Security Halt!
Welcome to Security Halt! Podcast, the show dedicated to Veterans, Active Duty Service Members, and First Responders. Hosted by retired Green Beret Deny Caballero, this podcast dives deep into the stories of resilience, triumph, and the unique challenges faced by those who serve.
Through powerful interviews and candid discussions, Security Halt! Podcast highlights vital resources, celebrates success stories, and offers actionable tools to navigate mental health, career transitions, and personal growth.
Join us as we stand shoulder-to-shoulder, proving that even after the mission changes, the call to serve and thrive never ends.
Security Halt!
Fixing Barracks, One Report At A Time
Let us know what you think! Text us!
SPONSORED BY: PURE LIBERTY LABS, TITAN SARMS, PRECISION WELLNESS GROUP, and THE SPECIAL FORCES FOUNDATION
In this episode of Security Halt!, host Deny Caballero speaks with Rob Evans, founder of Hots&Cots, about his mission to improve military living conditions for service members across the force. Rob shares the origins of Hots&Cots, the challenges troops face in barracks and dining facilities, and how his platform is pushing for transparency, accountability, and meaningful change. Their conversation highlights quality of life issues, community engagement, and the emotional toll of advocating for better standards—underscoring why improving military living conditions is essential for readiness, morale, and mental health.
🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube
📲 Like, share, follow, and subscribe to support the mission and spread awareness
TITAN SARMS
Use code: CDENNY10
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/titan_performance_llc/
Website: https://www.titansarms.com
PURE LIBERTY LABS
Use code: SECURITY_HALT_10
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/purelibertylabs/
Website: https://purelibertylabs.com/
PRECISION WELLNESS GROUP
Use code: Security Halt Podcast 25
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/precisionwellnessgroup/
Website: https://www.precisionwellnessgroup.com/
SPECIAL FORCES FOUNDATION
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/specialforcesfoundation_/
Website: https://specialforcesfoundation.org/
Request Help: https://specialforcesfoundation.org/get-support/
Instagram: @securityhalt
Tik Tok: @security.halt.pod
LinkedIn: Deny Caballero
Follow Rob and Hots&Cots Today!
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/revansii/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hots_cots_app/
Website: https://www.hotscots.app/
Get the App!
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/hots-cots/id6467798591
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.rob.hotscots
Hand crafted, custom work, military memorabilia or need something laser engraved? Connect with my good friend Eric Gilgenast.
Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/haus_gilgenast_woodworks_main/
Website: https://www.hausgilgenastwoodworks.com/
SOF Heritage Designs Custom belt Buckles. Of the Regiment for the Regiment SOF-HD.
Instagram: https://www.inst
Produced by Security Halt Media
SecureDayout Podcast is proudly sponsored by ISTAR. Petition Moments Group and your Liberty Lab.
SPEAKER_01:Over.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, that was just a test trial. That was the test drive. Rob from Hots and Cots. Welcome to Secure Down Podcast. How's it going, man? Pretty good, man. Thanks for having me on today. Absolutely. I think I wasted my good uh Hollywood intro, but I'll try to do it again. It was a great intro. For those who didn't see it, it was great. It was so good, man. Let's see if I can chat. Let me channel it. Let me try to get back in the zone. You see, in the military, when a young private No, it's gone. It's gone. I don't know.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah. It's hard to recreate those moments.
SPEAKER_02:You know, it's magic was there.
SPEAKER_01:The magic was there. We'll kick it off again.
SPEAKER_02:Oh my goodness, man. It's awesome to see people that are out there championing for the little guy. And everybody that served can remember showing up to their new base, excited to see their barracks room. And you have two camps. Guys that walked in, they're like, oh my God, new barracks is awesome. You have guys that you know go to the 82nd Airborne and they're in the World War II barracks. Yes.
SPEAKER_01:No! Yeah, they they're like, This is what I signed up for. Like, no, this isn't what the recruiter told me. What's his name again? What's her name again? Let me go find them.
SPEAKER_02:But now soldiers at the lowest level have access to an app that can help them at least get somebody's attention to what they're going through. Hots and cots is something that uh I've been following for a while, and it's it's amazing to have you here today talk about it. But before we dive into the tech, before we dive into building out this amazing network, we got to explore the human connection. Where does somebody get the gravitas and the excitement and the passion, but the audacious spirit to say, I'm gonna change this and I'm gonna help those guys and gals out there?
SPEAKER_01:Um, yeah, it was it's like a lot, it was a lot of things, you know. I was junior enlisted. I got in, I was E2 when I enlisted. Somehow I passed over E1 and got the E2, but I was a junior enlisted, like that's where I started out as. And I remember in my time, 2000, 2001, like coming in and going to Fort Stewart and seeing the barracks and what they were like. And then I've gotten older, gotten out, I got out in 2014, and you know, the government accountability report came out. It's like things still haven't changed. And, you know, there were these jumps of things kind of got better, but then they would just get worse again. Like there was no real change in a sense, like change that lasted. And I think of change that lasted, like, you know, when we went to Iraq, beginning of GWAD, I mean, I remember rolling into Humvees with sandbags, but you know, years went on, change went, equipment got better, our weapon systems got better, but then we don't see that with the quality of life situations. Like they kind of just continue to go down, deteriorate, kind of get left behind, especially for those in the barracks. Um, you know, if you're an officer or you're married, you get a lot more say, you have a little bit more tools to your disposal to say and where you want to live. And, you know, when you're that junior enlisted, like you said, you're either gonna show up to have really great new barracks or you're gonna show up to barracks that are just look like trash. And you might get an NCO that say, hey, let me help you clean this up. This isn't right. But more times than more times often you're gonna get an NCO that says, Hey, the the the broom closets down the hall, good luck, and uh TTs Monday 06 or whatever, uh, see you then. And then that's kind of it. And that's not right. And I wanted to create a platform that presented lasting change and accountability. Um, you know, Army is a self-correcting institution. They they're always talking about self-correcting and so I mean, why not have a platform that does that as well to kind of that hold folks accountable?
