For many veterans, leaving the military can mean losing the structure, camaraderie, and sense of purpose that shaped their lives. On this episode of Untold Valor, we welcome Tamara Moore and Walter Matthews, co-founders of From Service to Self, to explore the often-overlooked challenges of transitioning to civilian life. They share how their organization is helping veterans navigate employment, access valuable resources, and rebuild meaningful connections while empowering families and employers to better support those who served.

Here’s some of what we discuss in this episode:

• Why leaving the military can feel so isolating
• Rebuilding identity and purpose after service
• Bridging the gap between veterans and available resources
• How families can better support transitioning veterans
• Overcoming employment barriers and translating military skills
• Why veterans need community, not just benefits

0:00 – Intro

1:28 – Unexpected challenges after service

5:36 – Why From Service to Self was created

10:15 – Overlooked veteran benefits

12:26 – Support through STS

18:41 – Thriving after service

22:28 – Helping families understand the transition

26:00 – Practical advice for veterans feeling stuck

30:30 – Why qualified veterans struggle to find employment

40:59 – The future for STS

Tamara Moore

Tamara Moore is a retired U.S. Navy Command Career Counselor with 26 years of military service and co-founder of From Service to Self (STS). Having guided hundreds of Sailors through career decisions and military transitions, Tamara combines professional expertise with her own personal transition experience to help veterans and their families navigate identity, purpose, benefits, employment, and life after military service. Her mission is to ensure no veteran has to face that journey alone.

Walter Matthews

Walter Matthews is a U.S. military veteran, entrepreneur, and co-founder of From Service to Self (STS). After experiencing firsthand the challenges that come with leaving military service, Walter became passionate about helping veterans rediscover purpose, rebuild community, and successfully transition into civilian life. Together with his partner, Tamara Moore, he developed STS to provide practical guidance, connection, and hope for veterans and their families navigating life after the uniform.

EPISODE LINKS

Follow From Service to Self on Social:

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fromservicetoself

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/from-service-to-self-sts/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61590729029375

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromservicetoself/

MORE RESOURCES

Need immediate help? Contact the Veterans Crisis Line via phone, text or online chat. Dial 988 then Press 1 or text 838255 or use the online chat at https://bit.ly/3OunXzg

Voice & Vision: https://bit.ly/3miwFoy

CompeerCORPS: https://compeerfriends.org/compeercorps

Be a Volunteer for CompeerCORPS: Voice and Vision, Inc | CompeerCORPS Volunteer Application

Be a Peer for CompeerCORPS: Voice and Vision, Inc | Compeer & CompeerCORPS Referral Application

Information on how to apply for VA Healthcare Benefits from anywhere in the USA: https://bit.ly/40PtrrN or call 877-222-8387 (M-F 8am-8pm EST)

To apply for veteran’s benefits and find resources in Pennsylvania veterans need to contact their County Office of Veterans Affairs as listed in this document: https://bit.ly/3m8PBWS

View more about PA’s resources for veterans: https://bit.ly/416cf0Q

Chronic pain can change nearly every part of life, but it doesn’t have to define what comes next. U.S. Marine Corps veteran and Purple Heart recipient Dwight Boddorf shares how injuries sustained in Iraq reshaped his career, relationships, leadership, and daily routines. He explains why managing energy can matter more than managing time, how he’s built systems around his limitations, and what it takes to remain ambitious while living with pain. It’s a powerful conversation about adaptation, purpose, and continuing to move forward.

Here’s some of what we discuss in this episode:

• Manage energy, not just time- Take advantage of the windows when your body and mind are working with you
• Pain doesn’t have to become identity- Accepting limitations doesn’t mean allowing them to define your entire life
• Build systems around limitations- Documentation, cross-training, backups, and routines can create resilience at work and at home
• Find new ways to stay present- Honest conversations and adapted activities can help preserve meaningful family connections
• Ambition and chronic pain can coexist- Long-term goals may require different routes, smaller steps, and a willingness to adapt

0:00 - Intro

3:21 - The invisible side of chronic pain

8:59 - Managing energy instead of time

11:07 - Finding healthy distractions

14:21 - Rebuilding your identity after injury

20:29 - Leading responsibly while hurting

26:30 - When and how to disclose chronic pain

30:58 - Being truly present for your family

37:54 - Staying ambitious despite chronic pain

40:54 - Dwight’s book, The Municipal Battlefield

43:50 - What progress really looks like

46:32 - Dwight’s message to veterans

Dwight Boddorf

Dwight Boddorf is a municipal manager in Pennsylvania overseeing public utilities, public safety, infrastructure, and regional partnerships. A U.S. Marine Corps veteran and Purple Heart recipient, he has held leadership roles in higher education and federal, county, and local government. He is a 2025–2026 Hoover Institution Veteran Fellow and author of The Municipal Battlefield. His work focuses on local governance, institutional leadership, regional cooperation, and strengthening communities’ capacity and resilience.

