Helping The Brave Podcast

Ed Parcaut
  • 5.0 (4)
  • Business
  • Updated Weekly

"Helping the Brave" is a weekly podcast dedicated to supporting veterans as they transition into civilian life and beyond. New episodes are uploaded every Tuesday, offering insights, guidance, and real-world advice to help veterans navigate new opportunities. Our mission is simple: veterans helping veterans succeed after service. We also strive to raise awareness about the importance of accessing the VA benefits you've earned. Tune in as we share valuable resources and empowering stories to help those who have served thrive in their next chapter.

  1. 4d ago

    Military to Civilian Transition: Inspiring Help

    In this episode of Helping The Brave Podcast, Ed Parcaut sits down with Dr. Chrisanne Gordon for a passionate and eye-opening conversation about traumatic brain injury, PTSD, veteran transition, and the urgent need to rethink how America cares for those who served. Dr. Gordon explains why she believes PTSD should be understood through the lens of brain trauma, survival response, and rewired fight-or-flight pathways rather than shame or weakness. She shares how her work with traumatic brain injury screenings, Global War on Terror veterans, and the Resurrecting Lives Foundation opened her eyes to the disconnect between what veterans need and what the current system often provides. Ed and Dr. Gordon also talk about the difficult transition from military to civilian life, the need for a "boot camp out," better medical record documentation, faster access to care, and a shift from a disability-focused system to an ability-focused system. The episode also highlights Guarding Our Guardians, a call-to-action book and mission focused on improving veteran services, healthcare, employment, education, and support after service. This is a powerful conversation for veterans, families, clinicians, advocates, and anyone who believes those who served deserve better than red tape and delayed care. *Contact Ed Parcaut:** - 🌍 Website: [edparcaut.com](http://edparcaut.com) - 📱 Twitter: [@edparcaut](https://twitter.com) For more resources and support, visit HelpingTheBrave.com. #HelpingTheBrave #EdParcaut #ChrisanneGordon #TBI #PTSDAwareness #VeteranTransition #VeteranAdvocacy #BrainHealth #TraumaticBrainInjury #GuardingOurGuardians #ResurrectingLives #VAMentalHealth #VeteransHelpingVeterans #MilitaryTransition #DeploymentToEmployment

    Military to Civilian Transition: Inspiring Help

  2. Sep 22

    Air Force Veteran Ken Mellott: A Life of Service

    In this episode of Helping The Brave Podcast, Ed Parcaut sits down with Ken Mellott for a powerful conversation about Air Force service, survival, PTSD, identity, and rebuilding life after a near-fatal aircraft accident. Ken shares how his father's Air Force service inspired him from a young age, why he attended the Air Force Academy, and how his career took him through pilot training, Beale Air Force Base, Berlin during the Cold War, RC-135 reconnaissance, and later the Air Force Reserve. One of the defining moments of his life came in 1979, when he survived a T-38 ejection after losing engines and dropping thousands of feet per minute. Ed and Ken talk openly about what that kind of trauma does to a person, especially in a military culture where pilots are expected to be tough, invincible, and silent about fear. Ken explains how the accident changed his relationship with flying, how PTSD symptoms followed him for years, and why he eventually had to accept that being a pilot did not have to be the only identity he carried for the rest of his life. The conversation also covers VA disability benefits, older veterans who never filed because they were told not to, sleep problems, memory, therapy, resilience programs, writing a book, vulnerability, and the unexpected support Ken received from other pilots after sharing his story. This is an honest episode about survival, service, fear, healing, and the freedom that can come from letting go of an identity that no longer serves you. *Contact Ed Parcaut:** - 🌍 Website: [edparcaut.com](http://edparcaut.com) - 📱 Twitter: [@edparcaut](https://twitter.com) For more resources and support, visit HelpingTheBrave.com. #HelpingTheBrave #EdParcaut #KenMellott #AirForceVeteran #VeteranPTSD #VeteranTransition #T38Ejection #AirForceAcademy #PTSDRecovery #LifeAfterService #MilitaryTrauma #VeteranBenefits #AirForcePilot #VeteransHelpingVeterans #NextMission

    Air Force Veteran Ken Mellott: A Life of Service

  3. Sep 15

    Navy Nuclear Vet's Journey To Mortgage Broker

    In this episode of Helping The Brave Podcast, Ed Parcaut sits down with Jason Sharon for a practical conversation about Navy service, veteran transition, mortgage brokerage, and helping veterans use their VA loan benefit the right way. Jason shares how he joined the Navy in 1993, went through the nuclear program, served twenty years, and spent time on the USS Nimitz, USS Enterprise, and USS Anzio. After retiring, he was ready to leave engineering behind and do something different. A short-duty real estate license eventually led him into mortgages, where he learned VA loans, worked under another mortgage professional, and later opened his own brokerage. Ed and Jason dig deep into VA lending, including why veterans should work with local experts, why debt-to-income rules are misunderstood, how residual income really matters on VA loans, why credit history can matter more than a headline score, and how online lenders can create problems for purchases. They also talk about mortgage brokers, wholesale lenders, self-employed borrowers, manufactured homes, VA one-time construction loans, and how veterans can build homeownership the right way. This is a strong episode for veterans, active-duty service members, military families, real estate agents, and anyone who wants a clearer understanding of VA loans beyond the usual myths. *Contact Ed Parcaut:** - 🌍 Website: [edparcaut.com](http://edparcaut.com) - 📱 Twitter: [@edparcaut](https://twitter.com) For more resources and support, visit HelpingTheBrave.com. #HelpingTheBrave #EdParcaut #JasonSharon #VALoans #VeteranHomeownership #NavyVeteran #MortgageBroker #VALoanExpert #MilitaryTransition #HomeLoansForVeterans #VAOTC #VeteranMortgage #NavyNuke #VeteransHelpingVeterans #HomeBuying

