Veterans

A tradition at the Network continues in 2020. Resident veteran Jay Hoffman welcomes our friend Captain Dale Dye back to the Front Row to talk the 1951 Korean War film The Steel Helmet. This film was the first to depict the Korean War and was the first of many war movies from filmmaker Samuel Fuller.

FEATURING: Jay Hoffman & Captain Dale Dye

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One of our favorite episodes every year is the annual Memorial Day film spotlight. This year, veteran Jay Hoffman is joined by regular Erin and fellow vet Ian to discuss Mel Gibson's 2016 Desmond Doss drama/biopic Hacksaw Ridge. To all the veterans out there, thank you for your service.

Featuring: Jay Hoffman, Erin McCabe, Ian Pflug

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Illinois lawmakers are considering whether to waive the concealed carry license fee for qualified veterans.

In the late 1960s, Karen Offutt was a teenager and considered herself very patriotic. She got chills whenever she heard "The Star-Spangled Banner." At 18, she dropped out of nursing school and enlisted in the Army and was deployed to Vietnam.

"I felt real proud to have the uniform on," Offutt, 68, told her 42-year-old daughter Kristin Glasgow at StoryCorps.

U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin wants to expand benefits for injured veterans' caregivers. Currently, caregivers of those who served on or after September 11, 2001 can receive a stipend. Durbin wants to allow veterans who served before 9/11 to have the same eligibility.

The Family Caregivers Program costs about $36,000 a year per veteran, but Durbin says it's worth the price.

"It isn't just a matter of dollars and cents, it's a matter of doing the right thing," he said. "Our obligations to our vets don't end after they come home, our obligations continue."

December visitors to downtown Springfield's Café Andiamo will be greeted by the photography of artist and Springfield native Dan LoGrasso. A veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom, LoGrasso has honed his camera skills as a military journalist on multiple international and domestic deployments.

The economy has proven difficult for many.  But one group in particular, returning veterans, is finding it especially hard to locate work.  Meredith Colias of Illinois Issues magazine wrote about the problem in the latest edition.