Bob Neugebauer aka Tea Party Bob

Bob joined the United States Naval Reserve (USNR) while still in High School and served in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War.  It took two years to get his Top-Secret Clearance so he could be designated a communications technician copying Russian and Chinese communications.  His experiences in the military exposed him to the harsh realities of life in a developing country and further shaped his perspectives on politics and society.  Stationed in the Philippines, Bob witnessed firsthand the extreme poverty and challenges the local population faced.  "Most locals in the village of San Miguel made between two hundred and four hundred dollars a year, so it was a very poor village," he recounts.

During his time off base, Bob sought to immerse himself in the local culture and learn new skills.  He took karate lessons with his best friend and a local black belt instructor.  "The instructor taught us in his home, which was a Nipa Hut on stilts 6 feet off the ground, so we had to make sure he caught us before we went out the window during tumbling exercises," Bob reminisces, highlighting the unique challenges and experiences he encountered during his service.

While there was a war going on in Vietnam, he vividly recalls the tactics employed by some of the hostile local population, who would string piano wire across roads to decapitate motorcycle riders and steal their vehicles.  Most of the Philippines was poverty-stricken, and theft was the order of the day.  “Local Filipinos maned our base fire department and one day sounded the alarm and drove off base with one of our engines only to ransom it back to us for $75,000.  If you didn’t keep your valuables locked up, they were sure to disappear.  Sometimes, we thought it was safer when on detachment to Danang, where our units would be in bunkers surrounded by Marines."

Despite the dangers and challenges, Bob's military experience also provided him with opportunities to connect with the local community and foster goodwill.  He participated in people-to-people projects, such as painting schools and playing music at festivals and gatherings.  "It taught me the importance of our military and how we could influence people in a foreign country.  It didn’t matter if I was painting schools or playing music at a festival it felt good to be contributing something to the local communities”

Throughout his service, Bob learned valuable lessons about diligence, attention to detail, and the importance of fulfilling one's duties with care and precision.  As part of a unit responsible for copying communications from various sources, he understood that lives depended on the accuracy of the information he gathered.

During his military service in the Vietnam War, Bob had a front-row seat to the inner workings of government decision-making, an experience that would forever shape his perspective on politics and trust in elected officials.  He recounts a pivotal moment that left an indelible mark on his worldview:

“To this day, I remember being assigned to copy communications between CPAC FLEET and the ships under its command.”  It was the night of August 4, 1964, when the USS Madax, along with the Turner Joy, communicated that they believed they were under attack by North Vietnamese PT boats.  The ships were maneuvering at high speed in rain squalls and six-foot seas.  It was later discovered that the incident was based on over-eager sonar operators and poor equipment performance, along with bad naval intelligence and misrepresentations of North Vietnamese communications.  Commander James Bond Stockdale, who was flying overhead, confirmed the false attack.  Probably the most exciting moment in my life was copying these communications.  I was always skeptical that there was an actual attack as there never was a confirmed sighting of the enemy.”  It wasn’t until nearly 200 documents the National Security Agency (NSA) declassified and released in 2005 and 2006 that proved there was no attack on August 4, 1964.  What was most disturbing to me and many others was that President Johnson and Sec. of Defense McNamara lied to the public and used this as a reason to heat up the war which cost the lives of 58.220 Americans.  This gave me a total distrust of the politicians that we elect to run our country.”

Bob's time in the military also taught him the value of hard work and the importance of enjoying one's work.  "If you enjoy your work, it is no longer work, and if you apply yourself, you will eventually be successful," he reflects, a philosophy that would guide him throughout his career in finance and beyond.

These early experiences, from the challenges of his childhood to the harsh realities and valuable lessons of his military service, laid the foundation for Bob's future success and shaped his approach to leadership, truth-seeking, and community engagement.  "I believe leadership is something you garner throughout your life by taking charge of your life and not having to depend on others for your survival," Bob asserts.  "I'm by nature a pragmatic personality and have always felt confident that anything I started would be successful because I don't give up."

Beyond his work on the radio, Bob is deeply committed to serving his local community in New Meadows, Idaho.  He volunteers his time and expertise in various capacities, including serving as the chairman of the Planning and Zoning Commission and working on numerous committees within his homeowners' association.  Through these roles, he actively participates in shaping the future of his community and addressing the issues that matter most to its residents.

Bob's passion for truth-seeking and community engagement also kept him publishing the Gem State Patriot Newsletter, an independent news website dedicated to providing truthful reporting and thought-provoking articles for the people of Idaho.  "Creating a newsletter that would not be afraid to print the truth, regardless of who might be affected, was the inspiration behind Gem State Patriot News," he explains.  "If you don't tell people the cold, hard facts, how will you ever be able to affect change?  Knowledge is power, as silence is consent."

