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National Vietnam Veterans Day is observed on March 29. March 29, 1973 was the day the  US Military Assistance Command – Vietnam stood down. This year has a bit of added significance; it is the 50th…

National Vietnam Vet…

National Vietnam Veterans Day is observed on March 29. March 29, 1973 was the day the  US Military Assistance Command – Vietnam stood down. This year has a bit of added significance; it is the 50th anniversary of the war. The Department of Veteran’s Affairs estimates there are still 7 million Americans who served on active duty during the Vietnam war still living. Commander Brian Wierzbiki, Chief of Public Engagement for the United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration joins us to talk about their initiatives and support programs for the 50th Anniversary. The mission of the Vietnam …

“Brothers After War” is a documentary film directed by Jake Radenmacher in partnership with the Gary Sinise Foundation. Brothers After War debuted in 140 movie theatres nationwide. I strongly reco…

“Brothers After Wa…

“Brothers After War” is a documentary film directed by Jake Radenmacher in partnership with the Gary Sinise Foundation. Brothers After War debuted in 140 movie theatres nationwide. I strongly recommend both Veterans and civilians see this film.Between 2005-2007, Jake risked everything, including his life, to tell the story of his brothers serving Iraq. He embedded with multiple units, filmed numerous combat engagements, and interviewed more than forty combat Veterans in the warzone. The result was the award winning “Brothers at War” documentary. In “Brothers After War” Jake recon…

Tax attorney Hubert Johnson is a Navy Veteran and founder of Guardian Tax Law. On this episode of American Warrior Radio, Hubert shares tax tips for Veteran entrepreneurs. While serving in the Navy, h…

Tax attorney Hubert …

Tax attorney Hubert Johnson is a Navy Veteran and founder of Guardian Tax Law. On this episode of American Warrior Radio, Hubert shares tax tips for Veteran entrepreneurs. While serving in the Navy, he injured his spine, resulting in a medical discharge. He was feeling sorry for himself until he reported to the VA pain clinic at the age of 19. Witnessing the situation that the older Veterans were in, he says at that moment “I was going to be all right.” Hubert despised his federal tax class in law school. But “life happened” and he fell into tax law because “I just needed a job and I…

Nick Padlo was a sophomore at West Point when the 9/11 attacks occurred. He would go on to serve two tours of duty in both Afghanistan and Iraq. Armed with an MBA from Stanford University, Padlo made …

Nick Padlo was a sop…

Nick Padlo was a sophomore at West Point when the 9/11 attacks occurred. He would go on to serve two tours of duty in both Afghanistan and Iraq. Armed with an MBA from Stanford University, Padlo made a good transition to the civilian sector, taking a job with a successful business. It seemed he had the world at his feet. But all was not well in his life. He experienced a divorce and along the way he started drinking and experimenting with drugs. The feelings that he was trying to numb became worse because of his addictions. On 2018 he found himself in a Dallas hotel with a half empty bottle of…

The Van of Valor program is the brainchild of Kevin and Lauren Wallace. Their mission is to Travel to all of the lower 48 states and record the stories of at least 100 Purple Heart recipients or Gold …

The Van of Valor pro…

The Van of Valor program is the brainchild of Kevin and Lauren Wallace. Their mission is to travel to all of the lower 48 states and record the stories of at least 100 Purple Heart recipients or Gold Star families. Kevin had served in the Air Force for seven years when the opportunity came up to become a Combat Photographer. On April 3, 2011 Kevin was attached to a team of 12 cavalry scouts tasked with establishing an observation post in a set of ruins in Northwest Afghanistan. Kevin sensed that something was amiss when their meeting with the village elders was less than cordial. They began ta…

“Jeep Show; A Trouper at the Battle of the Bulge” is a fictional work by author Robert B. O’Connor that sheds light on a unique and little know effort during World War II. Military Occupational …

“Jeep Show; A Trou…

“Jeep Show; A Trouper at the Battle of the Bulge” is a fictional work by author Robert B. O’Connor that sheds light on a unique and little know effort during World War II. Military Occupational Specialist Code 442 was assigned to some names you may recognize; Mickey Rooney, Sammy Davis Jr, Mel Brooks and Red Buttons. They were part of a special morale initiative to provide Entertainment to troops on the front lines in areas deemed too dangerous for USO tours. Jeep Show units consisted of 3 soldiers who would provide the equivalent of a traveling vaudeville show. Because front line troops…

