June 25, 2025 • 23 mins
Bubba Startz introduces the episode with a special guest, Charlotte Rupp, to discuss The Scene Projects' initiative, Operation Combating Veteran Suicide. They explore the goals and structure of the operation, highlighting the challenges veterans face after military service. Charlotte shares the origins and long-term vision of the project, emphasizing the impact of her title as Mrs. South Dakota International in advancing the cause. The conversation delves into leveraging various platforms to raise awareness and support for veterans. They discuss upcoming events and future plans for the operation, concluding with closing remarks and a preview of future programming.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:02):
This program is part of the Scene ProjectPodcast Network.
Scene Project features interviews withindependent musicians, comedians, and artists
from across the Midwest.
Become part of our community and support localart wherever you are.
(00:27):
Welcome in to a very exciting episode of TheScene.
I am your host Bubba Starts, and with me todayis founder of Operation Combating Veteran
Suicide and Mrs.
South Dakota International, Charlotte Rupp.
Charlotte, welcome to the show.
Thank you.
It's great to be here.
Well, it's so nice to have you here where wewere together physically this weekend.
(00:49):
We just got done with a big event we threwtogether out at Kathmandu Campground.
We had an absolutely fantastic time.
But before we get into all the stuff that wejust did, I want you to go ahead and tell us a
little bit about you and a little bit aboutyour nonprofit before we get too far down the
rabbit hole.
Absolutely.
Thanks.
(01:09):
So Operation Combating Veteran Suicide is anonprofit that my husband and I founded.
My husband is also a veteran.
And we have found that over the years ofworking with veterans now for over two decades
that what veterans need is help with housing,help with employment, and help with mental
resources.
So through our nonprofit, what we're doing isworking with veterans to get them into
(01:35):
employment, take care of their housing forthem, and just really get them on a structured
program that makes them successful coming backin if they've fallen on hard times.
Of course, we've got substance issues, thosekinds of things, PTSD, and of course, the
suicide attempts.
I mean, we are losing no less than twenty twoveterans a day.
(01:55):
The number is rising right now, which is justhorrifying to me, and that is across The US,
but we need to take care of that.
They served us, and it's now time for us toserve them and get them back into a great place
where they're successful with with familyhousing, their mental health, everything.
So that's what Operation Combating VeteranSuicide does.
(02:18):
We do have a two year program that they are on.
They have to stay employed, which we help withthe employment.
We work with several employers that literallycall me and go, I have this position.
Do you have a veteran that can fill it?
So we do that and then, of course, assistingwith their housing.
It is just incredible the work that you aredoing.
(02:39):
I think something we hit on when we weretalking this weekend was the structure of it.
For a lot of these, guys and gals, coming outof the military, you've lived in that structure
since you were, you know, coming out of highschool, most of them.
Right?
You're moving from one system into another andand and into an institution.
(03:00):
And it's a lot something that we talk aboutguys coming out of the prison system that you
you're institutionalized.
And very much in the same way that can happento you in the military as well because
everything is very cut and dried and kind oflaid out for you.
You don't have to do a lot of thinking on yourown necessarily to know where, your needs are
(03:21):
being met or the job that you're doing.
And and there's so much that is, you know, kindof built into the structure of our military.
But when you're out, all of that goes away, andthat can be a very jarring feeling for a lot of
these veterans, I'm sure.
Can you kinda speak to the the shakeup thathappens at the end of a at the end of someone's
(03:44):
service?
Well and that is the thing.
It's an end.
I mean, it's over.
It's done.
I mean, most of them do not come out of themilitary having a job in society.
So they come out and flounder.
They've gone in at 18.
They've never had to apply for a job.
They've never had to do a resume.
You know, most of those things have nothappened, or they've done a military resume
(04:05):
because they were moving rank or, you know,whatever they were doing there.
But, you know, they've not had to do the, howdo I get an apartment?
You know?
Yes.
They have the steps to it, but what is theprocess of bill paying?
And, you know, they live on base or they comeout or, they just fall on hard times, they've
been at war, they're coming back, their PTSD ishorrifying, experience was bad, just very hard
(04:30):
life things, and there's just not a next step.
There's not a next step of, Hey, we need totalk to people.
Get into a peer group, you know, of otherveterans that are in the same boat and talk
through what you're feeling.
It's so important for them to still feel likethey have some structure.
And then, you know, with us, that's kind ofwhat we do is we give them very hard structure
(04:50):
in the beginning, and then over the two years,by the end, they're doing it on their own.
They know, you know, how to just make lifehappen outside of the military being like, you
have to be here.
Here's, you know, here's lunch and dinner.
You know, they come out and they just need thatnext step.
And so that's what we are for them.
(05:11):
And it's something, obviously, a a need that'snot really being met by very many other
organizations.
