Veterans Archives: Preserving the Stories of our Nations Heroes

Send us Fan Mail What happens when a military veteran who's spent decades teaching others to communicate finally learns to truly communicate himself? David Dorrier's journey from the shores of Long Island to Air Force logistics specialist, radio broadcaster, and eventually public speaking coach reveals profound lessons about resilience, adaptation, and the courage to evolve at any age. B...

Send us Fan Mail The weight of war doesn't end when the boots leave foreign soil. In this deeply moving conversation, Marine Corps veteran Mike Omstead takes us through his remarkable journey from the streets of Detroit to the jungles of Vietnam and back again. Growing up dyslexic in a large family, Mike found his calling in the Marine Corps after a brief college football attempt. His candid...

Send us Fan Mail Art Arvanites's story begins in the shadow of World War II, where as a young boy in a small Greek village, he witnessed German occupation forces take his father, leaving his mother to raise five children alone. Barefoot and without basic school supplies, Art's resourcefulness emerged early as he moved between relatives and developed street-smart ways to survive. His poig...

Send us Fan Mail Jose Alvarado's remarkable life journey spans continents, cultures, and challenges that have forged him into a man with powerful wisdom to share. Born in Ecuador in 1957, Jose's childhood transformed when his mother moved the family to New York City seeking better opportunities. The stark transition from playing in South American jungles to navigating the concrete street...

Send us Fan Mail Some of life's most significant opportunities emerge from our greatest setbacks. Steve Conaway's journey from Air Force service to successful entrepreneurship proves this in remarkable fashion. When Steve enlisted in 1968, he sought education and skills through Air Force service. After training as an air traffic controller, he was deployed to Vietnam, where he managed co...

Send us Fan Mail In this candid and insightful conversation, Michael Spayde takes us through his remarkable journey from 1970s "country kid" to accomplished Navy veteran. Unlike many who enlist straight out of high school, Michael's path was anything but traditional—attending college, working civilian jobs, and finally joining the Navy Reserves at 28 years old. With refreshing hones...

Send us Fan Mail In this deeply personal conversation, Susan McCain takes us on a journey through her life as a Michigan Army National Guard combat medic, special education teacher, and eventually, a proud advocate for women veterans. Born in Mount Clemens in 1962, Susan's path was shaped early by her brother Curtis who had Down syndrome—inspiring a lifelong dedication to working with special...

Send us Fan Mail The remarkable century-long journey of Louis Tippit Jr. unfolds through vivid storytelling that transports listeners from the hardscrabble poverty of Depression-era Missouri to the Pacific battlefronts of World War II and beyond. Born in a cypress log house with no electricity in 1925, Louis shares how his early life was defined by grueling farm labor, picking cotton for mere penn...

Send us Fan Mail The winding path from military service to civilian success often reveals surprising connections. In this captivating conversation, Navy veteran Andy Usborne shares how his service aboard the USS Mobile transformed both the ship and his future career prospects. Growing up as one of six brothers in rural New York, Andy was surrounded by family on all sides - his grandfather, aunts,...

Send us Fan Mail From the battlefields of Vietnam to the highways of Michigan, Bill Walton's story is a remarkable journey through service, sacrifice, and resilience. Born in Lansing in 1948, Bill's path took an unexpected turn when he was drafted into military service in 1967. As a radio operator stationed near the DMZ in northern Vietnam, he faced the brutal realities of combat that wo...

Send us Fan Mail From the quiet suburbs of St. Clair Shores, Michigan to the chaotic streets of Mogadishu, Kevin Justice's military journey spans over twenty years and four major conflicts that shaped modern American history. Kevin's story begins with his 1989 enlistment in the Army as a petroleum supply specialist, following in his father's military footsteps. The conversation take...

Send us Fan Mail What happens when a natural leader desperately tries to avoid the spotlight? Shirley Adams never wanted to stand out, but life had other plans. From being volunteered as platoon leader in Army basic training to becoming an HR executive decades later, leadership positions kept finding her despite her best efforts to remain invisible. Born in Detroit in 1965 before moving to Orlando...

Send us Fan Mail From latchkey kid to combat veteran, Eric Corbett's extraordinary journey unfolds in this compelling conversation about service, struggle, and redemption. Growing up in Florida during simpler times, Eric recalls drinking from garden hoses and wandering neighborhoods freely with friends - a childhood marked by independence that would later serve him well. After high school gra...

