Sep 27, 2022 · 47 min
In this episode, our hosts Mike Nelson and Steve Willet interview Justin Hall, an Army veteran with some stories of courage and hope to tell! They discuss his post-military health problems, his wonderful service dog Rosa, his non-profit Jiu Jitsu organization, and more in this inspiring episode! A GLENS FALLS TODAY PRODUCTION NOTE: The opinions reflected in this podcast are not indicative of the views of Saratoga Business Report, SaratogaBride.com LLC, Saratoga TODAY, Glens Falls TODAY, or Spa City Digital. 00:06 - Introduction: Welcome Back, Steve! 00:31 - A Brief Introduction to Justin Hall 01:51 - Justin’s Injuries: Started With Side Effects From an Anthrax Vaccine! 05:30 - Steve’s Vaccination Tale: Deployment Can Entail Dozens of Shots - With Plenty of Side Effects! 07:35 - The BioThrax Tragedy 08:51 - Refusing Shots: Not an Option in the Military! Vaccination or Discharge! 09:55 - Multiple Sclerosis in Veterans is Becoming Unfortunately Common… 10:58 - Justin’s Jiu Jitsu Training! 12:58 - Rosa the Service Dog: The Best Friend a Guy Could Have! 14:02 - Mike Cannot Guess Weight 14:12 - How Rosa Can Detect and Help Justin with his PTSD Episodes: Wonder Dog! 15:43 - One Size Does Not Necessarily Fit All: Service Dogs are VERY Specifically Trained! 16:24 - Rosa the Key: Opening Justin’s Doors! 18:15 - How Medical Conditions Can Make You Feel Like a Prisoner… 19:01 - … But Your Emotions are the Cage! 19:57 - How Justin Gained the Power to Break That Cage… 20:59 - … With His Passion for Jiu Jitsu, and a Dedicated Team Who Shared That Passion! 22:59 - Starting at White Belt and Working Your Way Up: A Rewarding Journey! 24:48 - Jiu Jitsu Scholarships - Available, Particularly to Veterans! 25:06 - A Visit From Nicholas Rahn of Warrior’s Next Adventure! 26:51 - Camaraderie: Easy to Find in the Military, Precious on the Outside! 27:47 - If You Don’t Do It… Who Will? 28:03 - Justin’s Non-Profit Venture: Hosting Jiu Jitsu Competitions to Raise Veteran Suicide Awareness! 29:01 - Use the Bait to Better Spread the Message: Awareness is Awareness However it’s Gained! 30:47 - Rolling With Strangers: A Scary Challenge With Growth Potential Abound! 32:20 - Bad Eggs Don’t Spoil the Bunch: Very Good Sportsmanship on Average in Jiu Jitsu! 33:45 - 22 Tournaments: Operation “Rolling for Resilience” 35:45 - From Tournament Series to Non-Profit Organization: Amazing Progress! 37:03 - One Key Piece of Advice: You’re Not Alone! Reach Out and Get Help! 39:00 - Making the Connection: When it Was Time to Meet Rosa 41:38 - How Physical Fitness Can Help Improve Your Mental Health, Too! 42:35 - Improving Mental Health is Not “A Moment” - It’s Conscious, Consistent Effort Over Whatever Period is Necessary! 43:42 - Don’t Give Up! Tomorrow is Another Day, and An Hour From Now is Another Hour! 45:03 - Fatherhood: Worth All the Effort! 45:45 - Closing Remarks: How to Get in Touch