Advice with Robert Tolan

09/05/2026

Update on Santa Barbara County Veteran Stand Down:

Many of us have been wondering about the future of the Santa Barbara County Veterans Stand Down, especially with County Supervisor Lavagnino not running for reelection. I wanted to share an update.
He reached out recently to let us know that after 16 years, he’s retiring at the end of this year, and he wanted to make sure we knew what’s next for Stand Down.

The good news? Stand Down isn’t going anywhere. Good Samaritan Shelter, a partner since day one, is stepping up to continue hosting the annual Veterans Stand Down starting in 2027. It may look a little different, but the mission stays the same: serving the veterans who served us.

Grateful to Supervisor Lavagnino for everything he’s poured into this program over the years, and to Sandy Agalos, whose behind the scenes work made Stand Down one of the best in the country.

And honestly, sometimes it’s good to take a year off, regroup, and come back even stronger for the veterans who depend on us.

Here’s to the next chapter. Our veterans deserve nothing less. 🇺🇸

If any veterans need assistance before next year’s event, please reach out to Welcome Home Military Heroes. We’re here for you.

08/29/2026

18 days. That's all that's left before we're wheels up, taking over 85 Korean and Vietnam Veterans to Washington, D.C. 🇺🇸✈️

I'm honored to be leading Green Bus again, with Vincent Garcia Jr. right there beside me as my Assistant Bus Leader. Since 2023, Vincent and I have been part of an incredible Honor Flight team that has now escorted over 500 Central Coast Veterans to see the memorials built in their honor.

This work is something we love deeply. Every mission, we get to sit beside local heroes, hear their stories, and stand in the presence of the kind of courage and sacrifice you can't fully put into words. It's a privilege we never take for granted.

18 days until we do it again. Let's give these Veterans the welcome home they deserve. 🇺🇸

08/21/2026

BOTH DATES ARE COMPLETLY BOOKED OUT! WAITLIST IS ALSO FULL.

WOW! Our Veteran community showed up!

We recently shared information about two FREE ocean fishing trips for Veterans hosted by the A-Z Foundation out of Morro Bay, and the response has been incredible.

Both the August 29 and September 26 trips are now completely FULL, and even the waitlist has filled up!

A huge thank you to the A-Z Foundation for providing this amazing opportunity for our local Veterans. Giving our Military Heroes a chance to get out on the ocean, spend time with fellow Veterans, fish, relax, and simply enjoy the day is what supporting our Veteran community is all about.

And thank you to everyone who shared our original post and helped spread the word. This is exactly why we love sharing Veteran resources and opportunities on our page.

Please note that both trips AND the waitlist are now full, so they are no longer accepting registrations.

Thank you again, A-Z Foundation, for taking care of our Veterans!

08/18/2026

🇺🇸 Younger Veterans, These Organizations Need Us

For generations, organizations like The American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Vietnam Veterans of America, and Disabled American Veterans have fought for veterans, protected our benefits, supported military families, and made sure veterans have a voice.

But today, many local posts and chapters across the country are struggling with declining and aging membership. Some have already been forced to close their doors.

We cannot allow the legacy built by generations of Military Heroes before us to simply disappear.

Our World War II veterans are almost gone. Our Korean War veterans are getting older. Our Vietnam veterans, who have carried so many of these organizations for decades, are aging too.

Younger veterans, it is our turn.

If you served during the Gulf War, Iraq, Afghanistan, the Global War on Terrorism, or during peacetime, there may be an organization you qualify to join, and they need the next generation involved.

And joining doesn’t have to be a huge commitment.

Depending on the organization and local post, a one-year membership can cost roughly $30 to $50. Think about that. For about the cost of one dinner out, you can help keep a veteran organization alive for another generation.

You don’t have to attend every meeting. You don’t have to volunteer every weekend. Even becoming a member helps strengthen their numbers and supports their mission.

These organizations have spent decades fighting for the benefits we have today. They help veterans navigate the VA, support military families, provide scholarships, honor our fallen, serve their communities, and give veterans a place to belong.

They also support other veteran organizations doing important work in our communities. Here on the Central Coast, they support Welcome Home Military Heroes, Honor Flight Central Coast of California, Central Coast Veterans Helping Veterans, and many others. When veteran organizations work together, our entire veteran community becomes stronger.