SPEAKER_02:You know, yeah, it's important to understand that the the system's gonna always try to dick you down. But that doesn't mean that you shouldn't try to innovate, you shouldn't try to figure out how you can help each other. And that's what I love about this. It's it's giving somebody the ability to say, hey, like, look, like this isn't right, and I'm not gonna live in it. Like the days of having to suffer through black mold in your barracks room should be behind us.
SPEAKER_01:You're right. And I uh I just had a review come up, and an NCO told Derrick Jr. enlisted, like, go file it on your VA claim when they had to go clean up mold. Like, come on, man. Like, we're we're remote controlling helicopters on another planet. Like, we can't do better for our service members, like with cleaning up mold and and making sure they have a clean, safe, comfortable place to sleep. So there are leaders out there who are really leaning into hots and cots, and you know, uh officers and and NCOs that that lean into it to make things better and they want to make things better. But you know, you still get those toxic NCOs, those bad NCOs that are just, or even officers, and I don't want to say NCOs, but officers as well who are just like, this is how it's been, this is how it was for me, this is how it's gonna be for you, and we're gonna keep on going.
SPEAKER_02:We've we've kicked this can down the road and we make it seem like the problem, the problem set is too big. We won't be able to solve it. But a lot of times, if we just look at the the basic level of compassion and care at the platoon level, at the company level, there are things you can do. Uh it's just a matter of having people that care. Uh the one thing that I'm pretty excited about is you know, we don't have conventions for things like this. Uh, we have Shot Show, we have uh Modern Warfare Week. Uh all every every sexy tech device and gadget gets highlighted during a convention at some point throughout the year or the calendar year. But AUSA gives everybody the ability to show up. And if you've got enough backing, if you have enough, and and you were there this past year, right? Or this past year. I was in yeah, I was.
SPEAKER_01:And you know, new weapons, new, new equipment, it's sexy. I get it. It's not sexy to show a mattress or kind of like I get it. But we gotta take care of it. I mean, when you're deployed, it's gonna be stressful. We don't need it stressful when you're back home. Um, we gotta, we can't, like you said, you said it right. Like the can has been kicked so far down the road, you just can't keep kicking that can down. You gotta, you gotta address it uh one way or another.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah. And and you got a chance to field some questions or get some questions answered uh at AUSA this year, right?
SPEAKER_01:I did. I did. I was at the uh campus around campus-style dining uh venue for the Army because they're moving to they're piloting campus-style dining, privatization of the dining facilities, you know. That's the other avenue, that's the other side of this coin, is it's not just living conditions, but it's also your eating. Because again, if you're living in housing, you don't need it to de facto more than likely. You're going to the grocery store or whatever and buying your food and preparing the food how you want it. Um, and that's the other side. So, I mean, yeah, so I was, I was at ASUA, got to ask Sergeant Major in the Army some questions, um, a question. And um, so yeah, it was it was a good opportunity to try to understand where they're going with the campus-style dining. There are still some questions that uh remain unanswered that I'm hoping to get some answers soon, maybe at some point down the road on what that looks like for campus-style dining.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah. It it's, you know, it's easy to sit down and and just accept things, but once we get out, we gotta get into the mindset of being able, if you can give back, if you can get involved in a cause to help out your service members, um, dude, it's needed. There's so many ways we can advocate and help change things. Um, but I want to dive into that. Like, how did you even find yourself wanting to dive into the space? Because a lot of us get jaded. A lot of us have these bad experiences, a dining facility that serves uh frozen uncooked chicken breast, a dining facility that's closed throughout the holidays when the vast majority of service members stay on pose. Those experiences can tell us, forget this, I'm not gonna be involved in this ecosystem. I'm just gonna leave and focus on myself. How did Rob find that passion or re-spark that passion to be involved?
SPEAKER_01:I remember I got out in 2014 and up until I was getting my 214 and kind of getting out of the guard, I was like, and what am I gonna do with all my uniforms? Maybe I'll do like a giant bonfire. Like, I'm done. I don't want to be part of this anymore. Like, I got it, I'm done, I did my time. Like, so I was very much done. Like my wife's like, but you're so close, like you just need to do like a little bit more time and you can get 20. I was like, no, I'm done. Here I am now, 2025, almost 2026, and I'm more involved, I'm very involved in the military, more so probably I would say, than when I was actually in to a certain degree. Like, so I think how I found myself here was I saw big living conditions um from the government accountability for, which was nothing new, but I have three three boys, and my oldest time, he knew I he knows I'm in the army, and he was very much like as much as a four-year-old, five-year-old can be, they were like, I want to be in the army. And I remember it was during the Super Bowl, there was like an army commercial. I showed some guys jumping out of the helicopters, there were like some guys fast rope, but he was just like glued to the TV, like like he was wanting to do that stuff. And I was like, man, and and then shortly after that, a good friend of mine's like, hey, would you want your kids to join the military? Because he knew I was in. I was like, well, yeah, I mean, I'd I'd support him, you know. There's a good chance, like I was in, my dad was in, my grandfather was in. So I mean, there's probably a good chance he's gonna want to, one of my kids will probably want to do it, and I'll support them, but I'm also gonna tell them what it's like. Like, this is the situation. And I kind of was like, I have a moment to kind of really make a change and try to make things better as much as I can for them if they want to get to that point in the military by advocating for those that are in now, um, advocating for improved quality of life, um, and better barracks, better, better living conditions. Um and that's kind of how I found myself. And then I started writing the app um over a weekend. And then I I I literally I took like, I think I even took like a couple days off from my day job to write this. And I got like 1.0 out. And, you know, some were like, it's not gonna make it. What are you doing? This these issues. You had the the naysayers like, you're not gonna be around, the government's gonna shut you down. Uh this isn't new. You had all the the ones in the negative camp, and I kind of had that was a challenge to tune them out. I think it's maybe that's true, but I'll cross that bridge when I get to it. For now, I'm gonna forge ahead. I'm gonna launch this because I had a pretty good backing of just kind of soft support from users out there, and it took off. And here we are just over two years, and it's still going strong. Uh as at the White House, uh, I was on part of the Barracks Task Force. I met with Secretary of the Army, like, I've done all these moment monumental things. And I'm like, and then I look over at the negative camp and I'm like, I don't know, man. I don't know, folks. I mean, it seems like there's something here. So I'm gonna I'm gonna keep going. You know, there's change happening. You know, the Barracks Task Force, Secretary of War had stood up a task force just over 30 days ago to make things clean, safe, and comfort. I've seen kind of the draft memo that they were working on a couple weeks ago. So I mean, they are making changes, they are working towards it. But going back to what you're saying, they kicked the can so far down the road, these these changes aren't gonna happen overnight.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, sadly. That's uh the thing that sucks. Like you can get all the backing, all the support from this administration. And the reality is by the time we have we go through elections again, this may have uh shifted into phase one, or maybe if if we're lucky, phase two of implementing it.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, and I don't I don't I I very much try to stay apolitical in this. And I know I've I've met with folks and they try to sway me to one side or the other. I'm like, it doesn't matter which parties in the system, these issues have been here with both parties. I mean, this has transcended multiple parties. I mean, I got in 2000, like I said, and there were issues then. So I mean, this is now going 25 years at least. So I mean, uh everyone, I mean, everyone's to blame for this. There's no one person you can blame for this.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, no, it's true. If one thing's true about politicians, they love fucking the service member. Both sides of the aisle.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, it's very unfortunate that they they use the service members as a lever. And I didn't realize that when I was younger. Um, you know, I I was young and you know, I had my views of like this person or this party was at fault. And but, you know, as I've gotten older and matured, and I've kind of taken a step back, I've realized no, it's just it's just a system in place right now, and force it is, it is.
