Leading With Vulnerability

Russell has a fantastic story that goes from the mountains of Afghanistan as a 75th Ranger Team Leader to becoming an emergency medicine doctor.

Chuck's sacrifices for our country cannot be put into words. Listen to Chuck's stories. You will not be disappointed.

Michael DeSelm is an inspiration. He has many amazing stories about his time in the Navy and his post-Navy life, including how he started a church for people who don't like church and how he recovered from cancer. A must listen.

Mike is an awesome guy and someone you want with you during a gunfight. You can learn more about Michael from his LinkedIn below. ***I am a Special Operations veteran transitioning to the private sector in January of 2024. That is who I am, but there is so much more to tell. In the Autumn of 2001, I was a sophomore at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. It seemed to my father at the time that I was far more concerned with playing rugby and enjoying the social scene at UT than my studies, and he wasn’t wrong about that. On the morning of September 11th, I woke up late, most likely from festivities the night before and turned on the television just in time to see the second plane fly into the south Tower. As with many that day, my life would be forever changed. I was ready to drop out of school and enlist that day and that would’ve been the story if my father hadn’t stepped in and offered a piece of advice. “Finish your degree and then join. You’ll wish you would have if you don’t.” That tidbit of Fatherly advice was quite astute, and I give my father credit to this day about it. I would spend the next 20 years climbing the ranks of the Army, with most of that time in Special Operations. What initially was a challenge and a rush of adventure, turned into a passion and a career developing teams and mentoring subordinates to become more proficient leaders. Developing others and cultivating diverse teams that could accomplish arduous tasks in high-pressure environments became a personal calling card. It is fitting then that my Gallup Strengths turned out to be: Achiever | Harmony | Consistency | Context | Focus As my military career comes to an end and I look to the next chapter in the private sector, I look forward to continuing to work with diverse teams of individuals to accomplish difficult tasks and improve the organization and community around me. “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” -Maya Angelou***

About Dave from his LinkedIn. ***The greatest joy for me is passing on life and leadership lessons, both the highs and lows, and knowing that I've made a positive impact on a future or current leader. During my talks, I delve into topics like leadership, high-performing teams, diversity, values in leadership, hard lessons learned, and the power of forgiveness. It's about sharing experiences that resonate with individuals and teams on a personal level. LDR Leadership, LLC, the company I'm passionate about, is a veteran-owned small business. We bring together evidence-based research and a wealth of senior leader experience to help companies grow their employees, build effective teams, nurture inspirational leaders, and create high-performance organizations. Our copyrighted performance management training system is designed to transform the dynamic of any organization. In my quest for continuous learning, I pursued a master's in leadership from Georgetown University. I wanted to go beyond my own experiences, delving into the science behind leading others and teams, ensuring that I can bring evidence-based leadership to our clients and partners. My journey started with enlisting in the army in 1992, earning my commission in 1997 from West Virginia University. I spent the next two decades on active duty, with the majority in special operations as an Army Ranger. Deployed eight times to combat, leading Rangers and special operators ranging from 200 - 1000. My final assignment was at Arlington National Cemetery, where I had the honor of laying our fallen heroes to rest. In 2016, I had a transformative experience summiting my first mountain, Mt. Shasta, in California. It was during that trip that my love for mountaineering was born, and I made the decision to retire from the Army. Throughout this journey, my core values of family, adventure, helping others, leadership, and relationships have been my guiding force. These values led me to LDR Leadership, which remains my tribe even after my military service. The combination of my diverse experiences has shaped who I am today, and I'm excited to share those insights with others.***

