The VetsConnection Podcast

Hosted by Scott McLean

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Latest episode

Aug 2026

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EN-US

About the show

Join host Scott McLean, a veteran and also a passionate advocate for veterans' well-being. Each week Scott will bring you an episode that will feature insightful conversations with representatives from non-profit organizations dedicated to supporting veterans, as well as experts discussing programs within the Veterans Affairs (V.A.) aimed at assisting veterans with their needs. From discussing innovative therapies to highlighting community resources, this podcast sheds light on the myriad of ways veterans can find support and healing thru nonprofit organizations and also to connect nonprofits with each other in hopes of creating a network that will be beneficial to all.

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60 recent

September 9, 2026Episode 9056 min

Ep. 90 - Talking With Lisa Archer from H.O.W. Foundation (Helping Our Wounded) Offering Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Gives Veterans A Path Back

Send us Fan Mail We sit down with Lisa Archer from Howe Foundation USA to talk about how hyperbaric oxygen therapy helps veterans reclaim sleep, clarity, and day to day life after PTS and TBI. We also unpack what it takes to fund 40 consecutive treatments nationwide when insurance and FDA approval still lag behind the results. • our mission at One Man One Mic Foundation to help veterans publish podcasts and tell their stories • Lisa’s path into nonprofit development and why relationship building drives funding • how Howe Foundation USA starts and why PTS went unnamed for decades • what hyperbaric oxygen therapy is and why medical grade oxygen matters • the cost reality of HBOT and why insurance often will not cover it • sleep improvement and cognitive testing as early proof points • expanding from local support to a national network of vetted facilities • who can apply beyond veterans including first responders and student athletes • concussion risk in youth sports and why repeat hits change grades and sleep • why some trauma is harder to treat when the images will not leave • keeping aftercare human through ongoing contact and the new How Hub Go to howfoundationusa.org and give them your money. Like, Subscribe and Share. If you have comments or suggestions email us at: vetsconnectionpodcast@gmail.com. You can also find the video of this podcast on our YouTube Channel - Vetsconnection Podcast

September 2, 2026Episode 8959 min

Ep. 89 - Sonia Phillip, The Fire Watch, South Florida. Training To Prevent Veteran Suicide Through Knowledge & Awareness

Send us Fan Mail We talk with Sonia Phillip about her journey from Trinidad to the U.S. Navy, and how tough transitions, discrimination, and loss can turn into purpose-driven service. We also break down how The Firewatch trains everyday people to respond to suicide risk with calm steps that can keep a veteran alive long enough to get real help. • immigrating from Trinidad and Tobago and adapting to New York life • joining the Navy with an identical twin through the buddy program • serving on USS Essex in Japan and growing up fast at sea • navigating a male-dominated engineering space and earning respect through performance • leaving active duty in 2015 and the mental shift into veteran status • using VSOs, the GI Bill, and school benefits to build a new plan • working a frontline nonprofit role with homeless veterans and severe mental health needs • learning the cost of carrying other people’s crises and why breaks matter • joining The Firewatch and defining suicide prevention as a community skill • why 988 then press 1 matters when the call comes If you're interested and you want to learn how to podcast, you can go on the website and sign up at one man1mike foundation.org Like, Subscribe and Share. If you have comments or suggestions email us at: vetsconnectionpodcast@gmail.com. You can also find the video of this podcast on our YouTube Channel - Vetsconnection Podcast

August 24, 2026Episode 881 hr 17 min

Ep. 88 - How Two U.S. Veterans Living In Columbia Mobilize Earthquake Relief In Colombia

Send us Fan Mail We talk with Jennifer Puentes and Brandon Hants, two U.S. veterans in Colombia, about what earthquake relief looks like when hospitals collapse, water runs out, and communications fail. We share the uncomfortable truths about safety, logistics, bureaucracy, and how to help in ways that actually reach the families who are being missed. • what Jennifer and Brandon experience during and after the quake • why veterans shift quickly into action and coordination • water, communications, and shelter as the real early priorities • security risks people do not want to discuss, including looting and assaults • why aid gets oversupplied downtown while outskirts go without • how bureaucracy and politics slow down international relief • medical response in tents, training gaps, and the need for triage • protecting children and supporting pregnant women amid disruption • how influencers and media can drown out legitimate information • practical ways to donate safely and demand transparency If you do what you can, or if you know somebody that can help out, help out. Like, Subscribe and Share. If you have comments or suggestions email us at: vetsconnectionpodcast@gmail.com. You can also find the video of this podcast on our YouTube Channel - Vetsconnection Podcast

