A quiet question—why choose the Army?—opens into a candid story of injury, recovery, and purpose with Eric Thomas, founder of CJ3 Foundation. We dig into how a veteran and first responder-led nonprofit tackles what so many systems miss: putting mental health first, pairing people with real service dogs trained from day one, and showing up as relentless advocates when employers or agencies get in the way.

Eric lays out a simple but demanding model. Before any dog is placed, candidates complete a comprehensive mental health and wellness program that addresses the mind, body, and spirit. Only then does CJ3 pair a Veteran with the right breed and temperament for their lifestyle, from high-drive Belgian Malinois to steady labs or hypoallergenic giants. Training never leaves professional hands; dogs remain in top-tier kennels used by police, military, and federal clients. Handoff is a process, not a moment: a week at the kennel, in-depth handler training, followed by at-home integration and ongoing recertification to prevent bad habits and protect outcomes.

We also discuss the finances and the policy. Through partnerships, CJ3 delivers a fully trained service dog for about $25,000—far less than the long-term costs of unmanaged symptoms, medication stacking, or isolation. Meanwhile, legislation like PAWS and SAVES is inching forward, and CJ3 has pushed to fix exclusions that sidelined reputable providers. Eric argues for a practical line: the VA may not need to fund food and collars, but if a clinician prescribes a service dog, basic veterinary care should be covered to protect the veteran’s lifeline.

Beyond dogs, CJ3’s Field Ops offers safe hunting, fishing, racing, and range days—that rebuild confidence and community for veterans, law enforcement, firefighters, and EMS. The organization scales through ambassadors instead of buildings, runs on volunteers, and invests in people and services over infrastructure. If you’ve got skills in design, web, or fundraising, they can use the help. If you’ve got time, show up at a pop-up and meet the handlers and dogs. And if you’ve got the means, your donation goes straight to the mission.

Enjoyed the conversation and want to support the work? Subscribe, share this episode with a friend who could use it, and leave a review so more listeners can find these stories. Then visit CJ3foundation.org and, if you’re able, hit that donate button.

What if a warm, welcoming home sat steps away from the hospital where your loved one is fighting to heal—and it cost your family nothing? We open the door to Fisher House, the nationwide network of free lodging for military and veteran families that turns proximity into peace of mind. Julie Riggs, Vice President of Community Relations at Fisher House Foundation, joins us to share how these homes are built, who they serve, and why a shared kitchen can become the most important room in healthcare.

We trace Fisher House’s growth from early eight-suite homes to today’s 16-suite sweet spot, then look ahead to new builds in Montrose, New York, a fully accessible replacement in West Palm Beach, and the first house in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Julie explains the funding model—Fisher House raises capital and constructs each property, then gifts it to the Department of Defense or VA for staffing and upkeep—so listeners see exactly how donations become bricks, beds, and breathing room for caregivers. We talk eligibility, the reality of months-long stays after severe injuries, and the simple ritual of cooking that binds families into a lasting support network.

When houses are full, Hero Programs keep families covered. Their Hotels for Heroes program steps in with paid hotel stays until a suite becomes available. At the same time, the Hero Miles program turns donated airline miles and hotel points into travel and lodging, allowing caregivers to attend to their duties and service members in treatment to fly home on leave. Along the way, we unpack occupancy patterns, the sites that run near capacity, and the outreach that helps nurses and case managers refer families at the right time. Want to help? Gift cards, new unopened consumables, hygiene kits, miles, and points make an immediate difference—and yes, your local Fisher House manager will gladly share a current needs list.

If this conversation moved you, share it with a friend, subscribe for more stories that matter, and leave a quick review so others can find the show. And if you’re ready to act, visit fisherhouse.org to donate, give miles or points, or connect your community group with a local house.

Moral injury isn’t a buzzword or a rebrand of Post Traumatic Stress. It’s what happens when military service members face actions and events that violate their core values, or when the institutions and leaders they trusted fail them. We sit down with Air Force Reserve chaplain and Moral Injury Support Network for Servicewomen (MISNS) board member Lindsay Moser to unpack why women in uniform are uniquely vulnerable to moral injury, how military sexual trauma and institutional betrayal compound the harm, and what real, practical healing looks like when chaplains, clinicians, social workers, and commanders work together.

We walk through concrete distinctions between fear-based PTS and value-based moral injury, highlighting why standard PTS protocols often miss grief, shame, and the profound identity disruption that follows betrayal. Lindsay shares how the Moral Injury Support Network for Service Women—through the Harriet Tubman matching network, free leader guidebooks, continuing education, and research—connects women with tailored support that meets spiritual, psychological, and practical needs. From transfers that remove a member from a harmful command climate to food and utility assistance that stabilizes life, we explore how addressing root causes and basic needs unlocks deeper recovery.

We also tackle under-discussed realities, such as breastfeeding in the military, operational tempo, postpartum fitness standards, and the subtle ways culture can either uphold dignity or intensify distress. Along the way, we discuss creative healing modalities—such as writing, art, and music—that help service women process complex stories when words alone are insufficient. If you’re a leader, provider, or battle buddy, you’ll come away with language to recognize moral injury, steps to build an interdisciplinary web of care, and resources to share immediately.

Explore MISNS resources at msns.org, learn about the Tubman Network, and consider supporting this work for women who’ve borne the weight of service. If this conversation resonates, subscribe, share it with a leader or teammate, and leave a review so more listeners can find it. Your voice helps move this from quiet pain to collective repair.