Podcast
Vetted Conversations
Hosted by Vetted Conversations · ENGLISH
Welcome to Vetted Conversations, where we explore the foundations, workings, and challenges of American self-governance with events, quality dialogue, and through our podcast. Our mission is to equip you with the knowledge and insights needed to become informed and engaged citizens, actively participating in safeguarding our liberties and freedoms.
57episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Everyone Can Be a Patriot - Between Two Flags
2d ago00:34:25Tap to summarizeMeet James L McCormick II and his son James McCormick III—two Army veterans showing that service doesn't end when the uniform comes off. A retired Captain and current Executive Director of Government Affairs at Vietnam Veterans of America, James Sr. leads at the national level. His son volunteers locally in West Virginia, building community from the ground up. What does it look like when two generations serve their country in completely different ways?This conversation gets personal fast. James Sr. shares how watching his own sons deploy transformed his commitment to supporting veterans when they come home. He and Jimmy also dig into something America needs to hear right now: how families and veterans can disagree politically without tearing each other apart. In a moment when political differences are destroying relationships, these two offer a quiet, powerful reminder that you can vote differently and still love your family. Still respect your fellow Americans. Still serve civilly.This one's about the shape of continued service. About choosing to show up locally when nobody's watching. And about the veterans and military families willing to model the kind of disagreement that doesn't require hate.Listen to hear how James and Jimmy are building civic life one conversation at a time.#vettedconversations#flagday#veterans#military#westvirginiaSupport the showFor more, check us out at www.wetheveterans.us and at https://linktr.ee/vettedconversations
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Public Service Leaders | Veterans in Different Levels of Government
1w ago00:41:14Tap to summarizeRecorded live at the 2026 Flag Day Convening, this panel brings together three leaders who've carried the values of service from the military into the halls of government. Colorado State Senate President Leroy Garcia, military spouse and Capitol Hill veteran Heba Abdelaal, and Loudoun County Supervisor (and retired Air Force colonel) Michael Turner sit down to talk about what happens when a sense of duty doesn't end at discharge, it just changes uniforms.They open up about the moments that shaped them, the lines they've had to walk, and the lessons that don't always make it into a resume.They get candid about identity, bipartisanship, and what it really means to serve your community when no one's handing out medals for it. This is a conversation about leadership without rank, and why showing up for your neighbors, your county, your country is a responsibility that belongs to all of us.#vettedconversations#flagday#military#veteran#militaryspouseSupport the showFor more, check us out at www.wetheveterans.us and at https://linktr.ee/vettedconversations
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"Come Hell or High Water" - Administering the 2020 Election during the COVID-19 Epidemic
3w ago00:36:30Tap to summarizeThe people running your elections aren't strangers in some distant office. They're your neighbors, little league coaches, and crossing guards - and a lot of them are veterans and military family members.Recorded live at our 2026 Flag Day Convening in Washington, D.C., this episode brings three election officials to the stage: Pinal County Recorder Dana Lewis (Air Force veteran), Miller County Clerk Clinton Jenkins (Air Force veteran), and Tim Benyo (Army veteran and 20-year election administrator from Lehigh County, Pennsylvania). Together they pull back the curtain on one of the most misunderstood jobs in American civic life.They share what it actually takes to pull off an election: recruiting bipartisan poll workers, standing up outdoor polling sites during COVID, and rerouting around washed-out roads and even the occasional wild horse. They also get real about what's changed since 2020, the misinformation, the threats, and the hours spent inviting skeptics in to see the process for themselves. Their answer to distrust isn't defensiveness. It's radical transparency, and the same mission-first mindset they carried in uniform.If you've ever wondered who actually runs your elections, this conversation is for you.#VettedConversations#NewPodcastEpisode#ComeHellOrHighWater#VetTheVote#ElectionOfficials#ContinuedServiceSupport the showFor more, check us out at www.wetheveterans.us and at https://linktr.ee/vettedconversations
