January 29, 2025 • 37 mins
This episode features a powerful conversation with Michelle Lang from Operation Honorary Salute, discussing the challenges rural veterans face and how the organization connects them with necessary resources. Listeners learn about the importance of community support, awareness, and the unique needs of this often-overlooked population, as well as how they can get involved in helping these veterans thrive.
• Transitioning nonprofit focus to rural veterans
• Importance of authenticity in resources provided
• Creating online support communities
• Engaging events to build camaraderie
• Highlighting benefits and educational resources available
• Changing perceptions about rural veterans and their skills
• Plans for expanding outreach and impact nationally
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Speaker 1 (00:02):
Warriors fall in.
It's time for formation.
Today, folks, I have a greatfriend of mine that I had the
fortune to meet in person at themilitary influencer conference
in Las Vegas just what two yearsago, right.
And we interviewed her when shewas running her last non-profit
and since then she'stransitioned her non-profit,
(00:24):
which still focuses generally onthe same concept of helping our
rural veterans that are livingout away from the city, that may
have a little bit moredifficulty getting the resources
that are necessary for them toget jobs, find homes and things
like that.
So today I have Michelle Langon the Morning Formation podcast
.
Michelle, thank you for joiningme today.
Speaker 2 (00:45):
How's it going?
Thanks for having me back.
Speaker 1 (00:48):
It's an absolute honor, and it's an absolute
honor to be in your circle, orat least I hope I'm in your
circle.
I just wanted to ask you.
You know, last time we talked,the name of your nonprofit was
different.
Talk about the transition fromthe last to the one that you
currently have right now.
Speaker 2 (01:06):
So we started as Veteran Help Point in 2021.
And it's kind of the sameunderstanding.
We're still trying to getresources to people that weren't
near a big city, that weren'taware of what was available to
them, but we didn't focusspecifically on rural areas.
But last year in June I held anevent specifically for rural
(01:28):
veterans in my hometown ofPennsylvania and it was really
overwhelming the amount ofconnection there was and having
people shift their mindset tolike, oh yes, I am a rural
veteran.
I can't believe there's helpout there for me and just
(01:52):
realizing this is a really,really big need in rural areas
for people to get connected tothese outside resources that
they can use and take advantageof.
So we totally switched a lot ofthings I don't want to say.
Our game plan is still prettymuch the same as far as
connecting people to resources,but now we're only connecting
them to certain resources.
We're being very, verystrategic about it as far as who
we're connecting them with.
(02:13):
There's a smaller pool, highlyvetted, and then we're building
an online community for ruralveterans where they can talk to
subject matter experts, checkmatter experts, and then we do
our in-person events and our.
Eventually, we want to move tohelping rural veterans and their
families get meaningful ruralemployment.
Speaker 1 (02:32):
That's huge.
Finding genuine, authenticassistance is huge.
I had a buddy of mine who is aveteran.
He does real estate and he saysthat it absolutely angers him.
You know, during Veterans Day,when you have all these
non-military real estate agentsout there waving the flag saying
we support this, we supportthat and really what they're
(02:53):
going after is the dollars,right, they're going after the
money and there's really no solepurpose there for them to
assist.
And finding that authenticitycan be really, really tough for
veterans.
And, matter of fact, I thinkyesterday on social media, um
juan perez jp was on his storieson instagram and he was talking
(03:13):
about how ai was used to changehis his voice into saying
basically advertising like somedebt service or whatever wow
yeah, that authenticity finding,like the genuine stuff is
really hard, so it's great thatyou're out there helping sort
through kind of being like a Idon't know Yelp, I guess, of
assistance for our veteransright.
Speaker 2 (03:35):
Yeah, we have.
So the model we used before waswe were going for like an
interactive map where peoplecould go to these physical
resources, no matter where theywere, or they could use virtual
Sorry, I'm just getting overlike the flu and it's hanging on
.
But now we have a much smallerpool of resources and I'm like I
keep thinking they're like theAvengers of resources, right.
(03:58):
So this like super elite groupof resources that is still very
holistic, where people can usethem no matter where there are,
or these resources will fly themout to go like boulder crest,
they'll fly you out to go tovirginia or arizona or camp
southern ground.
So like there's so many thingspeople can take advantage of but
they just don't know about ityeah, spreading awareness is
(04:20):
really challenging.
Speaker 1 (04:21):
I it blows my mind when veterans ask me like, well,
I need help filing for my my uhservice connection and it's
like that's that's anywhere.
All you got to do is look it upand you know, your American
American Legion does it, VFWdoes it.
If you want to get started withdoing it and putting in for it,
beyond that, you do need tohave some type of advice to find
(04:42):
, like, authentic and genuinepeople that are actually there
to help you, because it is fullof folks that are just looking
at the dollar signs when itcomes to utilizing the service
connection and the VA home loans.
But, overall, what are some ofthe resources that you connect
veterans with?
Because I know you just saidthat it's specific right.
Speaker 2 (05:01):
Yeah, so before we had certain categories of help
and we basically are sticking tothat, so we have benefits.
We want people to be able toget good information about their
benefits.
We want them to be able to havesolid answers and a good
resource to go talk to somebodyabout that, which is big if
you're in a rural area, how togrow food where you're at, take
(05:24):
care of yourself, va loans andreal estate, which somebody just
told me yesterday that 87% ofveterans do not use their home
loan, which is wild to me.
That's so much higher than Ithought I'm guilty.
Housing is the number one issue.
Number two two issue whenever Ipulled people to rural areas of
(05:47):
what they couldn't accessbecause there's no rentals in
rural areas it's super hard.
You have to buy.
I mean, I don't know.
It's just, I'm really intohelping people thrive where
they're at, and this is what Iwant to do, and I think the VA
home loan is an excellent way todo that.
You can invest in real estate,you can invest in yourself and
(06:07):
start building wealth, so I'mexcited to share that with
people.
What other resources do we have?
We have education.
Act NOW.
Entrepreneurship.
Speaker 1 (06:15):
I'm familiar with ACT NOW.
Speaker 2 (06:19):
I'm trying to think what, like?
Speaker 1 (06:21):
my mind is blank right now, which is terrible,
but Well, definitely, I knowit's all listed on your website
so we're gonna put put all it onthere.
I need to link you up with mylast interview that I had with
robert tolan.
He is a.
He lives up in ventura countyhere in california, which I
guess is kind of rural outsideof los angeles area.
There's a little.
I guess you get up to the upperparts of that county and
(06:41):
there's a little more country.
But I need to connect with himbecause he is a great asset of
resources and just advice,especially for the Southern
California area.
So, overall, can you share someof the most impactful programs
or events that you've organizedso far?
Speaker 2 (06:58):
Our first big multi-day event was in June this
past year in 2024.
Multi-day event was in Junethis past year in 2024.
We took it was like a thirditeration of what we've been
doing, but we took it and spreadit over two days.
So we had today, we had ourgolf tournament and date nights.
So we brought in speakers fromacross the country.
(07:21):
They came in and did a FreedomFirst speaker panel and then
turned like our little theaterinto a 1940s post-World War II
celebration lounge.
It was really really cool.
Had them talk about whatfreedom means to them and things
like that, and that really gotthe community engaged and that
got other veterans that aren'tused to engaging in forums like
that talking and feeling somecamaraderie.
(07:43):
So that was really really cool.
And then we had a flag ceremony.
So we had one flag in theground for every veteran that
had served in that county sincethe Revolutionary War.
So there's about 3,000 flags.
That was also very cool.
And then the next day was likethe big event.
We had veteran resources, craftvendors, food trucks, music.
Tristan Trick came up.
(08:04):
We had some cool music therefor the town.
It was just really acelebration of rural veterans
and their families and the goalwith these events is to have
communities that love to supportveterans, but they don't know
how to support them.
Beyond saying like thank you foryour service and hanging a
banner on Main Street, how doyou support them in an
(08:24):
actionable way?
