Thank You For Your Service 🎖️

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Episode 88 Description

In today’s episode: 🇺🇸 We look ahead to Memorial Day and talk to Air Force Vet Courtney Davis about what it means to serve in the military. Do you know about all the different branches of the U.S. armed forces? 📰Catch up on the latest headlines and what on earth is a corpse flower? 🥀 And test yourself with a summer fun fact in Trivia on the Ten! 🧐
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🌍 Visit our website for a list of sources used for this episode and a full episode transcript

Sources for this episode:

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/16/theater/summer-outdoor-performances.html?searchResultPosition=17

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/01/arts/glimmerglass-festival-new-york.html

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/08/nyregion/new-york-city-pools-beaches-open.html

https://time.com/4662650/nature-happiness-stress/
https://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/a-prescription-for-better-health-go-alfresco

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2021/05/20/israel-gaza-conflict-latest-updates/

https://www.npr.org/2021/05/24/999897205/blinken-heading-to-jerusalem-after-israeli-hamas-cease-fire

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/blinken-middle-east-trip-israel-hamas-ceasefire/

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/19/business/ford-electric-vehicle-f-150.html?action=click&module=Well&pgtype=Homepage&section=Business

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/24/sports/olympics/simone-biles-yurchenko-double-pike.html

https://people.com/sports/simone-biles-lands-yurchenko-double-pike-during-us-classic/?utm_campaign=peoplemagazine&utm_content=new&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_term=60a9a0a801ef8e00017b49ab

https://www.toureiffel.paris/en/news/history-and-culture/why-does-eiffel-tower-change-size

TRANSCRIPT:

Various Voices 0:00

10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1

Bethany Van Delft 0:06

I'm Bethany Van Delft and this is The Ten News where we get the lowdown on what's up in the world. It's Thursday, May 27. The weather's getting warmer in the old US of A, and we are getting stoked for summer, especially if you're just coming out of three months of Northern winter. So throw in your flip flops and let's get into The Ten.

For most places around the US, Memorial Day weekend is the celebration that kicks off summer, a season filled with ice creams, buzzing bees, and sunbathing on the foot of the sun will look a little different yet again this year. Though many businesses may be opening up around the country, hanging outside is still the best. Some places have moved their plays, even their operas outdoors, and other cities like New York or reopening their public pools and beaches after some of them were closed last year. Yes, and being outside has another benefit. It actually gives your brain a boost. You recall, studies show that even 15 minutes in nature can make you happier, help you concentrate better, and may even make you more creative. Oh my gosh, bring up the sun.

Memorial Day isn't just about parades and backyard barbecues. It's also a holiday that honors people who have died while serving in the military. Over 1 million Americans are actively serving in the US Armed Forces. 14 year old Dylan, a friend of The Ten spoke to Air Force major Courtney Davis about what service means to her.

Courtney Davis 1:57

Hi, my name is Courtney Davis. I live in Morgan Hill, California. And I am the mom of two beautiful kids, Danica and DJ.

Dylan 2:06

I'm just gonna ask you a few questions about what your service was like?

Courtney Davis 2:13

Sure.

Dylan 2:14

The first thing that I want to ask you was, is um, what branch of service for you in?

Courtney Davis 2:19

I enlisted in the United States Air Force Reserve.

Dylan 2:22

Okay, and was there any like specific reason that you chose the Air Force?

Courtney Davis 2:26

You know, truthfully, I was really influenced by my family, as my entire family served in the military, my father, uncles, grandfather, the whole family. So that was the biggest influence. And I graduated from high school at 17 years old and wasn't ready to start college right away. But I knew that at that time, I wanted to go into the medical field. So I felt like joining the military would be a good stepping stone for my future career. I also received the GI Bill, which were funds that helped pay for my college tuition. I was deployed multiple times in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. My very last deployment was in 2006 and that was to Ballade Air Force Base and Iraq.

Dylan 3:11

What rank were you?

Courtney Davis 3:13

I started from the bottom as an airman basic or an E one. And I retired as an officer, a major in '04.

Dylan 3:20

What was your job when you were deployed?

Courtney Davis 3:22

So while I was deployed, I was deployed as a medical technician. So my job was to take care of the troops. But right before I deployed, I had taken my boards to get my nursing license. So by the time I got into country, I found out that I had passed my boards. And at that point, that was when I first began my job as a official nurse.

Dylan 3:46

Were you nervous the first time you were deployed?

Courtney Davis 3:49

I was absolutely terrified. I had no idea what I was getting myself into. But I quickly found out that it doesn't like get better, the more you're deployed, I would say each deployment was very different. But I don't think I ever got accustomed to the environment that I was in because it's such an unnatural environment to be in. And I don't feel like I spent a long enough time to say that I actually got used to it. It was a it was pretty tough every single day.

