1 00:00:02,840 --> 00:00:06,880 Speaker 1: From Mediators World News headquarters in Bozeman, Montana. This is 2 00:00:06,960 --> 00:00:11,360 Speaker 1: Cal's weekend review, presented by Steel. Steel products are available 3 00:00:11,400 --> 00:00:15,200 Speaker 1: only at authorized dealers. For more, go to Steel Dealers 4 00:00:15,320 --> 00:00:20,720 Speaker 1: dot com. Now here's your host, Ryan cal Callahan. 5 00:00:22,400 --> 00:00:25,360 Speaker 2: Recently, an Aspen, Colorado, a black bear wandered into the 6 00:00:25,400 --> 00:00:29,960 Speaker 2: Saint Regis Aspen Resort, where rooms are currently being booked 7 00:00:29,960 --> 00:00:34,080 Speaker 2: at an average of sixty three dollars a night. The 8 00:00:34,240 --> 00:00:37,920 Speaker 2: black bear knocked down and scratched a security guard in 9 00:00:38,040 --> 00:00:41,839 Speaker 2: the kitchen of the hotel. Reports from the concierge says 10 00:00:42,000 --> 00:00:45,239 Speaker 2: people are livid. Part of the pricing is due to 11 00:00:45,240 --> 00:00:48,159 Speaker 2: the exclusivity of the resort. How dare they let that 12 00:00:48,200 --> 00:00:48,600 Speaker 2: bear in? 13 00:00:49,320 --> 00:00:53,040 Speaker 1: What could be more important than a little something to 14 00:00:53,159 --> 00:00:56,600 Speaker 1: eat or perhaps a little large or something. 15 00:00:57,840 --> 00:01:01,360 Speaker 2: This week, We've got a special interview with a new 16 00:01:01,440 --> 00:01:04,400 Speaker 2: series that I'm doing that may or may not coincide 17 00:01:04,480 --> 00:01:08,080 Speaker 2: with some personal hunting trips, but nevertheless will be good 18 00:01:08,080 --> 00:01:13,160 Speaker 2: information for you. We're doing a series on conservation groups, 19 00:01:13,560 --> 00:01:15,920 Speaker 2: What you need to know, why you want to be involved, 20 00:01:16,160 --> 00:01:19,039 Speaker 2: a little mini expose as so you can figure out 21 00:01:19,160 --> 00:01:21,320 Speaker 2: what group you want to be involved with or groups 22 00:01:21,360 --> 00:01:23,520 Speaker 2: you want to be involved with. I myself have a 23 00:01:23,640 --> 00:01:28,680 Speaker 2: member of a bunch of different conservation groups. So yeah, 24 00:01:28,720 --> 00:01:33,200 Speaker 2: this week talking with Backcountry Hunters and Anglers Armed Forces Initiative. 25 00:01:33,560 --> 00:01:36,440 Speaker 2: I just spent a week down the Idaho Desert with 26 00:01:36,600 --> 00:01:41,520 Speaker 2: these fellas courtesy of a special project involving the famous 27 00:01:41,600 --> 00:01:46,800 Speaker 2: Elk Camino ed Anderson invention that is meant to be 28 00:01:46,920 --> 00:01:51,600 Speaker 2: a vehicle no pun, intended for getting veterans in the outdoors. 29 00:01:52,400 --> 00:01:55,360 Speaker 2: Very cool project, great group of guys. Have a listen. 30 00:01:55,720 --> 00:01:58,800 Speaker 2: Let me know what you think at askcl at the 31 00:01:58,840 --> 00:02:02,280 Speaker 2: meeater dot com as well as what group you want 32 00:02:02,280 --> 00:02:07,080 Speaker 2: to hear from next. All right, another special edition of 33 00:02:07,120 --> 00:02:10,480 Speaker 2: Cal's Week in Review. I'm sitting down with BHA's Armed 34 00:02:10,480 --> 00:02:17,160 Speaker 2: Forces Initiative led by Trevor Hubbs and Trevor What is 35 00:02:18,280 --> 00:02:19,800 Speaker 2: b h A a FI? 36 00:02:20,760 --> 00:02:23,919 Speaker 3: Yeah, so, back Country Hunters and Anglers Armed Forces Initiative 37 00:02:24,520 --> 00:02:29,960 Speaker 3: is the BHA program focused on active duty military, veterans, Reserves, 38 00:02:30,040 --> 00:02:33,920 Speaker 3: National Guard, and Gold Star families to help get them 39 00:02:34,000 --> 00:02:37,720 Speaker 3: out into the backcountry parts of the United States and 40 00:02:37,760 --> 00:02:40,440 Speaker 3: Canada and teach them how to recreate. 