And, as a result of that event,people learn how to support
them, and so after that I wouldhave people texting me, emailing
me, like, Michelle, I know thisperson is struggling.
Do you have any resources forthem?
Whereas before they didn't knowwho to go to, and we have a
legion in town up there andthey're really, really great
resources.
(08:45):
I want to help revitalizeAmerican legions in small towns,
but if you're a civilian, itkind of feels like you're on the
outside between.
These resources allowed peopleto ask and just get curious, and
(09:09):
so I thought that was a reallyreally cool thing.
Speaker 1 (09:12):
Yeah, it can be really almost scary or unnerving
for a civilian to walk up intoa military environment and not
understand the language, thelingo or not feel like they're a
part.
I was dealing with militaryspouses.
A lot of times they don't feellike they're part of the whole
(09:32):
military experience.
A lot of times they have sortof imposter syndrome and I know
that you're a military spouseand still going strong after all
these years right With dealingwith the military life, the
moving and things like that.
How do you think that has,overall, inspired you so far
with this whole nonprofit thatyou're doing, geared towards the
specific target audience thatyou're seeking to help?
Speaker 2 (09:55):
In a lot of ways.
I mean here we're at Fort Bragg, liberty and the community here
is so is so cool.
I mean, the military spousecommunity, specifically at Fort
Liberty, is just unreal.
There's fantastic ladies andmen doing awesome things and
that in itself is reallyinspiring.
(10:16):
We chose to live in the countryoutside of the noise of brag and
it just it reminds me why I'mdoing what I'm doing because I
chose to live out here, becauseI wanted this lifestyle of rural
peace and quiet.
I wanted to raise my kids, youknow where they could get dirty
and be part of cultivating theland and things like that.
(10:39):
But you do feel isolated outhere and there's not.
I mean, we live in adevelopment but like we're all
still pretty spread out so youhave to make an effort to go
meet your neighbors and knowyour neighbors and a lot of
people who move to rural areasare not doing that.
If you're an outsider moving toa rural area, it's pretty
(11:01):
intimidating because you havelike your groups, you have your
cliques.
Rural areas are very tight knit, very suspicious of outsiders
and not everybody is like me.
Where I go and knock on mydoors and say hi, you know, I'm
Michelle, we're the Langs.
If you hear yelling, it's justme and my kids, like I don't
call the cops, but noteverybody's like that.
So that's why I'm reallyexcited about building this
(11:25):
online community so people canhave that and then they can be
encouraged to create thesein-person little meetups around
the country, like that's what Isee happening with our online
community understand they'resaying well, what's, what's the
problem?
Speaker 1 (11:45):
like, you have the same benefits as everybody else.
Like, why is there a problemwith that bridge of of being in
the military or getting out ofthe military?
Understand that, even with frommy personal experience.
When I went in active duty asan officer, um, I commissioned
and then months later I was OBCand then next thing you know,
I'm in Iraq.
Next thing you know, I'm like.
(12:08):
At my first duty station Iliterally lost connection with
everybody that I went to collegewith Everybody back from my
hometown.
It was almost like andespecially back then there
wasn't the internet like it istoday we weren't following each
other on Facebook and everythinglike that.
But you just start a whole newchapter in your life and you
know things change and peoplechange.
Paths literally split off intoyou know why intersections and
(12:32):
people go different ways andwhen you come back you don't
have those same roots anymore.
They're gone.
You know anyone that you knewthe chances that you had to
network.
You know and I always tell folksthat when you get out of the
military to find the idealsalary, the ideal position, the
ideal job location, all thosethree things in one basket is
(12:53):
very difficult to do becauseyou've spent the last like four
plus years doing military stuffthat 95 of the country would
never understand what the hellit even means.
They don't know.
So I've sat across fromrecruits before having a
conversation talking about whatan army captain does, what I did
when I was at war, and they'rejust looking at me like deer in
(13:15):
the headlights.
They have no idea.
So that's what we're talkingabout when we're talking about
you know needing the resourcesand the support because it takes
time to get gelled back withthe community and get gelled
back with the civilian life.
And you know it's great thatyou are so geared and I know
you're a busy mom and you're amilitary spouse and you've got
(13:36):
all these things going on inyour life.
Michelle, you know, over thenext five to 10 years I mean you
mentioned that you want tostart these smaller rural
communities all over the US andright now you're in Raleigh,
right?
Speaker 2 (13:48):
Yeah, we're just south of it.
Speaker 1 (13:50):
So the event that you just did, what city was that in
?
Speaker 2 (13:53):
That was in Pennsylvania.
Speaker 1 (13:55):
Pennsylvania.
Speaker 2 (13:56):
Very, very rural like , not even close to any city.
My hometown, mccombsburg,pennsylvania, is where it was at
.
This year we're doing it againin Pennsylvania, but we're doing
another one here close to FortLiberty, because every year we
want to add another event.
My goal long term is to do oneof these Operation Honorary
events in every 50.
I would love to do it all inthe same weekend, like every
(14:18):
year.
I think that would be so cool.
But that's a long term goalbecause people just felt so
supported there and people don'tdo things for rural America and
I really think and the peopleon my team, we just believe that
rural America is like the nextold new frontier, that's, that's
where it's at.
There's so much opportunitythere.
People, especially after beingisolated for a couple of years,
(14:43):
you know people want to go andthey want to heal and people are
moving to the country to dothat.
Speaker 1 (14:49):
Yeah, I live in LA and there's just in the last
couple of years there's been amass exodus of people leaving
the big city, moving out intoIdaho, texas, nevada, utah, just
getting out of here, you know,because it's just, I think it's
more of a mental meditation moreor less just to get out and be
in nature and be around peopleand try to ground yourself with
(15:10):
family.
So, overall, what is one thingthat people misunderstand about
rural communities and theirveterans?
Speaker 2 (15:20):
Probably the number one thing about rural
communities.
Growing up in a rural community, I know this for a fact.
If you're not from ruralAmerica, people automatically
assume that you're dumber thanthem always.
I mean, we've been called allsorts of things, you know,
hillbilly.
Even the town next to us usedto call my uh school stump
(15:41):
humpers.
Speaker 1 (15:42):
I mean just like so I like to see that mascot I know,
but they, just they.
Speaker 2 (15:46):
I mean people think that people live, that live in
rural america, are are dumberthan them, are less than, and
that is so far from the truth.
Farmers especially, they'reengineers, they're innovative,
they're hardworking, they'remechanics.
Speaker 1 (16:03):
A lot of common sense .
Speaker 2 (16:05):
So much and the way that they can.
Just, it's almost intuitive howthey can look at a machine and
figure it out because they haveto, because it costs too much to
take it to a mechanic to repaira million dollar piece of
equipment, and that's thereality.
I think that's the biggestmisconception of rural America.
Number two veterans living inrural America are not
(16:28):
identifying as rural veterans.
That's not really a coined term, that's not something that
people say, and there'sdefinitely different needs that
are associated with ruralveterans, like the lack of
healthcare options, and peopledon't understand community care
or they've been told that theycan't use community care when
(16:51):
that's not true.
Sometimes you have to fight thesystem a little bit and say,
yeah, it is within my rights touse community care and this is
in the community care network.
That's the reality.
That's happening too.
Also, accessing telehealth, youhave broadband issues.
There are so many issues thatrural veterans deal with that
they may not even know thatthey're dealing with, because
(17:13):
they don't one know it's anoption to ask a question,
because when you're in themilitary you don't ask questions
, right, you just you do whatyou're supposed to do.
So now you're in the civilianworld where, like, something
doesn't go your way, well, nowyou need to advocate for
yourself.
Whenever you've been, it's beenbeat into you not to advocate
for yourself because somebodyelse is supposed to be taking
(17:33):
care of you, taking care of theproblem.
So my goal is to really open uppeople's eyes to the
possibility of growth andthriving where they're at, by
just using the benefits that areavailable to them.
Speaker 1 (17:47):
Yeah, I think that's huge One of the things I think
in my intro I talk about.
