Urban Christian Veterans

Dr. Dennis A. Rose Jr.

Urban Christian Veterans (UCV) brings faith, culture, and service together. Hosted by Dr. Dennis Rose Jr., a U.S. Army combat veteran, minister, and lifelong student of the human experience, UCV brings honest conversations about faith, military service, race, culture, relationships, and the challenges of everyday life. Through thought-provoking discussions, personal experiences, and candid conversations with guests from different backgrounds, UCV explores the questions many people wrestle with but seldom discuss openly. From the lasting impact of military service and the realities of being a person of color in America to matters of faith, identity, patriotism, and personal growth, no meaningful topic is off the table. While the podcast draws on the experiences of Christian veterans of color, the conversations are for anyone willing to listen, learn, question assumptions, and consider perspectives different from their own. We may not always agree, and we may not always have the answers. But we believe some of the most important conversations begin when people are willing to talk openly and listen respectfully. Real conversations. Different perspectives. Faith, culture, and service coming together.

  1. 10 Aug

    Doing The Right Thing

    If you could do anything and never get caught, what would you do and what would you refuse to do? That one question sounds simple until you put real life behind it: stress, money, pride, trauma, temptation, and the split-second choices we make when nobody is clapping and nobody is recording. We sit down as Christian veterans and get honest about how integrity actually works. We talk through everyday examples like returning a wallet, then we push into the uncomfortable stuff: war-zone “pallets of money” jokes that reveal how quickly context can bend our thinking, and why “no one got hurt” is a dangerous way to measure right and wrong. We dig into moral compass, how church and community shaped many of us, and why the difference between the law and what you ought to do matters, especially when laws have not always been written in our favor. The stories get personal. We unpack a “harmless” moment sneaking into the Louvre and what it teaches our kids, then move to a tense Las Vegas encounter where heat, disrespect, and a quick temper almost turned into a case. We also talk de-escalation, veteran mindset, PTSD triggers, and the belief that even when people are not watching, God is. The big takeaway is not perfection; it is alignment: training our hearts and habits so our private choices match our faith and our values. If you care about integrity, Christian living, ethical decision-making, and the real experiences of veterans of color, this conversation will stay with you. Subscribe, share this with a friend who loves real talk, and leave a review with your answer: if nobody would ever know, would you still do the right thing?

    Doing The Right Thing

  2. 12 Jul

    Dr. Rome Washington - A Purple Heart Marine, Shares How God Shaped His Life

    He volunteered for the Marines at 17 for a reason that sounds almost innocent, then came home to a country on fire with tension, grief, and identity questions that don’t fit neatly into a discharge packet. Sitting with Dr. Jerome Washington, we talk honestly about what it’s like to carry faith as a veteran of color and why “stay attuned to your truth” is not a slogan, it’s survival. We trace his path from Chicago schools to the Vietnam era, then into a deeper relationship with Christ that reshapes how he sees anger, hate, and the pressure to prove himself. He explains how Proverbs became the steady wisdom he needed, why spiritual grounding matters when the world feels loud, and what it means to take the high road when you feel every reason not to. Then we get into his book, Jesus Walks Into a Bar, written for skeptics, casual believers, and anyone burned by church culture but still curious about Jesus. We challenge prosperity gospel thinking, break down why Christianity is not self-help with a halo, and explore why science vs faith can be an unnecessary conflict. We also go straight at the hard questions: heaven, hell, and why God allows suffering, with empathy for real pain and a hope that doesn’t require pretending. If this conversation helps you think, heal, or reframe your faith, subscribe, share it with a fellow veteran, and leave a review. What’s the biggest question you wish someone would answer without talking down to you? Buy the book:  Jesus Walks Into a Bar - https://www.amazon.com/Jesus-Walks-Into-Rome-Washington/dp/B0GX2GP3J2/

    Dr. Rome Washington - A Purple Heart Marine, Shares How God Shaped His Life

  3. 2 Jul

    Should Military Service Be Required For Every Citizen?

