2021 MIM_AUGUST

A SIT DOWN WITH FLORIDA PANTHERS’ CEO

MATT CALDWELL

MANAGING WORKPLACE STRESS

OLYMPIC BOXER

When my husband was planning his retirement from the Marine Corps, he was so stressed out about finding employment that he zeroed in on the first company that offered him a job. So, after 20 years of living at different zip codes, he somehow roped me into one last move. (I blame the rolled sleeves for this persuasive skillset he possessed on active duty).

Now, PCS’ing as a military couple can be hard, but let me tell you about the challenge of moving for a non-military reason. I had no obvious outlet to meet people. Ron wasn’t in a unit anymore, I work remotely, and my kids are at an age where play dates are no longer cool. For an outgoing Jersey girl, the isolating feeling made me hate where we live. Hate.

When you allow hate to rule your day, it seeps into every other facet of your life: your relationships, your work, your household, and even your feelings about yourself.

The pity party was short lived because I found the most obvious space where people congregate over and over: the gym. It was actually comical that I had to workout if I wanted to make friends — some would call it killing two birds with one stone.

Fitness is such a huge part of our community, especially since it has implications for a service member’s career. It is also a constant wherever we go — from base gyms to Crossfit to stroller running groups to local mom and pop shops outside the gate. It was natural for us to showcase this priority in our lives by introducing

Kari Williams

Kaitlynn Copinger

Tiffany Eve Lawrence

Allison Churchill Kate Lewis

Chris Adams

Teal Yost

Andrea Downing Peck

Susan Malandrino

Rear Adm. Brian E. Luther, USN (Ret.)

you to stories that will inspire you — like Staff Sgt. Naomi Graham who is chasing gold in Tokyo and the Army Chick Fitness Team who train female soldiers to get ACFT ready.

What value does fitness hold in your personal or professional life? Share your story with other military influencers on Facebook.

Bianca M. Strzalkowski Managing Editor

Team USA boxer and Army Staff Sgt. Naomi Graham.

Photo by Nathaniel Garcia.

by Allison Churchill

by Melissa Stewart

by Kari Williams

Individuals can subscribe to receive digital editions at https://www. ameriforcemedia.com/militaryinfluencer. Editorial comments can be emailed to managing.editor@ameriforcemedia.com Military Influencer Magazine is published by AmeriForce Media, LLC, Bloomington, Indiana, a private company. Information and advertisements in this publication do not constitute endorsement by any branch of the military or the Department of Defense. No part of this publication may be copied without the express written permission of the publishers. AmeriForce Media, LLC, the publishers, and publisher’s agents make no endorsement of any advertised services or products and none should be inferred.

by Kaitlynn Copinger

by Susan Malandrino

JAPANESE AMERICAN SOLDIERS OF

STAMP HONORS WWII

BY SUSAN MALANDRINO

This summer, the U.S. Postal Service issued the Go For Broke: Japanese American Soldiers of WWII. The commemorative Forever stamp honors the secondgeneration Japanese Americans who formed one of the most distinguished American fighting units of World War II — the allJapanese American 100th Infantry Battalion/442nd Regimental Combat Team — whose motto was “Go for Broke.”

“As a military veteran, I have the greatest appreciation for the more than 33,000 Nisei, or second-generation Japanese Americans, that served our nation during

World War II,” Donald L. Moak, a member of the U.S. Postal Service Board of Governors, said in a release.

Known as Nisei, many of these second-generation Japanese Americans fought in the Pacific theater. The Army also turned to Nisei to serve as

translators, interpreters, and interrogators for the Military Intelligence Service. Nearly 1,000 Nisei served in the 1399th Engineering Construction Battalion and more than 100 Nisei women joined the Women’s Army Corps. Altogether, some 33,000 Japanese Americans served in the U.S. Army during World War II.

Director of Stamp Services at the USPS, Bill Gicker, says this stamp recognizes bravery and a broad contribution to the war effort.

“With our stamp program, we tried to exemplify or demonstrate the best of our country.”

Over the years the Citizen Stamp Advisory Committee, a group appointed by the Postmaster General that selects subjects for recommendation as future stamp issues, has received many moving letters on behalf of the Nisei, Gicker said.

The committee reviews each submission and then recommends just over 2,000 a year, a mere fraction of the requests. In terms of military history, the Postal Service does not recognize individual units because there are so many.

According to Gicker, instead of recognizing the regiment,

the service was able to recognize the contributions of Japanese-Americans during WWII.

“So, when we started looking at how to do this, or how to go about doing this, the design challenge was how do you represent everyone?” he said. “What we ended up doing was, we went for an every-man approach.”

Designed by Antonio Alcalá, the stamp is based on a photograph of a member of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. The photograph, taken in 1944 at a railroad station in France, was printed in the

intaglio print method. The color scheme is patriotic, and the type runs up the side in a manner suggestive of the vertical style in which Japanese text was traditionally written.

Gicker says that stamps are educational but with oneinch by one-inch, there isn’t much room to tell a story.

“Our goal is always to try and capture your attention, and intrigue you ... to further lean in and learn, learn more about whatever the subject matter is, but, but in this case about Japanese Americans of World War II,” he concluded.

COURTESY OF THE US WAR DEPARTMENT, LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

MANAGING STRESS

IN THE WORKPLACE POST-COVID

BY KARI WILLIAMS

“I think it’s a communication issue,” Theresa Adams, senior knowledge advisor at the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM), said. “It’s important that managers and HR communicate what’s available, but also that employees take responsibility for communicating what their needs are and [do it] in a positive way, as opposed to being entitled to something.”

Several factors, including safety, health, and child care, can add stress to a return to the workplace, according to Adams.

SHRM found in its “Navigating COVID-19: Returning to the Workplace” survey that 36% of organizations with a returnto-work policy have child care plans in place, while 24% without a policy have child care plans in place. The survey, conducted in May 2020, garnered 1,087 responses from SHRM members.