You know, when the cadence youknow fades out, who's going to
tell you when to pivot and howto pivot?
And nobody will, and reallyit's kind of a backstabbing
world in a certain sense.
My first job coming out of themilitary, there were other
(18:07):
supervisors there that literallywere all about sabotaging
because I was 27.
I was educated, had a master'sdegree, came back, had combat.
I basically outclassed them onpaper, so they thought that I
was a threat and they treated melike so, and so it was almost
sabotage sometimes, butfortunately I did have other
(18:28):
veteran supervisors there thatwere willing to help me out.
But it was still a really roughstorm to ride out when you're
that young and you're just'rejust trying to make it like at
the end of the day.
I'd really love to hear some ofyour memorable success stories
that you've had so far.
It's been what three years foryou doing this right, yeah gosh
(18:51):
there's.
Speaker 2 (18:52):
this is the tough part, because I I don't often
get to see the final result ofpeople's journey and their
growth.
Like last gosh was it.
Last year I had somebody callme and she was very, very upset.
It was very difficult for herto get out the words that she
needed to say.
She had been through a lot andshe was alone in a new city and
(19:17):
she needed support.
She was very sick.
Anyway, long story short, wewere able to connect her with
the resources that she needed toget her through that rough
patch.
Mentally she was not doing well.
We could connect her withpeople.
That's what she needed, and Idid have people report back to
(19:37):
me that she was doing well and,you know, standing on her own
two feet again, and that's um.
That was really good to hear,because a lot of times I just
point people to resources, I doa warm handoff and get them in
the system, Um, and then I don'tget.
I don't know what happens tothem.
(19:59):
I work so hard with so manypeople.
I just had another veteran inWisconsin who transportation is
an issue.
He couldn't get to appointments.
He couldn't get to these other.
He was battling some legalstuff too, and and I was the
only person that wanted to talkto him about it and pointed him
to resources and kept fightingfor him.
And what I've learned aboutpeople that ask for help is that
(20:23):
they are some of the mostresilient, strong people because
they're out there willing to dothe work and keep fighting for
themselves.
And I think that there's thismisconception that if you ask
for help, that you're weak andyou're not a man.
But the people that I talk tothat are coming to me asking for
resources.
Whether it's I'm about to behomeless or I need help with the
(20:46):
VA or I need anentrepreneurship resource,
there's a whole gamut of people.
The people that ask for helpare the strongest people.
They're the people that arewilling to fight for their lives
and fight for their future, andI think that's really, really
important for people to rememberIf you're thinking about asking
for help.
It takes a lot of strength todo that.
Speaker 1 (21:06):
Yeah, it definitely does.
I know, when I first got out ofthe military myself, I
literally threw everything away.
I wanted nothing to do with themilitary.
I wanted to separate myself.
I didn't want to be identifiedas a military.
I would never talk about itreally all that much.
Other people would remind meabout it, but I just wanted to
move on with my life.
And then here I am back at thetable again, trying to help out
the community with justawareness, spreading awareness
(21:28):
and getting involved withnonprofits and speaking to
absolutely fascinating folkslike yourself who are so driven
to run a non-profit like this.
Um, and I and I totally see theneed of it um, I grew up part of
my life in the middle ofcornfields in ohio, so, living
in a rural community, um, I knowthat it's very limited access
(21:49):
and folks out there sometimes,you know, just like everywhere
else, for the most part you knowthey don't want the help.
You know I got it like I'mgonna.
I'm to shoulder this myself andI'm going to move on and drive
on Like we're always taught inthe military overall, like
collaboration wise.
Do you have any plans, um, topartner to maximize your impact?
Like is the VFW or AmericanLegion, uh, in the works to, I
(22:13):
mean, cause I know they have avery massive outreach out there,
but anything like that in thefuture we, we do, and I just
brought somebody on our boardwho is gladly taking over
strategic partnerships, whichI'm very glad.
Speaker 2 (22:27):
That's his strong suit and that's something that
we're going to focus on on 2025.
Because they're, like, evenhere in north carolina north
carolina is the second, uh,highest rural veteran population
in the united states.
Texas is number one, northcarolina is number two, but
(22:49):
we're not doing much.
Like I and I think, like out ofthe 100 counties here in north
carolina, like 90% of thosecounties are rural.
So North Carolina is super,super rural.
There's a Rural EconomicDevelopment Center here that's
really active.
We are a national brand, but wealso need to look at what we can
do locally.
So, going into these differentstates, seeing who we can
(23:12):
partner with Like in NorthCarolina, it's the Rural
Economic Development Center, inPennsylvania, it might be the PA
Department of Veteran Affairsso we have to be very strategic
about different states and theirneeds, because that's another
reason that people are gettingoverlooked is it's not just a
blanket fix for every state orevery population.
(23:35):
You know, every everybody hastheir own culture between these
states, and so that's somethingthat we're also keeping in mind,
too is how can we serve themthe best based on what they
actually need, not what theywhat we think they need.
Speaker 1 (23:50):
Yeah, I think that that's that's being specific and
being on target with the actualresource and the help is really
important.
The authenticity is also, youknow, as equally important.
So if somebody reaches out toyou that lives in like Arkansas,
are you able to provide themwith assistance for resources
out there?
Speaker 2 (24:09):
I thought I just helped somebody in Arkansas, but
it was Alabama.
Yeah, arkansas, I mean anywherein the United States.
That's what we do.
Is we just connect people toresources?
If you can't use what's on ourwebsite, which is growing, our
goal is to have no more than ahundred resources on there,
because I don't want it to beoverwhelming.
But if you can't use what's onthere, I'm doing the work
(24:30):
personally to connect you withthe right people in your state
or close to your hometown.
Speaker 1 (24:35):
Yeah, I think that's huge because sometimes folks can
get kind of lost in the sauce.
You know, when you're Googlingyou're just calling like numbers
that don't work anymore,emailing emails that don't work
anymore, trying to find thathelp right and things just
aren't updated Overall.
How does Operation Auto RuleSalute contribute to the broader
policy or changes or awarenessfor our rule veterans overall?
Speaker 2 (25:02):
well, one of the things that I really want to
work with the va on specificallyis better access to community
care, because that is that'shuge.
In my town, in my hometown inPennsylvania, people have to
drive at least an hour and ahalf to get to a VA.
(25:25):
So I mean, some of them do that, but then some of them don't do
that because that's eating uptheir entire day.
People don't have the time offor they don't have a driver.
Meanwhile there's a criticalaccess hospital with a specialty
service clinic right there thatthey could have a relationship
with, but they don't know aboutcommunity care.
(25:46):
They don't know that they cango 45 minutes away to take care
of these things.
So people's health is sufferingand health problems are not
getting caught because they'rejust not going and utilizing
care that they've earned.
Speaker 1 (25:59):
You know and for folks that don't know, what are
you talking about when youmentioned community care.
Speaker 2 (26:03):
So the VA, in order to try and limit these health
care gaps for people that eitherare too far from VA or if the
VA is too overwhelmed, they havedesignated.
They've basically builtpartnerships with local
hospitals or local specialistswhere you can go to that
specialist and you can be seenand it's still covered under
(26:23):
your insurance through the VA.
But unfortunately, a lot ofpeople don't know that this
program even exists.
Speaker 1 (26:30):
Right, and actually I heard that they had tried to
get rid of it last year heardthat they had tried to get rid
of it last year.
Yeah, there's I yeah, yeah, Imean because that's what I had
heard from someone that works atthe VA, but I mean it's still
there and I think they shoulddefinitely keep it.
(27:00):
Lobby to keep that programbecause it is huge.
I live in los angeles and, yes,the west, la west, la va is
like maybe 12 to 15 miles frommy house, but in los angeles
that's a that's a two-hour drivethrough the city.
You can't just look on a mapand go plot, plot.
Oh yeah, it's just gonna.
You know, and it's folks thatlive out in rural communities.
