Tango Alpha Lima Podcast

Jeff and Ashley recap their whirlwind visit to New York City for the Veterans Day Parade.

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• Live from NY, it’s Veterans Day, with Tango Alpha Lima | The American Legion
• The American Legion (@theamericanlegion) • Instagram photos and videos
• The American Legion - Lt. B.R. Kimlau Post Chinese Memorial Post 1291
• New York City Veterans Day Parade
• Homepage | National September 11 Memorial & Museum
• The American Legion Vehicle Donation Program
• Unions Seek Bargaining Rights for National Guard Members | Military.com
• Rising costs for troops’ pay and benefits could hurt military readiness, experts warn
• American Legion called upon to bolster Toys for Tots | The American Legion
• Tiger King 2 | Official Trailer | Netflix - YouTube
• The American Legion 2021 Mental Health Survey

Air Force Gaming Community Esports Operations Manager Erin Rich joins the podcast to talk about the gaming community initiative that brings Airmen and Guardians of all ages, ranks and backgrounds together for camaraderie and competition.

Erin shares a little bit about the background of the community, how it works, and how the Air Force intends to grow the scope of the program. She also schools Jeff just a little bit about the nerd factor.

Special Guest: Erin Rich.

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• Watch video of this episode on YouTube
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• Marine Toys for Tots
• The American Legion Vehicle Donation Program
• Air Force Gaming
• Air Force on Discord
• Join The American Legion | The American Legion
• Nominate A Tango Alpha Lima Guest

This Veterans Day, Team Tango honors the Centennial of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery.

CV kicks things off with some of history of the WWI Unknown Soldier and the Tomb, and highlights some of centennial commemorations happening across Europe.

Ashley shares her excitement about a ceremony during Veterans Day week that will allow rare public access to lay flowers at the Tomb in Arlington National Cemetery.

Jeff reminds everyone about the importance of doing Buddy Checks, supporting the Buddy Check Legislation currently working its way through Congress.

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• American Legion National Commander Messages on Vimeo
• Legionnaires in Europe: Tomb centennial events are near you | The American Legion
• European Tomb centennial events continue | The American Legion
• ‘The ultimate test of endurance’ | The American Legion
• Youth basketball, the Unknown Soldier’s stormy voyage home and more in November | The American Legion
• Marine Toys for Tots
• Public can approach Tomb, see Native American Honor Guard - VAntage Point
• Place a flower at the Tomb | The American Legion
• Plenty Coups - Wikipedia
• Biographies of Plains Indians: Plenty Coups - 1848-1932 - American Indian Relief Council is now Northern Plains Reservation Aid
• American Legion Resolution 18: Buddy Check
• Buddy Check Stories | The American Legion
• Action Center
• The American Legion Vehicle Donation Program
• Another new decade of veteran support dawns at Syracuse | The American Legion
• Rise of the National Veterans Resource Center | The American Legion
• 2021 Veterans Day deals, discounts | The American Legion
• 2021 Veterans Day Deals, Discounts and Freebies | Military.com
• Subscribe to our newsletter
• Editorial: Finally, someone has lit a fire under the VA to get homeless veterans housed
• Nominate A Tango Alpha Lima Guest

Ashley educates the guys about the “Pink Tax” on uniforms for military women, and the FATIGUES Act that proposes and end to the disparity.

Jeff shares the latest chapter in the continuing saga of vaccines for members of the military: Marines facing consequences for vaccine refusals.

CV still can't figure out why the military can't keep track of their weapons, and neither can Congress, who is imposing new rules to force America’s armed services to keep better track of their guns and explosives.

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• Join The American Legion
• Bill Seeks to End 'Pink Tax' for Women Buying Uniforms | Military.com
• Marine Toys for Tots
• The American Legion Vehicle Donation Program
• ‘HONOR FLIGHT’ TRIPS HONORING WOMEN AND   AFRICAN AMERICAN VETERANS VISIT WASHINGTON - Honor Flight Network
• Braves manager Brian Snitker on Legion baseball - YouTube
• Tribute to Past Department Commander, Edward Grimsley | California American Legion
• Tribute to 5th Area Vice Commander, Harry Woods | California American Legion
• Home - The American Legion Department of Virginia

Team Tango visits with U.S. Army veteran and author Darin Pepple.

Pepple's debut novel, "Dodgebomb: Outside the Wire in the Second Iraq War" is a satirical work that follows a lieutenant and his platoon as they go out on patrol each day and try to stay alive.

Pepple talks about some of his real life experiences as an Army Captain, how he uses these moments into the novel, and the inspiration behind bringing his work to life.

Special Guest: Darin Pepple.

Links:

• Watch video of this episode on YouTube
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• Join The American Legion
• Dodgebomb: Outside the Wire in the Second Iraq War: Pepple, Darin, Farrar, Renée, Klinger, Jeremy: 9780578865799: Amazon.com: Books
• Find a Service Officer
• Darin Pepple

Jeff reveals CV's fashionable new look for fall.

