1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:02,239 Speaker 1: The government has a way of seeing something that works 2 00:00:02,480 --> 00:00:04,520 Speaker 1: and going, hey, that's really awesome, let's go try to 3 00:00:04,559 --> 00:00:06,640 Speaker 1: manage it now that we know it's working, and then 4 00:00:06,680 --> 00:00:07,640 Speaker 1: they just suck it up. 5 00:00:07,800 --> 00:00:09,360 Speaker 2: That's right, one hundred percent. 6 00:00:09,600 --> 00:00:11,960 Speaker 1: In twenty twenty four, when Helene hit BEMA had like 7 00:00:12,000 --> 00:00:14,840 Speaker 1: a three hundred billion dollar budget whatever it is, something crazy, 8 00:00:15,280 --> 00:00:16,520 Speaker 1: and I was like, they still. 9 00:00:16,320 --> 00:00:17,720 Speaker 3: Suck How is this possible? 10 00:00:17,760 --> 00:00:20,760 Speaker 1: It brought up some really bad memories of being left 11 00:00:20,840 --> 00:00:23,280 Speaker 1: by my own government to fend from myself. 12 00:00:23,480 --> 00:00:28,040 Speaker 4: Motivated, red blooded Americans who care about their neighbors get 13 00:00:28,120 --> 00:00:31,840 Speaker 4: shit done while the government tries to figure out who's 14 00:00:31,880 --> 00:00:34,240 Speaker 4: going to have to take responsibility and where it's funny 15 00:00:34,360 --> 00:00:35,559 Speaker 4: going to come from. 16 00:00:35,200 --> 00:00:37,919 Speaker 1: Just being able to go to a disaster theater and 17 00:00:38,000 --> 00:00:40,880 Speaker 1: look somebody in the eye and say, hey, I've been 18 00:00:40,920 --> 00:00:43,479 Speaker 1: through it, I know the way out, so follow me. 19 00:00:43,920 --> 00:00:48,519 Speaker 4: In today's America, the division seems overwhelming, and that's why 20 00:00:48,680 --> 00:00:52,400 Speaker 4: I wanted to highlight an organization that brings people together 21 00:00:52,720 --> 00:00:56,240 Speaker 4: and solves problem, the United Cajun Navy today on the 22 00:00:56,320 --> 00:01:09,440 Speaker 4: David Rutherford Show. When I do shows like this, I 23 00:01:10,080 --> 00:01:13,640 Speaker 4: do them for a reason. I do them because obviously 24 00:01:13,680 --> 00:01:18,320 Speaker 4: we're all inundated and overwhelmed by the tsunami of division 25 00:01:18,360 --> 00:01:22,399 Speaker 4: that's taking place within America. Whether it's in Minneapolis or 26 00:01:22,480 --> 00:01:26,680 Speaker 4: it's wherever it might be, it seems to be our 27 00:01:26,720 --> 00:01:29,680 Speaker 4: country is being ripped apart. And so I thought it 28 00:01:29,680 --> 00:01:32,600 Speaker 4: would be a powerful show to be able to bring 29 00:01:32,720 --> 00:01:38,240 Speaker 4: someone on that represents the best of what America can be. 30 00:01:38,959 --> 00:01:43,399 Speaker 4: And that's Brian Trasher with the United Cajun Navy. Perhaps 31 00:01:43,400 --> 00:01:46,679 Speaker 4: you've seen him throughout the last decade plus or so, 32 00:01:46,760 --> 00:01:49,520 Speaker 4: actually even back to all the way back to Katrina. 33 00:01:50,600 --> 00:01:54,880 Speaker 4: Groups of people from Louisiana, initially from Texas that band 34 00:01:54,920 --> 00:02:00,800 Speaker 4: together to solve problems. When Americans are hit with catastrophic 35 00:02:00,960 --> 00:02:05,760 Speaker 4: weather events or catastrophic circumstances. These men and women of 36 00:02:05,800 --> 00:02:10,760 Speaker 4: the United Cajun Navy step forward and dedicate their time 37 00:02:10,960 --> 00:02:15,519 Speaker 4: selflessly to support their fellow Americans. And that's why I'm 38 00:02:15,520 --> 00:02:18,880 Speaker 4: excited to bring Brian Trasher from the United Cajun Navy 39 00:02:19,200 --> 00:02:21,800 Speaker 4: on to explain to you what it is they do 40 00:02:22,280 --> 00:02:24,239 Speaker 4: and what it is you can do to support them. 41 00:02:24,280 --> 00:02:25,280 Speaker 4: Welcome to the show, Brian. 42 00:02:26,000 --> 00:02:28,280 Speaker 3: All Right, Dave, thanks for glad. We'll probably got the hookup. 43 00:02:28,639 --> 00:02:32,720 Speaker 4: Yeah, absolutely, Okay, So I think a lot of our 44 00:02:32,760 --> 00:02:37,640 Speaker 4: audience has heard loosely of you guys, obviously from Hurricane 45 00:02:37,639 --> 00:02:41,720 Speaker 4: Helene and other natural disasters. But could you just give 46 00:02:41,800 --> 00:02:44,639 Speaker 4: a quick brief back on the history of the United 47 00:02:44,680 --> 00:02:47,919 Speaker 4: Cajun Navy, where it comes from, and kind of what 48 00:02:48,000 --> 00:02:50,400 Speaker 4: the structure of the organization looks like now. 49 00:02:51,280 --> 00:02:53,880 Speaker 1: So you know, the term Cajun Navy was really like 50 00:02:53,919 --> 00:02:57,880 Speaker 1: a colloquial term dubbed by the media, and I've been 51 00:02:57,919 --> 00:03:00,880 Speaker 1: able to find evidence of it going back to Hurricane 52 00:03:00,880 --> 00:03:04,600 Speaker 1: Betsy in New Orleans nineteen sixty seven and where the 53 00:03:04,639 --> 00:03:07,720 Speaker 1: media dubbed all these you know, good Samaritans and boats 54 00:03:07,760 --> 00:03:12,000 Speaker 1: going to rescue flood victims as the Cajun Navy. Fast 55 00:03:12,040 --> 00:03:14,440 Speaker 1: forward to two thousand and five, Katrina hits New Orleans 56 00:03:14,440 --> 00:03:18,080 Speaker 1: and levies break the city floods, and the same thing happens. 57 00:03:18,080 --> 00:03:21,359 Speaker 1: A lot of you know, sportsmen from South Louisiana saw 58 00:03:21,400 --> 00:03:24,960 Speaker 1: what was happening on TV, didn't see any real response happening, 59 00:03:25,320 --> 00:03:27,840 Speaker 1: decided to hitch their own boats up and go down 60 00:03:27,880 --> 00:03:31,240 Speaker 1: there and start saving lives. There was several hundred of 61 00:03:31,280 --> 00:03:35,160 Speaker 1: them that showed up by all accounts at that time, 62 00:03:35,360 --> 00:03:38,240 Speaker 1: and then after a few days went by, and things 63 00:03:38,280 --> 00:03:45,360 Speaker 1: continually continued to disintegrate conditions. That's when like safety and 64 00:03:45,360 --> 00:03:48,880 Speaker 1: security started becoming an issue. So a lot of people left, understandably. 65 00:03:49,520 --> 00:03:54,800 Speaker 1: That's when then President George W. Bush sent General Russell 66 00:03:54,800 --> 00:03:58,520 Speaker 1: Honore to come down and take over what became known 67 00:03:58,560 --> 00:03:59,960 Speaker 1: as Joint Command. 68 00:04:00,960 --> 00:04:03,760 Speaker 3: And he basically put the call out. 69 00:04:03,840 --> 00:04:06,080 Speaker 1: And you got to remember this was before two thousand 70 00:04:06,120 --> 00:04:10,280 Speaker 1: and five, so pre iPhone one, pre social media for real, 71 00:04:10,320 --> 00:04:12,640 Speaker 1: other than like message boards and things like that. But 72 00:04:12,920 --> 00:04:14,800 Speaker 1: he put out a call and said, hey, any of 73 00:04:14,800 --> 00:04:17,120 Speaker 1: these boat captains that are still here, come meet me 74 00:04:17,160 --> 00:04:19,320 Speaker 1: at the Superdome at this time and whatnot. And he 75 00:04:19,360 --> 00:04:21,599 Speaker 1: had a meeting and there was sixty eight captains that 76 00:04:21,640 --> 00:04:22,120 Speaker 1: showed up. 77 00:04:22,240 --> 00:04:22,440 Speaker 2: Wow. 78 00:04:22,600 --> 00:04:25,920 Speaker 1: One of them was our founder, Todd Terrell, and he said, look, 79 00:04:25,960 --> 00:04:28,280 Speaker 1: he said, you guys are going to be my Cajun Navy. 80 00:04:28,320 --> 00:04:30,240 Speaker 1: We got lives to save. He said, I had the 81 00:04:30,320 --> 00:04:33,240 Speaker 1: ultimate authority in this state. He's like, don't let anybody 82 00:04:33,240 --> 00:04:34,960 Speaker 1: tell you that you can't go to this neighborhood, of 83 00:04:34,960 --> 00:04:37,839 Speaker 1: that neighborhood. Don't let any politicians or are you around. 84 00:04:38,040 --> 00:04:40,200 Speaker 1: He's like, right now, they all answer to me. President 85 00:04:40,200 --> 00:04:42,000 Speaker 1: has declared this and this is the way it's going 86 00:04:42,080 --> 00:04:44,320 Speaker 1: to go. We're saving lives, you know, we're we're not 87 00:04:44,400 --> 00:04:47,080 Speaker 1: dealing with any bs. So that's what happened for the 88 00:04:47,160 --> 00:04:50,240 Speaker 1: next few days, and as the as they got the 89 00:04:50,240 --> 00:04:52,800 Speaker 1: pumps back on, started to de water the city. But 90 00:04:52,960 --> 00:04:55,280 Speaker 1: at that time, like that, those sixty eight and probably 91 00:04:55,320 --> 00:04:57,120 Speaker 1: some more came in after that when they saw that 92 00:04:57,160 --> 00:05:00,320 Speaker 1: things were kind of safe again, and they say countless 93 00:05:00,440 --> 00:05:02,440 Speaker 1: lives and got a lot of people out of those 94 00:05:02,680 --> 00:05:03,960 Speaker 1: nasty floodwaters. 