They might be 100 miles awayfrom you know the nearest city
where they might have a facilityto give them their specific
care, because you know there'scertain VAs hospitals that are
(27:23):
different sizes and offerdifferent things.
So that community care thing isactually huge for our veterans
to have access to.
Speaker 2 (27:31):
It is really big and they did.
They did try and limit it, andso I'm going to be interested to
see that and I don't know ifpeople don't don't realize this,
but it is.
It's an administration thing.
So, yeah, the the passive, thisoutgoing administration, not
super wonderful for va relatedthings.
So I'll be interested to seewhat the next administration
(27:54):
does, because that was somethingthat I think did grow the last
time Trump was in office.
But community care is, I meanpeople just are not going to the
hospital, they're not going tosee doctors, and without it,
people just aren't going,they're not going to us till
it's too late, right, whichcosts more money.
Speaker 1 (28:17):
Yeah, no doubt.
And you know the underlyingthing with that, with the
resources, is you know theveteran suicide rates.
You know everything we'retalking about, you know has a
foundational stem towards that.
You know whether it's you canfind a job, whether it's you can
get the proper healthcare.
You know the proper help thatyou need.
I mean all that stuff.
I mean folks can sometimes feelkind of boxed in when they're
(28:41):
kind of transplanted out oftheir community and then thrown
back into it again.
Things have changed.
I mean let's not even get intothe conversations Like when we
were at war.
I remember I had two soldiersbefore I came back that
absolutely begged me.
They begged me to extend, theywanted to stay in Iraq longer.
And I was like why?
And they said because when I gohome I'm divorced, everything
(29:04):
that I had is gone my house,when I get home, I'm going to
have to take all my stuff andput it in storage because my
wife left me while I wasdeployed.
Just imagine coming back fromsomething like that and not
having the resources that youneed, and they both lived in a
rural community.
So I really think that stufflike this is very impactful.
(29:27):
The work that you're doingspecifically?
I kind of know the answer tothis already, but I want to
really underline it.
What keeps you passionate anddriven about serving rural
communities and the veterans outthere?
Speaker 2 (29:39):
I mean, I'm a rural girl at heart.
I am a hick you don't soundlike it.
Speaker 1 (29:44):
You don't have the accent.
Speaker 2 (29:47):
I know it's funny, though, because last time we
were home for Thanksgiving myhusband was like boy, I have
full county accents coming out.
And it's so funny because whenI was back.
Yeah, when I would go home atcollege from college, I only my
college was about an hour hour,a little bit over an hour, away
from me, but when I would comeback on break, all my friends
(30:07):
would be like, boy, you soundlike a redneck.
Speaker 1 (30:11):
I don't know, it just does something to me it's the
same thing with me and likepigeon English.
When I go back to Hawaii, it'slike it just comes back again.
And then when I go to Ohio andI'm around my dad, it's like
that that Ohio accent comes backout again.
I'm sounding like a countrysinger.
So no, I understand Totally.
Speaker 2 (30:28):
Yeah, I don't.
I mean there's just so muchgood.
I'm so passionate about ruralAmerica and my own family's
personal struggles when myhusband was a veteran for the
couple months that he was aveteran.
That really grounds me and Iknow how much work that we've
had to do as a family and as acouple and just as individuals
to get through that lack ofresources and that time and I
(30:51):
just don't want people toexperience that and I see so
much growth and potential inrural America and my dream is to
revitalize rural America withrural veterans and their
families by being so mentallywell and so supported
financially well that they justtake over and help these rural
(31:13):
communities blossom and flourishand get back to that small town
.
You know boom that we we hadlong ago yeah, I miss it, man.
Speaker 1 (31:23):
So I, like I said I grew up part of my life in ohio
and what you said about earlier,I forgot to really comment
about that.
But folks, I guess stereotyping, thinking that people that are
out from the country are dumb,that's, that's not.
The folks from the country knowhow to swing an axe, they know
how to like mechanically fixthings, they know how to get and
I didn't know it until I movedto this giant city of la like
(31:45):
how much I knew.
Like people around here make mefeel like bob vila, because I'm
freaking.
I mean I'll change a lightfixture out and put a ceiling
fan in and they're like, oh, didyou do that magic?
It's like no, it's like thewires are already there, dummy.
Like you just connect the samecolored wires together and put a
wire nut on it, it's like duh.
But no, I totally think that,like folks out, my dad is so
(32:08):
like intuitively just good withhis hands and good just can
build things like I envy thatand so you know that's.
You're right about that.
That is a misconception totally, and I'm just like I don't know
.
I guess that just comes fromthe hot, the, the um, beverly,
hillbillies and all thosesitcoms back in the day or
whatever, but uh, well theydon't speak properly, it's
(32:28):
because you know we we don'ttalk right nobody does you know
I say things like hey, you guys,you need to rent up your room.
Speaker 2 (32:35):
I don't know if you guys ever said that out there
that's a Pennsylvania Dutchthing.
But yeah, rent up your room.
We're saying things like helter, skelter and all this stuff and
people are just like you speakin another language it's not
even English Like that's notright.
So they just think you're dumb.
Speaker 1 (32:51):
It's like, well, you know, if you think about it,
like nobody speaks correct.
Because you go to boston, yougo to like new england, you got
the accent there.
You go to florida, they speak acertain way.
You go to like new orleans,louisiana area, it's different.
You go to out here tocalifornia, hawaii, texas,
everybody's got like thesedifferent accents and I I can
hear it sometimes when peopleare talking and I'll be like are
(33:11):
you, are you from this state?
And usually I get it right.
You know, usually I can.
But uh it's the chameleons likeyou that are difficult, because
when you go back to yourhometown you pick up that accent
again, and it's the same thingwith me too.
Like I, sometimes I sound likeI'm from the islands and
sometimes I sound like I'm fromOhio, so it just depends where
you catch me at.
But overall, michelle, how canlisteners get involved with
(33:34):
Operational Otter Rule?
Salute and support your mission.
Speaker 2 (33:38):
Well, you can find us at ohrulesaluteorg and there we
have a signup link where youcan get on our email list.
You can follow us on Instagramor Facebook.
Operational Honor Rule Salute.
I mean, every nonprofit alwaysneeds volunteers.
We always need volunteers, wealways need ambassadors, and
even just spreading the wordthat there's resources out there
(34:00):
for rural America, wheneverthat wasn't the point of their
nonprofit, but how I can getthem to lean into this audience
(34:23):
to support them, is really,really cool.
So I know that's not what youasked for, but I get really
excited about this.
Speaker 1 (34:29):
No, I can tell you're super passionate.
I know you've been in it forquite for a few years now, so
you don't do something like this.
I mean usually in the firstyear or so people decide am I in
this or am I out of this?
So you've been at it and I knowyou've been working extremely
hard.
Now, just to wrap things up forthis interview, is there
anything that I didn't mentionthat you'd like to mention
before we finish off?
Speaker 2 (34:49):
No, I mean, the only thing is, if you guys want to be
part of our online community,go to our website and sign up to
join the community and thenfrom there, we are going to be
adding some subject matterexperts this year and we're
going to be adding some lives.
So, like, you can talk to abenefits expert live.
You can talk to a VA loanspecialist live, things like
(35:10):
that.
So that will be a very cooladdition for 2025.
You just go to ohrollsaluteorgand then click sign up.
Speaker 1 (35:19):
OH Roll Salute folks.
I will make sure that all yourinformation, all your social
media links are down in thedescription.
If you're listening to this onpodcast or if you're on YouTube,
go down the description.
It's all going to be down thereas well.
Make sure you connect withMichelle If you're interested in
being involved in a nonprofit.
That's very meaningful and thisis close to your heart.
Please join the cause and helpher out with getting this thing
(35:44):
nationwide Because, like shesays, she wants to touch every
single state, all 50 states,maybe 51 if Canada joins us and
then Mexico joins us too, maybe52.
Who knows right?
So we'll see about that in thenext four years, but anyways,
wild times knows right, so we'llsee about that in the next four
years, but anyways, wild timesFor folks out there.