SPEAKER_02:So many of us had that same awakening. Like we get wrapped around and we're not to go super political on this, but it it it becomes a thing. Every every service member, every human being that's in the United States will eventually come to this an awakening of like, wow, okay, like I I was pigeonholed on this idea and and forced along this path of thinking that only this side has the truth, only this side has the answer. And the reality is, by and large, neither side know what's going on.
SPEAKER_01:I mean, you're you're you're right. And I've met with many I've met, I've been fortunate enough to talk to different politicians from all sides, and some aren't even aware um until they've seen like what's on hots and cots. And so, yeah, I it's it's very been very eye-opening of what some know and what some have kind of no idea about, which has been a good opportunity to share. These are the challenges, these are what our service members face day in, day out, whether you're Army, Navy, believe it or not, also Air Force. I know the joke is Air Force has the better quality of life. Maybe not as deep as maybe say the Army or the Marines, but they have the challenges as well. So um, it's been a good opportunity to kind of just share of I think many are too big, they focus too much on the big picture and they forget about the small things. Like, here's an example. Like when I was meeting the task force, they were meeting with installation commanders, and they're like, okay, what do we need to do? And everyone's like, we need more money, we need more money, we need, we need faster MILCON. And but like, yeah, I I get that. We we all get that. But there are things we can do immediately. Like, there's no reason Private Snuffy can't lock his door to his room. Like, go let's fix those things. Like there's no reason why you have to have like a shanty town of lights not working near the barracks. Like, go fix like there are things that can be done to make things better around the quality of life and the barracks and the safety and make things clean, safe, and comfort.
SPEAKER_02:This episode is brought to you by Pure Liberty Labs. Quality supplements designed to elevate your health and performance. Check out their full line of quality supplements, whether you're looking for whey protein, pre-workout, creatine, or a super greens drink. Pure Liberty Labs has you covered. Use my code security hall10 at checkout today. Yeah. It's true, man. It it's it's not full, it's not about focusing on the big problem sets. Oftentimes, if we can just take care of the little things to make it safer, make it more comfortable in the area, like then like the light issue. There's no reason why like you go to some of these bases and once it's dark out, good luck trying to find where you're going.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah. Are you are you a baseball guy by chance? I am not.
SPEAKER_02:Uh I enjoy it in person. In person, yes.
SPEAKER_01:But uh there's like this thought process of how some coaches and some teams manage, like, they have to have like players that just hit home runs all the time. Like, there's never there's not that mentality of like, we just need to get on base and we just need to keep getting guys on base and then we can score runs that way. We don't always need to be hitting home runs of getting like new HVAC systems and doing these full mold remediations. Like, it's just those little get on base. Like, go fix those lights, fix the windows. Yeah, exactly. I mean, exactly. I mean, that's really what it comes down to is like we can we can get those home runs, sure, but let's let's also get on base, let's fix these small things.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah. And it honestly, for a lot of, I mean, everybody listening, like you can remember when your chain of command did one thing, one small thing, how big of an impact that had on you. That's the reality of this stuff. Like, it we can empower our ourselves to do a lot of stuff if as long as we have a command that's willing to be there and just help be compassionate, be a real human being. I have to imagine though, like with this has with this app going everywhere. Uh have you found yourself like digging into some problems that you had no idea were? I mean, one thing that I never thought of that we would have, you know, water in some of our Marine Corps bases has been tainted and has caused real health issues. Um, what are some things you guys have found through this app?
SPEAKER_01:Oh man, that's um that's a good question. And uh, you know, I I think the water one was one, like how real big of an issue that is in some installations. Like it is water safety, water quality is one. But I think the biggest thing for me is just uh how much and it's I I know like you're gone, yeah. I think maybe you're thinking health, but also I'm thinking process oriented, just how much service members have lost trust in the system. Um that they don't submit tickets because they're just of count they've just accepted like my stuff isn't gonna get fixed. So I think that's one area. And then the safety net, like how safe safety is is an issue, like how um many service members don't feel safe in their own barracks. I think that's another kind of I think I knew it was an issue, but I didn't think I didn't realize how big of an issue it is with service members just don't kind of feel safe inside their barracks. But also I think those are the two that kind of immediately come to mind right now.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, the safety thing that that one I've heard and have seen now it's more open. People, I mean, with social media. I didn't understand the amount of safety issues going on at base with people having access. Or um, you know, for example, there was a homeless man that was living in a barracks room. Yeah. It's funny. It's funny when you hear about it, but the reality is you're a young service member going in back and forth from work, and you're supposed to be able to go to your barracks room, feel safe. And uh there's there's a guy living in the barracks who is a vagrant. You don't know what's going on with this dude.