Flexibility and transparency are key for employees and employers alike, as returns to the workplace become a reality amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

“That’s a major concern for people, especially given [that] although vaccines are rolling out pretty steadily, quite a few people have chosen not to get a vaccine,” Adams said. “I think that creates some stress.”

In a separate survey, SHRM found that 28% of workers reported they do not plan to get vaccinated against the virus, even if it costs them their job.

Nearly 145 million Americans – roughly 44% – have been fully vaccinated, according to

To help transition back to the office setting, Adams also said to make a plan for “personal obligations,” such as child care and who will feed the family for dinner, well in advance.

However, 68% of organizations reported they would “probably or definitely” adopt broader, or more relaxed, policies that accommodate remote work, according to the SHRM survey.

“Employers are making accommodations for employees based on specific needs, whether that be child care [or] safety issues,” Adams said.

Physical, mental, and emotional needs also should be incorporated into a return-to-work plan, she said.

“Self-care can go a long way to ease that transition,” she said.

Employers, according to Adams, are “ramping up or enriching” the counseling services they offer to staff and educating employees on how to manage stress.

Department of Veterans Affairs National Center for PTSD.

“Veterans and COVID-19: Projecting the Economic, Social, and Mental Health Needs of America’s Veterans,” a 2020 study conducted by the Bob Woodruff Foundation, found that a majority of veterans presented a need for mental health care during the pandemic.

“In this current period of tremendous public health and economic vulnerability and inevitably, as we enter the stressful period of recovery that lies ahead, communities are likely to be even more challenged to provide the services that veterans need, in light of the massive problems facing their general populations at large,” the study stated.

Because social interactions have been limited in the past year, Adams said, it’s “not uncommon” to feel awkward.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data as of June 14

Because of safety concerns, Adams said employers can take precautions into their own hands by bringing their own hand sanitizer or sanitizing wipes to the workplace, even though most companies provide such items.

“You can’t control the whole environment that you’re in, but typically you can control your workspace,” Adams said.

SHRM’s “Navigating COVID-19: Impact of the Pandemic on Mental Health” survey – in which 1,099 U.S. employees were interviewed through an online panel earlier this year – found that more than two out of five employees reported feeling burned out due to stress. That group, according to Adams, is more likely to experience depression symptoms.

For those who have been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress, the pandemic can increase related symptoms, according to the

“We’re all in the same boat,” Adams said. “And certainly, those anxieties will pass once you get into the routine of the new normal. Also, monitor your anxiety at work and find someone to talk about it with like your manager or human resources, or if your company offers an employee assistance program.”

But overall, Adams said, everyone is in it together.

“Find patience when interacting with people,” Adams said. “Your manager, your coworkers, and so on. Recognize that things are getting better, and get help if you need it.”

FIGHTING FOR GOLD

Boxer and Army Staff Sgt. Naomi Graham isn’t pulling any punches in the Tokyo Olympics

BY MELISSA STEWART

When it comes to the Olympic Games, Team USA athlete and Army Staff Sgt. Naomi Graham isn’t pulling any punches. Her chance at making an ultimate dream come true is finally here — fighting for her country in the boxing ring.

“I just want to box,” said America’s no. 1 middleweight a few weeks before the start of the Tokyo Olympics. “My goal has always been to go to the Olympics. [If I won a medal] I would probably break down crying in the middle of the ring. I can really feel that.”

Even if she doesn’t bring home the gold, Graham will enjoy the significance of being the first female active-duty service member to compete in the Games. The 32-year-old ranked first in the 2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials for boxing … then COVID happened, postponing the Summer Olympics for another year.

The news was a disappointment just a week before the qualifiers, Graham says, but it didn’t knock her out. In fact, she used the opportunity to improve.

“I told myself, you know, ‘I’ll just work on more things.’ There are always things to work on. There are so many different ways to throw a combination. It’s a lot to learn.”

This year, Graham says she’s more ready than ever and actually grateful for the additional time to train.

“No matter what, you get it done, and I feel like that’s why I was one of the ones to handle the COVID situation the best,” she said. “I was like, ‘Well, we can only do

“I said that I was going to be bigger than everybody expected me to be. I was going to go for everything that I want to do — all of my goals — and I set them up. And that’s what I’ve been going for.”

what we can do, but I know I want to be an Olympian. So I’m going to do what it takes to be an Olympian.”

Discovering the gloves

Overcoming adversity isn’t new to Graham. She grew up in Fayetteville, North Carolina, one of six children in a lower-income family, and describes being homeless and involved with a tough crowd at one point during her younger years.

It wasn’t easy, she says, but her struggle eventually helped with motivation.

“Not being able to do sports I wanted to do, you know, it made me want to be successful even more,” she said. “I said that I was going to be bigger than everybody expected me to be. I was going to go for everything that I want to do — all of my goals — and I set them up. And that’s what I’ve been going for,

you know, and I really do think that it helped me fight hard.”

Graham first got the urge to fight while watching her sister become involved with the sport and following her to a local boxing gym. She attributes her military aspirations to another family member — her mother, who served for six years.

“I told my mom I wanted to give back and be a part

of something bigger than myself,” Graham said. “So I would talk to her about it. I knew at a young age I wanted to join.”

Her first duty station was with the 1st Attack Reconnaissance Battalion, 4th Aviation Regiment at Fort Carson, Colorado.

After winning the All-Army boxing title in 2014, she joined the Army’s World Class Athlete Program (WCAP), also at Fort Carson.

Graham says the Army, as well as WCAP, made a big difference in her development as a boxer because it allowed her to train full time for the Olympics. She adds the Army does its best to provide all of the resources she needs as an elite athlete — equipment, coaches, etc.

Regular training and resources led her to her first event at the national level with WCAP in 2015. Graham then competed in the Olympic Trials, after just 10 fights, by the end of that year.