    “Should everyone have to do a stint in the military?” sounds like a simple yes-or-no question until you start naming what you really want society to produce: disciplined adults, resilient kids, stronger communities, and citizens who understand the cost of freedom beyond slogans. We start with strong pro-mandate arguments, including the idea that a required term of service would make sacrifice tangible and turn “thank you for your service” into something people actually comprehend. Then we pressure-test it. We ask whether discipline, leadership, and responsibility can be built through college, employment, apprenticeships, community service, or just better parenting. We talk about the decline of programs that used to teach practical teamwork in schools, from shop class and home economics to meaningful physical education, and how the loss of the “village” pushes character-building onto institutions that were never meant to raise kids. We also face the hard truth that not everyone is built for military life, which opens the door to national service options such as Peace Corps-style work, Job Corps pathways, or a broader civil service requirement. Finally, we get honest about what service can cost: injuries, mental health strain, compensation realities, and the way politics can distort patriotism and trust. We close on a big question worth sitting with: if we don’t mandate military service, what shared American experience could still unite us around duty, sacrifice, and purpose? Subscribe, share this with a friend who will argue with you, and leave a review with where you land.

    Should Military Service Be Required For Every Citizen?

  4. 3 Jun

    Unity In The Community Through A Veteran Lens

    Unity is one of those words everybody loves until you ask what it actually costs. We start with a blunt question: is unity in the Black community even possible today, especially when so many of us feel there’s no trusted leader to galvanize people the way Malcolm X and Dr. King once did? From a Christian veteran's perspective, we talk about why “famous” doesn’t equal “chosen,” how token representation can drain momentum, and why unity often shows up only after tragedy, then slips away when daily life resumes. We also dig into the machinery behind leadership, including the role of money, political strategy, and the sense that power structures pull strings long before ballots get counted. From there, the conversation widens to the African diaspora: colonial borders, tribal identity, and why Pan-African unity can sound powerful yet be hard to live out. We even run a provocative reparations thought experiment that asks what “justice” would mean in real assets, retirement contributions, resources, and cultural artifacts, not just slogans. Then we turn toward leverage and hope: economic power, boycotts, Black history that many of us were never taught, and the idea that education changes what we demand from every party and every institution. We also wrestle with the role of the church, the impact of integration on community economics, and the difference between unity and uniformity, which the military teaches so well. We close with a clear challenge to keep learning and to ground any real unity in shared values, shared mission, and faith. Subscribe, share this with a friend, and leave a review if this conversation pushes your thinking. What do you believe unity would actually require? #Unity, #Blackveterans, #BlackCommunity

    Unity In The Community Through A Veteran Lens

  5. 15 May

    Why Older Black Veterans Must Guide Youth

    A kid looks you in the eye and says he is only in school to eat. That single sentence forces a different kind of leadership, the kind that starts with survival and still refuses to give up on purpose. We sit down as Urban Christian Veterans and ask a question that can make people uncomfortable: do older Black veterans have a real obligation to advise younger generations, or is it simply a personal choice? We talk through what mentorship looks like when you are dealing with hunger, trauma, and low expectations, not just bad attitudes. We share stories from school outreach, alternative programs, and military life to show how guidance has to fit the moment. That means addressing needs first, using exposure to expand a young person’s imagination, and passing down tools many of us never got early like investing basics, ETFs, and how generational planning can change a family’s future. We also break down practical leadership frameworks, including “Be Do Have,” and the importance of setting the tone in workplaces and community spaces with clear standards and disciplined language. Faith is not an accessory here; we wrestle with the idea that our experiences are meant to be shared and that obedience sometimes looks like stepping into hard rooms with patience and humility. If you care about #Black_mentorship, #Christian_leadership, #veterans’ voices, and #Black_youth_development that is honest about the minefields, press play. Subscribe, share this with someone who mentors, and leave a review if it helps you. What is one lesson you wish an older vet had told you sooner?

    Why Older Black Veterans Must Guide Youth

  6. 23 Apr

    Purpose After The Uniform with Army veterans Reginald Adams and Gregory Henry

    The news feels louder than ever, but some of the most important questions are still quiet: Who benefits when we stay distracted, divided, and afraid? I sit down with Reggie Adams and Greg Henry for a wide-ranging, honest conversation that only Christian veterans of color can really deliver, moving from war headlines to personal calling without losing the thread of what real life looks like on the ground.  We start with the Middle East conflict, shipping choke points, and why a few decisions overseas can show up fast as oil price spikes, higher insurance costs, and stress at the pump. From there we talk immigration policy, including the fear created by enforcement incentives, and why Haitian refugee protections matter far beyond one community when racial profiling is always waiting for a legal excuse. We also dig into government accountability, ethics, and the way “the long game” gets played through money, media, and weak enforcement.  Then we slow down and go deeper: purpose, calling, and spiritual gifts. Purpose is the why God put you here, calling is what He’s asking of you in this season, and your gifts are how you’re equipped to do it. Along the way, we share military stories and leadership lessons that still shape our character today, plus a challenge to think beyond “get a good job” toward entrepreneurship, ownership, and building something that lasts.  If you value veteran perspective, faith-centered leadership, and real talk about current events, follow Urban Christian Veterans Podcast, share this conversation with a friend, and leave a review. What part of the conversation challenged you most?

