What if a warm, welcoming home sat steps away from the hospital where your loved one is fighting to heal—and it cost your family nothing? We open the door to Fisher House, the nationwide network of free lodging for military and veteran families that turns proximity into peace of mind. Julie Riggs, Vice President of Community Relations at Fisher House Foundation, joins us to share how these homes are built, who they serve, and why a shared kitchen can become the most important room in healthca...
Moral injury isn’t a buzzword or a rebrand of Post Traumatic Stress. It’s what happens when military service members face actions and events that violate their core values, or when the institutions and leaders they trusted fail them. We sit down with Air Force Reserve chaplain and Moral Injury Support Network for Servicewomen (MISNS) board member Lindsay Moser to unpack why women in uniform are uniquely vulnerable to moral injury, how military sexual trauma and institutional betrayal compound...
The moment a service member transitions, the family’s support web can evaporate. We sat down with Hannah O’Brien, Program Director of the Veteran Spouse Network (VSN) at the University of Texas, to map out a better way forward: peer-led groups, practical suicide prevention tools, and data that actually reflects what spouses and caregivers need right now. If you’ve ever wondered how to rebuild the tribe after the military, this conversation brings the blueprint. Hannah traces VSN’s roots from...
A trained service dog can do what red tape can’t: help a veteran sleep through the night, step back into a crowded room, and reenter daily life with confidence and safety. We sit down with Marine veteran and K9 handler Chris Baity, co‑founder of Semper K9, to unpack how ethical training, clear standards, and community support turn that promise into repeatable results—and why federal funding has lagged behind the need. Chris shares the path from deployments to building Semper K9’s “mental hea...
A podcast guest arrives with a $2,000 check—and a clear mission to help a warrior family heal. We sit down with Dennis Corrigan to unpack how his local MOAA chapter funds a full week at the Warrior Retreat at Bull Run and how the Military Officers Association of America turns membership, mentorship, and policy expertise into real wins for veterans and their families. Dennis shares the arc of his service—from Navy brat to P-3 Orion pilot, to building flight simulators, to running a veteran-ow...
A six-hour phone call changed everything. When a veteran in crisis found someone willing to listen through the night, a simple truth emerged: human connection can save lives. That moment sparked Objective Zero, a peer support network and free app that connects veterans, service members, families, and caregivers with trained volunteers in minutes—no stigma, no red tape, just fast, compassionate help from people who understand your world. We speak with Executive Director and Co-Founder Betsy M...
Anthony Dyer's journey from loading weapons to manning the guns of one of the world's most intimidating aircraft reveals the extraordinary path of a combat aviator in special operations. As a retired Air Force Combat Special Missions Aviator who served aboard the legendary AC-130 gunship, Dyer takes us inside a world few civilians ever glimpse. The conversation opens with Dyer's early career decisions, initially following his father's footsteps into the Air Force as a weapons loader before c...
The unsung heroes of our military community often go unrecognized—even by themselves. Military spouses who manage their loved ones' PTS symptoms, administer medications, and coordinate care frequently don't identify as "caregivers," believing they're simply supporting someone they love. As COO Elizabeth Field explains in this powerful conversation, this revelation stands at the heart of the Elizabeth Dole Foundation's mission. Field takes us behind the scenes of the Foundation's groundbreaki...
The transition from military service to civilian life represents one of the most challenging journeys many veterans face. For Donnell Johns, founder of Veterans Growing America, this transition sparked an innovative mission to transform how America supports its veteran entrepreneurs. After 26 years of distinguished Army service spanning Desert Storm, Somalia, and leadership roles in recruiting, Johns found himself struggling with his post-military identity. "I wanted to find out who Donnell ...
The sky was never meant to be a boundary—especially for those determined enough to break through it. Chef Larry welcomes longtime friend Lois Hobby, whose remarkable 33-year military career broke barriers as one of the first two USAF active-duty female flight engineers on the C-141 Starlifter transport aircraft. When a sergeant flatly told her, "Women will never fly on the C-141," Hobby didn't accept defeat. Instead, that dismissal became the catalyst for her persistence. Through repeated ap...
