Podcast
The Vantage Point
Hosted by Mt. Carmel Veterans Service Center · EN
Here, the classroom and battlefield share a table. The Vantage Point turns evidence-based wisdom and hard-earned experience into perspective that raises your elevation. When you can see further, you can live better.
Formerly known as The Veterans Voice podcast, we rebranded as The Vantage Point to better reflect our mission: connecting military and non-military perspectives through meaningful conversation. This podcast serves as an educational hub, where everyone—veterans and civilians alike—can come to learn about leadership, healing, innovation, and more.
11episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Dr. Lori James | The Science of Remembering... And Forgetting
Mar 1301:25:11Tap to summarizeIn this episode, we sit down with Dr. Lori James, a cognitive psychologist whose research explores the intricate relationship between memory, language, and aging. Drawing on decades of scholarship, Dr. James guides us through the fascinating science behind how new memories are formed and why some experiences remain vivid while others fade. Our conversation also explores reframing stress, and how it can act as a powerful tool that sharpens learning and strengthens memory. Finally, we examine the profound influence of language on thought through the lens of the Sapir–Whorf hypothesis, discussing how the words we use shape not only how we communicate but how we perceive and interpret the world around us.
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Jay Maloney | The Cost of Service
Mar 1301:14:45Tap to summarizeIn this episode, Vietnam veteran and former combat medic Jay Maloney reflects on the unseen weight carried by those who step into humanity’s darkest moments. But this episode is not only about trauma—it is about transformation. Jay speaks candidly about the lingering imprint of his experiences and the quiet reckoning that follows service. More importantly, he shares how he has refined that cost into clarity, developing a philosophical lens through which suffering refines clarity and deepens wisdom.
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Ted Severn | Surviving Vietnam: From Battlefield to Reflection
Feb 2501:57:25Tap to summarizeInspired by a family legacy of service, Ted Severn entered the Army during one of the most turbulent periods in American history—the Vietnam War. As an infantry officer, he led young soldiers through unforgiving terrain, impossible decisions, and conditions that tested both the body and the conscience. In this powerful conversation, we explore what persevering truly means when survival is the reward for doing so. Ted reflects on leadership under fire, the moral weight carried long after the battlefield, and the kind of resilience that is not learned from books—but forged in necessity. This is not simply a story of endurance, but of perspective earned at great cost—an honest look at what remains after war, and how hardship can shape a deeper understanding of life itself. Chapters: 0:00 Introduction 2:09 Tell Us About This Jeep 4:06 Life Before The Military 8:32 Family Legacy of Service 18:02 Preparing For War 25:53 A Warm Welcome to Vietnam 36:47 Operation Bach Ma 46:20 Hot LZ 54:51 Enemy Contact 1:08:35 Psalm 23 1:18:11 Evacuation 1:28:19 Controlling Fear 1:45:42 Family 1:47:42 Three Lessons From Vietnam 1:53:10 Advice For Young Men Thank you to our sponsors: Optum Medical - https://www.optum.com/en/ USAA - https://www.usaa.com/ Colorado Computer Support - https://www.coloradosupport.com/ Medicare Mentors - https://medicarementorsllc.com/ Visit https://www.veteranscenter.org/ to show your support. #PhilosophyOfLife #PsychologyMatters #Mindfulness #Belonging #VeteranMentalHealth #ptsd #ptsdawareness #USArmy #USMC #USNavy #USAF #CoastGuard #MilitaryLife #Veterans #VetTalk #VeteranVoices #HonoringHeroes #VeteranStories #RealTalk #MilitaryMinds #motivation #motivationalvideo #supportourtroops #wisdom #wisdomquotes #leadership #psychology #education #socialism #capitalism #vietnam #vietnamveterans #vietnamwar #TheVeteransVoicePodcast #TheVantagePointPodcast
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Dr. Janice Thorpe | The Art of Conversing
Jan 401:30:14Tap to summarizeDr. Janice Thorpe, communications professor and researcher from the University of Colorado, joins us to explore the use of Artificial Intelligence in higher education and the architecture of effective communication. In this episode she talks about how to overcome public speaking fears, online vs. traditional classes, as well as AI guardrails in college, policy and society. As a professor, her career has been devoted to understanding how meaning is created, transmitted, and sustained through conversation, body language, cultural understanding and much more.