    Purpose After The Uniform with Army veterans Reginald Adams and Gregory Henry

  7. 7 Apr

    When Institutions Fail Who Still Holds The Line - w/ Gregory Henry

    The Epstein files force a question most of the country keeps dodging: if crimes were committed and victims have spoken, why does accountability move like it’s trapped in slow motion. We sit with that discomfort and follow it where it leads, including the unpopular idea that the people with the most to lose may exist on every side of the political aisle and far beyond politics. When power is the common language, silence becomes a strategy, and the public is left arguing while nothing changes. From there, we widen the lens to the systems that make cover-ups easier: weakened oversight, ethics rules with no teeth, suspicious government contracts, and financial markets that react to “news” like somebody already knew the outcome. We also talk about how faith shapes our read on what’s happening, why spiritual blindness can look like political confusion, and why some stories feel bigger than scandal and closer to a battle over values, truth, and control. We close with the reality of war and service. We talk moral lines in the military, the danger of leaders who can’t explain the why, the Strait of Hormuz and real-world ripple effects, and the mental cost veterans carry long after the uniform comes off. If any of this hits home, listen, share it with someone who needs the conversation, and leave a review so more people can find the show. Books Mentioned:  https://www.amazon.com/I-Love-My-Big-Brother/dp/177755750X https://shorturl.at/gN0Sy

    When Institutions Fail Who Still Holds The Line - w/ Gregory Henry

  8. 1 Apr

    When The Mission Is Unclear

    Orders come down fast, but the emotions hit faster. We’re back with Retired 1st Sgt. Reginald Adams for an unfiltered talk about what service members and their families carry when a deployment is looming, and the purpose feels hazy. Reginald pulls from his time as a first sergeant to explain the headspace troops live in: anxiety, faith, responsibility, and the quiet mental math of “what if I don’t make it back.” We also wrestle with a harder problem than gear or training: mindset. How do you prepare to face an adversary who doesn’t plan on returning home? That question takes us into Vietnam comparisons, the limits of winning hearts and minds, and why complacency is deadly even in moments that look calm. From there, we talk leadership and trust, including what happens to morale when soldiers feel like the people at the top won’t challenge bad orders. Then the stories open up. We revisit Fort Benning and Gulf War era Saudi Arabia memories: unit culture, integration, code switching, the absurdities of customs and regulations, the “E4 Mafia” solutions, and the kind of chaos you only believe if you lived it. The most vivid moment is the Scud night, the Patriot intercept, the blast, the scramble for gas masks, and the uncomfortable truth that faith looks different when things start exploding. If you care about military deployment, veteran experience, leadership under pressure, or how war reshapes people, this conversation will stick with you. Subscribe, share this with a friend, and leave a review with the question you can’t stop thinking about after listening.

    When The Mission Is Unclear
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About

Urban Christian Veterans (UCV) brings faith, culture, and service together. Hosted by Dr. Dennis Rose Jr., a U.S. Army combat veteran, minister, and lifelong student of the human experience, UCV brings honest conversations about faith, military service, race, culture, relationships, and the challenges of everyday life. Through thought-provoking discussions, personal experiences, and candid conversations with guests from different backgrounds, UCV explores the questions many people wrestle with but seldom discuss openly. From the lasting impact of military service and the realities of being a person of color in America to matters of faith, identity, patriotism, and personal growth, no meaningful topic is off the table. While the podcast draws on the experiences of Christian veterans of color, the conversations are for anyone willing to listen, learn, question assumptions, and consider perspectives different from their own. We may not always agree, and we may not always have the answers. But we believe some of the most important conversations begin when people are willing to talk openly and listen respectfully. Real conversations. Different perspectives. Faith, culture, and service coming together.

Information

  • Creator
    Dr. Dennis A. Rose Jr.
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    32
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Urban Christian Veterans
  • Show Website
    Urban Christian Veterans