1
00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:03,239
Speaker 1: Hi. I'm Brandon Webb, former abcal in New York Times

2
00:00:03,279 --> 00:00:06,519
Speaker 1: bestselling author. If you're like me, you want real security

3
00:00:06,519 --> 00:00:09,080
Speaker 1: and defense news you can trust. You're probably tired of

4
00:00:09,119 --> 00:00:11,600
Speaker 1: hearing the same talking heads, guys who have never seen

5
00:00:11,640 --> 00:00:15,040
Speaker 1: the front lines, saying the same bs a hundred different ways.

6
00:00:15,040 --> 00:00:18,080
Speaker 1: It's why I founded soft rep dot com military grade

7
00:00:18,079 --> 00:00:21,959
Speaker 1: news produced entirely by our staff of military veteran journalists.

8
00:00:21,960 --> 00:00:25,080
Speaker 1: Sign up at soft rep for real news, real experience,

9
00:00:25,280 --> 00:00:28,960
Speaker 1: real experts. Soft rep does what the mainstream media can't,

10
00:00:28,960 --> 00:00:32,800
Speaker 1: deliver authentic content straight from the front lines. Sign up

11
00:00:32,840 --> 00:00:35,040
Speaker 1: for a free trial membership today and I'll give you

12
00:00:35,080 --> 00:00:38,000
Speaker 1: my best selling e book, The Red Circle for free.

13
00:00:38,159 --> 00:00:41,360
Speaker 1: But that's not all. Your Softwrep membership also includes access

14
00:00:41,400 --> 00:00:44,720
Speaker 1: to cutting edge defense and security news by military experts,

15
00:00:44,840 --> 00:00:49,080
Speaker 1: access to our award winning documentaries, e books, special member events,

16
00:00:49,120 --> 00:00:51,639
Speaker 1: and much more. So what are you waiting for? Let

17
00:00:51,680 --> 00:00:53,680
Speaker 1: us know you're in Sign up for your free trial

18
00:00:53,720 --> 00:00:57,120
Speaker 1: membership today. Join our community at soft rep dot com.

19
00:00:57,120 --> 00:01:16,759
Speaker 1: That's s o f r EP dot com. Ah beat force.

20
00:01:17,440 --> 00:01:21,479
Speaker 1: If it doesn't work, you're just not using enough. You're

21
00:01:21,520 --> 00:01:27,080
Speaker 1: listening to software radio, special operations, military news and straight

22
00:01:27,120 --> 00:02:10,359
Speaker 1: talk with the guys and the community. And welcome back

23
00:02:10,400 --> 00:02:13,440
Speaker 1: to soft Rep Radio. I'm your host today, Steve Balstruri,

24
00:02:13,560 --> 00:02:16,480
Speaker 1: not your normal host, because we have a special guest

25
00:02:16,760 --> 00:02:19,680
Speaker 1: on the line with us today. Stephen what goes by

26
00:02:19,680 --> 00:02:23,040
Speaker 1: the nickname of Butch Whitehead, is the National Commander of

27
00:02:23,080 --> 00:02:26,560
Speaker 1: Disabled American Veterans. And the good folks over at SOFTWAREP

28
00:02:26,560 --> 00:02:29,639
Speaker 1: no that Steve Balstrury here one of the writers when

29
00:02:29,680 --> 00:02:33,639
Speaker 1: it comes to Disabled American Veterans and the Veterans administration,

30
00:02:33,760 --> 00:02:37,400
Speaker 1: that's like a big topic of my writing all the time.

31
00:02:37,480 --> 00:02:40,320
Speaker 1: So they are allowing me to do this, and we

32
00:02:40,360 --> 00:02:43,600
Speaker 1: want to welcome Butch to the podcast is going Butch

33
00:02:43,760 --> 00:02:47,360
Speaker 1: or this afternoon. Butch, Welcome to SOFTWAREP Radio. We really

34
00:02:47,400 --> 00:02:50,680
Speaker 1: appreciate your time. Hey, thanks, thanks for me on and

35
00:02:50,960 --> 00:02:52,880
Speaker 1: talking about some great, great topics of born to me

36
00:02:52,919 --> 00:02:56,880
Speaker 1: as well. I really appreciate it. Yeah, And as you know,

37
00:02:56,960 --> 00:03:00,920
Speaker 1: the commander of the National Commander of the same American Veterans.

38
00:03:00,960 --> 00:03:03,520
Speaker 1: I mean, I believe if you can correct me, if

39
00:03:03,520 --> 00:03:07,040
Speaker 1: i'm run, there's over a million members right now, absolutely

40
00:03:07,080 --> 00:03:09,440
Speaker 1: a million plus in a continued girl, which is great.

41
00:03:09,520 --> 00:03:11,920
Speaker 1: You know, obviously memberships are very important to our organization

42
00:03:11,960 --> 00:03:14,600
Speaker 1: that keeps our voice being heard loud and clear when

43
00:03:14,600 --> 00:03:17,040
Speaker 1: we're out there advocating on behalf of our veterans. So

44
00:03:17,080 --> 00:03:19,280
Speaker 1: it's great to be part of such a strong organization.

45
00:03:19,520 --> 00:03:23,120
Speaker 1: And isn't this here the hundredth anniversary for the it is?

46
00:03:23,600 --> 00:03:25,720
Speaker 1: It is Actually we're getting ready to come up on

47
00:03:25,760 --> 00:03:27,520
Speaker 1: a hundred a year which will be here the September

48
00:03:28,080 --> 00:03:31,320
Speaker 1: will actually mark a hundred years of being existence. And

49
00:03:31,320 --> 00:03:34,120
Speaker 1: it's been a great organization and we look forward to

50
00:03:34,200 --> 00:03:38,880
Speaker 1: another decade of being around. Now. You're elected a national

51
00:03:38,920 --> 00:03:42,320
Speaker 1: commander not too long ago. Now, are you the first

52
00:03:42,400 --> 00:03:46,280
Speaker 1: Iraq veteran who's been the national commander? I am. I'm

53
00:03:46,320 --> 00:03:50,160
Speaker 1: the first Iraq war Iraq Afghanistan veterans elected to our organization.

54
00:03:50,240 --> 00:03:53,000
Speaker 1: We've had a couple of Global war or Gulf warships

55
00:03:53,040 --> 00:03:54,920
Speaker 1: in Golf War that turns out, and I am our

56
00:03:55,080 --> 00:03:58,200
Speaker 1: very first Iraq Afghanstan veteran. It's a great honor to

57
00:03:58,240 --> 00:04:00,760
Speaker 1: be to be the first, and then especially going into

58
00:04:00,800 --> 00:04:03,560
Speaker 1: a hundred year to really set the presence of continuing

59
00:04:03,600 --> 00:04:05,120
Speaker 1: to fight for our veterans as we come out of

60
00:04:05,120 --> 00:04:08,600
Speaker 1: this war as well. Well. Congratulations on that. I know

61
00:04:08,720 --> 00:04:10,920
Speaker 1: that you'll do a great job with that. But before

62
00:04:10,960 --> 00:04:13,440
Speaker 1: we get into a couple of things that the issues

63
00:04:13,480 --> 00:04:15,880
Speaker 1: that you know D. A. V Is is working on

