You’re not alone.

Whether you’re in uniform, transitioning, or reflecting from the other side — your voice matters. Voice from the Ranks is a space to read real stories, share your own, and find connection in experiences that are often felt but rarely spoken aloud.

This isn’t just a blog — it’s a growing archive of lived truths. If something in you feels called to speak, submit your story — anonymously or not — and let your words help someone feel seen.

Submit Your Story

erykash little 6/10/25 erykash little 6/10/25

🔥 Hot Takes from Someone Who Just Got Out: What They Don’t Tell You About Military Transition

Nobody tells you how fcking weird it is to leave the military. One day you’re in uniform, the next they want you to be a truck driver or a government contractor — like that’s the only way to exist. This episode rips the cover off all the sht no one warns you about: the stress, the fake ‘transition plans,’ the mental load no briefing ever covers — and why you’re not crazy for feeling lost as hell. Real talk, no sugarcoating. Hit play and find out what they don’t say out loud.

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Welcome to Open Door Policy

We kicked off our very first episode of Open Door Policy by diving into something many service members are all too familiar with—the infamous “open-door policy.” On paper, it’s supposed to be a tool for transparency, a way for soldiers to feel heard when leadership falls short. But in reality? That door isn’t always as open as it claims to be.

In this episode, we got personal. We shared real moments from our own experiences navigating the military’s chain of command, what it felt like to speak up and not be listened to, and how those moments left us feeling more isolated than empowered. It’s not always easy to talk about—especially when humor is often the armor we wear—but we believe there’s strength in vulnerability. And honestly, we laughed a lot along the way (because if you don’t laugh in the military, you’ll cry… or smoke yourself voluntarily)

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Booze in the Barracks – Unpacking the Military’s Drinking Culture

Let’s be honest—military culture and drinking go hand in hand more than most of us care to admit. In Episode 2 of Open Door Policy, we put down the beer (for now) and pick up the mic to talk about how deep the roots of alcohol run in military life.

From wild weekend binges to drinking rituals that start way too early in the day, we shared personal stories of what it was like to be young, stressed, and drowning more in Jack than in our emotions. There were laughs—like soldiers falling off stages mid-speech—and some serious moments too, like recognizing when the party stops being fun and starts becoming a problem.

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When the Uniform No Longer Fits: My Transition Story

There’s a moment some of us face when the uniform — once a symbol of purpose, pride, and identity — no longer fits the life we’re trying to build. In Episode 3 of Open Door Policy, I sat down behind the mic solo to talk about my own transition out of the military after ten years. Not to bash the system or dramatize the struggle, but to say what so many of us feel and rarely say out loud: it’s okay to want something different.

Leaving wasn’t about bitterness. It wasn’t even about frustration. It was about growth — about recognizing that the version of stability I had clung to for so long was holding me back from the kind of life I wanted to create for myself and my family.