Michelle, I want to thank youfor joining me again on the
Morning Formation Podcast.
It's been about a year or two.
(36:05):
It's great to see your growth.
It's awesome to be a part ofyour circle.
For everyone else out there, asalways, I want you to stay
tuned, stay focused and staymotivated.
Warriors fall out.
Warriors fall in.
It's time for formation.
Today, folks, I have a greatfriend of mine that I had the
fortune to meet in person at themilitary influencer conference
in Las Vegas just what two yearsago, right.
And we interviewed her when shewas running her last non-profit
and since then she'stransitioned her non-profit,
(00:24):
which still focuses generally onthe same concept of helping our
rural veterans that are livingout away from the city, that may
have a little bit moredifficulty getting the resources
that are necessary for them toget jobs, find homes and things
like that.
So today I have Michelle Langon the Morning Formation podcast
.
Michelle, thank you for joiningme today.
Speaker 2 (00:45):
How's it going?
Thanks for having me back.
Speaker 1 (00:48):
It's an absolute honor, and it's an absolute
honor to be in your circle, orat least I hope I'm in your
circle.
I just wanted to ask you.
You know, last time we talked,the name of your nonprofit was
different.
Talk about the transition fromthe last to the one that you
currently have right now.
Speaker 2 (01:06):
So we started as Veteran Help Point in 2021.
And it's kind of the sameunderstanding.
We're still trying to getresources to people that weren't
near a big city, that weren'taware of what was available to
them, but we didn't focusspecifically on rural areas.
But last year in June I held anevent specifically for rural
(01:28):
veterans in my hometown ofPennsylvania and it was really
overwhelming the amount ofconnection there was and having
people shift their mindset tolike, oh yes, I am a rural
veteran.
I can't believe there's helpout there for me and just
(01:52):
realizing this is a really,really big need in rural areas
for people to get connected tothese outside resources that
they can use and take advantageof.
So we totally switched a lot ofthings I don't want to say.
Our game plan is still prettymuch the same as far as
connecting people to resources,but now we're only connecting
them to certain resources.
We're being very, verystrategic about it as far as who
we're connecting them with.
(02:13):
There's a smaller pool, highlyvetted, and then we're building
an online community for ruralveterans where they can talk to
subject matter experts, checkmatter experts, and then we do
our in-person events and our.
Eventually, we want to move tohelping rural veterans and their
families get meaningful ruralemployment.
Speaker 1 (02:32):
That's huge.
Finding genuine, authenticassistance is huge.
I had a buddy of mine who is aveteran.
He does real estate and he saysthat it absolutely angers him.
You know, during Veterans Day,when you have all these
non-military real estate agentsout there waving the flag saying
we support this, we supportthat and really what they're
(02:53):
going after is the dollars,right, they're going after the
money and there's really no solepurpose there for them to
assist.
And finding that authenticitycan be really, really tough for
veterans.
And, matter of fact, I thinkyesterday on social media, um
juan perez jp was on his storieson instagram and he was talking
(03:13):
about how ai was used to changehis his voice into saying
basically advertising like somedebt service or whatever wow
yeah, that authenticity finding,like the genuine stuff is
really hard, so it's great thatyou're out there helping sort
through kind of being like a Idon't know Yelp, I guess, of
assistance for our veteransright.
Speaker 2 (03:35):
Yeah, we have.
So the model we used before waswe were going for like an
interactive map where peoplecould go to these physical
resources, no matter where theywere, or they could use virtual
Sorry, I'm just getting overlike the flu and it's hanging on
.
But now we have a much smallerpool of resources and I'm like I
keep thinking they're like theAvengers of resources, right.
(03:58):
So this like super elite groupof resources that is still very
holistic, where people can usethem no matter where there are,
or these resources will fly themout to go like boulder crest,
they'll fly you out to go tovirginia or arizona or camp
southern ground.
So like there's so many thingspeople can take advantage of but
they just don't know about ityeah, spreading awareness is
(04:20):
really challenging.
Speaker 1 (04:21):
I it blows my mind when veterans ask me like, well,
I need help filing for my my uhservice connection and it's
like that's that's anywhere.
All you got to do is look it upand you know, your American
American Legion does it, VFWdoes it.
If you want to get started withdoing it and putting in for it,
beyond that, you do need tohave some type of advice to find
(04:42):
, like, authentic and genuinepeople that are actually there
to help you, because it is fullof folks that are just looking
at the dollar signs when itcomes to utilizing the service
connection and the VA home loans.
But, overall, what are some ofthe resources that you connect
veterans with?
Because I know you just saidthat it's specific right.
Speaker 2 (05:01):
Yeah, so before we had certain categories of help
and we basically are sticking tothat, so we have benefits.
We want people to be able toget good information about their
benefits.
We want them to be able to havesolid answers and a good
resource to go talk to somebodyabout that, which is big if
you're in a rural area, how togrow food where you're at, take
(05:24):
care of yourself, va loans andreal estate, which somebody just
told me yesterday that 87% ofveterans do not use their home
loan, which is wild to me.
That's so much higher than Ithought I'm guilty.
Housing is the number one issue.
Number two two issue whenever Ipulled people to rural areas of
(05:47):
what they couldn't accessbecause there's no rentals in
rural areas it's super hard.
You have to buy.
I mean, I don't know.
It's just, I'm really intohelping people thrive where
they're at, and this is what Iwant to do, and I think the VA
home loan is an excellent way todo that.
You can invest in real estate,you can invest in yourself and
(06:07):
start building wealth, so I'mexcited to share that with
people.
What other resources do we have?
We have education.
Act NOW.
Entrepreneurship.
Speaker 1 (06:15):
I'm familiar with ACT NOW.
Speaker 2 (06:19):
I'm trying to think what, like?
Speaker 1 (06:21):
my mind is blank right now, which is terrible,
but Well, definitely, I knowit's all listed on your website
so we're gonna put put all it onthere.
I need to link you up with mylast interview that I had with
robert tolan.
He is a.
He lives up in ventura countyhere in california, which I
guess is kind of rural outsideof los angeles area.
There's a little.
I guess you get up to the upperparts of that county and
(06:41):
there's a little more country.
But I need to connect with himbecause he is a great asset of
resources and just advice,especially for the Southern
California area.
So, overall, can you share someof the most impactful programs
or events that you've organizedso far?
Speaker 2 (06:58):
Our first big multi-day event was in June this
past year in 2024.
Multi-day event was in Junethis past year in 2024.
We took it was like a thirditeration of what we've been
doing, but we took it and spreadit over two days.
So we had today, we had ourgolf tournament and date nights.
So we brought in speakers fromacross the country.
(07:21):
They came in and did a FreedomFirst speaker panel and then
turned like our little theaterinto a 1940s post-World War II
celebration lounge.
It was really really cool.
Had them talk about whatfreedom means to them and things
like that, and that really gotthe community engaged and that
got other veterans that aren'tused to engaging in forums like
that talking and feeling somecamaraderie.
(07:43):
So that was really really cool.
And then we had a flag ceremony.
So we had one flag in theground for every veteran that
had served in that county sincethe Revolutionary War.
So there's about 3,000 flags.
That was also very cool.
And then the next day was likethe big event.
We had veteran resources, craftvendors, food trucks, music.
Tristan Trick came up.
(08:04):
We had some cool music therefor the town.
It was just really acelebration of rural veterans
and their families and the goalwith these events is to have
communities that love to supportveterans, but they don't know
how to support them.
Beyond saying like thank you foryour service and hanging a
banner on Main Street, how doyou support them in an
(08:24):
actionable way?
And, as a result of that event,people learn how to support
them, and so after that I wouldhave people texting me, emailing
me, like, Michelle, I know thisperson is struggling.
Do you have any resources forthem?
Whereas before they didn't knowwho to go to, and we have a
legion in town up there andthey're really, really great
resources.
(08:45):
I want to help revitalizeAmerican legions in small towns,
but if you're a civilian, itkind of feels like you're on the
outside between.
