Memorial Day 2026 w/Gold Star Father Mark Schmitz

Memorial Day 2026 w/Gold Star Father Mark Schmitz

Join us on Operation Insight as we host Gold Star Father Mark Schmitz, whose son, Lance Corporal Jared Schmitz, was killed in the Abbey Gate Bombing on August 26th, 2021.   Monday, May 25th, marks this year's Memorial Day. Americans all across this great nation will commemorate loved ones lost in service to our country and honor their sacrifices. This Memorial Day, we remember one such hero: LCpl Jared Schmitz. Gold Star Father Mark Schmitz shares the story of his son, from memories of Jared as a boy to his time as a Marine. Lastly, Mark explains how he fights every day to keep the memory and spirit of the Fallen 13 of Abbey Gate alive through his foundation, The Freedom 13! So, this episode is dedicated to their enduring memory, their selfless service, and their ultimate sacrifice in the final days of a twenty-year war.   (00:00) Disclaimer (01:01) Opening Theme (01:30) Introduction (42:14) Jared's Legacy (46:56) Becoming a Gold Star Father & Jared's Spirit (1:08:11) The Gold Star Families Roundtable (1:20:38) The Freedom 13 & Healing Camps (1:35:35) Reflection & Remembrances (1:43:47) Closing

Airman First Class Art Minor

Join us on Operation Insight as we host Airman First Class Art Minor of the U.S. Air Force!   For as much time as Art spent in and around airports, one might think he would seek out a career in Aviation. In fact, Art did decide to join the Air Force, perhaps as a way to finally realize that dream. But no. In fact, Art would have even less to do with Aviation as an Airman than he had as a civilian. Despite that, Art made the most out of his military career, except for the part about getting out three days early, but you can learn more about that from this episode! Years after exiting the military and starting a family in St. Louis, Art sought belonging. So, he joined the Korean War Veterans Association as a non-Korean War veteran. So, how does that work? Art will explain it all as well as provide a detailed explanation of what caused that conflict and the ramifications of it. You see, Art is a bit of a storyteller, as evidenced by his fascinating oral history of the St. Louis metropolitan area and his legendary status as a volunteer at the Mid America Veterans Museum. In this episode, Art laments having the feeling that he didn't do enough during his Air Force service. Art discusses the awkwardness of being a member of an association for a war in which he didn't fight. Yet, it all comes together in the end for Art when his unwavering commitment to keeping stories of veterans alive becomes as clear as the wild blue yonder.   (00:00) Disclaimer (01:01) Opening Theme (01:30) Introduction (1:14:13) Life After the Air Force (1:24:40) Korean War Veterans Association (1:36:42) Closing

Master Sergeant Rebecca Tallman - Veterans Community Project

Join us on Operation Insight as we host Master Sergeant Rebecca Tallman of the U.S. Air Force and Traveling Executive Director of the Veterans Community Project!   In this episode, Rebecca guides us through the places that formed her: El Sobrante and San Pablo, a childhood threaded with family military service and the sudden loss of a beloved brother, and the poor choices that drove a young woman to seek belonging. That need for acceptance was the seed that later blossomed into service, discipline, and a fierce determination to belong to something better. We follow Rebecca into basic training and tech school where she learned to be the unseen guardian of aircraft — the communications and navigation systems. Her career arcs across Travis, Rammstein, Mildenhall, and March AFB, filled with moments that alternate between the mundane grit of aircraft maintenance and surreal brushes with history: rodeo nights in European arenas, protocol duty arranging visits for VIPs, and the gut‑wrenching weight of loss while stationed stateside. Rebecca also shares the private cost of public service: a marriage shattered by violence, a cousin imprisoned after a tragedy that affected an entire community, and the hidden burden of guilt and PTSD carried for years. She describes the subtle, institutional forms of bias — the sexism that limits opportunities, the pressure to keep mental health silent for fear of losing one’s role — and the turning points that forced her to reckon with identity beyond rank: mother, daughter, survivor, and eventually nonprofit leader. That leadership takes center stage when Rebecca describes finding the Veterans Community Project. What began as an image of a tiny red house rolling through a home show became a calling: a village of purpose‑built tiny homes, an outreach center, and a model of “housing with dignity” that stitches veterans back into their families and neighborhoods. Hear how a former maintenance supervisor became a hands‑on community builder — driving volunteers, coordinating logistics, and standing in the dirt as neighborhoods reawaken. Her narrative draws lines between policy, program, and the simple, transformative act of giving a veteran a new mattress, a plate, and a porch where a family reunion can finally happen. Rebecca’s work in the Jeff-Vander-Lou neighborhood is a testament to how one person’s relentless compassion can resurrect a forgotten block: how tiny homes and an outreach hub reunite families and reduce homelessness. Listeners will meet the veterans who have moved in, the volunteers who raised walls, and the neighbors who reclaim a sense of place — and they’ll hear directly how every contribution of time, talent, and/or dollars changes a life.   (00:00) Disclaimer (01:01) Opening Theme (01:30) Introduction (42:02) Personal Loss & Aftermath (57:58) Rodeo Life & 9/11 (1:14:26) Discrimination & Sexism (1:24:33) Wing Protocol (1:32:19) Part II (1:45:23) Disappointments & Transitions (2:03:46) Veterans Community Project (VCP) (2:17:50) Tiny Homes, Outreach & Impact (2:28:20) Closing

