Paddy's Got Your 6 Podcast

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Danell Vincenti, owner of The Dancing Horses Theater in Lake Geneva, WI is a patriot. Her family started The Dancing Horses 20+ years ago and it is a sight to see. Beautiful Arabian Horses put on a great show and Danell has an annual event to honor Veterans. This year, the 9th Annual Veteran Appreciation Day is being held on Sunday, June 25th, 2023. It is free for Veterans and only $10 for friends and family of Veterans. The event starts at 11:00 am and is family friendly with a petting zoo and Buffett. The show is at 1:00 and reservations are recommended. You can call 262-728-8200 and check out their Facebook page @The Dancing Horses.

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We talked with Representative Ralph Norman about his introduction of legislation (HR587) to award Major James Capers Jr the Medal of Honor. We recently interviewed Major Capers Jr and are definitely behind this campaign. We discussed some of the challenges and next steps required to see this through. Please join us in lobbying your political leaders to make this happen, As Rep. Norman said, "there is no one more deserving of the Medal of Honor than Major James Capers Jr".

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Dennis Gibson, an Army Veteran, has founded an organization called Veterans Helping Heroes Foundation that supports disabled veterans with mobility products such as wheelchairs and electric scooters. He's also an avid Hog and is looking for your vote in the DreamChopper.com contest to win a Harley. You can call him directly at 304-412-8000 to learn more.

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In the 1970s, he was the face of the Marines. Literally. The first black man to be a part of a Marine recruiting campaign, his photo was plastered on billboards, posters, brochures, and ads. Other Marines stood in the background, all in their dress blues, but James Capers Jr. was the focus.

Here’s what Americans didn’t see. Capers had been injured in Vietnam and struggled to stand up straight during the photo shoot. Another Marine stepped in to help. One man helping another. The way it should be

An 85-year-old veteran with more military honors than the average enlisted man, Major Capers has found himself in the spotlight many times. He has written a book, "Faith Through the Storm", is the focus of a documentary, "Major Capers: The Legend of Team Broadminded", and, of course, is our interview guest today.

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"As a combat veteran, I know how hard it can be to ask for help and to find a program that works for you, so when I heard about Road Home Program and what they do for Veterans, I had to get involved". Currently, Mathius Carter is the Commander of the Veterans of Foreign War in Cyrstal Lake, IL Post 12014, a member of the American Legion Post 171, Wounded Warrior Alum as well as a member of Team Read White and Blue (RWB). Now Mathius is working as a Community Outreach Coordinator for Road Home Program, a non-profit organization through Rush University Medical Center which helps veterans and their families with the invisible wounds of war. Mathius is also the author of "Instead of Sheep: A Soldiers Way of Explaining PTSD to his Son". 

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"10 Years Late", was the headline covering the 1985 parade in New York City.  But as these authors (Roger McGill  and Harold Beyne III) and Tom Stack saw it, this parade really was the preface for the main event: the Chicago WELCOME HOME Vietnam Veterans parade on Friday, June 13, 1986. From a parade of 25,000 veterans in New York, this parade grew to a massive Chicago marching crowd of Vietnam Veterans with estimates ranging from 176,000 to more than 200,000. The book, "The Day We Finally Came Back from Vietnam: The Untold Story of Chicago's WELCOME HOME Parade" is available on Amazon on April 20, 2023. Check it out and let us know what you think.

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Jim McArdle sits on the Board of Directors for the "Lake County Responds for Veterans", a non-profit charity that helps veterans with housing repairs and quality of life housing needs for those that may be on a fixed income, are limited mobility or have other circumstances that need to be addressed. Jim organizes fund raising events for this and many other charities and organizations. An annual luncheon honoring veterans is coming up in early April 2023 - sign up at their website LCResponds.org

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Charlie Morgan, US Coast Guard Veteran, retired Chicago Police Detective (30 years), and Commander of American Legion Post 171 in Cyrstal Lake, IL talked with us about the programs called "Vets for Veterans & Blue Families" and the "Be the One" campaign run by the Legion.  He is passionate about spreading the word about resources available to veterans, first responders and their families, particularly as they relate to PTSD resources. 

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"We will start conversations to let folks know they are not alone" stated Bob Dorn, Senior Vice Commander of American Legion Post 171. National statistics on PTSD among veterans indicate epidemic proportions. And, an average of 22 veterans per day lose their life to suicide in the United States. Bob is on a mission to change that and introduce military families to the many options available to them. 

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