MCEC Podcast
Every move. Every new school. Every time a military kid starts fresh, there’s a story worth hearing and hands-on strategies to help! For educators, family members, and those who work with military families, in this podcast, we listen deeply, learn from experts, and celebrate the lives of military-connected children and young adults. We explore the academic, emotional, and social landscapes they navigate — connecting families and communities to resources, organizations, and schools that help every child show up college-, work-, and life-ready.
Join us and sit down with the Objective Zero Foundation, a nonprofit built on a simple idea: veteran and military suicide can be prevented through connection and listening. Objective Zero operates a free, anonymous mobile app that connects service members, veterans, and their families to peer support and mental health resources, working from the belief that suicide can be prevented through the simple act of listening. We talk about how the organization trains volunteer peer supporters, called Pathfinders, who provide emotional support and help reduce loneliness and stigma for those struggling, and what military-connected families can do to recognize when someone needs to be heard. It’s a conversation about presence, community, and how something as small as a conversation can make a real difference. If you or someone you know is struggling, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is available 24/7 by call or text.
Resources:
https://www.objectivezero.org/
https://www.dspo.mil/Home/Tools/Resource-Library/spm/SP-Prevention-Outreach-Toolkit/
https://cssrs.columbia.edu/the-columbia-scale-c-ssrs/about-the-scale/
Glori Fernandez Contact Information: Glori@ObjectiveZero.org
Glori Fernandez Biography:
Glori is a grown-up military-connected child herself. She now represents the other side of military-connected families as a spouse and mom to four military-connected children and works for our service members as Director of Objective Zero Foundation, providing hands-on support to over 3000 volunteers and representatives — internationally and 24/7. Her heart is truly in this work because she lives it. When she’s not saving lives, running an organization, and building out new communities through technology, you can find her in the garden where she loves working in the yard to protect her peace of mind.
Mixed & Mastered by Concentus Media, Inc., Temple, Texas, USA.
Made possible through generous funding by the USAA Foundation.
Related MCEC Podcast Episodes:
- #GotMySix, published 9.2.25
- Mental Health Care and Military Families, published 9.10.24
- Not All Heroes Wear Capes, published 12.6.22
