podcast, he talks candidly about his experiences in the military and on scene at the Pentagon after 9/11, including re-establishing communication networks for first responders and, later that night, the emotions of seeing the flag draped over the side of the Pentagon walls.CLICK HERE TO READ THE STORY OF GETTING THE 2ND FLAG DELIVERED TO THE PENTAGONIt wasn't long after the attacks that Temerario deployed with his Army National Guard Special Forces Unit. His actions at the Pentagon and overseas earned him several Army and civilian honors, including an Army Meritorious Service Medal and three State of Maryland General Assembly Official Citations for Honor, Valor, and Bravery.Now, Temerario is the Director/Client Executive for AT&T’s Mobility IoT platform. A result of the challenges he experienced on 9/11 at the Pentagon led to the creation of FirstNet, a public-private partnership with AT&T. FirstNet was developed as a nationwide, low-band frequency network that prioritizes voice and data to first responder networks. It offers priority connectivity for emergency voice and data services during catastrophic events without interference or blockage.Outside of work, Temerario is an ambassador for Carry The Load, which "provides an active way for Americans to connect with the sacrifices made daily by military Veterans, active service members, first responders and their families." As a Carry the Load ambassador, he is also an active member in its Patriot Program, Carry The Flag, which aims to inspire patriotism to a new generation of kids.#BtBattle Veteran of the Week:Army Veteran Rick RescorlaAdditional Links:• Borne The Battle #162: Air Force Veteran John Baxter, 9/11 responder  • Borne The Battle 143: Stephen Holley – Navy SEAL Veteran, Naval Academy Quarterback, Carry The Load Co-founder and CEO  • Borne The Battle #161: Marine Veteran Todd Boeding, Carry the Load  • Borne the Battle #186: Hallie Johnston, Black Hawk Pilot, Carry the Load Board Member  • VA partnering with Carry The Load to Honor Fallen Heroes

This week, Army Veteran Blake Hall, who shared how and why he joined the Army, what life was like after transitioning, and how he founded ID.me.Hall's decision to join the Army after September 11th felt to him like a right of passage. He wanted to be the one to lead the fight. He talks about that event as a shift for service members, and what it meant for the community, before discussing a 15-month deployment as a platoon leader and fighting the Iraqi insurgency. Blake received the Bronze Star with Valor for actions in leading his men during a fight against insurgents.Hall also talks transitioning out of the military, and how he came to found and lead ID.me to make ID verification and logging a more efficient process. He mentions the hassles that Veterans without ID cards face when applying for various benefits. With ID.me, Veterans can be verified through a secure process without meeting in-person or providing physical identification.Later, Hall discusses entrepreneurship within the public and government arena, as well as that finding the perfect way to enter the marketplace is key. He talks building credibility, and shares what a lot of entrepreneurs forget to do when pitching their ideas to investors.#BtBattle Veteran of the Week:Air Force Veteran Carlos MartinezAdditional Links: Additional Story on Army Veteran Blake Hall VA to award more than 425 grants, $279 million to help prevent and end Veteran homelessness VA rolls out new patient-appointment tool, as part of electronic health record modernization transformation

Army Veteran Florent Groberg received the Medal of Honor in 2015 for his selfless actions during the War in Afghanistan, where he rushed a suicide bomber to protect 28 coalition and Afghan National Army personnel.Groberg knew he wanted to join the military when his uncle joined the Algerian army to fight the Armed Islamic Group, a terrorist organization that was eventually responsible for his uncle's grisly death. Groberg’s family moved to the United States when he was 12, and Groberg’s resolve to join the military was strengthened after the September 11 attacks. However, in order to join the Army, he had to renounce his French citizenship.On August 8, 2012, Groberg was responsible for protecting a group of personnel including two brigade commanders, three battalion commanders, an Afghan general, two GS-15 State Department individuals, and two majors with his element of six other soldiers. During the advance to a provincial governor’s compound, the patrol was attacked, and Groberg tackled a suicide bomber to distance the attacker from his personnel. The bomb detonated, severely injuring Groberg, but preventing more deaths from the patrol.Groberg is grateful to VA and the Wounded Warriors Project for helping him during his recovery. In 2015, he transitioned out of the military, and later that year was awarded the Medal of Honor.After transitioning, Groberg worked with LinkedIn and Boeing, providing leadership as well as advocating for Veterans in the workforce. He currently works at Microsoft and is a motivational speaker for Keppler Speakers. He also wrote an autobiography, Eight Seconds of Courage.Groberg is also a member of Warriors Ethos, an organization which provides Veterans with the resources and networks to transition into a successful civilian career.#BtBattle Veteran of the Week:Army Veteran Tu LamAdditional Links Call of Duty: Warzone Skin Based off Florent Groberg VA prepares to welcome volunteers back to health care facilities VA partners with OnStar to bring suicide prevention services to Veterans VA decreases mail processing time for claims intake  VA responds to COVID-19 with schedule revisions to electronic health record implementation

