Tango Alpha Lima Podcast

Hosted by The American Legion

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375

Latest episode

Jun 2026

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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

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60 recent

June 16, 2026Episode 3091 hr 14 min

Like Father, Like Daughter: Michael and Sammy Sullivan on military service, family and fitness - EP309 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.

April 7, 2026Episode 2431 hr 19 min

Who is War Hamster? Meet the Air Force veteran turned social media influencer – Tango Alpha Lima

Before she was War Hamster — the Air Force veteran and military influencer known for irreverent humor, insider satire and candid commentary on service life — she was picking up loose change to buy gas for her car. Two years of military rejections. Craigslist living. Multiple jobs. Finally the Air Force finally said yes. War Hamster shares her honest, funny and deeply relatable life story and what it really means to serve, create and build something meaningful after the uniform comes off. She talks about joining as a medic at the start of COVID, building a medical program, losing four loved ones in a year, surviving a mini stroke — and using all of it as fuel for a content career. "Suffering is a currency in the military," she says. "It builds a kind of resilience that's missing in people who haven't served." Now, she’s building a military community on Twitch, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok and Instagram.Also in this episode: a veteran whose therapy chickens are in a legal battle, new legislation authorizing psychedelic-assisted therapy research for veterans, and why soldiers are being warned about "honeypots."Episode LinksWhere to find War Hamster on social mediaFrom the War Horse: Finding solace in chickensUtah could soon study psychedelic-assisted therapy for PTSDStrange, but Service-Connected: Beware the HoneypotWatch War Hamster's take on the danger of Honeypots

March 31, 202652 min

Don't Ask, Don't Tell: Retired Maj. Gen. Tammy Smith served 25 years as a closeted gay officer – Tango Alpha Lima

Retired Army Maj. Gen. Tammy Smith shares the compelling story of her 35-year military career, including 25 years serving under Don't Ask Don't Tell (DADT) while hiding her identity. As one of the first openly gay generals in U.S. military history, Smith discusses the psychological toll of living authentically in secret, the 2011 repeal of DADT, military-to-civilian transition, and moral injury. Learn about LGBTQ+ veterans' unique challenges, discharge upgrade opportunities for those separated under discriminatory policies, and resources available through American Legion service officers. Smith provides insight intoLGBTQ+ military families, finding acceptance in veteran communities, and healing from service-related trauma. Critical listening for LGBTQ+ veterans, military families, those interested in military history and policy, discharge upgrade information, and veteran advocacy.SHOW NOTESLearn more about PFLAGLearn more about Modern Military Association of America

March 24, 202644 min

From troubled youth to wrestling champion: A female veteran’s story of resilience and mental toughness – Tango Alpha Lima

Three-time national wrestling champion and Army Special Operations veteran Sally Roberts shares her powerful journey from delinquent youth to elite athlete and military leader. Roberts, founder of Wrestle Like a Girl, discusses how wrestling saved her life, built her winning mindset, and prepared her for success in Special Operations and deployment to Afghanistan. Learn about overcoming adversity, developing mental toughness, the power of suffering and endurance, and breaking barriers for women in combat sports. Roberts addresses military transition challenges, building resilience, leadership development through athletics, and empowering girls and women through wrestling. Essential listening for veterans navigating transition, athletes seeking motivation, parents of daughters in sports, anyone overcoming difficult backgrounds, and those interested in women's wrestling, mental resilience training, and veteran success stories.SHOW LINKSLearn more about Wrestle Like a Girl

March 17, 2026Episode 30350 min

Blind veteran's quest for the Explorer's Grand Slam - Tango Alpha Lima

Navy veteran Lonnie Bedwell lost his sight in a hunting accident in 1997. He was 30 years old, blind, and raising three daughters alone. What he did next is the kind of story that makes you rethink every excuse you've ever made. In episode 303 of Tango Alpha Lima, Bedwell shares his extraordinary journey — from talking his way onto a construction crew as a blind man, to kayaking 226 miles through the Grand Canyon (earning National Geographic's Adventurer of the Year), to summiting Mount Everest with a failed oxygen mask 750 feet from the top. Now Bedwell is one expedition away from making history. He has summited six of the Seven Summits and skied to the South Pole. When he reaches the North Pole, he will become the first blind American to complete the Explorer's Grand Slam — an achievement fewer than 75 people in history have accomplished. His journey is the subject of a feature documentary called Beyond Vision. "I lost my eyesight," he says. "I gained vision." Also in this episode: the VA's new Artificial Intelligence tool and what it means for your appointments, plus three new laws signed into law that expand housing access, improve VA accountability, and strengthen job training for veterans.SHOW NOTESDownload the VA Health and Benefits mobile appJoin The American LegionLearn more about Lonnie BedwellLearn more about the film "Beyond Vision"Join The American Legion Family USA 250 ChallengeNew VA Database causes concern among lawmakersAI tool helps VA doctors minimize administrative tasks and focus on patientsView American Legion Legislative AgendaCheck out The American Legion Grassroots Action CenterLearn more about American Legion Advocacy

March 10, 202642 min

How lifestyle medicine helps military families thrive - Tango Alpha Lima

Retired Air Force physician Dr. Mary Ann Kiel reveals how lifestyle medicine transformed her health and revolutionized her approach to treating servicemembers and military families. As a board-certified pediatrician and lifestyle medicine physician, Dr. Kiel explains the six pillars of wellness: whole food plant-based nutrition, regular exercise, quality sleep, stress management, social connection and avoiding harmful substances. Learn evidence-based strategies for disease prevention, increasing healthspan (not just lifespan), and addressing the root causes of chronic illness without relying on medications. Dr. Kiel shares practical behavior change techniques she teaches as a Food for Life Instructor and discusses why military members face unique health challenges. Perfect for veterans, military families, health-care professionals, and anyone interested in preventive medicine, holistic health and sustainable wellness practices.