On this week’s episode of Minnesota Military Radio, we meet leaders from the Minnesota National Guard and Minnesota Air National Guard to explore the 148th Fighter Wing’s mission and the case for F-35 modernization in Duluth. The conversation covers the wing’s current F-16 operations, the Air Force selection process, preparations for a potential transition, and the essential role of community support in shaping the wing’s future.
Guests:
- COL Curtis Grayson – Commander, 148th Fighter Wing, Minnesota Air National Guard
- COL Daniel Statz – Director A4 Logistics, Minnesota Air National Guard
- LTC Mindy Davis – Government Relations Officer, Minnesota National Guard
The 148th Fighter Wing, based at the Duluth Air National Guard Base, currently flies the Block 50 F-16, the newest and most capable F-16 in the Air Force inventory. Its primary federal mission is Suppression of Enemy Air Defense (SEAD), locating and neutralizing enemy surface-to-air threats so other forces can operate freely. The wing also supports state missions and has maintained high readiness and manning levels for decades, with Airmen drawn from the local community.
Guests discuss why the Minnesota National Guard is pursuing F-35 basing now, even though aircraft would not arrive until approximately 2034. The Air Force is selecting two squadrons from nine F-16 Air National Guard units; four candidate bases are expected to be identified by the end of 2026, followed by site visits, a longer environmental impact statement process, and a final decision. The wing’s leadership highlights strengths that include unmatched training airspace, consistently high manning, top-tier maintenance, and a proven operational record. COL Statz brings direct experience from Wisconsin’s 115th Fighter Wing F-35 transition, including lessons on community engagement, infrastructure, and the conversion process.
Community and political support are described as decisive. The Duluth Military Affairs Committee, part of the Duluth Area Chamber of Commerce and originally formed about 20 years ago when the base faced potential closure, has coordinated letters and resolutions from local governments, businesses, and civic organizations. The wing generates roughly $107 million in annual economic activity for the region, employs more than 1,000 military and civilian personnel, and operates the airport’s fire department. Minnesota has already invested $3.5 million in state bonding for design and infrastructure work to position the base for the future.
A successful F-35 mission would allow the 148th to continue its SEAD role with modernized aircraft while preserving the wing’s economic and community contributions for the next generation. Leaders emphasize that continued community advocacy and a unified message remain important as the selection process moves forward.
On this week’s episode of Minnesota Military Radio, we preview the official State of Minnesota Veterans Day Celebration taking place Wednesday, November 11 in Duluth, hosted by the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs (MDVA). The conversation covers event details, community partnerships, tribal Veteran services, County Veterans Service Office support in northern Minnesota, and the message from this year’s keynote speaker.
Guests:
- Rose Lambert – Communications Strategist, Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs (MDVA)
- Billie DeFoe – Tribal Veterans Service Officer, Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa
- Sherry Provine – Elder and Honor Guard Member, Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa
- Nadine Wells – Director, St. Louis County Veterans Service Office
- Dr. Greg White – Chair & Chief Nursing Administrator, Department of Nursing, The College of St. Scholastica; Major, Minnesota Air National Guard (Keynote Speaker)
MDVA is rotating the state’s official Veterans Day observance outside the Twin Cities for the second year to meet Veterans where they live. After last year’s program in Mankato, this year’s free, open-to-all event (no RSVP required) is at the Duluth National Guard Training and Community Center on Airpark Boulevard. Doors open at 8:30 a.m. for a free community breakfast; the official program begins at 10 a.m. A live stream will be available at MinnesotaVeteran.org/events, with video on demand afterward. Overflow parking and shuttle service are available from Arrowpointe Medical Center.
Partners include the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa (bringing the drum and joining the Duluth Honor Guard for presentation of colors), the University of Minnesota Duluth Bulldog Marching Band, St. Louis County and neighboring county Veterans Service offices, the Duluth Veterans Memorial Hall, and the Lake Superior County Veterans Club. Elected officials, including the mayor of Duluth, are also scheduled to take part.
The Fond du Lac Band shares how its Tribal Veterans Service Officer connects band members and surrounding-community Veterans with earned benefits and notes a concurrent free evening gathering at Black Bear Casino open to the broader community. The St. Louis County Veterans Service Office describes its free, confidential role helping Veterans, service members, and families with VA claims, appeals, survivor benefits, and community resources across offices in Hibbing, Virginia, Ely, and Duluth. Callers are reminded it is never too late to file claims; the office can be reached at (218) 725-5285.
