Home Base Nation

We had the pleasure to host Kingston, Ontario’s own Boston Bruins Stanley Cup winner Rick Smith at Home Base recently, and sit with our own Senior Director of Clinical Services Navy Capt (Ret.) Dr. Joe Bonvie. Joe and Rick talk about the mental and physical toll on the mind and body that happens in and outside the rink. Rick tells us about his journey post-retirement in the woods up north, and how finding new identity and purpose that he always had in hockey for years was far from easy to come by. Rick and Joe talk about a social hub of sorts in Kandahar, Afghanistan that existed for years on a military base with a full-sized ball-hockey rink transported by the Canadians in 2007, and how bringing the Stanley Cup with them overseas was good medicine for many in need.

A happy 100th Anniversary to the mighty Boston Bruins, as they lead 3:1 in the Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Toronto Maple Leafs, facing off TONIGHT April 30th at Game 5! Here is our conversation with Rick Allen and Joe Bonvie on hockey, brotherhood, competition, and comradery.

Home Base Nation will be sharing episodes every two weeks up through the Run To Home Base this coming July 27th. Please sign up to join us there to support all veteran, servicemember and family care, and as we celebrate women in the military this year.

Home Base Nation is the official podcast for Home Base Program for Veterans and Military Families – Our team sees veterans, servicemembers and their families addressing the invisible wounds of war at no cost. This is all made possible thanks to a grateful nation – And if you want to learn more on how you can help, visit us atwww.homebase.org, or if you or anyone you know would like to connect to care, you can also reach us at 617-724-5202.

• Theme music for Home Base Nation: "Rolling the Tree" by The Butler Frogs
• Follow Home Base on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn
• The Home Base Nation Teamis Steve Monaco, Army Veteran Kelly Field, Justin Scheinert, Chuck Clough, with COO Michael Allard, Brigadier General Jack Hammond, and Peter Smyth.
• Producer and Host: Dr. Ron Hirschberg
  Assistant Producer, Editor: Chuck Clough
  Chairman, Home Base Media Lab: Peter Smyth

The views expressed by guests to the Home Base Nation podcast are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. Views and opinions expressed by guests are those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect the view of the Massachusetts General Hospital, Home Base, the Red Sox Foundation or any of its officials.

In this episode, Dr. Ron Hirschberg talks with Navy Veteran and 7-time marathoner Yuma Haidara about her journey to the Navy, nursing, and a path to a career in commercial truck driving with Walmart. Yuma sees the road in front of her as an opportunity, and at the same time with just enough adventure. She holds a unique balance of bonding with fellow veterans, while finding strength on her own, trucking cross country, running anywhere from 3.1 to 26.2-mile races, and building her own business of organic skincare products, “A Yummy Life.” Yuma's strength also comes from confronting vulnerability and accepting the fact that asking for help makes us stronger.

Many thanks Navy Veteran Yuma Haidarafor your service in many ways, and how you always see the road as a new opportunity for helping others as you take care of yourself at the same time.

You can connect with Yuma on Instagram @Yumahaidara – links to A Yummy Life, other podcasts and articles including Women’s Running Magazine she has been featured in and more…

Thank you to the Nashua Public Library for your hospitality for this conversation, and of course thanks to the great people at Walmart who have helped so many people into and post-pandemic as trusted employers and support system.

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Home Base Nation will be sharing episodes every two weeks up through the Run To Home Base this coming July 27th. Please sign up to join us there to support all veteran, servicemember and family care, and as we celebrate women in the military this year.

Home Base Nation is the official podcast for Home Base Program for Veterans and Military Families – Our team sees veterans, servicemembers and their families addressing the invisible wounds of war at no cost. This is all made possible thanks to a grateful nation – And if you want to learn more on how you can help, visit us atwww.homebase.org, or if you or anyone you know would like to connect to care, you can also reach us at 617-724-5202.