We spoke about, you know, obviously, thegovernment has the veteran affairs and these
things, but their resources are so limitedbecause you're trying to cover this the whole
country, right, and all these thousands ofveterans that are that are leaving the service
(05:33):
every year.
So it's understandable that there can be holesinside of the VA or inside of the other
government associate or, you know,organizations that are there to help veterans.
So it really comes down to people like yourselfin the private sector taking some ownership of
it and going, well, we are going to help thesepeople.
(05:54):
And I know that, you know, while operationcombating veteran suicide as an entity is
relatively new, This is something that you'vehad a passion for for many, many years now and
that you were doing long before you ever put aname to it.
Can you talk a little bit about your historyhelping veterans, what was kind of the the
genesis of Operation Combating Veteran Suicide?
(06:19):
So for me, I've worked with veterans for overtwenty years in some capacity, whether it is my
background is hospice.
So I've always worked with veterans on the noveteran dies alone, so I will go and stay with
veterans when they're passing.
I've always been helping other organizations.
Casey and I have put in lots of time, effort,and money into buying boots, helping with rent,
(06:43):
buying food, you know, the things that veteransneed coming out, sending stuff overseas.
So we've always had this passion that we weregoing to make a legacy for us.
And when I became missus South DakotaInternational, somebody made a comment to me,
and she said, make this your legacy.
(07:05):
And I was like, oh my gosh.
I've got it.
And this, you know, just kind of became a fullrealm.
You know, as idea people, we're always buildingideas and rolling forward with them.
I finally just named it.
We're not doing anything different than whatwe've done other than now we are a true
nonprofit, which is great.
(07:26):
We are getting help from individual donors,corporate donors, and we love that now.
Goal is for us in the next two years is tobuild an apartment complex that will help house
them for the two year program that they'rethere.
They'll be in their own place figuring out eachstep by themselves, but right now in the
(07:47):
interim, we're just working with other placesto house, and it's working great.
But we want them to be doing it on their ownand feeling like it's their place, not like a
domiciliary where they're all kind of housedtogether or a transitional house where there
are a bunch of them together.
It's gonna be their own place that they have todeal with.
And a huge step in, you know, building backsome of these people.
(08:11):
I know I know a lot of the veterans that youwork with, you know, are dealing with substance
abuse issues, are dealing with severe PTSD.
They're finding it very hard to operate in theworld at all, you know, much less having to
deal with, you know, paying all the bills andworrying about how to exist in your life.
(08:32):
Sometimes just waking up and getting out ofbed, you know, because of the physical ailments
incurred during their service can be very hard.
So I think what you are doing is just soimportant and such a vital cog in the wheel of
helping our veterans to assimilate to civilianlife.
(08:52):
And I love the idea of a, you know, an acomplex, a community, right, that is all
veterans, and they can kind of rely on eachother a little bit in that space.
So I think the long term vision for what you'redoing is just incredible.
And not only to do it once, but to have arepeatable process that hopefully one day we
(09:14):
can take, you know, all over the country andwherever it's needed.
We have a formula then to provide for veteransanywhere we go.
Obviously, starting close to home here in SouthDakota, a big congratulations to you, you know,
on winning the pageant, the missus South DakotaInternational.
It's not something I know that you really setout to do.
(09:37):
It wasn't necessarily a dream of yours to enterthe pageant world, But can you talk about the,
the platform now that the pageant and thiswhole new world has given you for the good that
you want to do in the world?
Yeah.
You know, the pageant's been huge now for me.
(09:58):
It was brought to me that I should go forMissus South Dakota International.
I've never done pageants in my life, so I it'snot something I was a little girl running
around as a pageant girl or teenager or any ofthat first time ever and now have the title of
missus South Dakota International.
It has brought so much to me.
You know?
I I said that, you know, it just wasn'tsomething I had, like, this grandiose idea to
(10:23):
do, but I decided I was gonna do it.
I think for myself, self confidence, I'mgetting me out there.
I love being able to help support the veterans,and I knew this would also help with the
platform.
I mean, it has.
Lots of reach outs.
People wanna know what my platform is.
They wanna see what I'm doing.
They follow me because I am, you know, not onlymissus South Dakota, but I've now got this
(10:45):
amazing nonprofit.
Going into the pageantry in Tennessee in Julyis when I compete for international, and, you
know, it's gonna be a great platform there too.
I'm super excited to get it out to the judges.
There are some very affluent people that showup to these, and I can promise you, my
nonprofit will be first and foremost in frontof them.
(11:09):
And that is more what the the pageant and thetitle provided.
Right?
