The Oath of Enlistment is something all branches of the military have in common. In this special Veterans Day episode, we invited service members and their families to share their thoughts on what the oath means in their lives. Those who share

Lessons Learned Serving during peace time

Oct 22nd, 2020 22m 14s

David Hollingsworth joined the U.S. Army to get away from a broken heart. But in 1982, there wasn't much "going on" in the military. Still, it was serving in a time of peace that he learned life lessons that still resonate in his life. One of t

When you've served, you can judge

Sep 30th, 2020 31m 21s

When Tracy Brinkmann joined the US Army he knew he was carrying on a legacy that started with his grandfather serving in the German Army during WWII. In spite of learning at a young age of the traumatic experiences that both his grandfather and

Soldier and Business Owner

Sep 24th, 2020 28m 13s

Thea Jorgensen was a little older than her fellow soldiers in Basic Training, being almost 10 years older than most recruits, and because of that, she felt she had a lot to prove. That desire to outwork those around her has persisted. Serving i

Leadership and Non-conformity

Sep 16th, 2020 31m 46s

Retired Chief Master Sergeant Jody Hanks always saw himself as a non-conformist, but that didn’t stop him from joining the AirForce and making a career out of it. Over the years he learned that real leadership takes leaders that are willing to

Memories of 9/11

Sep 11th, 2020 19m 46s

On September 11, 2001 terrorists hijacked four U.S. passenger planes, flying two of them into the World Trade Towers in Manhattan and another into the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. The fourth plane crashed in rural Pennsylvania, when passengers

Sofia Olds: Staff Sergeant and Mom

Sep 10th, 2020 34m 44s

To look at Sofia Olds you wouldn’t think she was a Staff Sergeant in the US Army Reserves or the mother of seven beautiful children. But it wouldn’t be the first time she shattered preconceived notions about who she is or what she is capable of

Veterans Issues in a Pandemic

Sep 10th, 2020 36m 59s

Isolation is an issue I have experienced first-hand as a veteran who lives with depression and PTSD, as a result of military service. I've battled that by creating connections through service organizations that help veterans reconnect to their

Twice a veteran - from enlisted to officer

Dec 11th, 2019 32m 36s

David Moss started his military career in the Idaho Army National Guard and wanted to serve until he could retire. Always outspoken, Dave had a run in a 1st Sergeant and ended his career after 10 years of service. After the terrorist attacks of

Telling Veterans Stories: Filmmaker Zane O'Gwin

Dec 3rd, 2019 35m 44s

When an opportunity to capture a historical parachute jump into Normandy on the 75th anniversary, Utah filmmaker Zane O'Gwin knew he wanted to be part of it. He quickly learned there was more to the story than the decision of a group of veteran

From a dairy farm to caring for animals in the U.S. Army

Nov 25th, 2019 31m 18s

Growing up Casey Talbot always thought he'd be an Idaho dairy farmer, even though he also dreamed about serving his country as a soldier. After going to school to study veterinary medicine he got a job in Fairgrove, Missouri, where a colleague

A Marine's Wife

Nov 18th, 2019 32m

As a newlywed in 1968, the last thing Jean Donaldson expected was for her husband of five months to come home from a trip to Salt Lake City with news that he was leaving college to join the U.S. Marine Corps. She was five months pregnant with t

What does the Oath of Enlistment mean?

Nov 11th, 2019 16m 25s

Finding family in 'the suck'

Nov 5th, 2019 37m 11s

Sgt. Mike Hendry joined the U.S. Army after deciding college wasn't the path for him. He gravitated to the grittiest assignments and found purpose alongside his brothers in the 82nd Airborne and 10th Mountain Division (light infantry) for "six

A lifetime commitment

Aug 19th, 2019 43m

Ninzel Rasmuson's desire to serve her brothers and sisters in the Armed Forces didn't end when her service in the Air National Guard ended. In this episode, she talks about the impacts of working as a mishap investigator, having sons that serve

The Family Service Creates

Aug 15th, 2019 28m 24s

Homeless and broke, Marcy Hehnly decided to meet with an Army recruiter when she was 20-years old. Four years earlier, she'd lost her mother to cancer, which led to struggles with her father as they both tried to rebuild their lives. It was a d

The Ghost Army Secret

Aug 5th, 2019 51m 45s

On this episode of We Happy Few Amy Donaldson and Jason Comstock visit with WWII veteran SSgt Stanley Nance and his great granddaughter Madeline about his service and the secret she recently learned. SSgt Nance served in a unit during the war t

Serving an Adopted Homeland

Jul 30th, 2019 41m 47s

In this episode, Jason Comstock talks with Daniel and Angie Bucio about his service in the U.S. Navy Reserves. Dan immigrated to the United States from Mexico after his family learned that his grandfather was a U.S. citizen and had served in Wo

Too Small to be a Marine

Jul 22nd, 2019 27m 5s

In this episode, Amy Donaldson talks Kelli Pacheco about joining the U.S. Marine Corps, being in the second groups of women to participate in the Crucible - a test recruits must endure after they join. Although she wanted to fly, she ended up g

The sacrifice of sons

Jul 15th, 2019 26m 58s

In this episode, host Jason Comstock has a conversation with his children about how his military service impacted them. When Comstock was deployed (2004), David was 11, and Mason was 8 - and they had three sisters - who all had to deal with the

The Impact of deployment on Family

Jul 9th, 2019 24m 31s

In this episode, John Ellis shares what he is doing to prepare his children for his upcoming deployment. John serves in the Air Force Reserves and this will be his first deployment. With young children at home, a large part of his own preparati

Semper Fi: Understanding the Marine who raised me

Jul 1st, 2019 1h 20m

This episode features a conversation I've wanted to have all my life. I was raised by a Vietnam Veteran - a Marine. Throughout my childhood, pieces of my father's service manifest in what he said, what he believed and sometimes in how he treate

The meaning of the Purple Heart

Jun 20th, 2019 1h 6m

In this episode of We Happy Few, Jason Comstock and Amy Donaldson speak with Army veteran Layne Morris and his wife Leisl about the impact of military service on the family, especially the spouse. Layne shares his experience of serving in Afgha

Saved by service

Jun 12th, 2019 43m 34s

In this episode Dan Paget, veteran US Army Tanker, talks about the lessons he learned while serving in the military. He shares how leaders had an impact on his life, not only while he served but long after his military service ended. In spite o

Military Intelligence: Serving to protect

Jun 3rd, 2019 32m 57s

Story Notes - In this episode, Levi Lee tells how serving in the Army helped him take control of his career. He discusses how serving as an intelligence analyst boosted his career and helped him feel like he was protecting his fellow soldiers,