VET S.O.S. Podcast
VET S.O.S. is a military transition focused organization dedicated to helping service members, veterans, and military families navigate transition and thrive in civilian life. Through four targeted shows, we deliver resources, insights, and inspiration: Military Transition Resources Show shares tools and programs for a smoother transition; Veteran Entrepreneurial Spotlight features veteran business journeys; Veteran Educational Resources Spotlight highlights learning opportunities; and The Scoop offers engaging discussions and fresh perspectives.
Getting a veteran off the street solves tonight's problem. Recovery means rebuilding what comes next.
Five Star Veteran Center CEO John Bear explains why his organization is not a shelter—it's a recovery program designed to help veterans regain stability and independence. After his own transition from a 32-year Navy career, John now leads a team addressing veteran homelessness through three interconnected pillars: mental health, financial stability, and physical health.
This conversation gets especially powerful when John shares the story of a veteran who arrived battling addiction and anger. Through Veterans Treatment Court, Five Star, and skilled-trades training, he became drug- and alcohol-free, earned three certifications, secured an electrical apprenticeship, found permanent housing, and began rebuilding his relationship with his daughter as he became a grandfather.
In this episode, you'll discover:
• Understand why housing alone isn't enough and how Five Star prepares veterans to become self-sustaining rather than simply providing a temporary bed.
• Recognize the role mental health plays in veteran homelessness, including why John believes professional support for the trauma surrounding housing instability is essential to long-term recovery.
• See what a complete turnaround can look like through one veteran's journey from addiction and legal trouble to certifications, employment, housing, and renewed family connection.
• Apply John's military transition lessons, from using Onward Opportunity to earn a project management certification to networking his way through a civilian employment system dominated by online applications and AI resume screening.
About John Bear
John Bear retired from the U.S. Navy after 32 years, rising from enlisted nuclear machinist mate to commissioned Surface Warfare Officer through the Seaman to Admiral-21 program. His career culminated in command of the USS St. Louis. Today, he serves as CEO of Five Star Veteran Center, helping veterans facing homelessness and housing instability build independent, stable lives.
If this episode helped you, please follow the show and leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts — open the app, search VET S.O.S., scroll down, and tap “Write a Review.” It takes 30 seconds and puts this show in front of a veteran who needs it right now.
Episode Chapters
00:00 – Introduction
03:08 – Leaving the Navy After 32 Years
05:00 – AI, Resumes & the Modern Veteran Job Search
08:38 – Why Networking Still Matters
10:56 – Five Star Veteran Center: More Than a Shelter
13:00 – The Three Pillars of Veteran Recovery
16:18 – Former Residents Helping Other Veterans
18:28 – Community Partnerships & Food Security
21:54 – From Addiction and Homelessness to a New Career
26:07 – Expanding Five Star to Serve Women Veterans
27:09 – How Veterans Can Find Help
28:03 – Closing & Resources
Explore the Full VET S.O.S. Network
▶ VET S.O.S. — Flagship Show▶ VET S.O.S. Presents: Operation Startup▶ VET S.O.S. Presents: Learning Lifeline▶ VET S.O.S. Presents: The Scoop▶ VET S.O.S. Presents: Testimony Strong
Connect with VET S.O.S.
Website: vetsospodcast.com
Twitter: @vetsospodcast
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/vetsospodcast
YouTube: youtube.com/@vetsospodcast
Facebook: facebook.com/vetsospodcast
Instagram: instagram.com/vetsospodcast
TikTok: tiktok.com/@vetsospodcast
Don't drown in the sea of transition — grab the lifeline.
#VETSOS #VeteranPodcast #GrabTheLifeline #HeroesMediaGRP #VeteranHomelessness #VeteranSupport #MilitaryTransition #Veterans #MilitaryLife
Recent Video Content
Podcast Details
- Military Transition Resources Show (MTRS) - Description:Episodes address the challenges and steps involved in transitioning from military service to civilian life, offering expert insights and real-world solutions by highlighting the work of organizations and personnel dedicated to supporting veterans and their families.
- Veteran Entrepreneurial Spotlight (VES) - Description:Showcasing the veteran and military/veteran-spouse entrepreneur journey and the resources that supported their business ventures; providing support for others to explore entrepreneurial opportunities.
- Veteran Educational Resources Spotlight (VERS) - Description:Highlighting institutions of higher learning as well as educational programs, certifications, and academic opportunities tailored for veterans and their families to support continued learning, credential obtainment, career growth and personal development.
