1 00:00:00,200 --> 00:00:03,120 Speaker 1: Veteran related needs. Tons of services offered by the Clemon 2 00:00:03,200 --> 00:00:06,440 Speaker 1: County Veteran Services, and every county has one. Steve Belzo 3 00:00:06,640 --> 00:00:08,680 Speaker 1: is with the Clermont County Veteran Services. They do a 4 00:00:08,720 --> 00:00:11,280 Speaker 1: fantastic job and Steve is always a pleasure having in 5 00:00:11,280 --> 00:00:13,280 Speaker 1: the studio. Man, welcome back and happy dear to you 6 00:00:13,320 --> 00:00:15,360 Speaker 1: and everybody else at Clement County Veteran. 7 00:00:15,200 --> 00:00:17,640 Speaker 2: Services, Ryan Brother, thanks for what you do for us, 8 00:00:17,680 --> 00:00:19,880 Speaker 2: and it is it's a good new year, so we'll 9 00:00:19,920 --> 00:00:23,040 Speaker 2: try above the ground. We're not pushing up daisies. We 10 00:00:23,079 --> 00:00:27,080 Speaker 2: may complain about small ailments, right, but yet we're still breathing, right. 11 00:00:27,040 --> 00:00:30,520 Speaker 1: Yeah, I know, I'm telling you off area here. It's 12 00:00:30,560 --> 00:00:33,280 Speaker 1: the seventh of January and we've I feel like we've 13 00:00:33,280 --> 00:00:39,160 Speaker 1: already experienced enough profoundly impactful news stories for like six 14 00:00:39,400 --> 00:00:40,360 Speaker 1: months worth of. 15 00:00:40,360 --> 00:00:43,559 Speaker 2: Life, right right, Actually, yeah, we have news commentators that 16 00:00:43,560 --> 00:00:46,800 Speaker 2: are speed reading right now after a teleprompters. There's so much. 17 00:00:47,240 --> 00:00:51,080 Speaker 1: Well, there's always though, something positive in all of the mix, 18 00:00:51,159 --> 00:00:53,120 Speaker 1: as you just pointed out, so that we're gonna be 19 00:00:53,120 --> 00:00:55,040 Speaker 1: positive about going into the new year. So you run 20 00:00:55,040 --> 00:00:57,319 Speaker 1: into a little you know, the lemons that life will 21 00:00:57,320 --> 00:00:59,200 Speaker 1: hand you make lemonade out of them, or just search 22 00:00:59,240 --> 00:01:02,160 Speaker 1: around for something else that is positive, and you'll at 23 00:01:02,200 --> 00:01:05,640 Speaker 1: least have that to look at and be thankful for, 24 00:01:05,680 --> 00:01:07,440 Speaker 1: which is what I try to do as I live 25 00:01:07,520 --> 00:01:10,680 Speaker 1: my life now with that in mind. My veteran friends 26 00:01:10,680 --> 00:01:14,880 Speaker 1: out there, we have talked about some common misconceptions, and 27 00:01:14,920 --> 00:01:17,920 Speaker 1: it always puzzled me that it seemed to me that 28 00:01:19,040 --> 00:01:23,240 Speaker 1: a lifetime worth of health care, which is what you 29 00:01:23,319 --> 00:01:25,920 Speaker 1: are pretty much entitled to as long as you faithfully 30 00:01:25,959 --> 00:01:28,920 Speaker 1: serve your country and get a DD two fourteen discharge edition, 31 00:01:29,640 --> 00:01:32,600 Speaker 1: is kind of an incentive. It's like a pension program. 32 00:01:32,880 --> 00:01:34,440 Speaker 1: You know, if there's a job that's offering you a 33 00:01:34,480 --> 00:01:36,759 Speaker 1: pension and one that's not, you might consider the pension 34 00:01:36,840 --> 00:01:39,040 Speaker 1: job because that's an extra perk that somebody else is 35 00:01:39,080 --> 00:01:41,200 Speaker 1: an offering. So you may not make all the money 36 00:01:41,240 --> 00:01:43,600 Speaker 1: in the world serving your country, but you're doing something 37 00:01:43,640 --> 00:01:47,920 Speaker 1: that's profoundly important. It shows profound respect for your country. 