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Major General Chuck Anderson | The Man in the Arena
Nov 1701:03:38Tap to summarizeCharles “Chuck” Anderson is a man who has spent his life in the arena. Born in Ashland, Kentucky, Chuck carries over 43 years of leadership experience directing organizations from 400 to over 21,000 personnel. As an Air Defense Artillery officer who served across six Army divisions, he became the first and only officer from that branch to command a U.S. Army division and retired as a Major General. His career embodies the spirit of Roosevelt’s words: “the credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena… whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood.” Chuck’s leadership extends far beyond the military. In the private sector, he has coordinated global operations in training, security, engineering, enterprise IT, aviation, medical services, and logistics. With more than a decade of P&L leadership, he ultimately served as President of PAE—overseeing 21,000 employees across 72 countries and supporting clients such as the DoD, NASA, FEMA, and the Department of Commerce. Today, Chuck brings his combined military and business experience to Bernhard Capital Partners, where he is helping build a government services platform capable of solving some of the nation’s most complex challenges. From Afghanistan to Iraq, from Wall Street to the federal government, his leadership has been marked by humility, moral courage, and a consistent truth: his “audio matches his video.” Chuck Anderson is not a man who speaks of effort—he is the one who puts himself on the line, again and again, daring greatly. And in our conversation, he reflects on a life spent in the arena and the lessons forged through devotion, discipline, and the unrelenting pursuit of a worthy cause. Chapters: 0:00 The Man In The Arena 2:05 The Arena 4:03 Inflection Points 13:39 Squint With Your Ears 20:02 Effort vs. Outcome 24:31Humility 30:41 Preparation 33:09 The Role Of A Parent 41:57 Life Or Death Situation 46:35 Life Changing Conversation 50:32 Am I In The Arena? 51:12 Find Other Spartans 57:19 Future Leaders 59:14 The Big Eight Thank you to our sponsors: Optum Medical - https://www.optum.com/en/ USAA - https://www.usaa.com/ Colorado Computer Support - https://www.coloradosupport.com/ Medicare Mentors - https://medicarementorsllc.com/ #PhilosophyOfLife #PsychologyMatters #Mindfulness #Belonging #CombatVeteran #MilitaryCommunity #VeteranSupport #PatriotTalk #VeteranMentalHealth #LifeAfterService #MilitaryTransition #ptsd #ptsdawareness #VetLife #USArmy #USMC #USNavy #USAF #CoastGuard #MilitaryLife #Veterans #MilitaryPodcast #VetTalk #VeteranVoices #HonoringHeroes #PodcastLife #VeteranStories #RealTalk #MilitaryMinds #vetpodcast #podcast #motivation #supportourtroops #wisdom #wisdomquotes #leadership #psychology #vietnam #education #socialism #capitalism #TheVeteransVoicePodcast #TheVantagePointPodcast
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Angela Darling | The Age of Enough
Nov 1501:06:32Tap to summarizeIn this episode, we sit with Angela Darling—massage therapist, somatic practitioner, and author of The Age of Enough—to explore a question most people avoid: What if the life we’re chasing isn’t the one we actually need? Specializing in the Trager Approach, Angela works directly with the nervous system, helping people loosen the physical and emotional patterns they’ve carried for years. Her insights move beyond theory and into the body itself—where stress, memory, and identity reside long before we speak them out loud. Together, we dive into her white paper, an sobering examination of modern excess, the quiet poverty of purpose, and the human tendency to seek meaning everywhere except within. What unfolds is part philosophy, part confession, and part invitation to step back from the noise and ask a timeless question: When is enough, enough? Chapters: 0:00 Abstract 3:13 The Trager Approach 5:01 Nervous System Regulation, A Cultural Twist 7:31 The Age of Enough 10:41 Attachment vs. Authenticity 15:41 Wired For Connection 18:03 A New Societal Framework 23:44 Without Purpose... Destruction 27:37 Filing The Void of Connection 41:30 Rewarding The Calm 48:46 A Longing For Authenticity 1:02:52 You're Right On Time Thank you to our sponsors: Optum Medical - https://www.optum.com/en/ USAA - https://www.usaa.com/ Colorado Computer Support - https://www.coloradosupport.com/ Medicare Mentors - https://medicarementorsllc.com/ #PhilosophyOfLife #PsychologyMatters #Mindfulness #Belonging #CombatVeteran #MilitaryCommunity #VeteranSupport #PatriotTalk #VeteranMentalHealth #LifeAfterService #MilitaryTransition #ptsd #ptsdawareness #VetLife #USArmy #USMC #USNavy #USAF #CoastGuard #MilitaryLife #Veterans #MilitaryPodcast #VetTalk #VeteranVoices #HonoringHeroes #PodcastLife #VeteranStories #RealTalk #MilitaryMinds #vetpodcast #podcast #motivation #supportourtroops #wisdom #wisdomquotes #leadership #psychology #vietnam #education #socialism #capitalism #TheVeteransVoicePodcast #TheVantagePointPodcast
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Michelle Ruehl | The Future of Childrens Education
Oct 2401:14:30Tap to summarizeMichelle “Sonic” Ruehl, a former U.S. Air Force pilot, Colonel, and White House Fellow with over two decades of leadership experience as an instructor at the Air Force Academy, leadership coach, youth mentor, and nonprofit founder. In this episode she talks about business, education, technology, parenting, equity, and more. She brings an unshakable belief that every child deserves to learn in an environment that challenges them, empowers them, and prepares them for the world ahead.