• Theme music for Home Base Nation: "Rolling the Tree" by The Butler Frogs
• Follow Home Base on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn
• The Home Base Nation Teamis Steve Monaco, Army Veteran Kelly Field, Justin Scheinert, Chuck Clough, with COO Michael Allard, Brigadier General Jack Hammond, and Peter Smyth.
• Producer and Host: Dr. Ron Hirschberg
  Assistant Producer, Editor: Chuck Clough
  Chairman, Home Base Media Lab: Peter Smyth

The views expressed by guests to the Home Base Nation podcast are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. Views and opinions expressed by guests are those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect the view of the Massachusetts General Hospital, Home Base, the Red Sox Foundation or any of its officials.

In this episode, Dr. Ron Hirschberg sits with Lauren Monroe and Rick Allen: Couple, and Cofounders of Raven Drum Foundation, leading events to heal and build resiliency through the arts for 23 years. Prior to experiencing a community drum circle with over 70 veterans and 1st responders hosted by philanthropist Ernie Boch Jr., Lauren takes us to 2001 - helping Rick through his own trauma with mindfulness, and describes mind-heart-coherence for ourselves and community. Rick reminds us that we are rhythmic beings, how he's seen people open up in a sacred space that the drum circles create, and how in 2006 a visit to Walter Reed Medical Center connected him to injured veterans in a powerful way, bringing us further back to the 1984 accident when he lost his arm, went through rehabilitation, PTSD and discovered new possibilities for a continued career with Def Leppard. Lauren tells us about next identities and training yourself to be the warrior you need to be, and how people can heal their own pain through helping others, and about her song Brave's echoing line, "Shine the light through the dark, and carry what's been broken apart."

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Many thanks To Lauren Monroe and Rick Allen of the Raven Drum Foundation for 23 years and counting- reaching so many people in need of healing. Your service to others is both tangible through feel of the drum, and intangible with the feeling you get when you are mid-way through each drum circle beat.

You can learn all about their foundation at https://ravendrumfoundation.org/, for more about Lauren and to catch up on all her new music go to https://laurenmonroe.com/. And of course, remember Def Leppard is on tour this Summer, along with Journey so check out the schedule. I know I’ll be at Fenway Park with the good Colonel Dan Arkins cheering on Rick the Thunder God and his band….

Thank you to Peggie Rose for all your support and making our conversation happen, and for all you have done to bring veterans and 1st responders together for such a powerful and unique experience. Many thanks to Ernie Boch, Jr. for your generosity and for hosting this event and for allowing our interview amidst classic guitars and inviting vibes.

Enjoy Lauren Monroe's song "Brave" at the end of this episode which is featured on her latest album Messages from Aphrodite

This episode is dedicated to two members of the Home Base family: Colonel (Ret.) Dan Arkins who is probably practicing the drums somewhere in an undisclosed location while preparing a new mission to conquer the drum kit. And Coreen Field, mom of our own Army Veteran Kelly Field, wife of her late husband Army Veteran Mike Field, and a lifelong Def Leppard fan….

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Home Base Nation will be sharing episodes every two weeks up through the Run To Home Base this coming July 27th. Please sign up to join us there to support all veteran, servicemember and family care, and as we celebrate women in the military this year.

Home Base Nation is the official podcast for Home Base Program for Veterans and Military Families – Our team sees veterans, servicemembers and their families addressing the invisible wounds of war at no cost. This is all made possible thanks to a grateful nation – And if you want to learn more on how you can help, visit us atwww.homebase.org, or if you or anyone you know would like to connect to care, you can also reach us at 617-724-5202.

• Theme music for Home Base Nation: "Rolling the Tree" by The Butler Frogs
• Follow Home Base on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn
• The Home Base Nation Teamis Steve Monaco, Army Veteran Kelly Field, Justin Scheinert, Chuck Clough, with COO Michael Allard, Brigadier General Jack Hammond, and Peter Smyth.
• Producer and Host: Dr. Ron Hirschberg
  Assistant Producer, Editor: Chuck Clough
  Chairman, Home Base Media Lab: Peter Smyth

The views expressed by guests to the Home Base Nation podcast are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. Views and opinions expressed by guests are those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect the view of the Massachusetts General Hospital, Home Base, the Red Sox Foundation or any of its officials.

