Pitbull 214 Podcast | Ep. 9, Brian Yolitz, How Veterans Can Find Their Next Mission

One thing I've seen happen to a lot of veterans is this:

They spend years serving something bigger than themselves.

Then one day the military chapter ends, and they're left trying to figure out what the next mission looks like.

That's why I enjoyed this conversation with Colonel (Ret.) Brian Yolitz.

We talked about life after service, the challenges that come with transition, and why purpose doesn't disappear when the uniform comes off.

What I appreciated most is that Brian doesn't just talk about helping veterans. Through the Big Fish Foundation, he's helping create opportunities for veterans to reconnect, serve, and be part of something bigger than themselves again.

I've said it before and I'll say it again: veterans do best when they're connected to other veterans.

Not because anyone understands everything you've been through, but because they understand enough.

If you're a veteran trying to find your next mission, or you know someone who is, I think you'll get a lot out of this conversation.

Thank you for listening to the Pitbull214 Podcast, where veterans, service, resilience, and real conversations come first.

If this episode helped you, inspired you, or made you think differently, please share it with another veteran, friend, or family member.

Follow, rate, and review the podcast to help us reach more people who need these stories and resources.

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Transcript

SPEAKER_02 0:09

Well, good day, folks, and welcome back to Pitbull Two Fourteen. Pitbull Two Fourteen is a podcast that we started about a year ago, designated for veterans, their families, friends, neighbors, anyone who cares about our vets. We owe them a debt that can never be repaid, but we must do everything that we can to help them out as they try to assimilate back into society after serving for us. We do that by providing information about organizations, functions, opportunities, uh services, resources, and people that are out there solely for the benefit of our veterans and their families, but most of the time our veterans don't know about these. There are literally thousands out there. We also like to throw in a war story here and there about uh true veterans and their stories sharing with other veterans. I find that that builds some uh community amongst the veterans, and uh some of the veterans are just lonely. And I have some pretty good stories, uh past and upcoming. So uh that's really what we do here to help our vets. Uh we are on episode nine. It seems to be picking up more followers, uh, and uh I thank you folks for that as you spread the word and get it out to vets and anyone who wants to know more about vets and how they can help them. I usually like to start with a little bit about our soldiers uh in harm's way. Um they do an amazing job, and as I said before, they are all volunteers doing it because of their love of our country. So um the engagement in Iran is still going on. Don't know how long that's gonna take, but as long as that's going on, there are many more soldiers that are vulnerable. And so I ask that everyone just keep them in their thoughts and prayers, and uh we'll see when we get done that they come home to their families and loved ones and um thank them for their service and putting themselves out there. Now, um this guest this week is Colonel Retired Brian Jolitz. He and I are have been dear friends, although we haven't chatted uh before this for probably five or six years. Um Brian and I were both squadron commanders together at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. Our families were close, and he's just a good guy. And he, like many vets, after he got out, uh, kind of uh was lost. He he didn't have a mission, if you will. He uh served his whole life and and he's he wasn't done. And he's gonna talk a little bit with us about a program that he found and has changed his life. It's called the Big Fish Foundation, and it may be a program suited for you or someone close to you. So we'll be right back with Brian Jolitz and the Big Fish Foundation. Well, welcome back to Pitbull 214. Um, as I told you, we have a wonderful guest today. And I'll tell you what, when you serve in the military, and everyone I'm talking to knows this, you run into someone on your first assignment, your second, your third. You guys go your own ways, families, kids, and you see them five, six years later, and it's like you never missed a beat. Uh, that's just the the community that we build in the military, and you know, we learn to depend on each other. I uh uh this this guest is that kind of guy. Uh we were both squadron commanders at Wright Patterson, and we just did what we could to help each other. Uh he's a good guy. I trust him with my life. And after he got out, he he was kind of searching for that next level of service like I was, and he found something that may interest you or somebody you know. So I want to welcome onto the show right now, Brian Yolitz. Brian, how are you?

SPEAKER_03 4:34

Doing great, Rick. It's so good to get connected again and uh look forward to the conversation and uh and uh follow-on conversations as well.

