Operation Insight

Vietnam Veterans Remembrance Day: Live Show with Special Guests

On this day, March 29th, U.S. troops leave Vietnam.
Many served their country just as their father had….
Many served because that’s what American men do…
They believed in our country and principles….
They never shirked their duty…
They fought heroically…
They lost “brothers” there…
They weren’t given time to mourn…
Then…
They were told, ‘don’t wear their uniform home’…
‘Don’t tell anyone you are a soldier’…
There was no band at the airport…
They were not recognized as a “great” generation…
And not all of them came home…
It was the first time US troops did not come home to a victory parade…
It was 50 years ago, but to many of them, just yesterday…
Many still won’t or can’t talk about their time in ’Nam
It’s unlikely their wounds will ever heal.
They deserve our thanks and eternal gratitude…
They don’t wear uniforms today, so it’s hard to pick them out of a crowd…
When you see that old, crumpled VIETNAM VETERAN cap,
Give them your heartfelt thanks.
 -J. Higgins, March 2022

Corporal Dominic Masters: Part I

CPL Dominic Masters joins us in studio to share his experiences as a Marine, combat veteran, and a proud Grunt from time of entry into the Marine Corps, the Crucible, Rehab platoon, being deployed, coming home, caring for his ailing mother, reserve option, transitioning to civilian life and finding healing.
One day, when I was young, my mom took me to a car show at a McDonald’s in North County, not too far from our home. There at the car show was this guy in a dressy blue and red uniform. I asked my mom, Who is that guy? My mom told me, “That is a Marine.” He looked 10’ tall! From that moment on, I wanted to be a Marine.
Dominic joined the Marines just weeks before 9/11. In just a few short months, he was deployed to Iraq.

Colonel Ted Hodgson & Your Medicare Guy, Joe Rumbolo

COL Ted Hodgson and Your Medicare Guy, Joe Rumbolo, join us in the studio to discuss important information regarding Medicare plans that are specifically designed for veterans who use the VA for medical services and prescription drugs, Tricare For Life, and ChampVA for surviving spouses, as well as anyone who is on Medicare. Colonel Ted Hodgson also discusses the American Warrior Partnership, whose mission is to partner with communities to prevent veteran suicide.
Joe Rumbolo can be reached at (314)753-0792

Army Couple, Zach & Salina Mann

Zach and Salina Mann share their experiences in the Army, both as a couple and individually, as they served in combat, and how they managed life after they returned home. Salina and Zach met in 2008 and have been married since March 2012. They have two daughters.
Salina served as a Psychological Operations Specialist with the 307th reserve unit out of Jefferson Barracks. She completed one tour in the Logar Province of Afghanistan from 2010-2011.
Zach served as a Tank Mechanic with the 3HBCT, part of 1/2 CAV out of Fort Hood. Zach served one tour in Iraq in February 2011 and was part of the pullout as his Battalion left Iraq in December 2011.

Staff Sergeant Chris Lenington- Purple Heart Recipient

SSG Chris Lenington signed an early entry for the Army in 1998. Chris would serve twenty years and was deployed in Kosovo, one tour in Iraq, and three tours in Afghanistan, including one stop at Camp Seray, an outpost high in the mountains, which was attacked by Taliban fighters almost daily. Chris finished his Army career at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, with the 101st Airborne. Tonight, Chris joins us to discuss his time in the military and the tough transition to civilian life after serving twenty years, including four combat zone deployments.

Colonel Robert Leeker- Fighter Pilot and Base Commander

COL Robert Leeker started his military career as a one-striper in the Air Force in 1971 and went to basic training at Lackland Air Force Base. After working as a mechanic on planes, Bob decided he wanted to fly them. He earned his associate's degree at Meramec Community College and took flying lessons on his own dime to ready himself to become an Air Force pilot. Bob trained on the T37 and T38 and earned his wings. Flying fighters was thirty-three years of his Air Force career, including flying F4s, F15s, and later the B2 bomber. Bob attained the rank of Colonel and Commander of the air base in Kirkuk, Iraq. Some of Bob's most vivid memories are while he was stationed at Kirkuk. Listen as Bob shares his story and rise through the ranks of the Air Force, and what it was like to be a base commander at an air base in Iraq during the war, and the tough transition from military to retirement.

Dogs For Our Brave

Service dogs enrich and improve the lives of their veterans every day. At Dogs For Our Brave, our mission is to provide professionally trained service dogs at no cost to veterans who have suffered debilitating injury or illness while in service to our country. Our goal is to use rescue dogs at every opportunity, thus saving two lives at once. In order to fully realize our mission without adding a financial burden, we also provide a continuum of free support that covers all food, veterinary care, and pharmaceuticals for the life of the dog. Our guests tonight are April Haskins, Shannon Durington, and Bridget McAuley.

Staff Sergeant Seamus O’Neel- Army Recruiter

Beginning in 1973, America went to an all-volunteer military service. An All-volunteer military isn't without challenges. Today, the branches of service are struggling to find able-bodied recruits. According to the CDC, an estimated 70% of young Americans are unfit for military service. Historically, family life has not always worked for military families, and roughly 20% of the military are women. Others say the combination of low unemployment and the ease of finding private sector jobs means fewer young people join the service. The Marines are likely the only branch of service to make their quota in 2022. Our guest in the studio tonight is SSG Seamus K. O'Neel, Army recruiter in the St. Louis Metro area.

Sergeant Benjamin Demoulin- Marine Corps Recruiter

Beginning in 1973, America went to an all-volunteer military service. An all-volunteer military isn't without challenges. Today, the branches of services are struggling to find able-bodied recruits. According to the CDC, an estimated 70% of young Americans are unfit for military service. Historically, family life has not always worked for military families, and roughly 20% of the military are women. Others say the combination of low unemployment and the ease of finding private sector jobs means fewer young people join the service. The Marines are likely the only branch of service to make their quota in 2022. Our guest tonight is Sergeant Benjamin Demoulin, a local St. Louis recruiter.

Pat Swinger- Author & Historian

The City of St. Louis and the nearby counties of St. Louis and St. Charles became known as the "Gateway to the West" because it was an ideal spot for tradesmen, adventurers, and traders to transact because it’s connected to the Ohio, Mississippi, and Missouri rivers. The story of O'Fallon, MO features many of the same storylines. American Revolutionary War veterans were the early settlers, and many are buried nearby. During the War of 1812, there were several forts, including nearby Fort Zumwalt, built to defend the settlers against Indian attacks. During the Civil War, the metropolitan area was very conflicted and had both Northern and Southern sympathizers. Our guest tonight is Pat Swinger. While Pat knows O'Fallon and St. Charles best, the same struggles were experienced throughout the area.