Ryan Frank’s story is one of service—start to finish.

He shares how he joined the Army, deployed to Afghanistan, and was wounded in action. But that wasn’t the end of his mission.

Today, he continues to serve as a Veterans Service Officer in Nicollet County, helping other warriors navigate life after the uniform.

And now—he’s a dad again, with a new baby and a new chapter.

From the battlefield to fatherhood, Ryan’s journey is all heart and purpose.

This is Strength From Service.

On this Memorial Day episode of Strength From Service, Jack and Mike sit down to talk about what this day really means—far beyond the BBQs and long weekends. They walk through the true cost of war, the staggering numbers behind America’s fallen, and the deep, personal ripples that loss leaves behind.

From the black granite of the Vietnam Wall to the thunder of motorcycles in D.C., they reflect on the traditions, monuments, and moments that keep the memory of our nation’s heroes alive. They also share how veterans and civilians alike can honor the fallen—not just today, but every day.

This isn’t a celebration. It’s a call to remember. To carry forward. And to live a life worthy of the sacrifice.

Pastor Matt Sims joins Strength from Service after finding the studio and meeting the hosts one evening as he walked by. Pastor Matt shares his story of how he found his calling to the faith and how that led him from Bible College, to moving to Mankato to start Canvas Church, an Assemblies of God congregation, at 25 years of age. Jack asks some questions from a warrior or soldier’s mind and recants how prayer helped him survive his trauma. Pastor Matt reiterates how throughout all religions, prayer works. The Pastor shares how Canvas Church is rooted in scripture and worship, and is approachable with its community and service to others. Find out more at www.canvasmankato.com

Jack, Mike, and Jake all sit down in the Nielsen Blacktopping studio to chat about Jack's new book, "Beyond Five Minutes, Lessons From a Wounded Warrior's Life Outdoors". This book is the companion and continuation book to Jack's first penned work, "Five Minutes, 300 Seconds That Changed My Life". The men cover some of the themes and stories from the latest book and discuss how lifelong bonds are formed through adversity in the field. Jack covers the feelings he had from growing up with his own hunting land, to being able to harvest animals from across the world. Jack gets emotional talking about how his story can hopefully help others, including those that are a part of this book.

Be sure to grab your copy of both books at https://www.jackzimmermanmn.com/shop

James Chally, DMSc, P.A.-C is back in the Nielsen Blacktopping studio as it's first repeat guest. He visits to give a bit of an update including his new endeavor of writing a children's book about the camp dog that he and his unit had in Afghanistan. "HALO" is the true story of how the camp dog made it's way from Afghanistan to the home of one of soldiers that grew to love her on deployment. The story touches on emotions that children and families can relate to, civilian and veteran alike. Discover what the meaning of home is with "Halo Finds a Home" by James Chally.

When Jack Zimmerman was a lane-clearing St. Clair Clipper basketball player, he had to face Coach Tim Anderson across the court. Jack and Jake talk with Coach Anderson about each of their small town roots and how that shaped each of them as adults. Coach Anderson shares his many stories from being a player that didn't see the court and how it evolved to his passion for coaching and teaching. These days Tim goes by "Referee Anderson" but still loves to see former players and students in their new roles as parents and he loves to see how awesome they've become. Coach Anderson shares a story about a pre-cell phone bike ride over 2300 miles from Elmore, Minnesota to Salem, Oregon and how he and his friends lost a member of their group for a week.

Kyle Mrozek understands the value of hard work and how that work can help you create lasting relationships, great memories, and community growth. Kyle's work with the Mankato Kiwanis Club and Mankato Moondogs and Mashers has served our community for over 20 years and has helped countless other people and organizations. Kyle joins Jack and Jake to discuss what the Kiwanis Club is, how you can join, and how Kiwanis makes an impact not only in Mankato, but in surrounding communities. This year's non-profit organizations helped is at 70 organizations! The three talk about the Holiday Lights season and how Sibley Park has transformed from having to grow and prove the concept, to how the Kiwanis Holiday Lights is a local family tradition.

Mike Richman joins the guys a few weeks before his upcoming Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) Light Heavyweight Championship fight on December 21st at the Hard Rock Casino in Hollywood Florida.

McLaughlin and Richman recount their story of first crossing paths in infantry training after enlisting in the Marines. Richman shares his story of growing up through adversity at a young age and how that adversity shaped up who he became as a young man and now an adult. The hosts find out about Richman's three deployments and what lead him to pursue fighting as a professional career. Richman talks about his journey in combat sports including 26 MMA fights, 10 bare knuckle fights, and 2 boxing matches including a fight to get into the house on The Ultimate Fighter 12 and a career in Bellator MMA. Richman discusses how he's preparing for his upcoming bout and what his favorite post win meal is to enjoy.