Warrior Wednesday with The Raider
Warrior Wednesday with The Raider
Podcast Description
The Warrior Wednesday Podcast brings you the inspiring stories and candid conversations from our weekly on-air feature with Mornings with Chad Ray on The Raider. Each episode spotlights the voices of veterans, active-duty service members, and those who support them — sharing their journeys, challenges, and triumphs. From personal reflections to community initiatives, Warrior Wednesday honors the men and women of our Armed Forces while connecting listeners in the Big Country to the stories that matter most.
Podcast Insights
Content Themes
This podcast covers a range of topics highlighting personal experiences in military service, community engagement, and supporting veterans, with episodes featuring stories like that of Roy McClendon, who discusses his time as a B-52 crew chief and the values learned throughout his military career.

The Warrior Wednesday Podcast brings you the inspiring stories and candid conversations from our weekly on-air feature with Mornings with Chad Ray on The Raider. Each episode spotlights the voices of veterans, active-duty service members, and those who support them — sharing their journeys, challenges, and triumphs. From personal reflections to community initiatives, Warrior Wednesday honors the men and women of our Armed Forces while connecting listeners in the Big Country to the stories that matter most.
This Warrior Wednesday is a deeply personal one as Chad Ray welcomes Air Force veteran Gordy Tatro — and yes, he’s also the father of The Raider’s own Dustin Tatro. Born and raised in Michigan, Gordy shares how a shaky freshman year in college during the Vietnam draft era pushed him to make a life-changing choice: enlist in the U.S. Air Force in 1966. Following a family legacy of service — including a father who flew B-17s in World War II — Gordy trained in military photography and reconnaissance, then deployed to Saigon before serving at Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Base in Thailand. There, he worked with a reconnaissance technical squadron during the Rolling Thunder era, helping process film from missions that tracked enemy movement along the Ho Chi Minh Trail using side-looking radar and aerial imagery. Gordy also reflects on the painful reality many Vietnam veterans faced when they returned home to a divided America, and offers thoughtful advice for young people considering military service today. The conversation closes with a moving, unexpected tribute from Dustin, thanking his father publicly for the first time for the role he played in helping fellow troops make it home alive. A powerful and unforgettable episode.

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