The U.S. Army Soldier for Life Podcast shares information about the many employment, education, health and wellness, and Army retirement resources that are available to Soldiers, veterans, and their families (plus much more!).

You can listen anywhere you get your podcasts (e.g., Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube Music) or on the Soldier for Life Podcast channel!

7/8/2025

Task Force Movement works with the private sector, military, academia, and government and nongovernment organizations to help identify and solve problems that our military and veteran families face when it comes to finding civilian employment AND to help create smoother civilian career pathways for the military community. Learn more from our discussion with Elizabeth Murray-Belcaster, the Executive Director of Task Force Movement.

6/24/2025

We've all heard the term Space-A travel, but have you ever wondered what it is and how it works? Or how you can take advantage of Space-A flights, Space-A lodging, and military recreational lodging as a service member, military retiree, veteran with a service-connected disability, and more? You can find out as we chat with Ms. Stephanie Montague, the spouse of a Retired Soldier and founder of the military travel website Poppin’ Smoke!

6/10/2025

Our Soldiers for Life are Army ambassadors. They are amazing individuals who chose to dedicate themselves to serving their country, to making a difference. They help people in their communities understand - and connect with - our Army. And they help inspire the next generation to serve. And one of the most important ways that they do all of this is by telling their Army and Soldier for Life stories and by encouraging others to do the same. On this week's episode, we had the opportunity to chat with MG (Ret.) Mari K. Eder and CW5 (Ret.) Phyllis J. Wilson - who are both dedicated to helping to tell the stories of our Soldiers and Soldiers for Life in their post-military careers - about how important it is to tell your story and the difference that you make both to yourself and the U.S. Army when you do.

5/27/2025

If you are going through the Army medical retirement/separation process (we're including Soldiers, their families AND their Army commanders in that "you"), there is a LOT to know and do, but like everything we talk about, there are MANY resources out there to help. And on this week's all new Soldier for Life Podcast, Mr. Lemuel (Lem) Chance from the U.S. Army Physical Disability Agency walks you through everything that you need to know about medical retirements and separations.

5/13/2025

Are you planning for your U.S. Army retirement? If so, this Soldier for Life Podcast episode includes everything that you will need to know for your retirement planning journey! Listen as CW3 (Ret.) Lynn Peterson - the RSO Program Manager for the Army Retirement Services Office and our all-around retirement planning guru - shares LOADS of information and resources about planning steps, retirement resources and where to find them, major things to consider (including financial considerations, employment, healthcare, retirement locations, family considerations), veteran benefits, and SO much more!

4/22/2025

On this week's Soldier for Life Podcast, we are excited to talk about the Army’s upcoming 250th birthday celebration and the commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the American Revolutionary War. Listen as we sit down with Captain Jonathan Bratten, the command historian for the Maine Army National Guard and the National Guard Bureau’s Revolutionary War 250 liaison officer to the U.S. Army Center of Military History, to chat about these two important events and why they - along with knowing your Army history AND telling your Soldier for Life Story and the Army's story - are important to ALL of us even 250 years later.

4/8/2025

The Warrior-Scholar Project hosts intensive, one-week college-prep academic boot camp programs for enlisted service members and veterans at America’s top universities to help ease their transition from the military to higher education. Learn more as we chat with the CEO of the Warrior-Scholar Project, Ryan Pavel.

3/25/2025

Want to hire some incredibly talented employees at your company or organization? Then you should really be thinking about transitioning Soldiers, veterans, and military spouses! This week, we talk with Ms. Lisa Rosser, the CEO and Founder of an organization called The Value Of a Veteran, about what you can do to up your military connected talent game and WHY this is so important for your organization.

2/25/2025

Looking for a resource to help you find your next career OR valuable military talent for your organization (because I hope we all know what a smart move that is for any company!)? On this week's Soldier for Life Podcast, we chat with Kandi Tillman, the Co-Founder of 50strong, an organization that helps connect service members, veterans, military-connected students, and spouses with employers AND employment across the country.

2/11/2025

NPower offers free virtual tech training programs, job placement assistance, and professional development opportunities for military and veteran families. Learn more as we sit down with Kendra Parlock, the Vice President of Partnership Development for NPower.

1/14/2025

The MyArmyBenefits website is the U.S. Army’s official one-stop shop for information about all of the federal and state benefits that Soldiers, veterans, and their families have earned from serving their country in the United States Army. The website even includes planning calculators to help with things like Army retirement, survivor benefits, and deployment! Learn all about this fantastic resource as we chat with the Program Manager for the MyServiceBenefits Program in the Army Retirement Services office, Ms. Chelsea MacDougall.

