S.O.S. (Stories of Service) - Ordinary people who do extraordinary work

Theresa Carpenter
  • 4.0 (15)
  • Self-Improvement
  • Updated Semiweekly

This channel confronts power, exposes institutional failure, and gives a platform to people willing to tell the truth when silence is easier and safer. We cover the stories the military, media, and influencers would rather bury, because reform does not happen without friction.

  1. 2d ago

    From NYPD to Hollywood | Steven Stanulis S.O.S. #285

    Let us know what you think of the show and what we can do better! A job can end fast. Identity usually doesn’t. That tension sits at the center of my conversation with Steve Stan Toulus, a Staten Island native whose path runs through the NYPD, performance, Hollywood sets, independent filmmaking, podcasting, and private investigation work. His story isn’t about chasing fame. It’s about what you do after the plan breaks, and how you turn real-life experience into something you can build on. We talk about growing up in a family where becoming a police officer felt inevitable, then living a double life that sounds impossible today: policing by day and performing at night, before social media made everyone’s side hustle public. Steve shares what people get wrong about that world, and how those years quietly sharpened skills that later mattered in acting and producing. From there, we get into the hard truth of entertainment: access can vanish overnight. Steve explains how he went from unexpected opportunities on major sets to having to rebuild the “slow way” with classes, reps, and self-made work. He also breaks down the business side of independent film, including why action and horror often travel better internationally than comedy, and how making your own projects can be the difference between waiting and moving. We close on entrepreneurship and staying driven: building podcasts for love and networking, creating a PI and security company for stability, and choosing action over fear of failure. Subscribe, share this with someone in a career transition, and leave a review if it helps. What would you rebuild first if your main job disappeared tomorrow? Stories of Service presents guests’ stories and opinions in their own words, reflecting their personal experiences and perspectives. While shared respectfully and authentically, the podcast does not independently verify all statements. Views expressed are those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect the host, producers, government agencies, or podcast affiliates. Support the show Visit my website: https://thehello.llc/THERESACARPENTER Read my writings on my blog: https://www.theresatapestries.com/ Listen to other episodes on my podcast: https://storiesofservice.buzzsprout.com Watch episodes of my podcast: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheresaCarpenter76

    From NYPD to Hollywood | Steven Stanulis S.O.S. #285

  2. 2d ago

    From Poverty to Politics | Carl Boyanton - S.O.S. #284

    Let us know what you think of the show and what we can do better! A lot of political talk starts with slogans. We start with receipts and a life story. I’m Teresa Carpenter, and I sit down with Carl Lester Boyenton, an independent candidate for Congress in Mississippi’s 4th congressional district, to ask the questions voters rarely get to ask: what shaped you, what do you actually believe, and what happens when party power collides with real-world accountability? Carl lays out how growing up poor, working as a kid, and leading blue-collar teams built his view of responsibility and leadership.  Carl’s career runs from warehouse labor to managing a produce company that grew into a near-billion-dollar operation, then back to Mississippi to build again and get wiped out overnight by Hurricane Katrina. That experience feeds his blunt take on Washington: campaign finance incentives are stronger than campaign promises. We walk through how FEC filings, PACs, leadership funds, and joint fundraising committees can blur who is really bankrolling a candidate and why voters often never see the trail. If you care about political corruption, ethics enforcement, and transparency, this conversation puts a spotlight on how the system works when nobody is watching.  We also get practical about solutions Carl says he would pursue, including term limits with a realistic path to passage, a truth in legislation requirement that names who wrote a bill, and a push for single-issue bills so massive packages can’t hide surprises. He connects “affordability” to food supply chain realities, farmer impacts, and smarter food safety policy, and he talks about supporting veterans through community partnerships and on-the-ground needs. Subscribe, share this with a friend who feels politically homeless, and leave a review with one reform you want Congress to tackle first. Stories of Service presents guests’ stories and opinions in their own words, reflecting their personal experiences and perspectives. While shared respectfully and authentically, the podcast does not independently verify all statements. Views expressed are those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect the host, producers, government agencies, or podcast affiliates. Support the show Visit my website: https://thehello.llc/THERESACARPENTER Read my writings on my blog: https://www.theresatapestries.com/ Listen to other episodes on my podcast: https://storiesofservice.buzzsprout.com Watch episodes of my podcast: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheresaCarpenter76

