Claim OwnershipTango Alpha Lima Podcast
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Join us for vibrant camaraderie, playful joking and hot takes on current events, interesting trends and quirky stories of interest to the military and veteran community.
The weekly podcast is produced by The American Legion.
For more stories and videos please visit www.legion.org/tangoalphalima
The weekly podcast is produced by The American Legion.
For more stories and videos please visit www.legion.org/tangoalphalima
251 Episodes
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1Working a corporate job in Indianapolis on Sept. 11, 2001, Purdue graduate Josh Bleill was so moved by the events of that day that he soon found himself, at the age of 27, following in his father's yellow bootsteps at Marine Corps bootcamp.
During a deployment to Fallujah, Iraq in 2006, a bomb exploded under the vehicle Josh was riding in. He woke up five days later to the realization that he had lost two friends and both of his legs in the blast.
Josh's journey through recovery led him to a new role as a motivational speaker, trying to help veterans and civilians alike move forward with positivity by taking just one step at a time. Special Guest: Josh Bleill.
On September 11, 2001, John was an 18-year-old freshman at Fordham University. That day and in the days that followed, John volunteered at Ground Zero, aiding in the rescue and recovery operation. He subsequently joined the Army, becoming a Green Beret with combat deployments to Afghanistan and Iraq.
John shares his story of how that day changed the trajectory of his life, and let him eventually towards the founding of the 9/11 Memorial & Museum Visionary Network. Special Guest: John Paluska.
Jennifer Vollbrecht was 15 years old on 9/11. Like thousands of others, watching the towers fall that day inspired her to serve her country. She knew nothing about the military, but recognized her calling. Jennifer joined the U.S. Marine Corps in 2004, and was deployed as a CH-46 Crew Chief in 2005.
Jennifer shares about how that moment has propelled her through her path in life, leading to a career as a veteran entrpreneur, and an advocate for veterans in need. Special Guest: Jennifer Vollbrecht.
In 2010, while deployed to Sangin, Afghanistan as a U.S. Marine Corps Reserve combat engineer, Rob Jones stepped on an IED and became a double above-knee amputee.
Rob shares his inspirational journey of recovery and resilience that he hopes will help others heal and thrive. Special Guest: Rob Jones.
On Sept. 11, 2001, Kim Campbell was a young Air Force Academy graduate in A-10 training. Suddenly, everything about her role as a fighter pilot changed, and shortly after completing training she was deployed to Afghanistan in 2002 and then Iraq in 2003, providing close air support for troops on the ground.
Col. Kim Campbell joins the Tango Alpha Lima hosts to share experiences during these deployments, including the mission where she earned the Distinguished Flying Cross.
Special Guest: Kim Campbell.
Dr. Tony Brooks was inspired to serve by what he refers to as the "holy shit act of terrorism."
On 9/11 he was an 18-year-old student at the University of Arizona who had never considered military service. After watching the towers fall, he suddenly decided that nothing was more important than serving.
Dr. Brooks talks about how "out of the blue" decision surprised everyone he knew, how he joined the Army Rangers, and his first mission once deployed to Iraq - Operation Red Wings.
Special Guest: Dr. Tony Brooks.
Former POW Jessica Lynch reported to basic training a week after 9/11. Eventually she deployed to Iraq, where her unit was ambushed, she was captured and held prisoner by Iraqi forces for nine days.
Jessica shares the emotional story of her captivity and rescue, as well as how she perservered through the aftermath of the experience, and became a motivational speaker to help others. Special Guest: Jessica Lynch.
USAA Vice President of Brand Management, Eric Engquist, deployed to Kosovo on 9/11 and was among the first troops deployed to Iraq in the aftermath of the attacks. He shares how his mission in Kosovo changed overnight, and what it was like to help build the beginnings of the Iraqi National Guard. Special Guest: Eric Enquist.
Eighth Master Chief Petty Officer of the U.S. Coast Guard, Vincent Patton, joins the show to talk about a unique experience of resilience he witnessed in the wake of 9/11, as well as how the terrorist attacks refocused the Coast Guard's mission. Special Guest: Vince Patton.
As he sailed the Ferry John F. Kennedy from St. George, Staten Island towards the Whitehall Ferry Terminal in Manhattan on Sept. 11, 2001, Staten Island Ferry Captain Frank Peters watched the fireball explode over the Battery as the first plane hit the World Trade Center.
Peters shares how he became part of one of the largest boatlift rescue operations in history that day, as well as how he helps ensure that America never forgets that day. Special Guest: Frank Peters.
