This is New Wisco Weekend. I'm Lisa Hale. Operation Song empowers veterans active
duty military members and their families to tell their stories through songwriting.
We're very proud to feature Operation Song in our musical segment of New Wisco Weekend.
As quick as it became so real, from bootcamp to the battlefield, they never taught you how to let it go.
They signed you out and sent you home, and everyone thinks they know.
When they say, welcome home, we've got a lot to catch up on.
It's been so long since you've been gone.
If they'll never understand what you're giving up for them.
Welcome home, your families all around you now.
And your bunch of back on solid ground.
Hope they'll never know. Welcome home.
Sometimes it's not what you hoped.
What to do, where to go.
Living in an empty rat race town.
Because back home, no one's got your six.
The kind of trust that don't exist.
Unless you're with your brothers.
Downrange going loud.
Welcome home, we've got a lot to catch up on.
It's been so long since you've been gone.
If they'll never understand what you're giving up for them.
Welcome home, your families all around you now.
And your bunch of back on solid ground.
Hope they'll never know.
Welcome home.
You came back to a small town big parade.
Oh, but your brother came home as a folded up flag.
Welcome home, your families all around you now.
And your bunch of back on solid ground.
Hope they'll never know.
Welcome home.
On with us right now, John Fody from the CEO of Operation Song.
If John, I want to start off with you because I had a chance to meet you.
Just a few weeks ago, you were on the minor in the mayor's show with AJ Cross and featured a little song.
And we got to know more about Operation Song.
John, give me a little of your background and a little bit of the background of Operation Song if you would.
Yeah, so I am a Army veteran.
I was in the Army as a helicopter pilot from 2012 to 2018.
And I was unfortunately medically discharged at the age of 27 with type 1 diabetes.
And that was kind of my introduction to the veterans community.
After I got out of the army, I tried a few things, but eventually found myself in love with nonprofit work specifically the opportunity to serve and continue to serve my peers.
But just not in uniform anymore through the veterans nonprofit community.
And it's through that that I networked with Operation Song and fell in love with the mission and vision and started here in January with the team in order to help grow and serve more veterans nationwide.
Operation songs vision is to be able to tell the story of every veteran to every American and that includes military personnel and their families.
Our founder, Bob Regan in 2012, doing Armed Forces tours, learned that veterans have incredible stories to tell.
And Bob Regan at that point was an incredible, you know, award winning and nominated songwriter in Nashville had written several number one hits, you know, tons of top chart hits.
And he started dedicating his own personal time and money into Operation Song as the founder in order to tell veteran stories.
90 men, six cannons and one mission.
Life and death all hang on my decisions.
I tell you everything but I leave a lot of it.
I do what I have to do to make you proud.
Aid moves for funerals, one baby.
I guess God had to show how strong he made me.
I tell you everything but I leave a lot of it.
I missed you then just like I miss you now.
My days are long and your days are long.
Waiting to hear I love you on the floor.
I have to be strong and you have to hold on.
We're both surrounded, both alone.
I've got my battles, you've got yours.
Different fights in the same war.
The same war.
In the same war.
My days are long and your days are long and your days are long.
Waiting to hear I love you on the floor.
I have to be strong and you have to hold on.
We're both surrounded, both alone.
In the end I'll love you more.
We know what we're fighting for.
Thank you for being a part of our Memorial Day issue of Newisco Weekend.
Newisco Weekend is produced and written by Terry Barr and Lisa Hale, our executive producer is Todd Michaels, directed by Lisa Hale.
Lead correspondent is Terry Barr with features from Conrad Krieger, Brittany Marlowe, Melissa Kay, and Peach Waba.
If you have a story you'd like to hear us cover, please email me anytime,
lisa.hale at civicmedia.us.
I'm civic media, North East Wisconsin bureau chief Lisa Hale for WISS and WGBW News.
Be unstoppable.