“If I feel like I can’t go any further or I’m tired, I push past it,” she said. “I feel like I’m constantly surprising myself and showing myself

how strong I am physically and mentally as well. It takes a lot to get in there.”

Passion trumps pain

For Graham, the physical challenges of fighting are easier to overcome.

“I didn’t know what to expect my first fight,” said Graham about bracing for repeated blows to her body. “I was very nervous. Punches felt different in the beginning, but as you keep going and get to the international level, people think it hurts but it really doesn’t. Unless they throw something really, really hard, it’s not what people think.”

What is more difficult? Preparing the mind, she says.

“I went through a lot with boxing, and honestly, you know, the sport is you going against someone else’s will. I feel like it’s brought a lot out of me and taught me a lot about myself.”

Graham’s will is not to achieve personal success alone. She also strives to set an example.

“I love this sport,” she said. “I am passionate about this sport. I want to show people that they can come from not having much and be an Olympian. I have to remind myself, I’m not doing this for me. Other people may be in my situation or worse. They may look up to me. Whatever goal they have in their life, they may be like, ‘You know what, I could do it if she did it.’”

This two-time national middleweight champion boxer has done a lot, including winning a gold medal in the 2019 Pan American Games . Despite all of her achievements in the amateur arena, Graham says she has no desire to go pro. While many fellow boxers she knows have the ultimate goal to get a World Boxing Council or pro belt, Graham says she has always been focused on wearing her coveted prize around her neck.

“I always told myself I was going to the Olympics,” she said. “Never put limitations on yourself. You have to

RAPID FIRE

Best training fuel?

My go-to drink is a mix of tart cherry, elderberry, turmeric, and ginger.

Favorite cheat meal?

Cold Stone Creamery or cheesecake.

How do you prepare for a match?

Meditation is mainly what I do. I’m visualizing what I want to do and what I want to happen.

Has your military training given you an advantage?

Through patience and resiliency. I feel like the Army makes you feel like no matter what, you get it done.

Do you get scared before entering the ring?

Everybody gets a nervous feeling before they get in. They say if you stop getting that feeling, you should stop boxing.

never give up, stay focused on your goals and your dreams and anything is possible for anyone.”

MISTAKES PLANNING

BY REAR ADM. BRIAN E. LUTHER, USN (RET.) — ADVERTISEMENT

1. Not starting early enough.

Compound interest is your friend. The earlier you start saving for retirement, the longer there is for compounding to occur. Time in market plays one of the biggest roles in growing your wealth. Take two people, for example.

Person A starts saving $100 per month at age 25.

Person B starts at age 35. Assuming a 3% interest rate, Person A will have approximately $92,000 at age 65, but Person B will only have about $58,000 – and the difference in their contributions? Only $12,000.

2. Not taking advantage of an employer match. An employer match is any amount of money that your employer will contribute to your retirement plan on your behalf. Typically, you must contribute a certain percentage of your salary to earn the entire match. This is free money. Even if your employer match is only 1%, if you make $50,000 annually, that’s $500 in free money that can earn interest after being invested. Always, if you can afford it, contribute as much as is required to take advantage of an employer match.

3. Not considering your standard of living. Consider your ideal lifestyle in retirement. If you want to live a life of luxury, you may need 100% of your pre-retirement income each year, but if you are going to dial it back, you may only need 70%. No one wants to run out of money in retirement – you cannot get a loan for retirement living – so you need to plan ahead to avoid having to find additional sources of income or asking your family for support.

4. Pulling money from retirement accounts early. If you withdraw contributions from a nonRoth retirement account before you reach age 59 ½, you will have to pay taxes and may incur a 10% penalty – to be paid up front. It’s hard to catch up to where you were if you make an early withdrawal. Not only do you lose future earning capabilities on the amount withdrawn, you will never recover any penalties and taxes paid. If you can wait to make withdrawals until retirement, do so.

5. Ignoring long-term care. Long-term care, such as nursing homes or assisted living facilities, is expensive and the majority of Americans will need some level of care during their lives. Health insurance generally does not cover long-term care, and instead of asking family members for help or depleting your retirement funds, purchasing insurance can protect you financially should the need for care arise. Some life insurance plans have a long-term care or chronic illness feature that allows you to access your death benefit early should you need to cover associated costs.

6. Not considering taxes. When it comes to retirement, you can invest in a Roth or traditional account. Money deposited into a Roth account is taxed upfront and grows tax-free, meaning that when you take out distributions in retirement, you will not be taxed. Traditional accounts are the opposite. Money is invested tax-free, but distributions count toward your taxable income and are taxed as such. Furthermore, if you receive Social Security benefits and your income is more than $25,000 (single) or $32,000 (married), you will be required to pay taxes on at least 50% of those benefits as well. Paying attention to how taxes will affect you in the future can help you create a plan for any tax bills that may need to be paid during retirement.

There are many mistakes that can be made when it comes to planning for retirement, but the good news is, they can be avoided. Start saving now and let your money do the hard work for you.

Rear Admiral Brian E. Luther, USN, (Ret.) served as a naval aviator in the U.S. Navy. He is currently President and CEO of Navy Mutual.

Here are 6 common retirement mistakes to avoid:

Having a comfortable standard of living in retirement is one of the reasons you work and save for right now. To fund it, you need to plan for your savings and investments. Most experts suggest that you need 70–80% of your pre-retirement income for each year that you will be retired, meaning that if you retire at 67 and live to 100, your plan for retirement would need to provide for 33 years worth of income.

New CBS sitcom shows

struggle of homecoming, plight of Afghan interpreters

BY KAITLYNN COPINGER

When Riley, a Marine veteran, was asked to speak at a fundraiser for interpreters awaiting their visas, the attention and praise was too much. Feeling panicked, he had to walk away and get some air.

It’s a scene — one of the many challenges of homecoming — that veterans and their families might recognize. The difference, this time, is that it’s on TV.

