VET S.O.S. Podcast

The best therapy for some veterans doesn't start in a counselor's office—it starts around a campfire.
EPISODE PREMISE
Healing doesn't always happen the way we expect. In this episode of VET S.O.S., Victor Bretting shares how a retirement ranch in North Texas became a mission to serve veterans through the outdoors, conservation, and authentic camaraderie. What veterans often take home isn't just a trophy—it's a renewed sense of connection, purpose, and peace.
In this episode, you'll discover:
• Understand why Victor believes the hunt is only the excuse—and healing is the real mission.
• Learn how Hunting With Soldiers helps veterans rediscover the brotherhood many miss after leaving military service.
• Experience why campfires, shared meals, and quiet mornings in the field often become more meaningful than harvesting an animal.
• Hear incredible stories from Victor's dangerous game hunts in Mozambique and how those experiences shaped his perspective on conservation, leadership, and service.
About Victor Bretting
Victor Bretting is an eighth-generation Texan, construction executive, conservationist, author, and founder of Bretting Texan Ranch (BTEX Ranch). Although he never served in the military, he has dedicated his ranch to supporting veterans through Hunting With Soldiers by providing donated hunting experiences focused on healing, fellowship, and restoration. He is also the author of The Man That I Would Become and has pursued more than 140 species across five continents.
"The harvesting of a trophy is a very secondary thing. It's just an avenue to get here so they can have a little peace and quiet... and hopefully find that transition of healing."
🎙️ If this episode helped you, please follow VET S.O.S. and leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts. Open the Apple Podcasts app, search VET S.O.S., scroll down, and tap "Write a Review." It takes less than 30 seconds and helps another veteran discover the resources and community they may need today.
⏱️ Episode Chapters
00:00 – Healing Beyond the Hunt
02:05 – Meet Victor Bretting
04:00 – Why BTEX Ranch Exists
10:22 – Campfires, Brotherhood & Veteran Healing
16:56 – Hunting With Soldiers
25:15 – Dangerous Game & Lessons from Mozambique
29:20 – Closing Thoughts & Resources
🎧 Explore the VET S.O.S. Network
▶ VET S.O.S. – Flagship Show
▶ Operation Startup
▶ Learning Lifeline
▶ The Scoop
▶ Testimony Strong
🔗 Connect with VET S.O.S.
Website: https://vetsospodcast.com
YouTube: https://youtube.com/@vetsospodcast
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Most veterans who die by suicide never ask for help. This episode explains how to reach them before it's too late.

Most suicide prevention efforts begin inside hospitals—but Dr. Keita Franklin explains why that's already too late for many veterans. Drawing on decades of leadership at the VA, Marine Corps, and Columbia Lighthouse Project, she shares how a simple six-question screening tool is helping communities identify veterans at risk before a crisis becomes a tragedy.
This conversation moves beyond awareness and into practical action every veteran, family member, employer, and community leader can take.
In this episode, you'll discover:
• Learn the six-question Columbia Protocol and understand why anyone—not just clinicians—can use it.
• Recognize why the first five years after military transition carry significantly higher suicide risk.
• Understand how the Marine Corps reduced suicide rates by changing where they looked for veterans in crisis.
• Discover why directly asking someone about suicide is one of the safest and most effective ways to help.
About Dr. Keita Franklin
Dr. Keita Franklin is a nationally recognized leader in suicide prevention with more than 25 years of experience serving military and veteran communities. She helped redesign the Department of Veterans Affairs' suicide prevention strategy into a public health model and now serves as Vice President of Healthcare Strategy at TriWest Healthcare Alliance while co-leading the Columbia Lighthouse Project, expanding evidence-based suicide prevention worldwide.
If this episode helped you, please follow the show and leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts. Search VET S.O.S., scroll down, and tap Write a Review. It takes less than 30 seconds and helps another veteran find the lifeline they may need.
EPISODE CHAPTERS
00:00 — Introduction
03:09 — Military Family Transition
05:22 — How the Columbia Protocol Was Created
12:13 — The Six Questions That Save Lives
18:05 — Rethinking Suicide Prevention
23:27 — Bringing Prevention Into the Community
31:46 — Closing & Resources
Explore the Full VET S.O.S. Network
▶ VET S.O.S.
▶ VET S.O.S. Presents: Operation Startup
▶ VET S.O.S. Presents: Learning Lifeline
▶ VET S.O.S. Presents: The Scoop
▶ VET S.O.S. Presents: Testimony Strong
Connect with VET S.O.S.
Website: vetsospodcast.com
Twitter/X: @vetsospodcast
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/vetsospodcast
YouTube: youtube.com/@vetsospodcast
Facebook: facebook.com/vetsospodcast
Instagram: instagram.com/vetsospodcast
TikTok: tiktok.com/@vetsospodcast
#VETSOS #VeteranPodcast #GrabTheLifeline #HeroesMediaGRP #MilitaryMentalHealth #VeteranTransition #SuicidePrevention #Veterans #MilitaryLife #MentalHealth

