All across America and around the world, this is Veterans Radio.
This is Veterans Radio.
Welcome to Veterans Radio.
I am Jim Fossone.
I'm the officer of the deck today.
We've got some great programs for you.
I think you'll find very interesting.
We always want to remind you you can find more about Veterans Radio at its Facebook site
or at the web.
VeteransRadio.org is our new URL, VeteransRadio.org.
Where we're on the web 24-7, you can find a lot of our podcasts there as well.
We post new ones every Tuesday, so you can get a new story, a new interview, something
you didn't know before by going to VeteransRadio.org.
Before we get started, we want to thank our sponsors.
First up, we want to thank National Veteran Business Development Council, NVBDC.org.
It was established to certify both service disabled and veteran owned businesses.
You'll find out how they can help your business by going to NVBDC.org.
We want to thank Legal Help for Veterans.
Legal Help for Veterans fights for veterans disability rights all across the nation.
You can reach them at 800-693-4800 or on the web at LegalHelpForVeterans.com.
This program is going to focus on some amazing Michigan military members and veterans who've
continued to support the military after they hung up the uniform.
This is part of our annual recognition of the work being done by the Michigan Military
and Veterans Hall of Honor.
Each year they induct about 12 individuals, six military and six in the veteran space
into the Hall of Honor.
And it's really an educational process so that people know what other members of their
state have done.
About half of the states have Hall of Honors or Hall of Fame's recognizing military and
veterans.
So Michigan's chose to make theirs a Hall of Honor.
It has a board.
You can find more about it by going to mimilitaryvethallofhonor.org or simply put into your favorite search
engine, Michigan Military and Veterans Hall of Honor.
The program will be on October 25th.
That's a Friday.
It will be in Lansing, Michigan at the Michigan History Museum starting at 1230.
The list of the inductees is on the website.
But we're going to talk to three board members about the various inductees.
I think you'll find this interesting.
The Michigan Military and Veterans Hall of Honor is producing these video clips and audio
clips to explain to folks those who are being inducted into the Michigan Hall of Honor.
I'm Jim Fossone, one of the board members.
And with me today is Army Veteran Robert Nier, who's also a board member and going to tell
us about three of the members who are being inducted into the Hall, specifically in the
military category.
Robert, tell us a little bit about Harry Stewart.
Good morning.
Thanks for having me, Jim.
I really appreciate it.
In this military category, this includes nominees who are career military personnel,
either retired or still serving with exemplary records of their military achievement, significant
combat experience, or groundbreaking contributions that have had a substantial impact on their
branch or component.
So really excited to talk about all three of these inductees.
But with retired Lieutenant Colonel Harry Stewart, I'd like to talk a little bit about
him and introduce him as one of our first inductees in 2024.
He is a distinguished American fighter pilot known for his service within the Tuskegee
Airmen during World War II.
His career represents a legacy of breaking down barriers, courage and combat, and commitment
to advocating for civil rights and contributions in the African-American servicemen.
Early in his life, he was born in Newport News, Virginia, raised up in New York City,
and he was actually born in 1924.
He developed a passion for aviation from a young age.
It was very clear to him and his family.
He was visiting New York City's Floyd Bennett Field when he truly found out that he had a
passion for flight.
So his early military career led him to joining the famed Tuskegee Airmen, and he was as the
first African-American military aviators in the United States Army Air Corps.
This was before the Air Force and was assigned to the Tuskegee Airmen Airfield in 1943 as
part of the U.S. Army Air Corps.
And this is a challenge back then because despite racial barriers of the time, Stewart
he completed rigorous training and earned his wings in 1944, becoming a second lieutenant.
Yeah, I can go into a lot more detail here, Jim, if you'd like me to, because I'd like
to talk about him.
He's really kind of inspirational because he did so many firsts.
He did things that people didn't think men like him could do.
So tell us some more about him.
Yeah, so he was assigned to the 332nd Fighter Group, known as the Red Tails.
Stewart flew 43 combat missions in Europe, piloting the P-51 Mustang, which was an awesome
aircraft at that time.
His missions included bomber escorts, ground attacks, and reconnaissance.
At Colonel Stewart, he's credited with shooting down three German aircrafts in one day during
World War II.
And it was a feat that he accomplished and he was actually awarded the Distinguished
Flying Cross from that combat experience.
And we should point out to those who don't know that Distinguished Flying Cross is one
of the highest awards one can receive.
And so this was quite a significant accomplishment.
Yeah, it was.
And during that time period, this was all going on while he was facing racial discrimination
and he remained dedicated to his missions and his comrades by showing us that he was
able to accomplish this type of work in the field and to get rid of all that in his head
and still continue the mission.
