The Road After the Badge
The First Co-Authored Book from Still On Watch
Still On Watch is proud to announce the release of a new book: The Road After the Badge, a story about purpose, community, and the unexpected paths that can open after a career in service.
This book also marks an important milestone for Still On Watch—it is the first co-authored book produced through the project.
Written by Still On Watch and Dan Blanchard of Trebon Financial Strategies, the book tells the story of Mike, a retired California Highway Patrol officer who moves to North Idaho after retirement only to find himself facing something far more difficult than anything he encountered on the highway: isolation, financial stress, and uncertainty about what comes next.
What begins with a chance encounter in a coffee shop eventually leads Mike to a community of veterans and first responders—and a new opportunity to help others navigate financial challenges that many service professionals face after their careers end.
At its heart, The Road After the Badge is a story about second chances, mentorship, and rediscovering purpose.
A New Kind of Writing Partnership
One of the goals of Still On Watch has always been to help veterans, first responders, and community leaders share their stories without needing to become professional writers.
This book demonstrates exactly how that process works.
Dan Blanchard stepped forward to help tell this story from his own perspective working with veterans and first responders in the financial services profession. The collaboration quickly turned into something neither author expected.
As Dan put it:
“This was so much easier than I thought it would be.”
And perhaps the most encouraging comment for others who may have a story to tell:
“I didn’t think I could be a writer, but Still On Watch made it friendly and helped me through the entire process.”
The goal of Still On Watch is not simply to publish books.
It is to help people with meaningful experiences turn those experiences into stories that can help others.
Stories That Continue the Mission
Many veterans and first responders spend decades serving their communities. When that chapter of life ends, the sense of mission often remains.
Still On Watch exists to capture those stories and share them with a wider audience.
The Road After the Badge explores themes that many service professionals will recognize:
- Transition after retirement
- Financial challenges after years of service
- The power of mentorship
- The importance of community
- And the simple truth that service does not end when the uniform comes off
Sometimes the next mission simply looks different.
Available Now
The Road After the Badge is now available on Amazon in paperback and Kindle formats.
We hope this story resonates with veterans, first responders, and anyone searching for renewed purpose after a major chapter of life comes to an end.
Because the road after the badge is not the end of the journey.
Sometimes it is where the next mission begins.