Ashley tells the tale of a Maryland couple who were caught attempting to sell nuclear secrets a foreign operatives who turned out to be the FBI.

CV shares his surprise that a Special Operation unit and small group of Marines have been secretly operating in Taiwan for the past year to train military forces in an effort to shore up the island’s defenses as concern regarding potential Chinese aggression mounts.

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• Join The American Legion
• Legion appoints new national judge advocate | The American Legion
• Home - Heroes With Hearing Loss
• Maryland couple suspected of selling nuclear secrets could spend rest of life in jail | Fox News
• Something Shook New Hampshire. What Caused the Boom Is a Mystery. - The New York Times
• Officials: 11 sailors injured after USS Connecticut submarine ‘struck an object’ underwater earlier this month
• Leading Lawmaker to Space Force: Stop Talking About Uniforms, Tell Me About Tech - Breaking Defense Breaking Defense - Defense industry news, analysis and commentary
• A Marine May Have Brought a Wild Cougar Back to His Barracks | Military.com
• Denzel Washington named 2021 'Honorary Sergeant Major of the Army'
• Welcome to The American Legion - The American Legion Pat Tillman Post #117
• American Legion Kenneth H. Nash Post 8

Mission Roll Call is a nonpartisan movement to help provide veterans with a powerful, unified voice that is heard by our nation's leaders and communities. On this episode, we're joined by MRC Director Patrick Griffith, who talks about how their team uses digital messaging and polling to collect the views, experiences, and insights of veterans and delivers them directly to national and community leaders in an effort to enact positive change.

Patrick discusses how his organization uses storytelling to educate and activate their audience, and how Mission Role Call can work with traditional VSOs like The American Legion.

Special Guest: Patrick Griffith .

Links:

• Watch video of this episode on YouTube
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• Join The American Legion
• Mission Roll Call
• S.785 - 116th Congress (2019-2020): Commander John Scott Hannon Veterans Mental Health Care Improvement Act of 2019 | Congress.gov | Library of Congress
• Find a Service Officer
• American Legion Legislative Action Center
• Veterans & Children Foundation | The American Legion

Jeff gets pumped about U.S. Space Force Guardians newly unveiled dress uniforms.

CV reluctantly brings us yet another story about Afghanistan as two of the military’s highest-ranking generals telling lawmakers that they did not support the full withdrawal this year.

Ashley shares a story from The American Legion Magazine about the benefits of Wind Therapy.

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• Join The American Legion
• Soaring high: Pentagon's Space Force gets new uniform
• Motorcycle Relief Project employs wind therapy to help manage PTSD - YouTube
• Four-wheel fun, freedom with Idaho American Legion Post 101 - YouTube
• Boulder Crest builds peer support community to support Post Traumatic Growth - YouTube
• Find a Service Officer
• Remains of Medal of Honor recipient Fr. Emil Kapaun return to Kansas after 70 years | Stars and Stripes
• patriotickenny (@patriotickenny) TikTok | Watch patriotickenny's Newest TikTok Videos
• 'A total lack of focus': Lawmaker on a mission to compel Pentagon to take UFOs seriously - POLITICO
• VA Mental Health Home
• Legion Racing | The American Legion

Transgender American Veterans Association Communications Director Avalisa Ellicott shares the story of her military service in the U.S. Air Force and the subsequent transition to reflect her true self, which led her to become an advocate for the LGBTQ+ community, specifically an advocate for Trans Rights. 

Special Guest: Avalisa Ellicott.

Links:

• Watch video of this episode on YouTube
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• Join The American Legion
• (36) missavalisa - YouTube
• History-American Legion Flag & Emblem
• Find a Service Officer

The hiatus is over and Team Tango is back to tackle the news of the week.

CV kicks things off with a reminiscence of the podcast team's experience at National Convention in Phoenix.

Jeff revisits the subject of COVID-19 vaccines for the military, now that the Army has issued mandates.

Ashley discusses how purpose plays a role in the in reducing the rate of veterans suicide.

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Links:

• Watch video of this episode on YouTube
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• National Convention Coverage
• Join The American Legion
• Veteran services saying ‘purpose’ could be key in suicide crisis | RochesterFirst
• Veterans Crisis Line: Suicide Prevention Hotline, Text & Chat
• Vet Centers (Readjustment Counseling) Home
• Find a Service Officer
• US flag, sewn by soldier at POW camp, settles at Smithsonian
• As a child, she wrote to a WWII vet. He carried the letter everywhere, and 12 years later, they finally met. | Stars and Stripes
• Fundraiser for Raven Advisory LLC by Tommy Marcus : FLYAWAY: EMERGENCY AFGHAN RESCUE MISSION