MILMO Show

It's my birthday episode, so I handed the microphone over to my longtime friend and fellow podcaster Joe Crane, host of Veteran On the Move, and let him interview me. Joe and I have known each other for years through podcasting, entrepreneurship, and the military community, so he came prepared with questions. We talk about what I'm cheap about (and didn't realize), what I'm willing to spend money on, how entrepreneurship has changed the way I think about money, and some of the patterns I've noticed after more than 400 episodes of this show. Joe is taking over the MILMO Show, and I'm answering the questions. For more information, visit the full show notes at https://milmo.co/podcast/handed-over-the-mic-for-my-birthday    For more MILMO, follow at: https://MILMO.co ItsMILMO on YouTube @itsmilmo on X @itsmilmo Instagram @itsmilmo LinkedIn @itsmilmo Facebook  

Leaving the military doesn't always go according to plan. You may think you know what your next career will look like, only to have an opportunity, a setback, or a major life change send you in a completely different direction. In this episode, I talk with Army veteran and Chick-fil-A Operator Jon Harmeling about his unexpected path out of the military, the five-year process that eventually led him to running a restaurant, and what he has learned about leading a civilian team. We also talk about how he is using AI to take repetitive administrative work off his plate, freeing up time to focus on his people. Jon is a West Point graduate who deployed to Afghanistan and later returned to West Point as an instructor in the Department of Systems Engineering. Today, he leads a team of nearly 90 people at his Chick-fil-A restaurant in Miami Shores and speaks about AI, leadership, and how businesses with hourly teams can use technology without losing the human side of the work.   For more MILMO, follow at: https://MILMO.co ItsMILMO on YouTube @itsmilmo on X @itsmilmo Instagram @itsmilmo LinkedIn @itsmilmo Facebook For more information, visit the full show notes at https://milmo.co/podcast/army-veteran-chick-fil-a-operator 

Going through a medical board can be confusing, and it's happening at a time when you may already be dealing with health issues and an unexpected change to your military career. On top of that, there are two disability ratings, different rules for medical retirement versus medical separation, and benefits that can depend on the details of your situation. In this episode, Heather Walrath and I talk about the Integrated Disability Evaluation System, how the VA and DoD ratings work, and what the difference between medical retirement and medical separation can mean for your pay, health care, and survivor benefits. We also talk about questions to ask along the way and how to make sure the information you're getting is accurate. Heather is an Accredited Financial Counselor, Financial Educator, and Military Benefits Liaison with Navy Mutual who has spent years helping military families understand complex benefits. She brings a lot of practical knowledge to a process that can be difficult to navigate, especially when there's a lot riding on the decisions you make. For more information, visit the full show notes at https://milmo.co/podcast/military-medical-retirement   

There are more tools, apps, services, advisors, and now AI options than ever before that can help you manage your money. On the surface, that sounds great. The problem is that all the convenience can make it easy to become disconnected from your own finances and start relying on someone or something else to manage your money for you. That matters because even if you're paying for help, using a free military resource, or letting technology handle part of the work, you're still responsible for what happens with your money. You own the outcome. If you're not paying attention, asking questions, and understanding what's going on, you can end up giving away more control than you plan on. In episode 402, I'm talking about the difference between getting help with your money and completely checking out of the process. For more information, visit the full show notes at https://milmo.co/podcast/whos-really-managing-your-money For more MILMO, follow at: https://MILMO.co ItsMILMO on YouTube @itsmilmo on X @itsmilmo Instagram @itsmilmo LinkedIn @itsmilmo Facebook

There are some expenses that are really easy to question. You look at the charge and think, why did I spend money on that? But spending money on your kids is different. It's easy to justify because you're doing something for them. You want them to be happy and have what they need. You don't want them to feel left out. Sometimes, you just want to say yes and be the fun parent. But all those yeses can add up. In this episode, I want to talk about finding the balance between spending money on things that make your kids happy and protecting the financial priorities that take care of your entire family. For more information, visit the full show notes at https://milmo.co/podcast/back-to-school-spending    For more MILMO, follow at: https://MILMO.co ItsMILMO on YouTube @itsmilmo on X @itsmilmo Instagram @itsmilmo LinkedIn @itsmilmo Facebook