E60: Healing Through Art with Michael "Rod" Rodriguez

In this episode, Special Guest Michael "Rod" Rodriguez joins the conversation with Matt & Alexis.  Rod joined the U.S. Army in 1992 and attended the Special Forces Assessment and Selection course to become a Green Beret in 1997. In 2013, he was medically retired due to numerous combat injuries. His last assignment as a Green Beret came as a Sniper Instructor assigned to the JFK Special Warfare Center (Range 37) at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. He has deployed ten times in service to our nation.Rod's portrait is featured in the best-selling book "Portraits of Courage" by former U.S. President George W. Bush. Like his friend, President Bush, Rod is also an artist, and he spends much of this episode discussing how he has used art and its therapeutic nature to help him through his struggles of PTSD and post-military transition. Rod is the President and CEO of the Global War on Terrorism Memorial Foundation and is currently working to build a new monument that honors the post-911 military members to add to the historic grounds of Washington D.C's Reserve section of the National Mall. The current administration has recently approved the project and is now in the funding phase.  If you would like to learn more about Rod, "Portraits of Courage," or if you donate to the GWOT Memorial Foundation, be sure to visit the links below! Show Links www.usacares.org FB - @usacaresorg Twitter - @USACares IG - @usacares YouTube - USA Cares YouTube Guest Links LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-“rod”-rodriguez-367b7b58  Global War on Terrorism Memorial Foundation: https://www.gwotmemorialfoundation.org Portraits of Courage: https://bushpresidentialcenter.shoptruespirit.com/BOOKSTORE/THE-BUSH-FAMILY/Portraits-of-Courage-A-Commander-in-Chiefs-Tribute-to-Americas-Warriors/p/222168546  Sponsors Speakeasy Podcast Network - www.speakeasynetwork.com