Episodes

JJ Hardy gave the Army 18 years of his life, including 35 months in combat. He came home with a 100% disability rating, a PTSD diagnosis, and a transition he describes as "very, very messy." No clear mission. No sense of identity. Just the quiet, disorienting weight of trying to figure out who he was without the uniform. In this episode, JJ opens up about what it actually took to climb out of that place, and how he learned to flip post-traumatic stress into what he calls post-traumatic growth. ...

David McCleery gave 14 years to the Navy. When his contract expired due to medical reasons, the military handed him his paperwork and pointed him toward the door. No real transition support. No guidance. Just a pill for his PTSD and a civilian world he had no idea how to navigate. What followed was seven years of silence. Panic attacks alone behind the wheel of a semi-truck. Isolation in the middle of farm country with no base, no community, and no one to call. In 2023, it all came to a head in a moment so dark he called his wife and begged her to help him. That phone call saved his life. Today, David serves as Executive Director of Buddy Check 22 and works alongside Project Headspace and Timing, devoting his life to making sure no veteran has to white-knuckle their way through the darkness alone. His message is simple: it is okay to not be okay, and that phone call could save a life. If you have ever felt like the door closed behind you and no one was on the other side, this conversa…

Sara Moore spent 21 years in the Army as a Black Hawk pilot. She was tough, high-performing, and completely committed to the mission. Then her nervous system snapped during a routine training exercise, and no amount of mental toughness could stop the shaking. That moment cracked everything open. In this episode, Sara joins Jon to talk about what really happens when a military career ends and the uniform comes off. She breaks down the neuroscience behind trauma and nervous system collapse, why identity loss hits veterans so hard, and why healing isn’t something you fix once. It’s a lifestyle you build every day. Sara is now the founder of Blueside Adventures, a program for veterans and first responders built around community, adventure, and doing the hard inner work to find out who you are outside of your service. If you’ve ever felt like you lost yourself somewhere between the person you were before service and the person you are now, this conversation is for you. Be the light in some…

In this compelling interview, Andrew Stokes shares his journey from military service to law enforcement, highlighting the challenges of trauma, resilience, and personal growth. Discover insights into the realities of policing, mental health, and the importance of vulnerability and support. Andrew Stokes shares his profound journey through trauma, mental health struggles, and finding peace through faith, therapy, and education. His story highlights the importance of seeking help, resilience, and ...

Ira Hearen spent 20 years in the Air Force doing what needed to be done, loading cargo, running air drops, surviving deployments, and keeping the mission moving no matter what. He was good at all of it. But when retirement came in 2018, the mission stopped. And for the next eight years, so did he. In this episode, Ira gets real about what happened when the uniform came off, the loss of identity, the drinking problem that had quietly grown throughout his career, the dark patches where he questioned why he was even getting out of bed. He talks about bouncing between jobs that never fit, feeling like a stranger in a civilian world that didn’t speak his language, and the moment everything finally changed: the day he got fired and decided to burn the boats for good. Today Ira is 14 months sober, co-hosting Bravo Mission Radio, and living by a philosophy that carries this entire conversation: every day is day one. Not a setback. Not a reset. Just another shot to get it right. Jon and Ira al…

This is the announcement of the relaunch of The Bunkhouse Podcast.

Episode 1 (Marine Grunt to Passionate Poet) Host: Jon Talk About The Episode: Brandon Dillon Marine Corps 8 years 2004 to 2012 Military: 0311 Current: Night Shift Manager at Buc-ees Talk With The Guest: What helped him get where he is today? Leadership, the Marine Corps taught me how to lead people and manage not only them but myself What helped you get through the days? Poetry and poetry have saved my life, along with my kids and my future wife Yanet. Personal Story: The things I saw a...

Host: Jon Talk About The Episode: Kyle Moschetto Marine Corps, just under 12 years. Military: 0650 Data Officer Current: Managing Director of a technology services team specializing in Google Cloud. Talk With The Guest: He did Lots of IT side hustles before the military. “I’m a geek-of-geeks! 😀” His favorite subject: Large complicated Cloud Adoption/Migration/Transformation programs! It's People, Process, and Tech…. on steroids! What helped him get where he/she is today: The military l...

Hey everyone, and welcome to another episode of The Bunkhouse; I’m your host Jon. I know it’s been 4 months since the last episode, but I have some updates and news about the show. First the show itself: After the new year I will continue to release one episode of the show. Also, I am going to kick off a second session, focusing on mental health. I already have a couple guests lined up, just have to work our schedules out. Veterans to share their story and how they beat their inner battles. ...

Episode 10 (Words with the Phoenix Cast) Host: Jon Talk About The Episode: John, Rich, and Kyle Marine Corps (John & Rich are still Active Duty) Hosts of The Phoenix Cast Closing: The Phoenix Cast The Art of Network Engineering You can contact the show by sending an email to thebunkhousecast@outlook.com. Follow on Twitter with @BunkhouseCast Follow on Facebook with @BunkhouseCast I created this podcast using version 3.0.3 of Audacity(R) recording and editing software1. 1 Audacity® s...

Host: Jon *** I am an active duty Marine, and any opinion expressed on this show is my own and is not military regulation or policy. *** Talk About The Episode: Mike Jones He spent 10 years in the Navy. Military: Signal Intelligence Analyst Current: Everything Cyber, Content Creator, Podcast Host, and Public Speaker Talk With The Guest: His/Her favorite subject: 3D Printing VoIP Hacking What helped him/her get where he/she is today: Persistence Adapt and Overcome Advice for military me...

Host: Jon *** I am an active duty Marine, and any opinion expressed on this show is my own and is not military regulation or policy. *** Talk About The Episode: Ron Woerner USAF, 1990 – 1995 Military: Geospatial Intelligence. Current: Cybersecurity Consultant, Cyber-AAA, LLC Associate Professor, Bellevue University Talk With The Guest: He has been in “IT” since I was in middle school. Here’s a video of me talking about the first computer I used: https://youtu.be/7e7w0dRSP_g His favorite ...

Host: Jon *** I am an active duty Marine, and any opinion expressed on this show is my own and is not military regulation or policy. *** Talk About The Episode: Danny Ruck ***Any opinion expressed is my own and not of any organization I am a part of*** 0351 Infantry Assaultman DoD Account Executive – USMC / USN / DHA Talk With The Guest: Prior to the Marine Corps, he had no IT or Cyber Seuctity experience. His favorite subject: Working on the projects and devices that are assisting those o...

Episode 6 (Air Force Medical Administrator to Security Architect for a Retail Company) Host: Jon *** I am an active duty Marine, and any opinion expressed on this show is my own and is not military regulation or policy. *** Talk About The Episode: Jay McLendon ***Any opinion expressed is my own and not of any organization I am a part of*** Enlisted in the Air Force in 1987 and got out in 1991. MOS: 90650: Medical Admin (Aeroevacuation) Currently is a Security Architect for a Retail Company ...

In this episode, Jason will share his journey from being a Marine Telephone Technician to his current role as a Systems Engineer supporting the Marine Corps.

Talk to Jack Reedy about his journey from being a Marine Data Systems Administrator to his current position as the Director of Cybersecurity Content at INE.

Jake shares his journey on how he went from being an Information Systems Technician in the Navy to his current position as an Industrial Controls System Cybersecurity Specialist.

Eric shares his journey on how he went from being a Small Computer Systems Specialist in the Marine Corps to his current position as a Customer Support Engineer with Microsoft.

I share my journey from my days in the rodeo before the Marine Corps to where I am today, and what brought me to start this podcast.