August 17, 2026Episode 871 hr 25 min

Ep. 87 - Barbara Diaz, Founder of Living Garden Framework. A Veteran’s Road From PTSD To A Trauma Informed Curriculum

Send us Fan Mail We talk with Army veteran Barbara Diaz about how bullying, stigma, and unaddressed trauma can follow you from childhood into the military and into adulthood. We also break down attachment styles, nervous system healing, and how her Living Garden Framework turns hard psychology into practical emotional skills for veterans, parents, and kids. • growing up between Puerto Rico roots and North Philly survival • joining the Army young and learning adulthood fast in Korea • being bullied by peers and leaders and how chain of command can trap you • coping through emotional eating, shame, and staying quiet to stay safe • noticing PTSD later in life and understanding trauma stored in the body • living multiple military transitions as soldier, reservist, spouse, and federal employee • why programs like SHARP matter and what changes when systems finally listen • leaving a toxic marriage, naming domestic violence, and doing deep self-work • understanding attachment styles and the zero to two imprint on trust • using no contact, boundaries, and repair to heal intergenerational trauma • building the Living Garden Framework with somatic tools and trauma-informed education • teaching emotional literacy with simple, usable vocabulary for teens and adults If you like this, share it. Go to oneman one mic foundation.org. Like, Subscribe and Share. If you have comments or suggestions email us at: vetsconnectionpodcast@gmail.com. You can also find the video of this podcast on our YouTube Channel - Vetsconnection Podcast

August 9, 2026Episode 861 hr 1 min

Ep. 86 - Author Susan L. Combs Talks About her Book Wonder Women: The Untold Stories of Female Veterans

Send us Fan Mail We sit down with Susan Combs, founder of Pancakes for Roger, to trace how one caregiving moment and a pancake photo turned into a fast-growing veteran nonprofit. We also dig into her new book, Wonder Women, and what female veterans want civilians to understand about service, trauma, family, and resilience. • how Pancakes for Roger turns pancake photos into donations that support veterans • housing support and home improvement grants and what they can cover • the origin story behind “pancakes for breakfast” and grief after loss • why Susan pivots from a sequel to writing Wonder Women • why many female veterans are invisible in daily life • how the book protects contributors through recorded interviews and full chapter sign-off • themes from the stories: belonging, discrimination, sexual trauma, family strain, rank dynamics, deployments • why acronyms and context matter for civilian readers and listeners If you're interested, go to onemail1mikefoundation.org. It's a spelled out one, not the number one. Like, Subscribe and Share. If you have comments or suggestions email us at: vetsconnectionpodcast@gmail.com. You can also find the video of this podcast on our YouTube Channel - Vetsconnection Podcast

August 3, 2026Episode 8555 min

Ep. 85 - Michael Carter - From Navy Air Traffic Control To A Veteran Music Festival Founder

Send us Fan Mail We talk with Navy veteran Michael Carter about how one air traffic control near miss shattered his confidence, pushed him into a mental health crisis, and forced him to fight for real help. We also trace how music, community, and his service dog Frankie helped him rebuild, then inspired him to create Stage for Change and the Carolina VetFest fundraiser. • joining the Navy after 9/11 and choosing a path with purpose • air traffic control stress and the one-detail mistake that changed everything • losing confidence, stepping away from the seat, and refusing to risk lives • stigma, dismissal, and the moment leadership finally takes it seriously • suicidal ideation, survival, and the difference one song can make • returning to North Carolina and finding therapy in live shows and photography • building Stage for Change to support nonprofits through music festivals • planning VetFest as a free, family-friendly event with donations and raffles • using outreach tables and veteran-owned vendors to reach people who need help • Frankie’s service dog match and what a true support animal changes If you like it, share it Like, Subscribe and Share. If you have comments or suggestions email us at: vetsconnectionpodcast@gmail.com. You can also find the video of this podcast on our YouTube Channel - Vetsconnection Podcast

June 22, 2026Episode 841 hr 26 min

Ep. 84 - A Navy Veteran Rebuilds After Military Sexual Trauma. Talking With Author and Survivor, Paula Kemp

