Tango Alpha Lima Podcast

American Legion Legislative Director Lawrence Montreuil joins Team Tango to discuss American Legion legislative priorities for 2021, as well as how veteran-related legislation will be impacted by a new Congress and new administration. Special Guest: Lawrence Montreuil. Links: Watch video of this episode on YouTube Send us your feedback! The American Legion Veterans & Children Foundation The Am...

Jeff recounts the 9-week ordeal of a suicidal sailor who was punished by the Navy after seeking mental health treatment. Ashley highlights an American Legion Boys Nation Alumni who has earned a spot on NASA's Artemis lunar mission team. CV poses the question: Is the military paying troops too much? Rapid Fire: Army grooming regulation changes, DoD tackling obesity and fewer veterans in Congres...

President and CEO of Student Veterans of America Jared Lyon joins Team Tango and paints a portrait of the contemporary student veteran, the challenges they face, the changes they are experiencing due to the Coronavirus pandemic, how they use GI Bill, and ways in which organizations like The American Legion and Student Veterans of America can support them. Special Guest: Jared Lyon. Links: Watch vi...

In our final episode for 2020, Team Tango is joined by Neal Schrodetzki and Ethan Morse, the duo behind Time to Kill Productions. The pair talks about how they met while serving together in the U.S. Army 3rd Infantry Regiment – what it was like serving in the Old Guard, how they started their production company, and the two documentary projects they've produced together. Special Guests: Ethan...

Team Tango is joined by Backpacks For Life founders Brett Dalessandro and Alexa Modero. An encounter with a homeless veteran in 2014 inspired Army veteran and Weehawken American Legion Post 18 member Brett Dalessandro and his wife, Alexa Modero, to start Backpacks for Life. Their oganization designed and distributes The Bowery Pack, a backpack engineered specifically to meet the needs of homeless...

CV celebrates a Coastie who buys dinner for a stranger in a random act of kindness and ends up fostering international relations with Greenland. Ashley shares Military Times' brilliant review of Ralph Lauren's newest outerwear offerings - many of which look suspiciously familiar to standard military issue items. Jeff gets revved up over The American Legion's new initiative with Chip Ga...

Team Tango welcomes Joanne Steen, Gold Star widow and founder of Grief Solutions, a company that provides practical training and resources on grief to professional assistance providers who work with the bereaved. Special Guest: Joanne Steen. Links: Watch video of this episode on YouTube Send us your feedback! Play Tango Bingo Grief Solutions | Practical Training on Grief, Loss & Resilience We...

Ashley shares the news that 2020 Wreaths Across America is back on the calendar. CV talks about troop reductions in Iraq and Afghanistan. Jeff gets fired up over Texas thieves who targeted trucks with disabled veteran license at a Marine Corps ball in Houston. Rapid Fire Nerf grenades, a chaplain in cuffs, outsourcing Comp and Pen exams and Space Marines Links: Watch video of this episode on YouTu...

Navy veteran Kermit Jones joins Team Tango to talk about beating the coronavirus and an inspiring Medal of Honor recipient from his hometown. Special Guest: Dr. Kermit Jones. Links: Watch video of this episode on YouTube Send us your feedback! Play Tango Bingo Medal of Honor Story: James C. McCloughan | The American Legion Photo Gallery: Medal of Honor recipient dedicates Michigan memorial | The A...

Jeff gets started with a lesson on how the Armistice that ended WWI evolved to what we now recognize as Veterans Day. CV shares how events following the Armistice led to the founding of The American Legion. Ashley talks about what Veterans Day looks like in 2020 and what American Legion posts around the country are doing to mark the day. Links: Watch video of this episode on YouTube Send us your f...

Team Tango chats with 2016 American Legion 4th Estate Award recipient and Military.com Managing Editor, Hope Seck about journalism and reporting on the military community. Special Guest: Hope Seck. Links: Send us your feedback! Watch video of this episode on YouTube Hope Hodge Seck | Military.com Center for a New American Security Bill Would Clear the Way for Army Legend Alwyn Cashe to Receive Med...

CV is befuddled by VA losing rights to the GIBill.com website. Ashley celebrates the unveiling of "The Pledge,” a new statue dedicated to women in the military and service dogs at The Women In Military Service For America Memorial. Jeff shares the news of progress addressing Veteran Suicide: The 988 National Crisis Hotline will go live in Fall 2021 The Commander John Scott Hannon Veterans Men...

