⚓️ Full Send Friday: Navy SEAL Aaron Peña on Real Estate Investing, The VA Loan ”System,” and Healing Invisible Wounds

2025-12-26

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Transitioning out of the elite special operations community is like "learning a new language." In this comprehensive Full Send episode, former Navy SEAL Medic Aaron Peña joins the show to share his blueprint for a successful post-service life. Aaron breaks down the exact system he used to turn his Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) into a real estate portfolio using the VA Loan. We dive deep into the technical side of property acquisition—including house hacking multi-family units and VA loan entitlement—before shifting to the raw, personal reality of service. Aaron opens up about his battle with a life-threatening collapsed lung...

Aaron breaks down the exact system he used to turn his Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) into a real estate portfolio using the VA Loan. We dive deep into the technical side of property acquisition—including house hacking multi-family units and VA loan entitlement—before shifting to the raw, personal reality of service. Aaron opens up about his battle with a life-threatening collapsed lung, the emotional toll of trauma in the Philippines, and his journey through the VA Renew Program. This is a masterclass in professional reinvention and personal resilience.

Key Topics

The VA Loan wealth strategy and entitlement looping
Transitioning from Navy SEAL Medic to real estate agent
The four pillars of home inspection: roof, HVAC, plumbing, electrical
Recovering from invisible wounds through the VA Renew Program
Building a veteran community through a local FOB
The all-in mentality and choosing family over rank progression

⏳ Timestamps

00:22 The identity crisis of transitioning out of uniform

02:57 Retiring at 20 years and the impact of absence on family

03:40 VA loan strategy and freeing up entitlement

04:58 House hacking using BAH instead of paying rent

06:50 Why VA loans work best on 1–4 unit properties

08:41 Using VA loan entitlement multiple times

11:00 New construction incentives and closing cost strategies

12:50 Feeling like a tourist at home after transition

15:30 Researching successful veterans before leaving service

21:21 Fatherhood, presence, prayer, and authenticity

24:50 The 9/11 catalyst and choosing the SEAL path

27:00 The undesignated grind before the pipeline

31:09 SOCM school and proving the instructors wrong

35:58 Combat medicine in the Philippines and mass casualty triage

46:51 Applying triage and SOPs to real estate

50:54 The BUD/S tread failure and composure under stress

63:22 Collaborating without ego while leading in Yemen

67:45 Mission over commission in real estate decisions

74:50 Building the FOB in St. Augustine, Florida

86:50 Processing the loss of a child casualty

89:13 The Renew Program and inpatient trauma recovery

93:33 The collapsed lung that nearly ended Aaron's career

100:32 Burn the boats and committing to the next mission

About the Guest

Aaron Peña is a retired Navy SEAL Medic and First Phase Instructor who now serves as a Principal Real Estate Agent in Northeast Florida. He is the founder of the St. Augustine SEAL network (the FOB) and is dedicated to helping veterans and first responders leverage their benefits to achieve financial autonomy.

Connect with Aaron Peña:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaron-pena73/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aaron.pena.863363/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aaron_pena7/

Compass: https://www.compass.com/agents/aaron-pena/

If you are currently in a transition—whether it's leaving the military or shifting your career—Aaron's advice is simple: Commit without a plan B. Identify your next mission, find your community, and be humble enough to ask the questions that lead to growth.

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