In this special ATLVets Speaker Series episode, retired Ranger Battalion NCO and Special Forces officer Chris Brewer shares his remarkable journey from the reactivation of the 1st Ranger Battalion in 1974 to a career in Special Forces, global security contracting, and authorship.

Chris reflects on:

• 
  
• 
  
• Crossing the Line: Why he made the controversial move from the NCO corps to becoming an officer, and how it opened the path to Special Forces.
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• Lessons from Ranger School: Why the course is less about tactics and more about leadership under extreme stress—and how those lessons translate to civilian life.
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• Transition Struggles: His honest admission of “how not to retire” from the military, including the pitfalls many veterans face.
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• Post-Service Impact: How his expertise shaped counterterrorism strategies, red-team operations, and security across the globe—including assessments eerily prescient before 9/11.
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• Storytelling & Legacy: Why he chose to capture the untold stories of Rangers and Green Berets in his books Old School Ranger and In the Shadows Between Wars.
• 
  
• 
  

Chris also offers powerful insights into leadership, team building, and the importance of cross-cultural communication in both military and civilian contexts.

📚 Books by Chris Brewer:

• 
  
• 
  
• Old School Ranger – A collection of stories and lessons from the reactivation of the 1st Ranger Battalion.
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• In the Shadows Between Wars – Firsthand accounts of Special Forces missions and the realities of unconventional warfare.
• 
  
• (Both available on Amazon & Barnes & Noble.)
• 
  
• 
  

🔑 Key Takeaway: Whether on the battlefield or in the boardroom, success comes from listening, understanding what motivates people, and pulling teams together toward a common goal.

👉 Stay Connected:

Join the ATLVets mission to advance the line for veterans by supporting events, sharing these stories, and helping us build the nation’s premier community for veteran leadership and growth.

In this episode of the ATLVets Speaker Series, we sit down with Zack Miller, CEO of Patriot Growth Capital (PGC), to explore the intersection of veteran empowerment, private equity, and long-term legacy.

Zack shares his journey from the advertising and startup world to launching a private equity firm dedicated to supporting veterans and their families through entrepreneurship by acquisition. Together with ATLVets, PGC is reshaping how veterans transition into ownership, leadership, and wealth creation.

This episode dives into:

• The Barriers to Entrepreneurship – Fear, capital, mentorship, and “analysis paralysis” that hold veterans back—and how to overcome them.
• The Dream Work Exercise – Why defining vision, values, and family goals is the starting point for every veteran entrepreneur.
• Veteran Families as Operators – Expanding opportunities for spouses, siblings, and children to step into meaningful roles and ownership.
• Defense Tech Accelerator – The vision for a Veteran Center of Excellence in Atlanta, combining human performance, technology, and dual-use innovation.
• The Bigger Picture – PGC’s commitment to impacting 1 million veteran families over the next decade.

🔑 Key Takeaway: Veterans bring grit, leadership, and integrity to the table. With the right resources and ecosystem, they can move from “employee” to “owner” and create lasting generational impact.

👉 Learn more about Patriot Growth Capital and ATLVets at: [Insert Link]

Emilee Tucker is more than her corporate credentials—she’s an advocate for authentic leadership who transitioned from an 18-year corporate career to become an executive coach. Driven by her curiosity and commitment to continuous improvement, Emilee pursued a master's in Organizational Effectiveness and Leadership, combining formal education with practical certifications like NLP and Reiki. Her journey underscores the value of leaning into life's uncertainties to discover genuine joy and success.

Emilee introduced her unique ROI framework, breaking down how to find meaningful success through three simple yet profound principles:

1. Reward Yourself: Emilee emphasizes celebrating small daily victories, suggesting practical actions like enjoying a quiet cup of coffee or taking a peaceful walk. Rewarding yourself reinforces positive habits, boosting confidence and momentum by rewiring your brain for success.
2. Omit Negativity: Emilee highlighted how negativity consumes valuable energy and time. She shared that humans have approximately 60,000 thoughts per day, many repetitive and subconscious. By consciously reframing negative thoughts and practicing gratitude, individuals can reclaim significant mental and emotional resources, creating space for positivity and productivity.
3. Invite Your Dreams: Perhaps the most poignant segment for veterans, Emilee encouraged attendees to rediscover and articulate their dreams beyond past identities. She underscored the importance of visualization, emotional connection, and the power of clearly defining what they want to achieve, inviting veterans to create new, meaningful goals after their military service.

Follow Emilee:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/emileetucker

https://www.instagram.com/iamemileetucker/