Uploaded December 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Travis Winfield served a 24-year Navy career as a Master at Arms, a lifelong commitment to mentorship, financial literacy, and real estate education, all driven by his mission to help others transition into civilian life with confidence, stability, and purpose.
In Episode 225 of the Transition Drill Podcast, if you’re a military veteran or first responder, you’ve probably heard the same line your whole career: “You’ll be fine, the pension will take care of you.” Travis Winfield lived that life, and he’ll tell you straight, it’s not enough.
Travis grew up in Richmond, Virginia, raised mostly by a single mom, working obs as a teenager just to help keep life moving. He thought aviation was his future, got accepted to a top civilian flight program, then watched the door slam shut when the money was not there. So he joined the Navy out of necessity and ended up serving twenty four years.
He as an Operations Specialist, hated it, and eventually converted to Master at Arms . That path took him into military law enforcement, dignitary protection overseas in places like Greece and Italy, and eventually to Command Senior Chief on a small crew ship.
Along the way he started selling real estate, then after retiring, Travis built a real estate business, wrote a book on financial literacy for the military community, and created Military Operated Real Estate, (MORE), a SkillBridge and VA approved real estate training pipeline designed for veterans, active duty, and military family members.
In this episode we walk the whole arc, from humble beginnings, rebellious youth to command level leadership, trauma, transition, and building a second career. Travis breaks down his “life in thirds” model, the influence of retired Green Beret Larry Broughton, and why learning money, mentorship, and mission early can change your entire post service life.
The best podcast for military veterans, police officers, firefighters, and first responders preparing for veteran transition and life after service. Helping you plan and implement strategies to prepare for your transition into civilian life.
Follow the show and share it with another veteran or first responder who would enjoy this.
CONNECT WITH THE PODCAST:
Instagram: instagram.com/paulpantani
WEBSITE: transitiondrillpodcast.com
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/paulpantani
SIGN-UP FOR THE NEWSLETTER:
transitiondrillpodcast.com/home#about
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS:
paul@transitiondrillpodcast.com
EPISODE BLOG AND CONNECT WITH TRAVIS:
transitiondrillpodcast.com/post/travis-winfield-navy-veteran-financial-literacy-and-building-wealth-after-service-transition
SPONSORS:
GRND Collective
Get 15% off your purchase
Link: thegrndcollective.com
Promo Code: TRANSITION15
Blue Line Roasting
Get 10% off your purchase
Link: bluelineroasting.com
Promocode: Transition10
Frontline Optics
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Link: frontlineoptics.com
Promocode: Transition10
#transitiondrillpodcast #militarytransition #firstresponders
Travis Winfield served a 24-year Navy career as a Master at Arms, a lifelong commitment to mentorship, financial literacy, and real estate education, all driven by his mission to help others transition into civilian life with confidence, stability, and purpose.
In Episode 225 of the Transition Drill Podcast, if you’re a military veteran or first responder, you’ve probably heard the same line your whole career: “You’ll be fine, the pension will take care of you.” Travis Winfield lived that life, and he’ll tell you straight, it’s not enough.
Travis grew up in Richmond, Virginia, raised mostly by a single mom, working obs as a teenager just to help keep life moving. He thought aviation was his future, got accepted to a top civilian flight program, then watched the door slam shut when the money was not there. So he joined the Navy out of necessity and ended up serving twenty four years.
He as an Operations Specialist, hated it, and eventually converted to Master at Arms . That path took him into military law enforcement, dignitary protection overseas in places like Greece and Italy, and eventually to Command Senior Chief on a small crew ship.
Along the way he started selling real estate, then after retiring, Travis built a real estate business, wrote a book on financial literacy for the military community, and created Military Operated Real Estate, (MORE), a SkillBridge and VA approved real estate training pipeline designed for veterans, active duty, and military family members.
In this episode we walk the whole arc, from humble beginnings, rebellious youth to command level leadership, trauma, transition, and building a second career. Travis breaks down his “life in thirds” model, the influence of retired Green Beret Larry Broughton, and why learning money, mentorship, and mission early can change your entire post service life.
The best podcast for military veterans, police officers, firefighters, and first responders preparing for veteran transition and life after service. Helping you plan and implement strategies to prepare for your transition into civilian life.
Follow the show and share it with another veteran or first responder who would enjoy this.
CONNECT WITH THE PODCAST:
Instagram: instagram.com/paulpantani
WEBSITE: transitiondrillpodcast.com
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/paulpantani
SIGN-UP FOR THE NEWSLETTER:
transitiondrillpodcast.com/home#about
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS:
paul@transitiondrillpodcast.com
EPISODE BLOG AND CONNECT WITH TRAVIS:
transitiondrillpodcast.com/post/travis-winfield-navy-veteran-financial-literacy-and-building-wealth-after-service-transition
SPONSORS:
GRND Collective
Get 15% off your purchase
Link: thegrndcollective.com
Promo Code: TRANSITION15
Blue Line Roasting
Get 10% off your purchase
Link: bluelineroasting.com
Promocode: Transition10
Frontline Optics
Get 10% off your purchase
Link: frontlineoptics.com
Promocode: Transition10
#transitiondrillpodcast #militarytransition #firstresponders


![Marine Corps Combat Engineer: War, Brotherhood, and Wearing Toughness as a Mask. Antonio Bonfiglio
Antonio Bonfiglio, GWOT Iraq combat veteran, in Episode 231 of the Transition Drill Podcast explores transition and identity for veterans and first responders navigating the messy middle between “who I was” and “who I’m becoming.” You’ll hear Antonio on combat deployments, what it takes to rebuild your life, and working for the Wounded Warrior Project.
