We Happy Few

David Hollingsworth joined the U.S. Army to get away from a broken heart. But in 1982, there wasn't much "going on" in the military. Still, it was serving in a time of peace that he learned life lessons that still resonate in his life. One of the things he learned as an MP is that there is always a job to be done - even if it's not the job you expect to be doing. This would become more important later in life w...

Thea Jorgensen was a little older than her fellow soldiers in Basic Training, being almost 10 years older than most recruits, and because of that, she felt she had a lot to prove. That desire to outwork those around her has persisted. Serving in the Public Relation field has given her the chance to meet the family members of those who have made the ultimate sacrifice. On top of all of that she is also a busines...

Retired Chief Master Sergeant Jody Hanks always saw himself as a non-conformist, but that didn’t stop him from joining the AirForce and making a career out of it. Over the years he learned that real leadership takes leaders that are willing to say what some might not have the courage to say and listening to those you have responsibility for. Serving at Keeler AFB in Biloxi, Mississippi after Hurricane Kat...

On September 11, 2001 terrorists hijacked four U.S. passenger planes, flying two of them into the World Trade Towers in Manhattan and another into the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. The fourth plane crashed in rural Pennsylvania, when passengers overpowered the hijackers, ensuring it didn't make it to its intended target. Nearly 3,000 people lost their lives in the Sept. 11th attacks.

Social Media is being floode...

To look at Sofia Olds you wouldn’t think she was a Staff Sergeant in the US Army Reserves or the mother of seven beautiful children. But it wouldn’t be the first time she shattered preconceived notions about who she is or what she is capable of accomplishing. She's spent her life surpassing expectations.

In this episode, SSgt Sofia Olds talks about the influence the military has had on her life, fro...

Isolation is an issue I have experienced first-hand as a veteran who lives with depression and PTSD, as a result of military service. I've battled that by creating connections through service organizations that help veterans reconnect to their purpose and community. Now all of us find ourselves in a situation where we are isolated. So how have these organizations adjusted their mission of helping and suppo...

David Moss started his military career in the Idaho Army National Guard and wanted to serve until he could retire. Always outspoken, Dave had a run in a 1st Sergeant and ended his career after 10 years of service. After the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, Dave wanted to serve in the military again, but he knew this time it would be as an officer. Dave served in Iraq and after returning home got a job a...

When an opportunity to capture a historical parachute jump into Normandy on the 75th anniversary, Utah filmmaker Zane O'Gwin knew he wanted to be part of it. He quickly learned there was more to the story than the decision of a group of veterans to try and honor World War II veterans who parachuted into France as part of the Normandy invasion by the allied troops.

From telling the story of a Gold Star mom to th...

Growing up Casey Talbot always thought he'd be an Idaho dairy farmer, even though he also dreamed about serving his country as a soldier. After going to school to study veterinary medicine he got a job in Fairgrove, Missouri, where a colleague was preparing to leave on an Army deployment. Shortly after that, circumstances in his life allowed the father of five to reconsider military service. He joined the Army ...

As a newlywed in 1968, the last thing Jean Donaldson expected was for her husband of five months to come home from a trip to Salt Lake City with news that he was leaving college to join the U.S. Marine Corps. She was five months pregnant with their first child (who happens to be Loudmouth's own Amy Donaldson) when he enlisted, and she delivered their second child as he slept in field in Vietnam on Christmas Eve...

The Oath of Enlistment is something all branches of the military have in common. In this special Veterans Day episode, we invited service members and their families to share their thoughts on what the oath means in their lives. Those who share their feelings are: Keimon Dixson, Krista Palmer, Josh Hanson, Marcy Henly, Ninzel Rassmuson, Layne Morris, Maj. Gen. Stacey Hawkins, Fred Tapia, Dan Bucio, Arlo Doyle, a...

Sgt. Mike Hendry joined the U.S. Army after deciding college wasn't the path for him. He gravitated to the grittiest assignments and found purpose alongside his brothers in the 82nd Airborne and 10th Mountain Division (light infantry) for "six years and 16 weeks to the day." He served in both Iraq and Afghanistan in two different deployments, and in this episode he talks about serving in Iraq and how his servic...

Ninzel Rasmuson's desire to serve her brothers and sisters in the Armed Forces didn't end when her service in the Air National Guard ended. In this episode, she talks about the impacts of working as a mishap investigator, having sons that serve in the U.S. Marine Corps, and starting a nonprofit (Honor365) that helps veterans navigate the labyrinth of service providers and non-profits as they try to adjust to li...

Homeless and broke, Marcy Hehnly decided to meet with an Army recruiter when she was 20-years old. Four years earlier, she'd lost her mother to cancer, which led to struggles with her father as they both tried to rebuild their lives. It was a decision that not only changed her life, but it showed her the value of service and created a family structure that shaped her career decisions and sustains her emotionall...

On this episode of We Happy Few Amy Donaldson and Jason Comstock visit with WWII veteran SSgt Stanley Nance and his great granddaughter Madeline about his service and the secret she recently learned. SSgt Nance served in a unit during the war the German High Command dubbed the Ghost Army. His war experience was classified until 1996. The one time he shared it with his daughter she didn't believe him, and he nev...

In this episode, Jason Comstock talks with Daniel and Angie Bucio about his service in the U.S. Navy Reserves. Dan immigrated to the United States from Mexico after his family learned that his grandfather was a U.S. citizen and had served in World War II. Like many Americans, Dan felt a desire to serve his adopted homeland after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. He's served all over the world, but his fi...

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