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“Civics Not Politics” Veterans Leading in the Nonpartisan Election Space
4w ago00:24:08Tap to summarizeWhen veterans show up to protect our elections, they're not picking a side, they're keeping a promise.In this episode, we sit down with two leaders who are channeling the credibility and commitment of the veteran and military family community into one of the most contested arenas in American public life: election administration. Alberto Ramos, CEO of Veterans for All Voters, and Chris Purdy, Founder and CEO of The Chamberlain Network, join host Ingrid Sundlee for a conversation about why veterans may be exactly who this moment calls for.Veterans swear an oath to the Constitution, not to a party, not to a candidate. That oath, both guests argue, is precisely what makes them uniquely positioned to serve as nonpartisan messengers in a polarized political landscape. From training veterans and military family members as poll workers and civic educators to advocating for election reforms that expand participation, their organizations are proving that defending free and fair elections is itself a form of continued service.We dig into the real work: how these organizations keep their veterans on message when political conversations heat up, how they engage not just veterans but military spouses, Gold Star families, and the broader military community, and how they're addressing one issue that rarely gets enough attention — the critical importance of mail-in voting for active duty service members and veterans living overseas.If you believe that protecting the integrity of our elections shouldn't be a partisan issue, this conversation is for you.#VettedConversations#NewPodcastEpisode#CivicsNotPolitics#VeteransForAllVoters#TheChamberlainNetworkSupport the showFor more, check us out at www.wetheveterans.us and at https://linktr.ee/vettedconversations
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SEASON 4 EPISODE 17 | Still in the Game with Jon Brace
May 400:07:18Tap to summarizeLosing a leg in 2020 could have been the end of John Brace's athletic story. Instead, it was the beginning of a new one. In this episode, Anil sits down with Marine Corps veteran and wheelchair football quarterback John Brace, who joined the Move United Wheelchair Football League as a rookie linebacker and ended up calling plays under center when his team needed him most. They talk about the road from military service to adaptive athletics, what it means to show up for newly amputated veterans as a living example of what's possible, and why disability is never the period at the end of the sentence. As America turns 250, John's message about pride, purpose, and the many ways to keep serving hits differently.Learn more about Move United Wheelchair Football League at moveunitedsport.orgVetted Conversations is available on YouTube & wherever you listen to podcasts!••#VettedConversations#NewPodcastEpisode#JonBrace#MoveUnitedSport#MoveUnitedWheelChairFootballLeague#AnilNathan#AdaptiveAthletics#Veterans#MilitaryFamiliesSupport the showFor more, check us out at www.wetheveterans.us and at https://linktr.ee/vettedconversations
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SEASON 4 EPISODE 16 | Protecting the Mind After the Game with BetterBrain
Apr 2900:11:20Tap to summarizeEleven years of professional football leaves a mark and former defensive end Patrick Kerney has spent a lot of time thinking about what that mark might look like decades from now. In this episode, Anil sits down with Patrick and Tom Latkovic, co-founder of Better Brain, to talk about what the latest science says about Alzheimer's and dementia prevention, the risk factors we can actually control, and why veterans dealing with TBI are just as much a part of this conversation as former players. If your brain has taken hits, on the field or in the field, this episode is a good listen.Learn more about BetterBrain at www.betterbrain.comVetted Conversations is available on YouTube & wherever you listen to podcasts!••#VettedConversations#NewPodcastEpisode#PatrickKerney#TomLatkovic#BetterBrain#Alzheimers#AnilNathan#Veterans#MilitaryFamiliesSupport the showFor more, check us out at www.wetheveterans.us and at https://linktr.ee/vettedconversations
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SEASON 4 EPISODE 15 | Growing Up Military with KevOnStage