Commander Billie June (BJ) Farrell grew up in Kentucky and at age 10 something about the Naval Academy just clicked. Seven years later she enrolled at the Academy, and in 2004 was commissioned. Commander Farrell as served as an officer aboard the USS Vella Gulf, USS San Jacinto, and the USS Vicksburg. And on January 21st, 2022 she moved with her husband, Navy Officer Paul Farrell and two young kids to Charlestown, MA to report as the 77th Commander of the USS Constitution. 224 years later, she was the first woman to take command since the launch of this iconic ship in 1797. Commander Farrell talks about leadership, service, and her Boston experience with family, mental health support and how "if I don't know... I can't help."

Many thanks to Commander BJ Farrell for your service, ongoing support and leadership to your sailors and to everyone you meet here in Boston. Best of luck back at the Naval Academy, mentoring the many lucky students ahead.

Special thanks to the USS Constitution Public Affairs Officer, First Class Ray Minami, for all your help and support of Home Base. Thanks to the great crew at the MGH Photography lab too and please note you can find this conversation on Home Base’s YouTube channel soon.

Home Base Nation will be sharing episodes over two weeks up through the Run To Home Base this coming July 27th. Please sign up to join us there to support all veteran, servicemember and family care, and as we celebrate women in the military this year.

If this is your first time joining us, welcome -Home Base Nation is the official podcast for Home Base Program for Veteran and Family Care, in Charlestown Navy Yard in Boston, MA. Every two weeks we share conversations and stories about service, mental health, and recovery with great military and civilian guests. We are over 100 episodes since the start, a few months prior to the pandemic on Veterans Day 2019.

Home Base continues to grow in terms of care, awareness and research, working with veterans and active duty servicemembers across the US and from several other countries. Our programs are continuing to expand right here in Boston, in Florida, Arizona and more news to come.

Here are a few 2024 highlights around Home Base since January. Many great things happening, but here are just a few…

-Arizona State University hosted a successful launch party in Phoenix to announce our partnership to deliver Warrior Health and Fitness on the university’s Downtown Phoenix campus beginning this month.

-Patriots long snapper Joe Cardona, received the NFL’s prestigiousSalute to Service Award, to those supporting the Military community. Joe is a lieutenant in the Navy Reserves and came by Home Base to take a tour and talk about the needs of servicemembers and veterans.

-Home Base Florida’s Air Force Veteran Angie De Lima and Marine Veteran Jaime Fernandez participated in workshops in Puerto Rico for veterans and families, and Jaime delivered content from our Resilient Warrior program in Spanish!

-Just last month, Senator Elizabeth Warren invited Spaulding Rehabilitation President and Home Base Chief of TBI Dr. Ross Zafonte to testify to the Senate Armed Forces Committee about the impacts of TBI and blast exposure on active-duty Special Operations Forces.

We wanted to highlight just a few of the many women who have served and have made history along the way…

General Ann E. Dunwoody: In 1992, General Dunwoody was the first female battalion commander of the 82nd Airborne Division, andthe first female in US Military history to be promoted to four-star general .

Navy Flight Nurse Jane Kendeigh (Ken-dee):At Iwo Jima in 1945, Jane Louise ‘Candy’ Kendeigh, was one of 122 women with specialized training, not only caring for battlefield wounds, but direct hand-to-hand combat.

Army soldier Cathay Williams:Was the first African American female soldier to enlist in the Army – in 1866 and the only documented black woman to serve in the 19th century, serving with the 38th infantry regiment, or the Buffalo the soldiers – joining under her pseudonym, William Cathay.

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Home Base Nation is the official podcast for Home Base Program for Veterans and Military Families – Our team sees veterans, servicemembers and their families addressing the invisible wounds of war at no cost. This is all made possible thanks to a grateful nation – And if you want to learn more on how you can help, visit us atwww.homebase.org, or if you or anyone you know would like to connect to care, you can also reach us at 617-724-5202.

• Theme music for Home Base Nation: "Rolling the Tree" by The Butler Frogs
• Follow Home Base on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn
• The Home Base Nation Teamis Steve Monaco, Army Veteran Kelly Field, Justin Scheinert, Chuck Clough, with COO Michael Allard, Brigadier General Jack Hammond, and Peter Smyth.
• Producer and Host: Dr. Ron Hirschberg
  Assistant Producer, Editor: Chuck Clough
  Chairman, Home Base Media Lab: Peter Smyth

The views expressed by guests to the Home Base Nation podcast are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. Views and opinions expressed by guests are those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect the view of the Massachusetts General Hospital, Home Base, the Red Sox Foundation or any of its officials.