95 00:05:04,279 --> 00:05:06,560 Speaker 4: Yeah, it was interesting because I was at Blackwater at 96 00:05:06,560 --> 00:05:09,280 Speaker 4: the time and Eric Prince rogered up a bunch of guys, 97 00:05:09,480 --> 00:05:12,960 Speaker 4: sent them down and there's a crazy story of the 98 00:05:13,080 --> 00:05:17,919 Speaker 4: guys protecting this you know billionaire's house, you know on 99 00:05:17,960 --> 00:05:21,159 Speaker 4: the outskirts, and you know, through the gates rolls up 100 00:05:21,200 --> 00:05:25,320 Speaker 4: all these suburbans and you know, the Blackwater guys come 101 00:05:25,360 --> 00:05:27,039 Speaker 4: out with you know, guns, like who are you? And 102 00:05:27,080 --> 00:05:29,960 Speaker 4: these guys step out and they're all packing too, and 103 00:05:30,000 --> 00:05:32,719 Speaker 4: they all reach in and pull out their badges and 104 00:05:32,800 --> 00:05:35,360 Speaker 4: there was this standoff and they ended up zip tying 105 00:05:35,440 --> 00:05:38,599 Speaker 4: all the Blackwater guys. And it turns out it was 106 00:05:38,680 --> 00:05:42,520 Speaker 4: like some you know, bad cops that were going around 107 00:05:42,600 --> 00:05:46,680 Speaker 4: and stealing from all the houses and stuff. So people really, 108 00:05:47,120 --> 00:05:49,120 Speaker 4: you know, I say that to say this was a 109 00:05:49,200 --> 00:05:52,719 Speaker 4: war zone when it took place. This was not like, oh, 110 00:05:52,760 --> 00:05:55,120 Speaker 4: you're in your little bass boat and you're you know, 111 00:05:55,160 --> 00:05:57,560 Speaker 4: in two feet of water and you're going into you know, 112 00:05:57,720 --> 00:05:59,680 Speaker 4: areas where everybody's kumbaya. 113 00:06:00,000 --> 00:06:02,200 Speaker 2: I mean, it was crazy dangerous. 114 00:06:02,240 --> 00:06:04,200 Speaker 1: It was, you're right, and there was There was sort 115 00:06:04,240 --> 00:06:07,240 Speaker 1: of two kinds of scenarios. One kind of what you're describing, 116 00:06:07,240 --> 00:06:09,279 Speaker 1: where you had bad elements. Some of them, you know, 117 00:06:09,640 --> 00:06:12,720 Speaker 1: rogue law enforcement decided that this was their chance to 118 00:06:12,760 --> 00:06:15,320 Speaker 1: strike it rich. A couple of them broke into a 119 00:06:15,360 --> 00:06:18,479 Speaker 1: Cadillac dealership and broke the key box open and started 120 00:06:18,880 --> 00:06:21,080 Speaker 1: stealing cars. Now later they said they were just trying 121 00:06:21,080 --> 00:06:25,840 Speaker 1: to you know, evacuate me, you know, in brand new Cadillacs. Okay, So, 122 00:06:25,960 --> 00:06:28,039 Speaker 1: but then the other kind of scenario you come across 123 00:06:28,120 --> 00:06:32,800 Speaker 1: is you know, people very frantic, starting to really lose composure. 124 00:06:33,440 --> 00:06:35,520 Speaker 1: You know, they've been standing in floodwaters or on a 125 00:06:35,640 --> 00:06:37,400 Speaker 1: roof for a couple of days and a boat comes 126 00:06:37,400 --> 00:06:40,320 Speaker 1: by and they don't realize that, you know, the boat 127 00:06:40,360 --> 00:06:42,480 Speaker 1: has to has to stay balanced, you have to keep 128 00:06:42,480 --> 00:06:44,840 Speaker 1: your ballast so it doesn't flip over so they're grabbing 129 00:06:44,880 --> 00:06:47,120 Speaker 1: on and all that, and those are the people that 130 00:06:47,120 --> 00:06:49,599 Speaker 1: didn't really mean to cause harm, but it was still 131 00:06:49,839 --> 00:06:54,159 Speaker 1: a dangerous situation. So, uh, everybody, all the volunteers that 132 00:06:54,200 --> 00:06:57,720 Speaker 1: came down really had to keep their cool and fortunately 133 00:06:57,960 --> 00:07:02,080 Speaker 1: and still to this day, our best volunteers are combat 134 00:07:02,160 --> 00:07:04,880 Speaker 1: veterans because number one, no matter how hard I try, 135 00:07:04,920 --> 00:07:05,880 Speaker 1: I can't freak him out. 136 00:07:06,440 --> 00:07:08,320 Speaker 3: But number two, they really can. 137 00:07:08,880 --> 00:07:12,640 Speaker 1: They keep calm in these types of adverse conditions, and 138 00:07:12,680 --> 00:07:14,080 Speaker 1: a lot of the guys that you know. 139 00:07:14,040 --> 00:07:15,160 Speaker 3: Suffer from PTSD. 140 00:07:15,240 --> 00:07:17,240 Speaker 1: I've been told that sort of getting back in the 141 00:07:17,280 --> 00:07:20,200 Speaker 1: action and getting that dopamine adrenaline flow and actually helps 142 00:07:20,240 --> 00:07:23,080 Speaker 1: them with their PTSD. So we're really excited to be 143 00:07:23,120 --> 00:07:25,720 Speaker 1: able to just perform that little service to having a 144 00:07:25,840 --> 00:07:26,560 Speaker 1: volunteer with us. 145 00:07:26,920 --> 00:07:27,680 Speaker 2: That's really cool. 146 00:07:27,720 --> 00:07:31,560 Speaker 4: So could you describe kind of how big McCage and 147 00:07:32,000 --> 00:07:36,320 Speaker 4: Navy's gotten the structure of it and then the different 148 00:07:36,440 --> 00:07:39,400 Speaker 4: areas of operations that you guys focus on. 149 00:07:40,280 --> 00:07:42,360 Speaker 1: Sure, so you know, I mentioned her Kan Katrina two 150 00:07:42,400 --> 00:07:45,080 Speaker 1: thousand and five. Fast forward to twenty sixteen, there were 151 00:07:45,120 --> 00:07:48,120 Speaker 1: some really devastating floods in the Baton Rouge and surrounding 152 00:07:48,160 --> 00:07:51,920 Speaker 1: parishes area, and Todd our founder, like I said, he 153 00:07:52,000 --> 00:07:56,440 Speaker 1: lives in Baton Rouge, and he decided to get you know, 154 00:07:56,480 --> 00:07:58,360 Speaker 1: the gang back together, so to speak. A lot of 155 00:07:58,360 --> 00:08:00,000 Speaker 1: his friends with boats and like you know, kind of 156 00:08:00,120 --> 00:08:02,600 Speaker 1: went out and did it again. And it was that 157 00:08:02,720 --> 00:08:05,600 Speaker 1: point when he realized that, hey, you know, every time 158 00:08:05,640 --> 00:08:08,960 Speaker 1: there's a bad flood or bad severe weather situation, it 159 00:08:09,040 --> 00:08:11,360 Speaker 1: caused a lot of damage. You know, the government really 160 00:08:11,360 --> 00:08:13,720 Speaker 1: doesn't you don't move that fast, and people need help 161 00:08:13,760 --> 00:08:15,960 Speaker 1: right away. So that's when he decided he wanted to 162 00:08:16,000 --> 00:08:19,320 Speaker 1: start a full time organization, which at that point there 163 00:08:19,360 --> 00:08:22,320 Speaker 1: was a lot of groups that called themselves Cajun Avy, this, 164 00:08:22,400 --> 00:08:24,000 Speaker 1: Cajun Navy that, and they were you know, kind of 165 00:08:24,000 --> 00:08:26,600 Speaker 1: loosely organized. But he got a bunch of them together 166 00:08:26,640 --> 00:08:28,600 Speaker 1: and said, look, we're gonna be stronger if we work together. 167 00:08:28,920 --> 00:08:30,960 Speaker 1: We'll name it the United Cajun Navy. And a lot 168 00:08:30,960 --> 00:08:34,560 Speaker 1: of those groups came in under that that one banner, 169 00:08:35,000 --> 00:08:39,520 Speaker 1: and that's and I got involved in twenty seventeen. I 170 00:08:39,559 --> 00:08:41,160 Speaker 1: always like to tell the story that I got involved 171 00:08:41,160 --> 00:08:43,040 Speaker 1: with in not a Cajnavy because I was running my mouth. 172 00:08:43,600 --> 00:08:47,360 Speaker 1: Twenty seventeen was when Harvey was hitting it. As we 173 00:08:47,400 --> 00:08:51,320 Speaker 1: talked about before we came on camera, I had just 174 00:08:51,440 --> 00:08:53,920 Speaker 1: I was doing some work down in Cuba and I 175 00:08:54,000 --> 00:08:56,000 Speaker 1: was I was in California's back in the States. It 176 00:08:56,040 --> 00:08:57,600 Speaker 1: was in California, and there was a network that had 177 00:08:57,640 --> 00:08:59,600 Speaker 1: asked me to come on and talk about the fact 178 00:08:59,600 --> 00:09:01,960 Speaker 1: that they had just sworn in a new president, the 179 00:09:02,000 --> 00:09:04,480 Speaker 1: first time there was a non Castro president in sixty 180 00:09:04,559 --> 00:09:07,200 Speaker 1: years or whatever it was. And when I got to 181 00:09:07,240 --> 00:09:10,280 Speaker 1: the studio, Hurricane and Harvey was hitting and all hell 182 00:09:10,360 --> 00:09:11,720 Speaker 1: was breaking loose in the Houston area. 183 00:09:12,120 --> 00:09:13,360 Speaker 3: So they were like, oh, hey, we're gonna have to 184 00:09:13,400 --> 00:09:14,880 Speaker 3: bump your interview. They're like, wait a minute, you went 185 00:09:14,880 --> 00:09:16,640 Speaker 3: through Katrina, right, you're from New Orleans. I'm like yeah. 186 00:09:16,640 --> 00:09:18,079 Speaker 1: They're like, why don't you come on, Aaron just talk 187 00:09:18,120 --> 00:09:20,520 Speaker 1: about you know, bad hurricanes. And I'm like, yeah, I 188 00:09:20,520 --> 00:09:23,800 Speaker 1: can wing it, you know. So as the interview went on, 189 00:09:23,920 --> 00:09:27,640 Speaker 1: the lady who was interviewing me made a comment to 190 00:09:27,720 --> 00:09:29,400 Speaker 1: the effect of, like, you know, how do people help? 191 00:09:29,400 --> 00:09:30,520 Speaker 3: Did they give the Red Cross? 192 00:09:30,520 --> 00:09:33,559 Speaker 1: And me just like having no self control and running 193 00:09:33,559 --> 00:09:34,439 Speaker 1: my mouth all the time. 194 00:09:34,880 --> 00:09:36,360 Speaker 3: I said, no, I don't give to the Right Cross. 