64
00:04:15,920 --> 00:04:18,520
Speaker 1: this year, I wanted to give our readers a little

65
00:04:18,520 --> 00:04:21,920
Speaker 1: background on your information. I know, I believe you started

66
00:04:21,960 --> 00:04:25,600
Speaker 1: in with the Guard up in Minnesota. Are you still

67
00:04:25,680 --> 00:04:28,799
Speaker 1: up there? I am. I actually CV. I joined the December,

68
00:04:30,080 --> 00:04:31,760
Speaker 1: uh you know, obviously back then and joining with the

69
00:04:31,800 --> 00:04:34,480
Speaker 1: family thing, but also more or less for the college

70
00:04:34,480 --> 00:04:37,960
Speaker 1: benefits and everything, because you know, the Gulf War just ending,

71
00:04:38,000 --> 00:04:40,040
Speaker 1: it was getting ready to the end when I first joined,

72
00:04:40,080 --> 00:04:42,640
Speaker 1: and uh, it was a family tradition for me. My

73
00:04:42,680 --> 00:04:46,320
Speaker 1: brothers are all in my parents, my grandpa Gamma. We

74
00:04:46,360 --> 00:04:49,359
Speaker 1: had such a strong, strong president of military. So I

75
00:04:49,480 --> 00:04:51,200
Speaker 1: joined and I joined the National Guard so I can

76
00:04:51,320 --> 00:04:54,440
Speaker 1: use the college benefits and there you go. I was

77
00:04:54,560 --> 00:04:58,040
Speaker 1: actually I'm dating myself that now was my last five

78
00:04:58,120 --> 00:05:00,960
Speaker 1: years in around that time. But yeah, I was in

79
00:05:01,040 --> 00:05:03,479
Speaker 1: at that time, so we might have bumped into each

80
00:05:03,480 --> 00:05:06,040
Speaker 1: other somewhere along the line. Absolutely know what I'm so

81
00:05:06,160 --> 00:05:08,120
Speaker 1: see I look back now and I'm still serving right

82
00:05:08,160 --> 00:05:11,200
Speaker 1: now as well, and uh, you know, almost twenty years now.

83
00:05:11,240 --> 00:05:13,560
Speaker 1: I took a little uh drill time off when I

84
00:05:13,600 --> 00:05:15,960
Speaker 1: became national commander, and I just came back in, uh

85
00:05:16,160 --> 00:05:18,360
Speaker 1: put the uniform back on here in November of two

86
00:05:18,360 --> 00:05:20,920
Speaker 1: thousand nineteen. When I first joined, I'll tell you, I

87
00:05:21,160 --> 00:05:22,720
Speaker 1: looked at I was going to do six years and

88
00:05:22,880 --> 00:05:24,800
Speaker 1: you know, take advantage of college and you know, and

89
00:05:24,880 --> 00:05:27,680
Speaker 1: be done. Here twenty seven almost twenty eight years later,

90
00:05:27,680 --> 00:05:29,920
Speaker 1: I'm still through it and it uh so I'm real

91
00:05:30,000 --> 00:05:33,680
Speaker 1: to really think about serving this long. Yeah, that's congratulations

92
00:05:33,720 --> 00:05:36,760
Speaker 1: again on that. It shows the commitment and that's what

93
00:05:36,839 --> 00:05:39,400
Speaker 1: we're all about when it comes to the military. Now,

94
00:05:39,480 --> 00:05:42,440
Speaker 1: I know that you served in the Iraq War, which

95
00:05:42,480 --> 00:05:45,560
Speaker 1: we just mentioned a minute ago. I believe you went

96
00:05:45,640 --> 00:05:48,719
Speaker 1: over your unit went over in two thousand six. Can

97
00:05:48,760 --> 00:05:53,640
Speaker 1: you tell us a little bit about that deployment of years. Yeah, Actually,

98
00:05:53,680 --> 00:05:56,000
Speaker 1: we were actually it was a very very tough deployment.

99
00:05:56,080 --> 00:05:57,680
Speaker 1: You know, we're part of first of all, where the

100
00:05:57,720 --> 00:05:59,680
Speaker 1: deplointment was supposed to be only year long and ended

101
00:05:59,720 --> 00:06:03,080
Speaker 1: up being twenty two months long because that was actually

102
00:06:03,080 --> 00:06:06,400
Speaker 1: when at that time President Bush did the extending of

103
00:06:06,440 --> 00:06:08,760
Speaker 1: soldiers over there. So my unit was affected by that.

104
00:06:08,839 --> 00:06:12,640
Speaker 1: So we had sixteen months in combat during that deployment,

105
00:06:13,120 --> 00:06:16,480
Speaker 1: and we lost several soldiers and it was a tough deployment.

106
00:06:16,520 --> 00:06:19,080
Speaker 1: You know, we did several different texts emissions. It would

107
00:06:19,080 --> 00:06:23,000
Speaker 1: be convoy s courts, base security court on searches to

108
00:06:23,440 --> 00:06:26,839
Speaker 1: convoy escorts, EU d escorts, do name it. We're doing

109
00:06:26,880 --> 00:06:28,720
Speaker 1: all kinds of things. So they said it was a

110
00:06:28,800 --> 00:06:32,159
Speaker 1: top sixteen months, it really was. That's a long deployment,

111
00:06:32,240 --> 00:06:35,680
Speaker 1: especially all combat time. Now what what part of Iraq

112
00:06:35,680 --> 00:06:39,680
Speaker 1: were you guys mainly stationed at ould Station c SC

113
00:06:39,800 --> 00:06:44,400
Speaker 1: Scania are combat support H of Scania, which was just

114
00:06:44,520 --> 00:06:48,440
Speaker 1: sealth of Baghdad. You know, on the math wise is

115
00:06:48,480 --> 00:06:52,200
Speaker 1: probably sixty eight miles sealth of Baghdad. You know, obviously

116
00:06:52,200 --> 00:06:54,040
Speaker 1: the convoys took a lot longer to get up that far.

117
00:06:54,240 --> 00:06:58,920
Speaker 1: But uh yeah, so basically halfway point between Baghdad and

118
00:06:59,560 --> 00:07:02,680
Speaker 1: do when the yeah, big what we were a big

119
00:07:02,680 --> 00:07:06,799
Speaker 1: truck stop. And I know that obviously you're a disabled

120
00:07:06,800 --> 00:07:11,040
Speaker 1: American veteran yourself. You suffered a traumatic brain injury over there.

121
00:07:11,200 --> 00:07:12,920
Speaker 1: Can you talk a little bit about that? Is that?

122
00:07:13,720 --> 00:07:15,480
Speaker 1: You know, it's I get easy and easier Steve as

123
00:07:15,520 --> 00:07:17,400
Speaker 1: I you know, share the story. It's always hard to

124
00:07:17,440 --> 00:07:19,120
Speaker 1: really bring it up, but you know what I need

125
00:07:19,160 --> 00:07:21,440
Speaker 1: to to can help me and myself continue to recover.

