Episode #6
Warrior Wednesday 9/2/26, Air Force TSgt, Ret., Dave Vargo
Retired Air Force Technical Sergeant Dave Vargo joins Chad Ray for Warrior Wednesday to share a 22-year military journey that took him from Warren, Michigan, to assignments and deployments around the world. After beginning his service in the Guard, Dave went active-duty Air Force and served in Security Police and base defense. He recalls assignments at Ellsworth and Kirtland Air Force Bases, deployments to Panama and Saudi Arabia, and his experience during Operation Desert Storm—including the unforgettable moment a Scud missile struck near his base and sent everyone scrambling into protective gear. Dave ultimately retired from Dyess Air Force Base after 20 years of active-duty service, but his work preserving military history was just beginning. Today, he and his wife operate Dave’s Military Display, a labor of love featuring artifacts from World War II through the present. More than simply collecting memorabilia, they have become caretakers of the military collections of dozens of families, researching the artifacts and preserving the stories of the men and women behind them so those stories aren't lost. Dave also shares some hard-earned advice for future service members—and proves that even a Scud attack can produce a funny story when you accidentally evacuate the shower with someone else’s towels.
