).png)
I Need Blue
I turned around to see a masked man pointing a gun at me. It was just the beginning of a series of events, including robbery and abduction, which changed my life forever. I Need Blue, hosted by Jen Lee, is a podcast series featuring lived-experiences from survivors of life events. I NEED BLUE creates space for survivors of trauma to feel they BELONG, are LOVED, UNDERSTOOD and EMPOWERED! I called 9-1-1 and they provided me with life-saving directions to help my customer who was having a medical emergency. Law enforcement rescued us and caught the robber. Our first-responders face unique traumas every day. I NEED BLUE provides space for them too!
I Need Blue
Jason: From Service to Brotherhood: A Veteran’s Path to Healing
Some heroes don't wear capes—they open their garage doors.
Jason’s bimonthly poker nights have become a sanctuary for military personnel and first responders seeking more than cards: genuine brotherhood.
Haunted by trauma from Coast Guard and Army service, PTSD, and injuries, Jason struggled to ask for help—until a life-saving call to a friend sparked a new mission. Now CEO of Alpha Ready, he builds stigma-free spaces for healing. As a Christian, husband, father, and podcaster, he proves that true strength lies in connection, and purpose can rise from pain—even around a garage poker table.
Connect with Jason:
Instagram: alpha_ready_com
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@alphareadyco
Website: https://alphareadyco.com/
Order your Alpha Ready t-shirt today! 🇺🇸
Proudly Donating 25% of Monthly Earnings to
Military, Veteran & First Responder Charities
Connect with Jen:
I Need Blue now has a new home at The Healing in Sharing! Visit thehealinginsharing.com to explore Round Chair Conversations, all relevant I Need Blue content, and ways to support the mission of sharing stories that inspire hope and resilience.
By sharing the hidden lines of our stories, we remind each other we are not alone — together, we step out of hiding and into healing.
Instagram: @ineedbluepodcast
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ineedblue
Apple Podcasts: Listen & Subscribe
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheHealingInSharing11
Memoir: Why I Survived, by Jennifer Lee on Amazon
Twice a month, a garage in his neighborhood transforms into something sacred. It's not just about poker chips or the cards on the table. It's about connection. Jason opens his doors to fellow military personnel and first responders, offering them something many don't even realize they're missing Brotherhood. What began with just four men seeking a safe space has now grown to 15 regulars, with over a hundred more waiting to pull up a chair. Men from across the United States are drawn to what Jason has created. They feel the heart behind it. That heart comes from lived experience.
Speaker 1:At just 17, jason joined the Coast Guard. He thought he was signing up to save lives, and he did. But no training could have ever prepared him for the soul-shattering weight of pulling suicide victims from the waters beneath the Golden Gate Bridge. It wasn't a rare tragedy. It was daily. Those images never left. They found their way into his dreams and the deepest parts of his memory. Ptsd wasn't just a diagnosis. It became his silent shadow. Still, jason pushed forward. He later joined the army, where he sustained multiple injuries that forced him into an unfamiliar territory asking for help For those who serve. Being the one in need can feel like weakness. A year into recovery, overwhelmed and spiraling into darkness. He stood at a crossroads. Suicide felt like the only escape, but he picked up the phone. Instead, he called a friend. Instead he called a friend. That single brave act of reaching out became the turning point, not just in his life but for so many others. It was in that moment he realized men need community, a space where they can just show up. No pressure, no expectations, just themselves, messy, imperfect, healing, human.
Speaker 1:Today, jason is a Christian, a devoted husband and father to a beautiful daughter. He serves with Homeland Security, continuing his lifelong mission of protecting others, and security, continuing his lifelong mission of protecting others. He's also the founder and CEO of Alpha Ready Company. He's a podcaster, a clothing brand creator and a proud Coast Guard and Army veteran. Jason, your courage doesn't end on the battlefield or the front lines battlefield or the front lines. It lives on in how you choose to lead to love and to create space for others. Your story is a lifeline. It's proof that purpose can rise from pain, and it's my honor to call you a friend. Thank you for your service, not just to this country, but to every man whose life you touch. Your journey is far from over and I can't wait to see how it continues to unfold. With that, jason, welcome to the I Need Blue podcast.