“United States of Al,” created by Maria Ferrari and David Goetsch and produced by Chuck Lorre, debuted this spring on CBS. The sitcom centers around Riley, a Marine returning from combat in Afghanistan, and his friend, Awalmir, better known as Al, an Afghan interpreter with his unit who has secured a visa, as they adjust to life in Riley’s hometown.

“This is an opportunity to take the military world that we all knew and bring it

to a larger audience,” said Chase Millsap, a consultant on the show and chief content officer for We Are the Mighty.

It helps that there’s plenty of lived experience contributing to the show. The writing staff includes a Navy veteran, a Marine spouse and an Afghan who worked as a translator for the New York Times.

“We try to ground it in as much reality as possible, and then we try to take an entertaining flair to it,” said

Millsap, who served for 10 years, five with the Marines (including three combat tours in Iraq) and five with the Green Berets.

While “United States of Al” is a sitcom, finding humor as Al (Adhir Kalyan), the Afghan interpreterturned-fish out of water, encounters American experiences for the first time, it also deals with serious topics.

Al shares similarities with an Iraqi who saved Millsap’s life, and whom he

calls “the captain.” Millsap tried, unsuccessfully, to help the captain and his family secure visas to find safety in the U.S., a journey he described in a 2016 documentary.

“These are people who stood by us, so now it’s our time to stand by them,” Millsap said.

Al, the character, was able to come to the U.S., but more than 18,000 Afghans , many of them interpreters, are still awaiting decisions on their Special Immigrant Visas, or SIVs. As the U.S. prepares to formally end its Afghanistan mission, the Biden administration said at the time of reporting that it planned to begin evacuating interpreters whose lives are at risk starting in July

The cast and crew have tried to publicize the plight of interpreters like Al.

“Not everyone is as lucky as Al,” said Kalyan, in a PSA recently produced for No One Left Behind, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping families navigate the SIV process.

“We want to tell this story so that we can change the narrative and shine a light on the situation, and hopefully bring these guys to safety — or at least as many of them as we can,” Parker Young, the actor who plays Riley, said in an interview.

As for Riley’s character, Young’s role provides an intimate look at the struggles a veteran experiences when he returns home. To prepare, Young drew on his friendship with a group of Navy SEALs, some of whom have transitioned back into civilian life and struggled with the change. He also leaned heavily on Millsap’s

experience and input, going with him at one point to visit Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton.

In Young’s observation, there are numerous factors that can make the homecoming process challenging. The loss of mission, grief over those who didn’t make it back and the departure from a “high-adrenaline lifestyle” are a few.

“People in this world don’t operate at that same level, and I think that can be really confusing,” Young said.

One topic that Young and Millsap have discussed, as they’ve worked on the show, is the absence of a clear homecoming procedure for transitioning veterans.

“Because there’s no one path, that gives us a lot of legroom to have Riley’s character explore things,”

Millsap said.

“The Fundraiser,” episode 106, where Riley has to walk away before a speech he was supposed to give, was a special episode for both Millsap and Young.

“That weight of the world, it does feel like it falls on you sometimes. Especially after service, when it’s really not your job. You do it because it’s the right thing to do,” said Millsap, who helped to write Al’s speech for the episode.

“It’s a lot to take on, and we try to do it in 22 minutes,” he said. “That’s the challenge and also the fun of this kind of storytelling.”

There will be more stories to tell, as “United States of Al” has been renewed for a second season. The show can be seen on CBS Thursdays at 8:30 p.m. ET/7:30 p.m. CT.

OPTS FOR

HARD WORK

CELEBRITY TRAINER OVER SHORTCUTS

BY TEAL YOST

Life after serving in the military takes former service members in a variety of directions. But not many can say their work has them getting celebrities red-carpet ready or prepared for the physical demands of a multi-city music tour.

Celebrity trainer Erin Oprea has never shied from hard work, which she credits to her success in the fitness industry.

Oprea enlisted in the Marines when she was 20.

“I thought it looked like it would be fun and would be a challenge,” she said.

She served for nine years, including two tours in Iraq, making history when she led the first female platoon attached to the infantry in a war zone. Though, she prefers to just think of it as “doing her job.”

“When I was in the Marine Corps, I wanted to be treated the same as men. I always wanted to go boot camp with my male counterparts, to do it the same and be held to the same expectations,” she said.

Years after leaving platoon life, Oprea looks back at that time fondly.

“My favorite thing about the military was the camaraderie. The relationships you build while serving are unlike any other because you experience something together that nobody else (outside of the military) can relate to.”

A certified personal trainer before enlisting, Oprea dove back into fitness when she left active-duty service.

“Fitness is my passion. There was no question I would get right back into it.”

But she says she noticed other former service members took the opposite approach to health and fitness when their time in uniform came to an end.

“When you’re in the military, you’re required to stay in shape; it’s part of your job. And I think people hold on to that feeling once they’re out. They’ve always considered exercise as work, something they have

to do, something they dread,” Oprea noted.

One of her goals as a trainer is to get clients to think of exercise differently.

“You have to change your mindset. If you change your mindset, your whole world changes. If you’re lucky, moving your body is something you get to do. I like people to smile when they work out. I don’t want people to feel like it’s a job,” Oprea said.

A true believer in hard work over shortcuts, Oprea stopped at nothing to get her personal training business off the ground.

“I cleaned houses while I built my training business. You do what you need to do to make ends meet.”

That business was built with grit, discipline and word of mouth as Oprea’s client list grew to include business executives and then celebrities, including some of country music’s biggest names –– Aubrey Sellers,

Leanne Womack, and eventually — Grammy award winner Carrie Underwood.

“I had three interviews before getting the gig as her trainer,” she said. “I don’t like to take credit for my clients reaching their fitness goals. Carrie — she works hard.”

But training superstars wasn’t part of her original plan.