    Navy Nuclear Vet's Journey To Mortgage Broker

  4. Sep 8

    From Navy To RCAF Pilot: Top Gun Dreams and 33 Years of Service

    In this episode of Helping The Brave Podcast, Ed Parcaut sits down with Jonathan Knaul for a thoughtful conversation about military service, operational stress, combat deployments, test piloting, and the hidden weight of caring for loved ones. Jonathan shares how he joined the Canadian Armed Forces in 1986, first serving in the Navy after Top Gun inspired him to pursue aviation. After four years, he transitioned into pilot training and went on to serve more than three decades full-time, mostly within the Royal Canadian Air Force. His career included time at Royal Military College, a PhD in chemical and materials engineering, helicopter operations, Kosovo, Afghanistan, and command of a Chinook helicopter fleet in combat. But the most personal part of the conversation comes when Jonathan talks about caregiver burnout. After leaving and returning to his role as a test pilot instructor in Mojave, he gave up his career for a season to care for his aging mother through dementia and mobility decline. That experience brought him to his knees in a way combat and first responder work had not, and it became the heart of his book, Final Approach: A Test Pilot's Story of Caring for Loved Ones. Ed and Jonathan also discuss PTSD, operational stress, vulnerability, military pride, the importance of professional help, and why community matters for veterans and caregivers alike. This is an episode about service, family, humility, and learning that strength sometimes means admitting you cannot do it alone. #HelpingTheBrave #EdParcaut #JonathanKnaul #VeteranCaregiver #CaregiverBurnout #RoyalCanadianAirForce #CanadianVeteran #MilitaryMentalHealth #PTSDRecovery #OperationalStress #VeteranSupport #DementiaCare #TestPilot #ChinookPilot #FinalApproach

    From Navy To RCAF Pilot: Top Gun Dreams and 33 Years of Service

  5. Sep 1

    Veterans Share Real Army Stories: Iraq And Afghanistan War

    In this episode of Helping The Brave Podcast, Ed Parcaut sits down with Jared Maxwell for a raw conversation about Army service, combat deployments, PTSD, law enforcement, and writing as a way to process the aftermath of war. Jared shares why he joined the Army after 9/11, how he became an Airborne infantryman, and what it was like deploying with the 82nd Airborne to Iraq in the early days of the war. He talks about serving in Fallujah before most Americans knew the name, conducting raids, and experiencing the confusion of fighting an enemy that did not wear a uniform. The conversation then moves into Afghanistan, where Jared served in Kunar Province, the Korengal Valley, and other highly contested areas. He explains what it was like living in small outposts, climbing mountains under fire, taking constant contact, and eventually developing PTSD after repeated combat exposure. By the end of his Army career, Jared had served nine years and spent roughly thirty-five months in combat. After the military, Jared moved into college, then law enforcement, where he served as a police officer and deputy sheriff for eleven years. Eventually, he leaned into the storytelling roots he grew up around and began writing books, including The Last Gunfighter, Wolfhound Dawn, and Code of Vengeance. This is an episode about war, transition, trauma, creativity, and how veterans can turn lived experience into meaningful work. *Contact Ed Parcaut:** - 🌍 Website: [edparcaut.com](http://edparcaut.com) - 📱 Twitter: [@edparcaut](https://twitter.com) For more resources and support, visit HelpingTheBrave.com. #HelpingTheBrave #EdParcaut #JaredMaxwell #ArmyVeteran #AirborneInfantry #82ndAirborne #VeteranTransition #PTSDAwareness #CombatVeteran #VeteranAuthor #MilitaryThriller #KorengalValley #Fallujah #LifeAfterService #VeteransHelpingVeterans