126
00:07:21,600 --> 00:07:25,000
Speaker 1: But February twenty second, two thousand and seven, are a

127
00:07:25,080 --> 00:07:29,080
Speaker 1: base came underneath and motor attack. Um and we actually

128
00:07:29,200 --> 00:07:32,800
Speaker 1: the first volley was nine or ten rockets they fired

129
00:07:32,840 --> 00:07:34,440
Speaker 1: at us, and we all made it out of that

130
00:07:34,560 --> 00:07:37,920
Speaker 1: just fine. And as we were given to all clear

131
00:07:38,120 --> 00:07:40,040
Speaker 1: where I was going out to check on my soldiers

132
00:07:40,040 --> 00:07:42,280
Speaker 1: to make sure they're all countable and all that, and

133
00:07:42,320 --> 00:07:45,160
Speaker 1: that's when they fired another six rocket that us and uh,

134
00:07:45,320 --> 00:07:47,640
Speaker 1: three of the six rockets Tater Base, which was one

135
00:07:47,680 --> 00:07:50,720
Speaker 1: of about forty fifty years right behind me, which knocked

136
00:07:50,760 --> 00:07:53,160
Speaker 1: me over. So that was a tough night. We lost

137
00:07:53,280 --> 00:07:57,080
Speaker 1: three soldiers at night and several rounded. Um and uh,

138
00:07:57,560 --> 00:07:59,600
Speaker 1: there was something I'll remember for the rest of my life.

139
00:07:59,600 --> 00:08:03,960
Speaker 1: It really be. Yeah. And did you suffered, like I mean,

140
00:08:04,080 --> 00:08:08,119
Speaker 1: were you aware that you know, you had obviously taken

141
00:08:08,160 --> 00:08:10,480
Speaker 1: a bad injury right off the battle. Is that something

142
00:08:10,520 --> 00:08:13,560
Speaker 1: that came on later after you got later? Steve? It

143
00:08:13,560 --> 00:08:16,440
Speaker 1: really did? Um? Just the general and alone, you know,

144
00:08:16,520 --> 00:08:19,160
Speaker 1: I got up not even knowing what really truly happened.

145
00:08:19,160 --> 00:08:21,200
Speaker 1: I got up and you know, I ran two covers,

146
00:08:21,200 --> 00:08:23,880
Speaker 1: took went to the bunker. Then I rounded up my

147
00:08:23,920 --> 00:08:27,600
Speaker 1: soldiers and then we are actually on tour refimation that night.

148
00:08:27,640 --> 00:08:29,720
Speaker 1: So of course the first thing came I came to

149
00:08:29,760 --> 00:08:32,000
Speaker 1: mind me was jumping out and getting the vehicles and

150
00:08:32,120 --> 00:08:34,800
Speaker 1: you know, going out after him. So it wasn't until

151
00:08:34,920 --> 00:08:37,080
Speaker 1: you know, when I came home and to realize what

152
00:08:37,120 --> 00:08:39,520
Speaker 1: all happened and I went to the v A. Yeah,

153
00:08:39,600 --> 00:08:42,320
Speaker 1: they explained everything that they died. You know, they determined

154
00:08:42,360 --> 00:08:45,600
Speaker 1: that I had suffered a concussion during that time, and

155
00:08:46,160 --> 00:08:49,000
Speaker 1: it was It's weird how our body reacts when you

156
00:08:49,040 --> 00:08:51,400
Speaker 1: take you know, get into the adennaline and you don't

157
00:08:51,440 --> 00:08:53,719
Speaker 1: realize that, you know, I didn't have any shrapnel in

158
00:08:53,800 --> 00:08:56,600
Speaker 1: me and things like that, and that concussion how it

159
00:08:56,640 --> 00:08:59,000
Speaker 1: actually can have a long term effect on you rest

160
00:08:59,000 --> 00:09:01,840
Speaker 1: of your life. I absolutely And you know, we're just

161
00:09:01,960 --> 00:09:05,520
Speaker 1: now scratching the surface on those type of you know,

162
00:09:05,600 --> 00:09:08,480
Speaker 1: invisible injuries. I mean, you see it all the time

163
00:09:08,520 --> 00:09:11,840
Speaker 1: now with NFL players. They take such a beating over

164
00:09:12,080 --> 00:09:14,360
Speaker 1: a long period of time and they're not aware of

165
00:09:14,400 --> 00:09:18,760
Speaker 1: it until long after their careers. Were we're finding that

166
00:09:18,960 --> 00:09:22,839
Speaker 1: outward soldiers now because I mean I believe that the

167
00:09:23,000 --> 00:09:27,520
Speaker 1: doctors are just kind of beginning to understand how deep

168
00:09:27,559 --> 00:09:30,680
Speaker 1: this thing can go. And you know, it's something that's

169
00:09:30,800 --> 00:09:34,160
Speaker 1: it's gonna be a long time before they actually figure

170
00:09:34,200 --> 00:09:37,320
Speaker 1: out how you know, they can probably treat this as

171
00:09:37,360 --> 00:09:40,800
Speaker 1: well as they probably can, but I don't think we're

172
00:09:40,840 --> 00:09:43,480
Speaker 1: even close to that yet. I'm gonna see your your

173
00:09:43,520 --> 00:09:46,000
Speaker 1: spot on. I mean, I truly think we're just scratching

174
00:09:46,000 --> 00:09:48,920
Speaker 1: the surface when it comes into these invisible injuries. You know,

175
00:09:49,080 --> 00:09:51,679
Speaker 1: for instance, obviously t B I being the topic of

176
00:09:51,720 --> 00:09:54,079
Speaker 1: what we're talking about, but the research that's seemed do

177
00:09:54,280 --> 00:09:56,839
Speaker 1: you know, the VA is definitely leading the charge. I'm

178
00:09:56,920 --> 00:09:59,520
Speaker 1: very proud of researching the VIS done to really get

179
00:09:59,520 --> 00:10:03,280
Speaker 1: after what the residual effects are from you know, concussion

180
00:10:03,400 --> 00:10:05,440
Speaker 1: t B I. And you know, I'm part of our

181
00:10:05,520 --> 00:10:08,640
Speaker 1: actual tv I study and I'll tell you they're doing

182
00:10:08,679 --> 00:10:11,880
Speaker 1: a great job identifying things, but you're right, we're a

183
00:10:11,920 --> 00:10:14,200
Speaker 1: long ways from the end to really seeing what all

184
00:10:14,240 --> 00:10:17,080
Speaker 1: the effects will be. So you know, I don't want

185
00:10:17,080 --> 00:10:19,840
Speaker 1: to dall too much on that. I know that's you know,

186
00:10:20,040 --> 00:10:23,720
Speaker 1: a personal thing. But when you got home, now you're

187
00:10:23,800 --> 00:10:26,559
Speaker 1: joined the obviously you joined the d A V. How

188
00:10:26,600 --> 00:10:29,560
Speaker 1: long ago was that that you actually became a member

189
00:10:29,880 --> 00:10:33,200
Speaker 1: and became active. Well, actually didn't become a member till

190
00:10:33,280 --> 00:10:35,720
Speaker 1: two thousand twelve. I came home in two thousand seven,

191
00:10:35,720 --> 00:10:38,160
Speaker 1: then joint to two thousand twelve. It's one of the

192
00:10:38,200 --> 00:10:41,640
Speaker 1: things that the DV we're really trying to really focus on,

193
00:10:41,720 --> 00:10:44,280
Speaker 1: and that's our outreach. But I got very active right