38 00:01:48,400 --> 00:01:52,000 Speaker 1: You're defending our nation from adversaries foreign and domestic, and 39 00:01:52,080 --> 00:01:55,760 Speaker 1: you also get a lifetime of free health care. Almost 40 00:01:56,360 --> 00:02:00,920 Speaker 1: almost almost there are categories. That's why we have you. 41 00:02:01,200 --> 00:02:04,280 Speaker 1: But that's right that veterans who are eligible for it, 42 00:02:04,800 --> 00:02:07,880 Speaker 1: just pass on it or sign up. This is what 43 00:02:07,920 --> 00:02:09,440 Speaker 1: we're going to try to focus on today. 44 00:02:09,560 --> 00:02:14,360 Speaker 2: Absolutely, there's yeah, there's if you can consider this in 45 00:02:14,400 --> 00:02:17,079 Speaker 2: this matrix, here's Joe and when did you serve and 46 00:02:17,200 --> 00:02:20,720 Speaker 2: how many years? And you're following this flow chart. But 47 00:02:20,880 --> 00:02:23,680 Speaker 2: it's what's running in the mind of many veterans. If 48 00:02:24,600 --> 00:02:29,000 Speaker 2: you know, there's especially from our older generation, our parents, 49 00:02:29,560 --> 00:02:33,880 Speaker 2: the children that grew from parents that came through the depression. 50 00:02:34,440 --> 00:02:36,200 Speaker 2: You straighten every nail, you throw it in the bucket, 51 00:02:36,200 --> 00:02:38,920 Speaker 2: you pick up every penny. Nothing goes to waste. There's 52 00:02:38,919 --> 00:02:41,280 Speaker 2: only a limited amount to go around. There's victory gardens 53 00:02:41,360 --> 00:02:46,080 Speaker 2: going in and so those children from those parents, well, 54 00:02:46,480 --> 00:02:47,839 Speaker 2: I don't want to go to get to the VA 55 00:02:47,880 --> 00:02:50,679 Speaker 2: and get a set of hearing age because I can 56 00:02:50,760 --> 00:02:52,840 Speaker 2: hear the TV if I turn it up loud enough. 57 00:02:52,960 --> 00:02:55,400 Speaker 2: Well so can three apartments down here in your TV. 58 00:02:55,880 --> 00:02:58,720 Speaker 2: But yet they're afraid that if I take those hearing aids, 59 00:02:59,240 --> 00:03:02,760 Speaker 2: another veteran needs a more than me is not going 60 00:03:02,800 --> 00:03:06,000 Speaker 2: to get their hearing aids. And that's an upside down 61 00:03:06,120 --> 00:03:09,800 Speaker 2: way to think about it, because the VA actually gets 62 00:03:09,800 --> 00:03:13,160 Speaker 2: their budget off of the amount of veterans signed up 63 00:03:13,200 --> 00:03:15,920 Speaker 2: for healthcare, which means they're going to get a bigger 64 00:03:15,960 --> 00:03:18,959 Speaker 2: budget and they can afford more hearing aids and they're 65 00:03:19,000 --> 00:03:20,040 Speaker 2: not going to run out of stock. 66 00:03:20,400 --> 00:03:24,160 Speaker 1: Right, And among my listening audience and my personal perception is, 67 00:03:24,200 --> 00:03:27,840 Speaker 1: you know, if there is a worthy expenditure of taxpayer dollars, 68 00:03:28,400 --> 00:03:31,560 Speaker 1: our veteran community is a worthy expenditure, you know, because 69 00:03:31,560 --> 00:03:33,960 Speaker 1: we're filled with the government likes to pay for literally everything. 70 00:03:34,000 --> 00:03:36,480 Speaker 1: Most of it is batcrap and sane, but these are 71 00:03:36,560 --> 00:03:40,040 Speaker 1: folks that, you know, literally put their lives on the line. 72 00:03:40,720 --> 00:03:44,920 Speaker 2: It's going back to the founding father, maybe Abraham Lincoln, 73 00:03:44,920 --> 00:03:47,720 Speaker 2: whether you consider him founding father or not yet for 74 00:03:47,840 --> 00:03:51,480 Speaker 2: him to quote, to care for him who has borne 75 00:03:51,720 --> 00:03:55,360 Speaker 2: the battle exactly, He's been the presence of America either 76 00:03:55,480 --> 00:03:58,240 Speaker 2: on foreign shores for our interests. 