Join Mike & Friends TONIGHT for "We are Veteran's Day!" with Warriors for Life (WFL)

Join our Volunteer, Army Combat Medic Veteran, & Music Writer/Producer Mike Williams TONIGHT for "Mike Check" edition of Warriors for Life (WFL) Online, sponsored and presented by Victory for Veterans, Inc. (VFV).

We are asking everyone to share who we are and what support that Victory for Veterans, Inc. (VFV) is providing via WFL. If you know someone who is a veteran, first responder or a family member/caregiver, please ask them to join us for at least one meeting so they can learn more about what we do and how they can share their wisdom with others who may be able to learn from them.

TONIGHT's Topic:  "We are Veteran's Day!"

Join Mike and Friends on this Halloween NIGHT for a discussion about "We are Veteran's Day!" TONIGHT's focus: Veteran-led, compassionate conversation.

“I didn’t serve for applause; I served so we could use our freedoms well.”

Veterans Day discussion points

 1) Stories behind the uniform

* What’s one small, ordinary moment from service that changed you more than any headline event?

* What do you wish people asked about your service—but rarely do?

* If you could hand civilians one page from your “field manual for life,” what would be on it?

 2) Honor and honesty—holding both

* How do we honor the people who serve while still asking hard questions about the wars they fight?

* What traditions feel meaningful—and which feel performative? How can we tell the difference?

* When does gratitude help—and when does it shut down conversation?

 3) The real costs of service

* What were the hidden costs your body, mind, or family paid that most people never see?

* What does “coming home” actually mean—and how long did it take?

* What would true “shared burden” look like for a nation that chooses to send people to war?

 4) Transition, identity, and purpose

* What part of your military identity did you keep—and what did you have to set down to thrive as a civilian?

* Where did your training help you after service, and where did it get in the way?

* How do you define “mission” now?

 5) Health, moral injury, and resilience

* What’s the difference between PTSD, moral injury, and grief in your experience—and why does it matter?

* What has actually helped you heal (practices, people, routines)—and what didn’t?

* How can communities be part of prevention, not just post-crisis support?

 6) Families and the home front

* What do military kids/spouses carry that the rest of us miss?

* If a neighbor asked, “How can I support your family better?” what would you tell them?

* What would a truly “family-literate” workplace or school look like?

 7) Bridge the civilian–military gap

* What do civilians routinely misunderstand—and what do veterans routinely assume civilians won’t get (but might, if invited)?

* What responsibilities do civilians have in a country defended by volunteers?

* If every community adopted one practical commitment to veterans, what should it be?

 8) Representation and narrative

* How are women, Guard/Reserve, immigrant, LGBTQ+, and minority veterans showing up—or left out—of our public story?

* Which books, films, or songs get it right (or wrong), and why?

* What would a Veterans Day program curated by veterans—not about veterans—feature?

 9) Leadership and transferable wisdom

* What leadership lessons from the military do you wish more civic and business leaders practiced?

* How do you balance decisiveness with humility after high-stakes environments?

* What’s a “standard operating procedure” civilians should steal from the military?

 10) Service after service

* Where have you found a new mission—mentoring, public service, arts, advocacy, caregiving?

* What keeps you grounded on hard days?

* If a young person said, “I’m thinking about enlisting,” what balanced guidance would you offer?

 Ground rules that keep conversations safe and deep

* Invite, don’t interrogate. Replace “What did you do?” with “What would you like us to know?”

* Let people pass. No one owes a story.

* Use specific time limits. Short rounds (1–2 minutes) prevent re-traumatization and keep space shared.

* Reflect back. “What I’m hearing is…” before responding.

* Avoid politics/policy debates today. Focus on people, lived experience, and community responsibility.

TONIGHT Mike Williams shares his Music

"Veteran's Day for Us"

Not every story wears medals on a uniform,

some ride home quiet in the crease of a sleeve.

Boots by the door, porch light like a flame—

love kept watch so the heart could breathe.

Kitchen clock ticking like a convoy line,

note on the fridge said, “Back soon.”

We learned patience, counted time,

held that hope like a silver spoon.

Let gratitude move like water,

quiet power with a joyful sound.

Clap in time—we see you, we hear you,

lifting names as the beat goes ’round.

Let gratitude move like water,

steady river through this town;

shoulder to shoulder, hand in hand—

we carry love, we lay burdens down.

Some sailed deserts, some crossed seas,

mapped the silence between heartbeats.

Some came home fluent in patience and grief,

some laugh in sun through our open screens.

Be the country that listens close,

pull up a chair, let the story choose.

“Tell us only what you wish,” we’ll hold

every word like a sacred truth.

Let gratitude move like water,

quiet power with a joyful sound.

Clap in time—we see you, we hear you,

lifting names as the beat goes ’round.

Let gratitude move like water,

steady river through this town;

shoulder to shoulder, hand in hand—

we carry love, we lay burdens down.

Hush the band, let the voices lead:

applause to presence, spectacle to need.

Bless the families who set one more plate—

courage is stayi

(Leader) Let gratitude move like water—

(Choir) Move like water, say their names.

(Leader) Quiet strength with a dancing order—

(Choir) Joy and reverence, both remain.

(All) Let gratitude move like water,

through our streets and through our days;

we lift your names in rhythm,

and honor you in all our ways.

Warriors for Life (WFL) Online "Mike Check" edition presented by Victory for Veterans, Inc. (VFV) — Friday (TONIGHT), November 7, 2025, @ 4:30 PM PT, 5:30 PM MT, 6:30 PM CT, & 7:30 PM ET

Join Zoom Meeting:  https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83145057228

Thank you,

Mike Williams,

Army Combat Medic Veteran, Music Writer/Producer, & Volunteer Facilitator, Victory for Veterans, Inc. (VFV)

"Honor & Respect Always — Warriors for Life!"