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Tango Alpha Lima Podcast

Tango Alpha Lima Podcast

Hosted by The American Legion

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Episodes

381

Latest episode

Aug 2026

Language

EN

About the show

Three Global War on Terrorism veterans interview military veterans and other influencers in the military community who share stories related to transitioning, valor and heroism, mental wellness and overcoming PTSD, accessing VA benefits and much more. Join us each week for vibrant camaraderie, playful joking and hot takes on current events, interesting trends and quirky stories of interest to the military and veteran community. This weekly podcast is produced by The American Legion. For more stories and videos please visit www.legion.org/tangoalphalima

Listen to episodes

60 recent
August 11, 2026Episode 3131 hr 1 min

From the Pentagon to the Podium: Translating Military Leadership to Business - Tango Alpha Lima

Retired Gen. Matt Smith spent more than 30 years in the Army and National Guard, commanding at every level from company to brigade and serving in strategic roles at the Pentagon. Now, as executive director of Veteran Initiatives at Emory University's Goizueta Business School, he's on a mission to help transitioning servicemembers translate their military leadership into civilian career success.On episode 313 of Tango Alpha Lima, Smith talks about his "Leave It to Beaver" childhood, his path into the Army, and how he now leads Emory's Master of Business for Veterans program. The one-year accredited degree is designed for servicemembers with 20-plus years of service. He breaks down why NCOs are "the ultimate salespeople," how he's educating civilian employers on the value veterans bring to the workforce, and what makes veteran students different from the rest of higher ed.Also in this episode, podcast hosts Stacy Pearsall, Adam Marr and Joe Worley discuss:How the USS Skate made the impossible possible at the North Pole in 1958America’s oldest military decoration that dates back to the Revolutionary War.Why yelling “Geronimo!" became a military tradition thanks to a U.S. Army paratrooper in 1940 at Fort Benning, Ga. , Recruit Miliary and Hiring our HeroesEnter our sweepstakes to win a HumveeEmory University Goizueta Business SchoolGen. Matt Smith on LinkedInTell us Why You Love Your Service Animal

July 28, 2026Episode 3121 hr 17 min

How battlefield archaeology is giving veterans a new career – Tango Alpha Lima

What if the best therapy for a veteran wasn’t in a clinic but in the ground?Stephen Humphreys is a former Air Force officer, PhD archaeologist, and co-founder of American Veterans Archaeological Recovery (AVAR) — the only organization in the United States using professional battlefield archaeology to build long-term careers for veterans. AVAR crews have worked Saratoga, Fort Ticonderoga, the Battle of Camden, and are headed to Bunker Hill. Through a partnership with the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, they have helped bring home the remains of three WWII service members lost for eight decades.Humphreys talks about why veterans belong on these sites, what archaeology gives them that most programs can’t, and why purpose — not sympathy — is what actually changes lives.Also in this episode: a myth-or-fact battlefield archaeology edition that covers what’s still left to find at Revolutionary War sites and whether WWII remains can still come home after 80 years. Plus, a Navy sailor opens a Monster Energy drink and finds something that was definitely not on the label.Your stories. Your service. Your community. This is Tango Alpha Lima.SHOW NOTESLearn more about the birth of NASAAd Break: S.O.A.R.Learn more about Veterans Curation ProgramDig deeper into Stephen's work with AVAREnter the Drive for Freedom Sweepstakes for a chance to win a Humvee! Join The American Legion

July 21, 2026Episode 3111 hr 11 min

Retired Navy SEAL Commander: Mindfulness, Survivor's Guilt, and Leading With Presence - Tango Alpha Lima

Jon Macaskill spent 24 years as a Navy SEAL Commander, leading special operations from 16-man teams to formations of 2,500. He was in the Joint Operations Center the night Operation Red Wings claimed 19 American lives in Afghanistan — men he called his own. What followed was a decade of self-medication and darkness. Then a Navy psychologist suggested mindfulness and meditation. Macaskill laughed at first but then tried it. And it changed everything.Now a leadership coach, speaker, and co-host of the Men Talking Mindfulness podcast, Macaskill joins Tango Alpha Lima hosts Adam Marr and Joe Worley to talk about survivor's guilt, why he started blocking off mental health days in red on his calendar where his sailors could see them, and why hypervigilance and mindfulness are more alike than most veterans think.Also in this episode: the DOJ takes action against a towing company targeting service members, the 80-year history of American Legion Boys Nation, and a myth-or-fact breakdown on meditation and the military.SHOW NOTESLearn more about American Legion Boys NationEnter The American Legion Drive for Freedom SweepstakesLearn more about Jon MacaskillCheck out the Men Talking Mindfulness podcastThe American Legion National Oratorical ContestRead full article: Feds sue towing company for allegedly illegally auctioning off troops’ carsMilitary Myth or Fact? — Mindfulness Edition