He didn't lose a single, not one single enemy fight is what he's accredited with.
So tell us why he is so maybe inspirational is the word, maybe educational is the word.
Why should young and Michiganders kind of look and learn more about his story?
Oh, he's a trailblazer in many areas.
His life and career, even today to today, serve as an inspiration for breaking barriers
as courage and building resilience and emphasizing the collective courage of the Tuskegee Airman
as a whole.
Some of the awards and recognition that he has received over the years for his military
service has been inspirational and continues to be inspirational.
I saw that he earned a mechanical engineering degree from New York University when reviewing
his materials and he went on and retired as Vice President of the Vain Art Pipeline Company
in Detroit, Michigan, which was a large scale interstate national gas pipeline system operations.
These men off and women often get out of the military and have a fabulous career, don't
they?
Yeah, they can.
Absolutely.
Yep.
Especially those who have found a way to work through all in process through all the things
that they did while in the military and combat.
So we certainly encourage others to go learn more about him.
He actually wrote a book that is kind of one way you can learn about him, but you can go
to the Michigan Military Veteran Hall of Honor website and learn more about him or your favorite
search engine.
Do you have the name of that book handy?
Because I think it's something people ought to look at.
I do not have that handy.
I apologize.
Well, I do.
Here you go.
Floring to Glory, a Tuskegee Airman's first-hand account of World War II.
So we'd encourage people to delve more into it, and he is really well qualified, isn't
he, Robert, to be inducted into the Hall of Honor.
Yep.
It is an honor and a privilege to be able to share a little bit.
Once again, just a little bit of his story, considering how much of an impact he's had
around the world based off of his mission experience and his experience being shared
as legacy.
We're talking to Robert Nier, an Army veteran who's also a member of the board of the Michigan
Military and Veteran Hall of Honor.
He's going to talk to us about another military inductee here in 2024.
Tell us about Carl Richter.
Yeah, Carl Richter.
Thank you for having me first off, Jim.
And Carl, he was a United States and other Air Force veteran.
He was an officer and a fighter pilot renowned for his bravery and accomplishments during
Vietnam War.
He was just 23 years old when he became the youngest pilot to shoot down a MiG fighter.
That's actually a huge accomplishment, a MiG-17 fighter at the time, in air-to-air combat,
demonstrating exceptional skills and valor.
And might I add, he shot down this MiG with a F-105 Thunder Chief.
So for those of you who know history in the Air Force, you'll know that that is not the
most versatile air fighter.
It was primarily designed to be a bomber, but it was able to be multi-use, both with
air tactics as well.
So that is an amazing feat that he was able to accomplish that.
And he still holds that as the youngest individual pilot to shoot down a MiG, which was kind
of impressive.
But Richter grew up with a fascination for aviation as he was determined to become a
fighter pilot from a young age.
He was born in Holi, graduated from Holi High School, and then attended the Air Force Academy,
and he excelled academically and in flight training, graduating in 1964 and joining the
fight in Vietnam.
Just an awesome story.
And all the details will be on the Hall of Honor's website, and they will also be live-streamed.
But I can go into more detail if you'd like, Jim, because...
I think one of the... you know, this is a small country kid who was fascinated by flight.
We'd encourage people to review his story and see how that dream, whatever your dream
is, Carl Richter is a good example of how you can fulfill your dream.
And tell us a little bit about his combat missions.
Yeah, he flew... he's got one of the most impressive records for combat missions.
Once again, he flew the F-105 Thunder Chief conducting strike missions over North Vietnam.
He quickly earned a reputation for his precision, his courage, and flight prowess, because he
was able to really get in there where people thought it wasn't even possible.
He served one of the big things back in the day in the Air Force for that time period
was to complete your hundredth combat mission.
So he did complete his hundred combat missions.
Now you've got to go home right in Vietnam if you wanted to after a hundred missions,
I believe.
See, I don't know that detail, but I know that that was the milestone.
Okay.
And so that makes sense of why it was such a milestone.
So he not only did a hundred, he did almost 200, 192 missions, and continued to be the
first one in to risk danger and to go out there and do some amazing things.
He did... once again, he's known for being the youngest individual in Vietnam to shoot
on a MiG-17.
And his reputation also went on to say that he was unwaveringly brave even to the end
when he was shot down.
I think it was 1967.
It was... yep, July 28th, 1967.
On his 198th mission, he was shot down, struck by enemy ground fire.
He was able to try to navigate back to base.
The plane went down.
He ejected and was later, unfortunately, succumbed to his injuries on the way to the hospital.
But an amazing legacy from a young boy right here in Michigan.
Well, and that legacy is recognized at the Academy.
There's posts named after him in Holly.