Dylan 4:21

What are you most proud of about your military service?

Courtney Davis 4:25

I would say the most I'm most proud of the time that I spent caring for the wounded veterans while I was deployed, to be able to give back to these selfless heroes who risked their lives for our country with an honor. And I learned a lot from them.

Dylan 4:41

What does Veterans Day mean to you?

Courtney Davis 4:43

Veterans Day means to me, it's a day to honor and celebrate the service of our past and present veterans who have fought for all the freedoms that we have today. It's always nice to think a service member if you see one in uniform or One, you know, probably wearing a retired hat. Just say thank you for your service. We really appreciate that.

Dylan 5:06

What is something that you want kids to know about people in the military? And like, what do you tell your kids about what the military was like?

Courtney Davis 5:13

Absolutely. My kids know all about what I used to do, especially, you know, my little guy, DJ, he's really big into the military. And I think a common misconception about the military is that we all get to fly in planes or participate in combat. And that's, that's not true. People are in the military are ordinary folks who just do extraordinary things. And a lot of the careers that you can have in the military, you can also have in the civilian world, or otherwise, you know, the workforce outside the military.

Dylan 5:49

Well, thank you for your service.

Courtney Davis 5:52

Thank you so much.

Bethany Van Delft 5:54

Thanks for that interview, Dylan, and Courtney, The Ten News thanks for your service. Hey, grownups. Are you in the family enjoying The Ten News? If so, could you please do us a big, big favor, all you have to do is go to Apple podcasts and give us a rating and a review. Hopefully, five stars but no pressure. You don't even have to stop listening. You could do it right now. Don't worry. Oh, wait. Just kidding. Take your time. Do it though. It may not seem like a big deal, but it really helps other listeners find The Ten News so our community can grow. Thanks again for listening. We really appreciate it. And now for some current headlines.

After 11 days of fighting, Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire last week. More than 230 people were killed in the recent conflict. And officials like the US Secretary of State, and leaders from the neighboring countries are working together on strengthening the ceasefire, as well as a plan to get much needed aid to the people in Gaza. Ford revealed its brand new electric F150 pickup truck called the lightning and had a very special guest take a test ride. President Biden visited the factory where the truck will be made and took off down the track. His top speed 80 miles an hour. Olympic gymnast Simone Biles is known for her moves on the mat, but recently, she landed a move so dangerous, no other woman has ever tried it during a competition. Not only did Biles become the first woman in history to land the Yurchenko double Pike, but she did it in a leotard with a rhinestone goat embroidered on the back. That's right, greatest of all time. And flower fans in the San Francisco area got a whiff of a very funky flower last week. A man who owns a corpse flower which smells like rotting meat when it blooms put it on display at an abandoned building to share it with his neighbors. People lined up around the block to see the stinky site but I think would have been less think if he just put it on Tik Tok.

A Kid 8:28

Whatever.

Bethany Van Delft 8:36

Lucky you it's

Sound Bit 8:38

What, what, what's the big idea?

Bethany Van Delft 8:42

Trivia on The Ten. Sometimes you may feel like you're melting away during the summer. But did you know that one famous place actually gets taller? Which one is it? Is it A) the Eiffel Tower, B) Disneyland's Sleeping Beauty castle, or C) the Taj Mahal?

Did you guess it? The answer is a the Eiffel Tower. This famous Paris France landmark actually gets a few centimeters taller in the summer. Why? Well, it's all because of thermal expansion. What does that mean? This is how thermal expansion science works. The Eiffel Tower is made of iron, which is affected by the summer heat. When it gets hot, the metal expands so much that it actually grows a little taller. When winter rolls around, the metal can contract which means it loses a few centimeters. All that growing and shrinking sounds like hard work but the Eiffel Tower looks good no matter how short or tall.

Time's up. But before we go, here's a quick note for the grownups. Thanks for listening to The Ten News. Look out for new episodes on Tuesdays, Thursdays and extras on Saturdays. You can go deeper into today's stories by visiting thetennews.com. The Ten News is a co-production of Small But Mighty Media and Next Chapter Podcasts and is distributed by iHeartRadio. The Ten's creative team has got their sunglasses ready and includes Kate Hale, Tracey Crooks, Pete Musto, Jenner Pascua, Stephen Tompkins, and Sarah Olender. Our production directors Jeremiah Tittle and our executive producers are Donald Albright and show creator Tracy Leeds Kaplan. I'm Bethany Van Delft, and thanks for listening to The Ten News. Here comes the sun do do do do. Here comes the sun do do do do, and I say it's alright.