SPEAKER_01:Who should should not be there? He has somehow managed to stay on a U.S. military installation when you think, and if you ask the lay person, hey, what do you think a mil U.S. military installation? Oh, safety, secure. You're not getting meanwhile, there's like a homeless person that was found in the barracks, and it's not the first time, but it's like yeah, we're laughing, but it it's true. I mean, it's like, why is there a homeless vagrant living next door to me? And why is his place better than mine? Yeah. Fully decked out, fully decked out.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, there's there's been so much stuff, guys that were supposed to have been ETS and have you know have been found living in the barracks way long, long after they're they're should have been gone out of the military. These things are simple enough to fix, but man, like it's we we keep dropping the ball on some of the most simple things.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, it it we really are, and I don't know what what's happening. Like we you know, there there is a there is something about just doing the simple things. Like if you have a barracks manager, like checking the rooms, you know, making sure if rooms what are the conditions of the rooms? If you're managing the barracks, like I was in the impression, you should be making sure the barracks are taken care of, the rooms are cleaned when you're turning them over and whatever that may entail, that nobody's living in them. Um you know, we we PMCS our vehicles so much, like Motor Pole Mondays, the reason why it's called that. Why why didn't why isn't there something similar to that for for barracks in that sense? Like I I don't know. I don't know what the what's going on.
SPEAKER_02:But I think the culture Yeah, I think it's the that that culturement that we were bred into in the military, that idea that it's a nicety. It's uh a nice to have, but not a necessity. I think that's uh always been something that laid like on the surface level. Um there's so many guys and gals that rush into a quickie marriage just to get out of the barracks.
SPEAKER_01:I think you're on to something. Like it was a nice it was a nice to have, it wasn't a necessity, but now as research is coming out, you know, sleep quality matters, food quality matters. Like there's like tons of new research coming out on all these things, and I and maybe it's just the military is just not staying up to speed with that stuff, maybe.
SPEAKER_02:I think so. I I think for a lot of us in the special operations community with this ongoing joke, the Chow Hall ladies. Like the first time anybody recalls having good food was when they were out at Cat McCall. Like you shouldn't have to go to a military selection process to have access to good food.
SPEAKER_01:No, I mean, you're not wrong. I mean, the joke is uh joke or the the view is on on Bragg, like special force speckoff steak, that's where the chow hall's at. That's where you want to go. Like that's where the food quality is. But if you're like outside of that space, uh you're you're not gonna have your food quality is gonna vary depending uh where you're at for sure. Uh and it shouldn't be the case. Like I can't imagine some guy saying, I'm just gonna go try to get in special forces, I got some good food. And then somehow he makes it on the team's like, I don't know how I got here, I just wanted a good hamburger.
SPEAKER_02:Dude, Rob, I will tell you, when they opened up the the uh Swick dining facility, the high performance dining facility with the Thor III menu, it was insane seeing the amount of 82nd people that would just drive out of their way to go to that dining facility. And at first, when you're a young guy in the Q course or you know, a Green Beret, you're like, oh man, they're coming eat our food. I'm like, it it is a human thing to want to eat decent, decent food.
SPEAKER_01:Yes. I mean, and yeah, and if you think about it, many join the military so they can get away from food insecurity. I mean, I was one of those. I yeah, I got I wanted to enlist to get away from food insecurity, yeah, to have a better quality of life. And if you're you're leaving that lifestyle to join the military to get a better lifestyle and you're and you're not, you start questioning like, why did I join? Like the recruiter told me I wasn't having my food and housing and stuff taken care of, and it's on par or worse than what I had where I came from. And some may not really kind of appreciate that. I was chatting with a recruiter um probably like six to eight months ago, and he told me how many calls he would. He just said, like, I would get calls from parents saying, What did you do to my kid? Like they're calling me or writing me and telling me their room is filled with mold or their food is and like they can't get dinner because the dining facility was randomly closed. So it's it's a real thing.
SPEAKER_02:No, it also, yeah. Another good real thing is uh soldiers on food stamps. That's something that people have a hard time believing. And the reality is if uh if you're a private and you're you know, have relations, have kids, have a wife, like you're not pulling in a big paycheck. And when you're at work, yeah, you're gonna go to the dining facility, and yeah, they're gonna cost, it's gonna cost you, but you should at least have access to good food, something that's healthy.
SPEAKER_01:You should. I was um I was at Fort Meade a couple weeks ago, and I went and had at a dining facility, uh, dinner one night. I mean, you get a lot of food for six bucks. I mean, for six bucks, you can get a good amount of food. I mean, again, you're very the the quality of the food vary, but you can for the price that you pay, you're not gonna get that anywhere else. And you know, our service members, they will go to the dining facility because they don't get paid a ton. Like, especially those lower enlisted, they're not getting, they're not pulling in bank, they're not living like the Kardashians or um having all this deposit on income, you know. So yeah, I mean it's a real thing.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah. Yeah, I gotta imagine that diving into the space, you can have a giant heart, you can have a great enthusiasm for wanting to help others. But when it comes to tech and developing an app and trying to figure out how to bring something to market, where did you figure out the know-how? How did you develop the skill set to do this?
SPEAKER_01:Uh yeah, so I I've been in software development a little bit now, um, prior to starting hot and cots. I was in software development um probably for the last like five, 10 years. I know it's a big range, but it's varies. But I had software development experience in my daytime job. So I was able to, I kind of have a leg up on that side of things of being able to code and write and develop. Um, I've released apps before on Android and iOS.
SPEAKER_02:So nice.
SPEAKER_01:I have that kind of that ability to do that more so than probably a lot of people that want to start advocating for service members because app development's expensive.
SPEAKER_02:Um so Yeah, we know we know that intimately at security all.