SPEAKER_02 4:42

Yeah, yeah, Brian and I uh uh this is our second take. The first take went way too long because we're catching up all throughout it. So we're gonna try to be a little more streamlined here. Um and uh like I said, Brian and I were both squadron commanders. That's about 400 people. Um Brian went on to be become an 06 uh a colonel. I got out as a major, um, and then I started UD and then I got into politics. Uh, but but we're both the same. He ended up at uh the University of Minnesota uh education system, and I was at University of Dayton, which was like a base and headquarters level all over again, and uh we had a lot of things in common. So, Brian, um what I like to do uh first off is to um give my viewers a little um inkling of who you are, where you came from, uh, and and maybe what what uh kind of incentive or what events f help form who you are. Um so if you would please, why don't you start when you know Brian Yolitz growing up in the Northeast or Midwest, I guess. What's Minnesota?

SPEAKER_03 5:50

We'll call it Minnesota Midwest, uh Minnesota and Wisconsin. Yeah, I was born in Wisconsin.

SPEAKER_02 5:53

I know you played hockey, but tell us a little bit about growing up in your family and your influences.

SPEAKER_03 5:57

Sure, yeah. You bet I'm uh grew up in a middle class family. I was born in Wisconsin. Uh we uh ended up moving to Minnesota for a while to learn how to play hockey, and uh you know that kind of got things started from a sports perspective. Did a lot of hunting and fishing with my dad, my brother, my younger brother, and my sister. We had a cabin in northern Wisconsin. Uh my dad was a Navy vet. Uh so he was enlisted uh before he met my mom and they got married. So he got he went to college uh on the GI Bill. So he's uh he's a benefic uh beneficiary of that. He uh got an electrical engineering degree and uh we ended up moving to Eau Claire, Wisconsin, where I went to high school, played hockey there, and then went uh went to the University of Wisconsin at Plattville, where I was pursuing an inju uh a civil engineering degree. Um one of the probably one of the formative events was uh during my junior year. My dad passed away. Uh he was age fifty, just turned 51, and uh um you know that really was pretty devastating. It uh shook me to the to the core and and the family and uh kind of you know really challenged us in terms of of our way going forward because you know the plan was just uh you know be an engineer in Minnesota and Wisconsin and go hunting and fishing, and that wasn't in the cards anymore.

SPEAKER_02 7:14

So even though your dad was uh uh um a Navy man, you had no no incentive to go into the military. You were gonna stay where you knew you could fish and hunt, and you already had a girlfriend that turns out being your lovely wife.

SPEAKER_03 7:28

Yeah, that's right. I was you know, I was I was a you know college student, uh playing rugby, drinking a few beers, going to the library every once in a while, and you know, working on thermodynamics problems and reinforced concrete classes. So, yeah, and uh so the military really wasn't on my scope at all. Um, but then with my dad passing, it was like, okay, um looking around, you know, I got to get a job. I can't be a burden on my mom or my brother and sister, she needs to focus on them. And so uh uh, you know, the recruiter was cruising the halls of uh of the campus. And uh, you know, I reached out, he had said that he would you know work a way to get uh pay for our last year of college. So a couple of us who uh who met with him and then started having some conversations about how that would work, and then ended up uh enlisting in the uh in the Air Force for a couple of months and then uh went to officers training school right after graduating in uh 1983 down at the Lackland Air Force at Medina Annex. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 8:28

You know, I went through Rotsi at Auburn, so I don't understand the OTS system. Why don't you chat a little bit about uh your experience in officer training school?

SPEAKER_03 8:38

Sure. It's uh that's an it's another avenue. The academies, service academies, ROTC, and then officers training school, officers candidate school. Um you know, kind of like at the time, dating myself a bit, be officer and the gentleman was out there. That's not my wasn't my experience at uh Air Force officers training school. But uh, you know, I I went there, no knowledge about ranks or Air Force history. I just said, hey, this is my avenue to get a job and stay out of trouble. And uh, you know, I struggled uh mightily in the early weeks of uh of my officer training school. It's a they call us a 90-day wander there. About halfway through that, my flight commander called me in and said, Hey, Mr. Yolitz, did you really have an inability to adapt to military life? And I really question your uh your ability to pass the program here. So um, you know, that was a wake-up call. And uh so I spent a lot of time bedposted just because I couldn't keep my room up to up to standards and and that kind of stuff. And uh public speaking was a struggle. So um my flight mates uh helped me out a bit, and I uh doubled down, and we ended up graduating and uh going off to our first duty assignment at uh Holliman Air Force Base in New Mexico.