Terry “Ranger” Johnson’s path toward fulfilling his dreams was a rocky one. His “comeback” story is one of resiliency, commitment to one’s goals and is full of messages that should inspire…

Terry “Ranger” J…

Terry “Ranger” Johnson’s path toward fulfilling his dreams was a rocky one. His “comeback” story is one of resiliency, commitment to one’s goals and is full of messages that should inspire every one of us. Terry grew up off of a dirt road five miles outside of a tiny town in east Texas. While Terry is a dedicated patriot, he admits he joined for the Money and to get out of that small town. While serving at his first duty station he encountered some Rangers and decided that would be his next career goal. There was one big problem though. Terry did not know how to swim and he flunked…

“This Troubled Ground” by  is part memoir/part fiction. Les served our nation for 28 years, beginning with four years in the active duty Air Force and the remainder in the National Guard. He reti…

“This Troubled Gro…

“This Troubled Ground” by  is part memoir/part fiction. Les served our nation for 28 years, beginning with four years in the active duty Air Force and the remainder in the National Guard. He retired at the rank of Lt. Colonel in 2013. Dover Air Force Base is often the first domestic stop for the remains of the fallen coming from overseas. During the height of the Afghanistan War, President Obama changed the policies to allow families to have media presence if they wished. This required a public affairs team to be present on the ramp for the dignified transfer.  Les was one of the first p…

Mike Croissant, a retired CIA officer, set out on a mission to learn more about his uncle. His uncle was an a bomber crewman that survived World War II without of scratch but was then killed in a plan…

Mike Croissant, a re…

Mike Croissant, a retired CIA officer, set out on a mission to learn more about his uncle. His uncle was an a bomber crewman that survived World War II without of scratch but was then killed in a plane crash shortly after returning home. Drawing from his uncle’s letters home, along with dozens of interviews with surviving Veterans, Mike produced “Bombing Hitler’s Hometown; The Untold Story of the Last Mass Bombing Raid of World War II in Europe.” It describes the April 25, 1944 mission to bomb Linz, Austria.Hitler spent many of his early life in Linz, Austria. He intended to make it …

“Indochina Hand; Tales of a CIA Case Officer” by Barry Broman features a compilation stories about situations encountered during a 25 year career with the agency. He can attest to the fact that so…

“Indochina Hand; T…

“Indochina Hand; Tales of a CIA Case Officer” by Barry Broman features a compilation stories about situations encountered during a 25 year career with the agency. He can attest to the fact that sometimes truth IS stranger than fiction. Barry was first approached by the CIA while in graduate school. The recruiter said Barry was precisely the “kind of guy we are looking for”. However, when Barry informed him that he was commissioned in the Marine Corps and was headed to Vietnam. The recruiter handed him a business card and said “Here’s my card. If you live, call this number six month…

Dr. Lanny Snodgrass completed basic training at the age of 63, perhaps a new record. He has wanted to serve in the military much earlier in life but a football injury made him ineligible.  However, a…

Dr. Lanny Snodgrass …

Dr. Lanny Snodgrass completed basic training at the age of 63, perhaps a new record. He has wanted to serve in the military much earlier in life but a football injury made him ineligible.  However, as a VA psychiatrist, he witnessed the Trauma of Veterans and the desire to serve in uniform became more intense. When he was sixty a friend suggested he try to join up again. He signed the paperwork, passed the physical and took the oath. Two months later he received a phone call from Army headquarters saying he was too old. It took three more years before he was finally accepted.  The US had jus…

Havok Journal owner Charles Faint joins us for the last update of 2024. Charles is a retired Army Intelligence Officer who teaches at West Point military academy. Charles shares his “second favorite…

Havok Journal owner …

Havok Journal owner Charles Faint joins us for the last update of 2024. Charles is a retired Army Intelligence Officer who teaches at West Point military academy. Charles shares his “second favorite” event at West Point; “Branch Night”. Branch Night is the evening when the cadets learn what branch they will be assigned.  They are handed a sealed envelope and, after some formalities and a keynote speaker, they all tear open their envelopes to learn where they will start their Army career.  Generally, there is great excitement. However, on occasion, some cadets are disappointed.  Cha…

