Welcome to a new season of the award-winning Hill Country Authors Podcast, sponsored by Stoney Creek Publishing. In this podcast, Hill Country resident Tom Fox speaks with authors who live in, write in, and write about the Texas Hill Country. Host Tom Fox welcomes retired Command Sergeant Major and combat medic Rafael Colon Hernandez, author of UNBROKEN: A Soldier’s Journey from Struggle to Strength.
He discusses the realities of military service and what corporate leaders can learn from it. Colon Hernandez recounts nearly 32 years of service, including deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan and humanitarian response during Hurricanes Harvey and Maria, and explains common civilian misconceptions that “the uniform doesn’t make you” and that service reflects upbringing and values. He discusses veteran leadership strengths relevant to business, operating in uncomfortable environments, building cohesive teams across differences, agility, and talent management. The conversation addresses PTSD beyond stereotypes, including emotional numbness, nightmares, and stigma, and highlights creative outlets like writing as therapy; he describes his book “Unbroken” and his writing style. He also discusses the challenges women veterans face, childhood trauma, resilience, and storytelling as a mission.
Key highlights:
- Civilian Misconceptions
- Veterans in Business
- Combat and Humanitarian
- Understanding PTSD
- Writing As Therapy
- Women Veteran Challenges
Resources:
Rafael Colon Hernandez on LinkedIn
Purchase UNBROKEN: A Soldier’s Journey from Struggle to Strength on Amazon.com
Podcast Cover Art
Tom Fox