American Warrior Radio

National Vietnam Veterans Day is observed on March 29. March 29, 1973 was the day the  US Military Assistance Command – Vietnam stood down. This year has a bit of added significance; it is the 50th anniversary of the war. The Department of Veteran’s Affairs estimates there are still 7 million Americans who served on active duty during the Vietnam war still living.

Commander Brian Wierzbiki, Chief of Public Engagement for the United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration joins us to talk about their initiatives and support programs for the 50th Anniversary.

The mission of the Vietnam War Commemoration is to thank and honor Veterans of the Vietnam War. They also include personnel of federal agencies, governmental and non-governmental organizations who served in support as well as our allies and persons supporting on the home front. The organization went active in 2012.

Brian’s office provides support to any organizations organizing 50th anniversary recognition events. So far they have supported 28,574 events with 13,539 partners. A calendar of all the events are listed at their website. Any group interested in receiving support or listing their event with the Vietnam War Commemoration can visit their website and submit the information. Brian says that even though the anniversary is March 29, they will support programming through November 11, 2025.

Their website has several interesting elements including an in depth history page with timelines oral histories and even a virtual tour of the Pentagon exhibit. Other support elements provided include Veteran lapel pins, certificates of honor and commemorative flags. Eligible Veterans include anyone who served between November 1, 1955 and May 5, 1975. Surviving spouses are also eligible for a pin.

Brian says that his role in support of the commemoration has significantly informed him about Vietnam Veterans role. He deployed to both Iraq and Afghanistan. When he returned from Afghanistan, the first people to greet him were Vietnam Veterans.

“Brothers After War” is a documentary film directed by Jake Radenmacher in partnership with the Gary Sinise Foundation. Brothers After War debuted in 140 movie theatres nationwide. I strongly recommend both Veterans and civilians see this film.

Between 2005-2007, Jake risked everything, including his life, to tell the story of his brothers serving Iraq. He embedded with multiple units, filmed numerous combat engagements, and interviewed more than forty combat Veterans in the warzone. The result was the award winning “Brothers at War” documentary.

In “Brothers After War” Jake reconnects with some of the soldiers and Marines featured in his first film. It is a poignant, often sad and something humorous look at their lives after war. An underlying theme of the film is the idea that sometimes one of the hardest parts of being a warrior is returning home.

Jake says, “I started Brothers After War broken.”  From 2016-2018 he had a two-year international custody battle. In a meeting with Sinise, Gary told him “Jake, sometimes I think the way to heal a broken heart is to help someone else.”

Jake’s two brothers are central characters in both films. Between them, his brothers deployed a total of sixteen times. He also included a number of spouses in both films and considers it a unique aspect of the production.

After producing Brothers At War, Jake and a team began conducting resiliency workshops sponsored by the Gary Sinise Foundation. Jake and a team of three Veteran trainers visit various communities to use the film as a catalyst to open discussion with Veterans. If you would like to have them visit your community, visit their website to schedule an event.

TAKEAWAY: After seeing the film, one of the Veterans told Jake “Brothers After War made me feel like I wasn’t alone, that I’m not broken, that it’s okay to be vulnerable. It gave me hope for my future.”

Tax attorney Hubert Johnson is a Navy Veteran and founder of Guardian Tax Law. On this episode of American Warrior Radio, Hubert shares tax tips for Veteran entrepreneurs.

While serving in the Navy, he injured his spine, resulting in a medical discharge. He was feeling sorry for himself until he reported to the VA pain clinic at the age of 19. Witnessing the situation that the older Veterans were in, he says at that moment “I was going to be all right.”

Hubert despised his federal tax class in law school. But “life happened” and he fell into tax law because “I just needed a job and I have been doing it ever since.”

Hubert shares important tax tips for Veteran entrepreneurs, the foremost being to always get good, expert advice. The advantages/disadvantages of the various business structure options should be explored before starting operations.

Adding employees is an especially important threshold. The IRS treats payroll tax issues as if one is “stealing from their employees.” Entrepreneurs can be held personally liable for both payroll and sales tax issues.

Hubert recommends people be extremely cautious when entering into partnerships. “Trust but verify.”

Hubert clarifies residency issues relative to military members. The rule of thumb is residency is established as state where their enlistment took place. However, residency can be established somewhere else. He cites California & New York tax laws as particularly onerous when it comes to military members. In contrast, Oklahoma doesn’t tax military Veterans. “Before you leave a state, file a non-resident tax return so they will leave you alone.”

