PART 1

This month, for Memorial Day and Military Appreciation Month, we honor our Native American veterans.

Did you know our Native people serve at the highest rate per capita of any group in the U.S.?

Yet, Native veterans also face some of the highest suicide rates, often twice the national average. Factors like historical trauma, limited access to culturally relevant care, and the lingering effects of service contribute to this crisis. 

For younger Native male veterans, the risk is especially high, making culturally rooted, community-based support critical. Programs that reconnect veterans to nature, culture, and tradition are helping restore hope.

I sat down with Choctaw veteran Teyler Williston, who continues his family’s legacy of service through his work in Native veteran mental health. 

His story spans generations—from his Choctaw Lighthorseman Grandpa to Teyler’s Air Force Firefighting and his role in the Choctaw Honor Guard.

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PART 6

In Honor of Memorial Day: This series is dedicated to our Native American veterans—our warriors—who have served with honor, courage, and an unshakable commitment to protect this land and its people.

With Father’s Day around the corner: We also honor our fathers and our future warriors - our young men.

Long before Choctaws were farmers and business people, they were WARRIORS. Here to talk about this subject is Choctaw Nation's Historic Preservation Department's Ryan Spring.

As We Conclude This Series, We Explore:

• Preparing for Battle—Then and Now
  What traditional preparation looked like, and how its principles still apply today.
• A Message to Our Young Choctaw Men
  A call to strength, purpose, and pride rooted in identity.
• What It Truly Means to Be Choctaw
  Embracing servant leadership, cultural pride, and responsibility to community.
• The Modern Warrior
  Is there still a place for the warrior spirit in today’s world—and how do we carry it forward?
• From Warriors to Farmers
  The great societal shift: how Choctaw men adapted from warriors to builders of community, and what that transformation means for us now.

Our warrior spirit didn’t end in the 1800s. It didn’t stay buried in old stories or museum displays. It lives on—in the hearts of our Choctaw veterans who’ve served our country. When we honor our veterans, we’re not just thanking them for their service—we’re recognizing a legacy. Yakoke, to all who have served!

PART 5

In Honor of Memorial Day: This series is dedicated to our Native American veterans—our warriors—who have served with honor, courage, and an unshakable commitment to protect this land and its people.

With Father’s Day around the corner: We also honor our fathers and our future warriors - our young men.

Long before Choctaws were farmers and business people, they were WARRIORS. Here to talk about this subject is Choctaw Nation's Historic Preservation Department's Ryan Spring.

In this episode you'll learn about untold Choctaw warrior legends: 

• A Choctaw warrior on foot who outwitted and outran twelve Muscogee horsemen
  • The incredible tale of a Choctaw warrior who fell through a ceiling into a room full of sleeping enemies
  • Nearly forgotten details of Choctaw valor at the Battle of New Orleans
  • The heroic story of 65 Choctaw warriors who helped turn the tide of the War of 1812

These are the stories you’ve probably never heard—until now.

PART 4

In Honor of Memorial Day: This series is dedicated to our Native American veterans—our warriors—who have served with honor, courage, and an unshakable commitment to protect this land and its people.

With Father’s Day around the corner: We also honor our fathers and our future warriors - our young men.

Long before Choctaws were farmers and business people, they were WARRIORS. Here to talk about this subject is Choctaw Nation's Historic Preservation Department's Ryan Spring.

In this episode you’ll learn about: warriors and the changing world

• The Battle of Caddo Hills
• The Battle of Fort Rosalie (the “other side” of the story)
• The story of mischievous Choctaws who brought chaos to a fort
• The cultural shift from war to trade
• How the influx of alcohol destabilized Choctaw communities and led to the rise of the Lighthorsemen.
• As traditional roles faded, how did Choctaw men adapt
• The modern warrior's path: finding today’s inner warrior
• Reclaiming identity and strength through community leadership and ancestral connection