Retired Navy SEAL Capt. Ryan Croley founded the Warrior For Life Fund (WFLF) in 2012 after never skating or picking up a hockey stick until his mid-thirties, creating an opportunity for veterans, active duty service members, and families to meet and compete on the ice no matter the skill level, ability…or disability. Frank Simonetti played for the Boston Bruins from 1984-1988, and as a Bruins Alumni continues to help raise funds and awareness for people in need through organizations like WFLF. With some pre-game smack talk for the tied series between the Bruins Alumni and WFLF Teams and a conversation about the therapeutic bonds on and off the ice, Dr. Ron talks with Ryan and Frank at Home Base, overlooking the USS Constitution – an appropriate backdrop for a Bostonian Bruin, and a Navy Veteran.

Thank you Ryan Coley, of the Warrior For Life Fund (WFLF) and Frank Simonetti of the Boston Bruins Alumni for your service on and off the ice and for connecting people through the great sport of hockey. Thanks for visiting us at Home Base and for all your work in bringing the Bruins-Military worlds together for some great therapy and great times. Special thanks to colleague Dr. Joe Bonvie who has been bringing sport, psychology and service together with passion for many years.

Make sure to check out the BFit Challenge that will take place January 28th 2024, or sign up virtually for January 19th-26th, and the Home Base BFitTeam!

Many thanks to Annie Tamburello, SLP and Brain Injury Specialist (And wife of Ryan Croley) who treats veterans, servicemembers and civilians with TBI who need cognitive rehab. Check out Cortex Initiative at VA Beach for more information. Through the WFLF they are doing great work, and along with Frank Simonetti and others it’s about that impact factor and showing that support for those who need the help. And thank you to our partner and friend Navy Seal Foundation for all you do to help support organizations like WFLF.

Home Base Nation is the official podcast for Home Base Program for Veterans and Military Families – Our team sees veterans, servicemembers and their families addressing the invisible wounds of war at no cost. This is all made possible thanks to a grateful nation – And if you want to learn more on how you can help, visit us atwww.homebase.org, or if you or anyone you know would like to connect to care, you can also reach us at 617-724-5202.

• Theme music for Home Base Nation: "Rolling the Tree" by The Butler Frogs
• Follow Home Base on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn
• The Home Base Nation Teamis Steve Monaco, Army Veteran Kelly Field, Justin Scheinert, Chuck Clough, with COO Michael Allard, Brigadier General Jack Hammond, and Peter Smyth.
• Producer and Host: Dr. Ron Hirschberg
  Assistant Producer, Editor: Chuck Clough
  Chairman, Home Base Media Lab: Peter Smyth

The views expressed by guests to the Home Base Nation podcast are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. Views and opinions expressed by guests are those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect the view of the Massachusetts General Hospital, Home Base, the Red Sox Foundation or any of its officials.

On the show today, Marine Veteran, teacher in the classroom and on the track – Hal Croft, including two of his former Reading, MA High School students – Film Producer Brandon Millett, and Home Base's Executive Director Brigadier General Jack Hammond. Host Ron Hirschberg sits with Hal, Brandon and Jack to talk teaching, building bonds on and off the track and battlefield, and healing wounds of war in and out of the clinic. It was just a few years prior to starting his teaching career that in 1967 in Vietnam Hal Croft would earn both a Silver Star for valor in action, and a Bronze Star for saving four fellow Marines at Khe Sanh. We also learn that Hal taught track and field just like the classics in his English literature class, and like Hemingway’s quote "Courage is grace under pressure," Hal lived it every day on his track.

Thank you Hal Croft, General Jack Hammond and Brandon Millett, for joining us on Home Base Nation. Service, leadership and creativity all come together in talking with you all, and the story of resilience and comradery of the Reading High School Track Team is awesome – We are very excited to see CROFT the film soon, and you can go to www.halcroftfilm.com for all information and updates on the documentary release.

Home Base Nation is the official podcast for Home Base Program for Veterans and Military Families – Our team sees veterans, servicemembers and their families addressing he invisible wounds of war at no cost.