This year’s keynote speaker, a Major in the Minnesota Air National Guard and Chair of Nursing at The College of St. Scholastica, discusses how military medical service and civilian nursing careers inform one another, the College’s support for Veterans transitioning into healthcare careers, and the message that military service is an important part of a Veteran’s identity but does not define what they can continue to contribute through leadership and community engagement.
Listeners can find full event details and the live stream portal at MinnesotaVeteran.org/events.
On this week’s episode of Minnesota Military Radio, we visit the Minneapolis VA Spinal Cord Injury and Disorder Center (SCI/D) to learn about the lifelong rehabilitation and comprehensive care available to Veterans, then discuss the vaccinations that can help keep them healthy this season.
Guests:
- Dr. Kerri Chung – Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Physician and Assistant Spinal Cord Injury and Disorder Chief, Minneapolis VA Health Care System
- Jennifer Irish – Clinical Psychologist, Minneapolis VA Spinal Cord Injury and Disorder Center
- Brandon Hicks – Occupational Therapist, Minneapolis VA Spinal Cord Injury and Disorder Center
- Megan Daman – Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Program Manager, Minneapolis VA Health Care System
The Minneapolis VA SCI/D Center is one of approximately 25 national hubs in the VA system. It supports Veterans with both traumatic injuries and non-traumatic conditions such as MS or ALS through an interdisciplinary team and a Midwest hub-and-spoke network. Listeners will hear how the team helps Veterans adjust, set goals at their own pace, and build independence, along with details on specialized equipment, peer mentoring, family training, and the difference between inpatient and outpatient care. A new video that walks through the inpatient experience is available on the Minneapolis VA YouTube channel and Facebook page.
Megan Daman also shares practical guidance on this season’s vaccinations, including flu shot walk-in clinics on Thursdays, October 22, October 29, and November 5, from 1 pm – 3 pm at the Minneapolis VA Medical Center and all Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs), plus information on the COVID-19, shingles, and pneumococcal vaccines.
Click here for more information about the Minneapolis VA Medical Center & CBOCs Flu Shot Clinic
Tune in to hear the full conversation about the care and resources available to Veterans.
On this week’s episode of Minnesota Military Radio, we explore how Every Third Saturday helps Veterans and their families find hope, purpose, and community after military service, then highlight Beyond the Yellow Ribbon’s Hero Meals program and the partnerships providing year-round food support to Minnesota’s service members, Veterans, and military families.
Guests:
- Tom McKenna – Co-Founder, Every Third Saturday
- Stefanie Hurt – Community Outreach Coordinator for northern Minnesota, Beyond the Yellow Ribbon (BTYR)
Tom McKenna, a Marine Corps Veteran, shares how Every Third Saturday began in 2009 with simple distributions of clothing and personal items and has grown into a permanent facility near the Minneapolis VA Medical Center. The organization focuses on dignity and respect—Veterans are treated as members, not clients. Inside the building is Rick’s Coffee Bar, which runs a paid Veteran internship program. McKenna also discusses the Walk to Stay in the Fight and the new Fire Teams initiative for proactive support. Anyone can connect by calling (952) 356-5116, visiting everythirdsaturday.org, or walking in.
Later, Stefanie Hurt explains Beyond the Yellow Ribbon’s Hero Meals initiative, which partners with Meals From the Heart and others to deliver seasonal meal kits through Operation Turkey Drop, Operation Merry Meals, Sweetheart Meals, and Food Fairy. In the 2025 holiday season and spring 2026, the program distributed 900 meal kits totaling about 81,000 individual servings and supported nearly 5,000 service members, Veterans, and family members across Minnesota. Listeners can contribute at mealsfromtheheart.org.
On this week’s episode of Minnesota Military Radio, we look at the return of warrant officers to the Air Force and what that means for the Minnesota National Guard, then turn to a statewide tribute and claims effort from Disabled American Veterans of Minnesota.
