MCON

MCON2024 What a weekend! It was such a great time connecting with old and new friends in the Veteran community and celebrating military culture. Veteran Benefits Guide kicked off on Friday at the Military Impact Summit with a panel discussion on the importance of education among Veterans which included Brandon Nivens, Wesley DeMauro, and Roger Loesch with Lisa K. moderating. Panelists spoke about intersectionality among resource groups, what measures they have seen effective in Veterans education in their organization, and how fear, pride, and guilt often prevent us from pursuing the benefits we are entitled to. Things did not slow down on Saturday with VBG’s field pub exhibit providing a destination for attendees to grab a cold one on us, relax, experience the comradery and culture, and enjoy the festivities all weekend! Saturday was again filled with impactful speakers and incredible insights which led into our next panel discussion, Trailblazing Women Veterans: Redefining What’s Possible. Lisa K. led the discussion as we heard about the journey of each of these amazing women. Ikram Mansori spoke about finding your tribe and meeting your career at the intersection of everything that drives you. Jennifer Marshall talked about how your journey may not always take the steps you had invisioned and that hearing a “no” is not ultimate and final. Amy Forsythe reinforced this sentiment adding how important it is not to take no for an answer in your career and to find other avenues to your end goal when obstacles are placed in your path. Sunday had no shortage of important messages and continued the celebration until exhibit close! A huge thank you to MCON, all of the speakers, fellow sponsors and vendors, and everyone who helped support this incredible weekend. #MCON #VBGforVets #Military #Veteran #Community

🌟 Thrilled to reflect on our incredible experience at MCON 2024 in Las Vegas! 🌟 As the District Advisor with First Command Financial Services, Inc., it was an honor to facilitate the attendance of Ramón “CZ” Colón-López, former SEAC and valued member of our Military Advisory Board, to this prestigious event. "CZ" delivered an inspirational presentation on "Courage, Character, and Commitment," emphasizing how these core values have shaped his life and leadership journey. His insights resonated deeply with all in attendance, reminding us of the profound impact of mentorship and personal development. MCON (Military Community and Opportunity Network) is not just a conference; it’s a powerful gathering that empowers veterans, active-duty service members, and military families through networking and vital resources. It was fantastic to reconnect with friends and clients while also making new connections. The camaraderie and shared commitment to the military community were palpable, reminding us why we’re dedicated to being present at MCON every year. This year, we were especially proud to see so many members of the Special Operations Forces (SOF) community in attendance. These elite warriors are not only remarkable innovators but also entrepreneurs and philanthropists, driving change and making a difference both in and out of uniform. At First Command, we proudly hire veterans and their spouses, recognizing the unique skills and perspectives they bring to our team. Military financial education is a cornerstone of our mission, and events like MCON allow us to engage with those we serve and support. To learn more about getting started with First Command, whether as a client or advisor, please click here: https://bit.ly/3Aq5kb6 A heartfelt thank you to Waco Hoover and the MCON team for organizing such a meaningful event, and to all who stopped by to connect with us. Your dedication to the military community inspires us all! Looking forward to continuing these important conversations and collaborations. See you at MCON 2025! #MCON2024 #FirstCommand #MilitarySupport #Veterans #FinancialEducation #Community #SEAC4 #CarnivoreLeadership #EmpoweringVeterans #SOF #Leadership #MilitarySpouse #LasVegas RJ Casey David Reid Dylan Curtis Connor Matthews Michelle Sewell Lori Douglass Joel Sanchez Sarah Payne, Ed.S. Christopher M. Crooks Dave Flippo Jason S. Lester Lumbad

Just wrapped up an “out of this world” experience at #MCON2024 🇺🇸 The option to attend virtually was a game-changer—learning from top industry leaders, exploring innovative vendors, and networking with amazing professionals, all from the comfort of home.   Powered by Xcyte Digital Corporation (XCYT:TSXV) , MCON and their partnership with MilitaryTimes Online , this conference leveraged cutting-edge technology to deliver an unparalleled hybrid experience, setting a new standard for virtual events. Huge shoutout to Joel Sanchez , Todd Brockman, Lori Douglass and everyone who made it possible, especially with complimentary access for first responders, active duty, veterans, and their families. This forward-thinking approach truly transformed how we connect and learn.   Excited to see how tech continues to shape the future of events #MCON2025 #MCONJAPAN   #VirtualConference #TechInnovation #MCON2024 #XcyteDigital #ConnectedExperience #FutureOfEvents

