Transition Drill

Paul Pantani
  • 5.0 (48)
  • SOCIETY & CULTURE
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Transition Drill Podcast: explores identity, leadership, and life after service through long-form conversations with military veterans, police, fire, and first responders navigating career transition, purpose, and reinvention. Tactical Transition Tips: practical guidance for those preparing for career change, organized by transition timelines The Mindset Debrief: short-form reflections on accountability, discipline, self-leadership, and personal responsibility for people navigating life.

  1. 247. From Navy Corpsman to CEO of Innovo AI | Technology and Medical Device Leader. Jason Brooks

    2D AGO

    247. From Navy Corpsman to CEO of Innovo AI | Technology and Medical Device Leader. Jason Brooks

    In episode 247 of the Transition Drill Podcast, hear the journey of former Navy Corpsman Jason Brooks for veterans and first responders navigating the shift from service to health tech and agentic AI. Jason talks about the power of testing the waters during a career pivot, and what it takes to find your "North Star" after the uniform. Jason grew up in a intrigued by science and academic ambition, but his home life was far from stable. After his parents divorced, he spent his youth bouncing between New York and Pennsylvania, eventually finding himself on the streets and living in friends’ homes during high school. Despite the chaos, Jason maintained a laser focus on his dream of becoming a doctor, inspired by his Uncle Walter. A tragic car accident at age 17, where he felt helpless as a friend passed away, solidified his "why" and shifted his focus toward medicine and service. Though he initially resisted the military, Jason eventually joined the Navy as a Corpsman. His time in service was defined by the same curiosity that led him to science as a child. He thrived in the medical field, but like many, he reached a point where he had to decide what came next. His transition wasn't a straight line. He describes a process of "dipping his toes" into various opportunities, moving through a career that eventually shifted from direct patient care to the tech and business side of healthcare. Today, Jason is a leader in the health tech space as the CEO of Innovo AI, proving that the skills learned in the field translate directly to the corporate boardroom. He’s now a father of two, balancing his professional accomplishments with a commitment to his family and his roots. From working on seventh generation farms in the Hudson Valley to managing high-level healthcare operations, Jason’s story is a testament to seizing the day. He shares how to handle the friction of a tumultuous transition and why you should never be afraid to take a chance on a new direction, even if it feels like starting over. CONNECT WITH THE PODCAST: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paulpantani/ WEBSITE: https://www.transitiondrillpodcast.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulpantani/ SIGN-UP FOR THE NEWSLETTER: https://transitiondrillpodcast.com/home#about QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS: paul@transitiondrillpodcast.com SPONSORS: GRND Collective Get 15% off your purchase Link: https://thegrndcollective.com/ Promo Code: TRANSITION15 Blue Line Roasting Get 10% off your purchase Link: https://bluelineroasting.com Promocode: Transition10 Frontline Optics Get 10% off your purchase Link: https://frontlineoptics.com Promocode: Transition10 #transitiondrillpodcast #militarytransition #firstresponders

    2h 30m
  2. 246. Ryan Cunningham - The Unexpected End to His Flying and Military Career Marine Corps F-18 Pilot