195 00:09:36,400 --> 00:09:38,160 Speaker 1: I said, none of the money they get goes to 196 00:09:38,200 --> 00:09:39,760 Speaker 1: the victims, I said, I said. We got a group 197 00:09:39,760 --> 00:09:42,720 Speaker 1: from Louisiana called the Cajun eighty and they're, as we speak, 198 00:09:42,760 --> 00:09:46,120 Speaker 1: on their way to Houston with trucks and boats and 199 00:09:46,240 --> 00:09:48,720 Speaker 1: airboats and aircraft and all kind of stuff. 200 00:09:48,840 --> 00:09:49,920 Speaker 3: They're going to go help out us. 201 00:09:49,960 --> 00:09:52,280 Speaker 1: And you could see them on social media and all 202 00:09:52,280 --> 00:09:54,800 Speaker 1: they're doing is posting like PayPal links like and trying 203 00:09:54,840 --> 00:09:56,760 Speaker 1: to get money for gas and food and things like that. 204 00:09:56,960 --> 00:10:00,559 Speaker 3: I said, go go, you know, donate to them. 205 00:10:00,720 --> 00:10:03,320 Speaker 1: Well, I'll get back to my office back in Louisiana 206 00:10:03,440 --> 00:10:05,240 Speaker 1: the final week and I had a message from the 207 00:10:05,280 --> 00:10:05,920 Speaker 1: Red Cross. 208 00:10:06,200 --> 00:10:08,880 Speaker 3: So somebody had seen the interview and I think that 209 00:10:08,960 --> 00:10:10,520 Speaker 3: they they thought I might. 210 00:10:10,360 --> 00:10:12,320 Speaker 1: Have been like on this crusade to kind of go 211 00:10:12,400 --> 00:10:14,920 Speaker 1: after the Red Cross and fast forward. We have a 212 00:10:14,920 --> 00:10:17,920 Speaker 1: good relationship with them now, but at the time I 213 00:10:17,960 --> 00:10:19,520 Speaker 1: was like, oh no, So I called and they weren't 214 00:10:19,520 --> 00:10:20,719 Speaker 1: mad at me. They were just like, hey, we just 215 00:10:20,800 --> 00:10:23,160 Speaker 1: wanted you to know that we do work with a 216 00:10:23,200 --> 00:10:25,600 Speaker 1: Cajun Navy group. And they introduced me to Todd and 217 00:10:25,640 --> 00:10:27,000 Speaker 1: we went to dinner a couple of times, and he 218 00:10:27,040 --> 00:10:29,000 Speaker 1: was kind of telling me sort of like his vision 219 00:10:29,040 --> 00:10:31,440 Speaker 1: of how he'd like to see this this organization get 220 00:10:31,480 --> 00:10:34,880 Speaker 1: structured and potentially grow, And so we got him. 221 00:10:35,360 --> 00:10:36,880 Speaker 3: We got it incorporated file. 222 00:10:36,760 --> 00:10:38,720 Speaker 1: For the five oh one C three designation, which we 223 00:10:38,760 --> 00:10:44,720 Speaker 1: got started from there, fast forward to over the years, 224 00:10:44,760 --> 00:10:46,360 Speaker 1: we would get like we started off with like a 225 00:10:46,400 --> 00:10:48,800 Speaker 1: little you know, like storage shit. Then we got our 226 00:10:48,840 --> 00:10:51,520 Speaker 1: first warehouse that was maybe like four thousand square feet. 227 00:10:51,520 --> 00:10:54,040 Speaker 1: Then we got up to like ten thousand square feet. Well, 228 00:10:54,040 --> 00:10:56,040 Speaker 1: I'm happy to tell you right now, in twenty twenty six, 229 00:10:56,080 --> 00:10:59,240 Speaker 1: we have fifty five thousand square feet of warehouse space 230 00:10:59,320 --> 00:11:01,800 Speaker 1: at the bat Rouge Airport, which is great because we 231 00:11:01,840 --> 00:11:04,360 Speaker 1: have eight loading docks on the street side and on 232 00:11:04,400 --> 00:11:06,880 Speaker 1: the backside, of course, is the tarmac of the Batner's Airport, 233 00:11:06,960 --> 00:11:09,840 Speaker 1: so we can literally have and we have had cargo 234 00:11:09,880 --> 00:11:12,640 Speaker 1: planes land taxi up to the rear of our warehouse. 235 00:11:12,679 --> 00:11:15,520 Speaker 1: We unload them, take them straight through to the loading docks, 236 00:11:15,520 --> 00:11:16,839 Speaker 1: put them on trucks and get them out to the 237 00:11:16,880 --> 00:11:19,559 Speaker 1: people that are in need. So we have a really 238 00:11:19,600 --> 00:11:22,920 Speaker 1: efficient operation now that we're proud of. And as far 239 00:11:22,960 --> 00:11:25,000 Speaker 1: as like how we're structured and how big we've gotten. 240 00:11:25,760 --> 00:11:28,600 Speaker 1: I decided to start a state chapter system. I felt 241 00:11:28,600 --> 00:11:30,920 Speaker 1: like that was the best way to keep the cream 242 00:11:30,920 --> 00:11:33,040 Speaker 1: and the crop volunteers that we meet on deployment in 243 00:11:33,080 --> 00:11:36,840 Speaker 1: other states active and at the ready. So now we 244 00:11:36,960 --> 00:11:41,000 Speaker 1: have fourteen active United Casian Navy chapters. 245 00:11:41,679 --> 00:11:43,040 Speaker 3: I call it the SEC States. 246 00:11:43,040 --> 00:11:45,920 Speaker 1: It's mostly the states that have SEC football teams. 247 00:11:46,640 --> 00:11:50,360 Speaker 3: But we are forming another group. There's a really awesome 248 00:11:50,400 --> 00:11:53,079 Speaker 3: group of search and rescue guys out in. 249 00:11:54,960 --> 00:11:58,840 Speaker 1: Montana, Idaho, Utah, and they focus on Yellowstone because I 250 00:11:58,920 --> 00:12:00,680 Speaker 1: was surprised at how many people go missing in that 251 00:12:00,760 --> 00:12:01,400 Speaker 1: park every year. 252 00:12:01,440 --> 00:12:01,920 Speaker 2: It's crazy. 253 00:12:01,920 --> 00:12:04,360 Speaker 3: So we're hoping that they become United caj Navy Yellowstone. 254 00:12:04,400 --> 00:12:07,360 Speaker 1: So we're kind of working on our own little manifest destiny. 255 00:12:08,080 --> 00:12:09,440 Speaker 3: But we've got, you know. 256 00:12:09,480 --> 00:12:11,840 Speaker 1: Hundreds of I would say hundreds of like at the 257 00:12:11,880 --> 00:12:14,120 Speaker 1: ready volunteers that we talked to on a regular basis. 258 00:12:14,440 --> 00:12:17,200 Speaker 1: But we have a database of over twenty thousand people 259 00:12:17,559 --> 00:12:19,600 Speaker 1: that when we put the call out for certain things, 260 00:12:19,600 --> 00:12:22,839 Speaker 1: were able to really mobilize a good Samaritan force to 261 00:12:22,880 --> 00:12:24,640 Speaker 1: get out there and do some good. 262 00:12:25,040 --> 00:12:28,880 Speaker 4: Patriotism isn't a marketing trend for Black Rifle Coffee Company. 263 00:12:29,120 --> 00:12:31,480 Speaker 2: It's the foundation of the company. 264 00:12:31,720 --> 00:12:35,000 Speaker 4: Black Rifle Coffee Company has been built on it since 265 00:12:35,280 --> 00:12:40,480 Speaker 4: day one. They're American roasted coffee not only fuels your day, 266 00:12:41,280 --> 00:12:46,400 Speaker 4: but gives back to veterans, first responders, and their families 267 00:12:46,720 --> 00:12:51,880 Speaker 4: with every single purchase. Last year, they eliminated medical debt, 268 00:12:52,240 --> 00:12:57,000 Speaker 4: helped build homes, provided for natural disaster response teams, funded 269 00:12:57,240 --> 00:13:01,800 Speaker 4: education for children of fallen warriors, and so so much 270 00:13:01,920 --> 00:13:06,520 Speaker 4: more so. As America hits its two hundred and fiftieth year, 271 00:13:07,320 --> 00:13:12,600 Speaker 4: BRCC is kicking off twenty twenty six with killer new 272 00:13:12,640 --> 00:13:16,400 Speaker 4: products and the same great mission that they've had from 273 00:13:16,440 --> 00:13:19,040 Speaker 4: the start. Just go grab a bag of tact to 274 00:13:19,120 --> 00:13:22,960 Speaker 4: squatch walk in the neighbors or the spirit of seventy 275 00:13:23,040 --> 00:13:27,240 Speaker 4: six roast for people who get up early, train hard, 276 00:13:27,600 --> 00:13:28,800 Speaker 4: and don't quit. 277 00:13:28,920 --> 00:13:30,480 Speaker 2: Ooh yeah, I love that one. 278 00:13:30,800 --> 00:13:34,640 Speaker 4: And to fuel the new year, they're dropping cold brew 279 00:13:34,760 --> 00:13:40,439 Speaker 4: coffee cans in just black and vanilla, no fluff, no excuses, 280 00:13:41,000 --> 00:13:45,160 Speaker 4: just clean caffeine. You gotta know, I love that need 281 00:13:45,240 --> 00:13:50,559 Speaker 4: something with ever more horsepower. Grapex brings two hundred milligrams 282 00:13:50,559 --> 00:13:54,880 Speaker 4: of caffeine, zero sugar and a great blast that hits 283 00:13:54,960 --> 00:13:56,480 Speaker 4: harder than the door charge. 284 00:13:58,480 --> 00:14:00,080 Speaker 2: All Right, if you're looking. 285 00:13:59,880 --> 00:14:04,960 Speaker 4: For BRCC coffee, find it at Walmart, Target, Kroger, your 286 00:14:05,000 --> 00:14:09,320 Speaker 4: local Black Rifle Coffee shop, or Black Riflecoffee dot com, 287 00:14:09,480 --> 00:14:16,680 Speaker 4: Black Rifle Coffee Veteran founded, American Roasted, this is America's coffee. 288 00:14:17,480 --> 00:14:18,280 Speaker 2: Oh yeah. 289 00:14:18,320 --> 00:14:22,760 Speaker 4: When you think about the abilities of what you guys 290 00:14:23,000 --> 00:14:26,960 Speaker 4: have been able to do and then developing this network, 291 00:14:28,280 --> 00:14:31,320 Speaker 4: a lot of people they see what takes place with 292 00:14:31,400 --> 00:14:36,200 Speaker 4: FEMA or government response and crisis. You know, there was 293 00:14:36,280 --> 00:14:40,320 Speaker 4: the Haiti earthquakes and I mean I was I was 294 00:14:40,880 --> 00:14:44,160 Speaker 4: working with Lynn University to try and coordinate a response 295 00:14:44,240 --> 00:14:47,280 Speaker 4: team to go down and find students out of Boston. 