This segment is a Veteran Focused talk show that showcases individuals and companies in the community and is focused on Veteran leadership, service, stories and transition. Our Veteran host highlights other Veterans who serve, have served and who are doing great things in their business and in their community. Today our hosts, Chris Budihas spoke with Michael Anthony.
Michael Anthony
CEO at GratitudeAmerica
Website Address: GratitudeAmerica.org
Short company description:
We commit to serving veterans, first responders, and those who care for them by delivering proven programs and experiences that transform their deepest struggles into their greatest strengths so they may live the lives they deserve.
What is one question you would like the host to ask you?
We often hear statistics about how veterans struggle during transition—losing their military support system, carrying unresolved trauma from deployments, and facing a culture that taught them to ‘suck it up and drive on’ rather than process what they’ve experienced. But what if we’ve been looking at this backwards? How can we help transitioning service members recognize that the very challenges and trauma that seem like barriers are actually what make them uniquely prepared to thrive in civilian life? And more specifically, how can introducing concepts of post-traumatic growth—the idea that we can become stronger through adversity rather than just surviving it—transform the transition experience from one of loss and struggle into one of purpose and exceptional capability?
What’s one thing we should know that makes your company unique?
There are 45K Veteran serving non-profits in the United States and most are well intentioned. Many are dedicated to providing recreational opportunities allowing struggling Veterans to escape and feel a sense of peace and the others are focused on meeting unmet financial needs. GratitudeAmerica is very different as we offer training and education on the concepts of post traumatic growth. We challenge the Veterans through education and practical application to grow post trauma leveraging strengths that they have as Warriors. They learn that they can grow beyond their trauma and walk the road from struggle to strength. PTSD is not a life sentence.
How do you define success?
Success as CEO of GratitudeAmerica means fundamentally shifting how transitioning service members see themselves—not as broken veterans who need fixing, but as individuals uniquely forged by adversity and exceptionally prepared to thrive. Success is measured not by how many veterans we help ‘overcome’ their challenges, but by how many discover that their deployments, their trauma, and their experiences of loss have already equipped them with resilience, adaptability, and strength that most civilians will never possess.
It means creating programs and fostering a community where post-traumatic growth isn’t just a concept we teach, but a lived reality our members experience. Where the moment they lose their military support system becomes the moment they realize they have the capacity to build even stronger networks. Where the scars they carry become evidence of their capability, not their limitations.
Success is when a transitioning service member stops asking ‘How do I survive this transition?’ and starts asking ‘What extraordinary things can I accomplish because of what I’ve been through?’ When we’ve helped them understand that the military didn’t just teach them to ‘suck it up and drive on’—it forged them into people who can transform pain into purpose, adversity into advantage, and challenges into competitive strengths that position them to lead, innovate, and excel in ways others simply cannot.
How did you get started in your field of work?
I was served by GratitudeAmerica as a client when I was transitioning. I fell in love with the program and began volunteering – from cooking meals to taking out the trash. The founder approached me after a year of volunteerism and invited me to come aboard full time. 10 years later, I am the CEO.
What was the most impactful moment of your transition out of the military?
It took me over a year to get a retirement order and was required to file a congressional inquiry. I learned about my official retirement the day I was scheduled for a surgery and leaned by the hospital my Tricare was no longer valid.
Transcript:
Chris:
Welcome to Five Minute Salute. I’m your host, Chris Budihas, and joining me in the studio is Michael Anthony with Gratitude America.
Michael:
Thanks, Chris. Excited to be here.
Chris:
You’ve got quite a title—you’re an important man! Thanks for coming in. Let’s start with a little backstory. Tell me about where you come from and how you got into the military.
Michael:
I grew up in Atlanta—back when the Braves were terrible. Loved it there. I went to school in South Georgia, and after 9/11, which was right around when I graduated college, I joined the military. Like many of us, I just felt called to serve. I retired about a year ago.