“It was never my goal to train celebrities. It’s never been about fame for me.”

Oprea says she finds just as much fulfillment in working with the people who don’t spend their days in music studios and nights walking red carpets.

“I want everyone to feel strong and happy, but there aren’t enough hours in the day for me to train everyone.”

That’s why Oprea developed “Pretty Muscles,” her very own fitness and nutrition app.

“This way, I can be everyone’s trainer. I wanted to name the app Pretty Muscles because muscles are pretty; strong is beautiful.”

Oprea says she knows there are hundreds of fitness and nutrition apps out there, so what makes Pretty Muscles different?

“My philosophy is to approach fitness in a fun, non-fancy way. When you work out with this app, every single day is different for the entire year. It doesn’t get boring. That, and the music is great. You can’t have a good

workout without a good playlist,” Oprea added.

The app includes meal plans, a macro calculator, and daily guided workouts — everything you need to feel your absolute best, no rucking required.

“Fitness can be fun and enjoyable. Fitness can be sledding with your kids on a snowy Sunday or dancing around your house. The most important thing is to move, with whatever movement brings you joy.”

“I cleaned houses while I built my training business. You do what you need to do to make ends meet.”

Community remains heart of team for Florida Panthers CEO

BY CHRIS ADAMS

Professional team sports have changed. It used to be singular in purpose, focused on one objective — Super Bowl, World Series, or the Stanley Cup. And in the past, community outreach by teams seemed secondary and predicated on optics. In the current world of rapid social change, sports franchises genuinely appear to be shifting priorities and connecting with America’s constant transformation.

Reaching out to others is now as much the mission as are wins and losses or postseason glory — along with becoming involved in local politics if you’re the San Francisco 49ers. The NHL’s

Florida Panthers personify this public-spirited ethos too.

“I think it all starts with community. It’s a word I think some teams, franchises, companies, sometimes just kind of throw out there as a … philanthropic effort,” Florida Panthers CEO Matt Caldwell told Military Influencer Magazine. “But for our owner and our staff, it’s much more than that.”

The organization considers the community as owners of the franchise, and the franchise as the guardian in trust between the team and the community, Caldwell says.

“At the end of the day, it’s

such an emotional business that we’re in, and we know that the fans love the team, and they’re many ups and downs,” he said. “So, the more that we can give back — and really give back — not just like go cut a check but like go out there and be there for the community and participate in activities, be there in times of crisis.”

This commitment to fans, locals, and veterans is evident in the team’s latest endeavor. The Panthers have repurposed the War Memorial Auditorium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, into a practice facility comprising two sheets of ice and a hub for community activities and entertainment. Caldwell envisions it as a place where

locals can participate in many recreational pursuits such as adult and youth hockey, figure skating, and public skating.

Live music events are another form of entertainment the auditorium will host. Caldwell said the Panthers have a strong relationship with Live Nation, and the ballroom-style venue would be perfect for rising performing artists who command audiences of up to 3,000-4,000 people.

The City of Fort Lauderdaleoperated facility needed a change. The city approached the Panthers about transforming the mid-century, art-deco

auditorium into a viable community asset. So the time for redirecting the property’s use seemed right, Caldwell said. After a series of developments and meetings, the Panthers and owner Vinnie Viola went all-in on the revitalization project.

Constructed as a tribute to military heroes in Fort Lauderdale’s Holiday Park, War Memorial Auditorium began hosting music and sporting events more than 70 years ago, ranging from Buddy Holly to Héctor Camacho. According to the Panthers, other highlights of the project include an indoor/outdoor restaurant, new community fitness, and recreation spaces, and upgrades to the park’s sports and recreation facilities.

The military’s influence on the organization is

what moves it to make a difference in the lives of veterans and civilians in the region. It all begins with the person at the top, Caldwell said.

“Vinnie is one of the most patriotic people I’ve ever met. Loves West Point, loves the Army, so it starts with him.”

He said Viola uses the Panthers as a resource to support veterans, and as an outreach platform to better the community, citing the Panther’s tradition of honoring a veteran at each game.

“You know, I’ve seen folks do this across all sports, but I’m very proud of our platform. It’s very impactful … it’s just so genuine and a part of our DNA. I think the crowd can feel it.”

But hockey will be a primary

driver for the auditorium. Part of the franchise’s intent is to develop the sport in South Florida. The team plays its games at the BB&T Center in Sunrise, roughly 11 miles west of Fort Lauderdale.

“We’re putting in a thousand seats for viewing stands for people to watch practice … we want to keep growing. Hockey is

still in its infancy here in Florida,” Caldwell said, also noting that the Stanley Cup champions, Tampa Bay Lightning, are still building their fanbase.

“The more that we can grow the game, get people in the community out to practices is the better for our brand. Then they’re more likely to come to games here in Sunrise.”

The NHL Florida Panthers

The NHL Florida Panthers finished up the 2021 campaign, playing the defending 2020 Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning in a playoff round. The team’s in-state rival ended up on the right side of victory. And though a highly successful season ended, the organization’s efforts to be an impactful difference in South Florida continue.

A cornerstone component of the Panthers communityoriented platform is its outreach to veterans and promoting the military.

“I think it’s part of our foundation,” John Colombo, senior director of community relations and the Florida Panthers Foundation, said. “It’s one of our four pillars that we stand on.”

He added the leadership brought military values to the organization and into the daily operations of the franchise.

“As an organization, we all have an extremely strong affinity for the military. It goes into everything we do,” Colombo said. “Anybody that’s a casual fan of hockey knows that the Panthers are passionate about helping veterans and supporting veterans any way we can. Supporting active-duty as well.”

The franchise’s Heroes Among Us program introduces an extraordinary veteran to the fan base each game and focuses on diversity, and highlighting servicemen and servicewomen of color. Some of the veterans honored include 1st Sgt. Matt Eversmann, a hero

of the 1993 “Black Hawk Down” firefight in Somalia and the “Kissing Sailor” of the iconic World War II photo. During the 2020 season, the Panthers honored 22 World War II veterans.

