The National Defense Radio Show

Actor Joe Mantegna Returns to The National Defense

The National Defense is happy to welcome yet once again, as we do every year this time of year, Tony Award Winning Actor Joe Mantegna to talk about his cohosting work with Gary Sinise for the National Memorial Day Concert in Washington D.C.. The event is back live this year after a two-year dance of accommodating pandemic measures, and Joe talks with Randy about what viewers tuning in on their local PBS station can expect from him and Gary Sinise.

Cedric the Entertainer on The National Defense

The National Defense Network is happy to welcome, all the way from Dubai, Cedric the Entertainer! Cedric and Randy talk about his long-running comedy career, his new show on CBS “In the Neighborhood,” and about how growing up in the mid-west influenced his own personality as well as the ethos of the characters he plays.

Former White House Advisor and Journalist David Gergen on The National Defense

We welcome one of the most respected voices in both domestic and international political affairs, Navy veteran David Gergen, to the program. Randy and David talk about his time serving in the Navy and how it influenced his professional career as a White House advisor for four U.S. Presidents from both parties, as well as the content of his new book on leadership “Hearts Touched with Fire: How Great Leaders are Made.”

Michael Reagan from the Reagan Legacy Foundation

We again welcome back Michael Reagan to the show to talk about the life of both his presidential father and Oscar-winning mother as well as continuing work with the Reagan Legacy Foundation. Michael has written many books on his family and leadership, powerboat racing, and much more in this wide ranging interview.

Retired Federal Prosecutor and Author John Gleeson with “The Gotti Wars: Taking Down America’s Most Notorious Mobster”

We welcome a very interesting guest in retired Federal prosecutor John Gleeson to The National Defense. John had a long-running career in law enforcement, particularly in terms of taking on organized crime and powerful mafia families, and details his work in taking down the “Teflon Don” in “The Gotti Wars: Taking Down America’s Most Notorious Mobster.”

Talking T-Mobile’s Support for Veterans with Veteran Chris Jackson

We again highlight the Military and Diversity Recruiting team at T-Mobile, and welcome one of their team members, a combat tour veteran and now Partnership Manager for T-Mobile, Chris Jackson, to the show. We talk with Chris about his work on a tank crew in the Middle East and how his work in the military translated to life in the civilian arena.

Bob Evans Farms “Heroes to CEOs” Grant Winners – Backpacks for Life

We welcome Brett and Alexa from Backpacks for Life, an organization founded by Brett, a Marine Corps veteran, and his wife, to offers a support system for homeless and at-risk veterans struggling to reintegrate into civilian life. Bob Evans Farms “Heroes to CEOs” program awarded Backpacks for Life one of their fantastic grants, and we salute the work of Brett and Alexa as well as Bob Evans Farms for continuing their support of our great veterans and their families.

Founders of Veterans Guardian Supporting the Irreverent Warriors

CEO Scott Greenblat and COO Bill Taylor of Veterans Guardian join the show to discuss their own company and their support of a really interesting group working to prevent suicide in the veteran population in the Irreverent Warriors. Veterans Guardian is a pre-filing consulting firm helping position veterans to achieve the disability rating they are eligible for when they file their claim for VA disability benefits and compensation. Thanks to Scott and Bill for the important work they do filling a gigantic need within the veteran community, as well as for their support of Irreverent Warriors.

Chris Nowak PGA H.O.P.E. Military and Veteran Liaison

We welcome Marine Corps veteran and the PGA’s H.O.P.E. Military and Veteran Liaison, Chris Nowak, to the program to talk about his own military service, his work with the Veterans Administration expanding some of the athletic and artistic avenues for our veterans, and about his work now with the PGA’s H.O.P.E. program. For more information on the H.O.P.E. program and more of the PGA’s Reach initiatives, please visit PGAReach.org

Folds of Honor’s Lt Col Dan “Noonan” Rooney

The National Defense is happy to welcome back Lt Col Dan “Noonan” Rooney to talk about a great organization he started to support the education of the families of uniformed servicemembers who died while serving their country in the Folds of Honor program. To date, over 35,000 scholarships have been given out through the Folds of Honor program, and Dan fills us in on what inspired his work in putting this great VSO together.