My father and father-in-law, both now passed, were veterans of World War II. I have cousins, friends and a brother-in-law – who has also passed – that served in Vietnam. My sister’s significant other is an Army vet. I lost a cousin in Afghanistan early in that conflict.
Like so many families, we have a lot of veterans – and survivors of veterans – in our ranks.
In recognition of Veteran’s Day this month, you’ll find the Three Big Questions column is dedicated to the benefits available to veterans nearing – or already in – retirement. It’s a longer column that usual, but I wanted to be certain that the explanations were as complete as possible for readers who may be looking for – or want a refresher on – the benefits that are available to them through their service to their country.
I’m grateful to Steve Connor, director of veterans service for Northampton, and Eric Segundo, director of veterans services for the town of Ludlow, for their answers to my questions about retiree benefits. I hope readers find the information helpful as they plan for their next phase of life.
Speaking of benefits to veterans, please check out the new information on recently added radio programs for veterans on the Wreaths Across America radio station, available through the iHeart Radio, Audacity and TuneIn apps as well as on the Wreaths website at https://learn.wreathsacrossamerica.org/radio. Check out the info on new programming in this month’s Six Things You Need to Know and check the website for a listing of daily programs.
We welcomed a podcaster to Prime!
In early October, I sat down with Ken Stearns, host of “The Jar” podcast on Apple podcasts. The Springfield area was one of the stops on his 111-city cross-country trip interviewing people in different parts of the country about their lives.
I wanted to talk with Stearns because his was a different approach to following your passion in retirement – “The Jar” was an idea that was simmering for a bit and came to fruition this past January – and because I was interested in how he came to try his hand a podcasting and how he was making the tech work from the road.
His was an interesting story, starting with a chance answer to an early internet ad that led to a 20-year career in insurance across Asia, work on several books including “Dear God: Letters to God” that was inspired by his mother’s strong Catholic faith and became the foundation for the questions he wrote for his “Jar” during his career, and a decision to return to America this past January to follow his new passion. I even got the chance to be interviewed myself!
I hope you enjoy Stearns’s inspiring story of finding a “third act” that he feels he can do “for a long time.”
Wishing one and all a Happy Thanksgiving and as always, thanks for reading,
Debbie Gardner
dgardner@thereminder.com
