When fewer than 1% of the country has ever served in the military, it is not surprising that veterans and current military members are acutely aware that they carry a significant and disproportionate burden in the country. This often creates the perception among military folks that the civilian world needs to understand the military better to bridge the civ-mil divide. But this week, we look through the other end of the telescope – what does the military need to know about the civilian world? I was joined by author Dr. Alice Atalanta, Havok Journal writer Kathy Livermore, and Havok Journal Chief Marketing Officer Alyssa Sudermann to talk through the issue.
I’m not really sure what happened, but I’m going to try to blame Kathy who was talking about why she and her son started sending Halloween candy to deployed soldiers, got us all interested and distracted and completely jumbled up our structure (“Wait, the show has a structure?” – Charlie Faint). We end up with a very focused meander (“Can a meander be focused? – Charlie) as we discussed topics like the importance of military uniforms, the struggle to find meaning as an individual, and how easy it is to turn us against each other. You don’t have to be a veteran transitioning out of the military or struggling with a sense of purpose to find stuff to like in this episode – but if you are, this episode will really resonate with you.
Show Alibis
This episode hopefully concludes my two-episode arc as “host suffering from COVID.” I thought I might say a little something clever and biting about it on-air, but Kathy derailed my plans which is probably best for both our listening audience and the CCP (“Very little overlap in that Venn Diagram” – Charlie). COVID hasn’t been fun and, while it seems like everyone’s mileage varies with it, I can’t help but feel that Chris Cuomo excessively wallowed in the drama of it while recording his show. But, as Alice brought up during the show, not every problem is about US domestic tensions, so let me take this opportunity to say that a pompous, possibly full-of-shit TV host is better than the lying, obfuscating, manipulative Chinese government that unleashed this.
This episode marked the first time there were no technical difficulties before, during or after the show. Which means you can publicize the show to your friends and family without hesitation or embarrassment. But if you’re still not sure and want to minimize the risk to your reputation, by all means go ahead and only publicize us with your frenemies, passive-aggressive co-workers, and lukewarm acquaintances.
At one point, Alyssa was in the middle of an erudite comment when she lost her train of thought (“You know we found her in a biker bar, right?” – Charlie). So I felt it only fair to provide her comment in its entirety: “It is hard to know what other way men can come to truth, to lay hold of it, if they do not dig and search for it as for gold and hid treasure; but he that does so, must have much earth and rubbish, before he gets the pure metal; sand, and pebbles, and dross usually lie blended with it, but the gold is nevertheless gold, and will enrich the man that employs his pains to seek and separate it.” I always want to hear more from Alyssa because she tells awesome stories and does some really important work. But also because she sounds nothing like John Locke.
Show Notes
Dr. Alice Atalanta
Navigating Chaos by Jeff Boss and Dr. Alice Atalanta
Meditations of an Army Ranger by JC Glick and Dr. Alice Atalanta
We are the Useful Idiots
Why I’m Thanking You For Your Service
Second Mission Foundation
More about Russian disinformation
Vicky Peleaz and the Anna Chapman Spy Ring
The Righteous Mind by Johnathan Haidt
Havok Journal
Savage Wonder