    From Poverty to Politics | Carl Boyanton - S.O.S. #284

  3. Sep 25

    Women in combat: Have Drones Changed The Debate? | S.O.S. #283

    Let us know what you think of the show and what we can do better! Combat doesn’t care about your politics, your bio, or your social media takes. It cares whether you can think clearly under pressure, carry what you must carry, and keep moving when the plan breaks and the fight gets close. That’s where our conversation goes as I sit down with Marine veteran Assad Khan to talk about women in combat, infantry reality, and what “combat ready” should mean in 2026. We start with Afghanistan, when cultural imperatives made women volunteers essential for searches and engagement. Assad shares the kinds of stories that cut through stereotypes: a woman Marine pilot landing a CH-46 medevac in darkness and dust to evacuate casualties, and a woman officer pushing up a mountainside into an ambush because duty demanded it. Those moments matter, not as propaganda, but as evidence that competence shows up in real conditions, and it looks like performance, not labels. From there, we get blunt about physical standards, load carriage, injury risk, and unit cohesion. We talk about the “last 300 meters” of combat, why drones and electronic warfare don’t erase the need for bodies that can close with the enemy, and why one honest, job-specific standard protects everyone. Then we widen the lens to senior leader reform and the new Joint Warfighter Evaluation, asking whether the military is finally ready to measure warfighting ability instead of rewarding career optics. If you care about military readiness, infantry standards, leadership accountability, and an honest women in combat debate grounded in modern warfare, this one is for you. Subscribe, share this with a friend who will argue in good faith, and leave a review. What should the single non-negotiable standard be for the roles that fight up close? Support the show Visit my website: https://thehello.llc/THERESACARPENTER Read my writings on my blog: https://www.theresatapestries.com/ Listen to other episodes on my podcast: https://storiesofservice.buzzsprout.com Watch episodes of my podcast: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheresaCarpenter76

    Women in combat: Have Drones Changed The Debate? | S.O.S. #283

  4. Sep 21

    Who Are You When No One Is Watching? | S.O.S. #282

    Let us know what you think of the show and what we can do better! The most dangerous leadership failure rarely happens on a stage. It happens in a quiet moment when you can protect your reputation or protect your integrity and you pick the one that gets you promoted.  I’m joined by John Constantine, a former United States Secret Service agent who spent nearly 23 years in protection work, including the Special Operations Division and the counter assault team. We talk about what people don’t see: the ego traps inside high-status institutions, the cultural pressure to “do what everyone else does,” and the private compromises that can stack up into moral injury. John shares why innovation is non-negotiable in security work, how professionalism means doing the mission no matter who is in the protectee seat, and what it costs when leaders quietly put “me” first.  A big thread is identity. We get real about what happens when the badge comes off and your job title disappears, especially for veterans, law enforcement, and first responders. John breaks down a powerful framework for self-esteem versus self-worth, why external validation can’t hold you up forever, and how routine, discipline, journaling, and community can help you rebuild a life that’s yours. We also get practical with the small, unseen choices that restore self-worth, including doing good things with zero need to be noticed.  If you’ve ever wondered who you are without the uniform, or how to lead without needing applause, this conversation is for you. Subscribe for more stories of service, share this with someone navigating a transition, and leave a review with the habit that keeps you grounded when nobody’s watching. Stories of Service presents guests’ stories and opinions in their own words, reflecting their personal experiences and perspectives. While shared respectfully and authentically, the podcast does not independently verify all statements. Views expressed are those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect the host, producers, government agencies, or podcast affiliates. Support the show Visit my website: https://thehello.llc/THERESACARPENTER Read my writings on my blog: https://www.theresatapestries.com/ Listen to other episodes on my podcast: https://storiesofservice.buzzsprout.com Watch episodes of my podcast: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheresaCarpenter76

