Stories

Caring for Our Veteran Fathers
PBS Hawai’i President and CEO Ron Mizutani shares his experience as his father’s caregiver.

Digital Extras: Local Stories

HIKI NŌ
We reached into our collection of HIKI NŌ stories created by Hawaiʻi’s elementary, middle and high school students, to share stories of veterans.

Kapa‘a High School: Kaua‘i | PTSD
Students from Kapa‘a High School on Kaua‘i tell the story of Vietnam War veteran Bobbie Paik, a Purple Heart recipient who suffers from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

Roosevelt High School | 442nd Values
Students from Honolulu talk to World War II veteran Ted Tsukiyama about the values he learned as a member of the 442nd Regiment and how Roosevelt’s ROTC program is adopting those values.

Maui High School | Veterans Mural
Students tell the story of a mural artist who forges a special connection with the war veterans from his community.

PBS Hawaiʻi Presentation: Vietnam War
These remembrances were recorded in August of 2017 as part of PBS Hawaiʻi’s presentation of the Vietnam War, a film by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick.

Honoring Our Veterans: Combat Medic Allen Hoe
On Mother’s Day in 1968, Combat Medic Allen Hoe’s unit was tasked with an unusual mission. By the end of the day, 18 of the unit’s men were lost.

Honoring Our Veterans: Retired Marine Ron Schaedel Retired Marine
Ron Schaedel is the kind of guy who will give you a straight answer about Vietnam, Operation Desert Storm, and the woman who saved his life. Just don’t ask him about his rank.

Honoring Our Veterans: Green Beret Roy Ogasawara (pt.1)
Green Beret Roy Ogasawara served in Vietnam during three of the deadliest years of that war.

Honoring Our Veterans: Green Beret Roy Ogasawara (pt.2)
Green Beret Roy Ogasawara talks about the sacrifices that soldiers make and the price they pay in war.

Programs

AFTER ACTION -All Gave Some, Tuesday at 8:00 pm, November 8 
Stacy Pearsall, retired Air Force Staff Sergeant and former aerial combat photojournalist, sits down for a candid conversation with three fellow veterans who’ve all had close brushes with death.

Walk With Frank, Tuesday at 9:00 pm, November 8 
Meet Frank Romeo, a 70-year old Vietnam War veteran decides to walk across New York State to confront his demons while helping other survivors of PTSD take their first step toward healing.

Send Me, Friday at 9:30 pm, November 11 
In Somalia in 1993, U.S. Army Ranger Matt Eversmann led the rescue of downed airmen in the Battle of Mogadishu, which became known as the “Black Hawk Down” mission.

American Veteran, Fridays at 10:00pm, November 4 – November 25
A four-part documentary series tracing the veteran experience across the arc of American history and exploring the present-day divide between civilian and veteran communities.

Hunting in Wartime, Tuesday at 10:00pm, November 8 
This film interviews Tlingit veterans from Hoonah, Alaska who saw combat during the Vietnam War. Their stories show the lasting effects of war on individuals, families and communities.

INSIGHTS ON PBS HAWAI’I: Veteran’s Issues
Join us as we celebrate Veterans Day, a holiday to honor the women and men who serve or have served in the armed forces. Hear about veterans suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD, those veterans ending up homeless or suffering from addiction and how we can help.

Sky Blossom: Diaries of the Next Greatest Generation, Friday, November 11, 8:00 pm
This film highlights the challenges that young people face caring for loved ones who are veterans, particularly during the ongoing pandemic, and sheds a raw, uplifting view into the lives of 24.5 million children and millennials who step forward as caregiving heroes.

1st To Fight: Pacific War Marines
On the Pacific island of Guadalcanal in 1942, the famed 1st Marine Division — the oldest, largest and most decorated division of the U.S. Marine Corps — defeated Japanese forces in a turning point of WWII. 1ST TO FIGHT: PACIFIC WAR MARINES documents the experiences of 1st Marine Division veterans who took part in the historic fight.

Resources

Veterans of Foreign Wars (Hawaii Chapter)
https://www.vfw-dept-hi.org/

Veterans Affairs Pacific Islands Health Care System
https://www.va.gov/pacific-islands-health-care/

Veterans Benefits Administration
https://benefits.va.gov/benefits/

Hawaii Office of Veterans Services
https://dod.hawaii.gov/ovs/

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Website: https://www.va.gov/
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/VAPacificIslands
Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/va_pacific_islands/

AARP Family Caregiver Resources for Hawaiʻi
https://states.aarp.org/hawaii/caregiver-resources

AARP Military Caregiving Guide
https://www.aarp.org/content/dam/aarp/caregiving/2019/05/military-caregiving-guide-aarp.pdf

AARP Community Voices: Veterans, Military and Their Families
Veterans, Military and Their Families (aarp.org)