SPEAKER_02 9:53

So talk us through your your assignments. And and by the way, you said your your colleagues helped you. That's kind of a theme all the way through this that you and I are used to. Colleagues, we're all competitive, but we're all there to help and have your back. So that started right away. That was a good lesson for you to see because you became one of those fellows that took care of uh your colleagues and your friends. So then your first assignments in New Mexico coming from Minnesota, that must have been a shock.

SPEAKER_03 10:22

Oh, yeah. That's you know, the the the classic recruiter says, Hey, officers, always get your first election. Let's just say Holliman wasn't even on my list. So uh this is before the days of uh of uh cell phones and internet. I didn't even know where Alamogordo, New Mexico was. So I had to go march up to the library when I got the letter in the mail with my orders, and I went right by Annie. It's a funny story, uh, but uh I she said, Hey, how you doing? And I didn't even acknowledge her existence because I was trying to figure out where this place was that I was gonna take the my uh my potential fiance to. So um, but you know, all the all the kind of scratching your head about why New Mexico, but when I got there, the people were terrific and then just got uh uh you know taken into arms of the people there. And we were all all the lieutenants that were there, all the folks were you know all in the same boat. We were all away from home working together, and uh just really fell in love with that. And uh and that continued and got an assignment to Alaska after that, and then that really set the hook for us as we uh got an opportunity to move and uh experience that whole thing over again in a different setting. And then and then that just continued. Uh assignment with you.

SPEAKER_02 11:37

Then you're at Ripe Pat with me, uh which was uh a memory that we both will always have. Uh I I didn't keep up with you real clearly after Ripe Pat. So you're a squadron commander, I think you made LC there. Uh then you went to DC, right?

SPEAKER_03 11:50

Yeah, uh you're a little bit uh generous. So I was a captain and made major there. Ah and then went to that's okay. No, I I I I like it. Keep it up. So I went off to officers' training school or correction, I went to Air Command and Staff College down at Montgomery, Alabama, after our time there at Wright Pat. And then uh uh, you know, after school, uh obviously the first next thing you need to do is go to the Pentagon. So I went there, I was there for uh for three years and got a great opportunity to do some some interesting stuff. Ended up being the aide de camp to the Air Force Chief of Staff, which was uh an eye-opening experience about just how the highest level it was uh General Mike, General Mike Ryan. Oh, yeah, just super he was well liked. He's a super gentleman, uh high integrity. Just uh I just loved uh working for him.

SPEAKER_02 12:41

I never had the pleasure of working for or with them, but I've always heard good things about the man.

SPEAKER_03 12:47

Yeah, exactly.

SPEAKER_02 12:48

And uh yeah, then so that that all worked out well. You retired at what, how many years in?

SPEAKER_03 12:53

Yeah, 27. So after after time in the Pentagon, you know, we ended up on I-95 going up and uh definitely on the East Coast squadron command at Shaw Air Force Base, uh, then went to school again at International College of the Armed Forces called ICAF, went to the joint staff, and then went to a mission support group command at Langley Air Force Base, ultimately ended up as the uh director for installations at U.S. Air Force's uh Central Command back at Shaw Air Force Base, but this time at the headquarters with response responsibilities throughout the Middle East, all the air bases, all the infrastructure there, uh civil engineering, contracting, EOD, uh emergency management, and fire protection, all those uh deployed airmen uh were governed by my policy that I oversaw uh at the headquarters there.

SPEAKER_02 13:43

When you got out, um you went to the Minnesota um um schools, higher ed, and you were like a headquarters guy, right?

