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.
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.
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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.
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.
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On this week’s episode of Minnesota Military Radio, we air the second of two special shows recorded live from Dan Patch Park on Military Appreciation Day at the Minnesota State Fair. This conversation highlights Minnesota’s commitment to Veterans, the dual mission of the Minnesota National Guard, progress at the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs (MDVA), and modernization across the Minnesota Air National Guard.
During the show, the Governor looks back on treating Veteran issues first in the state budget through the Veterans omnibus bill, with broad legislative support year after year. That approach has helped Minnesota keep Veteran homelessness among the lowest in the nation, open more State Veterans Homes than any other state, and sustain nationally recognized State Veterans Cemeteries. Care for those who served is framed as keeping faith with people willing to do the hardest things — and as work that should stay out of political debate. He also speaks to Veteran suicide prevention and the danger of assuming someone is “fine,” including the lesson of Clay Hunt and the need for families, friends, and fellow service members to point people toward help.
We also take a closer look at the Minnesota National Guard on a day themed “Your Neighbors, Our Community.” Service members are teachers, coaches, and neighbors who live here, work here, and serve here. Soldiers and Airmen are deployed around the world and recently supported wildfire response in northeastern Minnesota and the Boundary Waters Canoe Area. The force remains strong at about 107 percent on the Army side and about 104 percent on the Air side. Modernization is tied to readiness, including C-130J aircraft expected next summer at Minneapolis–Saint Paul and a continued effort to position the 148th Fighter Wing for F-35 fighters. Leaders invite the next generation to join a team that offers education benefits, state and federal missions, and the chance to serve close to home.
Commissioner Brad Lindsay of MDVA reports the three newest State Veterans Homes hit a 70 percent census goal by July 1 and are now aiming for 90 percent by year’s end so Veterans on the waiting list can receive care. Beginning January 1, National Guard and Reserve members who did not previously qualify may be buried in Minnesota’s state cemeteries if they choose, a change expected to matter especially near Camp Ripley in Little Falls. After the federal process to declare functional zero for Veteran homelessness ended, MDVA is working with the Minnesota Interagency Council on Homelessness so Ramsey County can still be recognized for meeting the criteria. The department has also staffed community health navigators and is executing a statewide Veteran suicide prevention plan. Veterans and families can start with LinkVet at 1-888-LinkVet or LinkVet.org.
In the final segment, Minnesota Air National Guard leaders connect new aircraft to homeland defense, federal missions, and Minnesota’s partnerships with Norway and Croatia. As C-130J aircraft arrive, some career fields will shift into maintenance, the loadmaster field, or retirement under a plan already being shared with the formation. Looking ahead, they point to cyber capabilities and air-based air defense as missions the Air National Guard must stay in. The through line is the citizen Airman: a neighbor most of the week, in uniform when called, serving 100 percent of the time.
Through collaboration among the Governor’s office, the Minnesota National Guard, MDVA, and the Minnesota Air National Guard, Minnesota continues to treat care for Veterans as shared work — visible on Military Appreciation Day and carried out year-round across the state.
Next week we’re back in the studio to visit with the director of the Twin Cities Vet Center and learn how Vet Centers fit into the Department of Veterans Affairs and take care of those who have served.
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On this week’s episode of Minnesota Military Radio, we preview Military Appreciation Day at the Minnesota State Fair and the resources available to service members, Veterans, and families. This conversation highlights how Minnesota’s military community, Veteran support organizations, and state partners come together to honor service and help people connect with benefits they have earned — before we record live from the Fair beginning next week.
During the show, we discuss the history and planning behind Military Appreciation Day, now more than 15 years in the making. The Minnesota National Guard coordinates the event for all branches and Veteran-supporting organizations, with day-long programming at Dan Patch Park from 8 am to 4 pm on Tuesday, September 1st. Fairgoers can expect Veteran support organizations, entertainment, and military community partners throughout the park. In addition to those activities, a 10 am military program at Luther Auto Bandshell (formerly the Leinie Lodge Bandshell) includes an Honor Guard, a military fly over, and entertainment by the 34th Red Bull Band, with a Veterans parade at 2 pm. Eligible service members and Veterans can purchase discounted $15 admission tickets and receive additional discounts on rides and food throughout the Fair with a military ID. Minnesota Military Radio will record two shows live from the Fair on Military Appreciation Day. Next week’s episode will feature the first of those live recordings.
We also take a closer look at the work of the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs and County Veterans Service Officers across all 87 Minnesota counties. MDVA’s field operations team supports tribal Veteran services, women’s Veteran coordination, Gold Star families, incarcerated Veterans, Veteran Service Officer training, and on-site assistance at VA medical centers and State Veterans Homes. Together with MACVSO, the agencies share a booth in the Education Building throughout the Fair from 9 am to 9 pm to answer general questions, share local County Veterans Service Officer contact information, and point families toward follow-up help in a private setting. Listeners will hear about state programs such as the State Soldiers Assistance Program, including dental and optical support for low-income Veterans and a once-in-a-lifetime Veteran relief grant that can help households facing a financial crisis.
Through collaboration, outreach, and a continued commitment to service, organizations like the Minnesota National Guard, the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs, and MACVSO are making it easier for Minnesota Veterans and their families to find the support they have earned — at the State Fair and in their home communities. Veterans who have never spoken with a County Veterans Service Officer are encouraged to start with LinkVet at 1-888-LinkVet or LinkVet.org, or visit MACVSO.org to find their local office.
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On this week’s episode of Minnesota Military Radio, we mark a significant milestone as the program airs its 850th show. For more than 15 years, Minnesota Military Radio has served as a dedicated platform sharing the stories of Minnesota’s service members, Veterans, families, and the organizations that support them.
This special milestone edition takes a walk down memory lane, reflecting on the program’s beginnings in 2010 and the partnerships that have sustained it. Listeners will hear shout-outs from key leaders and partners, including the Minnesota National Guard, Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs, Minneapolis VA Health Care System, Beyond the Yellow Ribbon, and iHeartMedia. Producers from each partner organization join the conversation to discuss their roles, memorable moments, and the ongoing work of informing and connecting Minnesota’s military community.
From early support that helped launch the show to the growth that now reaches dozens of stations across the state and a national audience, this episode highlights the collaborative effort behind every broadcast. It also looks ahead, celebrating the mission that continues to honor Veterans, support current service members, and share important resources with listeners.
Through consistent storytelling, community partnerships, and a commitment to those who serve, Minnesota Military Radio has become a trusted voice for Minnesota’s military community. This 850th show is both a celebration of that legacy and a reminder of the work still ahead.
Thank you for listening and for supporting Minnesota’s Veterans every week.
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