Many of the benefits and resources our generation has today didn’t just happen. Veterans before us organized, showed up, volunteered, and fought to make sure the next generation was taken care of.

Now we have a choice.

We can watch these organizations slowly disappear as membership declines, or we can step forward and continue their legacy.

Spend the $30, $40, or $50. Join. Show up when you can. Bring new ideas. Bring your family. Encourage another veteran to join with you.

Let’s not allow these organizations to die.

The military heroes before us built them. They carried the torch for generations.

Now it’s our turn to pick it up. 🇺🇸

08/12/2026

To all the parents out there, this one is for you.

You spent the summer packing lunches, breaking up arguments, driving to practices, and answering "I'm bored" more times than you can count. You gave your kids a summer to remember, and now the backpacks are packed and the house is a little quieter.

You've spent the last couple of months taking care of everyone else. Come let us take care of you for an afternoon.

In honor of back to school season, we here at Alma Rosa W**ery in Buellton are offering 50% off tastings. Come out to our 600 acres in the Sta. Rita Hills, sit among the vines, slow down, and enjoy some of the Central Coast's finest w**es. You'll also get 10% off any w**e you take home with you.

We know how much you pour into your family all year long. This is our small way of saying thank you.

To book your reservation, reach out to me directly at rtolan@almarosaw**ery.com and mention this post. I'll take care of the rest.

Share with the parents in your life!

08/04/2026

A few days ago, I was told that Monty Roberts had died. He was 91.

Not only is this a huge loss for Solvang and the Central Coast, this is a huge loss for this country.
What a life he lived. Monty worked as a Hollywood stuntman, advised Queen Elizabeth II on horsemanship, and crossed paths with legends like Ronald Reagan, James Dean, and John Wayne. To the world, he was “The Man Who Listens to Horses”, the man who spent decades teaching us that true partnership with an animal isn’t built through fear or force, but through trust, patience, and understanding their language.

But maybe his most important work wasn’t with celebrities or royalty at all. Monty created the Horse Sense & Healing program. A free, three-day equine-assisted workshop helping military veterans and first responders heal from post-traumatic stress injury.

I had the honor of going through that program myself in 2023, and I’ve since sent other veterans to experience it too. It changed something in me that talk therapy alone never could. For so many of us who came home carrying things we couldn’t put into words, Monty gave us a way to be understood without having to say a thing.

Over the years, I also had the honor of talking to him about my family nonprofit. He gave me advice I still carry with me: don’t stress about certain situations, just learn from it, build off it, and keep pushing forward.

I am so grateful to have known him.

His legacy will live on in every quiet round pen, every rider who chooses listening over control, every veteran who finally feels understood, and every horse given the chance to trust rather than obey out of fear.

Rest easy, Monty. Thank you for teaching us to listen. 🐴💔

08/03/2026

President Trump signed an executive order this week establishing the President’s Military Spouse Commission, focused on housing, employment, health care, education, and deployment support for military families.

I have spent years working alongside military spouses through Welcome Home Military Heroes, partnering with active duty bases including Vandenberg Space Force Base to address exactly these concerns. I have seen firsthand how much these families carry and how often their sacrifices go unseen.

This order is a step in the right direction, and I am glad to see this issue getting attention at the highest level. Military spouses deserve real support, not just words.

Grateful for every spouse holding it down while their service member serves.

07/28/2026

I have a dream of building a w**ery called Wounded Oak Vineyards.

I do not have the money. I do not have the resources. But I have the dream. And I believe that is where everything worth building starts.

I wrote about it.🍷🌳

A dream about w**e, veterans, and building something that outlasts me. From War to W**e | Personal | ~8 min read There is an old oak tree I keep coming back to in my mind.

07/24/2026

Harvest has already started. And it is only July!

Almost 40 days early. The earliest start I have ever seen in the Sta. Rita Hills.

This week we picked the first fruit of the 2026 vintage off a block called Elevado, the highest Pinot Noir block on El Jabalí Vineyard. That fruit is destined to become our Extra Brut Rosé and Blanc de Noir.

And before you ask, no, nothing went wrong. An early pick might be the best thing that can happen to a sparkling w**e.

In this week's From War to W**e, I break down why the season ran so far ahead, why our highest block always ripens first, and what all of this means in the glass.

From War to W**e | 4 minute read The first fruit of the 2026 vintage is off the vine. And it came in almost 40 days ahead of what we normally see here in the Sta.