When I went on Ben Wilson’s Energy Right Podcast, he asked where my view of energy security comes from.
For me, it started in Iraq, standing next to small generators and handing out diesel so families could keep food and medicine cold for a few hours. That experience changed how I see every conversation we have now about power plants, renewables, and the grid.
Energy stopped being abstract. It became basic stability.
Iraq and my view of energy
On the show, I told Ben that my idea of energy abundance comes from seeing what energy insecurity looks like up close.
If you have not lived through rolling blackouts or constant generator use, it is easy for energy debates to drift into pure politics. Once you have seen it, you start with a simple question: does this keep people powered, or not?
That is why I talk about an all-of-the-above approach. I am less interested in labels and more interested in what actually keeps homes, businesses, and bases running.
Why veterans fit the energy world
Ben and I spent a lot of time on veterans in the workforce.
The energy sector feels familiar to a lot of us who served:
Clear responsibility.
Systems that cannot fail.
Safety first.
Team environments where showing up matters.
With Project Vanguard, we try to connect those veterans to real opportunities, without pretending we can “place” people. As I told Ben, the goal is simple: help veterans get real conversations and screening calls, make sure they are prepared, then let their performance do the rest.
No shortcuts, no charity. Just a good match between the work and the people.
Local trust and making energy “boring” again
Ben also asked about siting projects in rural communities. As I see it, this is where veterans are especially useful.
Developers often respond to concerns with fact sheets. Locals respond based on who they trust. Veterans who already live in those places, who show up at county meetings, can translate between “project language” and community concerns.
Sometimes it is as simple as someone finally asking, “Does water running off solar panels cause health issues?” and getting a straight answer from a neighbor they already know.
My hope is that over time, this kind of steady, local work takes some of the heat out of energy debates. If we do it right, energy becomes boring again: reliable, affordable, and not the main thing people fight about.
Final Thoughts
My conversation with Ben on Energy Right was really about one idea: veterans have a lot to offer in energy, from the control room to the county fair booth.
If you are a veteran looking for a next chapter, this sector needs your experience. If you work in energy and want more people who take reliability and responsibility seriously, veterans are worth investing in.
That is the lane Project Vanguard is trying to serve. Help veterans find good work. Help communities understand projects. Help energy stay something solid people can count on.
If that sounds like the kind of future you want to see, feel free to share this, follow along, or loop in a veteran who might be ready for their next mission.
Timestamps:
00:05 – Kevin intro and episode setup
01:07 – Ben frames veterans in energy
03:31 – Kevin’s path into the energy sector
05:14 – Iraq lessons and all-of-the-above
07:09 – Project Vanguard’s platform model
10:52 – Where veterans fit in energy roles
12:53 – Culture fit, service, and community work
16:51 – Grid reliability, batteries, and costs
19:49 – Local trust, sheep grazing, and project siting
26:28 – Handling misinformation and next steps for veterans
30:58 – Doubling veterans in energy, PV resources, and closing reflections
Resources:
Guest & Company
Ben Wilson - LinkedIn
Kevin & Project Vanguard
Kevin Doffing on LinkedIn
