From the rice paddies of Hiep Duc to the endzone at the Super Bowl, Rocky Bleier’s life is a study in resilience. Drafted by the Army at the height of his NFL rookie year, Rocky took shrapnel in both legs, lost 30 pounds, and was told he’d never play football again. He responded by blocking for Franco Harris and winning four Super Bowl rings with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

We often talk on this show about the systems in place to help our veterans—the policies, the red tape, and the organizations. But today, I want to take a minute to talk about the people who actually make those systems work. The ones who pick up the phone at 2:00 AM, and the ones who knock on doors when someone is in need.

Story of resilience, service, and the unwavering belief that everyone deserves a place at the table.

First episode, the front line of hope, the official podcast of the National Veterans Foundation. I'm your host, Michael Alcorn. It is December, 2025 as we close out another year, the landscape for our nation's veterans continues to evolve. We are seeing a unique intersection of history right now. Our Vietnam veterans are aging, needing more complex care than ever. While the new generation of service members is navigating the transition from recent

conflicts back to civilian life.

Usually we talk about the experience of the veteran. But what about the people standing right next to them? The spouses, the social workers, and the healers who absorbed that trauma. Today, we have a very special broadcast. She is a licensed clinical social worker, a specialist in the science of trauma, and the other half of the dynamic duo behind this federation. We are sitting down with Melinda Meshad.