These resources allowed peopleto ask and just get curious, and
(09:09):
so I thought that was a reallyreally cool thing.
Speaker 1 (09:12):
Yeah, it can be really almost scary or unnerving
for a civilian to walk up intoa military environment and not
understand the language, thelingo or not feel like they're a
part.
I was dealing with militaryspouses.
A lot of times they don't feellike they're part of the whole
(09:32):
military experience.
A lot of times they have sortof imposter syndrome and I know
that you're a military spouseand still going strong after all
these years right With dealingwith the military life, the
moving and things like that.
How do you think that has,overall, inspired you so far
with this whole nonprofit thatyou're doing, geared towards the
specific target audience thatyou're seeking to help?
Speaker 2 (09:55):
In a lot of ways.
I mean here we're at Fort Bragg, liberty and the community here
is so is so cool.
I mean, the military spousecommunity, specifically at Fort
Liberty, is just unreal.
There's fantastic ladies andmen doing awesome things and
that in itself is reallyinspiring.
(10:16):
We chose to live in the countryoutside of the noise of brag and
it just it reminds me why I'mdoing what I'm doing because I
chose to live out here, becauseI wanted this lifestyle of rural
peace and quiet.
I wanted to raise my kids, youknow where they could get dirty
and be part of cultivating theland and things like that.
(10:39):
But you do feel isolated outhere and there's not.
I mean, we live in adevelopment but like we're all
still pretty spread out so youhave to make an effort to go
meet your neighbors and knowyour neighbors and a lot of
people who move to rural areasare not doing that.
If you're an outsider moving toa rural area, it's pretty
(11:01):
intimidating because you havelike your groups, you have your
cliques.
Rural areas are very tight knit, very suspicious of outsiders
and not everybody is like me.
Where I go and knock on mydoors and say hi, you know, I'm
Michelle, we're the Langs.
If you hear yelling, it's justme and my kids, like I don't
call the cops, but noteverybody's like that.
So that's why I'm reallyexcited about building this
(11:25):
online community so people canhave that and then they can be
encouraged to create thesein-person little meetups around
the country, like that's what Isee happening with our online
community understand they'resaying well, what's, what's the
problem?
Speaker 1 (11:45):
like, you have the same benefits as everybody else.
Like, why is there a problemwith that bridge of of being in
the military or getting out ofthe military?
Understand that, even with frommy personal experience.
When I went in active duty asan officer, um, I commissioned
and then months later I was OBCand then next thing you know,
I'm in Iraq.
Next thing you know, I'm like.
(12:08):
At my first duty station Iliterally lost connection with
everybody that I went to collegewith Everybody back from my
hometown.
It was almost like andespecially back then there
wasn't the internet like it istoday we weren't following each
other on Facebook and everythinglike that.
But you just start a whole newchapter in your life and you
know things change and peoplechange.
Paths literally split off intoyou know why intersections and
(12:32):
people go different ways andwhen you come back you don't
have those same roots anymore.
They're gone.
You know anyone that you knewthe chances that you had to
network.
You know and I always tell folksthat when you get out of the
military to find the idealsalary, the ideal position, the
ideal job location, all thosethree things in one basket is
(12:53):
very difficult to do becauseyou've spent the last like four
plus years doing military stuffthat 95 of the country would
never understand what the hellit even means.
They don't know.
So I've sat across fromrecruits before having a
conversation talking about whatan army captain does, what I did
when I was at war, and they'rejust looking at me like deer in
(13:15):
the headlights.
They have no idea.
So that's what we're talkingabout when we're talking about
you know needing the resourcesand the support because it takes
time to get gelled back withthe community and get gelled
back with the civilian life.
And you know it's great thatyou are so geared and I know
you're a busy mom and you're amilitary spouse and you've got
(13:36):
all these things going on inyour life.
Michelle, you know, over thenext five to 10 years I mean you
mentioned that you want tostart these smaller rural
communities all over the US andright now you're in Raleigh,
right?
Speaker 2 (13:48):
Yeah, we're just south of it.
Speaker 1 (13:50):
So the event that you just did, what city was that in
?
Speaker 2 (13:53):
That was in Pennsylvania.
Speaker 1 (13:55):
Pennsylvania.
Speaker 2 (13:56):
Very, very rural like , not even close to any city.
My hometown, mccombsburg,pennsylvania, is where it was at
.
This year we're doing it againin Pennsylvania, but we're doing
another one here close to FortLiberty, because every year we
want to add another event.
My goal long term is to do oneof these Operation Honorary
events in every 50.
I would love to do it all inthe same weekend, like every
(14:18):
year.
I think that would be so cool.
But that's a long term goalbecause people just felt so
supported there and people don'tdo things for rural America and
I really think and the peopleon my team, we just believe that
rural America is like the nextold new frontier, that's, that's
where it's at.
There's so much opportunitythere.
People, especially after beingisolated for a couple of years,
(14:43):
you know people want to go andthey want to heal and people are
moving to the country to dothat.
Speaker 1 (14:49):
Yeah, I live in LA and there's just in the last
couple of years there's been amass exodus of people leaving
the big city, moving out intoIdaho, texas, nevada, utah, just
getting out of here, you know,because it's just, I think it's
more of a mental meditation moreor less just to get out and be
in nature and be around peopleand try to ground yourself with
(15:10):
family.
So, overall, what is one thingthat people misunderstand about
rural communities and theirveterans?
Speaker 2 (15:20):
Probably the number one thing about rural
communities.
Growing up in a rural community, I know this for a fact.
If you're not from ruralAmerica, people automatically
assume that you're dumber thanthem always.
I mean, we've been called allsorts of things, you know,
hillbilly.
Even the town next to us usedto call my uh school stump
(15:41):
humpers.
Speaker 1 (15:42):
I mean just like so I like to see that mascot I know,
but they, just they.
Speaker 2 (15:46):
I mean people think that people live, that live in
rural america, are are dumberthan them, are less than, and
that is so far from the truth.
Farmers especially, they'reengineers, they're innovative,
they're hardworking, they'remechanics.
Speaker 1 (16:03):
A lot of common sense .
Speaker 2 (16:05):
So much and the way that they can.
Just, it's almost intuitive howthey can look at a machine and
figure it out because they haveto, because it costs too much to
take it to a mechanic to repaira million dollar piece of
equipment, and that's thereality.
I think that's the biggestmisconception of rural America.
Number two veterans living inrural America are not
(16:28):
identifying as rural veterans.
That's not really a coined term, that's not something that
people say, and there'sdefinitely different needs that
are associated with ruralveterans, like the lack of
healthcare options, and peopledon't understand community care
or they've been told that theycan't use community care when
(16:51):
that's not true.
Sometimes you have to fight thesystem a little bit and say,
yeah, it is within my rights touse community care and this is
in the community care network.
That's the reality.
That's happening too.
Also, accessing telehealth, youhave broadband issues.
There are so many issues thatrural veterans deal with that
they may not even know thatthey're dealing with, because
(17:13):
they don't one know it's anoption to ask a question,
because when you're in themilitary you don't ask questions
, right, you just you do whatyou're supposed to do.
So now you're in the civilianworld where, like, something
doesn't go your way, well, nowyou need to advocate for
yourself.
Whenever you've been, it's beenbeat into you not to advocate
for yourself because somebodyelse is supposed to be taking
(17:33):
care of you, taking care of theproblem.
So my goal is to really open uppeople's eyes to the
possibility of growth andthriving where they're at, by
just using the benefits that areavailable to them.
Speaker 1 (17:47):
Yeah, I think that's huge One of the things I think
in my intro I talk about.
You know, when the cadence youknow fades out, who's going to
tell you when to pivot and howto pivot?
And nobody will, and reallyit's kind of a backstabbing
world in a certain sense.
My first job coming out of themilitary, there were other
(18:07):
supervisors there that literallywere all about sabotaging
because I was 27.
I was educated, had a master'sdegree, came back, had combat.