It is a larger platform for you to share allthe good that you are doing out there in the
world and to to use it to tell people and tobring in, you know, more funding and more
awareness and hopefully inspire others to notonly give to your organization, but to maybe
(11:33):
start their own causes for veterans in theirarea.
I mean, I I know both of us dream very, verybig, but there's no way that we can help every
veteran out there.
Right?
We would love to and we would love to, like Isaid, build these formulas that that can do
more, but we need several organizations thatare filling different gaps.
(11:56):
Right?
From putting boots literally on people's feetto get them onto the ground or, you know, for
the the larger vision of providing this kind oftransitional housing between, you know, getting
out or going from the domiciliary and comingout of, you know, a a substance abuse program
or a, you know, a traumatic program, even justcoming out of the hospital.
(12:20):
Right?
Some of these, you know, veterans coming out ofthe military are getting medically discharged.
And what about them?
What if they have no family to go to?
So there's just so many people and so manyavenues that we can access.
And both of us using the platforms that we'venow built for ourselves, an award winning
podcast, the beauty pageant queen, to to go outand to spread the word that not only do these
(12:45):
organizations need help, but other veteransneed help too.
Maybe, you know, there's plenty of veterans outthere that maybe don't need the housing and
don't need this, but maybe they could use justa group to talk to about the mental health
aspects of, you know, dealing with, you know,the PTSD or just being a veteran these days
(13:07):
isn't an easy thing as as well.
Well, and I think it's so important to realizeis that, you know, yeah, we are operation
combating veteran suicide.
My goal is to be there before we've had anattempt.
Things happen, though.
We know attempts happen, and, unfortunately,sometimes they're successful.
So for me, it's getting to them before.
You know, let's talk about it.
(13:28):
Know you're having these stresses.
You're having you know, just coming back to thereal world, even if you weren't in combat, even
if you, you know, weren't fighting and, youknow, wasn't super stressful, it's stressful
because you're just back out.
You know?
You're back to where you were the day beforeyou went in.
You don't have a job.
(13:49):
They still need help.
I mean, even if they have money, even ifthey're doing good, they still need the
support.
They need to know they're taken care of.
They need to know, you know, I'm here to help.
Great.
They have a beautiful home.
Cool.
I'm glad you have that home outside of base.
How are you paying for that now that you'reout?
Like, what's the stuff for you?
(14:09):
I mean and they come out stressed.
Right, Charlotte.
I hadn't even thought about that.
It is someone who has bought a home, gets athirty year mortgage, has a twenty year career
in the military, and retires from that, and nowhas, for the first time in their life, still
has a decade worth of mortgage payments to payon their own.
(14:34):
And what a, yeah.
Exactly.
What a stressful situation that must beat allof a sudden, you know, be walking away from
that steady income and and all of those things.
And in most cases, the military is notnecessarily providing you with skills that are
applicable in the private sector.
Know, some are, but if you are a frontline, youknow, a a frontline soldier, your skills are
(15:02):
are not translating in the same way to privatesector and all of a sudden, you know, taking
orders from someone who maybe hasn't earnedyour respect by being of a higher rank.
And, yeah, it's just a there's so manyintricacies to and each veteran's story is
(15:24):
different.
How do we meet them?
How do we meet them where they're at?
How do we help these people where they're at?
And to move them into a place that's going tobe a place where they can build a successful
life outside of their military service.
Absolutely.
Absolutely.
And that's what we're here to do.
We're here to get them pointed in the rightdirection from the beginning wherever that
(15:48):
beginning is for them now.
Awesome.
Well, let's talk about what we have going oncurrently.
I know we just stepped away from an awesomeevent, which has given us a little insight now
into what more we could be doing together.
But we got a couple events coming up in thenext few months.
I want you to go ahead and and plug away.
We do.
(16:09):
August 16, we are having Operation CombatingVeteran Suicides Poker Run.
It will be starting in Sturgis and ending inRapid.
We are riding the beautiful Black Hills.
We are so excited.
We will have five stops that day.
Our writers' lunch is included.
We're gonna have some drawings, a silentauction, auction, some music there at the end.
(16:34):
It's gonna just really be a great day, but wewould love the support.
You can go online and register already, andthat is at
operationcombatingveteranssuicide.com.
Or the simple thing which I'm gonna, as we goin time, transition over to is 0c-vs.com.
Our name is very long, so you'll hear Bubba andI throw around, it's OCVS.
(16:58):
I mean, because it's a lot of words to get outof your mouth.
But so we have that happening August 16.
Registration, there is an early birdregistration for that.
All bikers, cars, whatever, are welcome.
We just want everybody to join us and supportour veterans that day, and we will it's just
gonna be a really great day starting at 10AM.
(17:19):
So great things going on that day.
Would love to have you guys with us for that,so please join us on that one.
