Veteran Cast

Armed forces veterans come to the workforce with many of the attributes employers want most: maturity, experience, a can-do attitude and an understanding of teamwork and shared objectives.

Conexus Indiana launched INVets to connect veterans with the thousands of opportunities in the advanced manufacturing and logistics industries, helping them find fulfilling employment in the civilian world and helping employers tap this rich reserve of solid employees.

We interview Wesley Wood, INVets Program Director at Conexus Indiana, on the origins of the program and where they're going from here.

Special Guest: Wesley Wood.

Sponsored By:

• Tech Warriors: The Speak Easy, with coworking locations throughout Indianapolis, is offering a Veteran Membership of just $25 per month. Promo Code: Vets

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• INVets — Employers across our state are struggling to find enough veteran talent. INvets is a team effort to connect these employers with veterans around the country and make sure the transition process goes as smooth as possible.

Michael Cook is the Director of Indianapolis' Team Red, White, Blue Chapter. Team RWB’s mission is to enrich the lives of America’s veterans by connecting them to their community through physical and social activity.

Enrichment is defined as creating quality relationships and experiences that contribute to life satisfaction and overall wellbeing. The concept of enrichment consists of three core components—health, people, and purpose—that define a rich life.

Enrichment Equation: Enrichment = Health + People + Purpose

Special Guest: Michael Cook.

Sponsored By:

• Tech Warriors: The Speak Easy, with coworking locations throughout Indianapolis, is offering a Veteran Membership of just $25 per month. Promo Code: Vets

Support Veteran Cast

Links:

• Team Read, White & Blue — Team RWB’s mission is to enrich the lives of America’s veterans by connecting them to their community through physical and social activity.
• Team RWB Indianapolis — Team RWB Indianapolis Facebook Page.

The American Legion was chartered and incorporated by Congress in 1919 as a patriotic veterans organization devoted to mutual helpfulness. It is the nation’s largest wartime veterans service organization, committed to mentoring youth and sponsorship of wholesome programs in our communities, advocating patriotism and honor, promoting strong national security, and continued devotion to our fellow servicemembers and veterans.

Hundreds of local American Legion programs and activities strengthen the nation one community at a time. American Legion Baseball is one of the nation’s most successful amateur athletic programs, educating young people about the importance of sportsmanship, citizenship and fitness. The Operation Comfort Warriors program supports recovering wounded warriors and their families, providing them with "comfort items" and the kind of support that makes a hospital feel a little bit more like home. The Legion also raises millions of dollars in donations at the local, state and national levels to help veterans and their families during times of need and to provide college scholarship opportunities.

The American Legion is a nonpartisan, not-for-profit organization with great political influence perpetuated by its grass-roots involvement in the legislation process from local districts to Capitol Hill. Legionnaires’ sense of obligation to community, state and nation drives an honest advocacy for veterans in Washington. The Legion stands behind the issues most important to the nation's veterans community, backed by resolutions passed by volunteer leadership.

The American Legion’s success depends entirely on active membership, participation and volunteerism. The organization belongs to the people it serves and the communities in which it thrives.

Special Guest: Eric Thomas.

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• University Veterans Post 360 — University Veterans Post 360 held its inaugural meeting on January 15, 2012, this made IUPUI the first university in the United States to have a campus-based American Legion Post. Post 360 offers a fresh, young face with members who are veterans from current wars. We're associated with a college campus, which self-signifies freshness and youthfulness. This new post is open to all eligible veterans, including faculty, staff and alumni who are veterans as well as active duty service members and veterans who have no affiliation with the university.

No Greater Love depicts the combat deployment of the legendary “No Slack” Battalion, 101st Airborne Division, through the eyes of Army Chaplain Justin David Roberts. While deployed in Afghanistan, Justin decided to carry a camera to document the hardships his unit endured. He captured not only the gritty reality of war but also the incredibly strong bond that is forged between soldiers.

Little did Justin know that his decision to carry a camera would culminate in No Greater Love.

While deployed in Afghanistan, Justin had no intention of making No Greater Love; however, the truly courageous deeds he witnessed (the battalion returned home with over 200 purple hearts) got him thinking about what motivated “regular” guys to become heroes. He asked himself, what drives men to commit acts of valor and sacrifice? Justin discovered that the common thread running through each tragedy was love, and that was a story that deserved to be told.

Layering real war footage with heartfelt interviews with soldiers and Gold Star family members, No Greater Love seeks to help others understand the experience of war and the personal struggles of soldiers, both on the battlefield and once they return home. There are over 20 suicides per day in the veteran population and countless struggles with depression, PTSD, and addiction.

No Greater Love strives to create a dialogue about war and promote healing.

Special Guest: Tom Gorup.

Sponsored By:

• DK New Media: DK New Media is a veteran-owned digital media and marketing consulting firm headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. Promo Code: VETS

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• Indianapolis Premiere of "No Greater Love" — Local veteran and Purple Heart recipient Tom Gorup—who is featured in the film—will participate in a post-film Q&A to share his experience and raise awareness for how to get involved and support our local veterans. Tom served 6 years in the U.S. Army. As an Infantry Squad Leader, Tom served two tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, where he received a Purple Heart alongside several other awards for actions on the battlefield.
• No Greater Love — No Greater Love depicts the combat deployment of the legendary “No Slack” Battalion, 101st Airborne Division, through the eyes of Army Chaplain Justin David Roberts. While deployed in Afghanistan, Justin decided to carry a camera to document the hardships his unit endured. He captured not only the gritty reality of war but also the incredibly strong bond that is forged between soldiers. Little did Justin know that his decision to carry a camera would culminate in No Greater Love.
• Find a Theater — Find a theater playing No Greater Love near you.
• Demand "No Greater Love" — Want to see No Greater Love in your home town? Demand No Greater Love play in a movie theater near you by filling out and submitting the form below. Regions with the most unique requests have the highest chance of the film being shown so do share this page with your firends and family.
• Rook Security — We are a team of digital defenders—hackers, specialists, engineers, and inventors— united to protect those working to leverage technology to achieve the maximum possible good, while relentlessly hunting those with malicious intent.

Blaine Zimmerman of Circle City Vets and Matt Hall, the Indianapolis Mayor's Veteran Service Officer join Harrison and Douglas Karr for the inaugural podcast, Veteran Cast. The mission of Veteran Cast is to educate, inform, and improve the lives of Veterans in our community. We're starting with Indianapolis, Indiana since that's our hometown - but the advice and information should be helpful to veterans throughout the United States.

Sponsored By:

• DK New Media: DK New Media is a veteran-owned digital media and marketing consulting firm headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. Promo Code: VETS

Support Veteran Cast

Links:

• Azimuth — Azimuth connects United States Veterans and their families to local and national programs and services.