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Dr. Larry Plummer & Blake Schwank | The Grit Behind Entrepreneurship
Oct 601:21:20Tap to summarizeIn this dual-guest episode, we explore the anatomy of entrepreneurship through two lenses—academic expertise and lived experience. Our first guest, Blake Schwank, embodies the resilience and grit it takes to launch a business during uncertain times. After losing his job in the fallout of the dot-com bubble, Blake leaned on his military background and passion for service to build Colorado Computer Support, a nationally recognized IT firm supporting healthcare and defense sectors. He shares the hardships of transitioning out of uniform, the loneliness of starting a business, and the mindset shifts that make all the difference. Joining him is Dr. Larry Plummer, Associate Professor of Management and Entrepreneurship at UCCS, whose research and teaching focus on the entrepreneurial mindset, strategy, and the socioeconomic dynamics of business creation. With clarity and precision, Dr. Plummer outlines what entrepreneurship really means—beyond the buzzwords. He helps us reframe it as a discipline, not just a dream, offering insights on risk, motivation, and what separates a great idea from a viable venture. Together, Blake and Larry bridge theory and practice, showing that entrepreneurship isn’t reserved for the fearless or the lucky—it’s a path shaped by reflection and perseverance. Whether you're a veteran contemplating your next chapter, a young professional toying with a business idea, or simply someone craving autonomy and impact, this episode is your invitation to start building. You're not alone.
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Ray Linbaugh | The Walking Dead Marines
Sep 2301:29:46Tap to summarizeRay Linbaugh is one of the few survivors of the 1st Battalion, 9th Marines of the U.S. Vietnam War. They were called The Walking Dead—not from Hollywood, but from the hardened jungles of Vietnam, where the 1st Battalion, 9th Marines earned one of the highest casualty rates of any unit in U.S. military history. In this powerful episode, we sit down with a veteran of this fabled battalion to explore what it truly means to walk through fire and come out the other side. It’s a conversation about grit, sacrifice, and survival—one that echoes far beyond the battlefield. Through the lens of lived experience, we unpack how these Marines carried the weight of their legacy, how war shaped their minds, and how they continue to serve in silence today. Perspective is earned in the trenches of life—and this story is no exception.
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Bob McLaughlin | The Cure In Contribution
Aug 800:25:25Tap to summarizeRetired Colonel, Bob McLaughlin is the Executive Director of the Mt. Carmel Veterans Service Center, as well as the former Chief of Staff of US forces Afghanistan and Fort Carson Garrison Commander. In this discussion we explore the mindset of the “Soldier for Life” not as a slogan, but as a philosophy. Service doesn’t retire. It transforms. And those who continue to give, whether through mentoring, volunteering, or simply showing up for someone in need, often find that in healing others, they begin to heal themselves. After 28 years in the U.S. Army—serving in Iraq, Afghanistan, Bosnia, and across the globe—Bob could have stepped back. Instead, he stepped forward, founding and leading Mt. Carmel Veterans Service Center, a national model for veteran reintegration and community healing.
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