This week we go back in time and revisit, Duke and USA Basketball legend, Coach K's interview on Borne the Battle. 

This week's episode of Borne the Battle features Marine Corps Veteran Alex Calfree, the co-founder of OpLign, a website that uses personal profiles of job seekers to connect them to employers and open up new career paths. Unlike most job-hunting websites which use keyword searches to connect job-seekers to employers, OpLign attributes its success to artificial intelligence that matches users’ complete profile to the employment opportunities that will allow them to succeed.After a few years of college, Calfree enlisted in the Marine Corps as an infantryman. He traveled between many different units before becoming a reconnaissance Marine, a job he described as “very cerebral” due to the demanding and required navigation and communication skills.After transitioning out of the military, Calfree earned an undergraduate degree and Master of Business Administration from Ohio State University with assistance from other Veterans and military members on campus.In 2017, Calfree co-founded OpLign, an artificial intelligence-powered software application that connects job seekers to employers through a personal profile of education, experience, and skills. Calfree claims that OpLign’s “two-way mechanism of exchange” avoids the pitfalls of a static system of job postings and resumes.According to Calfree, OpLign aims to work with companies that are Veteran-friendly. Many Veterans transitioning out of the military face challenges in the civilian job market due to their lack of experience, especially during the current employment crisis during the COVID-19 pandemic. Calfree hopes that OpLign can help those Veterans find opportunities and employment by showing employers how much value Veterans have to offer.#BtBattle Veteran of the Week:Marine Veteran Bill White Additional Links: vetlign.com VA reduces prescription opioid use by 64% during past eight years VA survey to collect customer feedback on education benefits VA publishes final regulation for its Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers  VA, America’s Adopt A Soldier partner to help Veterans at risk of or experiencing homelessness stay connected  VA, Elizabeth Dole Foundation to offer respite relief for Veteran caregivers

Army Veteran Terrence Hayes is the director of communications and public affairs for the Veterans of Foreign Wars. He has worked in public affairs for over 20 years, as a soldier and civilian alike. Hayes never saw an Army recruiter until the day he decided to call one and ask about the jobs that were available in the military. He ended up joining and reported for basic training only a few months after graduating high school. With his excellence in English, he decided to work in public affairs for the Army.At the beginning of his service Hayes intended to serve only five years and then enter the workforce. He ended up serving for two decades. He credits the Army with teaching him the importance of putting others before oneself and how selflessness in a leader encourages dedication in the entire team.After spending some time teaching at the Noncommissioned Officer’s Academy at Fort Meade, Maryland, and working as a media relations specialist at VA, Hayes became the director of communications and public affairs for VFW. He oversees everything that the VFW does that involves communicating with the public.In this episode, listeners will learn of little known benefits, VFW's importance as a voice for the Veteran community, how the VFW serves the interests of Veterans when it comes to legislation, why the VFW is important for Veterans of all backgrounds and how the VFW supports those who support it.#BtBattle Veteran of the Week:Marine Veteran Tanya Huling Additional Links: VA, VFW Facebook Live: Delivering care to rural Veterans VA Promotes ATLAS at 120th VFW National Convention vfw.org VA and partner agencies announce COVID-19 Insights Partnership