I mean, everybody who's looked at this story or seen the stories about him, I think there's
a movie on him, have really been inspired by what this young man did in a short life,
in a short career.
Yeah, it was amazing.
He was also given the Distinguished Flying Cross as well, which as you noted, I'm in
the other inductee, that's not something that's just handed out as the highest award
in the Air Force.
He also received the Air Force Cross, Silver Star, Purple Heart, Air Metal.
I mean, he was a highly decorated individual for such a young age.
Well, thank you for telling us a little bit about this pilot's pilot.
We're talking to Robert Neer, who is a board member, an Army veteran.
He's a board member of the Michigan Military and Veterans Hall of Honor.
Robert, tell us a little bit about Andrew Kubik, who's being inducted into the Hall
of Honor in the military category this year.
You know, Andrew Kubik is the most recent warfighter that I've been honored with being
able to present on.
We are excited to have him as an inductee into the Michigan Military and Veteran Hall
of Honor as his story, both military service and post-military service, have really become
an inspiration to many people across the world, and not the world in Michigan and in the nation,
specifically around resilience and adversity.
Really excited to be able to talk to you a little bit about Staff Sergeant Andrew Kubik
as he was in the Afghanistan Wars, but he was a special, I believe he was a controller,
but I will read.
Yeah, he was an Air Force Special Operations Combat Controller, which a lot of people don't
even know what that is, and again, we'd encourage you to do more research, go to the website,
learn about some of these roles, and some of the just amazing things these men and women
have done.
But tell us about Sergeant Kubik.
Yeah, so Sergeant Kubik, he was born and raised in Harbor Beach, Michigan, a small town near
Lake Huron.
At a young age, he had a tough experience where he lost two friends, and that really
shaped and formed his life.
The full story will be posted on our website for you to dive into, but this helped shape
his life around wanting to serve, protect, and really go above and beyond in trying to
take care of people.
So at a young age, he was already destined for greatness, and I believe that some of
his really cool stories that were fascinating to him as a child were rooted in his desires
to understand strength and resilience in the face of adversity, and he was captivated by
stories of the mafia, Japanese Bushido, and later the close-knit brotherhood of modern
special operations military teams.
This really formed him to wanting to join the military and to go in as a combat controller
in the elite Air Force unit.
These combat controllers are on the ground directing the planes up in the air on where
their combat missions, where they're supposed to drop their munitions.
I mean, it is in the thick of it, isn't it, and that was part of the excitement, part
of the, I'm going to do this job for Kubik.
Yeah, absolutely.
And you know, being from that same era of wartime, these individuals as combat controllers
are, I give them the utmost respect because without them we weren't able to accomplish
our missions.
With him specifically, we want to talk about what it was that he was able to do.
He had one very significant mission in near the Battle of Kandahar in August, or I'm
sorry, November 23rd of 2001, where this battle was pretty intense.
During an operation with the 500-man anti-Taliban force, Kubik's team was ambushed by enemy
force in a variety, in a valley near Kandahar.
Despite being under heavy fire from anti-aircraft guns, rocket-propelled grenades and small arms,
he was able to stay exposed to coordinate an emergency close air support strike.
This is extremely decisive action, putting yourself in danger, and under fire is just,
I can't imagine the stress in that.
That because of his success, he was able to control numerous bombing runs with devastating
effectiveness turning the tide on the entire battle.
It was breaking Taliban resistance and clearing the way for the final offensive of Kandahar.
So this was a huge, a very significant time period in the battle of Afghanistan.
He was actually noted as being overwhelmingly responsible for breaking the back of the Taliban
resistance.
Just an absolutely amazing story which led to him being awarded the Silver Star.
And one of the things you find out when you delve into these interesting stories about
these interesting men and women is how significant one person can be.
And you know, sometimes we go through life and think, ah, I'm just one guy with one vote,
one this, one that.
But this is where you really see one person makes a difference, doesn't it, Robert?
Absolutely.
And in that battle, without him, it just, it was, nobody predicted the same outcome.
So phenomenal individual being able to complete his mission in the face of adversity, especially
with that kind of overwhelming adversity.
I also see in his resume that in 1999, he was named the United States Air Force Special
Operations Command, NCO of the Year, by honor for participating in a rescue effort of a
down to F-16 pilot in Serbia.
Again a whole series of actions demonstrating his professionalism and his effectiveness.
As a heroism, just an absolutely, he is very, he's 100% worthy to be inducted into the Hall
of Honor in Michigan.
We're so glad that you could tell us a little bit about anti-cubic and being inducted into
the Michigan Military and Veteran Hall of Honor.
We would encourage people to go to it, go to the website, there's a Facebook page, learn
more about these men and women officers, we're from, you know, generals to privates, to staff
sergeants, all sorts of ages and races.
