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
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. 03
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. 05
Leaving the Military? 10 Things You MUST DO Before You Transition
Transitioning out of the military is one of the biggest shifts you'll ever make, and most veterans figure out what they wish they'd known only after it's too late. Hosts Adam Braatz and Zach Zdroik break down 10 things that every service member should handle before separating, from paperwork and benefits to mindset and planning, drawing on lessons learned the hard way so you don't have to repeat them. Whether you're separating in six months or six years, getting ahead of these steps now can save you serious headaches (and missed benefits) 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. 02
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. 04
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
EP. 06
Women Veterans Cheated Out of Benefits They Earned
Women are the fastest-growing group in the VA system, yet they remain among the most overlooked when it comes to disability claims. A ratings system built decades ago around the male veteran experience still struggles to account for conditions like MST, reproductive health issues, and injuries that manifest differently in women's bodies — and the result is a documented pattern of women receiving less than they've earned. Attorney and veteran advocate Monica Irelan Karas joins host Adam Braatz to break down exactly where the system falls short, what claims are most often undervalued or denied, and what women veterans can do to push back and get the benefits they're owed. 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 #womenveterans
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.