SPEAKER_01:It's expensive. So a lot of my time, and so really honestly, what I'm sacrificing, well, I'm not sacrificing actual money to do the development, I'm sacrificing my time um at night. So that's sleep, that's quality time with my family, and I have to make a decision like I'm gonna either spend this time spending it with my kids and my wife and my family, or I'm gonna do it doing the app stuff, writing something. So I I have to remind myself to step, take a step back, spend that quality time with the family, invest in that. And so I will sacrifice my time, uh my vacation time at work to to work on the app, to do advocating and going to the trips to DC and meeting with leaders. So it's it's a lot, a lot of time that I'm I'm investing into this. So the app side, like there were some things I needed to learn uh more on the uh the the website, like not necessarily website development, but being able to like kind of make sure everything's in sync. There were some learning curves there, but I've been I've been very fortunate I've been able to sit down and be a self-teacher when it comes to software development. And I kind of owe that, I think, a lot of that to being in the military. Um, being able to find a task, a challenge, and dedicate and focus to get over that challenge, whatever that may be. Part of that was making sure I can run hots and cots appropriately and and what I have available for the tools that I have.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah. Yeah, man, we're diving into something, uh, some territory I've been eager to dive into, which is um taking care of yourself, man. Like this, you know, it's one thing to create something, but when you're you're touching into the lives of service members, young Americans who are suffering, you know, not everybody's suffering in in in great amounts. I mean, but yeah, you can, I would imagine that you can get sort of um bogged down by the emotional toll of having to see just how many individuals are being impacted in a negative way. Like, how do you balance that and and keep focused on the mission knowing that like, hey, I'm doing something good, it's not gonna be fixed overnight. Like, I can't let the negatives overcome me.
SPEAKER_01:Man, we're it we're kind of getting deep. Like, cause I have those moments. Like, um, I was like, I was just in DC a couple weeks ago, and I there, I literally there was a moment I just had like probably a little mini anxiety attack. Like, what am I doing? Like, am I doing the right thing? There's a lot of I would say a lot of attention, but a lot I have become the Hots and Cots guy, and they know that I'm on a task force, I'm doing all this, and so I'm like, am I gonna fail? Like, what if I'm doing all this? And what if we don't see the changes like we think we're gonna change see? Like, I see the incremental changes, but maybe not everyone does. And are people gonna see what I've been doing as a phony? Or like this guy is not what he says doing. But then I'm also like, what about my family? I've invested all this time. Like, am I kids gonna resent me? Like, you spent so much time doing this. It's it's a lot. And I have to kind of just step back and um remind myself, I'm doing the best I can here. Um, I'm doing what I'm capable of, and I'm not sitting on the sidelines and just saying these are the issues, and also how I have to reframe it.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, dude, you're in the fight. That's the thing. Um, okay, it's you're not gonna be able to impact and clean everybody's barracks room. That's just the truth. You can't do that. You're not the hots and cots Santa Claus, but what you're giving people is hope and you're motivating a lot more people to get involved. You're moding, you're motivating people to say, enough's enough, I want to get in. And the people that download your app, the people that are engaging with it, it also gives them the understanding that, like, okay, like I can submit this, I can share it. But at the end of the day, like, if I can take care of this issue, which is one thing that I've seen, I've seen people take up the task and say, you know what, I'm gonna report this, but I'm gonna try to solve it myself. Like, no one's coming to rescue us. I'm gonna do the right thing and submit the help ticket, but if nobody comes, I'm gonna try to take care of myself. That's something that's important.
SPEAKER_01:No, you're right. And I think when I I mean, I got out in 14 and you know, I've been out a while, but sometimes I have to kind of go back to kind of the things that what helped me get through being in the Military. And you know, there are those moments that folks aren't going to step up and want to lead. There's those that just want to follow, and that's fine. That's maybe what they want to do. But it someone needs to kind of step up to the plate and take charge and kind of move forward. And just either even even if it's five feet, you just kind of try to keep you gotta keep moving.
SPEAKER_02:This episode is also brought to you by Precision Wellness Group. Getting your hormones optimized shouldn't be a difficult task. And Dr. Taylor Bosley has changed the game. Head on over to Precision Wellness Group.com, enroll, and become a patient today.
SPEAKER_01:Don't stop. And I that's what I have that's kind of what I've fallen back to at times. I just gotta keep one the even if it's a s one small step, I just kind of need to take one step forward and try to keep moving. And if I impact one person, if I make things better for one person and they appreciate it by me, they got out of a barracks room, then that's a win. I think that's that's huge. And I have to remind myself of that. Like I'm not gonna I'm not gonna hit those home runs. I just need to get on base.
SPEAKER_02:Hell yeah. That is that's exactly it, man. You gotta play smart baseball. That's um, and then the other thing that I I always want to highlight and talk about is that that entrepreneurial spirit, man, like it's one thing to go out there and say you want to help people, but when you create something, then you have to innovate and you have to continue making it better and continue growing. Like, what is the future? What does the future hold for you and hots and cots? What are some things you guys are leaning forward on? Have you built out a robust team of individuals, of pipe hitters, or uh is it still a solo mission?
SPEAKER_01:It's it's mostly it's a lot of it solo. I do have another person that helps out. She's Alex. She helps out uh a lot with the marketing and the calm side of things. Um so I can focus on the development to kind of going doing advocating work. But that's it. It's just it's us two. Uh Alex has been great. She came on board about six to eight months ago. She's actually out at Bragg. Her husband's a commander out there. So I mean, she's very involved in the spouse and the family life and helping the junior enlisted at that level. But you know, roadmap-wise, I actually have like I have around my wall here, I have like a vision board, like of sticky notes of things I want to get accomplished. Actually, and it came, my wife was like, you know, you really need to like try to do like a vision board. And I was like, Oh, I'm gonna get some sticky notes and start. But she's like, that's not what I was saying, but okay, that works. And I was like, that's my version of a vision board. But you know, at the top of it is, you know, my end game is I want to be able to do hots and cots full-time. Like that is something I've been doing at night. And when like I have a full-time job, but that's my end goal. Um, I have these little incremental goals that I want to work on. Like, I want to get a deeper relationship with the Department of War, like to be able to use the data to make improvements, smart decisions on quality of life. Um, and if it's not with the Department of War, uh Department of the Army, any of the branches, because right now I think there is some lacking data points on quality of life initiatives and what things look like. And that's like a small incremental goal. Um, I think there's also some other opportunities that I would be able to utilize. Like, I don't track personal data. So the data that would be sold isn't user data. It's the data on the barracks, which is what service members are rating. And I think right now it appears, and if somebody wants to correct me, please, but it appears that the Department of War or maybe the different branches are just throwing things at the wall to see what needs to be fixed and hope it fixes it. Um and I think Hots and Cots has a really good platform and avenue to kind of help um key in where these issues are at at installation levels.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, I think uh it makes sense to be integrated, but does any side any part of you fear that if you do, you know, become a a salary man for the government, you get bought in. Is there any fear that they'll take hots and cots and and and turn it into something else?
