America can never fully pay back the debt it owes its veterans. Our armed forces, generation after generation, continue to make the ultimate sacrifice by risking their lives on the front lines. For some vets, though, their tour never truly ends. After 30 years of service as a marine, followed by becoming a Montgomery County firefighter, Sergeant Major, ONeal Johnson created a non-profit called Silent Veterans. Silent Vets provides mentorship, coaching, and career guidance for veterans with health, money, or housing problems. At its core, the organization wants to help service members build new ..read more

Two families who lost loved ones in the combat of two different wars are now connected through the naming of a combat vehicle. The M10 Booker is named after Robert and Stevon Booker, whose heroics in the war led to multiple posthumous honors. "It was a good honor for my brother, who's been gone for years and years," said Rose Hirsch, Robert's younger sister. Robert died in Tunisia, Northern Africa, after using his machine gun to take out another enemy machine gunner. "After being shot and injured, he continued firing his weapon, eventually destroying the first enemy machine gun. As he turned t ..read more

As the voice for veterans, WMAR is shedding light on how one veteran support group takes a "Swing" at homelessness and substance abuse.   The Baltimore Station helps veterans struggling with those issues find treatment programs.  "When people come down and volunteer with us they actually are involved with the men and the veterans they are helping. So when they come down and serve a meal they actually serve thge meal and sit down with the men and share that meal together which is very different from a lot of other programs," explained Kim Callari, Executive Director of The Baltim ..read more

Walter Reynolds served our country over 70 years ago, and now he celebrates a milestone for the ages. On Saturday, friends and family gathered for his 100th birthday party at the Meadow Park Rehabilitation & Healthcare Center. Reynolds was a member of the Red Ball Express, a truck convoy predominantly composed of African American soldiers entrusted with the vital task of transporting cargo shipments and supplies to frontline troops during the Normandy campaign in France. He was stationed in both Europe and Asia during the time of the war. Happy Birthday, Walter ..read more

There's a podcast for just about everything... Bill Montgomery is retired from the US Army, and jumped at the opportunity to make one for veterans. It started out as an idea jotted on a white board by his colleague at Harford Community College where he hosted a radio show. "I asked him about it he kinda said yea we'd love to do some kind of a veterans show by using the radio lab at Harford Community College as a way to do outreach and I just said yea I think I can help you there," said Retired US Army Colonel, Bill Montgomery. Montgomery calls the series SITREP, short for Situation Report. "I ..read more

The second annual Wine and Dine for Warriors brought in a large crowd on Saturday. The event was aimed to support local veterans and included food, wine, live music, and a silent auction. It was hosted by the Towson Elks Lodge #469. Last year, they raised more than $20,000 for veteran programs throughout the state, including horse and canine therapy, retreats for families of veterans, and scholarships for college. "Our heroes that come back from overseas or even domestically need help, and we want to bring that to light through events like this," said Patrick Sullivan, head of trustee. "A lot ..read more

A local army veteran was in for a big surprise on Thursday. John J., 61, found out that he was the recipient of his first-ever Smiles For Veterans program, which is designed to help veterans who may not be able to afford oral care. John lost his job during the pandemic and just before that, he overcame a battle with cancer. He's missing all his upper teeth, which according to experts, can lead to other health problems including depression. When he applied, his message to the Akeso Oral, Facial & Dental Implant Surgery in Lutherville was quite simple: I am a very sociable person and having ..read more

In 1979, David DeBoy heard this song on the radio: "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer." Well, this creative genius thought he could write a song like this. Forty years later, David and Da Hons are still singing "Crabs for Christmas." On Friday, the group performed their Baltimore classic in front of a special audience. Veterans at The Baltimore Station were serenaded by the group decked out in old Baltimore charm fashion of the Hon era. The non-profit helps veterans suffering from homelessness and addiction with their residential treatment program. It's an annual tradition that strongly encou ..read more

During his service in the army, Wes Moore did a tour in Afghanistan, and Marylands first lady, Dawn Moore, quickly took on new roles here on the home front. Youre Mom, Dad, CEO, and therapist all rolled into one, said Moores wife, You learn to juggle, and you learn to lead. Other spouses also found their careers had to take a back seat to those who were serving their country. For over 20 years, I had the great pleasure of being an Air Force military spouse, said Yolanda Rayford, a chapter director for Blue Star Families, For over 20 years, every three to four years, I had to reinvent myself as ..read more

Leading projects throughout Baltimore, one Air Force Veteran shares how his military service helped fulfill his dreams and inspired him to help others fulfill theirs. For Air Force Veteran Anthony Morgan, being in the military is about serving his country and bringing that home to serve his community. "The size of your dreams must always exceed the current capacity to achieve. If your dreams do not scare you, they're not big enough, it's a quote by former Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, that Morgan said he lives by. Morgan joined the air force at the age of 19. After serving his time ..read more