In this episode of Walk the Talk America, Michael Sodini and Kevin Berry sit down with firearms instructor and Firearm Trainer Podcast host Rob Beckman to discuss his candidacy for the NRA Board of Directors and his vision for “NRA 2.0.”

Rob shares how the organization is changing under new leadership, how instructors can bridge the gap between gun ownership and mental health, and why collaboration—not division—will shape the future of the Second Amendment.

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Former infantry Marine and brand strategist Waco Hoover joins Michael to dig into the impact of lip service. We cover the American Legion’s “Be The One” suicide-prevention effort, Columbia Protocol training, and VA Veterans Health Venture Studio work building real tools for care. Then we preview MCON, a celebration of military culture with range day, First Shots, and a timed secure-storage retrieval competition that reframes safety as readiness. Bring your questions, bring your team.

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RG Stitt and Greg Harpster join us from the Scott Sippel Foundation—an organization born from tragedy that’s now raised nearly $600,000 for mental health and suicide prevention. We talk about honoring their friend Scott, why local boots-on-the-ground efforts matter, and how a community sporting clays event became a powerful engine for change.

You’ll hear:

• How the Foundation identifies smaller, volunteer-driven groups so more funds reach real programs
• Why rural areas need tailored mental health support, and what’s working
• This year’s focus on LEEK, a veterans outdoor program, and other beneficiaries over the years
• Practical ways to tend your own mental health, from daily walks to simple breathing practices learned at Outdoor Odyssey
• How the firearms community quietly shows up to save lives

Chapters

00:00 – Cold Open: Glitches & Getting Live
00:55 – Welcome Back + Today’s Guests
02:25 – WTTA’s Early Days & First Connection to Scott Sippel Foundation
05:08 – Intros: RG Stitt & Greg Harpster
07:11 – What the Foundation Funds & Why Local Matters
09:18 – Building Crisis Lines in PA (Penn State region)
13:29 – Rural Realities: Suicide vs. “Gun Violence”
15:29 – Counterintuitive? Guns, Community, and Prevention
21:00 – Remembering Scott: Stories, Friendship, and Loss
27:34 – Aftermath & The Questions No One Can Answer
31:06 – Spotting Subtle Signs in Hindsight
37:55 – From Grief to Action: Launching the Clay Shoot
41:26 – Organic Growth: Community, Word of Mouth, Full Rosters
42:51 – Sponsors That Show Up (ammo, firearms, food, more)
49:42 – Event Logistics, Timing, & Volunteer Hustle
57:42 – Where to Learn/Donate: scottsippelfoundation.org
58:35 – How We Tend Our Own Mental Health (walks, breathing, mindset)
1:02:41 – Open Invite & Closing Thanks

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