Apr 2700:07:45Tap to summarizeKevin Fredericks, known to the internet as KevOnStage, is a comedian and content creator who has built a massive following on laughs. But in this episode, he brings something else too. Sitting down with guest host and Army veteran Jermaine Clark, Kevin opens up about growing up as a military brat with a father who served 28 years in the Army and now with a wife who lived the same life. From El Paso to Fort Bragg to Fort Lewis, moving every three years didn't just shape his childhood — it shaped his entire personality. They dig into why adaptability is a superpower, the deep respect Kevin carries for the veteran and military family community, and yes, a little Yacht Rock. The laughs are there, but so is the heart.Watch Kevin’s YouTube Channel at www.youtube.com/@KevOnStageStudiosVetted Conversations is available on YouTube & wherever you listen to podcasts!••#VettedConversations#NewPodcastEpisode#KevinFredericks#KevOnStage#ArmyBrat#JermaineClark#Veterans#MilitaryFamiliesSupport the showFor more, check us out at www.wetheveterans.us and at https://linktr.ee/vettedconversations
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SEASON 4 EPISODE 14 | The Fight After the Fight with Mark Kerr
Apr 2200:11:05Tap to summarizeFormer world-ranked UFC heavyweight champion Mark Kerr knows what it's like to compete in front of 60,000 fans and he knows what it's like when the roar goes quiet. In this conversation, Anil sits down with the subject of The Smashing Machine to explore what fighters and veterans have in common when the spotlight fades: identity loss, mental health struggles, and financial instability. Mark also shares his work with Datavault AI, a blockchain platform taking on stolen valor and helping veterans and athletes own their name, image, and likeness. Listen to this raw, honest conversation about what recovery really looks like and why human connection is at the center of it.Learn more about Datavault AI at https://dvlt.ai/, watch The Smashing Machine on streaming platforms and follow Mark on Instagram at @markkerrtsmVetted Conversations is available on YouTube & wherever you listen to podcasts!••#VettedConversations#NewPodcastEpisode#MarkKerr#UFC#TheSmashingMachine#DatavaultAI#AnilNathan#Veterans#MilitaryFamiliesSupport the showFor more, check us out at www.wetheveterans.us and at https://linktr.ee/vettedconversations
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SEASON 4 EPISODE 13 | Everyone Deserves a Team with Khalid Cannon
Apr 2000:08:02Tap to summarizeAnil sits down with Khalid Cannon, Executive Director of Put Me In, an organization on a mission to make sure kids with incarcerated parents don't have to sit on the sidelines.Khalid's story is as compelling as the work he's doing. Growing up in Alabama with a father in prison, youth sports gave him something invaluable—a place to just be a kid. That experience became the foundation for Put Me In, which is now changing the lives of over 150 families across the country. Khalid also draws a powerful parallel between finding your team on the field and finding your community in the military, and why that sense of belonging isn't a luxury, it's a lifeline.Tune in for a conversation about resilience, purpose, and why everyone deserves a team.Learn more about Put Me In at putmein.orgVetted Conversations is available on YouTube & wherever you listen to podcasts!••#VettedConversations#NewPodcastEpisode#KhalidCannon#PutMeIn#AnilNathan#Veterans#MilitaryFamiliesSupport the showFor more, check us out at www.wetheveterans.us and at https://linktr.ee/vettedconversations
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SEASON 4 EPISODE 12 | Brotherhood on Both Sides with NFL Defensive End Jake Martin
Apr 1500:10:04Tap to summarizeFormer Washington Commanders defensive end Jake Martin joins Anil from Radio Row at Super Bowl LX for a conversation that goes well beyond the football field.Jake opens up about what it took to push through a tough season, the culture Coach Dan Quinn has built in Washington, and why the makings of a great team aren't all that different from the makings of a great unit. With his sister currently serving in the Navy, Jake knows firsthand what service looks like and how that shapes the way he shows up for his teammates.Tune in for a conversation about grit, gratitude, and why America's 250th birthday is worth stopping to celebrate.Vetted Conversations is available on YouTube & wherever you listen to podcasts!••#VettedConversations#NewPodcastEpisode#JakeMartin#WashingtonCommanders#NateBoyer#AnilNathan#Veterans#MilitaryFamiliesSupport the showFor more, check us out at www.wetheveterans.us and at https://linktr.ee/vettedconversations
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