Guests:
- CW5 Erik Homme – Command Chief Warrant Officer, Minnesota National Guard
- CW2 Michael Volkmeier – Minnesota Air National Guard, 210th Engineering Installation Squadron
- Stephen “Butch” Whitehead – Adjutant, Disabled American Veterans, Department of Minnesota
- Angel Fields Mitchell – United in Service
Across the first three segments, Chief Homme and Chief Volkmeier explain why the Air Force brought warrant officers back after ending the rank in 1959: to keep technical experts in place, beginning in cyber, and to steady sections that otherwise lose knowledge each time leaders rotate. Chief Volkmeier, recognized as Minnesota’s first Air Force warrant officer since the program returned, describes the path from enlisted network technician to Chief Warrant Officer 2 — ten years on active duty, service in the 210th Engineering Installation Squadron, an application encouraged by peers, and eight weeks of warrant officer training at Maxwell Air Force Base. Day to day, the work has shifted from pulling cable to project engineering: setting up jobs, ordering materials, and giving a commander technical options. The conversation also covers who the Air Guard looks for in applicants, the difference between enlisted, warrant, and commissioned responsibilities, and the misconceptions that a warrant officer is only a technician, or is rarely around. Both guests talk about growing the cohort so more warrant officers can be placed where they are needed, including the possibility of a future position with the 148th Fighter Wing in Duluth. Chief Homme, in his final months as the state’s senior warrant officer advisor, compares the new Air track with the Army warrant officer program and reflects on a career that began in 1986 and closes with his last day in uniform on November 30.
Later in the show, Adjutant Stephen “Butch” Whitehead and Angel Fields Mitchell preview United in Service, a traveling exhibit created by Disabled American Veterans of Minnesota. This year’s theme is that every Veteran has a story. From October 15–18, the experience is at the North End Event Center on the Minnesota State Fairgrounds, with more than 12,000 square feet indoors, military vehicles outside, a Tribute Garden of personalized tags, and the recorded stories of 13 Veterans spanning 250 years of military history. Visitors can hear those stories in a theater or by QR code, and families who want a story captured for a future stop are encouraged to find a volunteer on site. On Friday, October 16, and Saturday, October 17, 9 am – 4 pm, a Rapid Claims Clinic brings Department of Veterans Affairs staff, DAV accredited service officers, and County Veterans Service Officers together so Veterans can file a new claim or revisit an older one. A decision may not be issued that day, but the clinic is built to move a packet as far as possible, with a dedicated team at the Federal Building at Fort Snelling continuing the work. A job and resource fair and state-benefit tables run alongside the clinic. Admission is free. Register for a claims appointment at unitedinservicemn.org or davmn.org.
On this week’s episode of Minnesota Military Radio, we explore how the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs (MDVA) and the SOAR program help eligible Veterans and family members navigate the Social Security disability process.
Guests:
- Kal Johnson – Supervisor, Veteran SSI/SSDI Outreach, Access and Recovery (SOAR) Program, Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs (MDVA)
- Charles Rosenfield – Senior Representative, Veteran SSI/SSDI Outreach, Access and Recovery (SOAR) Program, Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs (MDVA)
- Adam – United States Marine
SOAR—SSI/SSDI Outreach, Access, and Recovery—is a nationally recognized advocacy model adapted by MDVA for the Veteran experience. The program is free and available to eligible Minnesota Veterans and their families, including National Guard and Reserve members—even without a deployment. Eligibility may be based on Minnesota residency, military service, being a spouse or surviving spouse of someone who served, if you have a disability expected to last at least 12 months, or are experiencing or being at risk of homelessness. There are no barriers based on discharge status, and every eligible applicant receives the same offer of support.
SOAR advocates can assist Veterans at any stage, from an initial claim through reconsideration or a hearing before an administrative law judge. They help determine which benefits to pursue, gather medical and military records, and translate a person’s functional limitations—such as challenges with lifting, standing, concentration, pace, or attendance—into information relevant to Social Security’s review.
The episode also features a Marine Corps Veteran who connected with SOAR through a VA community outreach clinic after experiencing years of untreated needs, job loss, and homelessness. After an initial denial, SOAR provided representation through the hearing process and ultimately helped the Veteran secure their benefits that are being used to help cover household expenses and repay family members who provided support.
The message is simple: Don’t let fear of a denial keep you from applying.
Veterans can self-refer at MinnesotaVeteran.org/SOAR or connect through their County Veteran Service Officer or LinkVet at 1-888-546-5838. SOAR also works with partners including the Minnesota Assistance Council for Veterans, Homeless Veteran Registry, Every Third Saturday, Union Gospel Mission in St. Paul, and the St. Cloud VA.
Through patient, Veteran-to-Veteran advocacy, SOAR is helping Minnesota Veterans and their families pursue stable income while working toward housing and other support. It’s never too late to reach out.