Chris:
Congratulations, and thank you for your service. And now you’re with Gratitude America helping vets. What exactly is Gratitude America, and how do you do what you do?
Michael:
Gratitude America steps in where the VA sometimes leaves off. We provide post-traumatic growth training programs for veterans and their families. We offer two main programs—Warrior PATHH and our Military Support Retreats. They’re all evidence-based and designed to help veterans understand that the source of their trauma can also become the source of their strength. We help them walk that road from struggle to strength.
Chris:
That’s powerful. And you’re able to do all this with a small team, right?
Michael:
Yes—there are only about five of us. We’re entirely privately funded, and we help around 300 veterans and their families each year. Our team is definitely dedicated, but you have to be in the nonprofit space. It’s all about heart.
Chris:
I love that you focus on post-traumatic growth. There’s a stigma around PTSD, but what you’re saying is that people can grow from trauma.
Michael:
Exactly. We’re not anti–mental health—there’s a place for clinicians. But traditional mental health methods only meaningfully help about 3% of the time. They’re crucial in crisis. But many veterans aren’t in crisis—they’re just carrying heavy weight and want to thrive beyond their trauma. That’s where we come in.
Chris:
So walk me through what the program looks like when someone arrives.
Michael:
Both of our programs follow the same core structure. First, you receive education—about post-traumatic growth and about yourself. Then you learn a set of regulation practices you use every day—not tools you pull out only when needed. After that, there’s disclosure. You have to unpack the tough stuff; otherwise, you can’t grow from it.
Then you redefine your story—start creating a vision for your future. And finally, you return to service. Once you’re regulated and growing, you can pour your energy back into your family, your community, your purpose. Service in uniform shifts to service at home.
Chris:
You’re based in Northeast Florida, but you serve veterans from all over, right?
Michael:
Correct. We’re based in Fernandina Beach, but we bring in veterans from across the country—mostly the Southeast but also from places like Alaska, California, even expats living abroad.
Chris:
If someone wants to participate, how do they sign up?
Michael:
It’s simple—go to GratitudeAmerica.org. There are sign-up buttons for all our programs. And since we’re privately funded, donations are also incredibly important. Programs are free for veterans, so anyone who wants to give their time, treasure, or talent can do so right there on the site.
Chris:
Any upcoming events?
Michael:
Our website has the most up-to-date event info. We just hosted a big golf tournament for Veterans Day, and we have fundraisers throughout the year. We also need volunteers—everything from cooking meals to taking out trash. There’s a volunteer section on our site.
Chris:
You’re clearly someone who could’ve chosen anything, but you chose this work.
Michael:
Funny enough, I used to be an executive at a Fortune 100 company. I found Gratitude America as a participant because of my own struggles. I started volunteering—cleaning, helping out—and eventually our founder, Louis Jordan, asked me to join the team. He reminded me that corporate work will always be there, but our brothers and sisters in arms are suffering now. That made the choice easy. This work gives me purpose. I hope one day I work myself out of a job.
Chris:
Well said. So one more time—how can folks find Gratitude America?
Michael:
Just go to GratitudeAmerica.org, and follow us on all social platforms under “Gratitude America.” We’re also on LinkedIn.
Chris:
Michael, thank you for your service to our nation and your continued service to our community. This work matters, and I appreciate you being here. Folks, check our show notes. Connect with Michael and me on LinkedIn, and visit GratitudeAmerica.org. If you have time or talent to give, consider helping support our veterans. And if you’re a veteran in need, I encourage you to reach out.
Join us for our next segment—and remember to live with gratitude.
The Daily News Network, Buzz Tv News, and DAILYBIZBRIEF highlight business professionals, nonprofits, veterans and community leaders on over 40 TV Segments including The Horse’s Mouth, Legacy of Leaders TV, Veterans Buzz TV, Finding Your Frequency, and Buzzworthy Businesses.
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