The Seasoned Vet
Season 1
by The Seasoned Vet
This week we sit down with a woman who made a career out of shattering the Coast Guard’s glass ceilings. She was the first woman E-7 to be billeted on a 270 cutter. She was the first black woman to make E-7, E-8, and E-9 in her rate. She also ranked #1 on the Coast Guard's Service Wide Exam (twice). For Master Chief Lisa Spotwood, there was no barrier she couldn’t break in her 20-year career. By the time she retired in 2006, she had collected over 30 medals, ribbons, and awards for her work and service. Since retiring, Master Chief Spotwood has not stopped serving the people of the Coast Guard. She goes out of her way to advocate for those who may feel (and often are) powerless. Please enjoy this interview with a Coast Guard Superhero titled ‘Spotlight on Spotwood’.
This week we’re joined by a Groundbreaking Mechanical engineer who refused to be confined to an engine room.Olivia Grant Cream’s journey in the Coast Guard began with a flyer in the mail and ended with her being one of the first Black Ladies to serve as an Engineering Officer. Olivia may have had the privilege of serving as an officer, but of course, even that didn’t shield her from experiencing multiple rounds of racism.Lieutenant Grant Cream completed her time with the Coast Guard in 2012 and has since then gone on to offer her wisdom in several capacities.One of which is with her compelling podcast where she introduces ordinary women who have defied the odds as they navigate their professional careers as an ‘Only’. Embracing Only is available on Apple, Spotify, and anywhere else you get your podcast. Please be sure to check out her episode with another member of Coast Guard Royalty: Commander Kimberly Young-McLear. Here’s the link: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5txFvEUpmC0rHcQi0PmGi6?si=HkTxpLBWSEGQsWZUZ2t7TQ
This week we’re joined by Retired Army Sergeant First Class Cassandra TaylorSeargent First class Taylor spent 28 years working as a Victim’s Advocate, Urinalysis Coordinator, Food Specialist, and Human Resources Sergeant.Her work of service may have started in the Army, but it has yet to stop or even slow down.Today, Cassandra runs a non-profit organization dedicated to helping lady veterans from all walks of life and all branches of service. Her organization Top Flight Defense Incorporated, educates and advocates for women who have served.She not only has a book dedicated to telling the stories of lady veterans, but she is currently gathering stories for part 2 of that same book. Please see the links below for more information on Top Flight Defense Incorporated and the book “Why I Serve”.https://topflightdefenseinc.org/https://youtu.be/oG7p-H9DRE8?si=l0i7CbyZzJPBZB48“Why I Serve” is available on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Why-I-Serve-Cassandra-Taylor/dp/1638859108Cassandra can be reached at: founder@topflightdefenseinc.org or topflightdefenseinc@gmail.com
This week we’re joined by a trailblazing member of Coast Guard Black History! As the first Black woman to serve as the Coast Guard’s 1st District Command Master Chief, Rashaun Morris is quite literally the Gold Standard for Coast Guard Sisters.Her 34-year career is truly one for the books. In a little over 3 decades Master Chief Morris became a Yeoman and racked up over 50 medals and ribbons for her work. This number, of course, does not include her desk full of challenge coins and her record full of positive write-ups.By the time she retired in 2021, she was the eldest and most senior former member of the Coast Guard Honor GuardIf you want to hear what an ICON has to say about the Coast Guard- put this episode in your ear!
This week we’re joined by Retired Navy Senior Chief, Sannita Price.Senior Chief Price comes from a family of military service members. Her father was in the Army. Her Aunt is a retired Navy Senior Chief who was featured in Episode 10 (Just Fine). And her daughter is currently an E-5 in the Navy.After 22 years of service, Sannita can confirm at least one thing: The treatment did NOT get better with rank! But that didn’t stop her from becoming a leader among leaders while working back-to-back sea duty.When Sannita was met with a challenge or any type of adversity, she faced it head-on. And when she saw an opportunity to grow, advance, or help out her shipmate – She took it.While on active duty, she wasn’t just a leader in her command, she was also a “sea mother” to her junior sailors. Today as a woman of the cloth she identifies as more of a Christian gangster, lol.Please enjoy this conversation with Senior Chief Sannita Price.
This week we’re joined by Retired Coast Guard Health Services Technician Chief LaTonya Slade.As a 20-year corpsman, LaTonya always found joy in being able to help people who needed assistance.Chief Slade’s work ethic was so noticeable that she was often put in positions of leadership, even when higher-ranking people were available to fill the positions.LaTonya is a North Carolina native who has dedicated her life to serving others.After retiring from the Coast Guard in 2010, LaTonya decided to keep helping others by becoming an Education Advocate.Today she can be found at Full Potential Education Advocacy where she works with the families of special needs students to help create optimal education experiences for them to reach their full potential.
This week we are joined by an Operation Iraqi Freedom veteran.Senior Chief Jacqueline R. Mapp is the first war veteran to grace this podcast cast with her presence.As a 26-year Navy veteran, ITCS Mapp is a trailblazing, championship-winning, force to be reckoned with.While serving as an Information Systems Technician in the Navy, Senior Chief Mapp also took on the extra responsibility of becoming a recruiter, an RDC (Recruit Division Commander), and a decorated Basketball player. To any onlooker, her success may appear to have been easily gained. But when you’re the only Black woman in the room (as she often was), the climb to success is often anything but easy.Senior Chief Mapp’s career took tenacity and each step of it required a different level of strength. That strength has a way of showing up in the integrity of her character. She’s brilliant, she’s resilient, she’s selfless, she kind, but most of all – she‘s “Just Fine”.
This week we’re joined by an Army Seargent who is NOT to be played with.Unlike most who join the military, today’s guest was married with 2 children before she decided to enlist in the Army at 23 years old. Because she joined the Army with more life experience than most recruits, it was hard for anyone to just push her around (drill sergeants included). Because of this, the boot camp motto of “break ‘em down to build ‘em up simply did not work with her. One of the many lessons she’s learned is that sometimes you have to alter your leadership style to fit the people you’re leading. This is the first Army Sister to grace this show. That’s why she is an Army of One!
This week, we sit down with Jay, or “Mama Jay” as her “children” (younger coworkers/subordinates) call her. 13 years ago Jay enlisted in the Navy as a means to explore the world outside of her small town in Mississippi. Not only has she gotten to explore the world, but she’s also learned some valuable lessons along the way, that she openly shares with her “children”. Today, she is a highly motivated Aviation Boatswain’s Mate – Fuel, on the cusp of becoming a Nurse and an Officer. Jay’s first interaction with a Judge Advocate General was with a Black Lady JAG who helped her escape her failing-at-life chain of command. While no one wants to have to ask a military lawyer for help it’s nice that when she needed the most, Jay was able to get it from a familiar source. Jay’s career is what happens when resilience meets brilliance.
In this episode, we talk to a former Coast Guard Boatswain’s Mate.Daphnee hadn’t been out of high school a full 6 months before she started learning the harsh realities of racism at her first unit as the only black woman there. Her leadership attempted to set her up for failure by making it appear that she was AWOL. After that, she was stationed at various other Coast Guard units around Georgia for almost a decade and the lessons she learned at those units have remained with her.This is the first interview I’ve conducted while drinking, which made for a lot of extra laughter. Lol!