Send us Fan Mail From Oklahoma oil fields to Vietnam and beyond, Billy Adams' life story captures the essence of service, resilience, and finding joy in life's journey. Born in Drumright, Oklahoma in 1948, Billy grew up in Louisiana as the oldest boy among seven siblings. His early years were shaped by baseball, helping his father in the oil fields, and developing the work ethic that wou...

Send us Fan Mail From running a family farm at age 13 to saving lives under enemy fire in Vietnam, Jim Hock's journey exemplifies the resilience and quiet heroism of a generation. Born in Michigan in 1943 and adopted at age two, Jim's life took an unexpected turn when his draft notice arrived in 1966—just as he and his wife were settling into a new apartment, with boxes still unpacked. T...

Send us Fan Mail What does it mean to truly find your way home? For Mike Mikus, the journey began on a 27-acre Michigan farm where he taught himself to repair engines by age 10, continued through the Marine Corps where mentorship transformed his life, and ultimately led to creating a home filled with love, resilience and purpose. Mike's story begins with childhood isolation that fostered self...

Send us Fan Mail Vietnam-era Navy veteran Pat Knight takes us on an extraordinary journey through his life of service, sharing intimate details of his combat search and rescue missions during the height of the conflict. With remarkable clarity, he recounts his time as an aircrew member aboard H-2 utility helicopters, equipped with bulletproof panels and door-mounted M60 machine guns, flying danger...

Send us Fan Mail Meet Bruce Rainey, whose remarkable life journey takes us from the vibrant blues scene of 1940s Mississippi to pioneering telecommunications systems for the State of Michigan. Born in Clarksdale—the beating heart of blues music that produced legends like Sam Cooke and Ike Turner—Bruce's story is a fascinating window into American transformation. At just 15 years old, Bruce sk...

Send us Fan Mail Mike Sweeney's life unfolds like a quintessential American story spanning the mid-20th century to today. Growing up in 1940s Lansing, Michigan when children roamed freely and milk arrived via horse-drawn cart, Mike's journey weaves through pivotal moments in our collective history. The son of hardworking parents, Mike became the first in his family to attend university,...

Send us Fan Mail Meet Floyd Price, a 98-year-old Navy veteran whose remarkable life spans nearly a century of American history. Born in 1927 during the Roaring Twenties, Floyd's journey takes us through the hardships of a disrupted childhood, his service during World War II, and his postwar success as both businessman and family man. Floyd's early years weren't easy—his parents divo...

Send us Fan Mail Dave Battelle's life story reads like a roadmap of divine intervention and purpose-driven choices. Born on December 7, 1932, in Lansing, Michigan—exactly nine years before Pearl Harbor—Dave shares a childhood memory that still sends chills: at just three and a half years old, an inexplicable feeling prompted him to run home rather than wait for a stranger who had lured him to...

Send us Fan Mail When Sergeant Major Bart Womack decided to stay up late watching Tiger Woods play golf instead of sleeping, he had no idea that decision would save his life. Hours later, a fellow soldier would launch a devastating insider attack on his own unit in Kuwait, just days before they were set to cross into Iraq. Womack's remarkable journey begins in Columbus, Ohio, where as the you...

Send us Fan Mail Resilience takes many forms, but few embody it quite like Don. His journey from being a top car salesman to navigating life after a stroke reveals profound wisdom about adapting to life's unexpected turns with grace and positivity. Don's friendship with Mark forms a compelling through-line in his story. Despite Mark's wild streak and eventual tragic passing, their b...

Send us Fan Mail Joe Spackman's life reads like a novel spanning the Cold War to the pulpit, with unexpected twists that reveal how our darkest chapters can become our greatest ministry tools. Born in Norfolk, Virginia in 1948 and raised in Lansing, Michigan, Joe's journey took a pivotal turn when his poor college grades resulted in a draft notice during Vietnam. Enlisting for an extra y...

Send us Fan Mail Steve Whitney's story begins in western Detroit, where as a young boy he earned money collecting golf balls at Rouge Park's course – a simple hustle that hinted at the resourceful nature that would define his life. Raised primarily by his Sicilian mother with limited communication from his father, Steve found himself drafted into the Army at age 19, marking the start of...