And then, Bubba, do you wanna announce the nextone or you want me to give the dates and then
you can talk a little bit?
Because there's a lot going on that so we had a
crazy will announce it and you can tell themabout what's going on because I don't even know
what you have planned.
(17:39):
So the last weekend in September.
Correct?
I don't even know what those dates were.
Sixth.
We're gonna come in on Friday the twenty sixth,Saturday, the twenty seventh, and we're gonna
leave the morning of the twenty eighth.
And when I say we, that means everybodylistening to this, we want you guys to join us.
That's right.
So we're gonna go back to Kathmandu RV Park AndCampground outside of Sturgis.
(18:02):
That's right off Exit 34, very close to theBlack Hills National Cemetery.
Great space out there.
It will be kind of an end of the season partyfor them, but also giving us another chance to
get everyone together to build some community,to build awareness about OCVS, and to continue
to do good out there in the world.
(18:24):
So we have a lot of space.
We have multiple days that you know there'sgonna be music if the scene projects are
involved.
So we got that going on.
We're gonna have a lot more stuff.
Anything that you know we will be doing thatweekend, Charlotte?
Yep.
We're gonna bring back the singer songwritercontest.
We want you know, we think that is a greatthing to do.
(18:47):
That was so much fun.
And the talent here in the Black Hills, Bubbaasked me to judge, and I did.
And I already told him that I've retired fromthat.
It was way too stressful.
He did tell me I wasn't retiring, but that'sokay.
It the talent's amazing.
So we absolutely wanna drum up more of that.
(19:09):
Bubba doesn't know it yet, but his band will bethere playing because it was amazing.
He's amazing.
I think we wanna do a few other bands.
We'll get out there.
We're for sure gonna do an opening night band.
I don't know if that's Bubba's band.
Him and I really after Saturday, we're like, wejust need to debrief and that's what or on
Sunday.
Sorry.
We just need to debrief, and so now he's kindagetting my vision as we go here.
(19:33):
So, you know, but it is.
It's gonna be lots of music.
We're gonna do probably some cornholetournament, maybe horseshoe volleyball.
I mean, we're just really gonna do some funoutside.
It'll still be warm here.
If it's not, we'll pivot like we did thisweekend.
We'll pivot until we're worn a circle aroundus.
(19:54):
Well, it doesn't matter.
Right.
Right.
We've gotten really good at that.
We'll have some good food.
I mean, we're really just gonna make it a greatweekend.
So what we're asking is everybody come in.
I will get stuff put together so that andKathmandu's already ready for people to
register out there to stay.
But they can take campers.
I mean, they can take any kind of just tents,whatever.
(20:16):
We'll make it work.
They have hookups out there.
But coming in on Friday, and then we'll bethere Friday night, we'll have a great concert.
Saturday, we will do the showcases.
Lots of stuff to come on this, Bubba, but
it's gonna be incredible.
I can't thank you enough for for diving inheadfirst on our event, you know, this last
(20:39):
weekend.
It was absolutely incredible to see how it allcame together in a very, very short amount of
time.
Most people wouldn't even be courageous enoughto, attempt it.
And I thought not only did we attempt, but wesucceeded on so many levels.
And and mostly just proving to ourselves that,hey, we can really do something special when we
(21:03):
put our minds to it.
And I think that was the first start for me is,okay.
You have this space.
You have this platform.
How are you going to use it?
And now that we have a great handle on that,it's time to just kinda put the hammer down and
to to get to work doing more of them.
So absolutely thrilled to be working with youagain, Charlotte.
(21:25):
Remember, August 16, there is the OCVS PokerRun that will be, in the Black Hills starting
in Sturgis and ending in Rapid City.
And then September and leaving on the twentyeighth back at Kathmandu RV Park And
Campground, Exit 34 outside of Sturgis.
(21:46):
Lots of great stuff.
Keep your eyes peeled for more informationcoming on that.
And I think we're gonna have some more, somemore programming for you coming from me and
Charlotte as well just to keep everybody in theknow with, future events, any news from OCVS
that we can share on a more consistent basis.
So keep your eyes peeled for yet anotherpodcast from the scene projects, and, we just
(22:10):
appreciate you all for tuning in and supportingnot just our programming, but the great causes
that are behind us as well.
So, Charlotte, thank you so much for being onthe show.
Do you need to plug anything else before yougo?
Nope.
Just you, Bubba.
I appreciate you so much for what you've doneand just bringing me in.
I love that you're a lot like me on the groundsof if you want something to happen, you just do
(22:34):
it and figure it out as we go, and I love thatabout you.
So the scene project has been huge to usalready.
We appreciate you so much, but I just want youto know I love these thoughts, and we're just
gonna run with what we have, and you will forsure see more of me with you.