“It’s a moment a lot of them fly in their families,” Colombo said. “It’s become like a huge, ‘Hey, this might be their final celebration of his service,’ and like something that this guy obviously is extremely proud of, and I think in our space we’re really prideful on that.”

The Panthers Warriors Hockey Program is a team of injured/disabled and emotionally stressed veterans akin to a support group on ice. Colombo refers to it as “healing through hockey.” The Florida Panthers Foundation

provided the seed money to get the team on ice and help them begin a healing process.

“What they actually are is a group of veterans that come together, they practice, they actually play in tournaments … a really cool group of guys,” he said.

The Florida Panthers Foundation Youth Hockey Scholarship Program, developed in partnership with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Broward County, offers access and inclusion within the sport of hockey in South Florida, according to the team. Ten scholarship recipients, between the ages of 7-10, will be selected and provided skating/hockey training, equipment and practice clinics at no cost, during their entire hockey experience.

SOLVES

‘WHAT’S NEXT’ FOR VETERANS

BY ANDREA DOWNING PECK — SPONSORED

Alex Chatfield’s training as a field radio operator in the Marine Corps didn’t translate easily into a civilian career, but the problem-solving skills he learned in the military were his ticket to an in-demand job in advanced manufacturing.

But landing that first civilian paycheck wasn’t the easy transition the former sergeant envisioned. After leaving military service in 2017, Chatfield spent a year piling up rejection emails while living at his parents’ house in California. Workshops for Warriors, a San Diego-based veteranled nonprofit that provides hands-on training in advanced manufacturing technologies to veterans and transitioning service members, solved the “What’s next?” riddle.

“I didn’t even know machining was a thing before this school,” 26-yearold Chatfield admits.

“But I would recommend that every single veteran consider getting into manufacturing or some kind of trade school. With college, you can get in tons of debt if you go for anything more than a bachelor’s [degree]. Manufacturing has a whole lot of people who are 60plus. They’re going to be retiring soon, which means all these jobs are opening.”

Workshop for Warriors’ Director of Operations

Keshia Javis-Jones estimates 700,000 advanced

manufacturing jobs currently are unfilled throughout the United States.

“The nation really needs a training pipeline and Workshops for Warriors is training to fill those gaps,” she said.

Chatfield believes veterans’ skill sets are a natural fit for advanced manufacturing.

“Manufacturing is all about problem-solving and everyone in the military is a problem solver because we all have to figure out how to overcome the situation we’re in when we’re in combat or wherever,” explained Chatfield, who completed his Workshops for Warriors’ training requirements early and completed the 16-week program by crafting 3-D printed prosthetic legs for an employee at VetPowered, the school’s for-profit commercial partner.

Workshops for Warriors enrolls about 160 students annually in its CNC (computer numerical control) machining and welding programs. Participants attend full-time and are trained and certified

in four months. Because the school is expanding its facility near Naval Base San Diego, Javis-Jones says Workshops for Warriors can “usually take in the number of applicants we receive.”

“It’s an accelerated program and that really makes it appealing to transitioning veterans,” Javis-Jones said. “They earn nationally recognized credentials so they can go anywhere in the nation, even though we’re only located here in San Diego. We also provide job placement services, such as resume writing, interviewing, networking, and we also host our own career fair.” Housing options also are available.

Since Navy veteran Hernán Luis y Prado founded the advanced manufacturing pipeline program in 2008, Workshops for Warriors

has trained more than 850 veterans and transitioning service members who have earned nearly 8,400 nationally recognized manufacturing credentials. Students typically pay for only their personal protection equipment and use Veteran Administration benefits, such as the Post9/11 G.I. Bill or Veteran Readiness and Employment (Chapter 31), and schoolfunded scholarships to offset the roughly $25,000 tuition bill for either the welding or machining programs.

“The mission of Workshop for Warriors is that no veteran has an out-ofpocket cost,” Javis-Jones states. “Our goal is to train the top veterans and transitioning service members. We try not to turn anyone away at best, because our mission is to take those who have

served our country and help them serve again in the manufacturing industry.”

After completing certifications in National Institute of Metalworking Skills, Solidworks, Mastercam NC3, and Immerse2Learn, Chatfield was hired by Workshop for Warriors’ for-profit partner VetPowered LLC in quality assurance. VetPowered uses a veteran and wounded warrior workforce to provide machining, fabrication, maintenance, and repair services to customers in the shipbuilding, manufacturing, machining,

and heavy equipment industries, with profits supporting Workshops for Warriors. VetPowered products are available on GovX.com , the online shopping site exclusively for current and former military, first responders, and federal employees.

“I think this school is amazing,” Chatfield said. “It’s made me feel confident about where my direction in life is because now I know from the training and experience I’ve gotten from the school, I can go anywhere and I can be successful almost anywhere.”

To apply for Workshops for Warriors, veterans must have an Honorable Discharge and commit to attending classes in San Diego five days a week for a 16-week program. Active-duty personnel must meet all requirements under the DoD Skills Bridge Program and obtain command approval. For more information, go to https://wfw.org/.

Veteran injured in war pens book on approaching life with optimism

BY KATE LEWIS

Have no fear, there’s always next year.

When the world shut down to stall the advance of the COVID-19 pandemic, Army veteran Scotty Alpaugh knew there would be dark days ahead — and he also knew exactly how to approach them.

“We were facing so many unknowns, especially at the

beginning of the pandemic, and I knew the only thing I could control was my reaction to things and my outlook on the situation,” said Alpaugh, a father of three.  “Rather than focus on the negatives — and believe me, there were plenty — I chose to celebrate the fact that I was sipping cappuccinos with my wife every morning before logging in to work, and

seeing my kids more than I ever did before. I know it was a difficult time for many. But we were lucky and I tried to never lose sight of that.”