    MAY 4

    246. Ryan Cunningham - The Unexpected End to His Flying and Military Career Marine Corps F-18 Pilot

    In episode 246 of the Transition Drill Podcast explore military transition, identity loss, and career reinvention for veterans and first responders navigating life after service. You’ll hear Ryan Cunningham on losing the profession he loved, rebuilding after an unexpected medical setback, and what it takes to create a new mission when the original plan ends. Ryan Cunningham’s story starts in Missouri before his family relocated to San Diego, where seeing fighter jets over Miramar changed the direction of his life. As a kid, he was a constant reader, competitive soccer player, and someone drawn to discipline, challenge, and service. That drive eventually took him to Florida State, where an early lack of direction turned into renewed purpose when he entered ROTC and later made the bold decision to leave the Army track for a shot at Marine Corps aviation. It was a gamble that required persistence, pressure, and family support, but it paid off. Ryan went on to earn a Marine pilot slot, excelled in flight training, finished first in primary, and selected jets. He flew the F-18, deployed overseas, supported combat operations over Iraq, and later became an instructor. He talks openly about the reality behind the dream career, the long training pipeline, leadership responsibilities, squadron life, and the difference between wanting to be a fighter pilot versus living the full demands of being a Marine officer. Then everything changed. A medical event in 2016 led to an 18-month battle to regain flight status. Ryan believed he’d return to the cockpit, but eventually learned his flying career was over. He shares the emotional toll of not knowing your last flight was your last flight, the anger that followed, and how time gave him a different perspective through family and fatherhood. After leaving active duty in 2018, Ryan transitioned with a newborn daughter and no clear roadmap. He leaned on relationships, accepted an opportunity in military simulation training, then moved into F-15 simulator instruction. Today, he works back at Miramar training F-35 students, proving that even when one chapter closes, experience, credibility, and purpose can still open the next one. CONNECT WITH THE PODCAST: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paulpantani/ WEBSITE: https://www.transitiondrillpodcast.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulpantani/ SIGN-UP FOR THE NEWSLETTER: https://transitiondrillpodcast.com/home#about QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS: paul@transitiondrillpodcast.com SPONSORS: GRND Collective Get 15% off your purchase Link: https://thegrndcollective.com/ Promo Code: TRANSITION15 Blue Line Roasting Get 10% off your purchase Link: https://bluelineroasting.com Promocode: Transition10 Frontline Optics Get 10% off your purchase Link: https://frontlineoptics.com Promocode: Transition10

    1h 15m
  3. 245. Eric Harmon | From Marine Corps MP to EOD Tech then MARSOC | Today Owner Gameday Men's Health

    APR 27

    245. Eric Harmon | From Marine Corps MP to EOD Tech then MARSOC | Today Owner Gameday Men's Health

    In episode 245 of the Transition Drill Podcast explore military transition, leadership under pressure, and career reinvention for veterans and first responders navigating life after service. You’ll hear Retired Master Sergeant Eric Harmon on the challenge of translating elite skills into the civilian world, and what it takes to build a new mission with real ownership and risk. Eric Harmon grew up in Southern California after spending part of his childhood in Hawaii, raised by a father who served as both a police officer and FBI agent. With no clear plan after high school, he entered the Marine Corps at 18, initially as a military police reservist before quickly committing to active duty. His early career placed him in Iraq, where he worked as part of a security element supporting EOD teams. That exposure shifted his trajectory. Watching those teams operate, he realized he wanted to be the one solving the problem, not just protecting the perimeter. After multiple deployments, Harmon made the transition into Explosive Ordnance Disposal. He approached EOD school with the mindset that it was his version of college, knowing that failure to learn could have real consequences downrange. Over the next 16 years, including time in MARSOC, he operated in high-risk environments where calm decision-making, pattern recognition, and adaptability were critical. He describes how those traits are built through repetition and experience, not personality. His transition out of the military forced a different kind of pressure. Moving into civilian life and eventually starting his own business, Harmon found that the stress shifted from mission execution to total accountability. Without the structure of the military, he became the single point of failure, responsible for every decision, outcome, and setback. That shift tested his leadership, forcing him to adapt how he communicates, manages people, and applies the skills he developed in uniform. Today, he the Game Day Men’s Health clinic in Tustin, CA, carrying forward the lessons from EOD into entrepreneurship. Eric also survived a horrific motorcycle crash after getting out of the Marine Corps and starting his business. His story highlights a key reality for transitioning service members. The technical skills may not always transfer directly, but the ability to lead, operate under pressure, and solve problems does. The challenge is learning how to apply them in a completely different environment. CONNECT WITH THE PODCAST: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paulpantani/ WEBSITE: https://www.transitiondrillpodcast.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulpantani/ SIGN-UP FOR THE NEWSLETTER: https://transitiondrillpodcast.com/home#about QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS: paul@transitiondrillpodcast.com SPONSORS: GRND Collective Get 15% off your purchase Link: https://thegrndcollective.com/ Promo Code: TRANSITION15 Blue Line Roasting Get 10% off your purchase Link: https://bluelineroasting.com Promocode: Transition10 Frontline Optics Get 10% off your purchase Link: https://frontlineoptics.com Promocode: Transition10

    2h 6m
  4. 244. Jeremy Vellon - Neglecting the Personal Mission Post Transition: He Bought a Fitness Gym. Navy CDR