SPEAKER_03 13:53

Exactly. So Minnesota's got two public higher ed systems, one's the University of Minnesota, and the other one's called, used to be called Minnesota State College Universities, and then just now they branding, they reduced it down to just a Minnesota state, but that's all the state colleges and community and technical colleges. So there's 54 campuses around the state of Minnesota, uh really serving the communities uh locally and regional universities. Um, 28 million square feet of space, um, but really the same kind of job that I did in the military at headquarters. I was like the A7 for the college and university system there in Minnesota. Helped with policy around the design and construction, advocated for funds from the legislature of Minnesota, oversaw the design and construction, oversaw emergency management and planning, environmental management. Um, so it was really the jobs were the same, and that was what was uh was interesting is trying to explain to uh the people that were trying to hire me or were looking for a to fill that role was that the military is not about just barking orders and saying, hey, do this because I'm the ranking guy. It's it's about leadership, it's about buy-in, it's about uh building a team. And uh and once they once they figured out that uh that it was very similar experiences, uh they went ahead and hired me and then uh you know, I served there for 14 years before retiring in the fall of 2024. Yep, gotta get those years right.

SPEAKER_02 15:24

I ended my political career. So, yeah, a very successful career, first career, second career. Um now you're transitioning to be a real civilian or a retiree, uh, whatever you want now. Um so uh let's talk about, we talk a lot about transitions from the military to civilian world and some of the struggles uh the families have, the member have. Talk a little bit about that because I think that will lead into Big Fish Foundation and how that help you kind of find your way. Uh share that with us, Brian.

SPEAKER_03 16:00

Yeah, so when you know, leaving the military, you leave this uh this built-in family of and with this camaraderie, uh, mission focus, um, you know, willingness to drop anything and serve, uh singular focus on the mission, you know, um, and and I missed that. Had that in some points during my experience, you know, in the higher education, but not to the same degree that I I saw it uh in the military, particularly at my my last two duties assignments. But um uh as we worked our way through that, it was uh um continue to look for more ways to serve and to get involved in things, and that's what the Big Fish Foundation has is offered me now for the last uh couple of years. But let me back up a little bit and talk a bit a bit about about my family in terms of what uh military service means from from my perspective. A lot of times those members that are in the military get accolades for, hey, thank you for your service. And I really checked that because um I look around and I see you know, my wife uh was a professional uh nurse, registered nurse. We every time we would travel around, she'd uh get a new job as a nurse, staff nurse on the floor. Uh then they'd figure out, oh, she's got her stuff together, and oh, by the way, let's make her a charge nurse. And about time she'd start working up to that next level, um, I'd have to come home and say, hey, we got a new assignment, we're gonna go to you name a place. And so she'd start that process all over again. She'd have a new box on her resume, new location, new hospital, and all that stuff. And the same thing happened with uh with my kids. Uh, you know, we would move around, and my kids aren't like any uh are like many other military families. You go to place, make new friends, uh, but then know that they're not going to be there forever. And you know, we don't have that experience where they grew up and played pop-warm or football with everybody, and then they graduated and played middle school or high school or junior high football, went on to high school football. That doesn't happen. Uh my boys would uh go to a new location, kind of have to fight their way on to a baseball team, uh, riding the pines a lot, and then all of a sudden they get some recognition that they've got some pretty good skills, uh, make the team, and then uh start making a name for themselves, and then we'd move again. And uh so they go back to the bottom of the pecking order. And so those, I think, the family members are spouses, kids are really the ones who served. We're that were wore the uniform oftentimes are doing what we love to do, uh, and and got to participate in the full and enriching uh environment of being in the military and the camaraderie and the and the mission focus and the uh sense of accomplishment getting things done. Along with the struggles with getting a new job and uh applying for new opportunities at different hospitals, there was also the licensor piece for my wife when every time we'd move state to state, each state had their own rules, had to get another set of transcripts, you know, and and then we'd go through the conversations around hey, is this microbiology sufficient for our state's requirements? And uh it just got to be a really a struggle, and so it would sometimes take up to a year to get all the right documentation, to get a license in the in the state, and then we'd be moving within another you know 12 months or 18 months and have to start that process all over again. And I know uh there's been a great progress since we went through that in terms of reciprocity between states, and I know Rick, you carried some legislation that helped folks in the state of Ohio, and it's super appreciative on behalf of our family, but also on all those that benefit from that. So kudos to you and the and your colleagues who were able to bring that to bear. Good job.