    Who Are You When No One Is Watching? | S.O.S. #282

  5. Sep 12

    9/11: The Heroes We Forgot with Michael Gier | S.O.S. #281

    Let us know what you think of the show and what we can do better! We all remember what we lost on September 11th, 2001. But 25 years later, there’s another question that matters just as much: do we remember what rose?  We sit down with award-winning filmmaker Michael Geyer, director and producer of The Heroism and Resiliency of 9-11: From Tragedy to Triumph, narrated by Gary Sinise, to talk about the stories that rarely make the headlines. Michael shares why he set out to spotlight courage and compassion across the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and Flight 93, and how he found people whose names most of us have never heard, including quiet leaders who helped prevent a financial collapse and everyday New Yorkers who stepped into service without being asked.  We also get into the craft behind the documentary: the deep research, tracking down interview subjects, the decision to add reenactments, and why Gary Sinise was the perfect narrator given how 9/11 changed his own life of service. Along the way, we keep returning to a simple theme that hits hard: unity doesn’t have to require tragedy, and helping your community can be as real as showing up, volunteering, or choosing basic kindness when it’s easiest to look away.  You can stream the film on Amazon Prime Video, Google TV, Apple TV, and YouTube Movies. Watch the trailer and find links at www.the911film.com, then tell us what story stayed with you. Subscribe, share this with a friend, and leave a review so more people find Stories of Service. Stories of Service presents guests’ stories and opinions in their own words, reflecting their personal experiences and perspectives. While shared respectfully and authentically, the podcast does not independently verify all statements. Views expressed are those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect the host, producers, government agencies, or podcast affiliates. Support the show Visit my website: https://thehello.llc/THERESACARPENTER Read my writings on my blog: https://www.theresatapestries.com/ Listen to other episodes on my podcast: https://storiesofservice.buzzsprout.com Watch episodes of my podcast: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheresaCarpenter76

    9/11: The Heroes We Forgot with Michael Gier | S.O.S. #281

  6. Sep 11

    Service Before Party: Ty Pinkins on War, Law & an Independent Run for U.S. Senate

    Let us know what you think of the show and what we can do better! A kid from the Mississippi Delta grows up chopping cotton, runs out of money in college, donates plasma to eat, and still believes he can lead. That’s the starting line for my conversation with Ty Pinkins, a 21-year U.S. Army veteran who served three combat tours, traveled the world, and ended his military career as a communications aide to President Obama, a role that sometimes meant sleeping in the White House. His memoir, 23 Miles and Running, captures the improbable climb, but the bigger story is what he chooses to do next.  Ty walks me through the leadership moments that shaped him, from being prior enlisted and suddenly responsible for a platoon in Iraq to living by the Army’s LDRSHIP values: loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity, and personal courage. He explains why those principles don’t stay on a poster and why he thinks Washington is missing a moral compass. We also talk about why he takes the harder route, how independent veterans could disrupt a Senate divided along party lines, and what it would mean to deny either party an automatic majority.  After earning a Georgetown Law degree, Ty returns to Mississippi as a public interest lawyer, building programs that help low-income residents facing evictions, medical debt lawsuits, and payday lending traps. He shares the case that pushed him into politics: Black farm workers being underpaid, Congress failing to act, and the decision to sue and win anyway. From campaign finance reform and Citizens United to banning members of Congress from trading stocks, he makes a clear argument for clean elections, real debates, and leadership that answers to voters instead of donors.  If you care about Mississippi politics, independent candidates, veteran leadership, or fixing a broken system, listen now, share this conversation, and leave a review if it challenges how you see power. Stories of Service presents guests’ stories and opinions in their own words, reflecting their personal experiences and perspectives. While shared respectfully and authentically, the podcast does not independently verify all statements. Views expressed are those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect the host, producers, government agencies, or podcast affiliates. Support the show Visit my website: https://thehello.llc/THERESACARPENTER Read my writings on my blog: https://www.theresatapestries.com/ Listen to other episodes on my podcast: https://storiesofservice.buzzsprout.com Watch episodes of my podcast: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheresaCarpenter76