Jeff shares Space Force immersive space sim training tool, and the gang waxes poetic about Col. Max Lantz, Commandant of the U.S. Air Force’s National Security Space Institute. CV leads a discussion about the wisdom of eliminating of Basic Training Shark Attacks. Ashley celebrates an inspirational story of a Legion member who has completed his 100 Miles for Hope challenge. Rapid Fire: Veterans gua...

Team Tango sits down to share a sweet tea and catch up with 2016 Boys Nation President Anighya Crocker, who is gearing up for law school as well as pursuing his musical passions. Special Guest: Anighya Crocker. Links: Send us your feedback! Watch video of this episode on YouTube Play Tango Bingo Boys State / Boys Nation | The American Legion Anigha Crocker profile on LegionTV June 2021 Carnegie Ha...

CV celebrates as the U.S. Coast Guard unicorn float made famous by the USCGC Kimball shark-infested swim call makes it's debut at the U.S. Coast Guard Museum in New London, Connecticut. Jeff shares stories of criminal indictments for leaders at two veterans homes over COVID-19 deaths of residents. Ashley brings the scoop on how the National Archives Navy deck log digitization project will help...

Boys State Documentary Director Jesse Moss and 2019 Texas Boys State Gubernatorial Candidate Steven Garza join Team Tango to discuss the documentary airing on Apple TV and the Boys State experience. The Boys State documentary won the Grand Jury prize at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival and was selected to be the opening night film of New Directors/New Films, presented by the Film Society of Lincoln...

The Medal of Honor is bestowed upon Sgt. Maj. Thomas Payne, and Team Tango discusses the man CV claims is "tougher than woodpecker lips." Jeff breaks out his knife-hand again as he gets riled up about new studies linking adverse health effects to burn pit exposure and the team talks about new legislation introduced to address obstacles many veterans face when seeking health care from the...

Bowe Bergdahl's sentence is upheld, and CV poses questions about the influence of public debate and podcast episodes on the evolution of the case. Ashley shares the news that Secretary Esper has backed the effort to posthumously bestow the Medal of Honor on Sgt. Alwyn Cashe. Jeff unsheaths the knife hand as he expresses his continuing frustration over the mounting death toll at Ft. Hood, and a...

New York Legionnaire Keith Koster, who's quest to top all 46 peaks in the Adirondacks in honor of The American Legion Centennial was featured in the March 2019 issue of The American Legion magazine, joins Team Tango to talk about his latest challenge, 100 Miles for Hope in support of The American Legion Veterans & Children Foundation. Special Guest: Keith Koster. Links: Watch video of this...

CV bypasses the political trappings, and goes straight to the heart of the perennial battle over military healthcare spending. Ashley celebrates the continuing series of female firsts in the military by sharing the story of Capt. Candice Bowen, who has taken command of Bravo Company, 3rd Battalion, 116th Infantry Regiment, 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, making her one of the first black women...

Pin-Ups for Vets founder Gina Elise joins the Tango team to talk about her organization and how they have continued to evolve over 15 years to serve the veterans and military community. Special Guest: Gina Elise. Links: Watch video of this episode on YouTube Home | pin-ups-for-vets Pin-Ups for Vets on Returning the Favor with Mike Rowe Play Tango Bingo Send us your feedback!

CV shares the story of a Navy air traffic controller who assisted a fellow sailor who was found wandering San Diego after enjoying a few too many libations, only to be relentlessly harrassed when the Navy news printed a story about her recieving a Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal for her good deed with fake, place-holder quotes about the incident. DVIDs corrected the article, but the damage...

Women of the Military podcast host Amanda Huffman joins the Tango crew to talk about her transition from an active-duty Airman to stay-at-home mom and military spouse, her work sharing the stories of other women veterans and how she hopes to inspire young people to consider military service. Special Guest: Amanda Huffman. Links: Watch video of this episode on YouTube Listen to Ashley on the Women...

Ashley kicks things off with a discussion of the Army esports team and their IRL battles with Twitch over accusations of false giveaways and with the ACLU on denying first amendment rights to internet trolls. Jeff goes historical with a story about the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, the only all-Black Women's Army Corps unit to serve in Europe during World War II. CV questions the...

Jeff and Ashley visit with retired SEAL Team Six member Justin Sheffield, who talks about being a part of the storied Special Forces group, his new book, and the foundation he established to help fellow veterans. Special Guest: Justin Sheffield. Links: Watch video of this episode on YouTube MOB VI | Defiance Press & Publishing Mission | All Eagles Oscar GuideStar guide for non-profits Talk to...