    APR 20

    244. Jeremy Vellon - Neglecting the Personal Mission Post Transition: He Bought a Fitness Gym. Navy CDR

    Episode 244 of the Transition Drill Podcast explores the power of working backwards from a goal for veterans and first responders navigating the complexities of career shifts. You'll hear retired Navy Commander and helicopter pilot Jeremy Vellon on overcoming the friction of being an outsider, and what it takes to build a successful post-service life by finding your people. Jeremy's journey started in Brooklyn, inspired by a trip to the movies with his father to see Top Gun. That moment sparked a lifelong commitment to naval aviation. His father didn't just offer support; he laid out a clear roadmap of the grades, athletic milestones, and leadership skills required to reach the Naval Academy. Jeremy took that advice to heart, spending his youth working backwards from that singular objective despite being younger and smaller than his peers. Throughout his twenty-year career in the Navy, Jeremy leaned into the discipline of setting preconditions for success. Set to deploy on September 19, 2011, his unit was one of the first to go active after 9/11; deploying immediately to Afghanistan. He faced the harsh realities of service, including the loss of friends, which grounded his professional outlook in the gravity of the mission. This mindset of service and sacrifice was a family legacy, shared with his father who served during the Vietnam era. After retiring in 2018, Jeremy transitioned into a new chapter that prioritized his family and individual growth. Building on his military experience and his MBA from the University of Michigan, he embarked on a new Human Resources career, with a stop at Amazon, he was building his own HR Consulting company. But while he was focused on his career, he was not focused on himself. Then one day he struggled physically to get out of bed. With his wife’s prompting and the need to help care for his son, who has Cerebral Palsy, he realized he needed to put focus back on his personal fitness. That caused a new career pivot, and he and his wife are now owners of a Burn Bootcamp Fitness center. CONNECT WITH THE PODCAST: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paulpantani/ WEBSITE: https://www.transitiondrillpodcast.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulpantani/ SIGN-UP FOR THE NEWSLETTER: https://transitiondrillpodcast.com/home#about QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS: paul@transitiondrillpodcast.com SPONSORS: GRND Collective Get 15% off your purchase Link: https://thegrndcollective.com/ Promo Code: TRANSITION15 Blue Line Roasting Get 10% off your purchase Link: https://bluelineroasting.com Promocode: Transition10 Frontline Optics Get 10% off your purchase Link: https://frontlineoptics.com Promocode: Transition10

    2h 18m
  5. 243. Tony Bova | It Took a Decade to Become a Massachusetts State Trooper, Then it Nearly Destroyed Him.

    APR 13

    243. Tony Bova | It Took a Decade to Become a Massachusetts State Trooper, Then it Nearly Destroyed Him.

    Episode 243 of the Transition Drill Podcast explores law enforcement identity, career pressure, and life after the job for veterans and first responders navigating the reality that service can cost more than people see. Medically retired Massachusetts State Trooper Tony Bova shares his story on dyslexia, divorce, burnout, and what it takes to build purpose again when the uniform can’t be your whole life anymore. Tony Bova grew up in Massachusetts in a close Italian family, but school was never easy for him. He was diagnosed with dyslexia early, struggled academically, and spent years feeling like he had to work harder than everyone else just to keep up. That didn’t push him away from policing. In a lot of ways, it pulled him toward it. He found that while paperwork and report writing were a grind, handling problems in real time fit how he was wired. That became even clearer when he worked as a police cadet at UMass Amherst and realized this was the career he wanted. But getting there wasn’t simple. Tony talks about how long and frustrating the path into law enforcement was, including background issues that kept biting him even when he was trying to be honest. Before landing in the Massachusetts State Police, he worked through other roles that kept him close to the profession, including loss prevention, special police work, hospital policing at Mass General, and summer police work in Provincetown. Those jobs gave him a taste of the work while he kept pushing for the career he’d spent years chasing. Once he got to the state police, Tony did the job well and built the career he’d worked toward for roughly a decade. But the conversation gets honest about what came with it. He talks about the pressure inside the profession, the toll of constant fear-based thinking around retirement and job security, and how major personal pain, especially an arduous divorce, hit harder than the work itself. After surgery and time away, his perspective changed. He started looking at life outside the job and decided he didn’t want to be one of the people who retire, lose purpose, and fall apart. CONNECT WITH THE PODCAST: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paulpantani/ WEBSITE: https://www.transitiondrillpodcast.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulpantani/ SIGN-UP FOR THE NEWSLETTER: https://transitiondrillpodcast.com/home#about QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS: paul@transitiondrillpodcast.com SPONSORS: GRND Collective Get 15% off your purchase Link: https://thegrndcollective.com/ Promo Code: TRANSITION15 Blue Line Roasting Get 10% off your purchase Link: https://bluelineroasting.com Promocode: Transition10 Frontline Optics Get 10% off your purchase Link: https://frontlineoptics.com Promocode: Transition10

