⚓ Anthony Rivera (Part 4): The Dawn of Agentic AI, Mental Health Reform, and the SOS Protocol
Release Date: 01/19/2026
⚓️ FULLSEND FRIDAY: Navy SEAL Anthony Rivera on AI-Driven Transition, Cracking the VA Code, and the "Fog of Peace"
The Two-Promises Podcast
What happens when the “Fog of War” turns into the “Fog of Peace”? In this comprehensive Full Send episode, Navy SEAL veteran and Vetivize CEO Anthony Rivera joins his BUD/S Class 267 classmate to discuss the tactical and psychological blueprint for a successful military transition. Anthony pulls back the curtain on the elite selection process, sharing raw stories from BUD/S Pool Comp and hallucinatory nights in Iraq’s Al Anbar province. He then reveals the “cheat code” he discovered in the CFR 38 that allowed him to turn around a VA disability claim in just 11 days. We explore...
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⚓ Anthony Rivera (Part 4): The Dawn of Agentic AI, Mental Health Reform, and the SOS Protocol
The Two-Promises Podcast
What does the veteran landscape look like five years from now? In the powerful conclusion of our series, Navy SEAL veteran and Vetivize CEO Anthony Rivera paints a vision of a future where technology and spirituality intersect to end the veteran suicide epidemic. Anthony challenges the current medical status quo, comparing the definitive testing for diabetes to the often "test-less" prescribing of mind-altering antidepressants in the VA system. He advocates for a shift toward "prescribing" community service, elite work ethic, and mentorship as the primary tools for recovery. We also get a dose...
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🛡️ 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)...
info_outlineWhat does the veteran landscape look like five years from now? In the powerful conclusion of our series, Navy SEAL veteran and Vetivize CEO Anthony Rivera paints a vision of a future where technology and spirituality intersect to end the veteran suicide epidemic.
Anthony challenges the current medical status quo, comparing the definitive testing for diabetes to the often "test-less" prescribing of mind-altering antidepressants in the VA system. He advocates for a shift toward "prescribing" community service, elite work ethic, and mentorship as the primary tools for recovery. We also get a dose of much-needed levity with a hilarious "Safety Brief" story involving a mission brief with a Team XO and the infamous line from The 40-Year-Old Virgin.
The episode wraps with a tactical SOS Protocol—a step-by-step guide to finding center when you're treading water in a sea of overwhelm. This is more than a podcast; it’s an immediate action drill for your life.
Key Topics & Search Insights
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Agentic AI & Mundane Tasks: How the next wave of AI will handle the "bureaucratic weight" of veteran life, allowing heroes to focus on spirituality and service.
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The Over-Medication Critique: A deep dive into why "emotionally flat" chemical solutions often fail to address the root of veteran despair.
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Mentorship Up and Down: The necessity of serving others as the ultimate antidote to "the poo-poo feelings" and self-loathing.
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The SOS Protocol: A tactical framework—Stop, Seek Center, Orient to the Horizon, Signal your Swim Buddy—for navigating high-stress situations.
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Laughter as Medicine: Why maintaining a sense of humor and "shit-talking" in communities like Jiu-Jitsu is vital for long-term resilience.
⏳ Timestamps
01:08 The 5-Year Vision: How Agentic AI will redefine veteran efficiency and reduce suicide
02:30 The Mental Health Prescription: Why the VA should prescribe exercise and service over antidepressants
03:16 Words vs. Tests: Comparing the definitive nature of a diabetes test to mental health diagnoses
05:06 Spilling Over: How intentional actions and mentoring up and down create a better world
06:30 Making the Safety Brief: A hilarious in-brief story involving the Team XO and a bet
08:57 If You Don’t Use It, You Lose It: The 40-Year-Old Virgin reference that stitched up the platoon
10:06 The First Step: Why calling a buddy is the immediate action drill for anyone in the storm
11:15 Rock Bottom Wisdom: Analyzing the Shia LaBeouf Jon Bernthal interview - If it’s not alright it’s not the end
12:26 Get Hugs, Give Hugs: The power of physical community Jiu-Jitsu and being in the presence of others
13:30 Social Media is Not Real: Why the digital world can’t give you a hug or make you stronger
15:25 DB&C Wrap-Up: Introducing the SOS Protocol for when life’s waves are crashing
16:30 Stop & Seek Center: Finding presence in the body through breathwork and immediate perimeter security
17:15 Orient to the Horizon: Picking one small target resume phone call rather than the whole elephant
17:50 Signal Your Swim Buddy: Why calling out a problem is a strength not a weakness
About the Guest
Anthony Rivera is a retired Navy SEAL, classmate of BUD/S 267, and the visionary founder of Vetivize. His mission is to use cutting-edge technology to automate veteran benefits and foster a community rooted in the ethos of "Do Good for Good."
Connect with Anthony Rivera:
Website: https://vetavize.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthonyriveraexecutiveleader
If you are treading water today, remember the SOS Protocol: Stop flailing, seek center, orient to a fixed point on the horizon, and signal your swim buddy. You were never meant to swim the open ocean alone.
Join the mission:
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Visit Vetivize: Head to vetivize.com to secure your medical data and find your roadmap.
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Pick Up the Phone: Call one buddy today. No sugarcoating—just talk.
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Support the Show: If Anthony's story resonated with you, share this episode. Your one share could be the signal a struggling brother needs to see.
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