Dr. Dan Gade is a retired army officer who was massively injured in Iraq, leading to the amputation of his leg, amongst other injuries.  Through his experiences in recovery, he has come to believe that the structure of the VA disability system is hurting veterans and creating a culture of entitlement.  He’s become a vocal supporter for change, and is a driving force in trying to force an overhaul in the way the VA addresses disability compensation.

In this episode we discuss:

• The incentives for disabled veterans to not work, and why this is bad
• The difference between disabilities and conditions
• His non-profit experiment, the Independence Project
• How the structure of the system incentivises abuse, leading to a culture of entitlement.  

You can’t help but get fired up talking to Tiffany Hendrick!  She’s a military spouse, Eagle Leader, and one of the most genuine and engaging people to spend some time with.  We recently sat down with Tiffany to learn more about her involvement with Team RWB, the work she’s done as a military spouse and on behalf of other military spouses, and the importance of family.  If you’re a Team RWB member, a military spouse, or you just want to get to know the “Next Oprah”, you don’t want to miss this episode of the Eagle Nation Podcast!

In this episode we discuss:

• How to effectively engage with Team RWB when there’s not a thriving Chapter in your area
• Eagle Leader Fellow experience
• Military spouse
• Being proactive in search of what you need/want
• Perspectives on

Additional callouts from this episode:

• Milspo Project (http://milspoproject.org/)
• Hire Mad Skills (https://hiremadskills.com/)

Phil Carter is a writer, lawyer and a former Army officer who’s worked everywhere from the Pentagon to a Los Angeles law firm.  He’s currently a Senior Policy Researcher at the RAND Corporation, but has researched and written extensively on veterans issues for many years where he’s widely respected as an expert.

In this episode we discuss:

• Veteran demographics and how they are changing
• How the VSO landscape is changing and evolving
• How physical fitness has changed his life

Harriet Williams is an Army veteran and the Chapter Captain in Clarksville/Fort Campbell.  She’s a combat veteran, just like her father. Service runs in the family and Harriet and her Chapter have done a phenomenal job building a dynamic team that is engaging veterans and enriching lives while also being incredibly integrated with their local community.  In this episode, you’ll gain insights into the success of one Chapter as well as the story of service and family from one authentic and loyal community leader. Each Team RWB Chapter and Eagle Leader is of course unique, but we can all learn a little something about effective leaders and Chapters from this conversation!

In this episode we discuss:

• The value of service and family...and how they can often be at odds
• Being a female veteran and serving pre-9/11
• How the broader community is an incredibly important component of a strong Team RWB Chapter
• Some unique events that have proved incredibly successful for Team RWB Clarksville/Fort Campbell
• Veteran Treatment Courts (https://justiceforvets.org/what-is-a-veterans-treatment-court/)

Team RWB Founder, Mike Erwin, is a very special person and the perfect guest to commemorate our 100th episode of the Eagle Nation Podcast.  

Mike is our first repeat guest, and we dive into some very little known stories about both the very early days of Team RWB, and his military career.  A great deal of this podcast is spent in reflection on the Team RWB of today, and there’s some great insight in here for everybody.

In this episode we discuss:

• Mike’s transition from a college baseball player to a life of service as an Army officer
• How Team RWB is similar (and different) from his vision in 2010
• What he’s learned growing non-profits the last 8 years.