    3h 4m
  6. 242. Nick Graham | From Wrestling to Air Force Pararescue (PJ) | The Decision to Exit and Transition

    APR 6

    242. Nick Graham | From Wrestling to Air Force Pararescue (PJ) | The Decision to Exit and Transition

    Episode 242 of Transition Drill Podcast explores the high-stakes journey from Air Force Pararescue to civilian life for veterans and first responders navigating career shifts. You'll hear Nick Graham on the tension of leaving an elite special operations community, and what it takes to find a new mission through entrepreneurship and community leadership. Nick grew up in a complex family dynamic in Delaware, which instilled an early sense of resilience and the ability to "buckle down" during turbulent times. A competitive wrestler through high school and at the club level for the University of Delaware, he developed a deep-seated discipline that eventually led him to the military. Driven by a desire for a selfless challenge, Nick entered the grueling pipeline for Air Force Pararescue (PJ), one of the most demanding specialties in the special operations community. Throughout his time as a PJ, Nick operated at the tip of the spear, dedicated to the mantra "That Others May Live." However, the transition out of the military brought a new set of challenges as he grappled with the shift from a high-intensity environment to the civilian sector. Nick candidly discusses the identity hurdles many veterans face when their uniform is no longer their primary identifier. What stands out in Nick’s story isn’t just the path into pararescue. It’s the realization that came after. He struggled with the idea that he hadn’t done enough, that his service didn’t measure up. That’s where the deeper transition happens. Not leaving the military, but redefining what service actually means. This conversation is about that shift. From chasing identity to building it. From drifting to committing. And from questioning your worth to understanding it was there all along. CONNECT WITH THE PODCAST: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paulpantani/ WEBSITE: https://www.transitiondrillpodcast.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulpantani/ SIGN-UP FOR THE NEWSLETTER: https://transitiondrillpodcast.com/home#about QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS: paul@transitiondrillpodcast.com SPONSORS: GRND Collective Get 15% off your purchase Link: https://thegrndcollective.com/ Promo Code: TRANSITION15 Blue Line Roasting Get 10% off your purchase Link: https://bluelineroasting.com Promocode: Transition10 Frontline Optics Get 10% off your purchase Link: https://frontlineoptics.com Promocode: Transition10

    1h 44m
  7. 241. Injuries Forced his Retirement: Firefighter Engineer Paramedic. Next is Airline Pilot. Brian Yount

    MAR 30

    241. Injuries Forced his Retirement: Firefighter Engineer Paramedic. Next is Airline Pilot. Brian Yount

    In episode 241 of the of Transition Drill Podcast explores career setbacks, identity, and resilience for first responders navigating promotion, purpose, and long-term fulfillment. You’ll hear Brian Yount on being passed over for promotion, the internal battle that followed, and what it takes to keep showing up with professionalism and perspective. Brian Yount spent nearly 27 years in the fire service, retiring as a fire engineer and paramedic. His career didn’t follow the clean upward trajectory many expect. He worked for years in an informal leadership role, often serving as the steady presence between firefighters and captains, leading from the middle rather than from rank. Despite repeatedly testing well and even ranking at the top, he was passed over for promotion under the “rule of three,” a moment that tested not just his patience but his identity. He walks through what it actually feels like to come back to work the next day after a setback like that. Sitting at the table with people who know you got passed over. Facing leadership. Watching someone else step into the role you believed you earned. And then making a decision. Either let it define the rest of your career or get back to work and control what you can. Brian didn’t start out wanting this path. He grew up in Southern California, unsure of his direction, earning a degree in Russian and even serving in the Army Reserve before finding his way into the fire service. It wasn’t until he witnessed paramedics respond to a family emergency involving his grandfather that something clicked. That moment shifted everything and gave him clarity on what the job really meant. He talks about the grind of getting hired in the 1990s, putting himself through the fire academy, working unpaid as an auxiliary firefighter, and finding ways to build experience when opportunities were limited. He also shares how becoming a paramedic became the turning point that made him competitive. This conversation isn’t about titles or promotions. It’s about how you carry yourself when things don’t go your way, how you redefine success when the path changes, and how you continue to lead, even when no one formally gives you the position. CONNECT WITH THE PODCAST: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paulpantani/ WEBSITE: https://www.transitiondrillpodcast.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulpantani/ SIGN-UP FOR THE NEWSLETTER: https://transitiondrillpodcast.com/home#about QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS: paul@transitiondrillpodcast.com SPONSORS: GRND Collective Get 15% off your purchase Link: https://thegrndcollective.com/ Promo Code: TRANSITION15 Blue Line Roasting Get 10% off your purchase Link: https://bluelineroasting.com Promocode: Transition10 Frontline Optics Get 10% off your purchase Link: https://frontlineoptics.com Promocode: Transition10