If you are your loved one is experiencing any emotional, mental health struggles, you are not alone and please contact Home Base at (617) 724-5202, or visit www.homebase.org.

To Donate to Home Base where every dollar goes to the care of veterans and military families that is cost to them, go to: www.homebase.org/donate.

• Theme music for Home Base Nation: "Rolling the Tree" by The Butler Frogs
• Follow Home Base on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn
• The Home Base Nation Teamis Steve Monaco, Army Veteran Kelly Field, Justin Scheinert, Chuck Clough, with COO Michael Allard, Brigadier General Jack Hammond, and Peter Smyth.
• Producer and Host: Dr. Ron Hirschberg
  Assistant Producer, Editor: Chuck Clough
  Chairman, Home Base Media Lab: Peter Smyth

Home Base Nation is the official podcast of Home Base Program for Veterans and Military Families, a partnership of the Massachusetts General Hospital and the Red Sox Foundation. To learn more and connect with us at Home Base Nation: www.homebase.org/podcast

The views expressed by guests to the Home Base Nation podcast are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. Views and opinions expressed by guests are those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect the view of the Massachusetts General Hospital, Home Base, the Red Sox Foundation or any of its officials.

Thank you Jennifer Jenkins for How You Serve, and a very happy Thanksgiving to the Jenkins family! Wounded Warrior Project's Jennifer Jenkins is the spouse of a Navy Veteran, the sister of an Army Veteran and the mom of a Marine. She is an award-winning author and has helped build a community of support for military families and veterans for more than 8 years in her role as a Warrior Speaks Communication Specialist. Jennifer was “drafted” into the military the same day her brother Army Specialist James Smith was injured from an IED blast in Iraq in 2005, and for the past 18 years Jennifer has empowered him and many others to regain independence and live fulfilled lives as wounded-but-not-broken, warriors. And although her Marine son was injured years later less severely, she says that that phone call felt exactly the same. Many thanks to our friends at WWP for this opportunity to share Jennifer’s story – Author, Advocate, and a unique military family member trifecta – Spouse, Sister, and Mom.

Many thanks to our guest Jennifer Jenkins of the Wounded Warrior Project, a triple military family member who connects, serves and empowers so many across the country who have served. Thank you WWP for all you do for our veterans and military families, and for Home Base and our Warrior Care Network sisters and brothers in Atlanta, LA and Chicago. For more, please check out woundedwarriorproject.org

Home Base Nation is the official podcast for Home Base Program for Veterans and Military Families – Our team sees veterans, servicemembers and their families addressing he invisible wounds of war at no cost.

If you are your loved one is experiencing any emotional, mental health struggles, you are not alone and please contact Home Base at (617) 724-5202, or visit www.homebase.org.

To Donate to Home Base where every dollar goes to the care of veterans and military families that is cost to them, go to: www.homebase.org/donate.

• Theme music for Home Base Nation: "Rolling the Tree" by The Butler Frogs
• Follow Home Base on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn
• The Home Base Nation Teamis Steve Monaco, Army Veteran Kelly Field, Justin Scheinert, Chuck Clough, with COO Michael Allard, Brigadier General Jack Hammond, and Peter Smyth.
• Producer and Host: Dr. Ron Hirschberg
  Assistant Producer, Editor: Chuck Clough
  Chairman, Home Base Media Lab: Peter Smyth

Home Base Nation is the official podcast of Home Base Program for Veterans and Military Families, a partnership of the Massachusetts General Hospital and the Red Sox Foundation. To learn more and connect with us at Home Base Nation: www.homebase.org/podcast

The views expressed by guests to the Home Base Nation podcast are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. Views and opinions expressed by guests are those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect the view of the Massachusetts General Hospital, Home Base, the Red Sox Foundation or any of its officials.

US Navy Combat Veteran Dr. Jesse Ehrenfeld has worn two hats, both literally and figuratively whether donning his surgical cap in the OR, or his camouflage cap down range, and they seem to blend together when you talk with him about humanity, what the right thing to do is when it comes to stigma, equity in healthcare and equality for all, no matter who we are, both at home and abroad. In this episode, host Dr. Ron Hirschberg talks with Dr. Ehrenfeld about his role as the current President of American Medical Association and how his military experience has shaped it, about stigma in mental health, about the fight for rights in the LBGTQ+ community - in and out of the military - and current issues in Israel and Gaza that are on all of our minds.