Well, thank you for your kind words, Charlotte,and thank you for being part of the scene.
(22:56):
Thank you.
How do I pause this?
Oh, pause right
This program is part of the Scene ProjectPodcast Network.
Scene Project features interviews withindependent musicians, comedians, and artists
from across the Midwest.
Become part of our community and support localart wherever you are.
(00:27):
Welcome in to a very exciting episode of TheScene.
I am your host Bubba Starts, and with me todayis founder of Operation Combating Veteran
Suicide and Mrs.
South Dakota International, Charlotte Rupp.
Charlotte, welcome to the show.
Thank you.
It's great to be here.
Well, it's so nice to have you here where wewere together physically this weekend.
(00:49):
We just got done with a big event we threwtogether out at Kathmandu Campground.
We had an absolutely fantastic time.
But before we get into all the stuff that wejust did, I want you to go ahead and tell us a
little bit about you and a little bit aboutyour nonprofit before we get too far down the
rabbit hole.
Absolutely.
Thanks.
(01:09):
So Operation Combating Veteran Suicide is anonprofit that my husband and I founded.
My husband is also a veteran.
And we have found that over the years ofworking with veterans now for over two decades
that what veterans need is help with housing,help with employment, and help with mental
resources.
So through our nonprofit, what we're doing isworking with veterans to get them into
(01:35):
employment, take care of their housing forthem, and just really get them on a structured
program that makes them successful coming backin if they've fallen on hard times.
Of course, we've got substance issues, thosekinds of things, PTSD, and of course, the
suicide attempts.
I mean, we are losing no less than twenty twoveterans a day.
(01:55):
The number is rising right now, which is justhorrifying to me, and that is across The US,
but we need to take care of that.
They served us, and it's now time for us toserve them and get them back into a great place
where they're successful with with familyhousing, their mental health, everything.
So that's what Operation Combating VeteranSuicide does.
(02:18):
We do have a two year program that they are on.
They have to stay employed, which we help withthe employment.
We work with several employers that literallycall me and go, I have this position.
Do you have a veteran that can fill it?
So we do that and then, of course, assistingwith their housing.
It is just incredible the work that you aredoing.
(02:39):
I think something we hit on when we weretalking this weekend was the structure of it.
For a lot of these, guys and gals, coming outof the military, you've lived in that structure
since you were, you know, coming out of highschool, most of them.
Right?
You're moving from one system into another andand and into an institution.
(03:00):
And it's a lot something that we talk aboutguys coming out of the prison system that you
you're institutionalized.
And very much in the same way that can happento you in the military as well because
everything is very cut and dried and kind oflaid out for you.
You don't have to do a lot of thinking on yourown necessarily to know where, your needs are
(03:21):
being met or the job that you're doing.
And and there's so much that is, you know, kindof built into the structure of our military.
But when you're out, all of that goes away, andthat can be a very jarring feeling for a lot of
these veterans, I'm sure.
Can you kinda speak to the the shakeup thathappens at the end of a at the end of someone's
(03:44):
service?
Well and that is the thing.
It's an end.
I mean, it's over.
It's done.
I mean, most of them do not come out of themilitary having a job in society.
So they come out and flounder.
They've gone in at 18.
They've never had to apply for a job.
They've never had to do a resume.
You know, most of those things have nothappened, or they've done a military resume
(04:05):
because they were moving rank or, you know,whatever they were doing there.
But, you know, they've not had to do the, howdo I get an apartment?
You know?
Yes.
They have the steps to it, but what is theprocess of bill paying?
And, you know, they live on base or they comeout or, they just fall on hard times, they've
been at war, they're coming back, their PTSD ishorrifying, experience was bad, just very hard
(04:30):
life things, and there's just not a next step.
There's not a next step of, Hey, we need totalk to people.
Get into a peer group, you know, of otherveterans that are in the same boat and talk
through what you're feeling.
It's so important for them to still feel likethey have some structure.
And then, you know, with us, that's kind ofwhat we do is we give them very hard structure
(04:50):
in the beginning, and then over the two years,by the end, they're doing it on their own.
They know, you know, how to just make lifehappen outside of the military being like, you
have to be here.
Here's, you know, here's lunch and dinner.
You know, they come out and they just need thatnext step.
And so that's what we are for them.
(05:11):
And it's something, obviously, a a need that'snot really being met by very many other
organizations.
We spoke about, you know, obviously, thegovernment has the veteran affairs and these
things, but their resources are so limitedbecause you're trying to cover this the whole
country, right, and all these thousands ofveterans that are that are leaving the service
(05:33):
every year.
So it's understandable that there can be holesinside of the VA or inside of the other
government associate or, you know,organizations that are there to help veterans.
So it really comes down to people like yourselfin the private sector taking some ownership of
it and going, well, we are going to help thesepeople.