July 14, 202640 min

TCAVA explained: What veterans need to know about the Take Care of America's Veterans Act

The Take Care of America's Veterans Act (TCAVA) may be the most consequential piece of veterans legislation in years. But what does it actually do, and how will it affect you?In this special episode of Tango Alpha Lima, host Stacy Pearsall — a combat-wounded, medically retired Air Force veteran whose own benefits could be affected by this bill — sits down with American Legion Legislative Director Cole Lyle to break it all down.They cover what TCAVA does and why The American Legion has invested so heavily in getting it passed, how ratings for tinnitus and sleep apnea may change, what the bill means for mental health services and suicide prevention, improvements to access to care, and major changes for caregivers."Whether you support the bill, oppose parts of it, or simply haven't made up your mind — our goal today is to give you the information you need to make an informed decision."This is essential listening for any veteran, military family member, or caregiver following this legislation.For more information, visit legion.org/tcava.

June 30, 2026Episode 2531 hr 4 min

"Eat Your Feelings:" How YouTube cooking show opens the door to veterans' hard conversations

Army veteran Cory Brown watched 17 people from his cavalry troop die by suicide after returning from Iraq. The loss of his closest battle buddy became a turning point. His response was "Eat Your Feelings," a YouTube cooking and storytelling show that uses food to lower the walls around grief, identity, and veteran mental health — without ever calling it therapy. Cory joins co-host Sam Nathews, a  civilian and friend who brings his own experience with loss to every episode. Together they join Tango Alpha Lima hosts Adam Marr and Joe Worley to talk about why connection beats intervention, what it really takes to get veterans to open up, and how a shared meal can do what a counselor's office sometimes can't.Also in this episode: the landmark executive order accelerating psychedelic therapy research for veterans, and new science on blast injuries and cumulative TBI that is changing how the military thinks about invisible wounds.National Commander praises executive order that expedites psychedelic treatments for mental healthLearn more about Executive Order 14401

June 16, 2026Episode 3091 hr 14 min

Like Father, Like Daughter: Michael and Sammy Sullivan on military service, family and fitness - Tango Alpha Lima

To celebrate Father’s Day, retired Army Colonel Mike “Sully” Sullivan and his daughter, Olympic bronze medalist and Army Captain Sammy Sullivan, talk about five generations of military service, accidental trailblazing, a Green Beret’s surprisingly tender parenting philosophy, developing grit and more. Sully, the executive director of Team Red, White & Blue, also discusses the organization’s mission to keep veterans “left of clinical.” Plus: New research on team sports as therapy, and how The American Legion supports adaptive sports programs. SHOW LINKSLearn more about Solace Health and check your eligibility hereLearn more about Team RWBLearn more about the Army World Class Athlete ProgramLearn more about Capt. Sammy Sullivan and Team USA Rugby Women's Eagle SevensThere is still time to be part of The American Legion Family USA 250 ChallengeRead more of the Journal of Veterans Studies report on how team sports help veterans with PTSDFind out more about how The American Legion can help you get back in the game with Operation Comfort Warrior grants.Follow the progress of the Veterans SPORT Act on and the National Veterans Strategy Act of 2026  Capitol HillYour stories. Your service. Your community. This is Tango Alpha Lima.

June 2, 2026Episode 3081 hr 2 min

Viva La Vargas: Service, Social Media and Showing Up / Tango Alpha Lima

What does it take to reach tens of millions of people a month while still on active duty? For Army Sgt. First Class Johnny Vargas — better known as Viva La Vargas — it started with a car fire, a recruiting station and a promise to himself to show up every single day.In this episode, Johnny chats about his journey from aspiring recording artist in Los Angeles to one of the military community's most trusted and entertaining voices online. He breaks down the three pillars that guide every piece of content he creates, explains why staying nonpartisan isn't just a strategy but a responsibility, and shares two powerful stories of how a single social media post changed real lives — including a family fighting a $800,000 insurance billing error while their toddler battled a terminal brain tumor.Johnny also shares a closing message about mental health that every veteran and servicemember needs to hear, which is in line with The American Legion's Be the One mission to create mental health awareness.Also in this episode, the hosts discuss a veteran-founded nonprofit turning vets into entrepreneurs, the growing world of remembrance tattoos, and Women Veterans Day on June 12.Show LinksCelebrate Women Veterans DayLearn more about VivaLaVargasCheck out the Warrior Rising Activate AcceleratorCheck out the Task & Purpose article about TAPS gallery of military memorial tattoos