    Veterans Share Real Army Stories: Iraq And Afghanistan War

  6. Aug 25

    Trauma to Triumph: Navy's Vet's Divine Calling

    In this episode of Helping The Brave Podcast, Ed Parcaut sits down with Fenix Shepard for a powerful and deeply honest conversation about Navy service, military sexual trauma, PTSD, addiction, faith, forgiveness, and healing. Fenix shares why she joined the Navy after 9/11, how she served aboard the USS Vella Gulf and USS Preble, and how her life changed after being assaulted during service. She talks openly about the impact of military sexual trauma, the years of addiction and instability that followed, and the moment she finally reached out to the VA for help. The conversation also explores what recovery looked like over time. Fenix became what she calls a "yes person" to healing, saying yes to therapy, DBT, CBT, military sexual trauma groups, VA support, fitness, sobriety, spirituality, and the companionship of her PTSD service dog, Marley. She also shares how her memoir, Love Unconditional, came from her conversations with Christ and her long journey back to purpose. Ed and Fenix talk about trauma, forgiveness, military culture, women in service, VA mental health care, community care, service dogs, and the tools Fenix now uses to help others, including Havening techniques, neuro linguistic programming, and hypnotherapy. This episode is about surviving what should have broken you, choosing help, and using your healing to become a light for someone else. *Contact Ed Parcaut:** - 🌍 Website: [edparcaut.com](http://edparcaut.com) - 📱 Twitter: [@edparcaut](https://twitter.com) For more resources and support, visit HelpingTheBrave.com. #HelpingTheBrave #EdParcaut #FenixShepard #NavyVeteran #PTSDRecovery #MilitarySexualTrauma #MSTSurvivor #VeteranMentalHealth #TraumaHealing #VeteranRecovery #ServiceDog #FaithAndHealing #SobrietyJourney #VeteransHelpingVeterans #LoveUnconditional

    Trauma to Triumph: Navy's Vet's Divine Calling

  7. Aug 18

    US Army Veteran's Story: Desert Storm and Real Military Truths

    In this episode of Helping The Brave Podcast, Ed Parcaut sits down with Scott Lackey for a conversation about Army service, Desert Storm, military transition, endurance, writing, and what it means to keep rebuilding after life gets hard. Scott shares why he chose the Army, how he served in tactical telecommunications, and how a surprising assignment in Germany eventually led him into a front-row view of leadership and responsibility. He also talks about serving during Desert Shield and Desert Storm, the chaos of early deployment conditions, and the lasting impact of military experiences that are not always easy to explain. The conversation goes far beyond service history. Scott opens up about how difficult civilian life was after leaving the military, why his "make it happen" mindset did not translate the way he expected, and how years later he found himself confronting a list of broken promises to himself during COVID. That self-examination led him toward endurance goals like the Ironman and eventually toward writing his book, Wake Up to Die Again. This is an honest episode about veteran transition, identity, discipline, endurance, trauma, and learning how to keep your promises to yourself when no one else can do it for you. *Contact Ed Parcaut:** - 🌍 Website: [edparcaut.com](http://edparcaut.com) - 📱 Twitter: [@edparcaut](https://twitter.com) For more resources and support, visit HelpingTheBrave.com. #HelpingTheBrave #EdParcaut #ScottLackey #ArmyVeteran #DesertStorm #VeteranTransition #LifeAfterService #VeteranReinvention #IronmanMindset #MentalToughness #VeteranAuthor #PurposeAfterService #MilitaryToCivilian #EnduranceAthlete #WakeUpToDieAgain

    US Army Veteran's Story: Desert Storm and Real Military Truths

  8. Aug 11

    Dad, Surgeon, Officer: A Life of Healing And Storytelling

    In this episode of Helping The Brave Podcast, Ed Parcaut sits down with Sean Adelman for a thoughtful conversation about Air Force service, military medicine, transition, family, and what it means to keep growing after the uniform comes off. Sean shares why he chose the Air Force, how military service helped make medical school possible, and what it was like serving as a physician during a period marked by 9/11 and deployments to the Middle East. He also talks about taking care of special operations personnel, the unique culture of military medicine, and the difficulty of leaving a system and identity he thought would last for an entire career. The conversation goes deeper into veteran transition, self-worth, family, and perspective. Sean opens up about how his daughter with Down syndrome changed the way he measures success, happiness, and impact. He and Ed talk about mentorship, making a difference one person at a time, staying creative, writing books, and how veterans can find meaning again when life does not go the way they expected. This is an honest episode about service, transition, family, and learning to value the moments that matter most. *Contact Ed Parcaut:** - 🌍 Website: [edparcaut.com](http://edparcaut.com) - 📱 Twitter: [@edparcaut](https://twitter.com) For more resources and support, visit HelpingTheBrave.com. #HelpingTheBrave #EdParcaut #SeanAdelman #AirForceVeteran #VeteranTransition #LifeAfterService #MilitaryMedicine #TraumaSurgeon #PurposeAfterService #VeteranMindset #MilitaryFamily #OrthopedicTrauma #ServiceAfterService #VeteransHelpingVeterans #NextMission

    Dad, Surgeon, Officer: A Life of Healing And Storytelling
See All (248)

5
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

"Helping the Brave" is a weekly podcast dedicated to supporting veterans as they transition into civilian life and beyond. New episodes are uploaded every Tuesday, offering insights, guidance, and real-world advice to help veterans navigate new opportunities. Our mission is simple: veterans helping veterans succeed after service. We also strive to raise awareness about the importance of accessing the VA benefits you've earned. Tune in as we share valuable resources and empowering stories to help those who have served thrive in their next chapter.

Information

  • Creator
    Ed Parcaut
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    248
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Big Hangry Media, LLC
  • Show Website
    Helping The Brave Podcast