Army vet & comedian | Lieutenant Colonel (Ret.) Robin "Phoenix" Johnson - S.O.S. Podcast #63

Robin and I have known each other for years. I met her a few years back as she was initially transitioning out of the Army. At that time, Robin was just starting her comedy career, but it was clear in just those first few times meeting her, she had a gift for making others laugh and was going to go so far. She's now not only showing the world what a successful post-military transition can be, but she is using this skill to demonstrate how laughter can help us in our darkest periods. And she is an Ohio State buckeye like me!

In 1994, Robin enlisted in the Ohio National Guard and served as a 92Y Unit Supply Specialist.  She was later commissioned through THE Ohio State University ROTC program as a Quartermaster Officer.  Robin's career highlights include five deployments to Afghanistan and Iraq, Company Commander, A Co, 603rd ASB, 3d Combat Aviation Brigade, 3d Infantry Division;  Support Operations Officer, 3d Cavalry Regiment; Special Assistant to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; Battalion Commander, 526th Brigade Support Battalion, 2nd Brigade, 101st Airborne Division; and Employment Director, Soldier For Life.  Her awards and decorations include the Airborne, Air Assault, and Pathfinder badges, three Bronze stars,  and the Defense Meritorious Service medal.

Robin's new mission is to heal people, organizations, and communities through humor.  She created Best Medicine Brigade to give veteran and military spouse comedians performance opportunities and heal people with humor.  Robin's passion is the applied and therapeutic use of humor for mental health which is why she also facilitates HEAL*ARIOUS, a humor therapy program for veterans.  She is a Level 2 Certified Humor Professional with the Association For Applied and Therapeutic Humor and a comedy boot camp instructor for Armed Services Arts Partnership.

She has been featured on USA Today, ABC, and Fox.  Voted as Charleston's Best Comic of 2022,  Robin is currently on tour and has performed at Carolines on Broadway, Atlanta Comedy Theater, Charlotte Comedy Zone, Bricktown Comedy Club, Louisville Comedy Club, and for corporate audiences all over the country. 

Find Robin here

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