(05:54):
And I know that, you know, while operationcombating veteran suicide as an entity is
relatively new, This is something that you'vehad a passion for for many, many years now and
that you were doing long before you ever put aname to it.
Can you talk a little bit about your historyhelping veterans, what was kind of the the
genesis of Operation Combating Veteran Suicide?
(06:19):
So for me, I've worked with veterans for overtwenty years in some capacity, whether it is my
background is hospice.
So I've always worked with veterans on the noveteran dies alone, so I will go and stay with
veterans when they're passing.
I've always been helping other organizations.
Casey and I have put in lots of time, effort,and money into buying boots, helping with rent,
(06:43):
buying food, you know, the things that veteransneed coming out, sending stuff overseas.
So we've always had this passion that we weregoing to make a legacy for us.
And when I became missus South DakotaInternational, somebody made a comment to me,
and she said, make this your legacy.
(07:05):
And I was like, oh my gosh.
I've got it.
And this, you know, just kind of became a fullrealm.
You know, as idea people, we're always buildingideas and rolling forward with them.
I finally just named it.
We're not doing anything different than whatwe've done other than now we are a true
nonprofit, which is great.
(07:26):
We are getting help from individual donors,corporate donors, and we love that now.
Goal is for us in the next two years is tobuild an apartment complex that will help house
them for the two year program that they'rethere.
They'll be in their own place figuring out eachstep by themselves, but right now in the
(07:47):
interim, we're just working with other placesto house, and it's working great.
But we want them to be doing it on their ownand feeling like it's their place, not like a
domiciliary where they're all kind of housedtogether or a transitional house where there
are a bunch of them together.
It's gonna be their own place that they have todeal with.
And a huge step in, you know, building backsome of these people.
(08:11):
I know I know a lot of the veterans that youwork with, you know, are dealing with substance
abuse issues, are dealing with severe PTSD.
They're finding it very hard to operate in theworld at all, you know, much less having to
deal with, you know, paying all the bills andworrying about how to exist in your life.
(08:32):
Sometimes just waking up and getting out ofbed, you know, because of the physical ailments
incurred during their service can be very hard.
So I think what you are doing is just soimportant and such a vital cog in the wheel of
helping our veterans to assimilate to civilianlife.
(08:52):
And I love the idea of a, you know, an acomplex, a community, right, that is all
veterans, and they can kind of rely on eachother a little bit in that space.
So I think the long term vision for what you'redoing is just incredible.
And not only to do it once, but to have arepeatable process that hopefully one day we
(09:14):
can take, you know, all over the country andwherever it's needed.
We have a formula then to provide for veteransanywhere we go.
Obviously, starting close to home here in SouthDakota, a big congratulations to you, you know,
on winning the pageant, the missus South DakotaInternational.
It's not something I know that you really setout to do.
(09:37):
It wasn't necessarily a dream of yours to enterthe pageant world, But can you talk about the,
the platform now that the pageant and thiswhole new world has given you for the good that
you want to do in the world?
Yeah.
You know, the pageant's been huge now for me.
(09:58):
It was brought to me that I should go forMissus South Dakota International.
I've never done pageants in my life, so I it'snot something I was a little girl running
around as a pageant girl or teenager or any ofthat first time ever and now have the title of
missus South Dakota International.
It has brought so much to me.
You know?
I I said that, you know, it just wasn'tsomething I had, like, this grandiose idea to
(10:23):
do, but I decided I was gonna do it.
I think for myself, self confidence, I'mgetting me out there.
I love being able to help support the veterans,and I knew this would also help with the
platform.
I mean, it has.
Lots of reach outs.
People wanna know what my platform is.
They wanna see what I'm doing.
They follow me because I am, you know, not onlymissus South Dakota, but I've now got this
(10:45):
amazing nonprofit.
Going into the pageantry in Tennessee in Julyis when I compete for international, and, you
know, it's gonna be a great platform there too.
I'm super excited to get it out to the judges.
There are some very affluent people that showup to these, and I can promise you, my
nonprofit will be first and foremost in frontof them.
(11:09):
And that is more what the the pageant and thetitle provided.
Right?
It is a larger platform for you to share allthe good that you are doing out there in the
world and to to use it to tell people and tobring in, you know, more funding and more
awareness and hopefully inspire others to notonly give to your organization, but to maybe
(11:33):
start their own causes for veterans in theirarea.
I mean, I I know both of us dream very, verybig, but there's no way that we can help every
veteran out there.
Right?
We would love to and we would love to, like Isaid, build these formulas that that can do
more, but we need several organizations thatare filling different gaps.
(11:56):
Right?