Most veterans don't fail after transition—they fail because they never made a plan.
EPISODE PREMISE
Most veterans leave the military focused on what they're escaping instead of what they're building. In this conversation, Navy veteran Mr. Whiskey explains why that mindset creates unnecessary struggle—and how intentional planning, self-awareness, and community can completely change the outcome.
From surviving childhood trauma and toxic leadership to building a global platform helping others recover from addiction, mental health challenges, and life after service, this episode is packed with practical wisdom that applies long after the uniform comes off.
In this episode, you'll discover:
Avoid the biggest transition mistake veterans make when they say, "I don't care what I do as long as it's not the military."
Understand why being "dry" and being truly "sober" are two completely different things—and why real recovery requires personal growth.
Learn how a 16-hour weekend commute unexpectedly launched Mr. Whiskey's podcast and eventually became a worldwide mission serving others.
Discover why recovery isn't one-size-fits-all and how listening to yourself can become the most powerful tool in overcoming addiction, trauma, and life's biggest challenges.
Hear the deeply personal story of overcoming years of abuse, rejection, and limiting beliefs to build a life centered on faith, purpose, and service.
About Mr. Whiskey
Mr. Whiskey is a U.S. Navy veteran and former nuclear operator who founded Couple of Nukes, a self-improvement platform dedicated to helping people navigate military transition, addiction recovery, suicide prevention, mental health, relationships, and faith. Today he serves as a podcast host, author, speaker, preacher, comedian, and entrepreneur whose mission is simple: Protect. Provide. Serve. His unique perspective comes from overcoming childhood trauma, serving in the Navy's nuclear community, and turning those experiences into resources that help others heal and rebuild.
🎙️ If this episode helped you, please follow VET S.O.S. and leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts. Open Apple Podcasts, search VET S.O.S., scroll down, and tap "Write a Review." It takes less than 30 seconds and helps another veteran discover the resources and hope they need.
⏱️ EPISODE CHAPTERS
00:00 – Why Most Veterans Struggle After Transition
01:07 – Meet Mr. Whiskey
02:37 – The Transition Mistake Too Many Veterans Make
06:37 – How Couple of Nukes Was Born
16:53 – Talking About Mental Health Without Losing Hope
20:16 – Recovery Isn't One-Size-Fits-All
26:05 – Finding Identity Beyond the Military
34:47 – Resources, Final Advice & Where to Connect
🎧 Explore the Full VET S.O.S. Network
▶ VET S.O.S. — Flagship Show
▶ VET S.O.S. Presents: Operation Startup
▶ VET S.O.S. Presents: Learning Lifeline
▶ VET S.O.S. Presents: The Scoop
▶ VET S.O.S. Presents: Testimony Strong
🔗 Connect with VET S.O.S.
Website: vetsospodcast.com
Twitter/X: @vetsospodcast
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/vetsospodcast
YouTube: youtube.com/@vetsospodcast
Facebook: facebook.com/vetsospodcast
Instagram: instagram.com/vetsospodcast
TikTok: tiktok.com/@vetsospodcast
#VETSOS #VeteranPodcast #GrabTheLifeline #HeroesMediaGRP #MilitaryTransition #MilitaryMentalHealth #AddictionRecovery #Veterans #MilitaryLife #Podcast

