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
Veteran Benefits & Social Security Disability Programs: Your Questions, Answered
Social Security retirement. SSDI. SSI. VA disability. TDIU. VA retirement. Many systems, many sets of rules, and a lot of veterans caught in the overlap. After our last video on this topic sparked a ton of great viewer questions, we're back with reinforcements. Host Adam Braatz sits down again with Lauren Zwirlein, Partner and President of Tabak Law, joined this time by Jim Brzezinski, CEO of Tabak Law, to answer our viewers' questions: how SSDI, SSI, and other programs interact with VA benefits, where the confusion usually starts, and what mistakes can quietly cost you down the line. 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.
EP. 03
Cook. Administration. Special Forces. Is All Military Service REALLY Equal?
Was your military service "enough"? A lot of veterans quietly carry that question with them long after they've left the service. VetLine host Adam Braatz sits down with retired U.S. Army Captain Jason Church to talk about why that question misses the point entirely. Jason lost both legs below the knee to an IED while leading a patrol in Afghanistan in 2012 — an experience that could easily define how people see his service. Instead, he and Adam dig into something bigger: whether you were kicking down doors with special forces, running the kitchen on base, or keeping personnel records straight, your service mattered, was valuable, and was enough. This conversation is about breaking down the hierarchy veterans sometimes place on each other's experiences, and recognizing that the military doesn't run without every single role in 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
EP. 05
Veterans and Civilian HR: What Nobody Tells You Before You Start (Part 1)
Military HR had one speed: screw up, face consequences, move on. Civilian HR operates on a completely different frequency — unwritten rules, performance improvement plans, and politics nobody briefed you on. Army veteran and HR expert Gary Steensgard has lived both worlds, and he joins Adam Braatz to break down what EVERY veteran needs to know when they step into the civilian workplace, whether they're interested in a career in HR or not. The transition gap is real, and Gary brings the professional expertise to help close 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.
EP. 02
While Veteran Orgs Battle Over the TCAVA, Our Debt to Veterans Goes Unpaid
The Major Richard Star Act has nearly 80 Senate cosponsors and over 300 in the House — and after years of stalling, it still hasn't gotten a floor vote. Host Adam Braatz sits down with retired U.S. Army Captain Jason Church, who lost both legs below the knee to an IED while leading a patrol in Afghanistan, to talk about what that delay actually costs. Jason has spent the years since fighting for combat-injured veterans to receive both the retirement pay and the VA disability compensation they've earned — without the dollar-for-dollar offset current law forces on them. He and Adam break down what the Star Act would actually change, why it's now bundled into the larger Take Care of America's Veterans Act, and why many veteran service organizations are raising concerns about how part of it would be paid for. 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
Veterans and Civilian HR: What Nobody Tells You Before You Start (Part 2)
Nobody in the civilian workplace is going to pull you aside and tell you how the game is played — you're just expected to know. Army veteran and HR expert Gary Steensgard is back with Adam Braatz to go deeper on what civilian workplaces actually look like from the inside: how to build credibility without rank, how to navigate conflict without a chain of command, and what most veterans get wrong about professional relationships — until it's too late. 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. 06
How Does a Government-Funded News Source Stay Independent? Stars and Stripes Has the Answer
Stars and Stripes has been covering the American military experience since the Civil War — embedded with troops, funded by the government, and editorially independent from it. That last part is the interesting part. Adam Braatz sits down with Corey Henderson of Stars and Stripes at their Washington D.C. headquarters to dig into what the outlet actually is, what it's for, and how it protects its newsroom from the pressures that come with being a federally funded publication serving the people that same government sends to war. It's a conversation about journalism, institutional trust, and why it matters that veterans have a press that answers to them. VetLine is powered by Tabak Law — dedicated advocates for veterans, workers, and Social Security disability claimants nationwide. Learn more at tabakattorneys.com. Disclaimer: This content is for general informational and entertainment purposes only and is not legal or financial advice. #veteranlife #veteranbenefits #vabenefits #starsandstripes #militarymedia
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.