BEL AIR, Md. — There's a podcast for just about everything...
Bill Montgomery is retired from the US Army, and jumped at the opportunity to make one for veterans.
It started out as an idea jotted on a white board by his colleague at Harford Community College where he hosted a radio show.
"I asked him about it he kinda said yea we'd love to do some kind of a veterans show by using the radio lab at Harford Community College as a way to do outreach and I just said yea I think I can help you there," said Retired US Army Colonel, Bill Montgomery.
Montgomery calls the series SITREP, short for Situation Report.
"I chose that name because situational reports are usually something that if you've been in the military it's either an update or usually something that you need to know about and you do it very often."
On the show, veterans share their own stories.
"That's how I start most of the interviews, I usually ask them do you have a connection? If they've served I go into their background, where did you serve how long did you serve, why did you join how did it change your life. If they have not served but they've had veterans in their family I also ask them to share that."
Then comes the tough part, talking about issues veterans face.
"We've had some folks that have come on that are peer counselors and I've really enjoyed them because they've been someone who have struggled with alcoholism, homelessness, recovered and now they're kind of giving back"
"Often times when I hear a veteran say gee I need help with my VA disability physical, well I did a show on that so I tend to use the show as a resource so I offer them hey go to this episode and listen to the show."
Just about 7 months into the series, Montgomery says he's had 30 people on the show.
One guest has been on twice: Maryland's Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Tony Woods.
"My hope is to speak to anyone that will listen and make sure that we're keeping veterans, their families the service members just fully informed about all the great things that we're working on," said Woods.
The goal for Montgomery is to help veterans and connect them to the community.
"If you're a friend of a veteran and you listen to the program and you know they're struggling with something and you have some content that you can sit down with them and strike up a conversation, you could make the difference on that veteran finally getting some help."
SITREP airs every Thursday at 6:30 on the WHFC podcast page and live on 91.1.