So it's really a snapshot capturing those who've served in the military from the state
of Michigan.
We're going to talk with board member Lieutenant Colonel Jim Dempsey, retired from the United
States Air Force, about a couple of the different inductees.
We're hoping that this will interest you to go to the website, read more about those
Michiganders who have been inducted into the Hall of Honor, and maybe do a little more
of your own research.
These are truly inspiring people.
Jim, welcome to, first we want to talk about Edgar Colbertson.
What can you tell us about this gentleman who's being, has been inducted into the Michigan
Hall of Honor?
Yeah, absolutely.
Edgar Colbertson is a Michigan native, lived in the state for over 20 years, and his hometown
is Ferndale, Michigan.
He was a member of the U.S. Coast Guard, and he was a, the rank he held at the time of
his death was Boat's ones mate, first class, U.S. Coast Guard.
He served 1952 to 256 on active duty.
He was in the reserves for two years following active duty through 1958, and he also remained
active in the reserves until 1960, in April 30th of 19, excuse me, he was on active duty
from 1952 to 256.
He also, he served in the reserves from 56 to 58, and then returned to active duty where
he died on April 30th of 1967.
Well, tell us a little bit about his heroic acts that led to his ultimate demise.
Surely.
He was assigned to the USS Durant, a lifeboat station Duluth, Minnesota.
And you know, the report on the, of the event that happened in Duluth was that meteorologists
in Minnesota residents often refer to that date of April 30th, 1967 is Black Sunday.
They described the 1967 Iowa, Minnesota tornado outbreak and heavy winds and rain in Duluth.
And during the storm waves on Lake Superior in Duluth were over 20 feet high with water
temperatures around 36 degrees.
Gale force winds gusted to up to 45 miles an hour.
Around 745 p.m. that evening, a witness reported to the Duluth Police Department that three
boys, Eric Nathan and Arthur Halverson, were at the end of the Duluth entry North breakwater
light pier when one of the boys was washed into the water by a large wave.
The other two were stranded at the end of the pier by high winds and waves.
The police department contacted the Coast Guard lifeboat station in Duluth for assistance.
So this is where Edgar Colbertson came in.
He he and fellow members of the Coast Guard tried to made an unsuccessful attempt to rescue
the boys.
Edgar was 31 years old at that point.
A veteran of the Korean War, he had served in the Coast Guard since 1952.
He and two other Coast Guardsmen, boatsman mate, second class Richard Callahan, 21 of
Cicero, Illinois and farm and Ronald Prey, 21 of St. Francis, Wisconsin volunteered to
attempt to rescue.
And after arriving at the pier, they tethered themselves together with a rope spaced 25 feet
apart and began searching the pier with a lantern.
They struggled to the end of the pier, but did not find the missing boys who had already
been swept over the side.
As Colbertson, Callahan and Prey returned along the pier, another large wave crashed
over the wall knocking Colbertson over the side.
His body was later found on the beach.
There's a permanent marker honoring Colbertson, which was placed on the pier by Lake Superior
Maritime Visitor Center near the spot where he perished.
He is one of only two Coast Guardsmen to have died in the line of duty while serving in
Minnesota on Lake Superior.
Colbertson, I tell you Jim, those of us here in the Great Lakes States, we know how brutal
the big lakes can get.
This is a story of somebody who put themselves at risk to try to save another in public service
and certainly is an appropriate member of the Michigan Military and Veterans' Fall of
Honor.
Wrapping up, anything else you want to tell us about Mr. Colbertson?
Yeah, just the fact that all three of these service members were awarded the Coast Guard
Medal, the highest peacetime medal awarded in recognition of heroism, and at the time
it was awarded, it had only been awarded to 44 individuals.
Significant accomplishment for this gentleman.
Real inspiring story, and that's why he's in the hall and we want you to go read more
about him, go to the website and learn more about Edgar Colbertson.
Another gentleman being inducted into the Michigan Military and Veterans' Fall of Honor
is Major General Oliver Dillard, who spent his last years here in the great state of
Michigan.
We're talking to Jim Dempsey, Lieutenant Colonel, retired from the United States Air Force.
Jim, tell us about General Dillard.
Yeah, Oliver Dillard was born in September 28, 1926 and lived until June 16, 2015.
He was a United States Army Major General, the fifth black officer in the United States
Army to attain the flag rank.
He was a member of the Military Intelligence Hall of Fame, Officer Candidate School Hall
of Fame at Fort Wachuka, Arizona, and Fort Benning, Georgia respectively.
General Dillard became the first black graduate of the National War College in 1965, also
served as the first black general officer in the Office of the Assistant Chief of Staff
for Intelligence.