77 00:03:58,600 --> 00:04:01,760 Speaker 1: So in other words, for that veteran who wasn't getting 78 00:04:01,760 --> 00:04:03,960 Speaker 1: the hearing aids turning the TV up, and not only 79 00:04:04,040 --> 00:04:08,400 Speaker 1: is that person overlooking the cognitive decline and other health 80 00:04:08,440 --> 00:04:11,400 Speaker 1: issues that will go along with that. Absolutely by not 81 00:04:11,440 --> 00:04:15,240 Speaker 1: getting the hearing aids the V eight, he's maybe reducing 82 00:04:15,240 --> 00:04:17,000 Speaker 1: the likelihood that somebody else is going to get hearing 83 00:04:17,040 --> 00:04:18,159 Speaker 1: aids because of funding levels. 84 00:04:18,240 --> 00:04:21,000 Speaker 2: Because of funding levels, or he's spending six to eight 85 00:04:21,000 --> 00:04:23,400 Speaker 2: thousand dollars out on the open market. That's yeah, I 86 00:04:23,400 --> 00:04:24,920 Speaker 2: know for us out of hearing aids, right, I mean 87 00:04:24,920 --> 00:04:25,600 Speaker 2: they're expensive. 88 00:04:26,760 --> 00:04:28,720 Speaker 1: Well, I like to hope that the government has haggled 89 00:04:28,720 --> 00:04:31,400 Speaker 1: and negotiated a good contract for hearing aids that they're 90 00:04:31,440 --> 00:04:34,200 Speaker 1: not fitting at full rate. You just let me interject 91 00:04:34,200 --> 00:04:38,320 Speaker 1: that comment right there. So and the other conception, you 92 00:04:38,360 --> 00:04:41,040 Speaker 1: didn't have to serve in combat or be injured while 93 00:04:41,120 --> 00:04:43,520 Speaker 1: serving your country to be eligible for VA benefits. I 94 00:04:43,520 --> 00:04:45,880 Speaker 1: guess that's another thing that runs through some of the veterans' minds. 95 00:04:46,000 --> 00:04:51,920 Speaker 2: So a lot of them consider yes, short answer. Typically 96 00:04:52,000 --> 00:04:54,960 Speaker 2: we look at as a veteran, what were my injuries 97 00:04:55,000 --> 00:04:57,600 Speaker 2: on active duty? And what is the VA going to 98 00:04:57,600 --> 00:05:02,560 Speaker 2: do about them? Because my my life has been hindered 99 00:05:02,600 --> 00:05:06,239 Speaker 2: by my injuries from active duty. But yet the VA 100 00:05:06,440 --> 00:05:09,440 Speaker 2: still has a healthcare program where I just pay a 101 00:05:09,480 --> 00:05:13,840 Speaker 2: colpay And so if I'm fifty percent disabled or more 102 00:05:13,920 --> 00:05:16,839 Speaker 2: by the VA, then my healthcare is free through the VA. 103 00:05:17,360 --> 00:05:20,880 Speaker 2: But if I'm ten percent, zero percent, I can still 104 00:05:20,880 --> 00:05:24,240 Speaker 2: get healthcare through the VA. It might come with a 105 00:05:24,279 --> 00:05:26,960 Speaker 2: small col pay, but I can still have a primary 106 00:05:26,960 --> 00:05:28,560 Speaker 2: care physician at the VA. 107 00:05:28,640 --> 00:05:28,839 Speaker 1: Right. 108 00:05:29,160 --> 00:05:32,599 Speaker 2: But the great thing about Cincinnati, right is the VA 109 00:05:32,640 --> 00:05:37,120 Speaker 2: has done a tremendous job here locally in picking up 110 00:05:37,360 --> 00:05:40,880 Speaker 2: It's not just its service, but its impression as well. 111 00:05:41,160 --> 00:05:46,159 Speaker 1: Yep, veterans have told you that, Yes, you survey them regularly. 