From putting boots literally on people's feetto get them onto the ground or, you know, for
the the larger vision of providing this kind oftransitional housing between, you know, getting
out or going from the domiciliary and comingout of, you know, a a substance abuse program
or a, you know, a traumatic program, even justcoming out of the hospital.
(12:20):
Right?
Some of these, you know, veterans coming out ofthe military are getting medically discharged.
And what about them?
What if they have no family to go to?
So there's just so many people and so manyavenues that we can access.
And both of us using the platforms that we'venow built for ourselves, an award winning
podcast, the beauty pageant queen, to to go outand to spread the word that not only do these
(12:45):
organizations need help, but other veteransneed help too.
Maybe, you know, there's plenty of veterans outthere that maybe don't need the housing and
don't need this, but maybe they could use justa group to talk to about the mental health
aspects of, you know, dealing with, you know,the PTSD or just being a veteran these days
(13:07):
isn't an easy thing as as well.
Well, and I think it's so important to realizeis that, you know, yeah, we are operation
combating veteran suicide.
My goal is to be there before we've had anattempt.
Things happen, though.
We know attempts happen, and, unfortunately,sometimes they're successful.
So for me, it's getting to them before.
You know, let's talk about it.
(13:28):
Know you're having these stresses.
You're having you know, just coming back to thereal world, even if you weren't in combat, even
if you, you know, weren't fighting and, youknow, wasn't super stressful, it's stressful
because you're just back out.
You know?
You're back to where you were the day beforeyou went in.
You don't have a job.
(13:49):
They still need help.
I mean, even if they have money, even ifthey're doing good, they still need the
support.
They need to know they're taken care of.
They need to know, you know, I'm here to help.
Great.
They have a beautiful home.
Cool.
I'm glad you have that home outside of base.
How are you paying for that now that you'reout?
Like, what's the stuff for you?
(14:09):
I mean and they come out stressed.
Right, Charlotte.
I hadn't even thought about that.
It is someone who has bought a home, gets athirty year mortgage, has a twenty year career
in the military, and retires from that, and nowhas, for the first time in their life, still
has a decade worth of mortgage payments to payon their own.
(14:34):
And what a, yeah.
Exactly.
What a stressful situation that must beat allof a sudden, you know, be walking away from
that steady income and and all of those things.
And in most cases, the military is notnecessarily providing you with skills that are
applicable in the private sector.
Know, some are, but if you are a frontline, youknow, a a frontline soldier, your skills are
(15:02):
are not translating in the same way to privatesector and all of a sudden, you know, taking
orders from someone who maybe hasn't earnedyour respect by being of a higher rank.
And, yeah, it's just a there's so manyintricacies to and each veteran's story is
(15:24):
different.
How do we meet them?
How do we meet them where they're at?
How do we help these people where they're at?
And to move them into a place that's going tobe a place where they can build a successful
life outside of their military service.
Absolutely.
Absolutely.
And that's what we're here to do.
We're here to get them pointed in the rightdirection from the beginning wherever that
(15:48):
beginning is for them now.
Awesome.
Well, let's talk about what we have going oncurrently.
I know we just stepped away from an awesomeevent, which has given us a little insight now
into what more we could be doing together.
But we got a couple events coming up in thenext few months.
I want you to go ahead and and plug away.
We do.
(16:09):
August 16, we are having Operation CombatingVeteran Suicides Poker Run.
It will be starting in Sturgis and ending inRapid.
We are riding the beautiful Black Hills.
We are so excited.
We will have five stops that day.
Our writers' lunch is included.
We're gonna have some drawings, a silentauction, auction, some music there at the end.
(16:34):
It's gonna just really be a great day, but wewould love the support.
You can go online and register already, andthat is at
operationcombatingveteranssuicide.com.
Or the simple thing which I'm gonna, as we goin time, transition over to is 0c-vs.com.
Our name is very long, so you'll hear Bubba andI throw around, it's OCVS.
(16:58):
I mean, because it's a lot of words to get outof your mouth.
But so we have that happening August 16.
Registration, there is an early birdregistration for that.
All bikers, cars, whatever, are welcome.
We just want everybody to join us and supportour veterans that day, and we will it's just
gonna be a really great day starting at 10AM.
(17:19):
So great things going on that day.
Would love to have you guys with us for that,so please join us on that one.
And then, Bubba, do you wanna announce the nextone or you want me to give the dates and then
you can talk a little bit?
Because there's a lot going on that so we had a
crazy will announce it and you can tell themabout what's going on because I don't even know
what you have planned.
(17:39):
So the last weekend in September.
Correct?
I don't even know what those dates were.
Sixth.
We're gonna come in on Friday the twenty sixth,Saturday, the twenty seventh, and we're gonna
leave the morning of the twenty eighth.
And when I say we, that means everybodylistening to this, we want you guys to join us.