I basically outclassed them onpaper, so they thought that I
was a threat and they treated melike so, and so it was almost
sabotage sometimes, butfortunately I did have other
(18:28):
veteran supervisors there thatwere willing to help me out.
But it was still a really roughstorm to ride out when you're
that young and you're just'rejust trying to make it like at
the end of the day.
I'd really love to hear some ofyour memorable success stories
that you've had so far.
It's been what three years foryou doing this right, yeah gosh
(18:51):
there's.
Speaker 2 (18:52):
this is the tough part, because I I don't often
get to see the final result ofpeople's journey and their
growth.
Like last gosh was it.
Last year I had somebody callme and she was very, very upset.
It was very difficult for herto get out the words that she
needed to say.
She had been through a lot andshe was alone in a new city and
(19:17):
she needed support.
She was very sick.
Anyway, long story short, wewere able to connect her with
the resources that she needed toget her through that rough
patch.
Mentally she was not doing well.
We could connect her withpeople.
That's what she needed, and Idid have people report back to
(19:37):
me that she was doing well and,you know, standing on her own
two feet again, and that's um.
That was really good to hear,because a lot of times I just
point people to resources, I doa warm handoff and get them in
the system, Um, and then I don'tget.
I don't know what happens tothem.
(19:59):
I work so hard with so manypeople.
I just had another veteran inWisconsin who transportation is
an issue.
He couldn't get to appointments.
He couldn't get to these other.
He was battling some legalstuff too, and and I was the
only person that wanted to talkto him about it and pointed him
to resources and kept fightingfor him.
And what I've learned aboutpeople that ask for help is that
(20:23):
they are some of the mostresilient, strong people because
they're out there willing to dothe work and keep fighting for
themselves.
And I think that there's thismisconception that if you ask
for help, that you're weak andyou're not a man.
But the people that I talk tothat are coming to me asking for
resources.
Whether it's I'm about to behomeless or I need help with the
(20:46):
VA or I need anentrepreneurship resource,
there's a whole gamut of people.
The people that ask for helpare the strongest people.
They're the people that arewilling to fight for their lives
and fight for their future, andI think that's really, really
important for people to rememberIf you're thinking about asking
for help.
It takes a lot of strength todo that.
Speaker 1 (21:06):
Yeah, it definitely does.
I know, when I first got out ofthe military myself, I
literally threw everything away.
I wanted nothing to do with themilitary.
I wanted to separate myself.
I didn't want to be identifiedas a military.
I would never talk about itreally all that much.
Other people would remind meabout it, but I just wanted to
move on with my life.
And then here I am back at thetable again, trying to help out
the community with justawareness, spreading awareness
(21:28):
and getting involved withnonprofits and speaking to
absolutely fascinating folkslike yourself who are so driven
to run a non-profit like this.
Um, and I and I totally see theneed of it um, I grew up part of
my life in the middle ofcornfields in ohio, so, living
in a rural community, um, I knowthat it's very limited access
(21:49):
and folks out there sometimes,you know, just like everywhere
else, for the most part you knowthey don't want the help.
You know I got it like I'mgonna.
I'm to shoulder this myself andI'm going to move on and drive
on Like we're always taught inthe military overall, like
collaboration wise.
Do you have any plans, um, topartner to maximize your impact?
Like is the VFW or AmericanLegion, uh, in the works to, I
(22:13):
mean, cause I know they have avery massive outreach out there,
but anything like that in thefuture we, we do, and I just
brought somebody on our boardwho is gladly taking over
strategic partnerships, whichI'm very glad.
Speaker 2 (22:27):
That's his strong suit and that's something that
we're going to focus on on 2025.
Because they're, like, evenhere in north carolina north
carolina is the second, uh,highest rural veteran population
in the united states.
Texas is number one, northcarolina is number two, but
(22:49):
we're not doing much.
Like I and I think, like out ofthe 100 counties here in north
carolina, like 90% of thosecounties are rural.
So North Carolina is super,super rural.
There's a Rural EconomicDevelopment Center here that's
really active.
We are a national brand, but wealso need to look at what we can
do locally.
So, going into these differentstates, seeing who we can
(23:12):
partner with Like in NorthCarolina, it's the Rural
Economic Development Center, inPennsylvania, it might be the PA
Department of Veteran Affairsso we have to be very strategic
about different states and theirneeds, because that's another
reason that people are gettingoverlooked is it's not just a
blanket fix for every state orevery population.
(23:35):
You know, every everybody hastheir own culture between these
states, and so that's somethingthat we're also keeping in mind,
too is how can we serve themthe best based on what they
actually need, not what theywhat we think they need.
Speaker 1 (23:50):
Yeah, I think that that's that's being specific and
being on target with the actualresource and the help is really
important.
The authenticity is also, youknow, as equally important.
So if somebody reaches out toyou that lives in like Arkansas,
are you able to provide themwith assistance for resources
out there?
Speaker 2 (24:09):
I thought I just helped somebody in Arkansas, but
it was Alabama.
Yeah, arkansas, I mean anywherein the United States.
That's what we do.
Is we just connect people toresources?
If you can't use what's on ourwebsite, which is growing, our
goal is to have no more than ahundred resources on there,
because I don't want it to beoverwhelming.
But if you can't use what's onthere, I'm doing the work
(24:30):
personally to connect you withthe right people in your state
or close to your hometown.
Speaker 1 (24:35):
Yeah, I think that's huge because sometimes folks can
get kind of lost in the sauce.
You know, when you're Googlingyou're just calling like numbers
that don't work anymore,emailing emails that don't work
anymore, trying to find thathelp right and things just
aren't updated Overall.
How does Operation Auto RuleSalute contribute to the broader
policy or changes or awarenessfor our rule veterans overall?
Speaker 2 (25:02):
well, one of the things that I really want to
work with the va on specificallyis better access to community
care, because that is that'shuge.
In my town, in my hometown inPennsylvania, people have to
drive at least an hour and ahalf to get to a VA.
(25:25):
So I mean, some of them do that, but then some of them don't do
that because that's eating uptheir entire day.
People don't have the time offor they don't have a driver.
Meanwhile there's a criticalaccess hospital with a specialty
service clinic right there thatthey could have a relationship
with, but they don't know aboutcommunity care.
(25:46):
They don't know that they cango 45 minutes away to take care
of these things.
So people's health is sufferingand health problems are not
getting caught because they'rejust not going and utilizing
care that they've earned.
Speaker 1 (25:59):
You know and for folks that don't know, what are
you talking about when youmentioned community care.
Speaker 2 (26:03):
So the VA, in order to try and limit these health
care gaps for people that eitherare too far from VA or if the
VA is too overwhelmed, they havedesignated.
They've basically builtpartnerships with local
hospitals or local specialistswhere you can go to that
specialist and you can be seenand it's still covered under
(26:23):
your insurance through the VA.
But unfortunately, a lot ofpeople don't know that this
program even exists.
Speaker 1 (26:30):
Right, and actually I heard that they had tried to
get rid of it last year heardthat they had tried to get rid
of it last year.
Yeah, there's I yeah, yeah, Imean because that's what I had
heard from someone that works atthe VA, but I mean it's still
there and I think they shoulddefinitely keep it.
(27:00):
Lobby to keep that programbecause it is huge.
I live in los angeles and, yes,the west, la west, la va is
like maybe 12 to 15 miles frommy house, but in los angeles
that's a that's a two-hour drivethrough the city.
You can't just look on a mapand go plot, plot.
Oh yeah, it's just gonna.
You know, and it's folks thatlive out in rural communities.
They might be 100 miles awayfrom you know the nearest city
where they might have a facilityto give them their specific
care, because you know there'scertain VAs hospitals that are
(27:23):
different sizes and offerdifferent things.
So that community care thing isactually huge for our veterans
to have access to.
Speaker 2 (27:31):
It is really big and they did.
They did try and limit it, andso I'm going to be interested to
see that and I don't know ifpeople don't don't realize this,
but it is.