Michael Halterman is a retired Special Operations Marine and current Vice President of Operations at The Honor Foundation. For more information about The Honor Foundation and how to support the Leading With Vulnerability podcast, look for the links below "about Halty." About Halty, from his LinkedIn My Why, I solve the problems of tomorrow so that others can bridge to the future. I have watched the monochromatic desert in southern Afghanistan come into a vivid array of sunrise colors. I have walked through the dense forest in the rolling green hills of Kosovo in early autumn. During these moments and many more like them, I have had the privilege of leading teams of all sizes, cultures, religions, and ethnicities. For the first 20 years of my professional life, I honorably served in the United States Marine Corps as an Infantryman and Marine Raider. These experiences have taught me a deep appreciation of different cultures and points of view. I was born and raised in California in a small town on the coast. I learned the value of hard work, sports comradery, and the art of self-reliance in individual sports growing up. After graduating from a small-town high school, I was ready to see the world and live a life of service. I found a connection with the United States Marine Corps and never looked back. My small-town upbringing, combined with my 20 years of global experience in the Marine Corps, has been instrumental in my current role at The Honor Foundation. I listen mindfully and seek to understand before being understood. I find balance in my career by having a daily yoga and meditation practice, climbing, mountaineering, and running new trails in the great outdoors. Support the Channel patreon.com/leadingwithvulnerability The Honor Foundation https://www.honor.org/

Support the podcast on Patreon using this link. patreon.com/leadingwithvulnerability

Support the Leading With Vulnerability podcast here - patreon.com/leadingwithvulnerability Purchase your copy of Power Up here - https://www.amazon.com/Power-Leadership-Character-Superhero-Multiverse/dp/1636243398/ref=sr_1_1?crid=92S90JASY9ZQ&keywords=power+up+book&qid=1699555929&sprefix=power+up+book%2Caps%2C112&sr=8-1 Access Legends of the 75th here - https://redcircle.com/shows/legends-of-the-75th Learn more about Mike on his LinkedIn page here - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-burke-85120314/

Meet Monty below, and to support the show, the link below will take you to the Patreon page. Thank you! patreon.com/leadingwithvulnerability **Starting from a young age in Costa Rica, dreaming about being different and excelling was always in my mind; I began my journey at the age of 21 (2005) by joining the French Foreign Legion; during my time there, I was able to expand my knowledge and views of the world, which showed me how much work I have in the future to be an authentic leader, during my adventures in Africa or Europe I realized that I have a lot of work to do on myself. Then I decided to join the US army (2012), but this was an arduous task; going to another country unprepared is going to be one of the most challenging tasks of my life, and it will take me two years to get in (2010-2012). However, it was possible to make it happen because of the determination of my belief in becoming part of the best army in the world… The US Army. Today I will say the 75th Ranger Regiment gave me everything for my professional and personal development; I'm always going to be thankful to the US Army for making me a better human being, and I will always be grateful to the 75th Ranger regiment for making me the best soldier that I could become. The Regiment gave me one last gift that would ultimately push my limits mentally and physically: the Lancero School. Today with 17 years of military life and with less than one year left in the Army, I decided to step away and continue a new adventure in which I will be able to see other paths and always be part in an indirect way of the safety and security of this unique and beautiful country the United States of America. My skills go from using languages, like complete knowledge of French and Spanish to considerable expertise with the Portuguese and Italian languages, Close Protection (bodyguard), and in Maritimes schools. Let's not forget that social intelligence is one of the keys to every aspect of networking and is one of my most significant qualities. I am here to be part of all this networking. I dream that no matter where I go, or the place that I'm going to work with, I will make it better, and everyone around me will be a better professional and a natural leader. Leadership will always be something that I will be working on until the last day of my life; leadership is an endless act.**

Meet Monty below, and to support the show, the link below will take you to the Patreon page. Thank you! patreon.com/leadingwithvulnerability **Starting from a young age in Costa Rica, dreaming about being different and excelling was always in my mind; I began my journey at the age of 21 (2005) by joining the French Foreign Legion; during my time there, I was able to expand my knowledge and views of the world, which showed me how much work I have in the future to be an authentic leader, during my adventures in Africa or Europe I realized that I have a lot of work to do on myself. Then I decided to join the US army (2012), but this was an arduous task; going to another country unprepared is going to be one of the most challenging tasks of my life, and it will take me two years to get in (2010-2012). However, it was possible to make it happen because of the determination of my belief in becoming part of the best army in the world… The US Army. Today I will say the 75th Ranger Regiment gave me everything for my professional and personal development; I'm always going to be thankful to the US Army for making me a better human being, and I will always be grateful to the 75th Ranger regiment for making me the best soldier that I could become. The Regiment gave me one last gift that would ultimately push my limits mentally and physically: the Lancero School. Today with 17 years of military life and with less than one year left in the Army, I decided to step away and continue a new adventure in which I will be able to see other paths and always be part in an indirect way of the safety and security of this unique and beautiful country the United States of America. My skills go from using languages, like complete knowledge of French and Spanish to considerable expertise with the Portuguese and Italian languages, Close Protection (bodyguard), and in Maritimes schools. Let's not forget that social intelligence is one of the keys to every aspect of networking and is one of my most significant qualities. I am here to be part of all this networking. I dream that no matter where I go, or the place that I'm going to work with, I will make it better, and everyone around me will be a better professional and a natural leader. Leadership will always be something that I will be working on until the last day of my life; leadership is an endless act.**

