Cloth of the Nation

Fleet Master Chief(ret) Brad LeVault is a Pennsylvania native who, in 1982, when fresh out of Spring Grove High School, joined the US Navy for an adventure. Along the way he got sidetracked with his high school sweetheart, now wife of 43 years, into a 30-year Navy career. Together with their four children, they explored 14 duty stations around the world. In 2012, he returned home to focus on his f...

TRIGGER WARNING: Talks of suicide, MST, and mental illness. The WriteFace process encourages attendees to slow down, clarify, and better understand their thinking. Thoughts that remain unwritten can feel scattered or temporary, but writing gives them structure and staying power. As participants revise their words to express exactly what they mean, they gain insight into their own responses and can...

Colonel (Ret.) Douglas A. Etter serves as Chief Communications Officer for VA Lebanon Healthcare System, where he helps veterans and their families access critical health care services and support with professionalism and understanding. A decorated Army chaplain and Bronze Star recipient with two combat tours in Iraq, he brings decades of leadership in crisis communication, veteran care, and publi...

Founded in 2004, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) was established to advocate for the post-9/11 generation of veterans. Since its founding, IAVA has worked to elevate the voices and experiences of veterans, while advancing for policies and programs that support veterans and their families. Today, IAVA focuses its efforts on research, education, and direct advocacy to identify policy...

My military service also played an important role in shaping the farmer I’ve become. I spent my early career as an infantryman and later as an Explosive Ordnance Disposal technician, serving both on Active Duty and in the Pennsylvania Army National Guard. Those years taught me discipline, resilience, problem‑solving, and the ability to stay calm under pressure — all skills that translate directly...

Nicole Kondrlik is an Army veteran and farmer from northwestern Pennsylvania. She raises livestock with her family and is part of the daily work of running a small farm. She previously worked as a public service attorney before transitioning to focus on agriculture and rural life.  www.nicolesloane.com

My name is Rodney Coldrew and I retired from the Army after 30 years as a physician. I am an OIF veteran and served globally, including Korea, Kenya, Thailand, and Germany. I currently operate a conservation farm in western PA, with my wife and sons, and work as a volunteer Humane Society Police Officer.

Russell Redding was unanimously confirmed by the Pennsylvania Senate to serve as Pennsylvania's 27th Secretary of Agriculture on May 10, 2023. Governor Josh Shapiro nominated Redding to continue serving as secretary, after he served from 2015 – 2022 under Governor Tom Wolf. He is the former dean of the School of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences at Delaware Valley University. Redding has exte...

Don Hershey was born in Lancaster County and raised in the Lehigh Valley.  As the son of his high school principal, Don faced more than his fair share of social pressure from classmates. By the time he graduated, he was eager to get as far away from his hometown as possible and had little interest in attending college.  Instead, Don enlisted in the U.S. Navy, where he trained as an Electrician’s M...

CJ Lafferty serves in the PA National Guard and, along with his family, runs Skyline Pastures Farm.  A Pennsylvania native, CJ applies skills learned in military service to his farming of high-quality food for people who like knowing where their food comes from.  He and wife Tanya are committed to helping educate people about their food supply and assisting other veterans interested in farming thr...

Dale takes on The Farm Show to speak with veterans from around the state about their experiences. The episode features: Army Veteran Liam McCay Air Force, VFW Veteran Thomas A. Sally Marine, Air Guard Veteran Rodney Weston Bly Michael Reifsnyder Army Veteran Chris Kuhns Army Veterans Hank and Mo Gillon and Veteran Spouse Mimi Thomas - Brooker 

Jim Ulinski is from West Aliquippa, Pennsylvania.  He enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps during the Vietnam War at 17 and served in Vietnam (68-69) during some of the most stressful fighting of the war.  He left the military for medical reasons and went on to a career in academia and health care.  But he never forgot his military service or those with whom he served.  He now spearheads efforts to h...

Lisa Carey is a retired Navy Commander and Business coach who has recently returned to her hometown in central Pennsylvania.   Like many veterans she quickly jumped into community service.  Lisa is part of the leadership team at her church.  She is currently President of Altrusa International of Centre County, an international service organization.  Lisa is married to another veteran and has a dau...

Joe Yurick is a US Army veteran from Pennsylvania.  In the Army he was a PATRIOT Missile Launcher Crew member, affectionately known as a Launcher Dog and served during OPERATIONs Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom in Qatar and Kuwait.  After returning home he started his own business while struggling with alcohol addiction.  Joe credits his wife with forcing him to deal with his problem and her su...

When it comes to balancing love, duty and family, retired military couple Dale and Jan Hamby have lived what many might consider the impossible dream. Both dedicated to decades of service in the U.S. Armed Forces — Dale in the Army, Jan in the Navy — their journey has spanned continents, deployments, and deep personal sacrifice.  Yet through it all, their bond has only grown stronger.  Cloth of th...