112 00:05:46,520 --> 00:05:48,400 Speaker 2: I have a friend of the family who's gone through 113 00:05:48,440 --> 00:05:51,159 Speaker 2: cancer and the VA has taken him through every step, 114 00:05:51,240 --> 00:05:53,760 Speaker 2: and he says, I hear all the stories, but I 115 00:05:53,800 --> 00:05:56,960 Speaker 2: will tell you I'm an advocate for the Cincinnati VA. 116 00:05:57,040 --> 00:05:59,800 Speaker 2: They've treated me so well. What more do you need? 117 00:06:00,240 --> 00:06:03,120 Speaker 1: Nothing? Not anymore than that. And then, of course a 118 00:06:03,160 --> 00:06:05,960 Speaker 1: lot of veterans are awesome hires. If an employer is 119 00:06:06,000 --> 00:06:10,440 Speaker 1: looking for a quality worker, hire a veteran. Along with 120 00:06:10,680 --> 00:06:13,400 Speaker 1: getting a job quite often comes your medical insurance from 121 00:06:13,440 --> 00:06:15,320 Speaker 1: your employer, and a lot of veterans out sure have 122 00:06:15,400 --> 00:06:17,479 Speaker 1: that and perhaps think that just because I have insurance 123 00:06:17,520 --> 00:06:20,640 Speaker 1: from my employer, I shouldn't even bother with the VA. 124 00:06:20,720 --> 00:06:23,440 Speaker 2: So here's here's here's some of the anomalies. So I 125 00:06:23,520 --> 00:06:26,479 Speaker 2: retired from active duty, I have trycare. I get it 126 00:06:26,480 --> 00:06:28,080 Speaker 2: for the rest of my life. I get health care 127 00:06:28,200 --> 00:06:31,960 Speaker 2: by the government. I also, because I work for the county, 128 00:06:32,320 --> 00:06:35,440 Speaker 2: have health care through the county, but because of my disabilities, 129 00:06:35,560 --> 00:06:38,039 Speaker 2: I also have health care through the VA. So I 130 00:06:38,040 --> 00:06:41,200 Speaker 2: actually have three programs I can run with, but I 131 00:06:41,320 --> 00:06:44,520 Speaker 2: use the VA because I'm no longer paying for a 132 00:06:44,600 --> 00:06:48,280 Speaker 2: co pay for my medications. All my prescriptions I get 133 00:06:48,360 --> 00:06:51,000 Speaker 2: ninety days at a time. I call the phone number 134 00:06:51,320 --> 00:06:54,360 Speaker 2: they set up appointments for me. It's a phenomenal way 135 00:06:54,440 --> 00:06:57,600 Speaker 2: to have. I really don't need the other two in 136 00:06:57,640 --> 00:07:00,960 Speaker 2: that sense, but it's I'm not your every day Joe, 137 00:07:01,000 --> 00:07:04,560 Speaker 2: I guess. But to have that opportunity, even if I 138 00:07:04,600 --> 00:07:09,320 Speaker 2: do go to work to one tell the mister employer, man, hey, 139 00:07:09,400 --> 00:07:11,960 Speaker 2: if I decline your healthcare because I have healthcare at 140 00:07:11,960 --> 00:07:14,520 Speaker 2: the VA, will you bump me up an extra six 141 00:07:14,560 --> 00:07:18,160 Speaker 2: to ten K? You would be paying for my health care. 142 00:07:18,320 --> 00:07:21,320 Speaker 1: I like that, right, Hey, the fools, the one that's 143 00:07:21,360 --> 00:07:23,280 Speaker 1: not looking out for his own best centrists. It's worth 144 00:07:23,360 --> 00:07:25,120 Speaker 1: asking the question anyway. 145 00:07:25,200 --> 00:07:28,520 Speaker 2: Absolutely, it's it's a no until you do ask. Yeah. 146 00:07:29,000 --> 00:07:31,600 Speaker 1: I love that's the first time you brought that one up. 147 00:07:31,640 --> 00:07:34,160 Speaker 1: That is people the wheels are spitting in their heads 148 00:07:34,200 --> 00:07:36,320 Speaker 1: right now. I'm gotta try that one out. They can 149 00:07:36,360 --> 00:07:38,920 Speaker 1: almost smell it in the remaining minute we've got here. 150 00:07:39,920 --> 00:07:42,600 Speaker 1: You can enroll online. This does not require a trip 151 00:07:42,880 --> 00:07:44,240 Speaker 1: to the VA hospital to do this. 152 00:07:44,440 --> 00:07:47,480 Speaker 2: No, the initial it's a ten ton easy, that's just 153 00:07:47,800 --> 00:07:50,760 Speaker 2: submitting to start your healthcare. They're going to look at 154 00:07:50,760 --> 00:07:52,200 Speaker 2: your records. If you have a copy of d D 155 00:07:52,280 --> 00:07:54,760 Speaker 2: two fourteen, you uproll it there. If not, they'll search 156 00:07:54,840 --> 00:07:58,040 Speaker 2: records for it. But you can VA dot gov apply 157 00:07:58,520 --> 00:08:01,200 Speaker 2: from your home on your computer. 