Air Force spouse, former special education teacher, and content creator Erin Muhlenbeck sat down with us at Flag Day to discuss what it really means to be part of the military family. From challenging the "dependa" stereotype to revealing the $1 billion in unpaid labor military spouses contribute annually to the Department of Defense, she breaks down the gap between perception and reality in the veteran and military community.

But the conversation goes deeper. Erin opens up about the online criticism she faces, particularly from fellow veterans and service members, and the real cost of sharing authentic (sometimes uncomfortable) truths about military life. She discusses building genuine community through intentional acts, navigating the pitfalls of being a military spouse influencer, and what it takes to show up with integrity in a space that's not always welcoming to women's voices. It's a raw, honest look at service, leadership, and why authenticity matters more than the narrative you think people want to hear.

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Recorded at the 2026 Flag Day Convening in Washington, D.C., this episode brings together three veteran and military-connected leaders working across different organizations to discuss how they're building bridges and fostering civic engagement in a polarized time. The conversation centers on what makes their organizations successful at transcending partisan divides and uniting Americans around shared values of service and country.

Brian Von Herbulis (The Brickyard) explains that intentional culture-setting is foundational—starting every program and individual relationship with a simple community agreement: be respectful, open-minded, and willing to listen. Heather Kelly (Travis Manion Foundation), a Gold Star Spouse, emphasizes that their work remains apolitical by keeping service and character at the center, grounding everything in the principle "if not me, then who?" and focusing on people-centered rather than politics-centered programming. Gabby Kubinyi (VFW), also a Gold Star spouse, highlights how membership organizations maintain independence by virtue of their collective structure, and shares concrete examples of how organizations can support surviving families through thoughtful acts like coordinated cemetery visits and personalized memorial remembrance.

The panel discusses the importance of stepping up to serve in whatever way makes sense for your life, whether that's picking up trash or leading a major initiative, and emphasizes that organizations don't need to take all the credit; promoting and amplifying good work in your community is equally valuable.

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What does it take for veterans and military families to keep serving after leaving the uniform? Guy Kiyokawa, VP at Leidos and former Assistant Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and Leo Marin, co-founder of Beneath the Service, join us to break down what corporate America, nonprofits, and government are actually doing—and what they're getting wrong—to unlock veteran talent and civic leadership.

Guy shares why purpose and belonging matter more than a paycheck, and Leo doesn't hold back on outdated hiring practices, rigid organizational structures, and the billion-dollar opportunity companies are sitting on. Together, they challenge the systems that hold veterans back and offer a direct call to action: change your structures or get left behind.

Whether you're a veteran looking to transition, a spouse navigating the civilian workforce, or a leader asking what real veteran engagement looks like—this is the conversation that cuts through the talk and gets to what actually works.

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Meet James L McCormick II and his son James McCormick III—two Army veterans showing that service doesn't end when the uniform comes off. A retired Captain and current Executive Director of Government Affairs at Vietnam Veterans of America, James Sr. leads at the national level. His son volunteers locally in West Virginia, building community from the ground up. What does it look like when two generations serve their country in completely different ways?

This conversation gets personal fast. James Sr. shares how watching his own sons deploy transformed his commitment to supporting veterans when they come home. He and Jimmy also dig into something America needs to hear right now: how families and veterans can disagree politically without tearing each other apart. In a moment when political differences are destroying relationships, these two offer a quiet, powerful reminder that you can vote differently and still love your family. Still respect your fellow Americans. Still serve civilly.

This one's about the shape of continued service. About choosing to show up locally when nobody's watching. And about the veterans and military families willing to model the kind of disagreement that doesn't require hate.

Listen to hear how James and Jimmy are building civic life one conversation at a time.

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#westvirginia

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Recorded live at the 2026 Flag Day Convening, this panel brings together three leaders who've carried the values of service from the military into the halls of government. Colorado State Senate President Leroy Garcia, military spouse and Capitol Hill veteran Heba Abdelaal, and Loudoun County Supervisor (and retired Air Force colonel) Michael Turner sit down to talk about what happens when a sense of duty doesn't end at discharge, it just changes uniforms.

They open up about the moments that shaped them, the lines they've had to walk, and the lessons that don't always make it into a resume.

They get candid about identity, bipartisanship, and what it really means to serve your community when no one's handing out medals for it. This is a conversation about leadership without rank, and why showing up for your neighbors, your county, your country is a responsibility that belongs to all of us.

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The people running your elections aren't strangers in some distant office. They're your neighbors, little league coaches, and crossing guards - and a lot of them are veterans and military family members.

Recorded live at our 2026 Flag Day Convening in Washington, D.C., this episode brings three election officials to the stage: Pinal County Recorder Dana Lewis (Air Force veteran), Miller County Clerk Clinton Jenkins (Air Force veteran), and Tim Benyo (Army veteran and 20-year election administrator from Lehigh County, Pennsylvania). Together they pull back the curtain on one of the most misunderstood jobs in American civic life.

They share what it actually takes to pull off an election: recruiting bipartisan poll workers, standing up outdoor polling sites during COVID, and rerouting around washed-out roads and even the occasional wild horse. They also get real about what's changed since 2020, the misinformation, the threats, and the hours spent inviting skeptics in to see the process for themselves. Their answer to distrust isn't defensiveness. It's radical transparency, and the same mission-first mindset they carried in uniform.

If you've ever wondered who actually runs your elections, this conversation is for you.

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When veterans show up to protect our elections, they're not picking a side, they're keeping a promise.

In this episode, we sit down with two leaders who are channeling the credibility and commitment of the veteran and military family community into one of the most contested arenas in American public life: election administration. Alberto Ramos, CEO of Veterans for All Voters, and Chris Purdy, Founder and CEO of The Chamberlain Network, join host Ingrid Sundlee for a conversation about why veterans may be exactly who this moment calls for.

Veterans swear an oath to the Constitution, not to a party, not to a candidate. That oath, both guests argue, is precisely what makes them uniquely positioned to serve as nonpartisan messengers in a polarized political landscape. From training veterans and military family members as poll workers and civic educators to advocating for election reforms that expand participation, their organizations are proving that defending free and fair elections is itself a form of continued service.

We dig into the real work: how these organizations keep their veterans on message when political conversations heat up, how they engage not just veterans but military spouses, Gold Star families, and the broader military community, and how they're addressing one issue that rarely gets enough attention — the critical importance of mail-in voting for active duty service members and veterans living overseas.

If you believe that protecting the integrity of our elections shouldn't be a partisan issue, this conversation is for you.

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#CivicsNotPolitics

#VeteransForAllVoters

#TheChamberlainNetwork

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Losing a leg in 2020 could have been the end of John Brace's athletic story. Instead, it was the beginning of a new one. In this episode, Anil sits down with Marine Corps veteran and wheelchair football quarterback John Brace, who joined the Move United Wheelchair Football League as a rookie linebacker and ended up calling plays under center when his team needed him most. They talk about the road from military service to adaptive athletics, what it means to show up for newly amputated veterans as a living example of what's possible, and why disability is never the period at the end of the sentence. As America turns 250, John's message about pride, purpose, and the many ways to keep serving hits differently.

Learn more about Move United Wheelchair Football League at moveunitedsport.org

Vetted Conversations is available on YouTube & wherever you listen to podcasts!

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