296 00:14:47,320 --> 00:14:52,520 Speaker 2: A former Seal Team six guy was on that team. 297 00:14:53,640 --> 00:14:58,560 Speaker 4: And what you're seeing as your seeing organizations become almost 298 00:14:58,640 --> 00:15:05,240 Speaker 4: operational at like a military unit. And when the key 299 00:15:05,320 --> 00:15:09,600 Speaker 4: to success within that is logistics. Can you talk about 300 00:15:09,840 --> 00:15:14,480 Speaker 4: how logistics supply chains work, like maybe pick one of 301 00:15:14,520 --> 00:15:18,440 Speaker 4: the recent events you've had to deal with and then 302 00:15:18,560 --> 00:15:23,000 Speaker 4: what happened, how you get ramped up logistically and then 303 00:15:23,080 --> 00:15:25,440 Speaker 4: distribute to what you're doing on the ground. 304 00:15:26,280 --> 00:15:29,520 Speaker 1: Sure, so you know you're right leg the two biggest 305 00:15:29,520 --> 00:15:32,680 Speaker 1: things in the disaster response is logistics and comms. You know, 306 00:15:32,800 --> 00:15:36,160 Speaker 1: comms really everything, because I'll give you an example Hurricane Helen. 307 00:15:37,840 --> 00:15:40,320 Speaker 1: You know, we're known as being guys, you know, on 308 00:15:40,720 --> 00:15:42,880 Speaker 1: boats and first room, boots on the ground and all that. 309 00:15:42,960 --> 00:15:46,040 Speaker 1: When I got to North Carolina a couple of days 310 00:15:46,080 --> 00:15:49,520 Speaker 1: after landfall, which by the way, I was actually in 311 00:15:49,560 --> 00:15:52,480 Speaker 1: the National Response Center at TEMA Headquarters here in DC 312 00:15:52,760 --> 00:15:53,360 Speaker 1: when it hit. 313 00:15:53,520 --> 00:15:54,560 Speaker 3: It was a coincidence. 314 00:15:54,840 --> 00:15:57,280 Speaker 1: But I flew down in North Carolina, and I quickly 315 00:15:57,320 --> 00:15:59,480 Speaker 1: realized with the mountainous terrain and all that, like boats 316 00:15:59,480 --> 00:16:02,480 Speaker 1: were going to do in good and so I realized 317 00:16:02,480 --> 00:16:05,760 Speaker 1: that we're gonna need helicopters. And so we got a 318 00:16:05,800 --> 00:16:08,680 Speaker 1: couple of them from a helicopter school and started flying 319 00:16:08,720 --> 00:16:11,520 Speaker 1: missions out of Hickory, going into the mountains places like 320 00:16:11,560 --> 00:16:13,840 Speaker 1: bat Cave and and uh swana know and all that. 321 00:16:14,680 --> 00:16:17,760 Speaker 1: But uh and then I told my guy, I said, look, 322 00:16:17,760 --> 00:16:21,560 Speaker 1: every every flight school you can find, I need you 323 00:16:21,640 --> 00:16:23,720 Speaker 1: to uh like, I need as many birds as I can. 324 00:16:23,880 --> 00:16:26,440 Speaker 1: And I'm a pilot, I'm not HELO rated, but but uh, 325 00:16:26,680 --> 00:16:29,040 Speaker 1: but I got about sixty hours in Helo. 326 00:16:29,120 --> 00:16:29,720 Speaker 3: Now I got the bug. 327 00:16:29,760 --> 00:16:32,640 Speaker 1: I want to go get raided anyway, I quickly realized 328 00:16:32,680 --> 00:16:36,400 Speaker 1: that that, you know, we were delivering starlinks and we 329 00:16:36,400 --> 00:16:38,680 Speaker 1: were like when we couldn't find an LZ, we were 330 00:16:38,720 --> 00:16:39,920 Speaker 1: literally like getting as low as. 331 00:16:39,800 --> 00:16:40,960 Speaker 3: We could and tossing them down. 332 00:16:41,480 --> 00:16:43,920 Speaker 1: And you know, you had like police and fire departments 333 00:16:43,920 --> 00:16:46,160 Speaker 1: that you know, we're able to get these star links 334 00:16:46,200 --> 00:16:48,160 Speaker 1: up and run. And of course Elon g Offence that 335 00:16:48,200 --> 00:16:51,240 Speaker 1: area out made it subscription free, which is awesome and 336 00:16:51,400 --> 00:16:54,760 Speaker 1: uh and so that they were able to get communication 337 00:16:54,880 --> 00:16:58,800 Speaker 1: and start giving intel reports back to their state leaders. 338 00:16:59,560 --> 00:17:03,280 Speaker 1: And I I had gotten a call that hey, there's 339 00:17:03,280 --> 00:17:06,359 Speaker 1: a VIP here at Hickory that's asking for you. And 340 00:17:06,359 --> 00:17:08,720 Speaker 1: I'm like, well, how hell does anybody even know I'm here? Like, 341 00:17:08,760 --> 00:17:11,000 Speaker 1: and why is the vip asking for me? Like I'm nobody. 342 00:17:11,200 --> 00:17:13,120 Speaker 1: So I get back there and it was It turned 343 00:17:13,119 --> 00:17:15,199 Speaker 1: out it was Ivanka Trump. Vanka Trump was there with 344 00:17:15,240 --> 00:17:19,120 Speaker 1: a couple of her friends. They landed a hawker at 345 00:17:19,160 --> 00:17:22,320 Speaker 1: the airport and she had three hundred Starlink units. So 346 00:17:22,359 --> 00:17:25,440 Speaker 1: we used everything from helicopters to donkeys and mules. 347 00:17:25,480 --> 00:17:26,800 Speaker 3: And I'm not talking about side by side of me. 348 00:17:26,800 --> 00:17:29,080 Speaker 1: I'm talking about the kind of ears to get these 349 00:17:29,160 --> 00:17:32,280 Speaker 1: units up into the mountains and within seventy two hours, 350 00:17:32,320 --> 00:17:34,840 Speaker 1: the missing person's list went from four thousand to under 351 00:17:34,840 --> 00:17:37,240 Speaker 1: a thousand. That's why I think COMMS is so important, 352 00:17:37,320 --> 00:17:40,040 Speaker 1: is you get a lot of you know, chaos and 353 00:17:40,080 --> 00:17:42,440 Speaker 1: freaking out about where's my loved ones at. Really a 354 00:17:42,480 --> 00:17:45,080 Speaker 1: lot of times are just in communicado. Going back to 355 00:17:45,119 --> 00:17:49,800 Speaker 1: your question about logistics, it's kind of it's been an 356 00:17:49,800 --> 00:17:53,000 Speaker 1: evolving process for us, but it kind of now works 357 00:17:53,000 --> 00:17:56,440 Speaker 1: the same. We're very fortunate to have really strong NGO 358 00:17:56,520 --> 00:18:00,359 Speaker 1: partners around the United States that collect a lot of 359 00:18:00,359 --> 00:18:03,240 Speaker 1: different type of types of goods. A lot of them 360 00:18:03,240 --> 00:18:06,679 Speaker 1: are like in the liquidation business, and so they get 361 00:18:06,720 --> 00:18:09,160 Speaker 1: like they'll you know, have like some stores that get 362 00:18:09,200 --> 00:18:11,240 Speaker 1: rid of old inventory to bring in new inventory or 363 00:18:11,280 --> 00:18:13,879 Speaker 1: discontinued items, things like that, and they sell them to 364 00:18:13,960 --> 00:18:15,000 Speaker 1: like Bend stores. 365 00:18:14,720 --> 00:18:16,560 Speaker 3: And things like that. So what they do is there's 366 00:18:16,560 --> 00:18:17,440 Speaker 3: a lot of stuff. 367 00:18:17,200 --> 00:18:19,560 Speaker 1: That they just want to get rid of or they 368 00:18:19,560 --> 00:18:22,800 Speaker 1: got a surplus, so's they'll send it to us. And 369 00:18:22,840 --> 00:18:26,159 Speaker 1: then there's other charities that are maybe not focused on 370 00:18:26,320 --> 00:18:29,040 Speaker 1: disaster response, but they have they get an they get 371 00:18:29,040 --> 00:18:32,440 Speaker 1: a truckload of stuff that's really appropriate for disaster response, 372 00:18:32,920 --> 00:18:34,639 Speaker 1: and then we'll have like we'll get a truckload of 373 00:18:34,640 --> 00:18:38,159 Speaker 1: furniture which we can use sometimes, but like we'll just 374 00:18:38,160 --> 00:18:39,720 Speaker 1: swap it out, is what I'm trying to get at. 375 00:18:39,760 --> 00:18:41,960 Speaker 1: So like we've gotten a really good network of just 376 00:18:42,080 --> 00:18:46,680 Speaker 1: keeping a good inventory and so being able to the 377 00:18:46,920 --> 00:18:49,480 Speaker 1: number one thing we do when there's when we know 378 00:18:49,520 --> 00:18:53,160 Speaker 1: there's something coming like a hurricane, we'll preposition, we'll put 379 00:18:53,200 --> 00:18:55,160 Speaker 1: we'll send a truck up as close as we can 380 00:18:55,560 --> 00:18:57,119 Speaker 1: to stay out of harm's way. We'll be able to 381 00:18:57,119 --> 00:18:59,920 Speaker 1: get in quickly, and we pack it what we call 382 00:19:00,080 --> 00:19:02,560 Speaker 1: seventy two kits. So this is the first seventy two hours. 383 00:19:02,600 --> 00:19:06,800 Speaker 1: It's a kit that basically you picture somebody that you know, 384 00:19:07,359 --> 00:19:09,760 Speaker 1: lost everything, has nothing but maybe to close in their 385 00:19:09,760 --> 00:19:13,639 Speaker 1: back if that. So I'm talking about hygiene snacks, just 386 00:19:13,840 --> 00:19:16,479 Speaker 1: you know, water, MRIs, just stuff to get them through 387 00:19:16,520 --> 00:19:19,400 Speaker 1: the first seventy two hours until the cavalry hopefully arrives 388 00:19:19,680 --> 00:19:21,840 Speaker 1: and gives them some real help. And we'll have those 389 00:19:21,840 --> 00:19:24,359 Speaker 1: set up there and we'll have generators and chainsaws things 390 00:19:24,359 --> 00:19:26,600 Speaker 1: like that, and we'll get teams out there to clear debris. 391 00:19:27,280 --> 00:19:29,000 Speaker 3: And so we've we've gotten good at that and like that. 392 00:19:29,119 --> 00:19:32,119 Speaker 1: Like I said, the chapter system of having locals on 393 00:19:32,200 --> 00:19:36,680 Speaker 1: the ground that know what's going on and can act 394 00:19:36,760 --> 00:19:41,000 Speaker 1: quickly has been a blessing. And so yeah, it's just 395 00:19:41,600 --> 00:19:44,160 Speaker 1: it's been an evolving process, but it's we're getting better 396 00:19:44,160 --> 00:19:45,960 Speaker 1: at it every time. And Helene, you know, I'll tell 397 00:19:46,000 --> 00:19:50,680 Speaker 1: you Helene was probably by far our most transformational deployment. 