SPEAKER_02 19:53

I think I told the audience about that more than once. Uh that was uh when people ask what my favorite legislation was, it was probably that one, uh, because that impacted a whole lot of people. And what's interesting about that, Brian, is after uh the COVID um situation, everybody knew that one nurse from one state is as good as the next one. You know, then it wasn't an issue because they respected that. But before that, uh somehow they thought a nurse in Ohio was better than a nurse in Indiana, and we just know that that's not true. So, anyways, so yeah, it was a struggle. So um, you know, uh w what did that result in? Uh what did you see in the kids and families? And not just yours, but the your colleagues.

SPEAKER_03 20:38

You know, we've got you know, we can take this you know two different ways. You know, we we don't have lifelong my boys don't have lifelong friends that they've lived with, played with, shared experiences, they got these little bites and pieces across time. However, they have an incredible skill to go just about anywhere at the drop of a hat and make new friends and get involved in things. So there are things that uh you know, there's pros and cons of of a of a military family. And uh one of the things that we're most proud of is our you know our boys right now have moved all over the place, up and down the east coast. Uh son right now is in Florida, uh working for L3 Harris as an industrial systems engineer, and then uh my other son's up uh in Maryland, a uh PhD virologist working in national defense. I don't even think for you to say I I uh I think he's got a security clearance better than mine when I uh left active duty, so super proud of them. Um but it's it wasn't without struggle.

SPEAKER_02 21:41

Recognizing all that is setting up the big fish foundation. Yeah, so yeah, when you got out, there was a struggle to find hey, where where am I gonna how can I um like because you said your your focus it was singular and it was very, very precise, the mission. Now it's like what am I I gonna do? Yeah. And go ahead and take us there.

SPEAKER_03 22:03

Yeah, so I, you know, I was uh you know, I'd been at the Minnesota State College University system for about I don't know, maybe 10 years, eight years, and I was really starting to think about you know what's next and how can I find um like-minded people who are interested in continue to serve. And uh had heard uh this guy on some podcasts uh talking about how uh you know veterans and quite frankly, all of us are really striving to find you know better connection, finding opportunities to grow mentally and physically, and then to be more of more service. And so I uh took it took a risk and participated in a in a fundraiser for the Big Fish Foundation. I was the Air Force uh representative uh as part of a of an event where uh veterans and what they call them celebrity athletes get together and they go through a 30-hour ordeal uh to kind of highlight some of the programming and mindset that uh the Big Fish Foundation can bring to veterans to help them connect, to grow, and to serve, uh and be of service to themselves, their families, and their communities. And uh that experience was incredible. It uh it changed my life when I recognized that there are a lot of people out there who are spring-loaded, wanting to help, wanting to be involved, uh, and have that shared values of of hard work uh and helping each other out, being of service.

SPEAKER_02 23:36

Brian, um uh this information for the viewers is is gonna be on the bottom of the screen. Uh Big Fish Foundation, um, and Brian's gonna get us some events and we'll put that in there. And of course, this is a uh non-for-profit, so if if you after hearing Brian looking it up, care to contribute, there'll be a way to do that here too. So, Brian, um, one thing I want to make clear here is this is not in one location, this is for everyone throughout the country. Uh, you just have to get to where they're doing this, right? This isn't in Minnesota in your backyard, or now in North Carolina in your backyard, right?

SPEAKER_03 24:13

No, not at all. Um, if you will, I mean, this is a virtual organization, and that's what I think this idea of connection is all about. And you know, we've got friends that we've connected with in Tennessee, in New Jersey, in Ohio, great guy named Jason Welsh. He's not even veteran, but he loves veterans. He owns a CrossFit cadre up in uh Houston, Ohio, about three hours from where you're sitting, Rick. Uh, there's people in Colorado, uh, Idaho, Texas. Um, and we've got that this network of the people that are connected and continues to grow that you can call, text, hey, I just want to check in, see how you're doing, or hey, um, like to talk with you for a little bit. That that that that network helps people um stay.

SPEAKER_02 25:03

That's what we lose when we l leave the military. You're absolutely right. Now, when Brian, when you were and I were talking before, you told me a story about when this first event you got there, you were had no clue what you were gonna do, and you latched on to somebody. Yeah, talk about that.

