Sarah Klimm's Marine Corps Journey

Sarah Klimm joined the Marine Corps initially because she wanted to do something different from her small hometown and gain marketable skills. She chose aviation maintenance as her job. After her first enlistment, she got out and worked in retail for a while. However, the embassy bombings made her reconsider, and she rejoined the Marine Corps. She stayed for 20 years because she felt part of something bigger, enjoyed the camaraderie and travel opportunities, and needed to support her family. Despite times of uncertainty, she grew to like her role as she advanced in rank and became a bigger part of the mission.

Sarah's military experiences, focusing on her deployments and the impact of war on her personal life.

Sarah discussed the challenges faced by military leaders in supporting their marines and their families. Sarah shared her experiences of dealing with operational stressors, combat stressors, and the impact of technology on communication with family members. She emphasized the importance of balancing the needs of marines and their families, and the need for leaders to be flexible and adaptable in handling various situations. Sarah also highlighted the importance of cultivating talent within the military and the need for leaders to understand the human side of their role.

Sarah shared her experiences highlighting the importance of good leadership and the need to learn from both good and bad leaders. She emphasized her focus on getting the job done right, even if it meant ruffling some feathers. Sarah also discussed her approach to advocating for what's right and just, even when it meant challenging senior enlisted personnel.

Sarah discussed her journey into advocacy, which was sparked by her experiences with discrimination as a trans person. Sarah shared how she was denied hormone therapy at the VA despite following their policy, leading her to advocate for change. She also discussed her advocacy work, which includes speaking engagements, panels, and direct advocacy with legislators. Sarah emphasized the importance of using her voice to represent those who cannot speak for themselves and the interconnectedness of advocacy efforts across the country.Despite these difficulties, Sarah affirms her commitment to the Marine Corps oath, even when her rights have been questioned. She expresses pride in defending the Constitution and all Americans, and states she would take the oath again without hesitation, despite losing friends in service.

Join me this week as I speak with Josh about his time in service and what he is doing now to assist veterans and their families in their transition.

From Marine Corps career recruiter to business owner and podcast host, join me as I speak with Shawn Murphy and he shares about his Marines Corps journey and what he is doing now.

Join me this week as I speak with Samuel Deeds who shares his journey of fighting for the medical care he deserves after being an IED while deployed, saving the lives of multiple people in a riptide and his mental health journey and advocacy for veterans and first responders.

Last week we heard the first part of his story.

Join me this week as I speak with Samuel Deeds who shares his journey of fighting for the medical care he deserves after being an IED while deployed, saving the lives of multiple people in a riptide and his mental health journey and advocacy for veterans and first responders.

This is the first part of Deeds story and will leave you on a cliff hanger. Be sure to tune in next week to hear the rest of Deeds story.

This week I am honored to be joined by Joe Nava who I served with in the Marine Corps.

During this episode, Joe shared his experience in the Marine Corps, revealing that he joined to explore the world and his uncle's influence played a role in his decision. He also shared that his first duty station at MCAS Miramar exposed him to various opportunities.

Joe and Tabitha discussed the impact of Joe's leadership on the Marines under his command. Joe expressed pride in their successes and shared his feelings about the challenges they faced, particularly after the passing of a fellow Marine, Michael Lopez. Tabitha highlighted the importance of Joe's role as a support system and safe space for the Marines, especially during difficult times. Both agreed on the importance of prioritizing the well-being of the Marines and ensuring they have the necessary resources and support.

Joe's Transition, Peace Corps, and Relocation Joe shared his transition from the Marine Corps to the Peace Corps, where he currently serves as Acting Deputy Director of Programmatic Communications. He highlighted the value of the soft skills he acquired in the Marine Corps, particularly his experience as an MPA, in his new role.

Tabitha and John discussed the experiences and benefits of serving in the Marine Corps or its reserves, with John sharing his personal journey from active duty to civilian life and his current position at the USDA.

They also discussed the importance of mental health, particularly in parenting, and the significance of special hiring authorities in the job application process.

Lastly, John offered his assistance to job seekers in agricultural or environmental science fields and expressed his interest in helping veterans with their career transition.

This week I am honored to have Eric Johnson on the current Legislative Associate - Grassroots and National Security with the American Legion.

Eric joined the Marine Corps with the goal of being a rifleman, but needs of the Marine Corps changes his plans.

Listen to his story as he shares his experience while deployed, transitioning out of the Marine Corps and struggling with receiving mental health care through the VA.