This episode was recorded on 10-23-23 at Home Base Center of Excellence

Many thanks to our guest Dr. Jesse Ehrenfeld, Navy Veteran, and current president of the American Medical Association for being on the podcast and your visit to Home Base. Thank you for your service in many ways in the operating room both overseas and stateside, with your work in medical leadership hat that has been shaped by the military hat you have worn over your career.

Home Base Nation is the official podcast for Home Base Program for Veterans and Military Families – Our team sees veterans, servicemembers and their families addressing he invisible wounds of war at no cost.

If you are your loved one is experiencing any emotional, mental health struggles, you are not alone and please contact Home Base at (617) 724-5202, or visit www.homebase.org.

To Donate to Home Base where every dollar goes to the care of veterans and military families that is cost to them, go to: www.homebase.org/donate.

• Theme music for Home Base Nation: "Rolling the Tree" by The Butler Frogs
• Follow Home Base on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn
• The Home Base Nation Teamis Steve Monaco, Army Veteran Kelly Field, Justin Scheinert, Chuck Clough, with COO Michael Allard, Brigadier General Jack Hammond, and Peter Smyth.
• Producer and Host: Dr. Ron Hirschberg
  Assistant Producer, Editor: Chuck Clough
  Chairman, Home Base Media Lab: Peter Smyth

Home Base Nation is the official podcast of Home Base Program for Veterans and Military Families, a partnership of the Massachusetts General Hospital and the Red Sox Foundation. To learn more and connect with us at Home Base Nation: www.homebase.org/podcast

The views expressed by guests to the Home Base Nation podcast are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. Views and opinions expressed by guests are those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect the view of the Massachusetts General Hospital, Home Base, the Red Sox Foundation or any of its officials.

Academy Award and Golden Globe nominee Mariel Hemingway is known for her iconic roles in Lipstick, Manhattan, and Star 80. But did you know she created a Mental Health Foundation, and that she is from a military family? Her dad enlisted in WWII just after Pearl Harbor, was in the OSS which would become the CIA. Her grandfather, the great American writer Ernest Hemingway was denied enlistment for visual impairment but served the frontline in Italy with the Red Cross as an ambulance driver in 1917. Ron and Mariel talk about service, wellness, mental health, about her 2015 memoir "Out Came The Sun," and being able to tell your story no matter the challenge, and never being afraid to let that story go.

Many thanks Mariel Hemingway for joining us on Home Base Nation. Thanks for your passion for mind body health, and helping others through your work with the Foundation and the collaboration with partner Bobby Williams on all things wellness. Your family story and legacy are remarkable and at the same time as you say, there is nothing unique about many of these challenges and triumphs we all share. Please check out the memoir Out Came the Sun: Overcoming the Legacy of Mental Illness, Addiction, and Suicide in My Family which is also read by the author on Audible. And of course, follow our friend’s Melissa and Mariel’s great podcast Out Comes The Sun Podcast and for wellness and mental health resources, please check out Mariel Hemingway Foundation.

Special thanks to Dr. Rudy Tanzi, MGH scientist and artist for the introduction to our guest.

If you are your loved one is experiencing any emotional, mental health struggles, you are not alone and please contact Home Base at (617) 724-5202, or visit www.homebase.org.

To Donate to Home Base where every dollar goes to the care of veterans and military families that is cost to them, go to: www.homebase.org/donate.

• Theme music for Home Base Nation: "Rolling the Tree" by The Butler Frogs
• Follow Home Base on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn
• The Home Base Nation Teamis Steve Monaco, Army Veteran Kelly Field, Justin Scheinert, Chuck Clough, with COO Michael Allard, Brigadier General Jack Hammond, and Peter Smyth.
• Producer and Host: Dr. Ron Hirschberg
  Assistant Producer, Editor: Chuck Clough
  Chairman, Home Base Media Lab: Peter Smyth

Home Base Nation is the official podcast of Home Base Program for Veterans and Military Families, a partnership of the Massachusetts General Hospital and the Red Sox Foundation. To learn more and connect with us at Home Base Nation: www.homebase.org/podcast

The views expressed by guests to the Home Base Nation podcast are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. Views and opinions expressed by guests are those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect the view of the Massachusetts General Hospital, Home Base, the Red Sox Foundation or any of its officials.

