ABOUT THE SHOW
The Real Veteran Experience
VetLine was built for veterans who want straight talk — on benefits, on transition, on the culture of life after service. No fluff. Just honest conversations about the things that actually matter.
The show covers VA disability claims, secondary conditions, C&P exams, TDIU, and the bigger picture of veteran wellbeing: isolation, career transition, identity after service, and community. VetLine is powered by Tabak Law — dedicated advocates for veterans, workers, and Social Security disability claimants nationwide.
YOUR HOSTS
Adam Braatz
Director of Marketing, Tabak Law
Zach Zdroik
Co-Host, VetLine
Jim Brzezinski
CEO, Tabak Law (recurring guest)
Listen to the Latest Episode
New episodes drop every week on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.
RECENT EPISODES
Recent Episodes
New episodes drop regularly. Subscribe on your preferred platform so you never miss one.
EP. 01
Bringing Veteran Resources Together Under One Roof
What if every resource a veteran needed was waiting in the same room? Recorded on location at the Racine County Veterans Stand Down, hosts Adam Braatz and Zach Zdroik sit down with McKenzie Quillin of Tabak Law and Shawn Rivers, Racine County Veterans Service Officer, to talk about what happens when a community brings its support services together in one place. Stand Downs exist to cut through the runaround and meet veterans where they are, especially those experiencing homelessness or facing other challenges that make help hard to reach. VetLine is powered by Tabak Law — dedicated advocates for veterans, workers, and Social Security disability claimants nationwide. Learn more at http://tabakattorneys.com. Disclaimer: This content is for general informational and entertainment purposes only and is not legal or financial advice. #veteranlife #veteranbenefits #vabenefits
EP. 03
Punished Twice: How Military Trauma Can COST VETERANS THEIR BENEFITS (Part 2)
Should a veteran's benefits really hinge on the discharge paperwork alone? Not always, especially when trauma from service is what led to the Other Than Honorable, Bad Conduct, or other undesirable discharge in the first place. Attorney and mental health advocate Brian Michel returns with host Adam Braatz to keep digging into a question the VA doesn't always want to sit with: when the behavior behind a discharge is itself a symptom of what happened in service, should the system still treat it as disqualifying? For many veterans, the answer has meant losing out on benefits they'd argue they've earned, punished once by their trauma, and again by a system that penalizes how they responded to it. VetLine is powered by Tabak Law — dedicated advocates for veterans, workers, and Social Security disability claimants nationwide. Learn more at http://tabakattorneys.com. Disclaimer: This content is for general informational and entertainment purposes only and is not legal or financial advice. #veteranlife #veteranbenefits #vabenefits #veteranmentalhealth #OTHdischarge #characterofdischarge
EP. 05
Is Your Company ACTUALLY Veteran Friendly, or Just Saying It?
Every business claims to be "veteran friendly," but the label gets thrown around so loosely it barely means anything anymore. Hosts Adam Braatz and Zach Zdroik dig into what separates a company that genuinely supports veteran employees from one that's just checking a PR box. They break down the real signs to look for, versus the empty gestures that don't hold up once you're actually on the job. VetLine is powered by Tabak Law — dedicated advocates for veterans, workers, and Social Security disability claimants nationwide. Learn more at http://tabakattorneys.com. Disclaimer: This content is for general informational and entertainment purposes only and is not legal or financial advice. #veteranlife #veteranbenefits #vabenefits
EP. 02
The One VA Form That Could Protect Months of Back Pay | Intent to File Explained
Did you know the date you start your VA claim could matter just as much as the claim itself? An Intent to File is one of the simplest steps in the VA disability process, and one that is often overlooked. Hosts Adam Braatz and Zach Zdroik break down what an Intent to File is, how it works, and why filing one early may help protect the benefits and compensation you've earned. Whether you're just starting to gather evidence or still deciding whether to file at all, understanding this step could make a real difference in what you receive down the road. VetLine is powered by Tabak Law — dedicated advocates for veterans, workers, and Social Security disability claimants nationwide. Learn more at http://tabakattorneys.com. Disclaimer: This content is for general informational and entertainment purposes only and is not legal or financial advice. #veteranlife #veteranbenefits #vabenefits
EP. 04
Punished Twice: How Military Trauma Can COST VETERANS THEIR BENEFITS (Part 1)
Should discharge status be the deciding factor in whether a veteran gets access to benefits? What if their military trauma contributed to a less-than-honorable dismissal? Many who left with an Other Than Honorable, Bad Conduct, or other undesirable discharge are denied benefits many would argue they've earned. Attorney and mental health advocate Brian Michel joins host Adam Braatz to unpack a question the VA doesn't always want to sit with: what happens when the conduct behind a discharge was itself a symptom of trauma from service? Veterans in this position are often punished twice — first by what happened to them, then by a system that penalizes how they responded to it. VetLine is powered by Tabak Law — dedicated advocates for veterans, workers, and Social Security disability claimants nationwide. Learn more at http://tabakattorneys.com. Disclaimer: This content is for general informational and entertainment purposes only and is not legal or financial advice. #veteranlife #veteranbenefits #vabenefits #veteranmentalhealth #OTHdischarge #characterofdischarge
EP. 06
What Makes a Movie a Good War Movie?
Forrest Gump won Best Picture, made "Run, Forrest, Run" a household phrase, and gave us one of cinema's most memorable disabled veterans, but ask ten people if it's actually a "war movie" and you'll get ten different answers. Adam and Zach run through what actually defines the genre, then weigh in on whether Forrest Gump counts, and whether it's any good as one. VetLine is powered by Tabak Law — dedicated advocates for veterans, workers, and Social Security disability claimants nationwide. Learn more at http://tabakattorneys.com. Disclaimer: This content is for general informational and entertainment purposes only and is not legal or financial advice. #veteranlife #veteranbenefits #vabenefits
Have a Veterans Benefits Question?
VetLine covers the landscape. Tabak Law handles the cases. If you think you have a claim worth pursuing, our attorneys are ready to take a look — at no cost to you.