398 00:19:51,960 --> 00:19:56,080 Speaker 1: And it was really like we've grown, you know, I've 399 00:19:56,080 --> 00:19:58,720 Speaker 1: been in the organization eight years now. We've grown more 400 00:19:58,720 --> 00:20:00,520 Speaker 1: in the last two years and we did the previous 401 00:20:00,600 --> 00:20:02,800 Speaker 1: six that I was with us, and a lot of 402 00:20:02,840 --> 00:20:05,840 Speaker 1: that's because of Helene and really, Dave, what it was 403 00:20:05,960 --> 00:20:09,800 Speaker 1: is that you know, in two thousand and five, FIMA 404 00:20:09,840 --> 00:20:12,639 Speaker 1: had two thousand employees and roughly a thirty two million 405 00:20:12,680 --> 00:20:15,479 Speaker 1: dollar budget. In twenty twenty four, when Helene hit, they 406 00:20:15,520 --> 00:20:18,920 Speaker 1: had twenty two thousand employees and like a three hundred 407 00:20:19,040 --> 00:20:21,840 Speaker 1: billion dollar budget whatever it is, something crazy, and I 408 00:20:21,880 --> 00:20:22,800 Speaker 1: was like they still. 409 00:20:22,640 --> 00:20:24,480 Speaker 3: Suck, Like why, you know what I mean, Like, how 410 00:20:24,560 --> 00:20:25,280 Speaker 3: is this possible? 411 00:20:25,320 --> 00:20:27,320 Speaker 1: And so I really took it personally and I really 412 00:20:27,359 --> 00:20:29,200 Speaker 1: got you know, I hate to use the word triggered, 413 00:20:29,200 --> 00:20:30,880 Speaker 1: but like I mean, it brought up some really bad 414 00:20:30,920 --> 00:20:34,400 Speaker 1: memories of being left by my own government to fend 415 00:20:34,440 --> 00:20:37,200 Speaker 1: from myself, and that's what these appellations were going through. 416 00:20:37,640 --> 00:20:39,680 Speaker 3: And you know, I'm like, why, like why did we 417 00:20:39,760 --> 00:20:40,280 Speaker 3: not matter? 418 00:20:40,320 --> 00:20:42,119 Speaker 1: Like it wasn't the Louisiana at last, It was a 419 00:20:42,160 --> 00:20:45,240 Speaker 1: Louisiana purchase. Okay, we were bought and we became a state. 420 00:20:45,400 --> 00:20:48,720 Speaker 1: We're just like everybody else, you know, North Carolina, same thing. 421 00:20:48,800 --> 00:20:50,520 Speaker 1: You know, just because people live up in the mountains 422 00:20:50,520 --> 00:20:52,119 Speaker 1: and don't like to be bothered doesn't mean that they 423 00:20:52,119 --> 00:20:53,760 Speaker 1: don't need help, and they don't deserve help. 424 00:20:53,800 --> 00:20:54,640 Speaker 3: They pay taxes. 425 00:20:54,960 --> 00:20:56,960 Speaker 1: So that was why we put such a big force 426 00:20:56,960 --> 00:21:00,520 Speaker 1: over there and stayed so long, is because the response 427 00:21:00,680 --> 00:21:05,280 Speaker 1: was just absolutely unacceptable. Unacceptable in the United States in 428 00:21:05,320 --> 00:21:07,639 Speaker 1: twenty twenty six, especially all the lessons we learned the 429 00:21:07,680 --> 00:21:10,240 Speaker 1: Katrina and had twenty years trying to get it right, 430 00:21:10,520 --> 00:21:11,960 Speaker 1: and it was a failure in my opinion. 431 00:21:12,560 --> 00:21:14,880 Speaker 4: You know, I lived in Nashville for three years when 432 00:21:14,920 --> 00:21:18,000 Speaker 4: I work for the Central Intelligence Agency, and you know, 433 00:21:18,040 --> 00:21:20,800 Speaker 4: I spent a lot of time in those mountains, climbing, 434 00:21:21,080 --> 00:21:26,560 Speaker 4: mountain bike and you know, kayaking, hiking, camping, uh, just 435 00:21:26,600 --> 00:21:28,760 Speaker 4: going for my runs. I lived right off the Blue 436 00:21:28,840 --> 00:21:31,399 Speaker 4: Ridge Parkway, which is, you know, the Mountain to Sea trail, 437 00:21:31,480 --> 00:21:34,480 Speaker 4: and have a very close friend that lives out in 438 00:21:34,560 --> 00:21:37,440 Speaker 4: Marshall in the mountains, and like Marshall. 439 00:21:37,080 --> 00:21:42,280 Speaker 2: Was wiped out. People don't like that. Terrain is difficult terrain. 440 00:21:42,560 --> 00:21:46,280 Speaker 4: If there's problems, right because the mountain roads are usually 441 00:21:46,760 --> 00:21:49,920 Speaker 4: teeny it's the you know, one pass gets shut down 442 00:21:49,960 --> 00:21:52,919 Speaker 4: and it's over. But on the flip side of that, 443 00:21:53,119 --> 00:21:55,720 Speaker 4: you do have the most some of the most resourceful 444 00:21:55,800 --> 00:21:59,399 Speaker 4: people in the country. And I think just like people 445 00:21:59,440 --> 00:22:01,920 Speaker 4: from Louisiana and Texas and. 446 00:22:02,960 --> 00:22:06,359 Speaker 1: The Mountain Caguns, the Mountain Cajuns there you go, they 447 00:22:06,480 --> 00:22:06,879 Speaker 1: enjoyed that. 448 00:22:07,720 --> 00:22:11,520 Speaker 2: And so you know, I felt the same way. 449 00:22:11,640 --> 00:22:15,520 Speaker 4: Now I've you know, I've I've felt I felt pretty 450 00:22:15,520 --> 00:22:19,800 Speaker 4: strongly about government response for a long period of time 451 00:22:19,880 --> 00:22:22,800 Speaker 4: now based on what I've seen and not seen. And 452 00:22:24,000 --> 00:22:27,800 Speaker 4: but the reality is you still have to work with them. 453 00:22:28,920 --> 00:22:33,639 Speaker 4: You still have to be have cordial relationships with your 454 00:22:33,760 --> 00:22:37,439 Speaker 4: you know, your municipality commander, with your state you know, 455 00:22:37,920 --> 00:22:41,120 Speaker 4: UH chain and command, and then the federal So how 456 00:22:41,160 --> 00:22:44,720 Speaker 4: do you guys navigate that when you know you're going 457 00:22:44,800 --> 00:22:47,359 Speaker 4: to deal with some extreme bureaucracy. 458 00:22:48,560 --> 00:22:50,560 Speaker 3: Well, like I said, I alluded to earlier. 459 00:22:51,640 --> 00:22:56,960 Speaker 1: Ironically, when Helene was approaching Florida Panhandle, I was in 460 00:22:57,080 --> 00:22:59,800 Speaker 1: DC with a couple of my team members and we 461 00:22:59,880 --> 00:23:02,840 Speaker 1: have had some pre planned meetings with FEMA and the 462 00:23:02,880 --> 00:23:05,320 Speaker 1: Red Cross that had been a couple of months in 463 00:23:05,320 --> 00:23:07,240 Speaker 1: the making. It was just a coincidence that we were 464 00:23:07,240 --> 00:23:10,879 Speaker 1: there when they activated the Response Center and they were like, hey, 465 00:23:10,880 --> 00:23:12,440 Speaker 1: why don't you all, you know, come up and sit 466 00:23:12,480 --> 00:23:15,480 Speaker 1: in and actually like they had, you know, like the 467 00:23:15,480 --> 00:23:19,440 Speaker 1: big table with the big wall of TVs and you 468 00:23:19,560 --> 00:23:22,040 Speaker 1: had very high ranking officials on all of them, and 469 00:23:22,119 --> 00:23:24,600 Speaker 1: I was a little overwhelmed. But they introduced us and said, hey, 470 00:23:24,600 --> 00:23:26,200 Speaker 1: we got members of the Cajun Navy here. Nobody's like, 471 00:23:26,240 --> 00:23:32,399 Speaker 1: oh wow, you know. But but nevertheless, to FEMA's credit, 472 00:23:32,480 --> 00:23:34,520 Speaker 1: part of the reason we were there is because they 473 00:23:34,520 --> 00:23:38,640 Speaker 1: were trying to figure out how they could get us 474 00:23:38,720 --> 00:23:41,880 Speaker 1: more involved with the response aspect, because they don't do 475 00:23:41,960 --> 00:23:43,720 Speaker 1: that like people think THEMES is the first responder and 476 00:23:43,760 --> 00:23:44,040 Speaker 1: they're not. 477 00:23:44,040 --> 00:23:45,600 Speaker 3: They're just a grant management agency. 478 00:23:46,000 --> 00:23:47,720 Speaker 1: And I tell them all the time, like y'all have 479 00:23:47,840 --> 00:23:51,240 Speaker 1: to get better at the expectation game because you can't 480 00:23:51,280 --> 00:23:53,720 Speaker 1: just keep letting people think that there's people with FEMA 481 00:23:53,760 --> 00:23:55,920 Speaker 1: shirt it's going to go door to door rescue people. 482 00:23:55,920 --> 00:23:57,880 Speaker 1: It's not what we all do. You know, they contract 483 00:23:57,920 --> 00:23:59,399 Speaker 1: star teams and all that. You know that, but I mean, 484 00:23:59,440 --> 00:24:02,679 Speaker 1: it's it's just not what they do. So to their credit, 485 00:24:02,760 --> 00:24:04,280 Speaker 1: they were they were in the middle of trying to 486 00:24:04,320 --> 00:24:05,840 Speaker 1: figure that out, and they were explaining to as some 487 00:24:05,840 --> 00:24:08,119 Speaker 1: of the challenges they have with the Stafford Act to 488 00:24:08,160 --> 00:24:11,879 Speaker 1: be able to like officially contract with NGOs, and I 489 00:24:11,920 --> 00:24:13,399 Speaker 1: think the only ones they were allowed to at the 490 00:24:13,440 --> 00:24:17,399 Speaker 1: time were Rubicon and the Red Cross, and that's why 491 00:24:17,440 --> 00:24:20,040 Speaker 1: we were meet with the Red Cross also. So there 492 00:24:20,119 --> 00:24:22,960 Speaker 1: is a desire on Femous part to bring the Cajun 493 00:24:23,040 --> 00:24:24,879 Speaker 1: av in as sort of like the tip of the spear. 