Local U.S. Air Force Veteran Dedicates his Time and his Dime to Helping Veterans

Local veteran William “Bill” Hodges is on a mission: running, organizing and hosting a local radio show for veterans airing from Tampa Bay. To complete this mission, Hodges connects with every organization he can to help him help veterans.

A U.S Air Force veteran, Hodges is like many veterans who have left military service wary of certain organizations, including the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

“About 15 years ago, I started going to James A. Haley VA Hospital and was immediately amazed at the world class medical care I received,” Hodges said. “I’ve now made it my mission to show our vets how to get services, including disability.”

This long-ago experience marked the start of a personal journey navigating the complexities of filing a service-connected disability claim. After connecting with a local Disabled American Veterans chapter, he succeeded.

Now, Hodges hosts a radio show that he started two years ago using a local FM station that is now carried on four stations and a podcast that he finances out of his own pocket. Capitalizing on his past communications experience, he has made it his duty to educate and inform his growing audience on all things relevant to all veterans.

Over the past two years, he has had guests on his show from a variety of organizations including, the Florida Department of Veterans Affairs, the VA and a variety of local and national elected officials. As a testament to its usefulness, listeners and organizational representatives have shared their appreciation for Hodges’ efforts.

“I have learned things from your show that has helped me in my fight to get my benefits from the VA,” said Jeff Redford, a local veteran who tunes in to the show in a recent email to Hodges. “So keep up the good work and I think without a doubt you are a true veteran’s friend.”

There are 45,000 veterans organizations registered with the IRS to help them but despite this number, veterans don’t always know how or where to get the help they need. And sifting through the barrage of information can be difficult.

To keep his show understandable and user-friendly, Hodges programs it to last an average of 20 minutes and addresses topics from veterans benefits to knowing the best local resources for veterans.

“Bill’s passion and dedication to help fellow veterans is evident during each show,” said Colleen Krepstekies, associate state director for communications and AARP Florida Veterans Outreach Lead. “He’s now taken his work a step further, packaging the show into easy-to-hear chunks and converting it into a podcast that lets listeners get updates at a time that works for them.”

Like Hodges, AARP works to educate veterans on important topics from protecting themselves from fraud to caregiving.

“We think it just makes sense to connect with someone who does so much for those who have sacrificed so much,” said Krepstekies. “By sharing the latest updates and sound information in an understandable way, listeners can more easily absorb it and learn what they really need to know.”

The show airs on radio on WSCQ FM 96.3 and three other stations—WKOT FM 102.1, WPHX FM 101.9 and WYPW FM 90.1 and can be downloaded as the Veterans Corner Radio as a podcast.

For more information on how to download podcasts, click here for Bill’s tip sheet. To learn more about AARP support to veterans, visit www.aarp.org/veterans.

What people have said about Bill and his program:

“Bill’s show is a reliable resource for veterans seeking helpful services and information.” ~ U.S. Representative Vern Buchanan.

“At James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital, we strive to provide our Veterans with accurate information to help improve their health and well-being. “Veteran’s Corner” radio show, hosted by Bill Hodges, has been an invaluable tool for us to disseminate quality information to our Veterans, keeping them informed and up-to-date.” ~ Director Joe Battle James A Haley Veterans Hospital

“The National Cemetery Administration is continually searching for opportunities to communicate to veterans their burial benefits in 142 National Cemeteries. Veterans Corner Radio has given us yet another avenue to make veterans and their families – no matter where they live – aware of these VA burial benefits that each veteran earned by serving their country. By expanding our reach worldwide through this digital medium, veterans and their families will have the same information. We appreciate Mr. Hodges’ effort to assist our vets.” ~ John M. Rosentrater, Sarasota National Cemetery Director