SPEAKER_03 25:18

Yeah, so uh I I just I heard that they needed an Air Force veteran to participate in this event. And I had heard about a 24-hour uh mindset uh event that uh Brian Chantosh, Tosh, Marine Corps veteran, had put together and was was offering to people to help them explore kind of their edges of their mindset and of their physical capabilities. Um but when I you know landed in Denver, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. So it was kind of an interesting car ride with uh Jeff Case and a couple other folks that took us up to the butterfly ranch, they call it, up in Netherland, Colorado. And I you know had no idea what I got myself into. I was looking around at the people, didn't know anybody, and uh and I was lucky enough to get partnered with uh Brista Mayfield, who uh had been a long time, again, a civilian, loves veterans and is bends over backwards to help them. And so I got partnered with her and I said, Brista, I have no idea what I'm doing here. I said, I need you to tell me exactly what I need to do. And she turned to me and said, I need you to eat when I tell you to eat, and I need you to drink when I tell you to drink. And I said, Yes, ma'am. And we followed off when we were running around the uh the trails, uh taking on some tasks uh for about 12 hours together uh of the 30-hour event. And so I just forever grateful to her and the rest of the people that uh were spring-loaded as we worked our way through through the night, uh, were they helping us, uh, whether it was a towel or a drink or a peanut butter jelly sandwich or some pickles or whatever to keep us going. Um it was just incredible. And being surrounded by that group of people um was such an uplifting experience that uh I've been riding that high ever since.

SPEAKER_02 27:10

You know, uh Brian, I love that story. And that's uh again, uh more of um taking care of our colleagues, taking care of our brother or sister. Um and you're right that um that connection is what we lose when we get out of the service. Uh even in a general assembly, uh I I there was a lot of uh backstabbing, uh lying. Um and you just I didn't see that. I know it happens in the military too, but it's not as prevalent as far as I'm concerned. So when everything's said and done, how would you synopsize the value of the Big Fish Foundation?

SPEAKER_03 27:45

Well, the you know, the Big Fish Foundation is really established on kind of this model of preventative maintenance. It's not who you call when somebody's in a crisis, you know, maybe harm themselves or something worse. It's really about um what I like again, what I described as preventative maintenance, giving them some tools to help them be successful in navigating life, whether it's so they never get to that point because we're cement heads, we understand preventive maintenance.

SPEAKER_02 28:14

Someone might but trying to preempt the the emergency situation, yeah, which we see all the time. What I think the stats are 22 uh suicides a year are month a day. Oh God. Uh way too many. But um, if we can get in front of that and catch them when they needed someone to talk to like this, uh tell them what they're worth. Yeah, it sounds like a great program.

SPEAKER_03 28:37

Yeah, and so really what the what the Big Fish Foundation does is it creates these what I call intimate uh opportunities, typically outdoors, uh, you know, living in tents or you know, modest accommodations at times, um, where veterans can get together, they can connect, uh, and do have some shared experience where they have an opportunity to grow physically and mentally, and then just learn about being of service to themselves and to others and to their communities. And there are so many people out there who are looking to help veterans. I know you've had multiple organizations on your uh podcast, Rick, and I, and when I was in Minnesota, was part of a network of veterans organizations, and I went to one of their meetings, and it was they were all begging, where are the veterans? We're here, we're we want to help, whether it's horses, whether it's whatever, I'm gonna take them fishing, I wanna. And so one of the things that was really uh impactful at that big fish, the first big fish event that I went to was Tosh talked about how people are looking for opportunities to serve. And those of us that are insist on doing it ourselves, you know, I don't need any help, I'm I'm whoever. Uh, you know, take a chance and give somebody else the opportunity to to serve you so they can fill their cup. And I and I think about that uh all the time. I and I and I it just rung so strongly with me. My wife Annie is such a service-oriented woman. It loves to serve, and I just said, that's it. You know, that just needs to be applied 100x to everybody around us.

SPEAKER_02 30:29

Brian, we're running out of time, as always. Uh, we got so much to talk about. It's a great program. And again, I'm gonna have Brian's information there. Um, he would be um honored, I think, if you called him, ask him more questions. Um, but it it you know, it may not be the perfect program for you. It may, it may be a perfect program for one of your colleagues, friends, neighbors. Um, but it's just it's just another one of the wealth of resources we have to help our vets that Brian was talking about. Brian, one more thing I want to ask you. Um, you talked about the spouse's job and the kids. Now, I think you told me that this program also opens a door for military spouses.