TAKEAWAY: “Get a mentor. Surround yourself with people who can help bouy you up and you can call and ask questions. There isn’t a millionaire out there that truly did it all by themselves.“

Nick Padlo was a sophomore at West Point when the 9/11 attacks occurred. He would go on to serve two tours of duty in both Afghanistan and Iraq. Armed with an MBA from Stanford University, Padlo made a good transition to the civilian sector, taking a job with a successful business. It seemed he had the world at his feet.

But all was not well in his life. He experienced a divorce and along the way he started drinking and experimenting with drugs. The feelings that he was trying to numb became worse because of his addictions. On 2018 he found himself in a Dallas hotel with a half empty bottle of liquor and a gun trying to decide if that would be his last day on earth. Instead, he did a web search for rehab.

Padlo clarifies that if someone is asking themselves if they are drinking too much, or if family members suggest it, then there is a 90% certainty that there is a problem. “When you start having negotiations with yourself, you’ve crossed some sort of a line.” He says the main question one should ask is whether the relationship with alcohol is blessing you and your family. Padlo had to do rehab twice before it “took”. Padlo shares three issues that are particular to Veterans that can complicate addiction and recovery.

Padlo committed to devote the rest of his career to helping other people dealing with addictions and he founded Sophros Recovery. In mythology “Sophrosyne” describes a well-balanced state that leads to temperance, moderation and prudence.  While Sophros is affiliated with all major insurances, they also have scholarships they can offer. “If we can’t help you we will find someplace that will.”

TAKEAWAY: “Nothing changes if nothing changes. If you are hearing this and need some help or know someone who does – do something!”

The Van of Valor program is the brainchild of Kevin and Lauren Wallace. Their mission is to travel to all of the lower 48 states and record the stories of at least 100 Purple Heart recipients or Gold Star families.

Kevin had served in the Air Force for seven years when the opportunity came up to become a Combat Photographer. On April 3, 2011 Kevin was attached to a team of 12 cavalry scouts tasked with establishing an observation post in a set of ruins in Northwest Afghanistan. Kevin sensed that something was amiss when their meeting with the village elders was less than cordial. They began taking fire while exiting the village but were able to make it back to the ruins.

Kevin and his 11 comrades were engaged on three sides by more than 100 Taliban fighters, some of whom were using women and children as shields. During the attack, an RPG came so close to Kevin that it singed his beard. It exploded behind him, peppering Kevin, four of the scouts and their working dog with shrapnel. He would be awarded the Purple Heart and a Bronze Star w/ Valor for that battle.

The couple had discussed traveling the lower states and bought a used Fed-X van with 300,000 miles, converting it to a travel van. Lauren says she was inspired start the Van of Valor project after personally witnessing the impact that shared trauma has among Purple Heart recipients and Gold Star families.

If anyone knows of a Purple Heart story that needs to be told, please check the Van of Valor website to see if your community is along their planned route. You can also track their progress at the website. Kevin and Laura are accepting donations to offset the costs of the journey.

TAKEAWAY: “We are asking people to dig up a lot from their past and make people uncomfortable so that the grander public can understand the sacrifice that Gold Star families and those who see combat suffer from.”

“Jeep Show; A Trouper at the Battle of the Bulge” is a fictional work by author Robert B. O’Connor that sheds light on a unique and little know effort during World War II.

Military Occupational Specialist Code 442 was assigned to some names you may recognize; Mickey Rooney, Sammy Davis Jr, Mel Brooks and Red Buttons. They were part of a special morale initiative to provide entertainment to troops on the front lines in areas deemed too dangerous for USO tours. Jeep Show units consisted of 3 soldiers who would provide the equivalent of a traveling vaudeville show. Because front line troops were constantly on the move, these contingents would conduct several performances a day.

Robert B. O’Connor first became aware of this unique program when he was an executive with Proctor & Gamble. He was researching a failed marketing scheme led by Jim Hetzer called “The Oxydol Circus.” Hetzer’s family informed O’Connor that their father was involved with Jeep Shows during WWII. Hezter would become the basis for the fictional main character in O’Connor’s novel.

Interestingly, he chose to also place the REAL Mickey Rooney in the novel. We spend some time discussing Rooney’s career and his possible motivation for volunteering during World War II. Rooney was awarded a Bronze Star for his role with the Jeep Shows.

O’Connor chose to involve his main character in the Battle of Bulge, not only because it was a significant part of the war in Europe but also because it highlighted the often unrecognized role of “Team SNAFU” during that clash. Team SNAFU described the role of traditionally non-combat personnel like clerks, supply and medical personnel who were forced to take up arms in the protection of Bastogne.

Jeep Show is a delightful and compelling novel that puts readers right on the front lines and introduces us to the often unheralded contributions of support troops like those who carried the 442 MOS.