Retired Army Lieutenant Colonel Jaime Martinez has lived enough experiences for several lifetimes.

A first-generation Peruvian-American, Jaime enlisted as an infantryman, served in the 82nd Airborne Division, fought in Panama and the Gulf War, earned a direct commission, served at the Pentagon and White House, deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan, commanded at every level, and ultimately took battalion command while battling two aggressive cancers.

But this conversation goes far beyond military service.

Jaime shares the realities of transitioning from enlisted soldier to officer, the leadership lessons he learned from elite NCOs, and the emotional toll of spending years in a constant state of readiness. He reflects on combat deployments, service in The Old Guard, working inside the highest levels of government, and the challenges of leading soldiers while carrying his own private battles.

After surviving two cancers during active duty and a third cancer years later, Jaime found himself confronting questions that many veterans face but few discuss openly: Who are you when the uniform comes off? How do you process trauma that cannot simply be erased? What happens when identity, career, relationships, and health all collide at once?

In this deeply personal discussion, Jaime introduces his SWARMS framework:

* Survival
* Witness
* Accountability
* Regeneration
* Mandate to Serve

A philosophy born from combat, grief, illness, leadership, and rebuilding a life after repeated setbacks.

This episode is an honest conversation about hypervigilance, post-service transition, veteran mental health, accountability, family, loss, and ultimately answering one of life’s biggest questions:

What do you do with the gift of life?

In this episode of So There I Was, Travis sits down with Kelley Jensen, Chief Marketing Officer of Brain Performance Technologies, to explore the growing use of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) for autism, PTSD, depression, anxiety, OCD, sleep issues, and traumatic brain injuries.

Kelley shares the deeply personal story that led her into the field after searching for help for her autistic son, whose severe anxiety, OCD behaviors, and communication struggles dramatically improved following treatment. The conversation expands into how TMS and newer brain stimulation therapies are being used to help veterans dealing with PTSD, insomnia, suicidal ideation, and the long-term effects of military service.

Travis and Kelley also dive into the realities of raising autistic children, the emotional exhaustion parents face, medication dependency, sleep deprivation, and the resistance many people have toward trying alternative treatments. The episode is honest, practical, and focused on one central message: people need more tools, more awareness, and more options.

In this episode, Devin Fish shares the raw story behind his book Answering the Hard Questions: Let It Be the End of the Chapter, Not the End of the Book. From poverty, addiction in his family, repeated instability, and losing his mother while serving in the Army, Devin walks through the mental and emotional battles that nearly ended his life.

He opens up about military life, depression, online scams, suicidal ideation, resilience training, and the difficult process of rebuilding identity and purpose. Devin explains how vulnerability, storytelling, and refusing to stay silent became the foundation for both healing and leadership. This conversation is honest, uncomfortable at times, and deeply human.

https://www.amazon.com/Answering-Hard-Questions-Chapter-Book-ebook/dp/B0GR1LSNBQ/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3HC3HS8QSGLNA&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.RB0K0IY3z0VvvOV9GFsblw.RIMWf6nY7gB-jAL_BSznZ_GzE2TRgA6Xzr1PDQBNmQM&dib_tag=se&keywords=Answering+the+hard+questions+-+Let+it+be+the+end+of+the+chapter%2C+not+the+end+of+the+book&nsdOptOutParam=true&qid=1778172561&sprefix=answering+the+hard+questions+-+let+it+be+the+end+of+the+chapter%2C+not+the+end+of+th%2Caps%2C869&sr=8-1

In this episode, Mark Parrish shares his journey from National Guard service to building a multi-unit McDonald’s franchise operation. He reflects on joining the military before 9/11, deploying to Ramadi during one of the most violent periods of the Iraq War, and navigating the challenges of transition back to civilian life.

Mark breaks down how military structure, discipline, and leadership translated into business success—while also addressing the realities of trauma, identity loss, and rebuilding purpose after service. From managing small teams in combat to leading over a thousand employees, he explains how long-term thinking, consistency, and personal accountability shaped his path.

This is a grounded conversation about service, leadership, faith, and what it actually takes to win after the uniform comes off.

In this episode, Evan Lowe shares his path from Army artillery officer to a future in marketing within the Army. He talks through ROTC beginnings, deployments, command experiences, and the reality of leading soldiers through both discipline and chaos.

Evan breaks down the shift from combat arms to recruiting command and eventually into a highly selective Army marketing program. Along the way, he highlights leadership lessons, culture shock between units, and the challenge of balancing family, service, and career pivots. This is a candid look at adaptation, leadership under pressure, and building a new path without losing identity.

In this episode of So There I Was, Travis sits down with Army veteran Lucas Velmer to unpack a career shaped by war, leadership, and a brutally honest transition out of the military.

Lucas shares how he went from a small-town upbringing to joining the Army in 2000, serving as a combat engineer with multiple Iraq deployments, and eventually transitioning into Civil Affairs—working across complex missions that required adaptability, cultural awareness, and leadership under pressure.

But this conversation goes deeper than deployments.

From experiencing the shock of 9/11 early in his career to navigating a chaotic retirement during COVID—complete with medical boards, lost paperwork, and delayed pay—Lucas breaks down the reality many veterans face when the uniform comes off.

Travis and Lucas also get into:

* The evolution of military operations and integration across units
* What Civil Affairs actually does (and why most people misunderstand it)
* The mental shift from high-stress environments to civilian life
* Why veterans struggle with identity, purpose, and adrenaline loss
* The truth about “service comparison” and why it’s toxic
* How storytelling and conversation help veterans process their experiences

This is a raw, unfiltered discussion about service, transition, and what it really takes to rebuild life after the military.

If you’ve served, are transitioning, or lead veterans—this episode will challenge your perspective.