41 00:02:40,600 --> 00:02:46,359 Speaker 2: And what it's a veterans organization is that how you'd 42 00:02:46,680 --> 00:02:47,960 Speaker 2: you'd characterize it. 43 00:02:48,919 --> 00:02:52,920 Speaker 3: Generally, yes, just because it's easier for folks to understand 44 00:02:52,960 --> 00:02:56,600 Speaker 3: that its veterans. But technically we are all encompassing, including 45 00:02:56,639 --> 00:03:00,720 Speaker 3: active duty, reserves, National Guards. But if everybody gets lumped 46 00:03:00,720 --> 00:03:03,680 Speaker 3: in together veterans, the easiest way to say it great. 47 00:03:03,800 --> 00:03:09,640 Speaker 2: So what there's tons of veterans organizations out there. What's 48 00:03:09,720 --> 00:03:14,520 Speaker 2: the thing that differentiates afi from all the other ones? 49 00:03:15,240 --> 00:03:18,760 Speaker 3: I think there's a lot that differentiates us. But the 50 00:03:18,800 --> 00:03:21,200 Speaker 3: main thing that we do different is we are not 51 00:03:21,400 --> 00:03:25,200 Speaker 3: focused on once in a lifetime experiences. We're not focused 52 00:03:25,200 --> 00:03:27,760 Speaker 3: on let's go get this sixty inch bull moose in 53 00:03:27,800 --> 00:03:32,679 Speaker 3: Alaska or this two hundred inch white tail in Illinois. 54 00:03:32,720 --> 00:03:37,360 Speaker 3: It's can we teach our participants how to go and 55 00:03:37,480 --> 00:03:38,440 Speaker 3: find those things? 56 00:03:38,600 --> 00:03:38,800 Speaker 1: Right? 57 00:03:38,920 --> 00:03:42,360 Speaker 3: Like, if we take them out into let's say it's 58 00:03:42,400 --> 00:03:45,720 Speaker 3: a white tail hunting event, how do I teach them 59 00:03:45,760 --> 00:03:47,640 Speaker 3: how to read sign, where they're going to put their 60 00:03:47,680 --> 00:03:50,120 Speaker 3: stand up, why they're putting their stand There a little 61 00:03:50,120 --> 00:03:52,880 Speaker 3: bit of biology ecology around white tails that will help 62 00:03:52,960 --> 00:03:56,920 Speaker 3: them go secure a white tail for themselves without depending 63 00:03:57,000 --> 00:03:59,240 Speaker 3: on any other group to take them or anybody else 64 00:03:59,280 --> 00:04:02,840 Speaker 3: to take them, making them more independent in the outdoors awesome. 65 00:04:02,840 --> 00:04:07,840 Speaker 2: So yeah, there's a little bit of a it's replicable. Yeah, Exactly, 66 00:04:07,880 --> 00:04:12,560 Speaker 2: Folks who show up for an event or get involved 67 00:04:12,880 --> 00:04:20,080 Speaker 2: don't need to rely on that on AFI to go 68 00:04:20,160 --> 00:04:20,800 Speaker 2: do that thing. 69 00:04:21,720 --> 00:04:26,000 Speaker 3: Exactly what we're trying to avoid is man, I never 70 00:04:26,040 --> 00:04:28,240 Speaker 3: want any of our participants to say, Man, yeah, I 71 00:04:28,279 --> 00:04:31,080 Speaker 3: went hunting a few years ago with this nonprofit and 72 00:04:31,120 --> 00:04:33,640 Speaker 3: it was a great time. I want them to say, yeah, 73 00:04:33,680 --> 00:04:35,720 Speaker 3: I went hunting last week or I went fishing last 74 00:04:35,720 --> 00:04:38,280 Speaker 3: week and it was a blast, because we've taught them 75 00:04:38,320 --> 00:04:40,440 Speaker 3: something that they can do the next weekend or the 76 00:04:40,480 --> 00:04:43,520 Speaker 3: next season, and we've given them another group of similar 77 00:04:43,560 --> 00:04:46,800 Speaker 3: minded individuals to go out with in the military community 78 00:04:46,839 --> 00:04:47,440 Speaker 3: local to them. 79 00:04:48,360 --> 00:04:53,000 Speaker 2: So in addition to the skills, what else is going 80 00:04:53,040 --> 00:04:57,560 Speaker 2: on at AFI? Like what is a somebody who's new 81 00:04:57,600 --> 00:05:00,599 Speaker 2: to AFI A like, how do they start out? 82 00:05:00,600 --> 00:05:00,680 Speaker 4: Like? 83 00:05:00,720 --> 00:05:02,599 Speaker 2: What's the one, two three? 