494 00:24:25,200 --> 00:24:28,560 Speaker 1: We haven't formalized anything yet because they keep going through 495 00:24:28,560 --> 00:24:30,560 Speaker 1: a lot of evolutions as well. I mean they that 496 00:24:30,720 --> 00:24:34,840 Speaker 1: Oversight Council, which we submitted testimony to, is in the 497 00:24:34,880 --> 00:24:37,440 Speaker 1: process and President Trump just extended it for another few 498 00:24:37,440 --> 00:24:40,440 Speaker 1: months because they were about to give their report, or 499 00:24:40,520 --> 00:24:42,439 Speaker 1: they were they were on a deadline to UH to 500 00:24:42,480 --> 00:24:46,560 Speaker 1: give their report. But nevertheless, whatever FEMA looks like after that, 501 00:24:47,600 --> 00:24:50,080 Speaker 1: we hope to be involved in it, and by all accounts, 502 00:24:50,119 --> 00:24:51,280 Speaker 1: they still want us to be involved. 503 00:24:51,280 --> 00:24:52,879 Speaker 3: They just have to figure out what they're going to 504 00:24:52,920 --> 00:24:53,600 Speaker 3: look like first. 505 00:24:54,520 --> 00:24:57,280 Speaker 1: But I told them straight up, because I'm very candid 506 00:24:57,320 --> 00:24:59,920 Speaker 1: when I'm talking to you know, government officials that TESTI 507 00:25:00,160 --> 00:25:02,919 Speaker 1: before Congress and I said, listen, FEMA does not need 508 00:25:02,960 --> 00:25:05,639 Speaker 1: to be under DHS. And that's no reflection on you know, 509 00:25:05,800 --> 00:25:08,439 Speaker 1: Secretary Nome or any of her predecessors. It just doesn't 510 00:25:08,480 --> 00:25:11,760 Speaker 1: make sense. It really, in my opinion, needs to be 511 00:25:11,880 --> 00:25:14,400 Speaker 1: under d D for a couple of reasons. Number one, 512 00:25:14,800 --> 00:25:17,720 Speaker 1: as you know, the Defense Logistics Agency is like is 513 00:25:17,840 --> 00:25:20,920 Speaker 1: like FEMA for the military or you know, and they're 514 00:25:21,040 --> 00:25:22,719 Speaker 1: very good at what they do. So like you had 515 00:25:22,800 --> 00:25:25,760 Speaker 1: this really well trained force of soldiers that are really 516 00:25:25,800 --> 00:25:29,600 Speaker 1: good at moving stuff around and getting it stage for war. 517 00:25:30,040 --> 00:25:32,679 Speaker 3: Why couldn't they do that for disaster response? You know? 518 00:25:33,040 --> 00:25:35,320 Speaker 1: And then number two, And I got a lot of 519 00:25:35,400 --> 00:25:38,320 Speaker 1: laughs when I said this to Congressman, but I was 520 00:25:38,359 --> 00:25:41,960 Speaker 1: being very honest. I'm like, the d D has never 521 00:25:42,040 --> 00:25:44,000 Speaker 1: ever passed an audit, you know what I mean. And 522 00:25:44,640 --> 00:25:46,800 Speaker 1: you know, people complain about, like, well, why do you 523 00:25:46,800 --> 00:25:48,520 Speaker 1: want them in charge? Like they can't even control their 524 00:25:48,520 --> 00:25:50,879 Speaker 1: own money. I'm like, no, they they toy you they 525 00:25:50,920 --> 00:25:52,919 Speaker 1: lost eighty million dollars. They didn't really lose it, they 526 00:25:52,960 --> 00:25:54,840 Speaker 1: just can't tell you what they spent it off. Probably 527 00:25:54,880 --> 00:25:56,720 Speaker 1: all black os, legal shit, you know what I mean. 528 00:25:57,119 --> 00:25:59,960 Speaker 1: But like that's the kind of drunken salor mentality, you know, 529 00:26:00,080 --> 00:26:02,399 Speaker 1: And you can go back later with auditors and punish 530 00:26:02,480 --> 00:26:05,280 Speaker 1: the people that you found out who stole but number 531 00:26:05,400 --> 00:26:09,120 Speaker 1: and going into like how the DoD budget works. It's 532 00:26:09,200 --> 00:26:10,760 Speaker 1: never going to get shut it's never going to be 533 00:26:10,800 --> 00:26:12,800 Speaker 1: the subject of a shutdown fight in Congress. Is not 534 00:26:12,880 --> 00:26:15,440 Speaker 1: one member of the five hundred and thirty five members 535 00:26:15,440 --> 00:26:17,879 Speaker 1: of Congress that's going to have the balls to do 536 00:26:17,920 --> 00:26:19,960 Speaker 1: a shutdown over the DoD budget. 537 00:26:19,960 --> 00:26:22,960 Speaker 3: It's not going to happen. So it's protected in that way. 538 00:26:23,040 --> 00:26:25,800 Speaker 1: So they laughed at first, but then I think some 539 00:26:25,800 --> 00:26:27,400 Speaker 1: of us started scratching their head, saying, you know what, 540 00:26:27,440 --> 00:26:30,040 Speaker 1: the crazy little guy like he might have a point there, 541 00:26:30,080 --> 00:26:30,240 Speaker 1: you know. 542 00:26:30,320 --> 00:26:32,040 Speaker 3: So I hope they listen, you know. 543 00:26:32,119 --> 00:26:37,240 Speaker 4: And I think that's another interesting aspect of your All's growth, too, 544 00:26:38,080 --> 00:26:42,320 Speaker 4: is that you've proven yourself so often time and time 545 00:26:42,359 --> 00:26:47,400 Speaker 4: again that you know, motivated red blooded Americans who care 546 00:26:47,440 --> 00:26:51,600 Speaker 4: about their neighbors get shit done while the government tries 547 00:26:51,640 --> 00:26:54,480 Speaker 4: to figure out who's going to have to take responsibility 548 00:26:54,480 --> 00:26:56,119 Speaker 4: and where it's the funny going to come from. 549 00:26:56,440 --> 00:26:57,800 Speaker 2: So it's cool to see. 550 00:26:57,600 --> 00:27:03,000 Speaker 4: That you guys are now in that rubicon sphere of influence. 551 00:27:03,560 --> 00:27:08,040 Speaker 4: Tell me, obviously you're in Washington, DC right now. Tell 552 00:27:08,080 --> 00:27:12,560 Speaker 4: me what that's like gone going from you know, a 553 00:27:12,600 --> 00:27:15,159 Speaker 4: small organization to now where you have a network of 554 00:27:15,200 --> 00:27:16,080 Speaker 4: twenty thousand. 555 00:27:16,119 --> 00:27:19,840 Speaker 2: You're in a state by state how it starts? Now? 556 00:27:19,920 --> 00:27:23,760 Speaker 4: What it works with your lobbying initiatives and getting a 557 00:27:23,760 --> 00:27:27,719 Speaker 4: seat at the table. Does that look like just getting 558 00:27:28,800 --> 00:27:32,960 Speaker 4: to be a participant in natural disasters? Does it look 559 00:27:33,040 --> 00:27:37,240 Speaker 4: like getting grants from whoever it is? What is your 560 00:27:37,320 --> 00:27:41,240 Speaker 4: all's mission for that level of federal integration? 561 00:27:42,920 --> 00:27:44,840 Speaker 3: All good questions. I'll try to compartmentalize them. 562 00:27:44,840 --> 00:27:47,840 Speaker 2: So yeah, sorry, I have a tendency like ten questions 563 00:27:47,880 --> 00:27:48,160 Speaker 2: and what. 564 00:27:48,800 --> 00:27:49,479 Speaker 3: I'm used to it. 565 00:27:50,359 --> 00:27:54,400 Speaker 1: But you know, starting with sort of like our outreach 566 00:27:54,400 --> 00:28:00,160 Speaker 1: efforts with government, it's good in the sense that they're 567 00:28:00,200 --> 00:28:03,160 Speaker 1: paying attention. I feel like a lot of meetings I'll 568 00:28:03,320 --> 00:28:07,800 Speaker 1: walk into, everybody is like they heard of this mythical 569 00:28:07,920 --> 00:28:10,760 Speaker 1: Cajun Navy force that's out there. They don't really know 570 00:28:10,880 --> 00:28:13,120 Speaker 1: who it is, or what it looks like or exactly 571 00:28:13,160 --> 00:28:15,000 Speaker 1: what they do, but we've heard of it. We're in 572 00:28:15,560 --> 00:28:17,280 Speaker 1: this guy's you know, coming to meet with us now, 573 00:28:17,280 --> 00:28:18,880 Speaker 1: and so I feel like I'm more of like a 574 00:28:19,320 --> 00:28:21,720 Speaker 1: like a show pony, you know, walking in. But then 575 00:28:21,920 --> 00:28:24,439 Speaker 1: once we start talking, they realize, well, Okay, this dude's 576 00:28:24,480 --> 00:28:26,200 Speaker 1: been through a lot, he's got a lot to say, 577 00:28:26,560 --> 00:28:28,720 Speaker 1: He've got a lot of you know, and I'm not, 578 00:28:29,000 --> 00:28:31,280 Speaker 1: you know, an expert at it, but like I've been 579 00:28:31,320 --> 00:28:32,920 Speaker 1: through enough of It's where I can just tell you, 580 00:28:33,359 --> 00:28:35,439 Speaker 1: like what worked for us and what doesn't. Hopefully that 581 00:28:35,480 --> 00:28:38,320 Speaker 1: gives some guidances to what maybe our leaders should do 582 00:28:38,400 --> 00:28:42,360 Speaker 1: at the top level. Going back to your question about 583 00:28:43,360 --> 00:28:47,320 Speaker 1: managing how big we've got, it's a struggle honestly, because 584 00:28:47,400 --> 00:28:50,560 Speaker 1: we're still an all volunteer force with nobody even on 585 00:28:50,600 --> 00:28:54,320 Speaker 1: the leadership team now, nobody's on salary. We have some 586 00:28:54,960 --> 00:28:57,920 Speaker 1: professional people that we pay like for you know, keeping 587 00:28:57,920 --> 00:28:59,840 Speaker 1: our finances. We have people that work in our warehouse 588 00:28:59,840 --> 00:29:01,920 Speaker 1: to get that get We have a staffing company that 589 00:29:01,960 --> 00:29:04,880 Speaker 1: we hire to keep the that that staff and going 590 00:29:04,920 --> 00:29:08,120 Speaker 1: at the warehouse and keep things moving. But we every 591 00:29:08,160 --> 00:29:10,760 Speaker 1: time we get to a sort of like a financial 592 00:29:10,760 --> 00:29:14,520 Speaker 1: point where we think we could start paying salaries to 593 00:29:14,560 --> 00:29:16,880 Speaker 1: people so that they could spend more time on the 594 00:29:16,920 --> 00:29:20,280 Speaker 1: administration of it, we see some kind of cool toy 595 00:29:20,280 --> 00:29:21,880 Speaker 1: that we just have to have that, you know, like 596 00:29:21,920 --> 00:29:24,960 Speaker 1: a new new mobile command center or another boat or 597 00:29:25,000 --> 00:29:26,160 Speaker 1: another I saw. 598 00:29:26,000 --> 00:29:28,840 Speaker 2: That new truck that you got. That thing looks unbelievable. 