He was the last J2, or Senior Intelligence Officer, for the United States Military Assistance
Command in Vietnam.
He was the first US Army Forces Command Deputy Chief of Staff Intelligence and the first
black Deputy Chief of Staff for US Army Europe.
Dillard retired from the US Army in 1980 after a career spanning 34 years.
Well, there's a gentleman who saw a lot of firsts and broke a lot of barriers on his
way.
We're talking with Lieutenant Colonel Jim Dempsey, United States Air Force, retired.
He's a board member of the Michigan Military and Veterans Hall of Honor, and we're talking
about some of the men and women who've been inducted into the hall telling their story,
encouraging you to do a little more research, go to the website and learn more about these
inspiring men.
Jim, can you tell us about Michael Hanks?
Absolutely.
Michael Hanks was a Marine.
He was born in Howell, Michigan, and his home of record was very close by to where I reside
in Dexter.
His home of record is in Gregory.
It was in Gregory, Michigan.
Michael was born in October of 82, and he was 22 years old when he died in November of
2004.
I'll give you an excerpt here from his honor that was bestowed on him shortly after the
time of death.
It states that as a Lance Corporal in the United States Marine Corps, he served in capacity
as the first team leader of the First Platoon Lima Company, Third Battalion, from 8 to 17
November of 2004.
On 8 November, while clearing enemy strong points during intense urban combat in Anbar
Province, Iraq, Lance Corporal Hanks' team was ambushed and two Marines were mortally
wounded ignoring his own safety.
Lance Corporal Hanks placed his own body towards the enemy and dragged his remaining Marine
out of the impact zone.
Quickly assessing the situation, Lance Corporal Hanks directed a squad man automatic weapon
rocket into the enemy stronghold, eliminating four insurgents.
As a remaining insurgent attempted to escape, he drew his pistol and eliminated him.
Continuing the attack, Lance Corporal Hanks came upon two armed insurgents preparing to
ambush passing friendly units.
He quickly engaged the enemy, killing both insurgents.
On 10 November, as the platoon pressed the assault, Lance Corporal Hanks identified two
escaping terrorists who had wounded a fellow Marine.
He courageously exposed himself to a hail of enemy fire and killed the two terrorists
at close range.
As enemy fire continued to impact him, Lance Corporal Hanks retrieved and carried the wounded
Marine to safety, saving his fellow Marine's life.
On 17 November, again disregarding his own safety, Lance Corporal Hanks bravely charged
into a heavily fortified enemy position.
During the assuming firefight, Lance Corporal Hanks was mortally wounded.
Lance Corporal Hanks' bold leadership, selfless, courageous actions that day, earned him at
the cost of his life, the US Marine Corps' third highest award for valor, the Silver
Star Medal.
Wow.
And this is one of the things, Jim, as a board member of the Hall of Honor, you must
be particularly proud of because inductees into the Hall aren't all generals, they're
not all men.
This is a Marine Lance Corporal and what he did in that fight in Iraq is just inspiring
and what he did for his fellow Marines.
It's amazing, isn't it?
It is.
It's so significant, the patriotism and the bravery that's bestowed by this particular
Marine.
With some more examples of these incredible military and veterans that are going into
the Michigan Military and Veterans Hall of Honor in October 2024, you'll hear some more
of these stories right after these words from our sponsors.
A message from the US Department of Veterans Affairs.
If you have a VA claim denied by the Board of Veterans Appeals, contact Legal Help for
Veterans at 1-800-693-4800.
They're experts in handling cases before the US Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims.
Their number again, 1-800-693-4800.
I'm Jim Foss on one of the board members and I have with me the chair of the board,
Valde Garcia, to talk about some of the inductees.
Valde, we're going to first talk about a 2024 inductee in the veteran category, Michael
Peck.
Can you tell us a little bit about Mike Peck?
Well, Mike Peck, or as some people would know, I'm retired Colonel Mike Peck, was a
very interesting figure because while he's being recognized for his veterans contribution,
he actually has quite a storied military background which kind of leads into what he
is, what he's done in the private sector.
So Mike Peck enlisted in the Army, I believe in 1967.
The Army quickly saw its potential, sent him to Officer Candidate School or OCS and from
there he decided he wanted to be in the Army's best.
So he went to the Army Green Berets, graduated from that, training courses as well.
And then after a short stint, I think in the third Special Forces Group was sent to Vietnam,
to join the Fifth Special Forces Group where he participated in a number of highly classified
covert missions in North Vietnam.
And those missions were highly dangerous at a high casualty rate and the fact that he
returned safely and came back in one piece, although he did win numerous awards for his
actions and he was wounded several times.
But at the end of the day, he participated in a number of, shall we say, quieter events,
if you will, in South and Latin America, ended up being a part of the drug war and all that.
