Journey Of The Rhode Runner

A Special Power Surge Episode In this powerful and heartfelt episode of GenX Journeys, Paul Stroessner honors two remarkable American heroes—Captain John Thomas Martin III and Second Lieutenant Emily Jazmin Tatum Perez—whose legacies deserve to be remembered, not erased. Captain Martin was a brilliant scholar, leader, and trailblazing West Point graduate who also earned a master’s from Harvard before serving in Vietnam. Lieutenant Perez was a fearless medical officer, record-breaking West Point cadet, and decorated track athlete who led from the front—literally—on her final mission in Iraq. Paul shares their stories with passion and purpose, tying in his own experiences as a veteran and runner. He also addresses the disturbing trend of erasing diverse military histories under the Trump administration and calls on listeners to rise up and speak their names.