11/26/2024

The Manufacturing Institute's Heroes MAKE America program provides training and resources to help prepare individuals in the military and veteran communities for careers in the manufacturing industry. Listen as we chat with Amy Thomas, the National Director of the Heroes MAKE America program, about their efforts to build a pipeline of military-trained and industry-certified candidates for manufacturers around the country.

11/12/2024

On this week's episode, we talk with the United States Small Business Administration's Assistant Administrator for its Office of Veterans Business Development, Robert Yannuzzi, about National Veterans Small Business Week AND all of the fantastic resources that the SBA offers to help our military families on their entrepreneurial journey.

10/22/2024

The U.S. Patent and Trademark office offers numerous resources for entrepreneurs in the military community to help them make their business ownership dreams a reality. Learn more about what the USPTO can do for you as a new or future military-connected business owner from this week's discussion with the USPTO's Christina Whitaker.

10/8/2024

Are you a Soldier or veteran who is interested in pursuing an education degree? Tune in to hear our discussion with Service to School CEO Alec Emmert about the free college and grad school application counseling, mentorship, and resources they offer to veterans and service members.

9/24/2024

Every life that is lost to suicide is one life too many. On this week's episode, we talk to mental health advocate and motivational speaker David Woods Bartley about his struggles with depression, mental health, and suicide; and about how connection leads to hope, and hope saves lives.

9/10/2024

Army Emergency Relief, the official nonprofit of the United States Army, has been Supporting Soldiers and their Families Since 1942 through grants, interest-free loans, and scholarships. Learn more about the important work that AER does to support our Army Family as we talk with Tony Grinston, the Chief Executive Officer of AER and the 16th Sergeant Major of the Army (Ret.).

8/27/2024

Having a battle buddy or a tribe for support is just as important when you're making the transition into the civilian world as it was when you were serving. On this week's Soldier For Life Podcast, we chat with Dr. Robby Hedrick, the Director of Transition Services for the Coffee Bunker, an organization that refers to itself as a tribe, battle buddy, or wingman for military and veteran families in the Tulsa, Oklahoma, area and beyond as they move into the civilian world.

8/13/2024

On this week's Soldier For Life Podcast episode, we talk with U.S. Marine Corps COL (Ret.) Duncan Milne, the President of Dixon Center for Military and Veterans Services, about the work that Dixon Center does to help organizations across the country improve the lives of our military and veteran families.

7/23/2024

Soldier On is a nonprofit organization based in western Massachusetts that is committed to ending veteran homelessness by providing needs-based housing, direct supportive services, and temporary financial assistance to veterans who are at-risk of homelessness. Listen as COL Jarrett Thomas chats with Soldier On CEO, Mr. Bruce Buckley, about Soldier On and its efforts to help put an end to veteran homelessness.

7/9/2024

Have you met your CASA yet? Civilian Aides to the Secretary of the Army are civilian business and community leaders from each U.S. state and territory that are appointed by the Secretary of the Army to advise and support Army leaders across the country. Learn more as we chat with the director of the CASA Program, Ms. Angie RItz, and CASA Angela M. Odom (Georgia - North) and CASA Mabry E. “Bud” Martin (North Carolina - Central) about the important role that CASAs play as a bridge between the Army and communities across America. 

5/28/2024

We have a high-impact, high-energy Soldier For Life Podcast for you this week to help close out Mental Health Awareness Month, and it is one that you definitely do NOT want to miss! Join us as we talk with stand-up comedian, motivational speaker, suicide prevention advocate, Certified Humor Professional, CEO of the Best Medicine Brigade, President and Founder of HEAL*ARIOUS, AND the creator and former host of the Soldier For Life Podcast, LTC (Ret.) Robin Johnson (we almost ran out of space there!), about her new mission to heal people with humor.

5/14/2024

Keeping our military spouses happy is obviously important on many levels, but making sure that they have access to meaningful employment also plays a critical role in Army readiness and retention. On this week's SFL Podcast, COL Jarrett Thomas got the chance to sit down with LTG Kevin Vereen, the U.S. Army Deputy Chief of Staff, G-9, to talk about the many ways the Department of Defense and the Army are working to help improve the quality of life of our military families and, more specifically, the employment opportunities for our military spouses.

3/26/2024

Our Community Salutes helps communities around the country recognize, honor, and support high school seniors who are enlisting in the U.S. military after graduation. Learn more on this week's all new Soldier For Life Podcast as SFL's Director, COL Jarrett Thomas, talks with the President and Founder of OCS, Dr. Ken Hartman.