Ep 15 | Turning Struggle into Service: The Langs’ Rural Salute

Ep 15 | Turning Struggle into Service: The Langs’ Rural Salute

About Operation Honor Rural Salute™ | Serving Rural Veterans Nationwide [https://www.ohruralsalute.org/about] Meet Michelle Lang—caregiver, advocate, and co-founder of a mission born from lived experience. Alongside her husband Chris, an Army veteran, Michelle knows firsthand the challenges veterans face returning to rural communities—where support can be scarce and the burden of invisible wounds often goes unseen. After navigating that isolation themselves in rural Pennsylvania, the Langs turned their struggle into purpose, creating Operation Honor: Rural Salute®—a grassroots movement dedicated to supporting veterans beyond the reach of traditional resources. This episode shares their powerful journey of resilience, connection, and building a path forward for others.

Ep 14 | Duty, Devotion, and Recovery: One Veterans Story Beyond the Uniform

Fleet Master Chief(ret) Brad LeVault is a Pennsylvania native who, in 1982, when fresh out of Spring Grove High School, joined the US Navy for an adventure. Along the way he got sidetracked with his high school sweetheart, now wife of 43 years, into a 30-year Navy career. Together with their four children, they explored 14 duty stations around the world. In 2012, he returned home to focus on his family and address the PTSD that manifested from a challenging tour in JTF GUANTANAMO. Brad is now active in his community as the President of the Jefferson Carnival Association, his church and the VFW. His favorite jobs are being Pops to his grandchildren, children and sweetheart to his wife.

Ep 13 | How Poetry Brings Healing to Veterans

TRIGGER WARNING: Talks of suicide, MST, and mental illness. The WriteFace process encourages attendees to slow down, clarify, and better understand their thinking. Thoughts that remain unwritten can feel scattered or temporary, but writing gives them structure and staying power. As participants revise their words to express exactly what they mean, they gain insight into their own responses and can more thoughtfully engage with life’s challenges. The Need — WriteFace [https://www.writeface.org/the-need] Writeface Workshops For Veterans - YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@WritefaceForVets] Scott Hower is a co-founder of the Writeface program which conducts creative, expressive, journal writing workshops for veterans experiencing readjustment issues  .  He is an Air Force veteran from the Vietnam War era and a graduate of Millersville University's Fine Arts program. Audra King participated in the Writeface program and has since become a member of its board. She is an Army veteran who served in Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom as a Counterintelligence Agent. She has her B.S. in Psychology and is a Relaxation Coach in Willow Street.

Ep 12 | Inside Veterans Affairs: A Breakdown About the Lebanon VA

Colonel (Ret.) Douglas A. Etter serves as Chief Communications Officer for VA Lebanon Healthcare System, where he helps veterans and their families access critical health care services and support with professionalism and understanding. A decorated Army chaplain and Bronze Star recipient with two combat tours in Iraq, he brings decades of leadership in crisis communication, veteran care, and public service. An ordained minister and paramedic, Doug has humbly dedicated his entire career to strengthening resilience, connection, and support for those who have served. His writings focus on helping service members reintegrate into civilian life.

Ep 11 | The Next Mission: Advocacy After Service

Founded in 2004, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) was established to advocate for the post-9/11 generation of veterans. Since its founding, IAVA has worked to elevate the voices and experiences of veterans, while advancing for policies and programs that support veterans and their families. Today, IAVA focuses its efforts on research, education, and direct advocacy to identify policy gaps, inform the public, and drive meaningful change on behalf of all veterans and the country they served. Our guests include: Kyleanne Hunter Chief Executive Officer A native of the Bay Area, California, Dr. Kyleanne Hunter is CEO of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, and a dedicated and lifelong servant leader. In this role, she is responsible for strategic direction of IAVA, ensuring that the post-9/11 generation of veterans continues to have a voice in the most pressing issues of our day. A Marine Corps veteran of the wars in both Iraq and Afghanistan, she has been dedicated to inspiring all veterans to ascend to their potential and ensuring that the policies and practices are there to allow them to do so. Jerritt Lynn Director, Membership A U.S. Army veteran with over 20 years of service, including 14 years in Special Operations and nine overseas deployments across the Middle East, Central Asia, and the Indo-Pacific, Jerritt Lynn joined the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America team in July of 2025. As the Director of Membership Services, Jerritt serves the organizational mission by leading the Membership team with building, recruiting, and training the IAVA Cavalry. Jerritt believes that those of us who have served in conflict regions, particularly during the Global War on Terrorism, have unique experiences and an obligation to advocate for policies that address the challenges affecting both veteran and civilian communities. By shaping public policy, we can improve the lives of veterans and ensure their sacrifices are honored.