194
00:10:44,280 --> 00:10:47,120
Speaker 1: away in two thousands twelve when I joined because it

195
00:10:47,240 --> 00:10:48,840
Speaker 1: fell right in line with who I am, and that

196
00:10:49,160 --> 00:10:51,960
Speaker 1: is as a leader, not only in the military, but

197
00:10:52,000 --> 00:10:55,040
Speaker 1: as a person myself. I see them really trying to

198
00:10:55,640 --> 00:10:59,200
Speaker 1: set the bar and get after helping disabled veterans and

199
00:10:59,200 --> 00:11:00,880
Speaker 1: make sure they're the gatine and all the help that

200
00:11:00,920 --> 00:11:03,440
Speaker 1: they need. And that's what told me. That's what excited

201
00:11:03,520 --> 00:11:06,440
Speaker 1: me about joining and being active with the DV because

202
00:11:06,720 --> 00:11:12,640
Speaker 1: they're so passionate and they're so focused on helping disabled veterans. Yeah. Absolutely,

203
00:11:12,760 --> 00:11:15,760
Speaker 1: And I forgot to mention, I believe that your command

204
00:11:15,760 --> 00:11:17,920
Speaker 1: said your major are you not? I am? I'm a

205
00:11:17,920 --> 00:11:20,480
Speaker 1: commands are major over the thirty fourth Infantry Division here

206
00:11:20,480 --> 00:11:23,800
Speaker 1: at the Minnesota National Guard Division units up here in Minnesota. UM.

207
00:11:23,800 --> 00:11:26,319
Speaker 1: I was just selected for that position here in November

208
00:11:26,400 --> 00:11:29,320
Speaker 1: two thousand nineteen. So it's a great honor to, you know,

209
00:11:29,480 --> 00:11:33,160
Speaker 1: to lead thousands of soldiers, but also to be that

210
00:11:33,200 --> 00:11:35,760
Speaker 1: metric piece to really making sure that even when that

211
00:11:35,880 --> 00:11:38,920
Speaker 1: soldier decides to take the uniform law, that they know

212
00:11:39,040 --> 00:11:41,160
Speaker 1: that they have another family that there they can be

213
00:11:41,200 --> 00:11:44,520
Speaker 1: part of to help them through their the rest of

214
00:11:44,520 --> 00:11:46,199
Speaker 1: their life with any struggles that they may have, the

215
00:11:46,360 --> 00:11:48,959
Speaker 1: challenges that they may have. Absolutely, and that's what good

216
00:11:48,960 --> 00:11:51,360
Speaker 1: side your majors do. They look out after their troops.

217
00:11:51,400 --> 00:11:54,080
Speaker 1: So absolutely, that's our that's our that's what we're there for.

218
00:11:54,640 --> 00:11:57,600
Speaker 1: And that's exactly what you're still doing with the disabled

219
00:11:57,720 --> 00:12:00,560
Speaker 1: American veterans. And let's talk a little bit about that.

220
00:12:00,600 --> 00:12:03,319
Speaker 1: I know that as you've you worked your way up

221
00:12:03,400 --> 00:12:07,840
Speaker 1: and now you're the national Commander, that has to be

222
00:12:08,000 --> 00:12:13,040
Speaker 1: a lot of appearances, probably a lot of probably things

223
00:12:13,080 --> 00:12:16,360
Speaker 1: you probably don't enjoy. I would imagine that there's you

224
00:12:16,400 --> 00:12:19,520
Speaker 1: know that all takes involved, but at the same time

225
00:12:19,720 --> 00:12:23,360
Speaker 1: you're on the cutting edge of making policy exactly, you know,

226
00:12:23,400 --> 00:12:26,680
Speaker 1: the DV being the national commanders such an honor to

227
00:12:26,880 --> 00:12:30,079
Speaker 1: represent the million plus members that we have by making

228
00:12:30,120 --> 00:12:32,720
Speaker 1: sure that our voices are being heard in DC but

229
00:12:32,800 --> 00:12:35,800
Speaker 1: also in our local areas as well. You're right, there

230
00:12:35,840 --> 00:12:38,360
Speaker 1: was something that I really wasn't comfortable with going into.

231
00:12:38,600 --> 00:12:40,800
Speaker 1: But I'll tell you, the more I do it, I'll

232
00:12:40,800 --> 00:12:44,240
Speaker 1: definitely get more comfortable with speaking on behalf of our

233
00:12:44,280 --> 00:12:47,320
Speaker 1: membership and all the disabled veterans out there about the

234
00:12:47,360 --> 00:12:50,600
Speaker 1: importance of making sure that they are truly taken care of.

235
00:12:50,960 --> 00:12:53,840
Speaker 1: You know, and I remember when our veterans servist members

236
00:12:53,840 --> 00:12:57,040
Speaker 1: go off to fight and protect our country, raising that hand,

237
00:12:57,760 --> 00:13:00,160
Speaker 1: and our lecture officials come back and say, we'll take here,

238
00:13:00,160 --> 00:13:02,200
Speaker 1: we will take care of you. The dvs there to

239
00:13:02,240 --> 00:13:06,000
Speaker 1: make sure that the elector officials don't forget what they promised,

240
00:13:06,280 --> 00:13:08,880
Speaker 1: and you know, it's definitely a battle every day. But

241
00:13:08,920 --> 00:13:11,240
Speaker 1: I'll tell you the DV and B a national commander,

242
00:13:11,440 --> 00:13:14,440
Speaker 1: we are so focused on making sure that our our

243
00:13:14,520 --> 00:13:18,400
Speaker 1: voices are being heard. I'm Brandon Webb, former Navy Seal

244
00:13:18,480 --> 00:13:20,560
Speaker 1: and founder of the Craig Club. Tired of the same

245
00:13:20,559 --> 00:13:24,080
Speaker 1: old gift ideas. Want military grade survival gear delivered to

246
00:13:24,080 --> 00:13:26,920
Speaker 1: your doorstep, then get Craig Club. The box built by

247
00:13:27,000 --> 00:13:31,000
Speaker 1: Navy Seals, Army rangers, and special arts guys with backpacks,

248
00:13:31,080 --> 00:13:34,400
Speaker 1: holsters and more military grade gear. It's a perfect gift

249
00:13:34,400 --> 00:13:36,680
Speaker 1: for the guy in your life. Subscribe to Craig Club

250
00:13:36,760 --> 00:13:39,440
Speaker 1: and will also include The Killing School, my best selling

251
00:13:39,480 --> 00:13:43,080
Speaker 1: e book about America's elite snipers. That's Craig Club dot

252
00:13:43,080 --> 00:13:48,000
Speaker 1: com c R A T Club dot com. Can I

253
00:13:48,040 --> 00:13:50,320
Speaker 1: ask you a couple of questions about you know, I

254
00:13:50,400 --> 00:13:53,320
Speaker 1: know some of the issues that as the National Commandity

255
00:13:53,320 --> 00:13:55,600
Speaker 1: you've been bringing up to some of our lawmakers, and

256
00:13:55,679 --> 00:13:58,319
Speaker 1: I wanted to ask you about, how is the transition

257
00:13:58,360 --> 00:14:02,319
Speaker 1: assistance program going or you know, troops that are because

258
00:14:02,360 --> 00:14:04,720
Speaker 1: we've had I mean, we've had a couple of wars

259
00:14:04,720 --> 00:14:07,800
Speaker 1: now that have lasted a very very long time. We

260
00:14:07,880 --> 00:14:10,880
Speaker 1: have a lot of troops that are gonna need assistance

261
00:14:10,920 --> 00:14:13,880
Speaker 1: when they get out, when they decide to finally either

262
00:14:13,960 --> 00:14:18,000
Speaker 1: retire or transition out and get out before the retirement.

