What does it mean to be a committed leader when the mission shifts from the battlefield to the home front? In the final chapter of this four-part series, former Navy SEAL Aaron Peña gets vulnerable about the Invisible Wounds of a 20-year career. Aaron discusses the deep sense of loneliness that often follows a military transition and how he took purposeful action to build a Forward Operating Base (FOB) for SEALs in Northeast Florida. From managing the "rabid spider monkey" energy of community service to the harrowing story of a life-threatening spontaneous pneumothorax as a new guy, Aaron's story is a masterclass in resilience. He pulls back the ...
What does it mean to be a committed leader when the mission shifts from the battlefield to the home front? In the final chapter of this four-part series, former Navy SEAL Aaron Peña gets vulnerable about the Invisible Wounds of a 20-year career.
Aaron discusses the deep sense of loneliness that often follows a military transition and how he took purposeful action to build a Forward Operating Base (FOB) for SEALs in Northeast Florida. From managing the "rabid spider monkey" energy of community service to the harrowing story of a life-threatening spontaneous pneumothorax as a new guy, Aaron's story is a masterclass in resilience.
He pulls back the curtain on his time in the Renew Program, an inpatient treatment for combat trauma, proving that the ultimate achievement isn't just surviving the fight—it's having the conviction to ask for help and lead others through their own reinvention.
In this episode, you'll learn:
Building the FOB: How Aaron grew a local network from 4 to 27 SEALs by simply asking, "Who do you know?"
The Down-Man Response: How a brotherhood shows up when one of their own is diagnosed with cancer.
The Powerhouse Spouses: Why military spouses are critical to veteran community resilience.
SOPs for Suffering: Why "suffer in silence" is a failing strategy and how structured support changes outcomes.
The Spontaneous Pneumothorax: A terrifying medical emergency and the fight to remain in the SEAL teams.
Time, Talent, and Treasure: A framework for meaningful service within local veteran communities.
⏳ Timestamps
01:13 The loneliness of transition after relocating from San Diego
02:30 Building the FOB by reaching out to the SEAL Future Foundation
03:25 The "young frogman" effect and its impact on veteran mental health
05:00 Supporting a down man after a cancer diagnosis
05:35 How military spouses lead community resource coordination
06:30 Time, talent, or treasure as a framework for giving back
07:50 Building a high-performing real estate team through cultural fluency
10:30 Missing the healing impact of being a medic and confronting life's fragility
13:34 Invisible wounds from a child casualty in the Philippines
15:15 The Renew Program and a five-week inpatient trauma journey
15:58 Breaking the suffer-in-silence mentality through vulnerability
17:30 The dangerous cycle of physical pain and unmanaged mental health
20:16 Waking up with a collapsed lung and emergency room chaos
22:41 Needle decompression and lung surgery details
25:01 Fighting the medical board to remain in the SEAL teams
27:15 Final message on commitment, humility, and embracing the process
29:27 Debrief & Cocktail
About the Guest
Aaron Peña is a former Navy SEAL Medic, first-phase instructor, and current real estate principal agent in St. Augustine, Florida. He is a passionate advocate for the SEAL Future Foundation and a leader in building local veteran support networks. Aaron's journey from combat trauma to community leadership reflects a lifelong commitment to service and reinvention.
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/
Success isn't just about the mission; it's about the commitment you make to yourself and your community after the uniform comes off. Aaron Peña's journey from a collapsed lung to a flourishing real estate career proves that with enough Grit and the willingness to Surrender your ego, reinvention is always possible.
If you felt the conviction in Aaron's story today, don't keep it to yourself. The best way to support the Two Promises Podcast is to take action:
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Build Your Own FOB: Reach out to one person this week and ask, "Who do you know?" Start building the community you wish you had.
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Connect with the Foundation: Support our brothers at the SEAL Future Foundation and find your next ridge line.
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