Vietnam Veteran turned radio host Joe Griffies advocates for vets all year round
Joe Griffies was just 19 years old when he went overseas to serve his country.
OCEAN CITY, New Jersey (WPVI) -- The nation celebrates Veterans Day every year on November 11th, but an Army vet turned radio host down the shore celebrates veterans every week on his show and has spent the last ten years talking and listening to vets across the country and the world.
Joe Griffies was just 19 years old when he went overseas to serve his country.
"About three months after my brother enlisted, I got drafted and I went to Vietnam," he said.
As an Army Veteran, Griffies is a proud member of VFW Post 6650 in Ocean City, New Jersey.
"We have active meetings every month here," he said. "We do a lot of things."
And for the last 10 years, he's spent his Saturday afternoons advocating for veterans as host of the "Welcome Home Show" on WIBG radio.
"We're here to help the vets that can't help themselves," said Griffies.
The "Welcome Home Show" is broadcast live from 2pm to 4pm every Saturday. Griffies says they play music on the show and choose songs "that put smiles on veterans' faces."
"We interview six or seven people from all over the country," he said.
He says his guests range from "Medal of Honor recipients" to "everyday soldiers," and they cover every topic.
He hosts the show with Bill Davenport, a Marine Veteran, and John Lockwood is the producer. Recent guests include, Retired Brigadier General Doug Satterfield, who wrote a book called, "Our Longest Year in Iraq."
Griffies says for many vets coming home, their war has just begun if they are dealing with post-traumatic stress. To help veterans, Griffies focuses on the problems plaguing vets nationwide on his show.
"If we have to do something about the homelessness and suicide problem, it all starts with jobs," he explained.
He says he voices his support to "buy veteran-made products in America," since many of those businesses also hire veterans.
With holiday gift-buying season upon us, Griffies invited veteran business owners to talk about their American-made products on a recent show. He spoke with Air Force Veteran Major Charlynda Scales, founder of Mutt's Sauce, and Army Veteran Dean Wegner who started an apparel brand called, Authentically American.
Griffies also highlighted 12-year-old Sawyer Hendrickson's mission to bring the holidays to our military through her nonprofit, Miss Sawyer's Kids with a Cause. This year, she plans on sending out 10,000 Christmas stockings to veterans.
"It's a good way of letting the public know - hey, we got these veterans, we got to take care of them," said Griffies. "Thanks for your service."
For more information:
Welcome Home Veterans Radio on Facebook
WIBG On Demand - Welcome Home podcasts