263
00:14:18,240 --> 00:14:20,880
Speaker 1: Are we doing enough for that? Well, you know, are

264
00:14:20,920 --> 00:14:23,080
Speaker 1: we doing enough? I would say we're going the right direction.

265
00:14:23,160 --> 00:14:26,360
Speaker 1: Steve Um. I think between the d D and v A,

266
00:14:26,480 --> 00:14:29,040
Speaker 1: they're really trying to focus on putting the resources where

267
00:14:29,040 --> 00:14:31,280
Speaker 1: they have the biggest impact. And I think one of

268
00:14:31,280 --> 00:14:33,320
Speaker 1: the biggest things that we're really trying to focus on

269
00:14:33,520 --> 00:14:37,560
Speaker 1: is that transition piece. So when that active duty soldier

270
00:14:37,680 --> 00:14:40,960
Speaker 1: takes that uniform off, there's a clear handoff with duty

271
00:14:41,040 --> 00:14:43,520
Speaker 1: to v A. H The v A just rolled out

272
00:14:43,640 --> 00:14:46,160
Speaker 1: a program that's within thirty days or sixty days, I

273
00:14:46,200 --> 00:14:49,800
Speaker 1: can't remember exact date timeline that that soldier will get

274
00:14:49,800 --> 00:14:52,040
Speaker 1: a phone call from the v A saying, hey, we

275
00:14:52,080 --> 00:14:54,480
Speaker 1: see you no longer the military. You know, please make

276
00:14:54,480 --> 00:14:56,280
Speaker 1: sure you stop buying meurgiture with the v so we

277
00:14:56,320 --> 00:14:58,520
Speaker 1: can make sure you get all the systems that you need.

278
00:14:58,560 --> 00:15:01,440
Speaker 1: So we're going to a director. I think the piece

279
00:15:01,480 --> 00:15:05,600
Speaker 1: that we really got to focus on, though, is making

280
00:15:05,600 --> 00:15:09,120
Speaker 1: sure that before that soldier leaves that base, he or

281
00:15:09,200 --> 00:15:12,480
Speaker 1: she is truly sitting down with an actual service officer

282
00:15:12,920 --> 00:15:17,080
Speaker 1: and understanding what benefits are out there, right, because it's

283
00:15:17,080 --> 00:15:20,040
Speaker 1: so confusing, you know, those of our service members when

284
00:15:20,040 --> 00:15:22,080
Speaker 1: they leave and now they're a veteran in the community

285
00:15:22,080 --> 00:15:24,120
Speaker 1: in the general public, they don't even know what at

286
00:15:24,200 --> 00:15:27,000
Speaker 1: what they have access to UM and they sometimes they'll

287
00:15:27,080 --> 00:15:28,840
Speaker 1: learn the hard way, and so I think that's an

288
00:15:28,840 --> 00:15:31,600
Speaker 1: area that we got to continue to improve. Just a

289
00:15:31,640 --> 00:15:34,400
Speaker 1: couple of weeks ago, I testified before our Joint Lectures

290
00:15:34,440 --> 00:15:37,160
Speaker 1: Affairs Committee at NDC, and I really stressed that hard

291
00:15:37,680 --> 00:15:40,280
Speaker 1: that there has to be a better handoff with D

292
00:15:40,400 --> 00:15:42,920
Speaker 1: O D to the vectorans community. And then we really

293
00:15:42,920 --> 00:15:45,280
Speaker 1: got to continue to improve that. I know, I know

294
00:15:45,520 --> 00:15:49,760
Speaker 1: the the d a V is also heavily involved with

295
00:15:50,200 --> 00:15:53,640
Speaker 1: career fairs for soldiers who are either getting out shortly

296
00:15:53,760 --> 00:15:57,360
Speaker 1: or have just gotten out. How are those going? See,

297
00:15:57,360 --> 00:15:59,320
Speaker 1: that was a great program that we started here they're

298
00:15:59,360 --> 00:16:02,320
Speaker 1: going really well. We're actually looking at making a few

299
00:16:02,320 --> 00:16:06,760
Speaker 1: more tweaks changes to the our employment program. We're starting

300
00:16:06,760 --> 00:16:09,480
Speaker 1: to see some great results. You know, in two thousand

301
00:16:09,480 --> 00:16:13,920
Speaker 1: and eighteen alone, we had a hundred hut five either

302
00:16:14,040 --> 00:16:17,640
Speaker 1: career fare or virtual career there's out there, and we

303
00:16:17,680 --> 00:16:20,960
Speaker 1: had great results were the veterans and or veterans family

304
00:16:21,000 --> 00:16:23,120
Speaker 1: members got some great opportunities to get hired on with

305
00:16:23,320 --> 00:16:25,720
Speaker 1: great companies. But we want to take it to another level.

306
00:16:25,760 --> 00:16:28,480
Speaker 1: So we're really doing some research to make sure we're

307
00:16:28,480 --> 00:16:33,200
Speaker 1: expanding that program and maybe identifying the disabled veteran employment

308
00:16:33,240 --> 00:16:35,480
Speaker 1: or an employment but the employer right make sure that

309
00:16:35,600 --> 00:16:38,440
Speaker 1: these veterans maybe go out and you know, have opportunity

310
00:16:38,520 --> 00:16:41,280
Speaker 1: to have their own company and things like that. So

311
00:16:41,400 --> 00:16:43,440
Speaker 1: that's been a great program, and we're making a big

312
00:16:43,440 --> 00:16:47,040
Speaker 1: impact on helping a lot of disabled veterans. That's excellent,

313
00:16:47,280 --> 00:16:50,520
Speaker 1: and that was something I wish when I got out

314
00:16:50,640 --> 00:16:54,840
Speaker 1: that was available to me. I won't date myself too much,

315
00:16:54,880 --> 00:16:58,080
Speaker 1: but yeah, that wasn't there. I mean, you know, I

316
00:16:58,200 --> 00:17:01,440
Speaker 1: was just kind of one day you're in uniform and

317
00:17:01,480 --> 00:17:04,320
Speaker 1: the next day you're not, and it was it's it's

318
00:17:04,320 --> 00:17:06,560
Speaker 1: a big wake up call after you've been in for

319
00:17:06,600 --> 00:17:10,160
Speaker 1: so many years. It truly is. So I think that's

320
00:17:10,200 --> 00:17:12,919
Speaker 1: a great thing I wanted to ask you about. I

321
00:17:12,920 --> 00:17:16,119
Speaker 1: know this is something that you testified about because I

322
00:17:16,480 --> 00:17:20,920
Speaker 1: saw a blurb of this on television, the Caregiver Act,

