Hello, this is Denise Kaminsky reporting for Newsblaze. Today, I am speaking with Bob Calvert who is the host of the “Talking with Heroes” Talk Show Program.
Bob, please share with me some insight on your talk show?
Hello Denise. First thank you for talking with me and giving us an opportunity to share about what we have been doing with the “Talking With Heroes” Talk Show Program.
Our “Talking with Heroes” program has never been about politics. The program is about helping, honoring, supporting our men and women in the military and their families. We give our military personnel an opportunity to share their mostly untold stories about the work they are doing worldwide. We believe that the American people have a right to hear these positive stories of progress and our military personnel have a right to have their stories heard.
We have interviewed many military support and veterans groups so that they can share with our listeners about what they do to support our troops, their families, the wounded and more. We have interviewed Gold Star Moms and Dads, Military Wives and Moms and Dads, Wounded, Veterans, and corporations about what they do to support our troops and more.
Since Dec 2005, we have been interviewing military personnel who talk about their stories of progress in Iraq and Afghanistan. We also have talked with National Guard soldiers who talked about what they did after Katrina, to Marines who helped in Pakistan after the earthquake and to military personnel who serve around the world.
We have been to Iraq three times now in the past 16 months. From our most recent third trip to Iraq, Americans can now listen to men and women from our Army, Marines, Navy, National Guard, Air Force, Army Corp of Engineers and Iraqis on progress in Iraq. You can see who we interviewed and listen to some of these programs at: http://www.talkshoe.com/tc/19487. Go To Episodes 1-19.
What was your main inspiration to produce the show?
My inspiration for this program actually started over 5 years ago as a result of my then 18 year-old daughter surprising me by enlisting in the Army. Her boyfriend (later her husband) had already enlisted in the Army. I had no prior experience with the military and was not sure how to support her in this new part of her life. I began searching on the Internet and found many military support groups.
My daughter came very close to being deployed in 2004 and then shortly after was medically discharged. She was in the Army at Ft Riley for about 2 and a half years. She was not happy about being discharged. She wanted to go with her unit. I could not be more proud of her.
In Jan 2005, my son-n-law was deployed to Iraq from Ft Riley on his first deployment. He came back to my daughter and his family and their first child. He was then transferred to Ft Carson where we are all at now. They have a second child and he is now deployed again with Ft Carson’s 1-8 serving currently in Mosul, Iraq.
My inspiration to continue with this project regardless of the daily financial challenges is because of all the men and women I have met over the past four years serving around the world. Also, the great Americans I meet who have military support groups. The wounded and their families and the Gold Star Families, all of this combined keeps me moving forward with this project.
What area of the military were you with? And what was your position?
I was never in the military. I tell people that I am the most unlikely person to be hosting a talk show program like this and to be devoting my life at this time towards supporting our troops and their families. My dad was a WWII Navy Veteran but I have never been in the military. If my daughter had not surprised me by enlisting I would most likely be back in Kansas City making money, with a car and more.
Where can the video taped interviews and footage be purchased?
Our website is www.talkingwithheroes.com People can purchase through our site, DVD’s of everything we did on our last trip to Iraq. We take people right into Baghdad, the Anbar Province and more. We interviewed Iraqis in Baghdad and other locations. We filmed inside hospitals, a school, building under construction, new Water Treatment Plants and we went on many convoys with our troops.
Do you have any words of wisdom for those who have families and loved ones in Iraq?
My first words of wisdom are “Prayer.” Most of the troops we spend time with talk about the strength it gives them to know that people back home are Praying for them. As a family member myself of a deployed soldier I also ask others to pray for Keith. I have him on Prayer Lists. We also have a Prayer Board on our site as well.
Sending Care Packages and Letters is very important to our troops. Sending them yourselves as family members and also going to organizations that send out care packages and letters. Our men and women love getting these packages and letters. It is a clear indication to them that people back home care and support them.
I send a letter pretty much every other day to my son- n- law. My daughter sends packages with items that Keith asks her on a regular basis. I have some of the organizations who I have interviewed on my program who send Keith and his soldier’s packages on a regular basis. A school on the East Coast we had never heard of sends him and his troop’s letters as well.
We need to let our men and women know we are with them no matter what politics are going on. We also need to welcome them when they come home and be there to show them our support when they deploy. Communities should have welcome home events every time a member of the military comes home. They are doing a great job and should be thanked for that.
I would like to thank Bob very much for taking the time to share his thoughts with us.
For more information please go to:
www.youtube.com/bobc9246
Bob resides in Colorado Springs, Colorado and can be contacted at [email protected].