And all that shaped his future because as most Army senior leaders, whether they retire
as colonels or senior NCOs, they want to continue serving.
And that's what Mike did.
And he joined General Dynamics Land Systems here in Michigan and after he retired and
he became part of their program.
Over time he built up his reputation, worked in a number of different areas.
But what brings us to mind is that in the early 2010s, the Army specifically, but DOD
in general, was going through some very difficult budgetary cycles and there was a number of
things that had to be cut.
And the Army was looking to cut down the plant, the tank plant in Ohio, in Lima, Ohio, and
they were also looking to stop production of the Striker vehicle.
The Striker vehicle has been proven to save Army soldiers' lives and Marines for that
matter, in Afghanistan in particular and it served in Iraq.
And the Army was looking to shut down production and shut down the Lima tank plant.
Well, Mike understood the need to retain both of those systems.
And he went to work with his colleagues and lobbied Congress through General Dynamics
and convinced them, came up with a plan to be able to retain both.
Well, it's a great opportunity for the Michigan Military and Veterans Hall of Honor to recognize
a gentleman who has really assisted in making sure Army's equipment is ready should it be
needed.
And thank you for your comments regarding retired Colonel Michael Peck.
We're talking this afternoon with the Michigan Military and Veterans Hall of Honor Chair,
Valde Garcia.
We're going to talk about Robert Seacrist, who is being inducted into the hall this
year, 2024.
Valde, tell us a little bit about Bob Seacrist.
Well, Bob Seacrist is one of those guys who was not born in Michigan, but somehow found
himself here in Michigan doing all kinds of great things.
After he was born raised in Iowa, attended school out there, but ended up coming to Michigan
and joining the Michigan National Guard.
And he was so effective in his military career, the National Guard career, that he was the
first National Guard General Officer to go to the Army War College in residence, which
is a significant feat in and of itself.
And everywhere he went, he received, he and his units received leadership awards for best
unit for best capability of all his units.
And he was an artillery man.
And of course, in artillery, you have to use a lot of math.
And it's ironic because he ended up being a math professor.
And he has won, and this is why he's being recognized because he won all kinds of accolades
in Michigan for his work in the math field.
And he has been a numerous state and federal boards for mathematics and teaching mathematics.
He's won numerous honors on that.
And he was recognized by the Michigan legislature for his contributions to the state in this
field.
And I don't know about you, Jim, but math has never been one of my strong points.
So I'm glad that we have a gentleman like this to be able to do that.
But we're talking today with Valde Garcia.
He is the chair of the Michigan Military and Veterans Hall of Honor.
He's also a retired colonel.
But we're talking today about some of the inductees into the hall.
And we'd like to talk about Robert W. Smith III.
Valde, tell us about General Smith.
Yes.
And I'm glad you said that, Jim, because Bob Smith is a retired major general.
He was a commander of the 84th Infantry Division in the Army Reserves, I think, or National
Guard.
I don't know exactly where.
But Bob has distinguished himself outside his military career.
He had a very successful military career, both active duty and in the guard in the reserves,
I should say.
I first met Bob a number of years ago when I was introduced to him during some of the
work with Selective Service.
But Bob is renowned for all his work in the veterans field.
He was one of the folks that helped to bring the National Cemetery to Holly, Michigan.
He was one of the folks that helped bring the lounge to the Delta section of the airport
down at the metro airport so that veterans could go down there and relax, rest, have
a moment of peace before they have to get on another flight.
He was also helpful in getting the state of Michigan off probation from the federal government.
For veterans affairs department, because of some things that happened before he got there,
he was able to correct the mistakes or errors, if you will, the problem and was able to adjudicate
or make sure that whatever the problem was, it was taken care of and the VA, excuse me,
was able to lift that probation off of the overall department.
And of course, he was the inaugural chairman of the Michigan Military and Veterans Hall
of Honor.
And I'm glad he was.
He set the standard expectations of who we want to have in the Hall of Honor.
He helped set the foundation and get us started.
And he is a strong, strong advocate for veterans.
So all the work that you've seen him do, he's like I said, worked for the state of Michigan,
has been in support of supporting the veteran, no matter what branch of service.
Bob was an Army General, retired Army General, but it didn't matter to him.
Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, didn't matter.
If you were a veteran, you served honorably.
He was there to help Bob.
And really one of the things, and I think this is why he's in the veteran category, certainly
could have been considered in the military category, but Bob Smith is one of those guys
who will go anywhere, talk to anyone in support of what our veterans need and do in this state.
Isn't that the case?
It is.
And you know, he is a much sought after speaker, not only in the state, but also nationwide
and internationally.