323
00:17:21,040 --> 00:17:24,840
Speaker 1: and how how are we standing with that? You know,

324
00:17:25,000 --> 00:17:27,280
Speaker 1: that was a great I'm glad we had it in there,

325
00:17:27,359 --> 00:17:29,440
Speaker 1: and you know, we can have to actor are testified

326
00:17:29,440 --> 00:17:31,760
Speaker 1: on the caregivers though. We actually got a message from

327
00:17:31,840 --> 00:17:34,439
Speaker 1: the Secretary of the v A that they are in

328
00:17:34,480 --> 00:17:39,440
Speaker 1: the process of changing that policy where they'll actually hopefully

329
00:17:39,680 --> 00:17:41,880
Speaker 1: have the writing to where they're they're looking to add

330
00:17:41,920 --> 00:17:44,520
Speaker 1: the word illness. So it's really been a big that's

331
00:17:44,520 --> 00:17:46,679
Speaker 1: a big thing for us because we want to make

332
00:17:46,720 --> 00:17:49,240
Speaker 1: sure those veterans that were you know they have injuries

333
00:17:49,240 --> 00:17:52,120
Speaker 1: because of the illness. Maybe, like I run a reference

334
00:17:52,200 --> 00:17:56,159
Speaker 1: in my testimony testimony our past national Commander Dave Radley

335
00:17:56,320 --> 00:17:59,760
Speaker 1: where he lost all four limbs due to a blood bacteria.

336
00:18:00,280 --> 00:18:03,280
Speaker 1: He isn't covered because it's actually not an actual injury,

337
00:18:03,320 --> 00:18:06,359
Speaker 1: and that's just wrong. I mean, all that happened because

338
00:18:06,400 --> 00:18:10,359
Speaker 1: of an actual his service, and we haven't surely take

339
00:18:10,400 --> 00:18:12,320
Speaker 1: care of that. So his spouse can get the care

340
00:18:12,440 --> 00:18:16,440
Speaker 1: because his boss literally left her job, all her retirement

341
00:18:16,560 --> 00:18:18,920
Speaker 1: on the table to stay at home to take care

342
00:18:18,960 --> 00:18:21,879
Speaker 1: of her husband. But she's not elder for it. So

343
00:18:21,960 --> 00:18:24,560
Speaker 1: it's great to hear that the VS getting after that

344
00:18:24,640 --> 00:18:27,240
Speaker 1: and then hopefully make that change and that when that

345
00:18:27,400 --> 00:18:28,760
Speaker 1: role is all that's gonna be a big win for

346
00:18:29,080 --> 00:18:32,920
Speaker 1: our disabled veterans. Now, when it comes to the Caregiver Act,

347
00:18:33,280 --> 00:18:37,080
Speaker 1: the guys who experienced and you might have when you

348
00:18:37,200 --> 00:18:40,719
Speaker 1: were in Iraq those burn pits, would that be covered

349
00:18:40,920 --> 00:18:44,680
Speaker 1: under that act right now? Yeah, So so anybody's post

350
00:18:44,800 --> 00:18:47,840
Speaker 1: nine eleven the caregivers is covering right now posts we're

351
00:18:47,840 --> 00:18:49,760
Speaker 1: actually trying to go to actually the caregivers of pre

352
00:18:50,000 --> 00:18:52,960
Speaker 1: nine eleven, so they're Vietnam era, create era. We have

353
00:18:53,040 --> 00:18:55,280
Speaker 1: a few of World War Two yet camping with them,

354
00:18:55,400 --> 00:18:57,480
Speaker 1: and then those who that's the big folks right now.

355
00:18:57,560 --> 00:19:00,040
Speaker 1: But the birth at piece, anybody has a post on

356
00:19:00,160 --> 00:19:03,160
Speaker 1: a level, they are a couple of the characters. Okay, great,

357
00:19:03,680 --> 00:19:07,159
Speaker 1: and I know that Another issue I know that the

358
00:19:07,840 --> 00:19:10,240
Speaker 1: d a v. Has been working on is the guys

359
00:19:10,400 --> 00:19:13,600
Speaker 1: from Vietnam, the Agent Orange guys. And you know, if

360
00:19:13,680 --> 00:19:15,520
Speaker 1: you could talk about that for a minute, we could

361
00:19:15,680 --> 00:19:18,600
Speaker 1: uh app our readers in the loop of you know,

362
00:19:18,680 --> 00:19:20,320
Speaker 1: we have are We've been been do a big push.

363
00:19:20,440 --> 00:19:22,560
Speaker 1: You know, just last year they passed the Blue Water

364
00:19:22,720 --> 00:19:25,520
Speaker 1: Navy Veterans Act, which are a huge win. We've been

365
00:19:25,560 --> 00:19:27,560
Speaker 1: pushing for that, you know for a long long time.

366
00:19:28,200 --> 00:19:31,119
Speaker 1: A big focus now on the agent origin is adding

367
00:19:31,160 --> 00:19:36,000
Speaker 1: the four presumptive illnesses that have been proven by studies

368
00:19:36,200 --> 00:19:39,560
Speaker 1: by the professional medical feel out there, and that is

369
00:19:39,840 --> 00:19:44,560
Speaker 1: to adding you know, hyper hyper cyderism, ladder cancer, and

370
00:19:44,920 --> 00:19:48,639
Speaker 1: uh things like that. But unfortunately, when we pushed that

371
00:19:48,960 --> 00:19:51,920
Speaker 1: these are all provence of two dollars and sixteen, just

372
00:19:51,960 --> 00:19:54,720
Speaker 1: a few months back, Secretary of the VA came out

373
00:19:54,760 --> 00:19:56,920
Speaker 1: and said, uh, yeah, we're going to do our own

374
00:19:56,960 --> 00:19:59,920
Speaker 1: research and we'll make a determination later on the year,

375
00:20:00,520 --> 00:20:03,119
Speaker 1: and that's just unacceptable. So we really we sent a

376
00:20:03,200 --> 00:20:07,960
Speaker 1: letter to UM the Presidents asking him to have the

377
00:20:08,040 --> 00:20:11,359
Speaker 1: Secretary reevaluate that and make sure we're taking care of

378
00:20:11,400 --> 00:20:13,920
Speaker 1: those veterans. Unfortunately, haven't heard anything back on it, but

379
00:20:14,080 --> 00:20:16,159
Speaker 1: I do know that when I was out there in

380
00:20:16,320 --> 00:20:18,400
Speaker 1: DC here a couple weeks go speaking to a couple

381
00:20:18,400 --> 00:20:21,560
Speaker 1: of Senators and congressmen, that they too sent letters to

382
00:20:21,640 --> 00:20:24,159
Speaker 1: the Secretary of saying okay, enough and enough. You know,

383
00:20:24,400 --> 00:20:26,680
Speaker 1: we got to take care of all these veterans. We

384
00:20:26,760 --> 00:20:30,840
Speaker 1: have thousands and thousands of these Vietnam veterans that him

385
00:20:30,880 --> 00:20:35,480
Speaker 1: is suffering for years on hyperfighterism, bladder cancer, whatever. Maybe

386
00:20:36,080 --> 00:20:39,280
Speaker 1: that still cannot get service connected for it, even though

387
00:20:39,640 --> 00:20:45,360
Speaker 1: there is science proven science alter that those illnesses our

388
00:20:45,640 --> 00:20:48,200
Speaker 1: results of agent Orange. So we got to keep pushing hard,

389
00:20:48,200 --> 00:20:50,400
Speaker 1: and we're going to continue to push hard making sure

390
00:20:50,480 --> 00:20:54,199
Speaker 1: that the VA helps those veterans as well. That's outstanding.