May 19, 2026Episode 3071 hr 1 min

Gold Star Father turns Abbey Gate tragedy into mission to heal veterans - Tango Alpha Lima

On Aug. 26, 2021, Marine Lance Corporal Jared Schmitz, age 20, was among 13 servicemembers killed at the Abbey Gate in Kabul during the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. He had wanted to be a Marine since he was 8.In the weeks after Jared's death, condolence checks from strangers filled more than a foot of mail. His father, Mark, couldn't bring himself to spend a single dollar of it.So he launched a nonprofit instead aimed at honoring the fallen and helping servicemembers with their mental health.On this Memorial Day episode of Tango Alpha Lima, Gold Star father Mark Schmitz joins hosts Adam Marr and Joe Worley to share the story of The Freedom 13, a mission to build therapeutic retreat camps for veterans and law enforcement on 100-plus acres in all 50 states, free of charge, with the first camp already under construction in Missouri. He also discusses the coalition of Abbey Gate families fighting for GI Bill reform and increased death benefits for fallen servicemembers.Also on this episode: Memorial Day events around the nation, the origin story of the Battle Buddy system, and Memorial Day fitness challenges honoring the fallen — including The Murph.SHOW LINKSLearn more about Armed Forces Vacation ClubVisit The Freedom 13 websiteLearn more about the 2026 Angels of Abbey Gate Memorial RideWe Are The Mighty: Battle Buddies originated in the trenches of WWIMemorial Day Challenges: The Murph

May 5, 2026Episode 3061 hr 20 min

Moral Injury: The invisible wound the VA healthcare system keeps missing – Tango Alpha Lima

In 2003, Marine infantryman Ryan Roberts helped recover the remains of 18 comrades killed in the battle of Nasiriyah, many by friendly fire. The next day, his fire team stopped a vehicle at a checkpoint. When he opened the back door, he found two children aged four and six.He had joined the military to protect the innocent. In doing the right thing, he violated that core value. And no one — not in 17 years of VA care and private treatment — ever gave him the language for what that did to him.On this episode of Tango Alpha Lima, Roberts and Dr. Lynette Averill, trauma scientist at Baylor College of Medicine, explain why moral injury is not a variant of PTSD. It's a categorically different wound, rooted not in fear but in the violation of values. And the healthcare system has largely been missing it.Together they discuss what healing actually requires, the promise of emerging psychedelic-assisted therapies, and why peer support and community may be the most critical ingredients the clinical world keeps leaving out.Also on this episode: the new DoD zero visible mold policy, a tribute to military caregivers for Military Caregiver Month, and resources for those supporting veterans at home.Your stories. Your service. Your community. This is Tango Alpha Lima.Learn more about VA Caregiver support resourcesFind an American Legion Service OfficerTask & Purpose: Pentagon issues standards for barracks

April 21, 2026Episode 3051 hr 18 min

How music and faith pulled a combat veteran back from the edge - Tango Alpha Lima

Shannon Book grew up in the Kentucky hills, joined the Navy in the mid-1990s and spent 17 years as a Fleet Marine Force corpsman, including two tours in Iraq. He survived Fallujah running on coffee grounds and sheer grit. What nearly broke him came after. When he was medically retired in 2010, the brothers he counted on had moved on, his marriage dissolved, and a years-long battle with alcohol and drugs nearly cost him everything. What kept him going — then and now — is music.On this episode of Tango Alpha Lima, Book opens up about founding the veteran band Vetted, the dark night he pressed a handgun to his own forehead, the DUI that became his turning point, and the Veterans Court system that helped him walk out of that dark alley one step at a time. He's now sober, back in the studio, and sharing the message he once gave others from a stage — this time from a place of hard-earned experience.Also on this episode: why traditional field screenings miss TBIs in combat zones — and the surprising food that became a secret weapon for fighter pilots.Your stories. Your service. Your community. This is Tango Alpha Lima.Show linksLearn more about American Legion Family Day and share how your post is celebrating.Learn more about our guest, Shannon Book.Task & Purpose: TBI field screenings can miss key symptomsLearn more about the Millenium Protocol at TBI Help NowWatch Quiet Explosions documentaryRead "Tales from the Blast Factory"Smithsonian: How a WWII propaganda campaign started the myth about carrots and night vision.

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