Sergeant First Class Diane Cole Phipps

Join us on Operation Insight as we host Sergeant First Class Diane Cole Phipps of the U.S. Army! In this episode, SFC Diane Cole Phipps takes us on a journey through family, service, and a career that sat at the intersection of history and humanity. Born and raised in St. Louis with a Southern family legacy, Diane’s story begins amid motorcycles, hard work, and a household where the rules were clear: you earned what you received. She grew up watching a self-taught mechanic father provide for a big family and a determined mother who demanded discipline and achievement. That upbringing shaped Diane’s grit, her respect for duty, and her unflinching work ethic. In 1974, at just seventeen years old, Diane began working at the National Personnel Records Center—only a year after the catastrophic fire that destroyed millions of military files. Diane’s reverence for the files she handled transformed into a mission: these weren’t just folders, they were people. As she sifted through charred, waterlogged, and missing records, Diane became a “special searcher,” conducting what she calls detective work to reunite veterans and families with the stories locked in their files. Her careful hands pulled the service file of Alex Haley, helped verify names for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, and pieced together fragments of lives that many thought were lost to the flames. Diane’s family history—four brothers and a sister woven into military life—adds another layer to the episode. From brothers drafted into Vietnam to a household grappling with civil rights-era fears of government, Diane’s life explores how trust and duty evolve across generations. She later navigated the military herself, choosing dual status as both an Army Reservist and a civilian government employee to protect her livelihood and continue serving during an uncertain reduction-in-force era. This episode blends history with Diane's personal life: the 1973 NPRC fire and the surge of genealogy interest ignited by Roots; the stubborn pride of a father who never learned to read but could beat any engine into submission; a mother who insisted on success and stability. Through Diane’s voice, we hear archival work as sacred stewardship—an act of empathy that honors the quiet sacrifices of service members and preserves their memory for future generations.   (00:00) Disclaimer (01:01) Opening Theme (01:30) Introduction (53:12) Part II (1:18:23) Iraq Deployment (1:27:44) Burn Pits & Multiple Myeloma (1:34:44) American Legion Post #404 (1:42:36) The Honor Flight & Legacy (1:59:33) Closing

Specialist Phil Wight

Join us on Operation Insight as we host Specialist Phil Wight of the U.S. Army!   While you're here, check out Phil's upcoming event: Boots & Bling! Enjoy a night of cars, casino games, fashion, and country music! This great event will take place on Wednesday, April 29th, from 6-10PM at the Piazza Messina in Cottleville, Missouri. Purchase your ticket at www.STLTopRides.com/Tickets [http://www.STLTopRides.com/Tickets]   (00:00) Disclaimer (01:01) Opening Theme (01:30) Introduction (43:10) Bud Haedike (49:25) Gunner (54:52) The VA & Reaching Out for Help (1:09:09) Closing