92. Honoring Our Heroes: How To Love The Veteran In Your Life Well

Welcome to Warriors Unmasked! If you've been listening for a while, you know that sitting down with military veterans and hearing their stories of service and beyond is one of our favorite topics on the show. The mental and physical battles each veteran overcomes are stories we can all learn from on our journey to freedom and health.  In this episode, we had the pleasure of speaking with Tony Aubrey, a United States Air Force veteran and co-founder of Operation Vet Now. Tony shared his personal journey of deciding to join the military straight out of high school as a way to get a job and leave his hometown of Pittsburgh. However, during his time in the military, he developed deep relationships with his "teammates" that changed his life forever. After experiencing the loss of a fellow soldier who did not die in combat, Tony's life hit a turning point. This event made him realize the need for support for veterans dealing with mental health issues. Hit play to hear Tony share his story and reflect on the emotions he felt when filling out a will before deployment and how it was hard to navigate a situation where there was no end in sight. Tony's story is a reminder of the importance of having a purpose in life and staying in a place of gratitude despite what life throws at you. We hope you enjoy this conversation as much as we did. We walked away with a game plan on how we can start to listen better and love those we know who have experienced war, trauma and the highs or lows of mental health.  If you're a military veteran or know someone who is, we highly recommend checking out Operation Vet Now for the support and resources they provide. Reach out to our guests or us by following the links below!  More Of What's Inside: Tony's decorated career in the United States Air Force  His incredible journey from enlisting in the military to co-founding Operation Vet Now,  How Tony is changing the lives of military veterans every day Tony'smost life-altering moments When Tony suffered extreme pain and loss How to stay in an attitude of gratitude  Why you should call an old friend today What time in war is really like How professional athletes and veterans have a lot in common And much more! GUEST LINKS: https://opvetnow.org LINKS: malarchuk.com/book  malarchuk.com  www.thecompassionateconnection.com www.warriorsunmasked.com  Follow us on Instagram Like us on Facebook Subscribe To Our YouTube My Community Contact   Episode Minute By Minute: 0:02 What's in today's episode 1:36 Thank you to today's sponsors 2:56 Get to know Tony Aubrey 4:50 When Tony went into the Military  12:55 Emotionally and mentally handling war  17:00 Transitioning back to civilian life and the stress that comes with it 22:14 A look into Operation Vet Now  27:30 Recognizing when friends are struggling  33:00 How Tony is supporting veterans  38:36 The real power of listening  45:07 Tony's advice for everyone listening today