May 19, 2026

The Forum marked National Military Appreciation Month in the run-up to Monday’s Memorial Day holiday.

Four veterans spoke, recalling the perils of service, and the long-term effects that service members often carry for the rest of their lives.

Above are the speakers’ final comments – advice to their fellow service members, but also to the Charlotte public, on how they can both honor and help their neighbors with a military service background. Below is a video of the entire session.

Presenters were

• Darrell Bonaparte, an Army medic who served in Iraq and currently is vice commander of the N.C. American Legion;
• Addie Herron, who served at the Norfolk Navy Base during the Iraq war;
• Brigadier General Twanda “Tia” Young (Ret,), former deputy commanding general of the U.S. Army Human Resources Command and since 2022 CEO of LT3 Leads, a Charlotte leadership consultancy;
• Lorenzo McNulty a Marine who served in Afghanistan and current New York Life agent.