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Camo & Crayons

Laurie Trahan Lafrenaye

Camo & Crayons Military Life & Family Support Podcast is a podcast dedicated to the military community—bringing together service members, veterans, military spouses, parents, and experts for honest conversations about military life. From boot camp to deployments, PCS moves to homecomings, we share real stories, practical advice, and the lessons learned along the way.

Whether you're preparing to send a loved one to basic training, navigating military life, or simply looking to better understand those who serve, Camo & Crayons offers encouragement, education, and a reminder that no military family walks this journey alone.

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16 episodes
weekly
Avg 54 min
English

Episodes 16

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S1 · E16
Wednesday · 53 min
Military Parents Ask, the Panel Answers
This week, a panel of active-duty service members, recruiters and military moms answers real questions from our TikTok community. The panel is Sergeant Butterworth, Adam, Berek, Brian, Sherry, Annika and Laurie. They don't sugarcoat anything. In this episode: How phone plans work when you're stationed overseas Which branch a 17-year-old should enlist in (hint: talk to all of them) Advice for a new service member who's nervous about senior leaders Where to get confidential help with a drinking problem Medical and moral waivers, explained What happens when a service member goes AWOL How to help a service member who feels overwhelmed Can you change your orders? TSP, 401(k) and who can help with your finances Leave, 96s and 4-day weekends Re-enlisting: advice from the panel Military Family Spotlight Want your service member featured on a future episode? Fill out our form: https://forms.gle/pw8cHq58N6oEmD6s9 Connect with your hosts Laurie: https://linktr.ee/laurietrahan Sherry: https://linktr.ee/sherrydavis69.sd Connect with our pannel Adam: https://www.tiktok.com/@cao.boo.blue?lang=en Berek: https://www.tiktok.com/@casgamer82ps?lang=en SSG Butters: https://www.tiktok.com/@itsbutters93 King of Pogs: https://www.tiktok.com/@king_of_pogs Contact us Camo & Crayons: camoandcrayons@gmail.com If you or someone you know is struggling: The Military Crisis Line is free and confidential, 24/7. Dial 988 then press 1, or text 838255. Recorded and produced by SWA Creative Media. SWA Creative Media: singwithaaron@gmail.com
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S1 · E15
October 28 · 58 min
Do I Call Him Son or Sir?" Two Veterans Talk Service, Family & Coming Home
Do you call your son "son" or "sir" when he makes Colonel? 🎖️ Marine veteran Ruben and Marine and Army veteran Dennis "Sarge" sit down with Laurie, Sherry "Army Mom" Davis and Annika for an honest, funny and emotional conversation about service, family and coming home. In this episode: • Ruben on watching his son become a Marine Colonel • Dennis's "Heritage Room," with sand from Iwo Jima and dirt from WWI and WWII battlefields • What Vietnam-era veterans want today's service members and their families to know • Getting through the transition to civilian life, and why it's okay to ask for help • 52 years of marriage that started with a snow cone Connect with us 🎙️ Host, Laurie Trahan: https://linktr.ee/laurietrahan 🪖 Host, Sherry "Army Mom" https://linktr.ee/sherrydavis69.sd 🪖 Guest, Ruben:https://www.tiktok.com/@ruben57borrego?lang=en 🪖 Guest, Dennis "Sarge":https://www.tiktok.com/@sarge.dt?lang=en 📧 Podcast email: camoandcrayons@gmail.com 📧 Military Spotlight Form: https://forms.gle/oSrqDxTSjcQB86ca6 If you or a veteran you know is struggling, call the Veterans Crisis Line: dial 988, then press 1. Produced by SWA Creative Media. #CamoAndCrayons #Veterans #MilitaryFamily #Marines #Podcast
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S1 · E14
October 19 · 1 hr 7 min
Girl Talk Q&A: Your Military Moving Questions Answered
Grab your drink, your sweater, and your slippers, because it's girl talk time! In Episode 14 of Camo & Crayons, Laurie, Sherry, and Annika answer questions from you, our followers, about military moves. They also cover how to help military kids through them. Annika is joining us live from Okinawa, where she just got her household goods after months of waiting. She compares her stateside PCS with her overseas move to Japan. She covers: What changes when you go from a domestic move to an international one Medical clearance and waiting in limbo while your service member goes ahead Household goods that travel by boat across the ocean, and why she hid AirTags in hers The housing crunch in Japan and families stuck in hotels How the government travel charge card works Helping kids adjust to a new place Hard conversations to have at home before a deployment Travel questions about boot camp and military leave How parents can support a child in the military Have a question for a future episode? Send it to us! Follow and connect: 📱 TikTok: @camoandcrayonspod 📘 Facebook: Camo & Crayons on Facebook ▶️ YouTube: Watch on YouTube ✉️ Send us your questions: camoandcrayons@gmail.com Connect with the hosts: 🌲 Laurie: linktr.ee/laurietrahan 🌲 Sherry: linktr.ee/sherrydavis69.sd 📱 Annika on TikTok: @annika_lyon Recorded on Riverside. Produced by SWA Creative Media.