SPEAKER_03 31:08

Yep, yeah. So one of the events that the Big Fish Foundation does is called uh Veterans Plus One, where we had a get together in Texas. In fact, Andy and I were down there about maybe a month ago. Time flies. Um, we got together uh with around 74 other uh other folks from various branches of service and experiences, and uh we got together, uh had dinners together, heard some terrific speakers about their experience with the Big Fish Foundation, um, but then also participated in some courses around understanding resilience and kind of learning a language. So a couple can talk about, hey, I'm having an orange day and I'm having a yellow day, and hey, if if this happens, I can kind of go to green. Also uh understanding about what your internal motivators are, and then also some uh a course around breath work and just some more tools for the couple's toolkit to help them be successful, a better team going forward. And it was just a terrific event and uh super super feedback on that event. And so we'll do another one of those next year.

SPEAKER_02 32:21

Yeah, who knows? Maybe Beck and I can join you guys.

SPEAKER_03 32:23

Yeah, we'll see what we can do.

SPEAKER_02 32:25

I think you sent me some pictures of that event, right? I will we'll put them here.

SPEAKER_03 32:29

Yeah, I'll I'll get you. I did not send them of that event. I'll just send me a few of this.

SPEAKER_02 32:33

Okay, we'll have some pictures in here as we always do. So listen, uh, we could go on and on, but I think we've given you the meat of of what this program, Big Fish Foundation, is designated to do and who it will help. Um, so that you can call Brian, email Brian, or just go to their website, see what's going on. Uh they'll have plenty of other people that can help you too. But uh now you know Brian, and uh it's always nice to talk to someone you've seen anyway. Um if you end up going, uh let me know. Write me. Uh, or or maybe I can get you on the show uh and we could uh share with with others about this. I'll also put this on my website. As I said before, the website will be much more in-depth in the programs and resources out there for all vets, uh, much more than I can ever do in a show. Um other than that, Brian, boy, thank you for everything you've done. Thank you for your friendship, you and Annie. Thank you for everything you've done to our troops. And um uh we when you get by, we'll talk more about stories. Um I have one funny one when I was running for office, we had a sign on 35 by Lafino Plaza, you know, and it was on a hill, the peak of a hill, and I had one of our troops uh uh I I couldn't even remember, he wrote me and he said he was driving to work going west, uh, went up the hill, saw my big old ass pitcher there, and spilt his coffee all over them. They're all over here, of course, because that's where you and I were the commander there. Yep. So um, yeah, I just thank you for everything you do. And and I also want to thank all your colleagues out of the Big Fish Foundation uh for what they do. That that is uh the service at its best, and it's one of those things where you can't quantify the people you've helped, uh, the people that haven't committed suicide, the people that haven't done something stupid because they had somebody to talk and they had the tools that they were taught at Big Fish Foundation. Any any last uh any last words, Brian?

SPEAKER_03 34:33

Yeah, two things real quick, Rick. First of all, just a couple of events you know, people want to watch on the social media. I know you'll put that on the right there, yes, on Instagram and stuff. But we're gonna one is our seventh annual challenge and fundraiser. That was the event that I participated in. More importantly, we're doing an uh another one uh this June 18th through the 21st out of Netherland, Colorado. You can kind of watch along on uh on the social media, particularly Instagram. So look for that and cheer along your favorite athlete or your favorite veteran and opportunities there to help big fish uh continue to provide programming uh for our veterans. The other one is a benefit dinner down in uh uh Wetterland, Texas. That's gonna be October 17th. Again, that'll more details on that will be coming out on a social media piece. Uh, but would ask you to watch for those. And if you go back in the on the uh Instagram history, there's a lot of good stuff in there. You get a sense of what the Big Fish Foundation is about. And then Rick, I I really got to thank you. This was a been a terrific opportunity to reconnect um you know our time at Wright Patterson together, your service uh in the legislature, uh, and now your continued service to veterans locally and now across the nation. Uh, I'd really encourage veterans to and their family and friends to to take a take a chance and reach out to one of these organizations, reach out to Rick and uh give them a chance if you want to uh want to participate in one of these things, and uh I'd ask you to think about how are you gonna be a big fish today.