- The Scoop (Variety Show) - Description:A variety show that offers panel discussions on important transition topics and an exploration and discussion on books that focus on topics related to the military experience and transition with the author, offering readers additional tools and perspectives for navigating civilian life.
About the host
Shawn Welsh
Shawn Welsh is the Co-Founder and Co-Host of the VET S.O.S. Podcast. The show features information and resources about veteran support organizations and key personnel in the veteran support community. With a passion for helping others, he started VET S.O.S. to provide a lifeline to veterans, transitioning service members and military spouses.
Shawn is a retired U.S. Army veteran with over twenty years of experience as an intelligence professional. As a senior noncommissioned officer, he was dedicated to taking care of his Soldiers and continues that mission today with VET S.O.S. Shawn holds several advanced degrees including a master’s degree in administrative leadership from the University of Oklahoma. A member of the Maxwell Leadership Team, Shawn is also a certified resiliency trainer who lives in Jacksonville, Florida with his wife and their two children.
Keith Cassant
Keith Cassant is an Army Veteran with over 22 years of service. Keith resides in Virginia Beach, VA where his post-military journey has included organizations like Navy Fleet & Family Support, Wells Fargo, a federal civilian with the US Coast Guard, and now his current employer, DHS’ Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), where he serves as the Veterans Program Manager.
Keith has provided services, training, mentorship, consulting, and advice for numerous non-profits such as Hire Heroes USA, American Corporate Partners, USO Pathfinders, Syracuse University’s Institute for Veterans and Family Members, LinkedIn, Veteranti, G.I. Jobs, Vet S.O.S, Lessons Learned for Vets Podcast, Military Transition Roundtable, Hire Vets Now, Virginia Values Veterans, the Hampton Roads Workforce Council, and many more. To date, Keith has helped hundreds of Veterans in their transition and provided hundreds of volunteer hours in this endeavor. Maurice Murphy
A Retired Naval Officer turned real estate professional, Maurice brings the same discipline and dedication from his 24-year military career into every transaction. Originally from Montgomery, Alabama, he holds a Business degree from Auburn University and a master’s in military Operational Art and Science. Since stepping into real estate in late 2019, Maurice has closed over $23 million in sales across Northeast Florida, specializing in VA loans, physician loans, and probate real estate. His passion? Helping people through life’s biggest transitions, whether it’s PCS orders, relocation, divorce, probate, or downsizing. He’s lived it, and because he’s been there, he now leads others through it with the clarity and confidence that only experience can provide.
Dr. Hira Paulin
Dr. Hira is a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor. She specializes in working with those with late-in-life or military service-connected disabilities. Her passion for working with the military community stemmed from observing her grandfather, a WWII POW Army Air Corps veteran and his late-in-life adjustment to his military service-connected disabilities and trauma.
Hira is the spouse of a career enlisted Marine. Her nomadic life has provided the opportunity to work in a variety of settings. For over a decade Dr. Hira has been supporting the military community in her formal roles and through extensive volunteering. Her work aims to demystify disability topics, simplify rehabilitation services or programs and how to engage with providers. She pays it forward to the next generation of students through mentorship on how to navigate the higher education landscape. Kingsley Scott
Kingsley serves as the Director of Career Services at Divergence Academy, a leading provider of immersive and accelerated learning programs in technology. With over 20 years of honorable military service, he brings a proven track record of leadership, excellence, and resilience to the role. In addition to his position at Divergence Academy, he is an Authorized Trainer for the Resilience-Building Leader Program (RBLP), which equips leaders with the skills necessary to build resilient teams across various industries. As an Ambassador for the Air Force Wounded Warrior Program (AFW2), he conducts briefings that highlight the transition space, and the resiliency required for veterans moving from active duty to civilian life.
Kingsley specializes in helping Veterans leverage the skills they learned in military service, guiding them on how to translate those skills to navigate their new journeys in the civilian sector. He leverages extensive career counseling and data analysis skills to optimize the department’s performance, achieving impressive results in student satisfaction, retention, and academic outcomes.
Passionate about coaching and training clients in the leadership skills required to overcome challenges and thrive in adversity, he utilizes the RBLP framework and methodology. With a unique blend of military experience, career counseling expertise, and dedication to continuous learning, Kingsley is committed to supporting transitioning service members and Veterans in achieving their career aspirations and maximizing their potential in the dynamic technology industry. 