What happens when veterans and first responders lose their tribe? Master Sergeant Chet Olesky knows firsthand the challenges of transitioning from military service to civilian life after his 20-year Air Force career working on some of America's most sophisticated aircraft. Now, as a guide with the American Warrior Association (AWA), he's helping others find healing, purpose, and community. In this revealing conversation, Chet shares how AWA provides completely free five-day retreats for vete...
When Navy Captain Jeffrey Sapp began feeling unusually fatigued while working in Saudi Arabia, he initially brushed it off. This decision nearly cost him his life. Medevaced to Georgetown University Hospital, he received devastating news—he had primary plasma cell leukemia, a rare and aggressive blood cancer with a typical survival rate of just 7-12 months. Captain Sapp takes us through his remarkable military career commanding six ships and serving as aide-de-camp to the Chairman of the Joi...
What happens when a decorated Army lieutenant colonel with 20 years of service faces an unexpected divorce just as she's transitioning to civilian life? For Olivia Nunn, it meant becoming what she calls an "accidental entrepreneur." Despite having what she considered "the master playbook" for military transition from her work with the Army's Soldier for Life program, Nunn found herself at rock bottom, rebuilding her life and career from scratch. This compelling conversation explores how fema...
Hidden in the rolling countryside of Northern Virginia lies a remarkable time capsule preserving one of America's most consequential—yet understudied—chapters of history. The Cold War Museum at Vint Hill stands as a guardian of memories that textbooks have largely forgotten. Founded by Gary Powers Jr., whose father became an unwitting Cold War icon when his U-2 spy plane was shot down over the Soviet Union in 1960, this museum does far more than commemorate a single incident. It honors the h...
What happens when the system fails those who've sacrificed everything to protect it? Frank Larkin, former Navy SEAL and CEO of Troops First Foundation, takes us on a heart-wrenching journey through military service, devastating loss, and his mission to transform veteran care. After serving eight years in the Navy SEALs and decades in law enforcement, Frank watched his son Ryan follow a similar path of service. After 9/11, Ryan became a highly decorated SEAL medic who deployed four times to I...
Step into the living legacy of the United States Marine Corps through the eyes of Colonel Gentry, Director of the National Museum of the Marine Corps. What began as two modest facilities has transformed into an architectural marvel purposefully designed to evoke the iconic Iwo Jima flag raising - from its angled mast mirroring the famous flagpole to its floor transitioning from sea to shore, representing the Marines' amphibious heritage. The museum's mission extends beyond preservation. It h...
Paul Morando, Chief Curator at the National Museum of the United States Army, unveils the fascinating story behind the museum's newest exhibition, "Call to Arms: The Soldier and the Revolutionary War." This meticulously crafted exhibit represents a remarkable four-year journey, bringing together nearly 180 Revolutionary War artifacts from 35 different institutions and collectors across multiple countries. What sets this exhibition apart is its deeply personal approach to history. Rather than...
The heroism of Vietnam War helicopter pilots rarely receives the spotlight it deserves, but Colonel Douglas Moore's story stands as a testament to extraordinary courage under fire. With over 1,874 combat missions flown and 2,782 wounded soldiers evacuated during his two tours in Vietnam, Moore's experiences reveal the life-and-death stakes faced by Dustoff pilots daily. Moore's journey began when he transitioned from fixed-wing aircraft to helicopters as the Vietnam conflict escalated in 196...
Archaeology might conjure images of dusty excavations and Indiana Jones adventures, but for veterans seeking meaningful employment transitions, it's becoming an unexpected bridge to civilian careers. In this eye-opening conversation, host Chef Larry welcomes Caroline and Gabi from the Veterans Curation Program in Alexandria, Virginia, revealing a groundbreaking initiative that's transforming lives through the preservation of archaeological treasures. The Veterans Curation Program offers a re...
When American muscle meets military gratitude, something special happens. The sixth annual Vets for Willing Warriors Corvette Show returns to the breathtaking 37-acre Warrior Retreat at Bull Run on July 19th, creating a unique convergence of automotive passion and veteran support. Picture this: rows of gleaming Corvettes spanning seven decades of American innovation, from pristine 1953 classics to the brand-new 2025 electric model making its debut. Last year drew around 240 vehicles, and thi...