That's right.
So we're gonna go back to Kathmandu RV Park AndCampground outside of Sturgis.
(18:02):
That's right off Exit 34, very close to theBlack Hills National Cemetery.
Great space out there.
It will be kind of an end of the season partyfor them, but also giving us another chance to
get everyone together to build some community,to build awareness about OCVS, and to continue
to do good out there in the world.
(18:24):
So we have a lot of space.
We have multiple days that you know there'sgonna be music if the scene projects are
involved.
So we got that going on.
We're gonna have a lot more stuff.
Anything that you know we will be doing thatweekend, Charlotte?
Yep.
We're gonna bring back the singer songwritercontest.
We want you know, we think that is a greatthing to do.
(18:47):
That was so much fun.
And the talent here in the Black Hills, Bubbaasked me to judge, and I did.
And I already told him that I've retired fromthat.
It was way too stressful.
He did tell me I wasn't retiring, but that'sokay.
It the talent's amazing.
So we absolutely wanna drum up more of that.
(19:09):
Bubba doesn't know it yet, but his band will bethere playing because it was amazing.
He's amazing.
I think we wanna do a few other bands.
We'll get out there.
We're for sure gonna do an opening night band.
I don't know if that's Bubba's band.
Him and I really after Saturday, we're like, wejust need to debrief and that's what or on
Sunday.
Sorry.
We just need to debrief, and so now he's kindagetting my vision as we go here.
(19:33):
So, you know, but it is.
It's gonna be lots of music.
We're gonna do probably some cornholetournament, maybe horseshoe volleyball.
I mean, we're just really gonna do some funoutside.
It'll still be warm here.
If it's not, we'll pivot like we did thisweekend.
We'll pivot until we're worn a circle aroundus.
(19:54):
Well, it doesn't matter.
Right.
Right.
We've gotten really good at that.
We'll have some good food.
I mean, we're really just gonna make it a greatweekend.
So what we're asking is everybody come in.
I will get stuff put together so that andKathmandu's already ready for people to
register out there to stay.
But they can take campers.
I mean, they can take any kind of just tents,whatever.
(20:16):
We'll make it work.
They have hookups out there.
But coming in on Friday, and then we'll bethere Friday night, we'll have a great concert.
Saturday, we will do the showcases.
Lots of stuff to come on this, Bubba, but
it's gonna be incredible.
I can't thank you enough for for diving inheadfirst on our event, you know, this last
(20:39):
weekend.
It was absolutely incredible to see how it allcame together in a very, very short amount of
time.
Most people wouldn't even be courageous enoughto, attempt it.
And I thought not only did we attempt, but wesucceeded on so many levels.
And and mostly just proving to ourselves that,hey, we can really do something special when we
(21:03):
put our minds to it.
And I think that was the first start for me is,okay.
You have this space.
You have this platform.
How are you going to use it?
And now that we have a great handle on that,it's time to just kinda put the hammer down and
to to get to work doing more of them.
So absolutely thrilled to be working with youagain, Charlotte.
(21:25):
Remember, August 16, there is the OCVS PokerRun that will be, in the Black Hills starting
in Sturgis and ending in Rapid City.
And then September and leaving on the twentyeighth back at Kathmandu RV Park And
Campground, Exit 34 outside of Sturgis.
(21:46):
Lots of great stuff.
Keep your eyes peeled for more informationcoming on that.
And I think we're gonna have some more, somemore programming for you coming from me and
Charlotte as well just to keep everybody in theknow with, future events, any news from OCVS
that we can share on a more consistent basis.
So keep your eyes peeled for yet anotherpodcast from the scene projects, and, we just
(22:10):
appreciate you all for tuning in and supportingnot just our programming, but the great causes
that are behind us as well.
So, Charlotte, thank you so much for being onthe show.
Do you need to plug anything else before yougo?
Nope.
Just you, Bubba.
I appreciate you so much for what you've doneand just bringing me in.
I love that you're a lot like me on the groundsof if you want something to happen, you just do
(22:34):
it and figure it out as we go, and I love thatabout you.
So the scene project has been huge to usalready.
We appreciate you so much, but I just want youto know I love these thoughts, and we're just
gonna run with what we have, and you will forsure see more of me with you.
Well, thank you for your kind words, Charlotte,and thank you for being part of the scene.
(22:56):
Thank you.
How do I pause this?
Oh, pause right
Popular Podcasts
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
NFL Daily with Gregg Rosenthal
Gregg Rosenthal and a rotating crew of elite NFL Media co-hosts, including Patrick Claybon, Colleen Wolfe, Steve Wyche, Nick Shook and Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic get you caught up daily on all the NFL news and analysis you need to be smarter and funnier than your friends.
The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.