SPEAKER_01:You mean the government taking something and not tell me tell me no.
SPEAKER_00:No. They would never do that. They would never do that.
SPEAKER_01:No, it is a fear. Um, it is a fear for sure. I think Hots and Cots is a platform I would like to see that as independent as much as possible. Um, I think there's relationships and partnerships that can be made on how they can ingest that data. You know, um, I can get super nerdy and talk about APIs that I have available that, you know, the government, the DOW can pull in into their systems so they don't take ownership of Hots and Cots, but they can still utilize the data. There's avenues to be able to still utilize the data without taking ownership of Hots and Cots because it's a real concern and it's conversations I've had. What's to stop the Department of War from buying Hots and Cots and repackaging it as their own or shutting it down? And if somebody wants to write me a billion dollar check, fine, they can do that. No, but uh um I I don't want that to happen. I I think I've built this trust with service members in the barracks. They know they they can come to me. And then, you know, honestly, it's not even with the junior enlisted. I've had E6s and E7s reach out to me through email and be like, hey, I've exhausted my chain of command and my avenues to get issues addressed. I'm coming to you and hoping that you can. And I can usually make some progress with connections, but I don't want to ruin that relationship and that trust that folks have kind of given me.
SPEAKER_02:No, it's true. That that's one thing that you whether you're a podcaster, whether you're a veteran out there speaking out, like when you build that relationship with the community, that's the most important thing, man. Um that's that's a sacred, sacred bond. If somebody reaches out, they need help, they need assistance. That's one thing that you know makes it makes me wonder, you know, how it would be received if you did partner with and were able to work with. Because there's always those individuals that are like, I don't trust the government. It's like, hey man, you you are the government, bro.
SPEAKER_00:You are. There are so many government conspiracy theorists that are wearing the uniform. It's like you're working for them.
SPEAKER_02:Like, well, that's the majority of them are my friends.
SPEAKER_01:No, I mean, we we're I mean, it's true. I mean, there are those like we don't trust the government. It's like, uh, well, maybe maybe re-examine your life choice right now.
SPEAKER_02:I hate to tell you, dude, but we're not the rebel alliance. We're the stormtroopers.
SPEAKER_01:Exactly. Um so you're right. There, it is, it is um a caution. And that and that coin, the other side of that coin is well, what if they Hotz and Kotz partners with privatization and I mean a private company? And you know, that also that also has its own baggage as well that people may view. It's like, oh, you're just you're buying, you're a shill, you're just buying, you're just selling out to the big company. So it's I don't know, it's like I gotta figure out like what that looks like. Like which I'm and I'm hoping I have built up enough goodwill that whatever direction Hots and Cots goes, that folks would trust that we have been, I've been very transparent in everything I've uh we're doing at Hots and Cots, and I hope that has built goodwill that they understand, like and it'd be accepted, and that that trust isn't go anywhere.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, I don't think it's going anywhere. I I think that the thing that I enjoy about it is it's not anonymous. And all it having a face to the or to the app, having a face, having somebody you can identify with that has a story that's like, hey, I'm I'm just like you. I'm I'm not somebody out here that doesn't belong. I'm from the community, and makes it easier for people to download and be instantly be be willing to um you know buy in. I think that's an important aspect of it. Now I'm not saying that if you're not from the the community that you can't innovate and create something that is like hots and cots, like no, not at all. But it does help build that rapport and helps people identify like, hey, dude, Rob's like one of us. He went through this and uh any other thing, like I mentioned before, it gives people hope and it gives um individuals that that kick in the ass to say, like, you know what, when I transition, when I get out, I could do something like this. This is not impossible.
SPEAKER_01:It is not, and you know, I've I think folks may see like what I've done with Thompson Cotts, and they're like, How did you do it? So it goes back to just those small little incremental steps. Like my first step was just to get an app out there, like iOS app out there, and then I'll get an Android out there. So like those small incremental things, and you know, it seemed big. Um, and it you just have to take you just gotta keep moving forward and say that I can do it, and don't try to get bogged down to big details of like what could or what could be um this situation. Like I I don't know. It's it's it can be scary, but sometimes leaning into that that fear can be a little bit healthy.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah. How much does it cost to run the apps? Because that's one thing that uh has always shocked me, the sticker price of trying to go through a third party to launch and host an app. Um it's insane. It's almost like a small car.
SPEAKER_01:Um it can get expensive. I I think I I did the math not too long ago of like what it would like what it would cost to build Hots and Cots as it is now. And I think after I did the math, it was like almost$200,000 between the apps, the two apps, the the data, like the the the the back end to maintain that, the website, like to someone to develop, because I mean if you think about it, I'm developing an iOS app, an Android app, uh a website, um, and then there's like kind of the database side of things. So I mean, yeah, this was it was it's it gets expensive to to write an uh an app. So um, I mean, it thankfully it's not a ton of cost to um maintain the site. Like the cost that I do have, it's not super pricey that I can cover most of the cost. But um there are some months I've I've are a little bit more just because like I'll have like a surge of users. So if I have a ton of more users, the price will go up.
SPEAKER_02:All right, guys. Don't download the app when this comes out. Just don't. Don't don't download it.
SPEAKER_01:Download the app, use it, give it five stars. Um if you hit any bugs, it wasn't me that introduced those bugs. Um, it's some other guy. No.
SPEAKER_02:Oh man. Any thoughts of like trying to develop a nonprofit? I mean, that's even more work, but develop a nonprofit arm to help like offset and it gets some donations in.