391
00:20:55,000 --> 00:20:57,800
Speaker 1: Is there any other big issues that you know the

392
00:20:58,000 --> 00:21:00,639
Speaker 1: d a v Is pushing this year they're trying to

393
00:21:00,680 --> 00:21:05,720
Speaker 1: get attention in Congress that you want to talk about. Absolutely.

394
00:21:05,760 --> 00:21:07,960
Speaker 1: I think the next big one is the new agent

395
00:21:08,080 --> 00:21:09,400
Speaker 1: order of that is going to be the burn pits.

396
00:21:09,480 --> 00:21:12,000
Speaker 1: You know Stevie reference a little earlier about how I

397
00:21:12,040 --> 00:21:14,760
Speaker 1: talked about it. I think that's another hot topic, the

398
00:21:15,000 --> 00:21:17,399
Speaker 1: new none of the big issue that we're going to

399
00:21:17,760 --> 00:21:20,600
Speaker 1: really keep our some of the pulse and making sure

400
00:21:20,680 --> 00:21:25,320
Speaker 1: that they are currently serving Iraq Afghanistan veterans. Oh if

401
00:21:25,760 --> 00:21:28,760
Speaker 1: even back to the Gulf War. Uh, those veterans that

402
00:21:29,200 --> 00:21:32,160
Speaker 1: were exposed to all these toxic don't have to wait

403
00:21:32,240 --> 00:21:36,080
Speaker 1: like the Vietnam lecturers did for the agent Orange, waiting

404
00:21:36,160 --> 00:21:40,000
Speaker 1: thirty forty years to get service connected for all these illnesses.

405
00:21:40,040 --> 00:21:42,639
Speaker 1: When there's science and research being done. So that's a

406
00:21:42,920 --> 00:21:45,240
Speaker 1: big push right now. We actually had to set up

407
00:21:45,240 --> 00:21:48,720
Speaker 1: file the Center bill introduced this year and we're hearing

408
00:21:48,840 --> 00:21:51,680
Speaker 1: that hopefully later within the next week or two, we'll

409
00:21:51,760 --> 00:21:56,320
Speaker 1: have a House uh Silar companion bill introduced. Getting where

410
00:21:57,080 --> 00:22:00,200
Speaker 1: the veterans that are that can be food even that

411
00:22:00,320 --> 00:22:03,080
Speaker 1: they were station on basis at these burn burn pits

412
00:22:03,640 --> 00:22:08,119
Speaker 1: were assume that these these veterans were exposed to it

413
00:22:08,200 --> 00:22:11,000
Speaker 1: would make it which makes it easier to be it

414
00:22:11,080 --> 00:22:16,119
Speaker 1: to be addressive sis connected versus an actual presumptive. You

415
00:22:16,200 --> 00:22:18,120
Speaker 1: really going to keep pushing hard on that as well.

416
00:22:18,440 --> 00:22:21,560
Speaker 1: We really are well. I have to tell you as

417
00:22:21,600 --> 00:22:25,760
Speaker 1: a disabled veteran myself and somebody who goes to the

418
00:22:25,880 --> 00:22:28,920
Speaker 1: VA hospitals all the time. I go two to three

419
00:22:29,000 --> 00:22:31,960
Speaker 1: times a week for different appointments and whatnot. One of

420
00:22:32,040 --> 00:22:33,840
Speaker 1: the things I think that the d a V Does

421
00:22:33,920 --> 00:22:37,600
Speaker 1: that people don't understand, and what a great thing that

422
00:22:37,720 --> 00:22:41,040
Speaker 1: it is. And I just wanted to mention this. I'm

423
00:22:41,080 --> 00:22:45,119
Speaker 1: sure you know all about it. The volunteer drivers. I mean,

424
00:22:45,280 --> 00:22:47,840
Speaker 1: I see the vans all the time, that shuttle of

425
00:22:48,480 --> 00:22:52,520
Speaker 1: I'm fortunate enough where I can drive myself, you know,

426
00:22:52,680 --> 00:22:55,000
Speaker 1: I can go there, drive my car and park there.

427
00:22:55,320 --> 00:22:57,440
Speaker 1: There's a lot of our venturans who can you know,

428
00:22:57,640 --> 00:22:59,919
Speaker 1: I see the vans all the time and the buses

429
00:23:00,040 --> 00:23:03,680
Speaker 1: to pick up these guys, and there those volunteer drivers

430
00:23:03,840 --> 00:23:07,920
Speaker 1: I think do a tremendous job. I can't imagine a

431
00:23:08,080 --> 00:23:11,360
Speaker 1: more fulfilling role for some of those guys because they're

432
00:23:11,400 --> 00:23:14,800
Speaker 1: helping fellow veterans out and they must save the government

433
00:23:15,040 --> 00:23:18,760
Speaker 1: a ton of money. Oh, let steve that our Transportation

434
00:23:18,800 --> 00:23:21,680
Speaker 1: network program, you know, like you said, the lifeline of

435
00:23:21,760 --> 00:23:23,680
Speaker 1: that is our volunteers. And I gotta do a big

436
00:23:23,720 --> 00:23:26,280
Speaker 1: Shottle and big thank you to all those volunteers out there,

437
00:23:26,720 --> 00:23:29,480
Speaker 1: you know, the volunteering to drive or volunteering just to

438
00:23:29,560 --> 00:23:32,280
Speaker 1: help a veteran and whole. But you know, like you're

439
00:23:32,280 --> 00:23:35,280
Speaker 1: referencing these volunteer drivers, you know, just to put in

440
00:23:35,480 --> 00:23:39,119
Speaker 1: estment on it. So in two thousand eighteen, the DV

441
00:23:39,280 --> 00:23:42,679
Speaker 1: volunteer drivers gave over six hundred and twenty five thousand

442
00:23:42,840 --> 00:23:47,240
Speaker 1: rides for vesterians, you know, traveling over seventeen million miles.

443
00:23:47,359 --> 00:23:49,280
Speaker 1: I mean, just think about that number and how many

444
00:23:49,359 --> 00:23:52,320
Speaker 1: veterans that's helping. UH Because some of these rides, I'm

445
00:23:52,359 --> 00:23:55,480
Speaker 1: talking there's three, four or five veterans in that vehicle,

446
00:23:55,800 --> 00:23:58,080
Speaker 1: you know, so that's not veterans. And we're helping millions

447
00:23:58,119 --> 00:24:01,280
Speaker 1: and millions of veterans every year in this program. And

448
00:24:02,320 --> 00:24:05,560
Speaker 1: it wasn't for the veterans the volunteers, it would be huge.

