Eagle Ops: The Rally Point Podcast

Blue Couch Studio

Welcome to EAGLE OPS: The Rally Point Podcast …a place where stories are told, connections are made, and the mission continues. As part of our Reach One More Operation, this podcast brings you face-to-face with veterans, the resources that support them, and the people working behind the scenes to make an impact. This is more than a podcast Meet us at the Rally Point!

  1. 2d ago

    How United Rentals Hires, Trains & Pays Veterans: ft. Michele White

    United Rentals is the largest equipment rental company in the world — 28,000+ employees, and just under 10% are veterans. Operations Manager Michele White joins the Eagle Ops Rally Point Podcast to reveal how they actually help veterans: on-the-job training through Vet to Tech (STEP) and DoD SkillBridge, $5,000 toward a CDL, and a full tool chest bought for every tech who completes the program. But this goes deeper than hiring. Michele shares the story of Greg Shanahan and the 486th Civil Battalion, the friend whose legacy became a company-wide award and an annual luncheon feeding 150–200 soldiers, plus the awards that back it all up: the HIRE Vets Medallion, Military Friendly Employer (Gold), and "America's Most Patriotic Company." If you're a veteran, here's your move: apply at unitedrentals.com under Careers, then call a contact directly: Amir at 972-330-3748 or Kelly French at 949-392-2710 (both veterans) for a warm intro. And if you run a company with a strong veteran presence, this episode is your blueprint. United Rentals didn't just cut a check, they built the entire "Fore the Vets" charity golf tournament, now in its 4th year (October 23rd at Battle Creek). Michele's challenge to other companies is simple: "Get involved. It's not hard." Download the Eagle Ops Impact Guide to see exactly how to sponsor or participate in a Rally Point. https://impact.eagleops.org/eagle-ops-community-support-funnel Veterans and families: cost of admission is just showing up. Find 30–40 free events a month at eagleops.org/calendar, and grab the free Veteran Resource Guide at: https://resources.eagleops.org/eagle-ops-veteran-resource-guide-funnel-page Until next time ...meet us at the rally point.

    How United Rentals Hires, Trains & Pays Veterans: ft. Michele White
  2. Jul 7

    Life After the Army: Mike & Amanda Pickens on Transition, Isolation & Found Family

    After 22 years, four deployments, and duty stations from Fort Bragg to Korea to Italy, retired Army First Sergeant and Ranger Mike Pickens and his wife, Army veteran Amanda Pickens, thought coming home to Oklahoma would be the easy part. It wasn't. In this honest, deeply relatable conversation, Mike and Amanda open up about the side of military life that rarely gets talked about: the transition out. They share what it was like to raise two kids overseas with no family nearby, why the structure and built-in community of the military is so hard to replace, and the quiet shock of returning "home" to find that friends and even family had moved on. Amanda speaks candidly about the mental-health toll of that isolation, and Mike reflects on trading a career of leading soldiers for a mission he never trained for — figuring out who you are after the uniform comes off. Then they found the Eagle Ops Foundation. What started as showing up to a golf night with zero interest in golf became something they didn't know they were missing: a positive social connection with other veterans, a "found family," and a support system built for the whole family — not just the service member. Whether you're a veteran, a military spouse, or someone who loves one, this episode is a powerful reminder that the hardest battles often come after service — and that no one has to fight them alone. 🇺🇸 Learn more about the Eagle Ops Foundation and find a Rally Point near you. Subscribe wherever you listen — Apple, Spotify, and YouTube — and we'll see you at the next Rally Point.

    Life After the Army: Mike & Amanda Pickens on Transition, Isolation & Found Family

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About

Welcome to EAGLE OPS: The Rally Point Podcast …a place where stories are told, connections are made, and the mission continues. As part of our Reach One More Operation, this podcast brings you face-to-face with veterans, the resources that support them, and the people working behind the scenes to make an impact. This is more than a podcast Meet us at the Rally Point!