Running an independent news outlet comes with its own set of challenges, from financial constraints to the constant struggle to maintain readership and support.  However, Bob remains committed to his mission, recognizing the importance of providing an alternative voice in a media landscape often dominated by corporate interests and political agendas.  "Readers and subscribers come and go, but we still find that legislators and bureaucrats, both state and federal, who have been elected in our state, read the Gem State Patriot News," he notes.  "That gives us an audience that many don't have.  We have their respect because we are not afraid to print the truth."  This can also lead to having some legislators criticize our articles and website, but that’s just part of the job.

The impact of Gem State Patriot News on the community is evident in the feedback Bob receives from his readers.  At a local community dinner, a woman approached Bob and shared that she sends the Gem State Patriot News to 167 of her friends each week.  This anecdote underscores the importance of independent media in sparking conversations and engaging the community, even among those who may be hesitant to align themselves with a particular viewpoint publicly.

Beyond his work on the radio, Bob is deeply committed to serving his local community in New Meadows, Idaho. He volunteers his time and expertise in various capacities, including serving as the Planning and Zoning Commission chairman and working on numerous committees within his homeowners' association. Through these roles, he actively shapes the future of his community and addresses the issues that matter most to its residents.

Bob's passion for truth-seeking and community engagement also led him to establish Gem State Patriot News, an independent news website that provides truthful reporting and thought-provoking articles for the people of Idaho. "Creating a newsletter that would not be afraid to print the truth, regardless of who might be affected, was the inspiration behind Gem State Patriot News," he explains. "If you don't tell people the cold, hard facts, how will you ever be able to affect change? Knowledge is power, and silence is consent."

Running an independent news outlet comes with its own set of challenges, from financial constraints to the constant struggle to maintain readership and support. However, Bob remains committed to his mission, recognizing the importance of providing an alternative voice in a media landscape often dominated by corporate interests and political agendas. "Readers and subscribers come and go, but we still find that legislators and bureaucrats, both state and federal, who have been elected in our state, read the Gem State Patriot News," he notes. "That gives us an audience that many don't have. We have their respect because we are not afraid to print the truth."

The impact of Gem State Patriot News on the community is evident in the feedback Bob receives from his readers. At a local community dinner, a woman approached Bob and shared that she sends the Gem State Patriot News to 167 friends weekly, many of whom don't want to be on the official subscriber list but still want to know what the publication is saying. This anecdote underscores the importance of independent media in sparking conversations and engaging the community, even among those who may be hesitant to align themselves with a particular viewpoint publicly.

As Bob continues his journey as a talk show host on Idaho Radio, he draws upon his diverse life experiences, commitment to truth-seeking, and passion for empowering others to make a difference.  He sees his role as a facilitator of critical thinking and informed decision-making, providing a platform for exploring issues that are often overlooked or misrepresented in the mainstream media.

Through his show, Bob aims to tackle a wide range of topics, from health and wellness to economics and politics, always striving to present a balanced perspective that encourages listeners to question assumptions and think for themselves.  He hopes to inspire his audience to become active participants in their communities, to stand up for their beliefs, and to work together to find solutions to the challenges we face as a society.

Bob's vision for Idaho Radio is rooted in the principles of engagement, education, and empowerment.  He believes fostering a culture of critical thinking and open dialogue can bridge the divides that often separate us and work towards a more just, compassionate, and prosperous future for all.  "Our country has morphed into two segments of the haves and the have-nots," he observes.  "While the haves control the media and most of our educational system, along with the major corporations, it is the people who have been forgotten,” although he believes they are finally beginning to see the light, that they have the ability to change the destiny of America if we stick together as there is strength in numbers.

In a world often consumed by political polarization and ideological echo chambers, Bob Neugebauer stands as a voice for reason, truth-seeking, and the power of informed citizenship.  He encourages Americans to stand up for what they believe in and to actively participate in shaping the future of their communities and their country.  "The problem today is Americans don't stand up enough and say no, I'm not going to deal with that," Bob asserts, urging his listeners to become agents of change in their own lives and in the world around them.

Through his work on Idaho Radio and Gem State Patriot News, Bob challenges us to question the status quo, to think critically about the issues that shape our lives, and to become active participants in the ongoing struggle for a better world.  By empowering others to engage, educate, and make a difference, Bob embodies the spirit of resilience, determination, and hope that has defined his remarkable life journey.