SPEAKER_02 36:07

Brian, great, great time, my friend. So uh for the audience out there, uh I hope you enjoyed this, and we'll be right back to conclude with this program. Piple out. Well, I hope you enjoyed that podcast as much as I did. Brian is uh just uh uh a tremendous person, him and his wife, uh Annie, and the the the boys and now grandson, uh just great people. Um I I think it's interesting that uh since I've started this podcast, two things have come up that I didn't expect. One was how much this podcast means to the people I interview. It's almost like it's a legacy for them that they can live uh leave for their children, grandchildren, uh great-grandchildren. Um and and um that that pleases me. I I'm really happy with that, that they get that much value out of this. The other thing that was interesting that I did not expect was uh I know all these people, I know many of these people, excuse me. I knew know many of these people well. Uh but uh I l always learn more and more about these folks that I I I never anticipated. In this case, you know, Brian struggled through officer training and uh never would have expected that. That's it. He was just uh, you know, the uh poster boy for a civil engineer officer when I knew him. So very interesting. And and I thank Brian for sharing. Um the Big Fish Foundation uh seems to be a perfect fit for him, and it may be for you or someone you know that could use them. Uh uh there are uh literally thousands of these type of programs out there. Um and you just need to find the one that fits you or your spouse or the loved one. Um and this may be it, Brian really swears by it, and I'm gonna try to get out there and uh do one of their programs with them as well. So thank you much. Now, um, as I've said many times before, the only reason this works is because of you folks. Um I thank you for your viewership, and I also thank you for getting the word out. Our our numbers are getting bigger and more people are listening to it, and it's getting to more vets, and that's what this is all about. So we thank you about that. And again, I remind you and ask you if you have any programs that would fit this, organization, services, resources, or if you know of vets that have a very unique, entertaining, informative type of message, this war story, if you will, uh let me know. I'll take it from there and contact them and see if they're willing to be on. We have probably a list of 10 interviewees that uh I'm gonna get to, uh, but we're gonna continuously backfill those. Um again, I want to talk about the website. Uh thank you to Craig Johnson for developing it. It's gonna have more and more information. Um, like I have mentioned before, we're gonna have the schedule of the upcoming podcast on there now, uh, besides the resources. And um, I think you'll find that it'll take you to uh uh the next level in identifying uh support areas for our vets. I'm really excited about that getting out. I'm also excited about the fact that just last week we joined Green Given Foundation as an affiliate, so now we are a nonprofit. And you'll probably see the barcode up there. Again, I just want to let you know that uh this is not for making money, this is for uh cost of running a program like this. And uh you it'd be you'd be surprised that it does cost uh some. And you know, I want to be able to to give my viewers, uh, my audience, uh the best that that's out there. So um we'll talk more about that later. The next video, the next podcast, item 10, podcast, episode 10, uh is is uh a gentleman uh retired Colonel Daryl Whitcomb. He flew A01s in Vietnam, um, and he has a story to tell. As a matter of fact, this is Daryl's book. Thank you for uh sending it and signing it, Daryl. I appreciate it. Um and it it's the real story of the rescue of Bat 21. Um just as a little background, there's a few pictures coming up. Um The Ravens was a name for the pilots that were CIA sponsored, they were on the wrong side of the DMV, and it was all clandescent and um a very uh uh a story of bravery, a story of of people putting it out there on the edge. And you know, most people think of the fighter pilots as the heroes. When you hear this story, it might change your mind a little bit. So uh Daryl's gonna share some episodes uh uh that occurred there and uh just a little bit on what he learned in his philosophy after uh serving in Vietnam. And it and it it is a good story, so I hope you can join me. Lastly, I want to say uh I'm gonna start a little bit something different at the end where I got a I've got a lot of people helping me with the podcast. It's one of those things that you can't do by yourself. Um and when they're with me and I'm doing an episode taping, um, I'm gonna bring them on for a minute or two and let them introduce themselves and you know what vets mean to them. Uh some of them are vets, uh, most of them aren't, uh, but they still respect and are very thankful for vets and what they do. So that's the show for today. Uh thank you for joining me. Uh bless you and your family. Most of all, God be with our soldiers and get them home safely. With that, I'm pit bull and I'm out.