In the first episode of the second season, podcast hosts, Levi Sowers and Brandon Rea overview the guests and topics featured in the seasons and offer some of their retrospective thoughts. The season will interview doctors, experts, private organizations, and Veterans covering topics regarding blind Veterans, PTSD, addiction, and mental health. Some guests include Veteran Trever Siver, Dr. Erik Won, Keith Queen, and Dr. Carolyn Turvey. These episodes can be downloaded now at https://blogs.va.gov/VAntage/va-podcast-network/vets-first/ and we encourage our listeners to listen to these stories and more as we move forward with the Vets First Podcast. If you have not had a chance to listen to any of the episodes from season one, you can also go to the above link to find those episodes as well.

Levi and Brandon discuss hosting a podcast during the Covid-19 pandemic. Many of the episodes were recorded via zoom in the hosts’ basements. Both Levi and Brandon’s research jobs were moved remotely, similarly to many other individuals during the pandemic.

Levi and Brandon give a glimpse into the future of the podcast which they plan to continue for many seasons. The hosts would like to thank the VA for their support, the guests joining to speak on their experiences and knowledge, and the listeners for downloading and taking the time to listen to the episodes. They would also like to give a special thanks to Olivia Gaul, a very talented undergraduate who aided in writing the blogs this season. She is going on to do bigger and better things in graduate school where she will be studying social work.

Finally, we want to thank everyone that has supported the podcast over the past year. This was an undertaking that has moved Levi and Brandon out of the comfort zone of the laboratory and into the lives of Veterans and their stories. We hope this season is even better than the first and we look forward to many great things to come! In season three, listeners can look forward to a season dedicated to Veterans with vision problems.

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