Army veteran John Davis shares his experience and tips for living abroad as the special guest on this week’s Tango Alpha Lima podcast.
Army veteran John Davis is living the dream, residing in the Dominican Republic, going on scuba dives, playing golf and working as a veteran advocate.
And you can also fulfill your dream, living abroad.
Davis shares how to do so as the special guest in this week’s episode of the American Legion Tango Alpha Lima podcast. A member of American Legion Post 1533 in Mastic Beach, N.Y., he also shares how veterans can take care of their health care, education, housing, mental health and other needs while living in a foreign country.
Before he learned about living abroad at an American Legion post, Davis served for eight years. He was in the 101st Airborne Division as an infantry squad leader in Afghanistan.
The military lifestyle “got me addicted to traveling and I think veterans are well suited to living abroad,” says Davis, who wrote “Combat to College” and “365 Days of Veteran Affirmations” before he focused on providing information about living abroad. He wrote the Free Veterans Guide to Moving Abroad and continues to educate and inform veterans on the benefits of living abroad after service.
“I found a higher quality of life that is cheaper and I wanted to share that with other veterans,” Davis explains, noting that about 15,000 veterans are living abroad and are receiving health care from VA.
When he moved to the Dominican Republic, his sleep improved and he started connecting with nature. “I struggled a lot until I got abroad,” he says. “Then I realized the unhealthy way that America is. We’re put in this position where it’s work, work, work until we die. And that’s what I did in the military. I really never knew how to take care of myself.”
That led Davis to addiction, including pills he was prescribed for his PTSD.
A defining moment came when he was on a beach, enjoying the sunset, sipping a glass of wine and bonding with veteran friends. “I just took a deep breath. How often do we get to do that — just take a deep breath and feel gratitude? It really hit me.”
Shortly thereafter, he no longer needed the PTSD meds.
In his guide, Davis devotes an entire section about mental health abroad. “Living abroad calls for you to take more personal responsibility for your mental health situation.”
Follow his journey at his website.
Also in this episode, co-hosts Stacy Pearsall, Adam Marr and Joe Worley chat about:
• The photoshopping of uniforms of some Marine Corps recruits.
• Legislation that would make it easier for veterans who signed secrecy oaths for covert ops to obtain back benefits.
• The For Country Caucus, a group of congressional members who are veterans and are hoping to unite amid their differences.
• “Happy National Vet Girls Rise Day,” which is Feb. 19.
You can also check out the nearly 300 Tango Alpha Lima podcasts available in both audio and video formats here. You can also download episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify other major podcast-hosting sites. The video version is available at the Legion’s YouTube channel.
- Tango Alpha Lima