SPEAKER_01:I have looked at a nonprofit. Um, so I I operate Hots and Cots under LLC. Um, very transparent about that. Um, and I have an LLC where I will do software development work that I will then funnel to use to cover the cost of Hots and Cots for like marketing, travel, whatever, um, which is money out of my pocket essentially because I'm doing work for others to be able to fund this. But um nonprofits are a lot. I've looked into it. I have to have like a board and I have to like voting, and I was like, I got kind of into it and I was like, this is a lot. And I don't know, and I honestly have no idea how that would interact with me trying to work with the Department of War or the other army or the different branches to utilize the data. So I don't know. I I've looked into it and I just I I got I'm like 20 minutes in there. I was like, this is a lot of work, and I feel like it's gonna take my time away from trying to focus on app development and advocating for the truth for for service members that I just I I was like I'll this is gonna be way down at the bottom of the list of things.
SPEAKER_02:I can only multitask for so long throughout the day. I can't.
SPEAKER_01:I I can only do so much between family time, my day job, hots and cots, and I just I can't add on um trying to start up a nonprofit because I I know it's a lot of work doing a nonprofit. I've I've known many other folks and nonprofits are great. I just I I just but didn't feel like it was for me and the direction I wanted to go.
SPEAKER_02:Oh yeah. It's one of those things where it's to do it the right way, it takes a lot of time and energy. Yeah, I've seen people dive into it just because the it seems like an easy, easy button to to lucrative donations from people, but it's a lot of hard work to do it right. Uh you know, as you've evolved from launching this at the very beginning to now, you know, we talked a little bit about managing life, but do you feel you've got to better handle it? Like if you know you're you're dabbling in both the entrepreneurial space and the conventional, you know, in industry space. Have you found yourself finally getting a little bit better rhythm and how you making time for kids, the wife, the actual duties for work, and then some time for yourself?
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, I have. I have kind of found a rhythm as to be able to do things. You know, uh I mean AI is huge. I use it for app development. I can I've been very fortunate. I can code it once, and then I can just feed it over to AI, and I can get probably like 80% there where I want it, and then I can do whatever I need to do code-wise. No. Which saves me a ton of time, especially managing multiple platforms. Um, and I know if anyone's techie wise, I know there's more easier ways to do this cross-platform. I don't want to do that. Um uh so I I found ways to do that. I've been able to get into rhythms with like calls and advocating. Like I have, I'm very fortunate that I have a good vacation policy at work where I can take time off to go and meet with leaders. Um so and then also just time-wise, like I'm pretty been pretty good about, like I said, going back before, I will sacrifice my sleep, staying up late. Um, I was just, I think the other night I was up to like 1 a.m. trying to finish up some a new feature before the end of the year. So I can take I'm I'm come Thanksgiving, I'm gonna stop development-wise. Um, I'm trying to finish up some development work so I can take the time for the holidays to be with my family and such.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah. It looks like um sounds like you and I are on the same train because uh last night was brutal. It was super lit. And and here's the thing like I have a sleep specialist on this show like at least every other month. And it's it's like the one thing that veterans like us can actually do to like improve our quality of life is get that sleep. But when you're passionate about something and when somebody like we're mission-driven people when we have that that mission of like, especially when you like this episode is brought to you by Titan SARMS. Head on over to TitansArms.com and buy a stack today. Use my code CD10 to get your first stack. I recommend the Lean Stack 2. Start living your best life. Titan SARMs. No junk, no bullshit, just results. Attach it to like a human being of like, oh man, I really need your help. Fuck. Man, if you guys, if you guys really want to screw me over, hit me up with an email, be like, Denny, I need you to do this, please. You're my only hope. I gotta fuck. All right.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, I mean, yep. It's a I I I latch on to a mission and I see, like, oh, I want to do this. Like, I want to finish this and be done. And then I can but then I'm just like good for like maybe a week, and I'm like, oh, another mission, I can do something out. I can onto the next one. It's like, so I need to try to do better about I I still need to find ways to improve my time for sure. Time management just is is not the best. And I it could probably be better for sure.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, I think that that goes for any anybody in this type of endeavor where it's like a big mission to help people, like it quickly gets out of hand. Um you know, going through, going back and hitting that transition period, looking and reflecting back on that young Rob leaving the service, where you're at today, could you have imagined that? Could you have seen where you're at at all?
SPEAKER_01:No, if I would tell young Rob that, hey, you're still gonna be working and trying to be engaged with the military, I would have laughed. I would have been like, um, get the I don't know if I can cause, so I'll just say uh get the hell out of here. Oh, get the fuck out of here. Like, you know, that is that is not my that is not my plan. That isn't not in my five, 10-year plan. I got out to get out and be done. So yeah, I think young Rob me would be very taken back and be like, wow, you're still, you're still, you're not even wearing the uniform, and you're still like involved and still acting like I still want to be able to make better. And it comes back to why I joined the National Guard. I remember sitting in front of the TV. I was like coming up my time of a service of my IR time, and I was like, man, I really miss being in a uniform, but I also have this desire to help and serve people, and I find that still today. Like, this is my my means to be able to make an impact on people's lives, and I'm just doing it, and I I find peace with that.
SPEAKER_02:Nice. Yeah. It's uh yeah, it's funny. I I always tell people whatever feelings you have about service, when you're going through transition, like try to jot it down, journal and reflect on it and come back because I will tell you things will change.
SPEAKER_01:It will. And you know, we we get older with life experience, maturity. Like I'm not the same person I was a year ago, five years ago, especially after having kids. Like you change as you have kids as become a father and just do life transitions, you you definitely change. And I wish I would be able to, and I I remember being a kid and hearing that and blowing those people off. And now I'm on the opposite side. Now I'm wanting to tell people that, and they're like, and now I'm getting blown off. I'm like, oh. So that's what young Rob did. He blew those people off, and he should have been listening. And I I I think I wish I was a better listener when I was younger.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, that's a lot of us have that same idea, same sentiment, like thinking back to who we were in that time period. Um, couldn't tell us a fucking thing.