Trauma thrives in silence. Healing begins when you stop carrying it alone.
Anissa Hudak knows trauma from multiple sides: as the daughter of a Vietnam veteran, a military spouse, and a two-time sexual assault survivor. In this conversation, she explains why trauma recovery must involve the body and nervous system—not only the conscious mind—and why healing should never require someone to repeatedly relive the worst moment of their life.
What makes this episode different is Anissa’s direct challenge to the idea that talk therapy is always enough. She shares how yoga therapy, neurosomatic techniques, and long-term coaching can help women move trauma out of the body, retrain neurological patterns, and build a recovery path as individual as their experience.
In this episode, you’ll discover:
• Recognize how military transition affects spouses and families, including financial fear, loss of community, and unexpected isolation after retirement.
• Understand why Anissa believes trauma becomes embedded in the nervous system and cannot always be resolved through conscious conversation alone.
• Explore how yoga therapy and neurosomatic techniques can support healing without forcing survivors to describe or relive traumatic events.
• Build a personalized recovery path based on awareness, body-based healing, unconscious neurological work, and continued coaching support.
Connect with Anissa Hudak
Anissa Hudak is the Founder of the Phoenix Women Healing Institute. As a military spouse, daughter of a Vietnam veteran, and two-time sexual assault survivor, she brings lived experience to her work with women navigating PTSD, military sexual trauma, secondary PTSD, and other forms of trauma. Through online yoga therapy, one-on-one neurosomatic work, and extended coaching, she helps women move from survival mode toward lasting resolution.
Website: https://phoenixwomenhealing.com
🎙️ If this episode helped you, please follow the show and leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts — open the app, search VET S.O.S., scroll down, and tap “Write a Review.” It takes 30 seconds and puts this show in front of a veteran who needs it right now.
⏱️ EPISODE CHAPTERS
00:00 - Trauma Thrives in Silence
05:53 - The Military Spouse Transition Experience
12:34 - Losing Community After Military Retirement
16:13 - Why Anissa Created Phoenix Women Healing
21:46 - Healing Through Yoga Therapy
22:54 - Why Talk Therapy May Not Be Enough
25:56 - How the Online Healing Program Works
27:15 - Moving Trauma Out of the Body and Unconscious
31:32 - Who Anissa Helps
33:35 - Closing and Lifeline Message
🎧 Explore the Full VET S.O.S. Network
▶ VET S.O.S. — Flagship Show
▶ VET S.O.S. Presents: Operation Startup
▶ VET S.O.S. Presents: Learning Lifeline
▶ VET S.O.S. Presents: The Scoop
▶ VET S.O.S. Presents: Testimony Strong
🔗 Connect with VET S.O.S.
Website: https://vetsospodcast.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/vetsospodcast
LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/vetsospodcast
YouTube: https://youtube.com/@vetsospodcast
Facebook: https://facebook.com/vetsospodcast
Instagram: https://instagram.com/vetsospodcast
TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@vetsospodcast
#VETSOS #VeteranPodcast #TraumaRecovery #MilitaryMentalHealth #MilitarySpouse #PTSDHealing #Veterans #HeroesMediaGRP #GrabTheLifeline

Trauma doesn't have to define your future. EMDR may help your brain heal in ways talk therapy can't.
EPISODE PREMISE
For decades, PTSD treatment has centered around talking through painful memories. But what if the brain heals trauma differently? In this episode, EMDR therapist and author Paul Schulte explains why Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is producing remarkable results with veterans, active-duty service members, refugees, and trauma survivors—and why several countries now recognize it as a first-line PTSD treatment.
Drawing from his own recovery journey, his work with military psychologists in Ukraine, and years helping people overcome trauma, Paul shares why healing often begins by addressing not only combat experiences but the wounds that came long before military service.
In this episode, you'll discover:
Understand how EMDR helps the brain reconnect fragmented traumatic memories without relying on years of traditional talk therapy.
Learn why unresolved childhood trauma often resurfaces after combat and how treating both experiences can dramatically change recovery.
Hear powerful stories from Paul's work with Ukrainian soldiers and military psychologists during an active war.
Discover why Paul believes EMDR could fundamentally change the future of PTSD treatment for veterans around the world.
About Paul Schulte
Paul Schulte is an EMDR therapist, author, former international banking executive, and university professor. More than 22 years sober, he now dedicates his work to helping veterans, refugees, abuse survivors, and others recover from PTSD, trauma, burnout, and addiction through EMDR therapy. His work has included supporting military psychologists and service members in Ukraine while advancing trauma recovery through research-backed treatment.
🎙️ If this episode helped you, please follow the show and leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts. Open the app, search VET S.O.S., scroll down, and tap "Write a Review." It takes less than 30 seconds and helps another veteran discover the resources they may need today.
⏱️ EPISODE CHAPTERS
00:00 – Why PTSD Recovery Doesn't Have to Take Years
00:15 – Meet Paul Schulte
03:12 – A Personal Mission to Help Veterans
05:26 – Understanding EMDR Therapy
11:06 – Why EMDR Challenges Traditional Talk Therapy
14:45 – Lessons From Ukraine's Front Lines
19:00 – What an EMDR Session Is Really Like
21:10 – Finding the Right Path to Healing
23:00 – Closing Thoughts & Resources
🎧 Explore the Full VET S.O.S. Network
▶ VET S.O.S. — Flagship Show
▶ VET S.O.S. Presents: Operation Startup
▶ VET S.O.S. Presents: Learning Lifeline
▶ VET S.O.S. Presents: The Scoop
▶ VET S.O.S. Presents: Testimony Strong
🔗 Connect with VET S.O.S.
Website: https://vetsospodcast.com
Twitter/X: @vetsospodcast
LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/vetsospodcast
YouTube: https://youtube.com/@vetsospodcast
Facebook: https://facebook.com/vetsospodcast
Instagram: https://instagram.com/vetsospodcast
TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@vetsospodcast
#VETSOS #VeteranPodcast #MilitaryMentalHealth #PTSDRecovery #EMDR #VeteranTransition #MentalHealthAwareness #Veterans #MilitaryLife #TraumaHealing #GrabTheLifeline #HeroesMediaGRP