By Judy Christie

When Col. Ian M. Dinesen, USAF (Ret), ended his 23-year military career in 2024, he and wife Andia faced two major life transitions at the same time: active duty retirement and an empty nest with their two daughters off at college.

Although they had done extensive planning for the changes, they discovered issues that needed addressing. Simultaneously, they began to receive questions from friends facing transitions.

“No matter how prepared you are, there are still going to be challenges — things you can’t fully understand until you’re going through it,” said Ian Dinesen, a MOAA Life member. “Finding what’s next can be a daunting task.”

On a walk together, the couple, married for 25 years, came up with The Next Tour Podcast, an idea they launched in January. Their mission: Offer heartfelt advice and accurate resources from former members of the military and industry experts for those “navigating life after the uniform” or in other military transitions.

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The podcast, in video and audio segments of about 30 minutes each, already has multiple episodes on such platforms as YouTube, Spotify, and Apple, with more segments ready to go and a website up and running.

Watch: MOAA Expert Lila Quintiliani on 'The Next Tour'

In an engaging, candid style, the Dinesens offer real stories and expert advice with varied guests. Episode topics range from such issues as deciding to transition out of the military to handling benefits, including TRICARE, to tax issues to an upcoming conversation with daughters McKenzie and Mina about how their father’s transition affects them.

Ian Dinesen also works for the federal government after serving the Air Force in positions at squadron, group, major command, air staff, combatant command, and Joint Chiefs of Staff levels. He commanded four times and was deployed during Operation Iraqi Freedom to support the Air Force’s first-ever Iraqi Police Transition Team in Baghdad and to establish the Expeditionary Security Forces Group at Joint Base Balad, where he directed 1,780 outside-the-wire combat missions.

During his career, he said he benefited from the help of mentors and, in turn, “engaged with people to get them informed to make the best decisions.”

Andia Dinesen understands well the perspective of military spouses, having navigated life with her husband’s deployments and moves, and has also built a career as an accredited financial counselor, working for a military banking trade association since 2013. Through the podcast, she stresses the importance of people not feeling ashamed if they haven’t planned for retirement but moving forward from their current position. “If you didn’t have a plan, where do you start right now?” she asks.

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Putting their spare time and energy into The Next Tour Podcast has quickly become the couple’s “passion project.”

“Reflecting back on all the help I was given, we felt a very strong need to give back,” Ian Dinesen said.

Judy Christie is a writer in Colorado.