A U.S. Marine Corps veteran who served in Panama, Desert Shield and Desert Storm, Mark Otto was working on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange with his newlywed wife, just blocks away from the World Trade Center, on Sept 11, 2001.
Otto shares his story of that day, as well as how those experiences have led him to provide outreach and assistance to fellow veterans. Special Guest: Mark Otto.
New Yorker Wilem Wong joined the Army Reserve during last days of the Cold War era. His 32 years of service as a combat medic, nurse and civil affairs officer, deployments to both Iraq and Afghanistan, overlapped with his 21 years as a NYPD officer, has given him a unique perspective on 9/11, and the Global War on Terrorism that followed.
Wong shares his stories, insights, as well as some of the initiatives he has championed on behalf of fellow veterans both within the NYPD, and through more than 20 years as a member of the Lt. B.R. Kimlau American Legion Post 1291 in New York. Special Guest: Wilem Wong.
On Sept. 11, 2001, Joe Lea was a retired U.S. Air Force fighter pilot, and Captain of a United Airlines Airbus on a flight from Sacramento to LAX.
Lt. Col. Lea shares the story of how his routine flight became anything but normal when he, like all pilots in the air that morning, got orders to land immediately.
Special Guest: Joe Lea.
American Legion member David Whelan shares memories of his wife's cousin, Richard Guadagno.
Richard was a vibrant young man, who loved the outdoors, and on Sept. 11, 2001, was on his way home to California, after a weekend spent celebrating the 100th birthday of his grandmother in New Jersey. While the family will never know exactly what happened on United Airlines Flight 93 that day, they have no doubt Richard was working with other passengers to take action.
As the 20th Anniversary approaches, in honor of Richard Guadagno, Whelan and his entire family continue to work with the Friends of Flight 93 National Memorial to ensure that America never forgets the nearly 3000 people who died that day. Special Guest: David Whelan.
On September 11, 2001, Robert Douglas was an air traffic controller at Cleveland Center, the enroute air traffic control center responsible for airspace over Ohio and western Pennsylvania - which included the route flown by United Airlines Flight 93.
Douglas shares his story of the 'controlled chaos' that day. Special Guest: Robert Douglas.
In this episode, we share the 9/11 story of Linda Beecher, American Legion Auxiliary Babylon Unit 94 member, who, on Sept. 11, 2001, was an EMT for FDNY.
On the morning of the attack, Linda and two of her children, a son who was a fellow EMT and a daughter, who was a paramedic, rushed to the WTC site to see how they could help. That morning, Linda served as a liaison between chiefs in the field and dispatchers. On Sept. 14 she began working in the morgue and continued doing so until May of 2002. Special Guest: Linda Beecher.
Retired U.S. Marine Lt. Col. Robert J. Darling shares a chilling retelling of the crisis leadership and decision making he witnessed on Sept. 11, 2001, from inside the PEOC - the President's Emergency Operations Center, a.k.a the White House bunker.
Special Guest: Robert J. Darling.
Today we share the story of Sgt. Maj. Clifford Lovejoy, who, on Sept. 11, 2001, was serving in the Pentagon as Command Sergeant Major, and narrowly survived after American Airlines Flight 77 hit the building in the vicinity of the G3 Conference room where he was in a meeting. Special Guest: Sgt. Maj. Clifford Lovejoy.
Our hosts visit with U.S. Marine Corps veteran Jimmy Brown. Brown served as an NYPD Officer, before joining NYFD and being assigned to the famed Ten House fire station at the foot of the World Trade Center. Jimmy shares the story of how he survived that day, and how it has shaped the last 20 years of his life. Special Guest: Jimmy Brown.
On the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, newly-elected American Legion National Commander Richard Santos was on Capitol Hill, poised to brief Congress on The American Legion’s priorities for the coming legislative year. Then the first plane hit World Trade Center in New York, and the whole world changed.
Richard Santos was the national commander of The American Legion on September 11th, 2001.
Shortly after the attacks, he penned a message that still resonates two decades later.
“America continues to heal and it is our responsibility as veterans to tend to the wounds,” he wrote. “Some will panic about the future; we must reassure them. Some will weep over a lost family member or friend; we must hold their hands. Some will be angry; we must temper their rage.”
In this first episode of a special series of Tango Alpha Lima bonus episodes, our hosts visit with American Legion Past National Commander Richard Santos, who shares his memories of that moment and the months that followed as he represented the nation’s largest veterans service organization during a time of national crisis. Special Guest: Richard Santos.
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