He was born in New Jersey, raised in South Florida, then got pulled back to New Jersey at 13 and hated it. Hockey was his identity in Florida, and when that fell away, he started chasing status in the wrong places. He talks about a going-away party, getting caught with weed when the cops showed up, and how fast one “stupid decision” can change how your parents see you and what doors stay open.
In 2003, he enlists in the Marine Corps on an open contract and ships off to Parris Island. He goes from boot camp to Marine Combat Training to combat engineer school, then hits his first unit in November 2003: 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion, 2nd Marine Division. His first deployment is January 2005, was to Fallujah right after Operation Phantom Fury. To the question “where did you grow up,” Antonio often says, “Iraq.” He shares the kind of stories that sound funny until you feel what’s underneath them.
After the Marines, Antonio runs into the next kind of fight: school, work, relationships, and trying to fit into normal life while still acting like everything’s a mission. He talks about using education benefits, clashing with a professor, trying to get hired by the NYPD, and watching his life drift into dead end jobs, partying, gaining weight, and a layoff in the 2009 economic collapse. The throughline isn’t perfection. It’s the honest look at how a “tough guy” identity can protect you early, then trap you later, until you finally decide to change how you’re living.
Today he’s turned his life around, he’s now married and has a couple children. He’s been working for the Wounded Warrior Project for the past 6 years, and though he’s helping other’s who, “raised their right hand” as a physical fitness instructor, he’s found his own treatment helping others through their journey. His new passions are sailing and jiu-jitsu, both he found through veteran non-profits.
The best podcast for military veterans, police officers, firefighters, and first responders preparing for veteran transition and life after service. Helping you plan and implement strategies to prepare for your transition into civilian life. Follow the show and share it with another veteran or first responder who would enjoy this.
CONNECT WITH THE PODCAST:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paulpantani/
WEBSITE: https://www.transitiondrillpodcast.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulpantani/
SIGN-UP FOR THE NEWSLETTER:
https://transitiondrillpodcast.com/home#about
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS:
paul@transitiondrillpodcast.com
EPISODE BLOG PAGE AND CONNECT WITH ANTONIO:
https://www.transitiondrillpodcast.com/post/transition-drill-podcast-marine-corps-combat-engineer-to-wounded-warrior-project-antonio-bonfiglio
CHAPTERS
[0:00:00] - Intro: The “Tough Guy” Lie
[0:03:10] - Seven Siblings, Always Feeling “Small”
[0:06:18] - Asthma, Allergies, Always “The Sick One”
[0:09:19] - Bullied Young: Needing to Stand Up
[0:15:00] - Dad’s Wild Age Gap + Bus Driver Story
[0:17:16] - Half-Siblings, Same Holidays, Same Love
[0:22:11] - Sports, Hockey, Mischief, and Status
[0:27:12] - Trying to Belong to His Brother’s Crowd
[0:33:48] - The Phone Call That Sold the House
[0:35:26] - Betrayed: Dragged Back to New Jersey
[0:38:40] - Hockey Was His Identity—Then It Died
[0:41:11] - Pot + Cops at the Going Away Party
[0:44:51] - No More Hockey Camp: Consequences
[0:47:18] - More Time = More Trouble
[0:50:00] - High School: “I Barely Made It”
[0:53:32] - Blue Collar Home: College Wasn’t Real
[0:54:30] - Community College: Show Up, Walk Out
[0:57:41] - Marine Recruiter
[1:01:44] - MEPS: “Just Sign Here”
[1:04:26] - Open Contract: Taking What You Get
[1:07:12] - Boot Camp: The Shock to the System
[1:47:34] - First Deployment: Fallujah (Jan 2005)
[1:47:57] - “I Grew Up in Iraq”
[1:48:46] - Driving Through Fallujah After Phantom Fury
[2:09:48] - Explosives Work: Mistakes Get You Killed
[2:49:16] - San Diego Dream + Holiday Announcements
[2:50:59] Would’ve Taken Any Contract to Get Back In
[2:58:32] Leaving the Corps: Losing the Only “Tribe”
[3:00:00] San Diego Landing: “My Feet Belong Here”
[3:00:11] New Roommates, New Life, and Family
[3:27:33] Wounded Warrior Project: New Mission
[3:37:10] WWP Saved My Life
SPONSORS:
GRND Collective
Get 15% off your purchase
Link: https://thegrndcollective.com/
Promo Code: TRANSITION15
Blue Line Roasting
Get 10% off your purchase
Link: https://bluelineroasting.com
Promocode: Transition10
Frontline Optics
Get 10% off your purchase
Link: https://frontlineoptics.com
Promocode: Transition10
#transitiondrillpodcast #militarytransition #firstresponders Marine Corps Combat Engineer: War, Brotherhood, and Wearing Toughness as a Mask. Antonio Bonfiglio](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/NPCVYMzFjT4/mqdefault.jpg)