    1h 42m
  8. Avoid the Comfort Zone in Civilian Transition | Your Next Objective

    MAR 26

    Avoid the Comfort Zone in Civilian Transition | Your Next Objective

    Your Next Objective podcast: Round 4, offers practical guidance and career readiness for military members, law enforcement, firefighters, organized based on how far out your transition is. In this episode: Stop Protecting Your Ego and Start Protecting Your Future You've built your entire career on being the person who moves toward the pressure. You're the one who figures things out when everyone else hesitates. Because of that, when someone tells you not to get comfortable, it probably doesn't land. You're not lazy, and you're certainly not avoiding hard work. But there’s a subtle trap that high performers in uniform often fall into. Over time, your expertise starts to feel like control. You know the rules, you understand your value, and you operate within a system that rewards your specific skills. The problem is that this familiarity can become a cage. If your identity is tied entirely to a role that won't last forever, you're taking a massive strategic risk. True growth doesn't happen when you're the expert; it happens in the uncomfortable space where you're willing to be a beginner again. In this episode of Your Next Objective (formerly Tactical Transition Tips), we’re diving into why your current "comfort" might be your biggest liability. We explore the "imposter paradox" and why feeling like a fraud in a new environment is actually a sign of building resilience. Whether you're hanging up the uniform next month or next decade, you have to close the gap between the value you bring and your ability to explain it to a world that doesn't speak your language. Tactical Tips for Your Timeline Close Range Group (Transitioning within a year): Never Stop Learning. You need to focus on translation learning by taking your tactical experience and figuring out how to turn it into actual business value for the civilian sector. Medium Range Group (Transitioning in 3 to 5 years): Find New Challenges. This is the time to seek out non-tactical projects or administrative roles that stress-test your identity outside of your primary job functions. Long Range Group (Transitioning in a decade or more): Always Be the Newbie. Cultivate intellectual humility by intentionally putting yourself in situations where your rank or position means nothing so you can decouple your ego from your job. The world outside doesn't care about your past mastery as much as it cares about your current ability to adapt. Don't wait until the uniform is gone to realize you've stayed in one place for too long. CONNECT WITH THE PODCAST: IG: https://www.instagram.com/paulpantani/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/yournextobjectivepodcast/ SIGN-UP FOR THE NEWSLETTER: https://transitiondrillpodcast.com/home#about QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS: paul@transitiondrillpodcast.com FOLLOW THE PODCAST Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0QNNRKmxkBPJ2w58yghYnn?si=bde9a24e14ac4b76 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-standard-within/id1882237502 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thestandardwithinpodcast SPONSORS: Blue Line Roasting Get 10% off your purchase Link: https://bluelineroasting.com Promocode: Transition10 Frontline Optics Get 10% off your purchase Link: https://frontlineoptics.com Promocode: Transition10

    21 min
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5
out of 5
48 Ratings

About

Transition Drill Podcast: explores identity, leadership, and life after service through long-form conversations with military veterans, police, fire, and first responders navigating career transition, purpose, and reinvention. Tactical Transition Tips: practical guidance for those preparing for career change, organized by transition timelines The Mindset Debrief: short-form reflections on accountability, discipline, self-leadership, and personal responsibility for people navigating life.

Information

  • Creator
    Paul Pantani
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    410
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Paul Pantani
  • Show Website
    Transition Drill

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