599 00:29:29,640 --> 00:29:32,280 Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, it's uh Blake Betty's what we call her. 600 00:29:32,280 --> 00:29:34,040 Speaker 1: She's gonna be riding in a couple of Martygrooth parades 601 00:29:34,120 --> 00:29:36,600 Speaker 1: this year too, So that's gonna be uh, that's gonna 602 00:29:36,600 --> 00:29:40,160 Speaker 1: be pretty cool with the IVS, right with hopefully Yeah, 603 00:29:40,320 --> 00:29:42,280 Speaker 1: but uh but yeah, So it's it's it's kind of 604 00:29:42,320 --> 00:29:44,640 Speaker 1: overwhelming because now I've got and I've got a full 605 00:29:44,680 --> 00:29:47,000 Speaker 1: time job. I still got to you know, put food 606 00:29:47,040 --> 00:29:49,800 Speaker 1: on the table. But but this does take up a 607 00:29:49,800 --> 00:29:50,440 Speaker 1: lot of my time. 608 00:29:50,480 --> 00:29:52,680 Speaker 3: But but I enjoy it, no doubt about it. It's 609 00:29:52,760 --> 00:29:53,400 Speaker 3: very fulfilling. 610 00:29:54,040 --> 00:29:56,200 Speaker 1: But it's I got to manage a lot of people, 611 00:29:56,240 --> 00:29:58,760 Speaker 1: I got to manage a lot of relationships. I still 612 00:29:58,760 --> 00:30:01,400 Speaker 1: got to try to fundraise to keep everything going. So 613 00:30:01,560 --> 00:30:05,000 Speaker 1: it's uh, it's a lot, but you know, we're we're 614 00:30:05,040 --> 00:30:07,920 Speaker 1: getting through it, and I just I'm excited about where 615 00:30:07,960 --> 00:30:08,400 Speaker 1: we're going. 616 00:30:08,440 --> 00:30:10,040 Speaker 3: One of the things we got into. 617 00:30:10,240 --> 00:30:13,920 Speaker 1: Last year that's been successful for us is we decided 618 00:30:13,920 --> 00:30:17,040 Speaker 1: to get into the weather game, so to speak. We 619 00:30:16,720 --> 00:30:19,800 Speaker 1: we have our own weather app. It's on Android in 620 00:30:20,200 --> 00:30:23,120 Speaker 1: uh in the Apple store just the Cajun Navy Weather app, 621 00:30:23,560 --> 00:30:25,600 Speaker 1: pretty easy to find. We have our own in house 622 00:30:25,680 --> 00:30:29,920 Speaker 1: meteorologists Amy Mett. She uh kind of is the science 623 00:30:29,960 --> 00:30:32,680 Speaker 1: part of it, telling us like, uh, what to expect 624 00:30:32,680 --> 00:30:36,400 Speaker 1: with weather as and like predicting landfalls and things like that. 625 00:30:37,120 --> 00:30:38,560 Speaker 1: And then we got involved with a lot of storm 626 00:30:38,640 --> 00:30:42,600 Speaker 1: chasers like read timmor and and in addition to just 627 00:30:42,960 --> 00:30:45,280 Speaker 1: being cool to go chase tornadoes and stuff, but like, 628 00:30:45,600 --> 00:30:48,480 Speaker 1: but those storm chasers are really like responder zero, not 629 00:30:48,520 --> 00:30:49,720 Speaker 1: even first responder zero. 630 00:30:49,960 --> 00:30:52,200 Speaker 3: They're there before the shit even hits the fan. 631 00:30:52,280 --> 00:30:54,360 Speaker 1: And so now that we have relationships with them, and 632 00:30:54,400 --> 00:30:57,360 Speaker 1: sometimes we have people embedded with them, they'll be able 633 00:30:57,360 --> 00:30:59,760 Speaker 1: to tell us right away, Hey, this just tornado just 634 00:30:59,800 --> 00:31:00,440 Speaker 1: hit this town. 635 00:31:00,480 --> 00:31:01,800 Speaker 3: It looks like it hits some structures. 636 00:31:01,840 --> 00:31:04,840 Speaker 1: There's probably some uh, you know, some injuries and damage 637 00:31:04,880 --> 00:31:08,040 Speaker 1: things like that, we know it sometimes before the local 638 00:31:08,360 --> 00:31:10,040 Speaker 1: emergency manager, does you know what I mean? Because the 639 00:31:10,120 --> 00:31:11,520 Speaker 1: storm chasers are out there on the ground and the 640 00:31:11,560 --> 00:31:15,040 Speaker 1: weather National Weather Service is counting on them to feed 641 00:31:15,160 --> 00:31:18,000 Speaker 1: information as well back to them so they can inform 642 00:31:18,040 --> 00:31:18,479 Speaker 1: the public. 643 00:31:19,240 --> 00:31:22,080 Speaker 3: So we're always trying to do stuff to get to. 644 00:31:22,400 --> 00:31:27,240 Speaker 1: Improve our response time, improve our capabilities, and our overall 645 00:31:27,600 --> 00:31:29,840 Speaker 1: value that we bring to the table because we don't 646 00:31:29,880 --> 00:31:33,080 Speaker 1: really want to run anything. We want to be forced multipliers. 647 00:31:33,120 --> 00:31:35,120 Speaker 1: And then they answer your question about like government grants. 648 00:31:35,720 --> 00:31:38,960 Speaker 1: There's been a lot of conversations about that. My hesitancy 649 00:31:38,960 --> 00:31:41,320 Speaker 1: has always been and it's always going to be that 650 00:31:41,440 --> 00:31:43,360 Speaker 1: once you start taking Uncle Sam's money, you got to 651 00:31:43,360 --> 00:31:44,840 Speaker 1: start following Uncle Sam's rules. 652 00:31:45,280 --> 00:31:46,760 Speaker 3: And I don't want to tell them. 653 00:31:47,120 --> 00:31:49,160 Speaker 1: I don't want them, you know, tell me how many 654 00:31:49,480 --> 00:31:53,400 Speaker 1: like you know, one legged, two headed, you know, volunteers 655 00:31:53,400 --> 00:31:56,200 Speaker 1: I have to have or whatever whatever the criteria is now, 656 00:31:57,400 --> 00:31:59,640 Speaker 1: and I don't want to, you know, turning this into 657 00:31:59,640 --> 00:32:01,600 Speaker 1: a hand up it either as far as you know, 658 00:32:01,960 --> 00:32:04,320 Speaker 1: and starting to moving to agenda, because that's what politicians 659 00:32:04,360 --> 00:32:06,040 Speaker 1: always try to do, is they always try to push 660 00:32:06,040 --> 00:32:10,800 Speaker 1: an agenda. So if there's a scenario in which we 661 00:32:10,880 --> 00:32:15,680 Speaker 1: could appropriately like feed for service contract or even just 662 00:32:15,720 --> 00:32:18,240 Speaker 1: get reimbursed for like freight and things like that we 663 00:32:18,280 --> 00:32:20,920 Speaker 1: spend money on. Like, that's a conversation we could have. 664 00:32:22,000 --> 00:32:24,120 Speaker 1: But if the government just offered me like a bunch 665 00:32:24,120 --> 00:32:27,280 Speaker 1: of money and said here here, just you know, keep 666 00:32:27,280 --> 00:32:29,120 Speaker 1: doing what you're doing. Here's a bunch of money. Oh, 667 00:32:29,160 --> 00:32:31,040 Speaker 1: by the way, here's a bunch of rules we need 668 00:32:31,080 --> 00:32:33,080 Speaker 1: you to follow now that you're taking a federal grant. 669 00:32:33,520 --> 00:32:35,360 Speaker 1: Tell them thanks, but no thanks, We'll just we'll just 670 00:32:35,440 --> 00:32:38,680 Speaker 1: keep grinding it out through our little website donation method. 671 00:32:39,120 --> 00:32:39,800 Speaker 2: I love that. 672 00:32:39,800 --> 00:32:43,480 Speaker 4: That's that the autonomy is what makes you guys so efficient. 673 00:32:43,600 --> 00:32:49,440 Speaker 4: I think that's why you know, contractors always have you know, 674 00:32:49,520 --> 00:32:52,560 Speaker 4: you you're much more efficient. That's why there's so many 675 00:32:52,600 --> 00:32:54,440 Speaker 4: different contractors in the head. 676 00:32:54,440 --> 00:32:55,720 Speaker 3: I mean, like, why woun't you want to take money? 677 00:32:55,720 --> 00:32:57,480 Speaker 3: I'm beause I don't want to become like that. 678 00:32:57,640 --> 00:32:59,400 Speaker 1: I mean, like, you know, the government has a way 679 00:32:59,400 --> 00:33:02,160 Speaker 1: of seeing something that works and going, hey, that's really awesome, 680 00:33:02,240 --> 00:33:03,960 Speaker 1: let's go try to manage it now that we know 681 00:33:04,000 --> 00:33:05,959 Speaker 1: it's working, and then suck it up. 682 00:33:06,080 --> 00:33:06,760 Speaker 3: You know, that's right? 683 00:33:06,800 --> 00:33:07,800 Speaker 2: One hundred percent. 684 00:33:08,240 --> 00:33:11,560 Speaker 4: Okay, all right, before we wrap it up, tell us, 685 00:33:12,240 --> 00:33:16,760 Speaker 4: I mean, you've you've seen, right, the worst possible things 686 00:33:16,760 --> 00:33:17,240 Speaker 4: that can. 687 00:33:17,120 --> 00:33:19,320 Speaker 2: Happen to human beings in these moments. 688 00:33:19,760 --> 00:33:23,040 Speaker 4: But the beauty, I think, and what makes me so 689 00:33:23,800 --> 00:33:27,680 Speaker 4: you know, overwhelmingly supportive of what y'all do, is is 690 00:33:27,800 --> 00:33:31,360 Speaker 4: in the worst moment of people's lives, you guys can 691 00:33:31,400 --> 00:33:36,160 Speaker 4: bring them salvation, right, you can save literally save lives. 