⚓ Aaron Peña (Part 4): Building the FOB—Brotherhood, Invisible Wounds, and the Power of Surrender
Release Date: 12/22/2025
🛡️ Anthony Rivera (Part 3): The Identity Bridge—Health Vaults, Financial Gains, and Serving Others
The Two-Promises Podcast
Is your identity tied to your uniform, or is the uniform just something you wore? In Part 3 of our series, Navy SEAL veteran Anthony Rivera breaks down the ultimate Immediate Action Drill for the veteran identity crisis. Anthony explains how Vetivize acts as a secure, HIPAA-compliant Health Vault, allowing veterans to track their conditions quarterly so they never have to rely on a hit-in-the-head memory during a VA exam. We dive into the massive financial impact of veteran benefits: how the average Vetivize user increases their annual income by $14,400 tax-free, and why savvy employers are...
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⚓ Anthony Rivera (Part 2): Cracking the VA Code—AI, Automation, and the 11-Day Disability Turnaround
The Two-Promises Podcast
Why does military transition feel like "learning a new language"? In Part 2 of our 4-part series, Navy SEAL veteran Anthony Rivera explains how he applied the "Plan Your Dive, Dive Your Plan" SEAL ethos to the complicated world of VA benefits. Anthony reveals how he went from receiving conflicting advice to reading the "root source" documents—the CFR 38—and successfully turned his VA claim around in just 11 days, compared to the national average of 181. We dive deep into his new platform, Vetivize, which uses proprietary AI and automation to act as a "Yelp for Heroes," centralizing the...
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Anthony Rivera (Part 1): Mastery of Chaos—From BUD/S Pool Comp Failures to the "Wild West" of Iraq
The Two-Promises Podcast
How do you transition from the "Fog of War" to the "Fog of Peace"? In the premiere of this 4-part series, Navy SEAL veteran Anthony Rivera joins his BUD/S Class 267 classmate to relive the high-stakes selection process that forges an elite warrior. Anthony shares a raw and often humorous look at the mastery of chaos, starting with his unexpected failure in BUD/S Second Phase Pool Comp under a "chill" instructor and the overconfidence that led to his setback. We dive into the physical toll of elite training, including a "lawn dart" injury on the obstacle course that nearly ended his career, and...
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⚓️ Full Send Friday: Navy SEAL Aaron Peña on Real Estate Investing, The VA Loan "System," and Healing Invisible Wounds
The Two-Promises Podcast
Transitioning out of the elite special operations community is like "learning a new language." In this comprehensive Full Send episode, former Navy SEAL Medic Aaron Peña joins the show to share his blueprint for a successful post-service life. Aaron breaks down the exact system he used to turn his Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) into a real estate portfolio using the VA Loan. We dive deep into the technical side of property acquisition—including house hacking multi-family units and VA loan entitlement—before shifting to the raw, personal reality of service. Aaron opens up about his...
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⚓ Aaron Peña (Part 4): Building the FOB—Brotherhood, Invisible Wounds, and the Power of Surrender
The Two-Promises Podcast
What does it mean to be a committed leader when the mission shifts from the battlefield to the home front? In the final chapter of this four-part series, former Navy SEAL Aaron Peña gets vulnerable about the Invisible Wounds of a 20-year career. Aaron discusses the deep sense of loneliness that often follows a military transition and how he took purposeful action to build a Forward Operating Base (FOB) for SEALs in Northeast Florida. From managing the “rabid spider monkey” energy of community service to the harrowing story of a life-threatening spontaneous pneumothorax as a new guy,...
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🏠 Aaron Peña (Part 3): Triage in Real Estate—Translating SEAL Team Discipline to Negotiations and Risk Assessment
The Two-Promises Podcast
How does the intense triage mindset of a combat medic translate directly to managing complex, costly civilian transactions? In Part 3 of this four-part series, former Navy SEAL Corpsman Aaron Peña shares his approach to applying the high-stakes discipline of the SEAL teams to real estate sales and negotiations. Aaron discusses why real estate deals are "not high stakes" compared to the battlefield, detailing his Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for client management that instill Confidence and eliminate chaos. In a moment of levity, Aaron recounts a classic Failure and Resilience story...
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🩺 Aaron Peña (Part 2): Triage Under Fire—How a SEAL Medic's Grit Translates to Complex Real Estate Deals
The Two-Promises Podcast
How does the grit, urgency, and disciplined focus of a combat medic translate into the world of real estate? In Part 2 of this four-part series, former Navy SEAL Corpsman Aaron Peña shares the story of his military identity—how he became a healer in a community of warriors—and how those high-pressure skills now shape the way he navigates complex real estate deals. Aaron talks about the academic firehose of the Joint Special Operations Combat Medic (JSOCM) course, the struggle to prove wrong those who said he couldn’t pass without a college degree, and the kinetic learning style that...
