COL-select David Zallo spent 27 years serving across Iraq, Afghanistan, Korea, and JRTC before stepping into one of the hardest missions he’s ever faced: rebuilding his identity outside the uniform. In this episode, he breaks down what the Army gave him, what it took from him, and why financial wellness became his new way of serving veterans.

We cover deployments, leadership, burnout, the collapse of Afghanistan, and the quiet fear every senior leader carries when it’s time to walk away. David explains why money and mental health are more connected than people realize and how he plans to help veterans avoid the traps he saw destroy families and lives over the last two decades.

• Transition hits harder than anyone prepares you for.

• Money problems fuel mental health problems more than we admit.

• Reinvention requires honesty, discomfort, and showing up.

• Amakaya Retreat: https://amakaya.org

• Heroes Media Group: https://www.heroesmediagroup.com

• Ramshorn Coffee: https://ramshorncoffee.com

• The Strategic Veteran: https://thestrategicveteran.com

• Megaphone: https://feeds.megaphone.fm/the-strategic-veteran

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3U8FOupOu070V00PXR4DSd

• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-strategic-veteran/id1743039436

• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thestrategicveteran

Subscribe for raw, unfiltered conversations about transition, purpose, and rebuilding your life after service.