    Service Before Party: Ty Pinkins on War, Law & an Independent Run for U.S. Senate

  7. Aug 27

    They Tried to Break Him. He Fought Back | S.O.S. #279

    Let us know what you think of the show and what we can do better! One of the hardest leadership tests isn’t combat, it’s standing up to your own institution when the truth becomes inconvenient. We sit down with retired Navy SEAL Captain Bradley Geary, a former commander in Naval Special Warfare, to talk about what it feels like to go from trusted leader to suspected scapegoat almost overnight. Brad walks us through the BUD/S tragedy that ignited years of investigations, media pressure, and internal maneuvering. We unpack the uncomfortable details: black market performance enhancing drugs, how official findings can be re-scoped from the top, and why an autopsy decision not to test for certain substances can change everything. Along the way, we talk about ethics, accountability, and how “procedural compliance” can be weaponized when leaders are told to reach a predetermined conclusion. The most powerful thread is moral courage. Brad explains the isolation that comes when teammates quietly step back, the family conversations that define what you’re willing to lose, and the strategic choice to go public and take the fight to Congress. We also dig into the military administrative system, due process gaps, and why “non-punitive” actions can still destroy careers. Brad closes with what comes next: leadership consulting, life after retirement, and his upcoming book, Hard Mind, Soft Heart: A Warfighter’s Battle for Truth, Brotherhood, and the Character of the SEAL Teams. If you care about Navy SEAL leadership, military ethics, whistleblowing, and what integrity really costs, subscribe, share this with a friend, and leave a review. What part of Brad’s story challenged you most? Support the show Visit my website: https://thehello.llc/THERESACARPENTER Read my writings on my blog: https://www.theresatapestries.com/ Listen to other episodes on my podcast: https://storiesofservice.buzzsprout.com Watch episodes of my podcast: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheresaCarpenter76

    They Tried to Break Him. He Fought Back | S.O.S. #279

  8. Aug 17

    The Erosion of Military Standards with | Dr. Chase Spears S.O.S. #278

    Let us know what you think of the show and what we can do better! Watching someone turn the uniform into a prop for clicks hits different when you’ve worn it, deployed in it, and watched friends stake their lives on what it represents. That’s why we sit down with Dr. Chase Spears, former Army public affairs officer and combat veteran, for a blunt conversation about the erosion of military standards and what happens when influencer culture collides with good order and discipline. We dig into the real mechanics of accountability: why leaders often won’t enforce existing military social media rules, how IG complaints and administrative pressure can become “the process is the punishment,” and why policy changes at the top don’t automatically become culture change at the unit level. We also connect the standards debate to bigger policy battles, including DEI, transgender service, and the constant tension between politics and readiness. Whether you agree with every conclusion or not, the central question stays the same: does this make the force more lethal, more cohesive, and more prepared to fight? We also talk about side hustles and where the line should be drawn. Owning property, working extra jobs, and building a business can be fine, but commercial endorsements and provocative content paired with the uniform damage public trust and the profession of arms. From Mill Twitter to politicized media narratives about sailors and deployments, we unpack how the information environment shapes what the public thinks the military is becoming. If you care about military professionalism, leadership, readiness, and veteran advocacy, listen, share this with a friend, and leave a review so more people join the conversation. Where do you think the line should be on uniform use online? Support the show Visit my website: https://thehello.llc/THERESACARPENTER Read my writings on my blog: https://www.theresatapestries.com/ Listen to other episodes on my podcast: https://storiesofservice.buzzsprout.com Watch episodes of my podcast: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheresaCarpenter76

    The Erosion of Military Standards with | Dr. Chase Spears S.O.S. #278
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This channel confronts power, exposes institutional failure, and gives a platform to people willing to tell the truth when silence is easier and safer. We cover the stories the military, media, and influencers would rather bury, because reform does not happen without friction.

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