He comes back from trips to South America and other parts of the world, the Middle East,
you know, because he is in such demand as a speaker and for his knowledge about military
affairs, veterans affairs, because all countries have veterans.
And Bob is all about helping organizations take care of their veterans.
It doesn't matter if it's Michigan, the United States, or some other nation, he's there
to help out.
He's really a good example and exemplifies what we're trying to do with the Hall of
Honor where we want to recognize when you take the uniform off, it doesn't mean you
forgot where you came from or you forgot those you were in service with.
He really has continued to serve and is an example for the rest of us to really be the
best we can be as veterans and help out, doesn't he?
Absolutely.
And Bob, you bring up a great point, just because your service ends with the military,
whether it be two years, four years, 20 years, 30 years, 35 years, many veterans continue
to serve their country because they have a sense of duty.
They have a sense of calling to help their fellow citizen.
And again, whether it's Michigan or another American, Bob is all about helping one another,
especially veterans.
He's got a heart for it, he's got a gift for it, and we're definitely very fortunate
to have had him as our first president.
His leadership, his insight, and his vision.
Well, thank you, Chair and retired Colonel Baldy Garcia for talking to us about Bob Smith,
who definitely deserves to be in the Michigan Hall of Honor.
Absolutely, Jim.
Anytime.
Thank you.
Good afternoon, with Baldy Garcia, who is the Chair of the Michigan Veterans and Military
and Veterans Hall of Honor.
Baldy is a retired Colonel.
And we're talking about one of the inductees in the 2024 class to the Hall of the Veterans
category, Stephanie Shannon.
Tell us about her service, Baldy.
Well, Sergeant Stephanie Shannon, obviously served in the Army.
She served in Operation Desert Storm as a, well, I don't want to say a truck driver,
but she was in a motor transport company and was responsible for maintaining, operating,
and supervising soldiers of that company.
And as I have perhaps mentioned in previous interviews, the Hall of Honor is about getting
people in the Hall of Honor who have distinguished themselves both in and out of uniform.
And Stephanie is one of those, again, who has distinguished herself outside of uniform.
She served for eight years.
She served honorably.
She was a Sergeant.
So the Hall of Honor is not all about colonels and generals.
It's about the average soldier and the average NCO who go on and do great things.
And in this case, Stephanie went on and has done some great things in the field of helping
to empower women, and especially women veterans.
It is tough, no matter who you are, no matter what rank you are, once you leave the uniform
behind, unless there's a job waiting for you, there is a challenge transitioning into the
civilian sector.
As I tell some of my friends who are now leaving military service, there is life after the
Army.
There is life after the military, but it's hard.
It's hard to get there.
And we have a number of people.
Bob Smith was one of them earlier.
But Stephanie Sharp is one who makes it her passion in life to help women veterans.
And she's done that through speaking to various groups.
She set up an organization that's called the Michigan Women's Veteran Empowerment.
And she's written, like I said, some books, battling the storm within.
And she put together another book or effort called Our Voices United, again, trying to
help motivate and instruct female veterans for how they can navigate the transition from
leaving the military to going into the civilian side.
Because as we know, women have a lot to offer our society, our economy.
And they have done some awesome things.
But they just got to find that right niche.
And Stephanie helps them do that.
Here's another example of someone who was found a way to serve the community, the state,
and the nation with the talents that she developed in the military.
We're talking this afternoon with the chair of the Michigan Military and Veterans Hall
of Honor, Pauli Garcia.
And we're going to talk about one of the inductees into the hall this year in the veteran category.
Again, somebody who had a distinguished military career, but it's the work that they've done
after their service that has propelled them into the Hall of Honor.
And I'm talking about Major General Bruce McDonald.
Pauli, tell us about Bruce.
Well, I first met Joe McDonald when we were serving together in the Senate division.
He was commanding the division.
I was somewhere down near the bottom of the rank structure at the time.
And I didn't know him well at the time.
Didn't get to know him very well, but I knew who he was.
Fast forward 10 years, and I find myself talking with him as he is a consultant to then Dr.
Paul Rogers, the director of TARDAC, or the Army's Research and Development Center in
Warren, Michigan at the Detroit Arsenault, and was able to work with him.
And General McDonald, actually Bruce McDonald in his civilian side, was an advisor to General
Rogers on some of the things that we could do here in Michigan to support the Army's
efforts to improve their research and development process and products and stuff.
But I think where I really got to know him is when he became the civilian aid to the
Secretary of the Army.
And we should stop there because most people have never heard that title before, but it's
a really big deal, right?
It is.
And let me just say that there are, I believe, one for every state and one for some of the
territories.
But it is the person responsible to the Secretary of the Army for helping the Secretary keep
in touch with the civilian side of our nation.
And why do you want to do that?