692 00:33:36,720 --> 00:33:39,680 Speaker 4: Tell us one of your favorite examples that you know 693 00:33:39,800 --> 00:33:44,080 Speaker 4: you've seen or heard that the United Cajun Navy has 694 00:33:44,120 --> 00:33:47,280 Speaker 4: been able to do recently, that it just is the 695 00:33:47,360 --> 00:33:49,560 Speaker 4: representation of what y'all do. 696 00:33:50,800 --> 00:33:53,320 Speaker 1: I think on a macro scale of just being able 697 00:33:53,360 --> 00:33:56,280 Speaker 1: to go to a disaster theater and look somebody in 698 00:33:56,320 --> 00:33:59,440 Speaker 1: the eye and say, hey, I went, I've been through 699 00:33:59,520 --> 00:34:03,160 Speaker 1: a Category five or for whatever hurricane, and I've had 700 00:34:03,280 --> 00:34:06,120 Speaker 1: my city flooded and devastated, and I've had my home ruined. 701 00:34:06,440 --> 00:34:09,160 Speaker 1: I've had my life changed in a flash. I've been 702 00:34:09,239 --> 00:34:11,799 Speaker 1: through it. I know the way out to follow me. 703 00:34:12,160 --> 00:34:14,719 Speaker 1: So that's on the macro sense. On the micro sense, 704 00:34:14,760 --> 00:34:17,320 Speaker 1: we've gotten more because we got so good at search 705 00:34:17,360 --> 00:34:18,720 Speaker 1: and rescue post disaster. 706 00:34:19,280 --> 00:34:20,839 Speaker 3: A lot of people have reached out to us about 707 00:34:20,840 --> 00:34:21,959 Speaker 3: search and rescue of just. 708 00:34:21,840 --> 00:34:24,440 Speaker 1: Like missing persons, and a lot of it is with children, 709 00:34:24,440 --> 00:34:26,440 Speaker 1: and we could have a whole show about what I 710 00:34:26,480 --> 00:34:30,960 Speaker 1: think is probably a bigger human trafficking problem than anybody 711 00:34:30,960 --> 00:34:32,240 Speaker 1: can even imagine. 712 00:34:31,800 --> 00:34:33,320 Speaker 3: Exists in this country. 713 00:34:33,640 --> 00:34:38,440 Speaker 1: But just recently we got contacted through some of our 714 00:34:39,080 --> 00:34:42,239 Speaker 1: people in Oklahoma, there was a young boy named R. J. 715 00:34:42,400 --> 00:34:46,279 Speaker 3: Davis who went missing. It was a really terrible. 716 00:34:46,000 --> 00:34:49,880 Speaker 1: Scenario at home, you know, drug addict parents, abusive stepfather, 717 00:34:50,280 --> 00:34:53,200 Speaker 1: the whole nine yards twelve year old boy. Unimaginable what 718 00:34:53,239 --> 00:34:56,120 Speaker 1: he's had to go through, and he basically was able 719 00:34:56,160 --> 00:34:59,040 Speaker 1: to get away from them, but he went out on 720 00:34:59,080 --> 00:35:01,759 Speaker 1: his own. He's missing from nine days, but he was 721 00:35:01,800 --> 00:35:05,520 Speaker 1: able to find himself shelter, keep himself fed and relatively 722 00:35:05,560 --> 00:35:08,719 Speaker 1: in good shape for nine days. But our three of 723 00:35:08,760 --> 00:35:11,400 Speaker 1: our volunteers out of Texas went up to Oklahoma. I 724 00:35:11,440 --> 00:35:14,160 Speaker 1: think two of those three guys are former team members 725 00:35:14,200 --> 00:35:17,439 Speaker 1: if I'm not mistaken, And within like the first twelve 726 00:35:17,480 --> 00:35:19,839 Speaker 1: hours of them being in Texas, they found him and 727 00:35:19,880 --> 00:35:25,120 Speaker 1: they brought him back to the insidant command that they 728 00:35:25,120 --> 00:35:27,680 Speaker 1: had in chickasheo Oklahoma and turn it back over to 729 00:35:27,719 --> 00:35:30,920 Speaker 1: the authorities, and it was just a very you know, 730 00:35:31,040 --> 00:35:33,800 Speaker 1: the whole community was just like, you know, just thrilled 731 00:35:33,800 --> 00:35:35,359 Speaker 1: that not only is he found, but he was safe 732 00:35:35,360 --> 00:35:38,040 Speaker 1: and he was you know, and parents like obviously and 733 00:35:38,239 --> 00:35:41,080 Speaker 1: actually the stepfather like hung himself in his jail cell, 734 00:35:41,200 --> 00:35:41,680 Speaker 1: thank god. 735 00:35:42,520 --> 00:35:44,359 Speaker 3: But the point is that our j is never gonna 736 00:35:44,360 --> 00:35:45,680 Speaker 3: have to go back with those people again. 737 00:35:46,080 --> 00:35:48,200 Speaker 1: He's going to get a new life, probably a new identity, 738 00:35:48,200 --> 00:35:50,399 Speaker 1: all that kind of stuff, And as soon as he's 739 00:35:50,440 --> 00:35:53,160 Speaker 1: ready and kind of stable, we're gonna bring him down 740 00:35:53,160 --> 00:35:55,560 Speaker 1: to Louisiana and take him some boat fishing and maybe 741 00:35:55,560 --> 00:35:58,440 Speaker 1: do some gator hunting when it's in season and let 742 00:35:58,520 --> 00:35:59,200 Speaker 1: him have some fun. 743 00:36:00,760 --> 00:36:07,000 Speaker 4: Brian, That for me is the pinnacle of what you do, right. 744 00:36:07,719 --> 00:36:12,560 Speaker 4: If you believe in what this country represents, you believe 745 00:36:12,600 --> 00:36:16,680 Speaker 4: in what Christianity reps represents, Like, that's what you do. 746 00:36:16,800 --> 00:36:20,120 Speaker 4: You go serve the will of those who don't have 747 00:36:20,200 --> 00:36:24,200 Speaker 4: the capacity to serve themselves. And I just think what 748 00:36:24,320 --> 00:36:26,040 Speaker 4: you guys are doing is phenomenal. 749 00:36:27,840 --> 00:36:32,080 Speaker 2: I just really support everything it is you all do. 750 00:36:32,239 --> 00:36:36,359 Speaker 4: How can the audience support you, follow you and get 751 00:36:36,400 --> 00:36:38,400 Speaker 4: involved if they want so? 752 00:36:38,440 --> 00:36:41,279 Speaker 1: We always say time Talent our Treasure. So obviously you 753 00:36:41,320 --> 00:36:45,319 Speaker 1: can find our website at www dot United Cajun Navy 754 00:36:45,440 --> 00:36:48,280 Speaker 1: dot org and we're on all the big social media 755 00:36:48,320 --> 00:36:51,240 Speaker 1: is our biggest, you know, presence is probably on Facebook. 756 00:36:51,280 --> 00:36:53,680 Speaker 1: We just crossed like seven or fifty thousand followers on 757 00:36:53,719 --> 00:36:55,760 Speaker 1: Facebook and we put a lot of our updates there. 758 00:36:56,000 --> 00:36:58,120 Speaker 1: We now have a social media team that's helping us 759 00:36:58,400 --> 00:37:00,920 Speaker 1: stay ahead of you know, all our posts to make 760 00:37:00,920 --> 00:37:03,799 Speaker 1: sure we cross posts across the other platforms. That's kind 761 00:37:03,800 --> 00:37:07,160 Speaker 1: of new to us. And we started a YouTube channel 762 00:37:07,160 --> 00:37:09,200 Speaker 1: that we're trying to grow to put some of our 763 00:37:09,239 --> 00:37:12,520 Speaker 1: other features on there. But yeah, so time Talent our Treasure. 764 00:37:12,560 --> 00:37:14,800 Speaker 1: If you have the time to give to volunteer. You 765 00:37:14,840 --> 00:37:17,239 Speaker 1: don't have to be a special opsky like you don't 766 00:37:17,239 --> 00:37:18,759 Speaker 1: have to go out in the field like we need 767 00:37:18,800 --> 00:37:22,080 Speaker 1: people helping answering phones and returning messages and helping at 768 00:37:22,080 --> 00:37:24,840 Speaker 1: the warehouse or things that come in and out and 769 00:37:24,920 --> 00:37:26,920 Speaker 1: Treasure if you have the means and you want to donate, 770 00:37:27,040 --> 00:37:31,680 Speaker 1: is a donate function on our website and that's ninety 771 00:37:32,000 --> 00:37:34,640 Speaker 1: percent of the revenue that we take in every year 772 00:37:34,680 --> 00:37:36,080 Speaker 1: comes through that method. 773 00:37:36,120 --> 00:37:38,240 Speaker 3: We get a little bit of. 774 00:37:37,920 --> 00:37:41,120 Speaker 1: Help from some very generous family foundations and a little 775 00:37:41,160 --> 00:37:42,839 Speaker 1: bit of We've gotten a little bit of money from 776 00:37:42,840 --> 00:37:47,600 Speaker 1: the Louisiana Legislature over the years, which we appreciate, but yeah, 777 00:37:47,880 --> 00:37:50,160 Speaker 1: most of it is just small donations coming in through 778 00:37:50,160 --> 00:37:50,840 Speaker 1: our website. 779 00:37:51,600 --> 00:37:52,760 Speaker 3: So yeah, just keep honest. 780 00:37:52,800 --> 00:37:54,400 Speaker 1: And one thing I tell people that they can do 781 00:37:54,480 --> 00:37:58,200 Speaker 1: that's absolutely free is just go like and share our 782 00:37:58,239 --> 00:38:01,160 Speaker 1: social media posts because that helps the algorithm pushes out 783 00:38:01,200 --> 00:38:03,359 Speaker 1: to more people and helps us generate more revenue from 784 00:38:03,360 --> 00:38:06,000 Speaker 1: those social media platforms which we're trying to build up now. 785 00:38:06,520 --> 00:38:10,400 Speaker 4: Awesome, Brian Man, thank you so much to you and 786 00:38:11,080 --> 00:38:13,399 Speaker 4: the Navy you got there with you and all those 787 00:38:13,440 --> 00:38:18,080 Speaker 4: fine Cajun people that are contributing to saving lives and 788 00:38:18,080 --> 00:38:19,239 Speaker 4: making the world better place. 789 00:38:19,320 --> 00:38:20,799 Speaker 2: I really appreciate you coming on. 790 00:38:21,160 --> 00:38:23,040 Speaker 3: Yep, and thanks for your service. Dave appreciate you having 791 00:38:23,120 --> 00:38:23,439 Speaker 3: us on. 792 00:38:24,000 --> 00:38:34,400 Speaker 2: Thank you.