EPISODE LINKS

Dwight’s Book, The Municipal Battlefield

MORE RESOURCES

Need immediate help? Contact the Veterans Crisis Line via phone, text or online chat. Dial 988 then Press 1 or text 838255 or use the online chat at https://bit.ly/3OunXzg

Voice & Vision: https://bit.ly/3miwFoy

CompeerCORPS: https://compeerfriends.org/compeercorps

Be a Volunteer for CompeerCORPS: Voice and Vision, Inc | CompeerCORPS Volunteer Application

Be a Peer for CompeerCORPS: Voice and Vision, Inc | Compeer & CompeerCORPS Referral Application

Information on how to apply for VA Healthcare Benefits from anywhere in the USA: https://bit.ly/40PtrrN or call 877-222-8387 (M-F 8am-8pm EST)

To apply for veteran’s benefits and find resources in Pennsylvania veterans need to contact their County Office of Veterans Affairs as listed in this document: https://bit.ly/3m8PBWS

View more about PA’s resources for veterans: https://bit.ly/416cf0Q

Veterans dealing with PTSD, addiction, or difficult treatment experiences may have more options than they realize. In this episode, we sit down with clinical social worker Susan Maroto to talk about E.M.D.R. therapy, how trauma can remain unresolved for decades, and why finding the right therapist matters. Susan also explains pharmacogenomic testing and how genetics may help guide medication decisions. The conversation ultimately centers on asking better questions, exploring different treatment approaches, and becoming a stronger advocate for your own mental and physical health.

Here’s some of what we discuss in this episode:

• How E.M.D.R. therapy is used to help process traumatic memories
• The importance of experience and trust when choosing a trauma therapist
• How PTSD and substance use can be connected rather than treated as completely separate problems
• How family members can support someone going through trauma treatment
• How pharmacogenomic testing may identify potential gene-drug interactions
• Advocating for yourself when making mental health and medication decisions

0:00 - Intro

3:06 - Introducing Susan

4:53 - Stress, Trauma & PTSD

7:27 - What Is E.M.D.R.?

10:56 - What a Session Looks Like

15:02 - Choosing an Experienced Therapist

16:32 - Substance Use & E.M.D.R.

19:03 - Family Support

20:08 - Finding the Right Therapist

29:05 - Pharmacogenomic Testing

35:46 - When to Consider Testing

37:37 - Advocate for Yourself

41:18 - Reasons for Hope

Susan Maroto

Susan earned her master's degree in clinical social work from Bryn Mawr College in 1993 and has been working in the mental health field ever since. Her work has spanned schools, residential treatment centers, adoption agencies, and her private therapy practice, which she still maintains in Media, PA. Susan was trained in E.M.D.R., which stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, in 1999. E.M.D.R. is the most effective treatment for PTSD of the treatment modalities that are in existence today.

EPISODE LINKS

Therapy With Susan: https://therapywithsusan.com/

Tempus Genomic Testing

Genesight Mental Health Meds Test

MORE RESOURCES

Need immediate help? Contact the Veterans Crisis Line via phone, text or online chat. Dial 988 then Press 1 or text 838255 or use the online chat at https://bit.ly/3OunXzg

Voice & Vision: https://bit.ly/3miwFoy

CompeerCORPS: https://compeerfriends.org/compeercorps

Be a Volunteer for CompeerCORPS: Voice and Vision, Inc | CompeerCORPS Volunteer Application

Be a Peer for CompeerCORPS: Voice and Vision, Inc | Compeer & CompeerCORPS Referral Application

Information on how to apply for VA Healthcare Benefits from anywhere in the USA: https://bit.ly/40PtrrN or call 877-222-8387 (M-F 8am-8pm EST)

To apply for veteran’s benefits and find resources in Pennsylvania veterans need to contact their County Office of Veterans Affairs as listed in this document: https://bit.ly/3m8PBWS

View more about PA’s resources for veterans: https://bit.ly/416cf0Q