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S1 · E13
October 14 · 1 hr 1 min
The Military Is What You Make of It" with Seasoned Soldier
Laurie and Sherry sit down with CPT Will Aldana, known on TikTok as Seasoned Soldier. He has served for over 23 years in the Air Force, the Army National Guard, and active-duty Army. He worked as a career counselor, went through Officer Candidate School, and is now an ROTC instructor at the University of New Mexico. In this episode, he talks about: His path from airport security on 9/11 to commissioned officer Why he says to find the job you want before you choose a branch How OCS, ROTC, and JROTC work, and how they can ease the move into military life Staying physically fit, speaking up for yourself with recruiters, and earning certifications and education to prepare for life after the military This one is useful for future service members, parents, and military families. Connect with CPT Will Aldana TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@seasoned_soldier Connect with Camo & Crayons Email: camoandcrayons@gmail.com TikTok: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61593425550543 Laurie: https://linktr.ee/laurietrahan Sherry: https://linktr.ee/sherrydavis69.sd#562856016?view Recorded and produced by SWA Creative Media.
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S1 · E12
October 7 · 1 hr 3 min
Army Service as a Religious Affairs Non-Commissioned Officer
What does it take to join the Army at 32, with a wife and kids at home? In this episode of Camo & Crayons, we sit down with Sergeant Bills, also known online as the King of Pogs and Kyle the Unhinged Puppet. He is a Religious Affairs NCO (Chaplain Assistant) who recently marked 10 years in the Army. Sergeant Bills is a husband of 14 years and a girl dad to three daughters. He tells us why he calls joining at 32 his "midlife crisis" and why it was the right move for his family. He walks us through what basic training was like as one of the older recruits, and how drill sergeants handled a soldier with more life experience. He also shares the story of the 26 jobs he held before enlisting, and how the deal he made with his wife shaped his path into the chaplain assistant role. If you're a military family, thinking about enlisting later in life, or curious what a Religious Affairs NCO actually does, this conversation is for you. In this episode Joining the Army at 32: a "midlife crisis" and a family decision Basic training as one of the oldest in the formation Teaching younger soldiers life skills, from laundry to tying a tie 26 jobs before the military, and finding a career that fit The deal with his wife, and the road to becoming a Chaplain Assistant Supporting soldiers and families as a Religious Affairs NCO Guest: Sergeant Bills (King of Pogues / Kyle the Unhinged Puppet) King of Pogues: https://www.tiktok.com/@king_of_pogs Kyle the Unhinged Puppet: https://www.tiktok.com/@kyle.the.unhinged.puppet Hosts: Laurie - https://linktr.ee/laurietrahan Sherry - https://linktr.ee/sherrydavis69.sd Annika - Connect with Camo & Crayons Email: camoandcrayons@gmail.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61593425550543 Follow, rate, and review the show on [Apple Podcasts / Spotify / YouTube links] Recorded and produced by SWA Creative Media.