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🏠 Aaron Peña (Part 1): Going from the Trident to Deeds—Leveraging the VA Loan for Financial Reinvention
The Two-Promises Podcast
How do you find your Identity and next purposeful mission after decades of service? In Part 1 of this four-part series, we sit down with former Navy SEAL Corpsman Aaron Peña to discuss his strategic career pivot from elite medic to successful real estate investor and advisor. Aaron reveals why he made the tough decision to pull his Warrant Officer package and Surrender a 30-year career goal to prioritize his family's needs. He shares the foundational secrets to his financial growth, detailing exactly how he used the VA loan early in his career to convert his Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH)...
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Full Send Friday: The Canary in the Coal Mine: Green Beret Geoff Dardia on Reinvention and Fighting for Warfighter Health
The Two-Promises Podcast
What does it truly take to be a dedicated warrior in a world defined by chaos? This FullSend Friday episode features highly decorated retired Green Beret Master Sergeant, Geoff Dardia, founder of the Task Force Dagger Health Initiatives Program. Geoff shares his searing journey—from an early medical discharge out of BUD/S due to medication side effects, to re-enlisting post-9/11 and facing a catastrophic breakdown from years of operational stress, blast exposure, and neurotoxicity (the "Operator Syndrome"). He recounts the betrayal he felt from a medical system that offered pills instead of...
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The Operator Manual – Fighting for Systemic Change with Geoff Dardia
The Two-Promises Podcast
In the conclusion of our two-part series, retired Green Beret Geoff Dardia of Task Force Dagger reveals the blueprint for systemic change in warfighter and community health. Geoff lays out the actionable steps for those who feel broken or failed by the medical system, urging a disciplined approach where health becomes mission planning. He shares the proven success of the META model established on Fort Bragg — embedding medical and behavioral resources into the 36 months before one transitions out of the military. This episode delivers a powerful message: the fight isn’t about the...
info_outlineWhat does it mean to be a committed leader when the mission shifts from the battlefield to the home front? In the final chapter of this four-part series, former Navy SEAL Aaron Peña gets vulnerable about the Invisible Wounds of a 20-year career.
Aaron discusses the deep sense of loneliness that often follows a military transition and how he took purposeful action to build a Forward Operating Base (FOB) for SEALs in Northeast Florida. From managing the “rabid spider monkey” energy of community service to the harrowing story of a life-threatening spontaneous pneumothorax as a new guy, Aaron’s story is a masterclass in resilience.
He pulls back the curtain on his time in the Renew Program, an inpatient treatment for combat trauma, proving that the ultimate achievement isn’t just surviving the fight—it’s having the conviction to ask for help and lead others through their own reinvention.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
Building the FOB: How Aaron grew a local network from 4 to 27 SEALs by simply asking, “Who do you know?”
The Down-Man Response: How a brotherhood shows up when one of their own is diagnosed with cancer.
The Powerhouse Spouses: Why military spouses are critical to veteran community resilience.
SOPs for Suffering: Why “suffer in silence” is a failing strategy and how structured support changes outcomes.
The Spontaneous Pneumothorax: A terrifying medical emergency and the fight to remain in the SEAL teams.
Time, Talent, and Treasure: A framework for meaningful service within local veteran communities.
⏳ Timestamps
01:13 The loneliness of transition after relocating from San Diego
02:30 Building the FOB by reaching out to the SEAL Future Foundation
03:25 The “young frogman” effect and its impact on veteran mental health
05:00 Supporting a down man after a cancer diagnosis
05:35 How military spouses lead community resource coordination
06:30 Time, talent, or treasure as a framework for giving back
07:50 Building a high-performing real estate team through cultural fluency
10:30 Missing the healing impact of being a medic and confronting life’s fragility
13:34 Invisible wounds from a child casualty in the Philippines
15:15 The Renew Program and a five-week inpatient trauma journey
15:58 Breaking the suffer-in-silence mentality through vulnerability
17:30 The dangerous cycle of physical pain and unmanaged mental health
20:16 Waking up with a collapsed lung and emergency room chaos
22:41 Needle decompression and lung surgery details
25:01 Fighting the medical board to remain in the SEAL teams
27:15 Final message on commitment, humility, and embracing the process
29:27 Debrief & Cocktail
About the Guest
Aaron Peña is a former Navy SEAL Medic, first-phase instructor, and current real estate principal agent in St. Augustine, Florida. He is a passionate advocate for the SEAL Future Foundation and a leader in building local veteran support networks. Aaron’s journey from combat trauma to community leadership reflects a lifelong commitment to service and reinvention.
Connect with Aaron Peña:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaron-pena73/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aaron.pena.863363/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aaron_pena7/
Compass: https://www.compass.com/agents/aaron-pena/
Success isn't just about the mission; it's about the commitment you make to yourself and your community after the uniform comes off. Aaron Peña’s journey from a collapsed lung to a flourishing real estate career proves that with enough Grit and the willingness to Surrender your ego, reinvention is always possible.
If you felt the conviction in Aaron’s story today, don't keep it to yourself. The best way to support the Two Promises Podcast is to take action:
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Subscribe & Review: Help us reach more people by leaving a 5-star review on your favorite platform.
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Build Your Own FOB: Reach out to one person this week and ask, "Who do you know?" Start building the community you wish you had.
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Connect with the Foundation: Support our brothers at the SEAL Future Foundation and find your next ridge line.
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