Veterans in Sports

From Combat Missions to College Athletics: How Service Mindset Can Beat Experience

After 20 years flying jets off aircraft carriers and working for NATO's Supreme Allied Commander, Tesh Rao turned down airline jobs to pursue sports. The path went through Starbucks first—not as a detour, but as essential preparation. Working on government affairs and an Arizona State educational partnership, he learned to navigate corporate environments and built relationships that eventually connected him to Ray Anderson, the AD who hired him as Senior Associate AD at ASU despite zero college athletics experience. Tesh became one of the few 20-year military veterans to reach senior associate AD level at a Power 4 school. He oversaw 10 teams, launched the Veterans in Sports Law and Business program, and proved that service mindset and leadership transfer across industries. This conversation covers what works in non-linear transitions: how corporate experience prepared him for college athletics, why cultural intelligence matters more than credentials, and how answering cold emails builds real careers. What You'll Learn: * How Starbucks taught navigation skills that translated directly to college athletics bureaucracy * Why an Athletic Director bet on a veteran with zero college experience for a senior leadership role * What being trilingual and culturally aware meant for recruiting and developing international student-athletes

From Family Legacy to Professional Impact: Building SkillBridge Programs That Work

What does it take to build a SkillBridge program that creates lasting impact rather than just checking boxes? Linley Fenlason, Director of Talent Acquisition for the New Orleans Saints and Pelicans, shares how moving deliberately helped them create one that’s already making a difference. Linley's path to human resources wasn't traditional, but a role recruiting patients for university research studies revealed her calling: helping people find where they belong and succeed once they get there. That insight now drives how she approaches hiring. What You'll Learn: -- Why slow, methodical SkillBridge programs succeed -- Common resume mistakes that create barriers for veteran candidates -- Why "I'll take anything" is the wrong answer when pursuing SkillBridge roles -- How to get leadership buy-in for meaningful veteran programs

From Airborne Infantry to Sales: Building Authentic Relationships in Sports

What happens when an infantry paratrooper decides at 27 to leave the military and become a full-time college student? Seth Tilton's journey from the 82nd Airborne to Detroit Pistons business development executive proves that starting over doesn't mean starting behind. Seth spent 10 years in the Army, including two combat deployments to Afghanistan where he turned 19 and 21, plus stations in Hawaii and Italy. His pivot to sports began with a Father's Day gift - tickets to Chipper Jones's last home game that turned into an unforgettable experience thanks to an Atlanta Braves executive who understood authentic community building. What You'll Learn: * Why authenticity beats experience in relationship-driven sales roles * How military leadership translates to thinking multiple steps ahead with clients * The value of international experience as sports leagues expand globally * Why starting a new career in your late twenties can be an advantage, not a setback * How to leverage military background without hiding who you are Connect with Seth here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/seth-tilton-a8581420a/

From Combat Camera to Sports Communications: Building Bridges Between Military and Sports

What happens when a combat photographer becomes the Pentagon's bridge to professional sports? Natasha Fultz-Castro's journey from documenting special operations to managing DOD's sports partnerships shows how military communication expertise translates into high-stakes civilian roles. Key Topics: * From combat camera to crisis communications: telling stories under pressure * Managing DOD sports partnerships across all major leagues * Why military veterans naturally fit in sports industry roles * The power of authentic storytelling in building community connections * Using SkillBridge to transition into industry associations Resources: SkillBridge Program (Sports and Fitness Industry Association) SFIA's Vets Excel [https://sfia.org/sfia-vetsexcel-program/] Industry association internships for behind-the-scenes learning

From West Point to Race Cars: How Technical Skills Translate to Sports

CJ Tobin's journey from West Point football player to Black Hawk pilot to NASCAR's Director of Vehicle Systems proves that technical military careers aren't dead ends - they're launching pads. In this episode, CJ breaks down how he transitioned from flying helicopters to designing the safety systems that protect drivers at 200+ mph. What You'll Learn: * Why starting early in your transition matters more than your rank when you leave * How to build technical portfolios using open-source resources before you even separate * The strategic value of humility in landing roles that seem "below" your military level * Why cross-functional thinking from military leadership gives you an edge in technical roles * How high-pressure military experience translates to high-stakes civilian careers CJ's story demonstrates that military experience isn't something you overcome in technical careers - it's something that makes you better at them. His ability to think across systems, lead under pressure, and understand how individual components affect the entire organization comes directly from his military background. Whether you're interested in engineering, data science, or any technical role in sports, this conversation offers a roadmap for making the transition successfully. About CJ Tobin [https://www.linkedin.com/in/charles-tobin-591781b3/]: Director of Vehicle Systems at NASCAR R&D, responsible for designing chassis, suspension, brakes, and steering systems for the Cup Series. Former Black Hawk pilot and West Point graduate with a systems engineering degree. Resources Mentioned: * NFL Big Data Bowl Mentorship Program [https://operations.nfl.com/gameday/analytics/big-data-bowl/big-data-bowl-mentorship-program/] * SkillBridge Program [https://SkillBridgeProgram] * Open-source technical resources for portfolio building Listen wherever you get your podcasts and subscribe for weekly episodes featuring military-connected professionals in sports.