The National Defense Radio Show

We welcome US Marine Corps Staff Sergeant James Hollon (Ret.) to the program to discuss both his military service in the Corps, and how his own injuries he sustained during five combat deployments affected his daily life and how he decided to do something to not only help himself navigate his own transition process to civilian life, but how that could go to helping others in the same predicament with the founding of his non-profit, Set Apart Farms.

We welcome a retired Green Beret, Tim Kennedy, to the show to talk about his decision to join the military on September 12th, 2001, and how that decision has led him on the path to where he is today. Make sure to check out the new book “Scars and Stripes: An Unapologetically American Story of Fighting the Taliban, UFC Warriors, and Myself” by Tim Kennedy for the story of a great American.

We welcome an incredibly fascinating individual in Skunk Baxter to The National Defense. Skunk Baxter is an American guitarist, known for his stints in the rock bands Steely Dan and The Doobie Brothers during the 1970s and Spirit in the 1980s. More recently, he has worked as a defense consultant and advised U.S. members of Congress on missile defense. Randy and Skunk talk about all of this and much more in this great interview.

We welcome back actor Bryan Cranston to the program, along with his co-star in the new Paramount Plus production “Jerry & Marge Go Large,” Annette Benning to the show! “Jerry & Marge Go Large” is the true story of how an unassuming couple in a small town find a loophole in the lottery and recruit their fellow townspeople for a wild financial ride. Bryan and Annette also spend some time talking with Randy about our military and their future projects. Make sure to check out “Jerry & Marge Go Large” on Paramount Plus!

We welcome a unique veterans service organization to the program and the Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the Irreverent Warriors, Nate McDonald, to the show. Nate served in the Marine Corps as an intelligence officer and used his own experience to work for this group. Irreverent Warriors seek to link warriors together through therapeutic events across the country. We also work with other veteran organizations who provide services such as job placement, training, housing, service dogs and more. Their use of humor and dark comedy is bringing veterans together using that humor and camaraderie to improve their mental health and to prevent veteran suicide.

We welcome Dr Melissa Thompson, who served in the Massachusetts Army National Guard, to the show to talk about Aspen Dental’s 8th Day of Service, an incredible program where the over 500 Aspen Dental offices provide free dental services to veterans and their families. This year, the day in on June 11th, and all veterans have to do is call 844-ASPEN-HMM to find a location and reserve a spot. Thanks to Aspen Dental for their continued support of the health of our veterans and their families!

We welcome the Chief Executive Officer of Hire Heroes USA to the show to talk about his military service in the US Marine Corps, and his work in putting military veterans to work in the private sector once their military service career has come to an end. Randy talks with Andrew about how his military career was inspired by the attack on the World Trade Center Tower II on September 11th. Thanks to Andrew for his military service and for the incredibly important work he is continuing in helping our veterans put their unique skill sets to work in the civilian world.

In this segment we welcome the Aerial Coordinator and Stunt Pilot for the smash hit Top Gun: Maverick, an ATP certified pilot who worked with Tom Cruise to put together a curriculum for an acting boot camp for the cast of this film. Randy talks with Kevin about some of the behind the scenes work to put the practical effects into place for Top Gun: Maverick and a little bit about his own experience as a stunt pilot in Hollywood.

We welcome actor Lewis Pullman to the show to talk about his turn as Lt. Robert “Bob” Floyd in the new film Top Gun: Maverick. Randy and Lewis talk about the process of making the film, his interaction with members of the U.S. Navy, and some thoughts on his great acting father, Bill Pullman. No fighter jet interview would be complete without civilians relating their stories of flying along with trained military pilots and how their bodies reacted to pulling Gs in a powerful plane.

We welcome back Alex Balbir, Director of Independence Services at the Wounded Warrior Project, to talk about the incredibly important role played by caregivers of military veterans, and what Wounded Warrior Project is doing to both support and advance the methods to keep veterans in their homes and not be sent to institutional care.