Starvation Island is the name the Japanese gave the pacific Island of Guadalcanal. Second only to the Battle of Midway, the capture and retention of Guadalcanal was one of the most significant achieve…

Starvation Island is…

Starvation Island is the name the Japanese gave the pacific Island of Guadalcanal. Second only to the Battle of Midway, the capture and retention of Guadalcanal was one of the most significant achievements leading to eventual victory in the Pacific. The price would be high, with brutal combat on the ground, at sea and in the air. A group of mostly green Marine aviators were dispatched to Guadalcanal to assist in the defense. They were lacking in supplies, equipment, fuel and ammunition. These aircrews believed the Marine Corps considered them expendable. Best Selling author John Bruning joins …

“Understanding the War” podcast is the latest venture for Special Forces Veteran Mat Tardio. This new podcast is in addition to his already successful “Speak the Truth” podcast. The mission of…

“Understanding the…

“Understanding the War” podcast is the latest venture for Special Forces Veteran Mat Tardio. This new podcast is in addition to his already successful “Speak the Truth” podcast. The mission of the “Understanding the War” podcast is to give combat Veterans the chance to tell their stories. “What the hell are we doing to our own people when we don’t allow them to be able to speak because somehow their stories aren’t valid?” Mat wanted to join the military from an earlier age. His original intent was to pursue a career in the Marine Corps. However, the day before reporting to …

Coast Guard pilot John Whiddon has been awarded two Distinguished Flying Cross medals. But the enemy he faced was not the Viet Cong or Iraqi air defenses. It was 30 foot seas, 70 knot wind gusts and f…

Coast Guard pilot Jo…

Coast Guard pilot John Whiddon has been awarded two Distinguished Flying Cross medals. But the enemy he faced was not the Viet Cong or Iraqi air defenses. It was 30 foot seas, 70 knot wind gusts and freezing waters off the coast of Alaska. John was born in England and his father served in the Royal Navy.  Having finished college, he had applied for the US Coast Guard but had not received an answer. So he applied to the Royal Navy’s helicopter flying program and was accepted. The week before he was set to leave for London, he received word that he had been accepted into the US Coast Guard Of…

Delta Force operator Wade Ishimoto was one of the founding members of the elite unit when it was first formed. The story of his progression from an American of Japanese ancestry born in Hawaii just pr…

Delta Force operator…

Delta Force operator Wade Ishimoto was one of the founding members of the elite unit when it was first formed. The story of his progression from an American of Japanese ancestry born in Hawaii just prior to the attack on Pearl Harbor to the Delta Force is told in his book “The Intoku Code”.  Intoku is a Japanese word that means “doing good in secret.” Wade began his Army career as a military policeman and then moved on to counter intelligence and human intelligence. Fourteen of his twenty years in the Army were spent in Special Forces.  He originally wanted to join the Marines, but t…

River Rats was the nickname given to aircrews that flew missions over the Red River Valley that runs southeast from Hanoi to the Gulf of Tonkin.  At the time, it was the most heavily defended airspac…

River Rats was the n…

River Rats was the nickname given to aircrews that flew missions over the Red River Valley that runs southeast from Hanoi to the Gulf of Tonkin.  At the time, it was the most heavily defended airspace in the history of aerial combat.  One of every 40 persons who flew these missions never returned. The Red River Valley Association was created to commemorate the inter-service teamwork, strong spirit de corps and the sacrifices made by the air crews flying those dangerous missions over North Vietnam. One of their original missions was to generate awareness of the Prisoners of War and air crews …

Transitioning from military service to the civilian world can be a challenge for many of our Veterans. It is one of the most common themes I have heard in the decade of hosting American Warrior Radio.…

Transitioning from m…

Transitioning from military service to the civilian world can be a challenge for many of our Veterans. It is one of the most common themes I have heard in the decade of hosting American Warrior Radio. On this episode we talk with J.C. Glick, CEO of the Commit Foundation. Anne Marie Craig was compelled to establish the Commit Foundation when her husband faced challenges finding a civilian career that was as fulfilling and purposeful as serving in the Army Rangers. J.C. says that this is a common problem. High performing Veterans are seeking a second career that is meaningful and fulfilling rath…