Can’t stop, won’t stop >> me on American Airlines trekking across the country this week for National Military Family Association. First shout-out goes to the three most amazing humans in the world for abiding the nonsense of me being gone for an entire week, which I’ve never done before (and will never repeat). When they tell you Hidden Helpers do extra work, we also mean the ones who hold down the fort while their mom is out here telling the world how important it is we care for our military kids just like them. Second: Matthew “Doc” Campbell, BSM, MBA, ACHE I’ll show up any place you tell me I should be, so thank you for telling me to come to the first-ever Buddy Check Summit. Every time I hear Matthew Miller, PHD, MPH in conversation with VA Secretary Denis McDonough, I am grateful to be a part of this community in exactly this moment. So much of what we’re all doing is fighting sticky, chronic, seemingly intractable problems… but it feels like change is finally happening. To completely misquote Matt on purpose, there are two types of people in this world — and one of them is the type you’re grateful to be in community and work with, and that was every single person at this summit. Third: Holy smokes Brian Jenkins and Armed Services Arts Partnership (ASAP). What a celebration of storytelling, courage, and community. It’s not lost on me that my family life has unfolded in much the same way as my grandmother’s. The service is the same, the stories are the same, the problems are the same, and somehow, we never fixed them. Instead, we sat alone in them. For years - decades - we weren’t telling our stories. ASAP is changing that. Fourth: We do tell some stories, though, and often it's the same voices, same message, same rooms as always. But Waco Hoover managed to bring together a lot of the voices we’re used to hearing and many others I've never heard before and put together a completely different conversation at MCON. Later today I’ll share our 2024 Military Teen Experience results here for the first time — and I’m so glad I am. Our kids need this community we make, that we’re always trying to build and strengthen (in everything we’ve done this week and always), and he’s created an incredible space to say: The kids aren’t ok — and we, the adults in the room, need to help. Learn more at militaryfamily.org or come visit us today in Las Vegas to learn more. And lastly, fifth: I have to celebrate the friend, colleague, thought partner, and incredible human who is really the power behind our Military Teen Experience Survey and our teens' stories I’m sharing today. Aspen Bergmann: You’re the reason we have this teen story to tell at all, and so many others besides. When we talk about those sticky problems, the ones that don’t change? It’s the Aspens of the world who are going to change them. Thank you for being the leader, worker, ideator, executor, brainstormer, problem solver, truth teller our community needs. I am so grateful for you.

MCON DAY 3! Still lots left to do! We are so pleased to be able to connect with all the veterans here. The passion and dedication of the various veterans organizations here is astounding! If you are a veteran or serve veterans, get involved! MCON DoD Training Center Navy League of the United States Navy League San Diego

Had such an amazing time at MCON 2024. One of the best resources for veterans and veteran businesses. Met such amazing people and got to introduce them to The Coollid Corporation. Excited to develop these relationships and help them achieve Environmental Sustainability.

What a great honor it was to emcee the main stage speakers sessions at MCON this year. We had so many amazing chats, presentations, and powerful stories reminding us of the strength and resilience in our community. The entire conference was phenomenal- one of my favorite highlights (other than the speaker series) was our time at Prairie Fire range — being outdoors, at the range, with a bunch of Gunslingers was a perfect blend of fun and therapy! (Also had the fastest time in Gunslinger Canyon competition - attack!!!) Spending time with UFC fighter Connor Matthews, hearing about his journey and mission with the We Defy Foundation, was inspiring. SEAC (Ret.) Ramón “CZ” Colón-López lessons on character, competence, and commitment were a call to action for us all. Rudy Reyes had a powerful talk reconnecting us to the renaissance of the warrior spirit, and Marcus Capone and team from VETs gave a powerful talk. Huge thanks to our partners in the Veteran Mental Health Leadership Coalition: —Nevada Coalition of Psychedelic Practitioners, Heroic Hearts Project Non-Standard, Revitalist and Mental Joe Apparel—for your dedication and support. So grateful to sponsors like The American Legion 5.11 Tactical #TerraArma for seeing the vision early and helping to make it all possible. Congrats to Waco Hoover and the entire MCON team for building a space where our stories and solutions come together. #MCON2024 #VeteransCommunity #VMHLC #HealingAndConnection

Spent the weekend at the MCON military convention and Military Impact Summit in Las Vegas. There was a great lineup of speakers and events tailored to Veterans, Veteran culture, and the partnerships between, non-profits, corporations, Veteran-owned small businesses, and the Veterans they serve and employ.

“You can have the best plan, the best business model, the best talent, the best team, and none of that sh*t matters if you don’t execute.” Appreciated the opportunity to speak at MCON 2024 in Las Vegas! 👊🇺🇸