Service Doesn't Stop - Veterans Uniting Americans Through Service
Recorded at the 2026 Flag Day Convening in Washington, D.C., this episode brings together three veteran and military-connected leaders working across different organizations to discuss how they're building bridges and fostering civic engagement in a polarized time. The conversation centers on what makes their organizations successful at transcending partisan divides and uniting Americans around shared values of service and country. Brian Von Herbulis (The Brickyard) explains that intentional culture-setting is foundational—starting every program and individual relationship with a simple community agreement: be respectful, open-minded, and willing to listen. Heather Kelly (Travis Manion Foundation), a Gold Star Spouse, emphasizes that their work remains apolitical by keeping service and character at the center, grounding everything in the principle "if not me, then who?" and focusing on people-centered rather than politics-centered programming. Gabby Kubinyi (VFW), also a Gold Star spouse, highlights how membership organizations maintain independence by virtue of their collective structure, and shares concrete examples of how organizations can support surviving families through thoughtful acts like coordinated cemetery visits and personalized memorial remembrance. The panel discusses the importance of stepping up to serve in whatever way makes sense for your life, whether that's picking up trash or leading a major initiative, and emphasizes that organizations don't need to take all the credit; promoting and amplifying good work in your community is equally valuable. Support the show For more, check us out at www.wetheveterans.us and at https://linktr.ee/vettedconversations
