A veteran-led community event in Fresno brought together military veterans, civilians, and local youth for structured education, workforce exposure, and constructive engagement through a program called Military Movies on Mondays. Organized by U.S. Army veteran George Ohan with conceptual origins from VetFlicks CEO Marcus Beaufils, another Army veteran with Hollywood film distribution experience, the initiative aimed to demonstrate how veterans can lead safe, ethical, and educational mentorship within their communities.
The programming featured hands-on artificial intelligence demonstrations using "vibe coding" on the platform Replit, where participants created non-operational website mockups to illustrate hospital workflow visualization without involving patient data or protected health information. Workforce development formed another core component through a Blue-Collar Youth in Trades segment that introduced practical career pathways in plumbing, electrical work, and general trades, with veterans and skilled workers facilitating discussions about mentorship, skill development, and employment stability.
Additional activities included no-fee participation for local small businesses, recreational gaming, entertainment-industry training led by KP Phagnasay from the Netflix series 'Dahmer,' and screenings of military-themed international short films. The event culminated with Ryan Curtis and the team behind 'Fathers and Sons' receiving the Best Film award for their exploration of generational bonds, family, duty, and sacrifice.
Community support came from multiple partners including the U.S. Army station commander SFC Campos, Fresno Ag hardware store, and American Legion Gaming Vanguard Post 1337, a veteran-led organization dedicated to supporting veterans, families, and the public through service and mentorship. All operational roles were filled by volunteers, emphasizing a community-first approach centered on collaboration rather than commercial activity.
Organizers noted positive reinforcement from Fresno Veterans Affairs Medical Center staff including Claudia Solis, Brian Becker, and Mark Smith, who highlighted the value of peer connection and veteran-led initiatives supporting reintegration and positive civilian-military interaction. The Fresno gathering served as a pilot for Military Movies on Mondays, a proposed recurring series intended for Monday events at local cinemas or theaters across the United States.
Future program iterations are being evaluated with emphasis on veteran leadership, education, mentorship, and appropriate collaboration with local institutions. Since the event, Plant City Premiere Lux 8 near Tampa Bay, Florida has expressed interest in hosting a similar event, indicating potential for broader adoption of this community engagement model that combines entertainment, education, and workforce development through veteran-led initiatives.
