The American Grit Podcast

Dennis Blocker WW2 Historian, Author and Prior EMT

Dennis Blocker serves as Vice President of Conservators of the Greatest Generation (COGG), a nonprofit dedicated to preserving the places, artifacts, and personal stories of America’s World War II generation through public history, advocacy, and community engagement. He leads the Rooftop Oath Dedication in downtown San Antonio, a permanent historical preservation project honoring the site where thousands of young men—including future Iwo Jima flag-raiser Harlon Block—took the Oath of Enlistment into the U.S. Marine Corps during World War II. For more than two decades, Blocker has researched, written, and spoken on military history with a focus on the human experience of service and sacrifice, publishing nonfiction work on WWII combat operations and military working dogs. Before his work in historical preservation, he spent 23 years in emergency medicine in Level I trauma centers and international field settings, experience that shaped his approach to leadership, accountability, and service—values that now guide his mission to preserve history with accuracy, dignity, and permanence.Book titled "Clear" can be found on Amazon (link below)https://a.co/d/ckq3YZ5https://blockerbooks.com/https://www.instagram.com/blockerbookshttps://www.facebook.com/ClearTheERBook/https://uscogg.org

Featured Veteran Derek Blumke

As part of Grunt Style’s Featured Veteran campaign, this episode of the American Grit Podcast shines the spotlight on Derek Blumke, Veteran Impact Fellow at the Grunt Style Foundation, and a leader on the front lines of veteran mental health reform. The Featured Veteran campaign exists to honor the men and women who continue to serve long after they hang up the uniform by showcasing their missions, their impact, and their leadership in their communities. Derek’s journey, from a 12-year Air Force and Michigan Air National Guard veteran with multiple deployments to Uzbekistan and Afghanistan, to a national advocate for mental health accountability, is a powerful example of what service looks like beyond the battlefield.In this episode, Derek breaks down what he’s uncovered over the last two years while leading the fight against the veteran overprescribing crisis: the VA’s heavy reliance on psychiatric drugs, resistance to reform, and the push for informed consent and safer treatment practices. He also shares how WarCry for Change summits have brought together families, lawmakers, and medical experts to confront the realities behind veteran suicides and demand change. About Featured VeteranVeterans are leaders, mentors, and entrepreneurs and often represent the best in our communities. Grunt Style's featured Veteran campaign is an initiative to celebrate these veterans' hard work and spirit, from showcasing their talents to highlighting their accomplishments and aspirations. We hope these Men and Women will serve as an inspiration and a positive example of what the American warfighter can do when they hang up their uniform and take on the role of community leaders. Join us on this mission, and meet the movers and shakers in your community today.https://www.gruntstylefoundation.org/

Jennifer Marshall - The brutal reality of a cancer diagnosis #veteran #veteranpodcast

This week on the American Grit Podcast, host Tim Jensen sits down with Jennifer Marshall, a U.S. Navy and California State Guard veteran, actress, cancer survivor, and fierce advocate for veterans and recovery. Jennifer opens up about the challenges of life after uniform, the long shadow of military healthcare failures, and the brutal reality of a cancer diagnosis delayed by COVID. But it’s not just about survival, it’s about reinvention. From military grit to Hollywood hustle, and now a voice for others navigating illness and identity, Jennifer’s story is a raw, unfiltered look at resilience. American Grit Website https://americangrit.comGrunt Style https://gruntstyle.com Spotifyhttps://open.spotify.com/show/1XIW8qHpEazZKb5BMXbsXa. iTuneshttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...

Texas Made History: Inside the $50M Ibogaine Bill

This episode of The American Grit Podcast kicks open the door to a revolution in mental health care. Tim Jensen sits down with two trailblazers driving Texas push for psychedelic reform—Bryan Hubbard and Logan Davidson.Bryan, Executive Director of the American Ibogaine Initiative at the REID Foundation, fuses grit and policy expertise in a mission to end the opioid crisis. Logan, Executive Director of Texans for Greater Mental Health and legislative powerhouse behind HB 1802, has been pivotal in opening the door for psychedelic therapies targeting PTSD and addiction.Together, they helped make history with House Bill 3717 and Senate Bill 2308—securing a $50 million investment into FDA-approved ibogaine trials. It’s the largest publicly funded psychedelic research initiative in U.S. history—and it started in Texas.From behind-the-scenes battles to the science poised to change lives, this episode dives deep into a movement that’s breaking barriers, challenging stigma, and finally offering real hope to veterans, first responders, and anyone fighting silent wars within.Texas is leading. The future is here. And this conversation is just the beginning.Learn more about REID Foundation: https://www.reid.foundation/texas-ibogaine-initiativeLearn more about Texans for Greater Mental Health: https://www.t4gmh.com/

Dr. Lynette Averill of Baylor College of Medicine

In this powerful episode, Tim Jensen sits down with Dr. Lynnette Averill — Clinical Director of the Emerge Research Program at Baylor College of Medicine . As one of the nation’s leading experts on trauma, PTSD, and suicidality, Dr. Averill is at the forefront of revolutionizing mental health care for veterans through groundbreaking treatments like ketamine and psychedelic-assisted therapy.They dive deep into her work with psilocybin, ibogaine, and other psychoplastogens, and how these therapies offer real hope for healing the invisible wounds of war. Dr. Averill shares firsthand insights from recent clinical trials, her experience lobbying for HB1802 in Texas, and why untreated PTSD should be seen as life-threatening. She also discusses her advocacy through Reason for Hope and the Veterans Mental Health Leadership Coalition — all aimed at expanding access to effective, urgent treatment.Dr. Lynnette Averillhttps://www.bcm.edu/people-search/lynnette-averill-69166