It's an administration thing.
So, yeah, the the passive, thisoutgoing administration, not
super wonderful for va relatedthings.
So I'll be interested to seewhat the next administration
(27:54):
does, because that was somethingthat I think did grow the last
time Trump was in office.
But community care is, I meanpeople just are not going to the
hospital, they're not going tosee doctors, and without it,
people just aren't going,they're not going to us till
it's too late, right, whichcosts more money.
Speaker 1 (28:17):
Yeah, no doubt.
And you know the underlyingthing with that, with the
resources, is you know theveteran suicide rates.
You know everything we'retalking about, you know has a
foundational stem towards that.
You know whether it's you canfind a job, whether it's you can
get the proper healthcare.
You know the proper help thatyou need.
I mean all that stuff.
I mean folks can sometimes feelkind of boxed in when they're
(28:41):
kind of transplanted out oftheir community and then thrown
back into it again.
Things have changed.
I mean let's not even get intothe conversations Like when we
were at war.
I remember I had two soldiersbefore I came back that
absolutely begged me.
They begged me to extend, theywanted to stay in Iraq longer.
And I was like why?
And they said because when I gohome I'm divorced, everything
(29:04):
that I had is gone my house,when I get home, I'm going to
have to take all my stuff andput it in storage because my
wife left me while I wasdeployed.
Just imagine coming back fromsomething like that and not
having the resources that youneed, and they both lived in a
rural community.
So I really think that stufflike this is very impactful.
(29:27):
The work that you're doingspecifically?
I kind of know the answer tothis already, but I want to
really underline it.
What keeps you passionate anddriven about serving rural
communities and the veterans outthere?
Speaker 2 (29:39):
I mean, I'm a rural girl at heart.
I am a hick you don't soundlike it.
Speaker 1 (29:44):
You don't have the accent.
Speaker 2 (29:47):
I know it's funny, though, because last time we
were home for Thanksgiving myhusband was like boy, I have
full county accents coming out.
And it's so funny because whenI was back.
Yeah, when I would go home atcollege from college, I only my
college was about an hour hour,a little bit over an hour, away
from me, but when I would comeback on break, all my friends
(30:07):
would be like, boy, you soundlike a redneck.
Speaker 1 (30:11):
I don't know, it just does something to me it's the
same thing with me and likepigeon English.
When I go back to Hawaii, it'slike it just comes back again.
And then when I go to Ohio andI'm around my dad, it's like
that that Ohio accent comes backout again.
I'm sounding like a countrysinger.
So no, I understand Totally.
Speaker 2 (30:28):
Yeah, I don't.
I mean there's just so muchgood.
I'm so passionate about ruralAmerica and my own family's
personal struggles when myhusband was a veteran for the
couple months that he was aveteran.
That really grounds me and Iknow how much work that we've
had to do as a family and as acouple and just as individuals
to get through that lack ofresources and that time and I
(30:51):
just don't want people toexperience that and I see so
much growth and potential inrural America and my dream is to
revitalize rural America withrural veterans and their
families by being so mentallywell and so supported
financially well that they justtake over and help these rural
(31:13):
communities blossom and flourishand get back to that small town
.
You know boom that we we hadlong ago yeah, I miss it, man.
Speaker 1 (31:23):
So I, like I said I grew up part of my life in ohio
and what you said about earlier,I forgot to really comment
about that.
But folks, I guess stereotyping, thinking that people that are
out from the country are dumb,that's, that's not.
The folks from the country knowhow to swing an axe, they know
how to like mechanically fixthings, they know how to get and
I didn't know it until I movedto this giant city of la like
(31:45):
how much I knew.
Like people around here make mefeel like bob vila, because I'm
freaking.
I mean I'll change a lightfixture out and put a ceiling
fan in and they're like, oh, didyou do that magic?
It's like no, it's like thewires are already there, dummy.
Like you just connect the samecolored wires together and put a
wire nut on it, it's like duh.
But no, I totally think that,like folks out, my dad is so
(32:08):
like intuitively just good withhis hands and good just can
build things like I envy thatand so you know that's.
You're right about that.
That is a misconception totally, and I'm just like I don't know
.
I guess that just comes fromthe hot, the, the um, beverly,
hillbillies and all thosesitcoms back in the day or
whatever, but uh, well theydon't speak properly, it's
(32:28):
because you know we we don'ttalk right nobody does you know
I say things like hey, you guys,you need to rent up your room.
Speaker 2 (32:35):
I don't know if you guys ever said that out there
that's a Pennsylvania Dutchthing.
But yeah, rent up your room.
We're saying things like helter, skelter and all this stuff and
people are just like you speakin another language it's not
even English Like that's notright.
So they just think you're dumb.
Speaker 1 (32:51):
It's like, well, you know, if you think about it,
like nobody speaks correct.
Because you go to boston, yougo to like new england, you got
the accent there.
You go to florida, they speak acertain way.
You go to like new orleans,louisiana area, it's different.
You go to out here tocalifornia, hawaii, texas,
everybody's got like thesedifferent accents and I I can
hear it sometimes when peopleare talking and I'll be like are
(33:11):
you, are you from this state?
And usually I get it right.
You know, usually I can.
But uh it's the chameleons likeyou that are difficult, because
when you go back to yourhometown you pick up that accent
again, and it's the same thingwith me too.
Like I, sometimes I sound likeI'm from the islands and
sometimes I sound like I'm fromOhio, so it just depends where
you catch me at.
But overall, michelle, how canlisteners get involved with
(33:34):
Operational Otter Rule?
Salute and support your mission.
Speaker 2 (33:38):
Well, you can find us at ohrulesaluteorg and there we
have a signup link where youcan get on our email list.
You can follow us on Instagramor Facebook.
Operational Honor Rule Salute.
I mean, every nonprofit alwaysneeds volunteers.
We always need volunteers, wealways need ambassadors, and
even just spreading the wordthat there's resources out there
(34:00):
for rural America, wheneverthat wasn't the point of their
nonprofit, but how I can getthem to lean into this audience
(34:23):
to support them, is really,really cool.
So I know that's not what youasked for, but I get really
excited about this.
Speaker 1 (34:29):
No, I can tell you're super passionate.
I know you've been in it forquite for a few years now, so
you don't do something like this.
I mean usually in the firstyear or so people decide am I in
this or am I out of this?
So you've been at it and I knowyou've been working extremely
hard.
Now, just to wrap things up forthis interview, is there
anything that I didn't mentionthat you'd like to mention
before we finish off?
Speaker 2 (34:49):
No, I mean, the only thing is, if you guys want to be
part of our online community,go to our website and sign up to
join the community and thenfrom there, we are going to be
adding some subject matterexperts this year and we're
going to be adding some lives.
So, like, you can talk to abenefits expert live.
You can talk to a VA loanspecialist live, things like
(35:10):
that.
So that will be a very cooladdition for 2025.
You just go to ohrollsaluteorgand then click sign up.
Speaker 1 (35:19):
OH Roll Salute folks.
I will make sure that all yourinformation, all your social
media links are down in thedescription.
If you're listening to this onpodcast or if you're on YouTube,
go down the description.
It's all going to be down thereas well.
Make sure you connect withMichelle If you're interested in
being involved in a nonprofit.
That's very meaningful and thisis close to your heart.
Please join the cause and helpher out with getting this thing
(35:44):
nationwide Because, like shesays, she wants to touch every
single state, all 50 states,maybe 51 if Canada joins us and
then Mexico joins us too, maybe52.
Who knows right?
So we'll see about that in thenext four years, but anyways,
wild times knows right, so we'llsee about that in the next four
years, but anyways, wild timesFor folks out there.
Michelle, I want to thank youfor joining me again on the
Morning Formation Podcast.
It's been about a year or two.
(36:05):
It's great to see your growth.
It's awesome to be a part ofyour circle.
For everyone else out there, asalways, I want you to stay
tuned, stay focused and staymotivated.
Warriors fall out.
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