449
00:24:05,920 --> 00:24:08,600
Speaker 1: You talk about the taxpayer dollars. You know, since we

450
00:24:08,640 --> 00:24:12,480
Speaker 1: started this program in eight seven, Steve, we've actually driven

451
00:24:12,520 --> 00:24:18,840
Speaker 1: over nineteen million, nineteen million veterans to UH appointments. I mean,

452
00:24:19,000 --> 00:24:25,600
Speaker 1: that's just unreal. Eighty million dollars approximately do guys who

453
00:24:25,720 --> 00:24:28,040
Speaker 1: volunteer their time and you know a lot of a

454
00:24:28,119 --> 00:24:30,760
Speaker 1: lot of the older vets that you see riding the

455
00:24:30,840 --> 00:24:33,920
Speaker 1: vans that they need help, and the guys will, you know,

456
00:24:34,080 --> 00:24:37,440
Speaker 1: they'll help them off the bus and get inside the hospital.

457
00:24:37,840 --> 00:24:39,760
Speaker 1: I just think they do a tremendous job. And I

458
00:24:39,880 --> 00:24:42,240
Speaker 1: think all of you guys get a big tip of

459
00:24:42,280 --> 00:24:45,280
Speaker 1: the hat for that, because that is that's one of

460
00:24:45,359 --> 00:24:48,440
Speaker 1: those behind the scenes things that unless you go to

461
00:24:48,560 --> 00:24:51,159
Speaker 1: a v a hospital you know all the time, you

462
00:24:51,240 --> 00:24:54,280
Speaker 1: wouldn't see and you wouldn't even be aware of. And this,

463
00:24:54,920 --> 00:24:57,400
Speaker 1: you know, for a great organization that you guys are.

464
00:24:57,920 --> 00:25:00,159
Speaker 1: I just think that's just another feather in the up,

465
00:25:00,840 --> 00:25:02,920
Speaker 1: you know. And see if tote back on that. Just

466
00:25:03,040 --> 00:25:05,080
Speaker 1: to add, you know, another new program that the d

467
00:25:05,240 --> 00:25:08,080
Speaker 1: you started just because help Portant, that Volunteer Chest Station

468
00:25:08,119 --> 00:25:10,680
Speaker 1: network is we're expanding that and we really want to

469
00:25:10,720 --> 00:25:12,320
Speaker 1: want to do a big shout out to, you know,

470
00:25:12,560 --> 00:25:18,040
Speaker 1: our Volunteer for Vets program. UM. Anybody instident helping veterans

471
00:25:18,200 --> 00:25:21,119
Speaker 1: or a veteran that needs help other than transportation, they

472
00:25:21,160 --> 00:25:24,679
Speaker 1: can go to Volunteer for Vets dot org and they

473
00:25:24,720 --> 00:25:27,200
Speaker 1: can sign up and either sign up needing help or

474
00:25:27,200 --> 00:25:29,399
Speaker 1: if they want to help with veterans sign up and

475
00:25:29,640 --> 00:25:31,119
Speaker 1: you know, we can put them in contact with a

476
00:25:31,160 --> 00:25:34,280
Speaker 1: veteran that needs and help. Because we think that's also

477
00:25:34,359 --> 00:25:37,320
Speaker 1: going to be our new uh that's our new transportation

478
00:25:37,400 --> 00:25:39,440
Speaker 1: program there. I think it's gonna be bigger. I think

479
00:25:39,440 --> 00:25:42,600
Speaker 1: about the impact that we can have helping those individual

480
00:25:42,680 --> 00:25:45,600
Speaker 1: veterans with a small maybe as simple as baking in

481
00:25:45,680 --> 00:25:49,000
Speaker 1: our veteran's lawn in the spring or fall clean orner

482
00:25:49,080 --> 00:25:51,159
Speaker 1: gutter and things like that. When that veterans can't do

483
00:25:51,200 --> 00:25:54,080
Speaker 1: it anymore, it's it's hard. You know, then the persons

484
00:25:54,119 --> 00:25:56,240
Speaker 1: that the veterans both pays money and money there and

485
00:25:56,359 --> 00:25:59,680
Speaker 1: fixt income. So finding that volunteer that's winged to maybe

486
00:26:00,240 --> 00:26:01,960
Speaker 1: go put a little lael aokin, it's can be huge

487
00:26:02,000 --> 00:26:05,400
Speaker 1: for us as well. That's outstanding, and I we encourage

488
00:26:05,440 --> 00:26:08,800
Speaker 1: all of our listeners if they're out there that if

489
00:26:09,119 --> 00:26:11,880
Speaker 1: they can help, please do. There's a lot of uh,

490
00:26:12,760 --> 00:26:16,919
Speaker 1: a lot of very deserving veterans out there that can

491
00:26:17,000 --> 00:26:19,359
Speaker 1: probably use some help. You know, I live in a

492
00:26:19,760 --> 00:26:23,760
Speaker 1: very small town, so our veterans community here is kind

493
00:26:23,800 --> 00:26:26,360
Speaker 1: of small. But at the same time, we're very self

494
00:26:26,440 --> 00:26:29,040
Speaker 1: supporting and we're out there and we help each other.

495
00:26:29,160 --> 00:26:31,879
Speaker 1: But there's some guys out there that don't have that,

496
00:26:32,080 --> 00:26:34,879
Speaker 1: and we encourage all our listeners to do that. But

497
00:26:35,160 --> 00:26:37,120
Speaker 1: I want to thank you very much for your time.

498
00:26:37,160 --> 00:26:38,960
Speaker 1: I know you're a real busy man. I don't want

499
00:26:38,960 --> 00:26:41,600
Speaker 1: to keep you all afternoon, but I really want to

500
00:26:41,640 --> 00:26:44,760
Speaker 1: thank you in behalf of everyone here at software dot

501
00:26:44,840 --> 00:26:48,320
Speaker 1: com uh, for all of our listeners, we want to

502
00:26:48,359 --> 00:26:51,159
Speaker 1: thank you, know, thank you for your service, thank you

503
00:26:51,280 --> 00:26:57,280
Speaker 1: for your national service that you're continuing, and thank you Stevens.

504
00:26:57,280 --> 00:26:58,960
Speaker 1: Thank you for taking time. And it was an honor

505
00:26:59,000 --> 00:27:00,480
Speaker 1: for me to be on your program. I'm gonna thank

506
00:27:00,480 --> 00:27:03,680
Speaker 1: you for letting us fit oer our one author about

507
00:27:04,080 --> 00:27:06,399
Speaker 1: the dav and all the good things are doing. And

508
00:27:06,840 --> 00:27:10,040
Speaker 1: thank you again. Sure thing. So that will do it

509
00:27:10,200 --> 00:27:13,800
Speaker 1: here at Software Radio. As we'd like to say around

510
00:27:13,840 --> 00:27:17,840
Speaker 1: here on time on target software dot com Radio, we

511
00:27:17,960 --> 00:27:20,879
Speaker 1: want to thank our guests today which White had the

512
00:27:21,240 --> 00:27:24,920
Speaker 1: National Commander for the Disabled American Veterans. It was a pleasure.

513
00:27:26,280 --> 00:27:30,600
Speaker 1: You've been listening to Self Rep Radio. New episodes up

514
00:27:30,640 --> 00:27:34,560
Speaker 1: every Wednesday and Friday. Follow the show on Instagram and

515
00:27:34,680 --> 00:27:36,719
Speaker 1: Twitter at self rep Radia.