On this week’s episode of Minnesota Military Radio, we explore how collaboration strengthens Veteran suicide prevention across Minnesota and how the Veteran Suicide Mortality Review brings partners together to find opportunities for action. The conversation marks Suicide Prevention Awareness Month and Minnesota’s first state Veterans suicide prevention strategy.
Guests:
- David Girgen – Lyon County CVSO and Technical Assistance Coordinator for Veteran Suicide Prevention, Minnesota Association of County Veterans Service Officers (MACVSO)
- Chase Arden – Veterans Community Health Coordinator, Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs (MDVA)
- Kristi Stites – Veteran Suicide Prevention & Program Development Coordinator, Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs (MDVA)
- Krysta Stanenas – Veterans Community Health Analyst, Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs (MDVA)
- Stefan Gingerich – Senior Epidemiologist, Minnesota Department of Health
- David Holewinski – Suicide Prevention Manager, Minneapolis VA Health Care System
During the show, MACVSO and MDVA talk about why Veteran suicide prevention is shared work — County Veteran Service Officers, the federal VA, Veteran service organizations, the Minnesota National Guard, the Minnesota Department of Health, community partners, and families. Listeners will hear how that collaboration looks in rural communities, what still keeps some Veterans from asking for help, and why a trusted person willing to ask a direct question can change the path forward.
In the second half, MDVA, the Minnesota Department of Health, and the Minneapolis VA Health Care System explain the Veteran Suicide Mortality Review: a structured look at systems and circumstances around a death, not a search for blame. The goal is to spot missed connections and strengthen prevention for other Veterans and families.
If you or a Veteran you know needs support, call 988 and press 1 for the Veterans Crisis Line, contact a County Veteran Service Officer, or start with LinkVet at 1-888-LinkVet (1-888-546-5838) or LinkVet.org.
Next week we learn how the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs SOAR program connects Veterans and people experiencing homelessness with essential benefits and services.
On this week’s episode of Minnesota Military Radio, we start with a flu shot reminder from the Minneapolis VA Health Care System, then explore two Department of Veterans Affairs resources Veterans and families may not know well: Vet Centers and the VA Debt Management Center.
Guests:
- Pat Kelly – Director, Minneapolis VA Health Care System
- Judith Huerta – Director, Twin Cities Vet Center, Department of Veterans Affairs Vet Center Program
- Dawn Eggers – Director of Veterans Operations, Department of Veterans Affairs Debt Management Center
During the show, the Minneapolis VA Health Care System encourages Veterans to get a flu shot at a regular appointment or walk in from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Thursday, October 22, October 29, and November 5 at the medical center and all community based outpatient clinics. The Director also introduces the Twin Cities Vet Center after its recent ribbon cutting in Eagan.
We also take a closer look at Vet Centers. Established in 1979 by Vietnam Veterans for Vietnam Veterans, they remain community-based clinics focused on connection, community, and camaraderie. Minnesota has three: Duluth, Anoka with a Saint Cloud outstation, and the Twin Cities Vet Center now in its permanent home at 2113 Cliff Drive, Suite 100, Eagan. Eligibility includes combat or deployment, support of combat missions, military sexual trauma, current use of VA education benefits, and current Reserve or National Guard members whose mental health is affecting duty. Once eligible, a Veteran remains eligible. Services include individual, group, couples, and family counseling, plus referrals and community activities. Call the local center, visit vetcenter.va.gov, or reach the 24/7 line at 1-877-WAR-VETS (1-877-927-8387). Twin Cities appointments: 612-243-7920.
The VA Debt Management Center works with Veterans, beneficiaries, caregivers, and family members when a change in compensation, pension, or education benefits results in money owed back to VA. The Center does not create the debt; it collects and manages the balance after VA has already established the overpayment. Common causes include a change in dependency, National Guard or Reserve pay that overlaps with VA compensation for the same days, or a dependent later using education benefits. Official notice comes by mail, and Veterans signed up for electronic notices can also see a debt on VA.gov. Unexpected callers asking for a credit card are not the Debt Management Center. Options include payment in full, a payment plan, an adjusted offset, or a hardship waiver. The fastest step after a letter arrives is to call or use Ask VA. Review balances at va.gov/manage-va-debt. Staff also refer callers in hardship to nearby Vet Centers and other community partners.
Next week we observe Suicide Prevention Month with the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs and learn about the steps the agency is taking to help prevent Veteran suicide.
TOM LYONS, FOUNDER AND HOST
HOST DOUG WORTHAM
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