SPEAKER_01:No, we think we thought we had all the answers, and then you get in your 30s and 40s, and you're like, wow, I really didn't have all the answers. I still don't have all the answers.
SPEAKER_02:No, hell no. And that's that's a great thing, man. That's a great thing about getting older, understanding the importance of beginners' mind, understanding that like they'd like humble yourself, like going into any endeavor that's new, be willing to look at it through those eyes of a brand new beginner. Not a fucking master of every craft. You're not. Like, no matter what you're going into, be humble. Go into it knowing that, like, okay, maybe I just need to look at this problem set, this new job, this new profession. Like I'm a brand new guy. Doesn't mean you walk in there like a fucking idiot, but just understand that maybe humble yourself and be willing to look at problem sets like a a a new new new set, new new person, new uh new individual. Uh that's something I didn't have for a long time.
SPEAKER_01:I was in the same boat, and I now have taken that perspective of going into something, being humble, and I don't know what I'm doing. Um, and that's okay. I mean, it's okay that you don't have the answer. And there's nothing wrong with saying, I don't know the answer. Don't try to bullshit your way. I mean, you can only bullshit your way through something so much before you they kind of find out you're bullshitting.
SPEAKER_02:What are the greatest things to witness happen in real time? Yes. Yes. Oh, oh, this c this captain doesn't know what he's fucking saying. Oh, this this is good.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, and I think there's a degree to that to some of the to how that relates to Hots and Cots and what I'm doing. Like I think reintroducing some of the voice of what's happening in the barracks to some of these more senior leaders is a little bit more eye-opening because they think they know what's going on, and they really don't. And I have a I was speaking with somebody uh at the Pentagon um maybe a year ago, and we were talking about Hots and Cots and some of the things, and I mentioned, like, yeah, there's service members uh who are sleeping their car because the AC is not on. They're like, what do you mean they sleep in their car? And like, wait. It's like, yeah, they sleep in their car because they don't have air conditioning in their room and they can't open the windows. And like, they can't open their windows. And it's like these things that some of these leaders aren't accustomed to, it's like, because they live in a house, they can go open their windows, they're not sleeping in their car. And so there's there is it still, uh, it's been a little bit um nice that I guess the great thing about hot spots is that I can kind of reintroduce those voices of the those living in the barracks and what it's really like.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, yeah, you're true. It's it's completely true. The um the disconnect is out there. And look, it's not because people are assholes and they're just not different lived experience, man. These problem sets change and evolve, and uh if they don't connect, if they're you never you're never gonna see them make time to drive down the base and hang out in the barracks. That's just the truth. They have a lot of shit to do, uh, whether we like it or not. Like, we're just never gonna see them sit down and have dinner with you at the trial hall like a human being.
SPEAKER_01:No, they're they're really not. And I get it. There's a lot of things that are pulling at them for their attention. Um, I wish that leaders at that level would eat in the dining facility more and do more visits to the dine more visits to the barracks that were unannounced, not hey, we got this one star coming down. Yeah. Let's go and throw bleach on everything and throw fresh paint and make everything s smell like pine salt. Um, because that's not that's not the reality. That's that's a a imagin that's like a that's a fake image of what's really happening.
SPEAKER_02:Absolutely, man. That's absolute truth. Uh that's the old the old way of thinking and doing in the military. Just put another fresh coat of lead-based paint, spackle things up, and uh hope for the best.
SPEAKER_01:Right? Let's just hope that uh that things are gonna hold together enough until they leave, and then we can kind of like take a deep exhaust, like exhaust, like let our breath out and make everything just show how it really is.
SPEAKER_02:It's yeah, absolutely, man. But with um with guys like you out there, guys and gals are picking up this mission, I just hope to see more. I think there's more room in this space, there's more uh innovation that can happen. Uh, I'd like to see some uh some more involvement from other service members that are getting out and finding ways that they can give back, man. I think this is um a really awesome thing that to finally see happening. And if you're a service member out there, download the app, check it out, do me a favor, just pause right now, go to the episode description, and click the link. Uh pro I'm pro Apple, so uh maybe I'll just put the iOS app link there. Uh if you have a Samsung, I don't know why. It just makes no sense. No, I'll put that I'll put the link in there for you as well. Rob, before I let you go, man, uh, how can people get a hold of you? And what's next? What's on the what's on the docket soon?
SPEAKER_01:Um, yeah, so you can get a hold of me at rob at hot scots.app. You can shoot me an email. I it's a real person. I'm there answering emails. Um you can follow me on social media. You can go to hot scots.app. And you know, next, you know, coming up on the holidays, I want to finish up some features, but I'm hoping next year, I'm hoping my goal is in the next six, 12 months, maybe do this full time. Like that is that is my goal. I want to be able to be doing this 100% of the time, trying to make the barracks and quality of life better for our service members.
SPEAKER_02:Hell yeah. Yeah, and I know you're gonna do this, man. Um, like I said, seeing you stand up there at AUSA dishing out those questions and finally being up there for for the unrepresented service members, that was fucking awesome. That that was a a good fucking moment. It made my day because if you've ever gone to any of these conventions, any of these conferences, it's a bunch of self-licking ice cream cones. It's a bunch of fucking senior officers just asking each other soft-handed questions and they make themselves look and like feel amazing. It's just like they go out at the end of the day, I swear they all go to the same hotel room and they all just jerk each other off. Just the the weirdest group of dudes. That's what they're into. I'm not, it's not coming from me. I saw the reports, right? I saw the reports. They're everywhere. That's what they're into. But it was just good to see somebody else out there that really truly cared for the service members, for the privates, for the individuals at those bases that are dealing with real issues, finally stand up and put some questions that they have to answer. Um, so what you're doing is amazing. I'm glad you're out there doing it, and I can't wait to have you back on the show, brother. Again, thank you so much for being here. To everybody tuning in, thank you all as well. Again, please do me a favor, click the link and check out all these awesome apps and features that I put in there, all my sponsors as well. Put them in there for you, so please check them out. I'm Denny Caballero. Thank you for tuning in. We'll see y'all next time. Until then, take care. Security podcast is proudly sponsored by Titan's Arm. Head up to the episode description and check out Titan's Arms today.