Send us Fan Mail We talk with Navy veteran and combat photographer Paula Kemp about how a career she loved collided with military sexual trauma and how silence can shape everything that comes after. We also dig into what real healing looks like, from VA care and post traumatic growth to storytelling, claims support, and policy change through the Bears Act. • joining the Navy Reserves as a mother of three and finding a path into combat photography • what the camera changes about how you see risk, people, and memory • the Fleet Week assault, the fear of reporting, and why many survivors stay quiet • anger, nightmares, drinking, and the delayed surfacing of trauma after service • early VA experiences, co-ed treatment pitfalls, and the need for trauma-informed care • helping veterans navigate VA disability claims with an impactful personal statement • building Unjustly Served and why telling the story can support healing • the Bears Act concept for tracking harmful behavior across commands Go read the book, visit the website, and reach out, please. Reach out. Like, Subscribe and Share. If you have comments or suggestions email us at: vetsconnectionpodcast@gmail.com. You can also find the video of this podcast on our YouTube Channel - Vetsconnection Podcast

June 16, 2026Episode 831 hr 11 min

Ep. 83 - Fredy Mendez From Sunwave, A Marine Veteran Explains How Data Can Prevent Relapse

Send us Fan Mail We talk with Marine veteran Freddie Mendez about why veteran mental health care breaks down after treatment and how better behavioral health software can give clinicians time back to actually listen. We dig into outcomes data, privacy, and aftercare systems that spot relapse risk early without turning veterans into numbers. • Freddie’s Marine background and what he learned overseas about culture and hard choices • The “void” of transition and why adrenaline chasing can slide into addiction • Why he walked away from pharma and toward behavioral health and addiction recovery work • How Sunwave aims to cut clinician charting time and reduce burnout • Outcomes measurement for PTSD, addiction, and depression using structured data points • Alumni aftercare check-ins that trigger early outreach before relapse • Data security concerns and avoiding third-party PHI leakage • Partnering with nonprofits through conversations about pain points and workflows • Why listening and cultural competence matter more than perfect scripts My email is Freddie at sunwavehealth.com. Like, Subscribe and Share. If you have comments or suggestions email us at: vetsconnectionpodcast@gmail.com. You can also find the video of this podcast on our YouTube Channel - Vetsconnection Podcast

June 9, 2026Episode 821 hr 8 min

Ep. 82 - How VA Accredited Lawyers Strengthen Disability Appeals. Talking With Logan West and Jamie Meadows-Valley From Berry Law

Send us Fan Mail We talk with two veteran professionals from Berry Law about what it takes to move a VA disability claim forward when denials, confusion, and misinformation stack up. We break down how VA accreditation, deadlines, evidence, and clear expectations can turn a frustrating process into an organized plan. • why veterans are skeptical of law firms and how trust gets built • what VA accreditation means and why it protects veterans • how a case moves from intake to legal strategy to written appeals • common VA appeals process pitfalls like missed deadlines and incomplete forms • why PTSD claims often hinge on verifying a stressor • how nexus letters buddy statements and record details strengthen service connection • how increases work when symptoms get worse after a prior decision • the difference between temporary 100% Permanent and Total and TDIU • how spouses parents and kids can help start the process Go hit up the website. If you're a new veteran, if you're new to the veteran world and you're trying to file your claim and you're getting frustrated, give it a shot. You know, talk to them. It can't hurt. Like, Subscribe and Share. If you have comments or suggestions email us at: vetsconnectionpodcast@gmail.com. You can also find the video of this podcast on our YouTube Channel - Vetsconnection Podcast

June 1, 2026Episode 811 hr 31 min

Ep. 81 - Musician And Air Force Veteran Delton Walker Talks About His Air Force Days Working On Fighter Jets. Being Young And Overseas, Facing Racism Back Home And How Music Was His Saving Grace

Send us Fan Mail We reconnect with my friend and fellow veteran Delton Walker and talk about the road from military life and hard memories to healing through connection, therapy, and music. He shares how a saxophone became his church, his career, and his way to give peace back to other veterans. • meeting through the Herd Foundation Freedom Patch program and why it changes lives • using humor to cover pain and calling out the “trauma Olympics” mindset • life on the flightline, fighter jets, noise exposure, and what service feels like • choosing the Air Force, going overseas, and growing up fast away from home • dealing with racism on base and the long tail of hypervigilance • culture shock returning stateside and why trust can disappear overnight • the rough edges of transition out of the military and why support matters • picking up sax later, practicing relentlessly, and finding a real voice • getting endorsed, working with Walter Beasley, and hearing his music went to space • playing at the VA hospital to give other veterans a break from the noise If you like it, share it Like, Subscribe and Share. If you have comments or suggestions email us at: vetsconnectionpodcast@gmail.com. You can also find the video of this podcast on our YouTube Channel - Vetsconnection Podcast