Overcoming personal obstacles, including cancer and a combat injury during a deployment in Iraq, was nothing new to Alpaugh. As he watched the world begin to grapple with coronavirus,

he knew the lessons he’d learned on dealing with adversity with a positive mindset would be beneficial for others. He began writing his debut book, out now, “Have No Fear, There’s Always F*cking Next Year: (a COVID-19 tale).”

Alpaugh dug into research on optimism and facing challenges with a positive mindset, and shares his humorous lessons on life in the book.

“One of the most interesting things about this past year is that for the first time in our lifetime, the whole

you survive being in the war, you really understand the meaning

planet was facing the same challenge,” Alpaugh said. “The book still highlights some of the sentimental moments I enjoyed with my family, but it also paints a very realistic (and very funny) picture of what pandemic life turned into once the novelty of being home wore off and the reality sunk in.”

Finding the bright side in difficult situations wasn’t always easy for Alpaugh.

“In so many ways, my military service has shaped who I am and how I react to things,” said Alpaugh, a 2003 graduate of the United States Military Academy. He was injured during a combat tour in Iraq two years later, and medically discharged afterward.

“Once you survive being in the war, you really understand the meaning of the cliché ‘life is short.’ I always felt so lucky to be alive and that carries over into every aspect of my life,” he said. “Once you’ve seen some of the things I saw overseas, it’s hard not to appreciate life —even life during a pandemic.”

During a family trip to Portugal, he learned another important lesson about slowing down and appreciating each moment. After they landed from the long flight, his wife took the kids to the hotel, and he stepped out to bring back

coffee … only to realize that the local shops didn’t offer cups to go.

“I was forced to sit down, have a cup and chat with the owner whose walls were covered with antiquities about his past. He told me the origin of many of them and how he came to be who he is. It was a great conversation and such a positive start to my vacation. Taking a breath, learning from someone else, and not running around with my coffee doing 15 things at once,” Alpaugh recalled.

Despite not offering togo cups, the owner then offered to let Alpaugh bring a cup and saucer of coffee to his wife in the hotel room — and Alpaugh brought it back down when she was done.

“Now, almost every time I get a cup of coffee, I sit down and stop. I don’t rush, I reflect on my life, enjoy the views of where I am, and just soak it all in,” he said. “Sit down and make time for a conversation with a stranger, focus on positives, enjoy a laugh, and soak in the world.”

That vacation memory has since become one of his favorite pieces of advice on how to cultivate a sense of optimism and gratitude in your life.

“Don’t run around with to-go cups and your head down like a mindless zombie,” Alpaugh advises anyone looking to change their approach to their own life. “Find your cup of coffee.”

is now available for purchase on Amazon.

“Once

of the cliché ‘life is short.’”

PHOTO CREDIT TO JOEY CONSTANZA

“Have no fear, there’s always f*cking next year: (a COVID-19 tale)”

THE PROFESSIONAL

BY TIFFANY EVE LAWRENCE

A media maven is using her business know-how to grow an agency in a new career field.

Lakesha Cole, a Tampa-based entrepreneur and spouse of a military retiree, reached back into her degree path to make the professional pivot from the retail industry to public relations — and it’s paying off at the one-year mark.

In 2020, Cole launched she PR, a boutique PR agency representing highpowered female executives and women on a path of political prominence through traditional public relations, media relations, and crisis management. She says even though she made the move during the pandemic, the idea for the transition came years earlier.

“I seriously contemplated pivoting my business when the hurricane hit North Carolina, but I first started having a conversation in my head about if I was even still interested in running a retail store when my daughter, Kirby, got sick. I no longer wanted to be anchored to a business that consumed all of my time and had a tremendous amount of overhead. I needed more freedom in my life,” Cole said.

She attended North Carolina A&T State University and completed a degree in journalism with a minor in public relations. It was a professor who led her to fall in love with public relations.

“She convinced me I would do really well in PR. We are still friends to this day.”

Because of her previous experience of running a small business — online and brick and mortar locations — Cole explained the learning curve was shortened for launching a successful agency.

“There are similarities between the two, but there is always a level of growing pains when starting any business. The similarities

were having to sell myself and sell my products — convincing people they need what you’re selling is essentially what PR is,” she said.

But Cole also admits the field has evolved since her college days. The introduction of social media, as an example, leads clients to have “a desire for this instant gratification.”

“Back then, you had to build relationships with journalists and editors the old school ways. Today, there isn’t as much effort put into relationship building.”

For those entrepreneurs considering incorporating public relations into their current strategy, Cole recommends focusing on building a consistent and cohesive brand before contacting a firm — and branding goes beyond things like colors and fonts.

“We (PR professionals) don’t build the business for you; we are here to amplify what your business does,” she said. “I always say finding a PR agency is like finding a good pastor or therapist — this is someone who is very engrained in the day to day. They become your confidant and your secret holder. You have to have a great deal of trust. Don’t rush it, do your homework, ask for references, and case studies.”

Three things have allowed she PR its initial success, including outsourcing tasks, seeking honest critiques, and being a good judge of people and circumstances. Since her soft launch last year, the agency has expanded to a team of six, secured over $220,000 in retainer work in the first six months, and it’s all been

done solely from referrals.

“I have not had to market my services or spend a dime on advertising. All of my clients have come from people who speak my name in rooms full of opportunities, and I am forever grateful for them,” Cole said.

As she enters her second year of business, her goals center on growing revenue to continue building her team.

“I quickly realized in order for me to scale this business, you have to bring

in help. You cannot do it alone. And help can be something as simple as bringing in a virtual assistant to manage your calendar and manage your emails for three hours a week,” she said. “Ultimately, revenue tops my list of priorities so I can create more jobs and hire fulltime employees.”

