Episode 222 - Kevin Jewell

Kevin Jewell is a retired Army Range and the Athletic Director for Team Red, White and Blue. We discuss his early life, combat in Afghanistan, transitioning out of the military, PTSD, suicide, post traumatic growth, CBD and much more.

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Kevin Jewell is a former Army Green Beret, collegiate baseball player, father to two beautiful daughters and husband to his high school sweet heart of 17-years.

Kevin was born and raised in Alamogordo, NM, where he played baseball and football in high school. After graduating high school in 2003, Kevin received a baseball scholarship to Louisiana State University-Shreveport. Kevin played at LSU-S from 2003 – 2007 and was a four-year starting pitcher and was recently inducted into the LSU-S College Baseball Hall of Fame in 2018.

After college, Kevin joined the Army and commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in 2007. Over the course of 9-years of military service, Kevin has graduated from Infantry Officer Basic Course, Range School, Airborne School, Sniper Employment, Special Forces Qualification Course, SERE Level C High Risk, and Military Free Fall school. With three deployments, two to Afghanistan and one to Honduras, Kevin decided to transition from the military to start working in the family business of homebuilding.

With the transition from military service came a lot of unforeseen hardships. PTSD, depression, and anxiety became the new battle to win. Struggling to cope, Kevin spiraled to a dark place, heavy amounts of medication, leading to suicidal ideations, Kevin and his wife Amanda, have made it their mission to help veterans and the negative stigma of mental health. Kevin has begun to share his experiences through public speaking, blogging and is now the Athletic Director for Team Red, White, and Blue (Alamogordo). Through his transparency of his struggles, Kevin’s goal is to help others struggling, so they know they’re not alone.

Kevin’s Website:

https://kevin-jewell.com/

Team Red, White and Blue Website:

https://www.teamrwb.org/

Recommended Books:

Tribe: On Homecoming and Belonging - Sebastian Junger

The Obstacle Is the Way - Ryan Holiday

Dare to Lead: Brave Work. Tough Conversations. Whole Hearts - Brené Brown

The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You're Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are - Brené Brown

Ego Is the Enemy - Ryan Holiday

The Mask of Masculinity: How Men Can Embrace Vulnerability, Create Strong Relationships, and Live Their Fullest Lives - Lewis Howes

Recommended Movies:

Breathe