Apple Podcasts
Spotify
Fountain
In this powerful episode of DBA Chronicles, we welcome Dr. Jason Phillips, retired U.S. Navy Commander, educator, and social innovator whose work bridges military service, scholarship, and community transformation.
After a 22-year Navy career with deployments to Afghanistan, Jason witnessed firsthand the challenges veterans face after service, particularly the loss of mission, community, and purpose. That realization became the foundation of his DBA research and the Veteran Urban Farm: Live–Work–Grow Model.
In this episode, we explore:
- The hidden gaps in veteran transition and reintegration
- Why community and purpose matter as much as employment
- How vacant urban buildings can be repurposed into live-work communities
- The role of indoor agriculture, entrepreneurship, and shared ownership in restoring dignity and economic agency
- How the DBA practitioner-scholar framework helped transform lived experience into an actionable, scalablesolution
- Leadership lessons from military service, teaching, and systems thinking
Key Quotes:
“Reintegration challenges stem from a loss of community anda loss of purpose.”
“The DBA gave me the tools not just to imagine change, but tobuild it.”
This episode is a compelling example of purpose-driven scholarship in action, showing how rigorous research can become a blueprint for real-world impact.
Listen in and be inspired to rethink community, leadership,and service beyond the uniform.
Connect with Us
LinkedIn: DBA Chronicles
Website: www.dbachronicles.org
Subscribe & Review
If this episode resonated with you, please follow, subscribe, and leave a review on Spotify or your favorite podcast platform.
Until next time - keep learning, keep leading.