Her best advice for pivoting in business is, “Don’t be so married to an idea that you can’t recognize when it’s no longer working. It’s OK to change your mind, to fail, or to get it wrong. Take what you have and grow from there.”

“I’ve never been one to be so married to an idea to where I can’t recognize when it’s no longer working.”

- Lakesha Cole

ARMY CHICK FITNESS TEAM TEACHES

SOLDIERS STRENGTH AND SKILLS

BY ALLISON CHURCHILL

The Army’s rollout of the Army Combat Fitness Test has been anything but smooth. Many units still don’t have the equipment needed to practice — and only a small percentage of female soldiers are scoring 500 of 600 eligible points. The Army Chick Fitness Team hopes to change that.

The four Missouri National Guard soldiers — Sgts. Katelyn Shaw and Lexi Fee, 3175th Military Police Company; Staff. Sgt. Rebecca Caruso, Company B, 1-138th Infantry Regiment; and Sgt. Vanessa Frickel, 35th Military Police Brigade — teach soldiers how to gain the strength and skills required to earn high scores on the test’s six events with regular gym equipment on TikTok and Instagram.

Shaw got the idea last year after watching her unit take practice tests while deployed to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

“The males passed with almost no effort. But the females were struggling,” she said.

Shaw, who had difficulty with physical training in the past, but is now working on getting certified as a trainer, thought it might help if more female soldiers understood the mechanics behind the events.

She decided to get her three best friends involved. Shaw has known Caruso for

a decade, Fee for five years, and Frickel since last year. It was Fee, the foursome’s social media guru, who recommended posting videos to the platforms.

They claimed the handle @armychickfitnessteam on TikTok and @acft_ armychickfitnessteam on Instagram and introduced themselves and their qualifications for giving fitness advice on January 31, 2021. Caruso, the “badass,” is an air assault infantryman who maxed

out on the Army Physical Fitness Test’s male scale. Fee is a CrossFit certified trainer. Frickel, the newest soldier in the group, made sergeant in just three years. And Shaw is a powerlifter. They don’t put their names on their posts and answer most questions as they come in. But if a follower wants recommendations for plant-based diets, they’ll notify Shaw. Someone asking a question about counting macronutrients will probably get an answer from Caruso or Fee. Their TikTok account has more than 2,000 followers, and their Instagram account more than 600, by July.

“Maybe it’s a backhanded compliment, but people have said that we have normal bodies, and that makes us approachable,” Shaw said of their appeal.

They face many of the same challenges as their audience. Caruso’s company is based near Kansas City and has to go to Nevada, Missouri, for access to the equipment. They have to stay overnight before and after the test, turning an hours-long

event into a three-day commitment. Frickel’s first experience with the ACFT gave her extra motivation to master the sprint-drag-carry event.

“The first time I did it I was the last in my unit to go and didn’t have anyone to partner with. So I went against my commander, who looks like CrossFit Jesus,” she said. “I went too hard and got really wobbly legs. Never again!”

The team gained sponsorship from Missouribased supplement company 1st Phorm in April and held their first live event at the company’s headquarters near St. Louis in May. The Army Chick Fitness Team led a group of about 20 women through the ACFT.

“They realized it’s tougher than it seems,” Caruso said. “But also that they’re stronger than they thought.”

Another live event is in the works for August. Until then, Frickel wants their followers to know: “We’ll help you everywhere.”

exercise Finding community through

BY SUSAN MALANDRINO — SPONSORED

When Army Sgt. Catherine Marte left active-duty service, she struggled to find her place, feeling lost without the camaraderie of a military unit. A woman of action, Marte did what she knew best by putting her energy into physical fitness. At the gym, she found community in the most surprising of places — the Latin and African beats and rhythmic dancing of Zumba Fitness®.

“One day I came into the gym, I heard this music and it just drew me in — literally. I was like, ‘What is happening? Okay, I’ll go check out this class,’” Marte said.

Soon friendships blossomed. Marte found a community of military spouses and before she knew it, she signed up to be a Zumba Fitness® instructor.

“The funny thing is, I’m a military spouse but as a sergeant in the Army,

military spouses were a pain — always calling me about their soldiers,” she said with a laugh. “My network ended up being this wonderful community of military spouses who love fitness and I’ve grown to adore them.”

Marte says the way Zumba Fitness® combines music and the dance spoke to her.

“Being able to be in a room with people where you don’t feel judged, you feel inclusion, is so great. You can just dance away the stress,” she said.

“For so many of us military spouses, this is an outlet from the day-to-day struggles of having to support families, children, and everything else in our lives. I can say to everyone, ‘No, this is my time.’”

Marte also is an instructor in STRONG Nation, a program that blends mixed martial arts, kickboxing elements, and the biometric elements of exercise.

“This is my current thing right now!” Marte said. “It makes you feel so strong.”

As her family has moved with the military, Marte joined gyms and met new friends along the way. While stationed in Georgia, she taught Zumba to platoons as part of their PT requirements. She says that some in the platoon struggled to maintain the cardiovascular endurance and stamina required for the class.

“Oh, they found it far more challenging than they expected,” she said.

Recently, her husband retired and the family has

settled in Deerfield Beach, just outside of Miami, Florida. Marte finished her degree in kinesiology and operates as a choreography specialist — known as a Zumba Jammer — for Zumba Fitness® where she holds exclusive instructor workshops worldwide.

Her advice? “All right, go for it! Get your instructor training,” she said. “You won’t regret it.”

“It’s a great opportunity for the emotional, mental and physical outlets, but it’s a good opportunity to engage and connect with others to find your community.”

For more information on how to become an instructor, visit zumba.com or strongnation.com and use code TSMILITARY55 to get 55% off either training.

Special offer for base fitness facilities: host a Zumba Fitness® or STRONG Nation training on the base, the facility receives one free Zumba or STRONG Nation instructor training for their staff, and 55% off the training fee for additional staff. Contact military@ zumba.com for more information.