This week's episode of Borne the Battle features one of its largest panels to date, as representatives from VA and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) break down the details of the Alaska Native Veterans Program of 2019. This episode features: Program manager Paul Krabacher (BLM). Acting Chief, Adjudication Services Section, Native Allotment Lead Candy Grimes (BLM). Land Transfer Resolution Specialist and Acting Native Liasion Ralph Eluska (BLM). Deputy Communications Director and Marine Corps Veteran Eric Tausch (BLM). Tribal Government Relations Specialist for the Continental/Midwest/North Atlantic Regions and Marine Corps Veteran Peter Vicaire (VA). The Alaska Native Veterans Program of 2019 allows Alaska Native Veterans who served in the Vietnam era, or an heir of theirs, to claim between 2.5 and 160 acres of land in Alaska. The BLM website hosts information about the program, including contact information, proposed rules for the program, a link to available lands, answers to frequently asked questions, and video from virtual public meetings about the program.How to Ensure You Receive your ApplicationPotentially eligible Veterans should update their contact information with the Bureau of Indian Affairs' (BIA) Realty Tribal Service Provider and with BLM. BIA Enrollment Verification: (907) 271-4506 BIA Realty: (800) 645-8465 BLM Native Allotment Section: (907) 271-5998 Potentially eligible Veterans should also request a copy of their DD-214 from the Alaska Department of Military and Veteran Affairs, US Department of Veteran Affairs. Your local VA office or Veteran Service Organization can provide assistance.How to Ensure the Program Works for YouPotentially eligible Veterans can coordinate a personal representative appointed by an Alaska State Court, or contact the Alaska Legal Services Corporation, for help coordinating a personal representative.Potentially eligible Veterans should also read the draft proposed rules for the program. There is a 30-day window for public commenting that ends on August 10, 2020.Use the interactive map of available lands for the program from the BLM website. You can claim and save a plot selection as a .pdf and turn it in with your claim. The map will be updated regularly as more lands become available and allotments are made. (This is an image of the interactive map; please click the link to go to the BLM website to use the interactive map.)Help Spread the WordVA, BLM and BIA need every Veteran’s help to spread the word about the program. In order to reach the estimated 2,200 eligible Veterans or their heirs, the program needs its contact information to be as up-to-date as possible. Veterans and non-Veterans can use this PDF flyer to spread the news and ensure that every Alaska Native Veteran who has earned their land will receive it.BtBattle Veteran of the Week:Army Air Corps Veteran Richard Frank Additional Links: BLM Website for Alaska Native Veterans Program of 2019 Interactive Map Borne the Battle Ep. 172: Robert Primeaux, Lakota Warrior VA expands funding for emergency response for Veterans experiencing or at risk of homelessness during COVID-19 pandemic VA health care first to have Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services codes for chaplain care Study shows VA surgical care better than or equal to non-VA hospitals 

Blake Stilwell shares his story of starting his career as a combat photographer and eventually becoming a professional writer for Military.com.Stilwell had only spent a year in the Air Force when he became the youngest and for a time lowest-ranking member of the 1st Combat Camera Squadron. Despite early challenges, he was grateful for the opportunity to learn from his friends and mentors. He said they taught him how to take his work seriously while also having fun. He still considers it one of his best jobs.After nearly six years in the Air Force, Stilwell left to enroll at Syracuse University, using his GI Bill to graduate from the Television, Radio, and Film program. He used the skills he had learned in the Air Force and at Syracuse in various enterprises, including covering the 2008 Beijing Olympics and working at The White House Communications Agency.Stilwell eventually returned to Syracuse to study International and Public Relations, and spent some time at the Near East Foundation. In 2015, he was recruited by a friend to become a writer at We Are the Mighty, where he wrote thousands of articles and hosted a podcast with friends. Later in 2019 he became a professional staff writer for Military.com, where he continues to write today alongside other freelance work.In this episode, Stilwell discusses… What he learned from his experiences in the military. His post-military education at Syracuse University. His advice for aspiring writers and people transitioning out of the military. How he got on the bad side of the president of the Philippines. #BtBattle Veteran of the Week:Army Veteran Ambrose Bierce Additional Links: VA offers debt relief to Veterans through year’s end VA and MAZON partner to support Veteran food security