Holding Down the Fort by US VetWealth

Michael Blankers & Steve Curtis from the Bob Feller Act of Valor Award Foundation talk about the Champions of Valor Scholarship Program
* Michael and Steve share their military background, what led them to their involvement with the Bob Feller Act of Valor Award Foundation, and their roles.
* They share their involvement and passion for the Champions of Valor Scholarship Program.
* They explain how Veterans, Service Members, Military Spouses, and Students from Military Families can apply for the scholarship program.
* Michael shares his experience playing for a veteran softball team on behalf of another non-profit, Folds of Honor, and how a Gold Star family member’s comment impacted him.
* Jen shares her perspective as a recipient and/or as someone aware of organizations that provide resources to Gold Star and military family members like her.
* Steve shares the impact of opening up the Champions of Valor Scholarship Program to military spouses.
* Michael explains why he holds military spouses in high regard.
* Michael and Steve share their experience with the Survivor Benefit Plan decision during their military retirement and emphasize that it’s a personal choice based on individual circumstances.
Accepting Applications Until October 1, 2026
Veterans, Service Members, Military Spouses, and Students from Military Families can apply for the Champions of Valor Scholarship Program today at: https://www.actofvaloraward.org/bob-feller-act-of-valor-scholarships
For donations, visit: https://www.actofvaloraward.org/donate
Additional Resources Mentioned
* Educational scholarships to the children and spouses of America’s fallen or disabled service members: https://foldsofhonor.org/scholarships/military-scholarships/
Also listen to Michael’s previous interview with us:
Jen’s Book Updates
* Updated foreword by Stephanie Brown, Founder & CEO of The Rosie Network
* First-time listeners can subscribe to get the PDF copy in the welcome email. For subscribers, check the footer of the latest newsletter.


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Happy end of the Month of the Military Child!
To wrap up, Jen reflects on the following:
* What it felt like recalling her military child life before becoming a Gold Star daughter
* The theme of choosing with childlike wonder and adventure and how it relates to military spouses going through military retirement
* The release of the latest chapters of The Military Spouse Benefit Plan
Subscribe for free today and get a free copy of The Military Spouse Benefit Plan

A Round Up of MOMC Posts:


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Let’s continue our talk on Energy Work with Candice Van Dertholen
In Part 1 of 2 of our conversation, we discussed:
* What is energy work?
* Why are we in the right time and generation to embrace energy work?
* Who can benefit from energy work?
* At what age do we become disconnected from our internal language, and how is military transition an opportunity to reconnect with it?
* How to identify patterns that may be holding us back from feeling whole, safe, and supported today.
* How integrating energy work into your life and being more inquisitive can be of great benefit to you.
Now in Part 2 of 2 of our conversation, we discuss:
* How does one begin energy work?
* The benefits of stillness and slowing down long enough to hear yourself.
* Tips on how to build your nervous system relief over time.
* Why building and taking the time to learn who you are is so important.
* How energy work can serve you through military retirement.
* When Candice knew she wanted to be a root cause practitioner and her full-circle moment.
This concludes our conversation with Candice Van Dertholen! Thanks for listening! 🎙
Connect with Candice Van Dertholen (Candice Elizabeth)
* https://heal.me/candice
* https://www.linkedin.com/in/candicevandertholen
* https://instagram.com/candice_elizabeth.co
* https://substack.com/@candicevandertholen
Resources Mentioned
* On Assimilation: A Transition from War book by Leo Jenkins
* Your Brain on Art: How the Arts Transform Us book by Susan Magsamen & Ivy Ross
* Improving Military Mental Health: Spiritune teams up with Blue Star Families - https://www.spiritune.com/blog/improving-military-mental-health-spiritune-blue-star-families
Past Episodes Mentioned


This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.holdingdownthefortpodcast.com/subscribe

Have you ever been curious about energy work (a.k.a. energy medicine)?
We’re excited to welcome Candice Van Dertholen back to the show to answer your questions!
But first…
Updates!
* If this is your first time here, please subscribe at INSIDETHEFORT.COM to get weekly updates on the show, regardless of whether or not I publish a public podcast episode. 🎙
* Reason being, I’m expanding my content from podcasting to blog posts, YouTube videos, exclusive content, and simple newsletter updates! 📰
* I finished the latest draft of my book! I cut down the last draft by 10 chapters, lol. More updates soon!
Now, let’s talk Energy Work with Candice Van Dertholen
In Part 1 of 2 of our conversation, we discuss:
* What is energy work?
* Why are we in the right time and generation to embrace energy work?
* Who can benefit from energy work?
* At what age do we become disconnected from our internal language, and how is military transition an opportunity to reconnect with it
* How to identify patterns that may be holding us back from feeling whole, safe, and supported today.
* How integrating energy work into your life and being more inquisitive can be of great benefit to you
* How does one begin energy work?
Part 2 of our conversation, the final part, releases next Thursday! Stay tuned! 🎙
Connect with Candice Van Dertholen (Candice Elizabeth)
* https://heal.me/candice
* https://www.linkedin.com/in/candicevandertholen
* https://instagram.com/candice_elizabeth.co
* https://substack.com/@candicevandertholen
Past Episodes Mentioned


This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.holdingdownthefortpodcast.com/subscribe

Special thanks to Robyn J. Grable, host of the ASCENDing Beyond Barriers podcast, for the opportunity to re-share Jen’s interview on our show!
Robyn’s podcast represents her 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, The ASCEND Collective (TAC), which is dedicated to creating career pathways for veterans, military spouses, and underserved talent through a skills-first approach. At the ASCEND Collective, they believe talent is defined by potential — and that everyone deserves opportunities that value them as a person, recognize their skills, and provide a path to success. Learn more at https://theascendcollective.org/
It’s been a minute since Jen has had the fortune of being interviewed on someone else’s show!
Together, Robyn and Jen discuss the following:
* How everything changed when Jen became a Gold Star daughter at 10 years old
* How Susan Cain’s book Bittersweet helped Jen channel loss and grief into her work and artistry
* How Jen’s family worked with The Price of Freedom Foundation to publish a book about her late father
* How it’s like working with her husband at US VetWealth
* How retirees find US VetWealth when they are exploring an alternative to the Survivor Benefit Plan
* A different perspective for military spouses to make a confident and informed decision on the Survivor Benefit Plan
* How Jen’s curiosity about military spouses and the SBP decision led to starting Holding Down the Fort by US VetWealth podcast
* Jen’s reasoning behind releasing her upcoming book a couple of chapters at a time
Jen’s interview is also available on YouTube, thanks to the ASCENDing Beyond Barriers podcast!
Also available on Spotify!



This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.holdingdownthefortpodcast.com/subscribe