Native America Calling

Native America Calling


Tuesday, November 11, 2025 – Native American veterans create valuable avenues for connections with fellow Native vets

November 11, 2025

Filmmaker and U.S. Air Force veteran Ryan Begay (Diné) set out to bring some of the stories of others Native American veterans to a broader audience. In the process, he brings those stories, especially those of Native women who serve in the military to life, in the documentary, “Honor Song“. We’ll hear about the film and from some of those featured in it.

Another Air Force veteran, Steven Sibley (Cherokee), also saw a need to connect with fellow military veterans and to provide a better source of information about the resources and benefits available to veterans and their family members. He now is co-publisher of the free Oklahoma Veterans News Magazine. We’ll talk with him about his service in the military and ways veterans can connect with the benefits available to them.

GUESTS

Ryan Begay (Diné), producer, director, actor, and Air Force veteran

Cassie Velarde Neher (Jicarilla Apache), Navy veteran and doctoral student at the University of New Mexico

Darrell Charlee (Diné), Air Force Master Sgt.

Steven Sibley (Delaware by blood and Cherokee by the Dawes Roll), retired, disabled veteran living in Oklahoma, and a co-publisher of Oklahoma Veterans New Magazine

 

Break 1 Music: Veteran’s Honoring Song (song) Red Hawk Medicine Drum (artist) New Beginnings (album)

Break 2 Music: Only A Whisper (song) Joe H Henry (artist) Real Things (album)