What is leadership? How have you changed as a leader? How did you achieve balance in your life with the high demands of the Army + multiple deployments? We cover all of this and more during part two of our conversation. If you would like to support the podcast, see the Patreon link below, and thank you for the support. patreon.com/leadingwithvulnerability

What does Leading with Vulnerability mean? Why did you join the Army? Why the Rangers? How did you achieve balance in your life with the high demands of the Army + multiple deployments? We cover all of this and more during part one of our conversation. If you would like to support the podcast, see the Patreon link below, and thank you for the support. patreon.com/leadingwithvulnerability

Omar Vela has a personality as big as his home state of Texas. Omar served many years in the 75th Ranger Regiment and continued his service with the US Secret Service. He has a great story that spans the mountains of Afghanistan as a Ranger and the streets of Washington, DC, as a Secret Service Agent.

Meet Nate, in his own words. ***My Why: To lead others through the crucibles of our lives, so that we may bring our true value to the world! How do I do this? By helping others break through their our own “glass ceilings” that limit their view of themselves and the world, in order to show how much more is within the realm of the possible. How do I see the world: I contend that anything is possible! With a vision of a future-state well defined in my mind, I pride myself in being able to navigate rough waters and help my organization achieve greatness. I enthusiastically aim to prove that there are no “glass ceilings” holding us back from them achieving our own greatness. I am eager to find opportunities to better myself and those around me, while providing a “voice for the voiceless.” I delight in my coordination and scheduling skills; to activate my team and provide a sense of purpose to those whom I serve. I enjoy the challenge of keeping several assignments moving forward simultaneously, yet independent of each other; sparking my drive to excel at “plate spinning.”***

Mitchel Coffman is a SCAD-educated artist and has drawn many portraits of American fallen heroes. During our conversation, Mitch discusses his SCAD education, his first encounters with the members of the 75th Ranger Regiment, and his process for drawing pictures of the fallen. It's a great story, and we are thankful that Mitch is helping preserve the legacy of the fallen.

Jeremy Noble is a board-certified psychologist. He served as the lead psychologist for the 75th Ranger Regiment and continues his practice in his civilian career. Jeremy has excellent insight into being a military psychologist, service, and life in general.

Here are a few things I have learned one year into my military retirement. And if you want to join the Salty Vets Discord, use the link below. https://discord.gg/8yAbCQUm

Who is David Nordel? Proud hubby and father of two, 30 years active military service retired Command Chief Master Sergeant, Reached a point in my life when it is time to give back, I do part time emergency management helping communities stay prepared and maintain my registered nursing license and stay as current as I can in emergency medicine. I am privileged to mentor some terrific millennials and Gen Z superstars and speak on leadership and motivation. I recently started to write in a way to share my life so that others may travel an easier path through some of my experiences and lesson in life. Looking to expand that exposure and help and give back!

Matt Stevens is a former Navy SEAL commander and continues to serve the Special Operations community as the CEO of The Honor Foundation. I am humbled to serve the Special Operations Community through The Honor Foundation, a world-class organization of servant leaders who strive, every day, to assist our brothers and sisters transition to their next phase of life. The Honor Foundation exists solely to serve others with Honor, for life; so that their next mission is always clear and continues to impact the world.

Pat shares his story about being in the conventional Army and making the leap to Special Forces. Pat has a great story and perspective. I hope you all enjoy it.