Home Base Nation

We have published 120 episodes since 2019. For this new season, we thought it would be a good idea to look back on some of the highlights of our conversations and select 20 episodes that resonated with veterans, service members, military families, and the civilians who support them. But first up, you'll hear from some of the folks at Home Base who wake up every day with the same mission in mind, no matter what they do at the Center of Excellence in the Navy Yard and beyond.

We have published 120 episodes since 2019. For this new season, we thought it would be a good idea to look back on some of the highlights of our conversations and select 20 episodes that resonated with veterans, service members, military families, and the civilians who support them. But first up, you'll hear from some of the folks at Home Base who wake up every day with the same mission in mind, no matter what they do at the Center of Excellence in the Navy Yard and beyond. Welcome back to Home Base Nation!

A "Match" for Life - Two Families, Two Dads, Two Sons - And One US/UK Mission at the Liverpool Football Club Commemorating Memorial Day 2025: Home Base COO Mike Allard, who is Home Base Nation's UK Correspondent, sits down with two dads (Brad Allen and Dustin Snyder) who lost their sons who have served in the military to suicide. They talk about the bonds that bring us together in unimaginable times, and the veteran and sports community that comes together to rally support and wrap their arms around them and their families.

We have published 120 episodes since 2019. For this new season, we thought we would look back on some of the highlights of our conversations and choose 20 episodes that resonated with veterans, service members, military families, and the civilians who support them. But first up, you'll hear from some of the folks at Home Base who wake up every day with the same mission in mind, no matter what they do at the Center of Excellence in the Navy Yard and beyond. Over the next twenty weeks, we will share these staff conversations I had with some of the hard-working professionals at Home Base who help treat the invisible wounds of veterans and military families. For this episode, you will hear a brief conversation with Home Base Marine Veteran Alexander Hohl, Licensed Mental Health Counselor, followed by one of the earlier episodes, in which Ron sat with the US Army Colonel and Combat Surgeon Dr. David King and Red Sox legend David "Big Papi" Ortiz. Boston just celebrated the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution, and we felt it a good time to re-share the episode that remembers the Boston Marathon bombing and the inspiration Big Papi brought to the city during that time.

Three-time All-Star Pitcher, Six-time Roberto Clemente Award nominee, (and Run to Home Base Captain) Liam Hendriks, and entrepreneur and philanthropist Kristi Hendriks join Dr. Ron Hirschberg for a conversation at Home Base. As the Red Sox welcome Liam to the team, he and Kristi reflect on living the baseball life over the years including the comaradarie and the challenges, the causes they support, and how military lineage runs in their families. Liam talks about his own battle against Stage IV non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma in 2022, and the return to pitching the following year along with Kristi's ongoing support. Kristi highlights the key bonds with fellow baseball wives and the special connection to each community, and both Liam and Kristi share their love for the Bruins and how they enjoy kicking back to watch a great hockey game.

This week three years ago, we told the story of “Operation Christmas Drop” after discovering the oldest ongoing Department of Defense mission - the world’s longest running humanitarian airdrop - to deliver critical supplies to remote islands in the Pacific. On 12/14/24, Operation Christmas Drop at Andersen Airforce Base in Guam was another success, and the 73rd annual drop delivered 220 bundles to 58 islands, helping more than 42,000 people. Ron Hirschberg and Lucy Little told this story in 2021 including Zoom interviews east to Guam with (now) former President of OCD2021 Air Force Capt. Matt Carrowan, and north to Canada with the 2021 Netflix Movie "Operation Christmas Drop" Director, Martin Wood. Happy holidays all and enjoy this amazing story of giving, and making a true difference for thousands of people every year.

Marine Veteran and Home Base Florida colleague Jaime Fernandez came up to Boston this month to help bring to fruition the first Spanish speaking veteran two-week Intensive Clinical Program. Born in Nicaragua, Jaime moved to Miami at age 6, and after high school joined the Marines in 2001. After 3 tours in Iraq and back home, he would pursue degree in Human Performance at Florida Gulf Coast University, which launched a prolific career in strength and conditioning with Red Sox affiliate in Greenville, SC. In 2015, he joined Home Base Southwest Florida led by fellow Marine Veteran Armando Hernandez. As a bilingual veteran, Jaime continues to speak the language of service in both English and Spanish, while speaking other languages of mindfulness, meditation, and fitness.

It’s fitting that the melodic lyric connecting Liverpool Football Club fans is "You’ll Never Walk Alone," when chatting with Football Veteran (and Army Veteran) Goalkeeper Bruce Grobbelaar, who joined the Rhodesian Army in 1975, speaking about bonded brotherhood during bloody conflict – While in an ambush, Bruce yelled to a buddy, “When we get out of here, I’d like to play football for Liverpool.” Fast forward to 1980, and the great LFC Coach Bob Paisley spotted Bruce warming up in the rain under an umbrella, and from that moment on, that figherfight banter 5 years earlier became a reality. Over 14 years, Bruce and LFC won 6 Premier League championship and many other major trophies. As an Army Veteran of the current Zimbabwe who experienced trauma on both battlefield and the pitch during 2 horrific stadium tragedies, Bruce’s own life was saved by football, owing much to the fans who support him and his iconic team.