158 00:08:01,080 --> 00:08:02,760 Speaker 1: And if you have any questions or how to do that, 159 00:08:02,880 --> 00:08:05,120 Speaker 1: the climat County Veteran Services will help you through the 160 00:08:05,120 --> 00:08:06,360 Speaker 1: process as well, won't. 161 00:08:06,160 --> 00:08:08,520 Speaker 2: They climat County Veterans dot com or five to one 162 00:08:08,560 --> 00:08:11,840 Speaker 2: three seven three two seven three six three. 163 00:08:11,600 --> 00:08:13,920 Speaker 1: And one concluding point, as I find out, there is 164 00:08:14,040 --> 00:08:16,680 Speaker 1: not a waiting period after active duty for a veteran 165 00:08:16,800 --> 00:08:19,160 Speaker 1: to enroll in the VA, So just you know you 166 00:08:19,200 --> 00:08:22,120 Speaker 1: get discharged, head on over the website sign up. 167 00:08:22,520 --> 00:08:25,160 Speaker 2: They're doing a great job for veterans leaving active duty 168 00:08:25,240 --> 00:08:28,440 Speaker 2: right now that they're assessing them prior to leaving. I've 169 00:08:28,440 --> 00:08:32,280 Speaker 2: been asked for that for years at We're not completely 170 00:08:32,320 --> 00:08:35,559 Speaker 2: there at by base station, right, so your your larger 171 00:08:35,960 --> 00:08:41,160 Speaker 2: camps or forts or stations are having more availability of 172 00:08:41,200 --> 00:08:44,400 Speaker 2: that type. Your smaller locations, some of your snake eater 173 00:08:44,520 --> 00:08:47,280 Speaker 2: locations out in the woods probably won't have that. They're 174 00:08:47,280 --> 00:08:48,880 Speaker 2: gonna have to go to a begger one. But we're 175 00:08:48,920 --> 00:08:49,800 Speaker 2: starting to roll. 176 00:08:49,600 --> 00:08:52,200 Speaker 1: That out, man. We should get that in place everywhere. Listen, 177 00:08:52,280 --> 00:08:54,840 Speaker 1: you got them right there, they're still serving. Give them 178 00:08:54,880 --> 00:08:58,360 Speaker 1: the information about enrollment or just enroll them right there. 179 00:08:58,440 --> 00:09:01,320 Speaker 2: Their physicians are there right now. Do the Nexus letters, 180 00:09:01,360 --> 00:09:03,280 Speaker 2: I mean everything to support them. 181 00:09:03,600 --> 00:09:05,839 Speaker 1: Steve Belzo, God bless you, sir. I appreciate what you're 182 00:09:05,840 --> 00:09:08,320 Speaker 1: doing with the veterans. I love your enthusiasm. I love 183 00:09:08,360 --> 00:09:11,319 Speaker 1: your profound appreciation for veterans and everything that you do 184 00:09:11,679 --> 00:09:14,200 Speaker 1: to help improve the services at the VA. You got 185 00:09:14,240 --> 00:09:17,040 Speaker 1: any problems, the VA wants to know about it, so 186 00:09:17,080 --> 00:09:19,079 Speaker 1: please make sure you let them know. If you run 187 00:09:19,120 --> 00:09:20,920 Speaker 1: into an issue, be nice about it. But they'll do 188 00:09:20,960 --> 00:09:23,520 Speaker 1: everything they can to address any concerns you have while there. 189 00:09:23,600 --> 00:09:26,120 Speaker 1: That is, Steve, a great year we're going to have together. 190 00:09:26,280 --> 00:09:27,840 Speaker 1: Look forward to having you back on man. 191 00:09:28,040 --> 00:09:29,959 Speaker 2: Oh. I can't wait till next month. Thanks Brian. 192 00:09:30,080 --> 00:09:32,240 Speaker 1: Keep up the great work. Vanguard of the American has 193 00:09:32,240 --> 00:09:36,400 Speaker 1: caused Gary Minoy hoping pronouncing that name correctly. He's going 194 00:09:36,440 --> 00:09:37,960 Speaker 1: to join the program with his book after the top 195 00:09:38,000 --> 00:09:39,079 Speaker 1: of the Our News then, of course