It's All About Choices

Rob and Brittany welcome VFW National Legislative Service Director Kristina Keenan, Deputy Director of Grassroots Advocacy Gabby Kubinyi, and National Veterans Service Deputy Director Chris Macinkowicz for a wide-ranging discussion on veterans’ benefits, advocacy, and the choices lawmakers make that affect those who served.

The team provides an update on the Take Care of America’s Veterans Act and the VFW’s continued opposition to its proposed funding mechanism. With more than 80,000 grassroots messages sent to Congress, they explain why lawmakers have other options for advancing important veterans legislation without reducing future disability benefits. The conversation also challenges misconceptions surrounding VA disability compensation, fraud, tinnitus and sleep apnea, while emphasizing that earned benefits are part of the commitment made to those who serve.

The discussion turns to today’s service members and the realities of prolonged deployments, particularly for sailors spending months aboard ships away from their families. Chris also recaps the National Association of State Directors of Veterans Affairs conference and how the VFW is finding new ways to reach veterans through remote claims assistance, Combat Tested Gaming and community connections. Gabby highlights opportunities available through the VFW-SVA Legislative Fellowship, while Kristina previews the Fall Legislative Conference and the organization’s push to finish the congressional session strong. The group also underscores the importance of informed, nonpartisan civic engagement and holding elected officials accountable on veterans’ issues.

In the Still Serving Spotlight, Rob and Brittany welcome some of the team behind the upcoming feature film CIVILIAN: writer and director John J. Budion, producer Marissa Vitale, and Air Force Special Warfare veteran Anthony Budion. Inspired in part by Anthony’s experiences, the film follows a veteran struggling to adapt to civilian life and explores PTSD, alcohol use, loss of purpose, moral injury, family reintegration and the difficulty of leaving behind the structure and identity of military service. Anthony shares the story of his own transition from the Air Force to the NYPD and FDNY and eventually into life outside a uniform, while John discusses drawing from his brother’s experiences to create an authentic veteran character rather than relying on familiar Hollywood stereotypes.

Featured Guests:

Kristina Keenan – Director, VFW National Legislative Service
Gabby Kubinyi – Deputy Director, Grassroots Advocacy, VFW National Legislative Service
Chris Macinkowicz – Deputy Director, VFW National Veterans Service

Still Serving Spotlight: CIVILIAN
John J. Budion – Writer and Director, CIVILIAN
Marissa Vitale – Producer, CIVILIAN
Anthony Budion – U.S. Air Force Special Warfare Veteran and CIVILIAN Adviser

Episode Highlights:
0:00 Intro and Roll Call
3:48 Take Care of America’s Veterans Act update
7:03 Grassroots advocacy and more than 80,000 messages to Congress
9:52 The cost of veterans legislation and alternative paths forward
13:02 Congressional choices and the TAP Promotion Act
17:02 Protecting veterans’ benefits and challenging disability misconceptions
18:53 Sleep apnea, VA disability compensation and fraud
23:39 The lasting effects of repeated military deployments
25:37 Supporting today’s deployed sailors
32:41 Showing appreciation for service members and welcoming them home
35:22 National Association of State Directors of Veterans Affairs conference
36:30 Reaching veterans through remote claims assistance and Combat Tested Gaming
43:03 VFW-SVA Legislative Fellowship applications
48:16 VFW Fall Legislative Conference preview
52:22 Veterans, elections and nonpartisan civic engagement
1:02:16 Still Serving Spotlight – CIVILIAN
1:04:04 Meet the team behind CIVILIAN
1:06:03 The story behind CIVILIAN and the veteran transition experience
1:08:23 Building an authentic veteran story and cast
1:11:13 Why the film follows an Army officer
1:13:09 Moral injury and the invisible scars of service
1:14:44 Anthony Budion’s transition from Air Force Special Warfare to civilian life
1:19:50 PTSD, alcohol, purpose and the struggle to “turn it off”
1:22:41 Military service and family reintegration
1:24:21 Portraying the military spouse experience
1:29:42 The CIVILIAN Veteran Impact Initiative
1:30:36 Creating opportunities for veterans in the film industry
1:32:34 Bringing CIVILIAN to military installations
1:35:14 Using authentic storytelling to bridge the military-civilian divide
1:37:34 Getting veterans’ stamp of approval on the story
1:40:07 How veterans can get involved with CIVILIAN
1:41:50 Brazilian jiu-jitsu, camaraderie and Anthony’s post-service experience
1:43:04 Target release timeline for CIVILIAN
1:45:05 Good of the Order – Food Edition