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S1 · E10
September 30 · 1 hr 5 min
Vet on the Mic: Turning 23 Years of Service Into a Mission of Motivation
In this episode of Camo & Crayons, Laurie, Annika, and Sherry sit down with Vet on the Mic — a 23-year retired U.S. Air Force veteran and one of TikTok's most motivational voices. From growing up idolizing his Vietnam-veteran father to a 23-year career in Aerospace Ground Equipment that took him from Tinker AFB to Korea, Germany, Okinawa, and beyond — this conversation is packed with heart, humor, and hard-won wisdom. We talk about: 🎖️ What it's really like to serve 23 years and retire as Senior Master Sergeant ✈️ Life on the flight line as Aerospace Ground Equipment (AGE) 🌍 Duty stations around the world — Korea, Japan, Germany, and more 👨‍👩‍👧 Raising a military family across four continents 😂 How humor became his tool for fighting depression and anxiety after service 🎤 Building a following on TikTok as "Vet on the Mic" If you're a veteran, military spouse, military kid, or just need a dose of motivation today — this episode is for you. Important Links: Email: camoandcrayons@gmail.com Hosts: Laurie & Sherry 🎙️ Follow Vet on the Mic: https://linktr.ee/VetOnTheMic Project Healing Waters
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S1 · E9
September 23 · 1 hr
The Inside Scoop from a Marine Corps Drill Instructor
Laurie, Sherry, and Annika discuss GySgt Cruz’s experiences and time throughout his Marine Corps career. Discussing topics from leaving home, to being in the Marine Corps, as well as serving as a Drill Instructor. Email Camo & Crayons Hosts: Laurie's Linktree Sherry's linktree Guest Links: Jonas The Mad Hatter on TikTok Irreverent Warriors
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S1 · E8
September 16 · 1 hr 9 min
You Asked, They Answered: Live Q&A with Berek & Brian
This episode is all about YOU. Every question answered today came straight from the Camo & Crayons community — pulled directly from Laurie's Saturday and Sunday TikTok Lives, where followers ask their real, unfiltered questions about military life, love, and everything in between. To help tackle them, Laurie and Sherry brought in two special guests for a panel-style sit-down: Berek T. Krehmeier, a retired Marine Corps Staff Sergeant (20 years of service, now a Career Services Specialist & SkillBridge Coordinator), and Brian, "King of POGs", an active-duty Army Sergeant and Religious Affairs NCO marking his 10-year milestone. (Annika's sitting this one out — she just landed in Okinawa after 27 hours of travel!) One of the top questions submitted by followers: is getting married right out of boot camp a good idea or a bad one? Berek and Brian dig into it with total honesty, covering: 🗣️ Why communication — not timing — makes or breaks a military marriage 📋 Brian's "100 Questions" checklist he gives service members before they say "I do" ⚓ How certain MOSs (like Marine Security Guard) restrict spouses and communication 🏕️ What being a "Geo Bachelor" means and how deployments test relationships ❤️ Berek's candid take after three marriages on what he wishes he'd known If you submitted a question during one of Laurie's TikTok Lives, this could be the episode where you get your answer. Follow along for future Lives to get your own questions featured! Email: camoandcrayons@gmail.com Hosts: Laurie Trahan https://linktr.ee/laurietrahan Army Sherry https://linktr.ee/sherrydavis69.sd Guests: Berek T. Krehmeier (USMC, Ret.) Berek.krehmeier@yahoo.com Brian, King of POGs (US Army) billz84@gmail.com Military Spotlight: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf_qH1ak2vl6Fy8MccvRSKJh0hzYgWiapBPkEgB3wzXLIobig/viewform
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S1 · E8
September 9 · 58 min
Navigating Change in Military Careers: Insights from Master Sergeant Vasquez
In this episode, we sit down with Master Sergeant Vladimiro “Isaac” Vasquez, an active-duty Army leader with nearly 18 years of service and more than a decade in Army retention and career counseling. We talk about Army careers, retention, leadership, mentorship, and helping Soldiers make informed decisions about their military careers and life after service. MSG Vasquez also shares lessons from his deployment to Afghanistan, years of leadership, and his upcoming transition toward retirement. camoandcrayons@gmail.com https://linktr.ee/laurietrahan https://linktr.ee/sherrydavis69.sd https://www.tiktok.com/@overtimedadpartyof6 Military Spotlight https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf_qH1ak2vl6Fy8MccvRSKJh0hzYgWiapBPkEgB3wzXLIobig/viewform
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S1 · E7
September 2 · 58 min
Understanding Mental Health Support for Military Families