Well, the Secretary of the Army is responsible for recruiting.
We've got to have new soldiers come into the service.
We have to know what's going on in the state that may impact the Army.
And it is a very important position that I must say is an unpaid, it's a volunteer position,
but you must be selected.
And after Bruce retired from that position, they ended up hiring not just one, but two
civilian aides to the Secretary of the Army for Michigan because our state is so big,
the lower part, the southern part, and the northern part.
But Bruce did a phenomenal job of representing the Secretary of the Army wherever he went.
Again unpaid, so a lot of sacrifice, time of his own to help the Secretary understand
what was going on in Michigan and help relay some of the concerns that Michigan leadership
and the thought leaders had about the Army and what was going on there with national
defense.
He played a critical role.
Bruce served for 31 years or so with General Motors in the area of communications for
corporate communications, started his own communications business.
And I point this out because he then applied those communication skills that he had earned
with every veteran group, every community group that asked for his help, didn't he?
He did.
He reached, he was an avid supporter of all kinds of veterans efforts.
And he did that because he's a soldier at heart.
We're talking with Valdi Garcia, the Chairperson of the Michigan Military and Veteran Hall
of Honor, about one of the inductees going in on the veteran side of the hall for his
work.
Master Sergeant Gunther Stern, Guy Stern, known to everybody in Southeast Michigan,
Dr. Stern to many.
Valdi, tell us about Guy Stern.
Jim, Guy is one of those individuals with a very unique history.
First of all, he was born in Germany and he traveled over here to the United States before
World War II, at least with the United States started.
He was, again, ready to go into his first year of college when Pearl Harbor happened.
He ended up going into the Army and serving in the intelligence field.
And that's why he rose to the rank of Master Sergeant, known as one of the Richie Boys,
because where they were trained and educated in.
But he has known for his post-service work, he did some phenomenal work in World War II
as an intelligence officer, NCO.
But the point is that because of his knowledge of German culture and German history, he went
on to serve in a number of academic departments, teaching those topics in a number of universities.
One of them was Wayne State University, who then had him become the provost and the vice
president for academic affairs in 1978.
So he served in that position for well over a decade, probably over two decades as well.
And he did such a phenomenal job.
But then he also, in addition to that, he became part of the effort for the Holocaust
Center in Farmington Hills.
Was one of the key, I don't want to say players, but proponents and advocates for and developers
of the Holocaust Center, because as you know, you don't want to forget that kind of history
because you want to prevent it from ever happening again.
So not only was he doing that, you know, helping with the Holocaust Center, being a pro-gold
marshal at Wayne State University.
But he also served later in life as well as on the board of the Fisher House.
For those of you who are not familiar with the Fisher House, but it's a Ronald McDonald
House for veterans, so that, you know, veterans are seeking some kind of treatment.
Families can stay there at no cost to them, and they can stay with their veteran to support
them during that time of help.
And Guy is one of those guys that has a unique history, who has, again, a colorful and very
productive military career, but then he goes on and does great things in his civilian life.
Well, I think he's really a good example of all the, of what the Hall of Honor is trying
to do, and that is that bridge of history.
So Guy grew up in Germany, saw what was happening, the family gets him to the United States,
he gets back involved in the Army, finds himself back in Germany.
He understands the Holocaust.
He understands the horror of war, and really spent a lot of his post-service time trying
to make sure that we didn't forget it.
These are incredible men and women being inducted into the Michigan Military and Veterans Hall
of Honor.
This is just a short bio on each of them.
We hope you found it interesting.
You'll delve more into it by going to that website or Facebook site.
You can always reach out to Veterans Radio through its website or Facebook site.
We can't do this program without our sponsors, including the Vietnam Veterans of America
National Chapter, the VVA Kettles Chapter 310 in Ann Arbor, VFW Grafft O'Hara Post,
423 in the American Legion Post, 46 in Ann Arbor.
We'll help for veterans, our friends at NVBDC.org.
All of this comes together to help us promote what's going on in the military and veteran
space, and we really do appreciate all the support we got.
We had a good fundraiser on radio on the river.
I want to thank all of our board members who helped out on that and all the sponsors on
that.
Dale will be talking more about that, I'm sure.
But it is a team effort.
This is Veterans Radio by veterans, four veterans, family and friends.
We hope you'll learn a lot.
If you've got ideas for stories or organizations that need to be highlighted, we're always
glad to do that.
Simply reach out to us at the website, veteransradio.org.
It's always a pleasure to bring you these programs, and we learn a bit every time, too.
Dale and I always say to each other, I didn't know that.
So that's how you know it's a good show, and when you walk away going, I didn't know that
about those guys, and we hope we did that again this week.
And until next time on Veterans Radio, you are dismissed.