On October 9th, 2023 we reflect on the contributions of Indigenous peoples in the US, and what is more of a profound contribution than dedication to and protection of our country? In Post 9/11 times, about 1 in 5 Native Americans have joined the armed forces, and we recognize and salute the service and resilience that runs deep and strong throughout our military history. This episode highlights a recent visit to Home Base from Rear Admiral Michael Weahkee, sharing discussions on the Indian Health Service, and an abridged special conversation with Marine Veteran and Navajo Code Talker Peter MacDonald.

Our heartfelt thanks to Navajo Code Talker Peter MacDonald and your family for your ongoing service, and of course the three things we all need to hold onto tightly: Knowledge, Wisdom, and Strength. Thank you to Admiral Michael Weakhee for your presentation and partnership as we optimize care for our Native veterans and their families.

WWII Navajo Code Talker Hon. Peter MacDonald at the Home Base National Center of Excellence - YouTube

Since 2010, Mass General Brigham (MGB) has partnered with the Indian Health Service serving Navajo Nation in both New Mexico and Arizona. In 2023 faculty from across MGB will have volunteered a total of 30 weeks at Navajo IHS hospitals, led 24 remote CME talks and mentored four providers from Cherokee Nation for partnering in substance use disorder care.

Ellen Bell,Director of Community Health Outreach and Training Programs at MGB reflected in a recent interview - saying, “Inadequate infrastructure, limited specialty care and woeful underfunding contribute to well-documented and astounding health disparities in our Native American communities – all of which were severely intensified during the COVID pandemic.”

The Home Base Team has been collaborating with the medical, educational, and government leadership in Arizona on a three-phase launch of mind-body healthcare for veterans and families that includes urban and rural partnerships with the Navajo Nation community specifically. Warrior Health and Fitness programming is coming soon this year, followed by intensive clinical and outpatient programming in early 2024 – All thanks to the efforts of Dr. Louis Chow, Army Veterans Felicia Pinckney and Bill Davidson, Erin Dwyer, Air Force Veteran Marcus Denetdale, Laura Harward, Karianne Kraus, Marine Veteran Armando Hernandez, and others, along with leadership Mike Allard and Brigadier General Jack Hammond.

As Home Base moves forward with planning in Arizona and Navajo Nation, we aim to carry on the Mass General Brigham initiative that started in 2010 with colleague Ellen Bell and others to partner in healthcare, battling health disparities while always chipping away at stigma in mental health especially in these regions. For more information and to access care and or provide support to our growing programs, please connect with us at www.homebase.org.

If you are your loved one is experiencing any emotional, mental health struggles, you are not alone and please contact Home Base at (617) 724-5202, or visit www.homebase.org.

To Donate to Home Base where every dollar goes to the care of veterans and military families that is cost to them, go to: www.homebase.org/donate.

• Theme music for Home Base Nation: "Rolling the Tree" by The Butler Frogs
• Follow Home Base on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn
• The Home Base Nation Teamis Steve Monaco, Army Veteran Kelly Field, Justin Scheinert, Chuck Clough, with COO Michael Allard, Brigadier General Jack Hammond, and Peter Smyth.
• Producer and Host: Dr. Ron Hirschberg
  Assistant Producer, Editor: Chuck Clough
  Chairman, Home Base Media Lab: Peter Smyth
• Closing Guitar Music: Lucy Little
• Special thanks to David Schmitz and the Waves Media Team for curation of content both live and multimedia video

Home Base Nation is the official podcast of Home Base Program for Veterans and Military Families, a partnership of the Massachusetts General Hospital and the Red Sox Foundation. To learn more and connect with us at Home Base Nation: www.homebase.org/podcast

The views expressed by guests to the Home Base Nation podcast are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. Views and opinions expressed by guests are those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect the view of the Massachusetts General Hospital, Home Base, the Red Sox Foundation or any of its officials.