In this episode of Camo & Crayons, we delve into the vital topic of mental health for active duty members and veterans, guided by Lori Cross, a mental health expert and the mother of a recruit at Paris Island. Lori shares her extensive experience working with military personnel and offers invaluable insights into the mental health landscape. camoandcrayons@gmail.com https://linktr.ee/laurietrahan https://linktr.ee/sherrydavis69.sd Laurie Cross BSW, M.Ed, LPCC https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61569069470624&rdid=NdWH71yIP7bejEVJ&share_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fshare%2F1DTkLZZs6f%2F# Clearer Minds Mental Health clearermindsmentalhealth@gmail.com Military Mental Health Support | Military OneSource https://www.militaryonesource.mil/health-wellness/mental-health 988 Lifeline - If you need emotional support, reach out to the national mental health hotline https://www.militaryonesource.mil/health-wellness/mental-health https://988lifeline.org/ Tricare Mental Health Care https://www.telemynd.com/tricare? Objective Zero - Free Mental Health APP https://www.objectivezero.org/
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S1 · E6
August 26 · 45 min
A Drill Sergeant on Preparing Your Recruit
In this episode, Laurie, Sherry, and Annika sit down with Sergeant First Class George — a 9.5-year Army veteran, tanker (19K), and former drill sergeant at Fort Benning — to pull back the curtain on basic training. SFC George breaks down the culture shock recruits face on day one, the personal and financial prep families should handle before shipping out, and why nicotine and social-media withdrawal hit "iPad kid" recruits harder than expected. The hosts also dig into the Army's evolving phone-call policy during training and what it means for parents craving connection with their soldier. A must-listen for any parent, spouse, or future recruit gearing up for basic. camoandcrayons@gmail.com https://linktr.ee/laurietrahan https://linktr.ee/sherrydavis69.sd Spotlight https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf_qH1ak2vl6Fy8MccvRSKJh0hzYgWiapBPkEgB3wzXLIobig/viewform?usp=publish-editor
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S1 · E5
August 19 · 37 min
Army Life and Recruiting
Laurie, Sherry, and Annika discuss SSG Butter’s experiences and time throughout his Army career. Discussing topics from leaving home, to being in the army, and now serving as an Army recruiter. Contact Camo & Crayons camoandcrayons@gmail.com https://linktr.ee/laurietrahan https://linktr.ee/sherrydavis69.sd Military Spotlight https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf_qH1ak2vl6Fy8MccvRSKJh0hzYgWiapBPkEgB3wzXLIobig/viewform?usp=publish-editor ASVAP Study Guides https://a.co/d/0d5VP8tk https://www.purplemath.com/ https://www.youtube.com/@GrammarHero https://www.khanacademy.org/
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S1 · E4
August 12 · 42 min
From Farm Life to United States Marine Corps Infantry
Laurie, Sherry, and Annika discuss SSgt Hobaugh’s experiences and time throughout his Marine Corps career. Discussing topics from leaving home, to being in the infantry, and now serving as a Marine Corps recruiter. camoandcrayons@gmail.com https://linktr.ee/sherrydavis69.sd https://linktr.ee/laurietrahan
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S1 · E3
August 3 · 44 min
A Life of Service within the United States Navy
Laurie, Sherry, and Annika discuss Skip’s very successful career in the United States Navy. They discuss his mentorship, career decisions, his advice to families and young individuals discussing joining the military, and his time involving joint operations. camoandcrayons@gmail.com https://linktr.ee/laurietrahan https://linktr.ee/sherrydavis69.sd
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S1 · E2
August 3 · 41 min
A Woman Navigating A Military Career
Laurie, Sherry, and Annika discuss Annika’s career in the Marine Corps. They discuss any gender challenges she faced, what shaped her into the leader she became the longer she stayed in, and what advice she would give her younger self as well as young women trying to decide to take on the challenge of becoming a United States Marine. camoandcrayons@gmail.com https://linktr.ee/laurietrahan https://linktr.ee/sherrydavis69.sd
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S1 · E1
July 31 · 43 min
Meet the Women Behind Camo & Crayons
Welcome to the very first episode of Camo & Crayons — a podcast built for military families, by military families. In this introduction episode, hosts Laurie, Sherry, and Annika sit down together for the first time on the mic to share who they are, why they decided to start this podcast, and what led them to create a space specifically for the military community. You'll get to know each host individually — their history with military life, their families, and the personal moments that made them realize this podcast needed to exist. They also give you a preview of what's ahead: the topics they'll be covering, the kind of guests they hope to bring on, and the tone you can expect episode after episode — honest, supportive, and never short on humor. If you're a military spouse, parent, service member, or just someone who wants a front-row seat to real conversations about real life — this is your welcome mat. Grab a coffee (or a juice box, let's be honest) and get to know the girls behind Camo & Crayons. 🎧 New episodes drop weekly. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube so you never miss one. camoandcrayons@gmail.com https://linktr.ee/laurietrahan https://linktr.ee/sherrydavis69.sd
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