84 00:05:03,400 --> 00:05:06,640 Speaker 3: Sure? So step one would be you're on the BHA 85 00:05:06,720 --> 00:05:09,320 Speaker 3: website or you're on Instagram and you see a post 86 00:05:09,360 --> 00:05:11,599 Speaker 3: rum us where we post all of our events for 87 00:05:11,640 --> 00:05:14,159 Speaker 3: the year. In twenty twenty three, we have one hundred 88 00:05:14,200 --> 00:05:19,000 Speaker 3: and forty six events scheduled to occur. So step one 89 00:05:19,120 --> 00:05:21,120 Speaker 3: is find an event that is either local to you 90 00:05:21,279 --> 00:05:23,880 Speaker 3: or that you would like to attend and apply. It's 91 00:05:23,920 --> 00:05:28,960 Speaker 3: a real simple application process. Name military status, where you live, 92 00:05:29,240 --> 00:05:33,480 Speaker 3: that kind of thing, why you're interested in attending. We 93 00:05:33,600 --> 00:05:37,240 Speaker 3: roughly get about fifty applicants per event. Normally we could 94 00:05:37,240 --> 00:05:40,320 Speaker 3: take between five and fifteen, depending on the activity that 95 00:05:40,640 --> 00:05:44,720 Speaker 3: we're trying to accomplish at the event. Step two is 96 00:05:45,480 --> 00:05:48,760 Speaker 3: you get invited to the event, So that should occur 97 00:05:48,880 --> 00:05:50,760 Speaker 3: eight to twelve weeks prior to the events. All right, 98 00:05:50,800 --> 00:05:53,960 Speaker 3: so if this is a July fly fishing event, you 99 00:05:54,000 --> 00:05:56,880 Speaker 3: know about it in May or even late April. You're 100 00:05:56,920 --> 00:06:00,479 Speaker 3: going to have multiple zoom style calls, sometimes on teams. 101 00:06:00,440 --> 00:06:03,240 Speaker 3: Sometimes they're on zoom with the event leader, someone like 102 00:06:03,279 --> 00:06:05,480 Speaker 3: Sean McCarthy. If you're in Washington, who's going to walk 103 00:06:05,520 --> 00:06:07,599 Speaker 3: you through? This is the packing list? I want you 104 00:06:07,640 --> 00:06:09,760 Speaker 3: to bring. What do you have, what don't you have? 105 00:06:10,520 --> 00:06:12,720 Speaker 3: And then we know what we as a as the 106 00:06:12,760 --> 00:06:15,520 Speaker 3: program can provide them. If you show up in jeans 107 00:06:15,520 --> 00:06:17,880 Speaker 3: and a T shirt, that's fine. We can get you 108 00:06:17,960 --> 00:06:19,400 Speaker 3: the rest of the stuff. We just need to know 109 00:06:19,560 --> 00:06:21,599 Speaker 3: long enough ahead with your sizes and all that stuff, 110 00:06:21,640 --> 00:06:25,279 Speaker 3: so you'll be fine, and then step three show up 111 00:06:25,320 --> 00:06:29,000 Speaker 3: to the event, have a great time, and that's about it. 112 00:06:30,040 --> 00:06:34,320 Speaker 2: And so is that what folks can expect coming into 113 00:06:34,360 --> 00:06:36,480 Speaker 2: a FIS is a great time? 114 00:06:37,520 --> 00:06:39,880 Speaker 3: Uh huh, I mean they're all a great time for me. 115 00:06:40,400 --> 00:06:43,280 Speaker 3: It's a lot of type too, fun Like what do 116 00:06:43,320 --> 00:06:45,640 Speaker 3: we do yesterday? Twenty eight miles on the prairie walking 117 00:06:45,680 --> 00:06:49,080 Speaker 3: through cactus and sage and at the time you're thinking 118 00:06:49,080 --> 00:06:51,200 Speaker 3: about the bottoms of your feet and how sore you are, 119 00:06:51,200 --> 00:06:54,239 Speaker 3: but afterwards you're thinking about, man, that was a cool 120 00:06:54,480 --> 00:06:57,480 Speaker 3: herd antelope. So some cool birds we saw the great 121 00:06:57,520 --> 00:06:59,440 Speaker 3: dog work. I mean, you are going to go out 122 00:06:59,440 --> 00:07:01,599 Speaker 3: there and work. We don't do these catered events. There's 123 00:07:01,640 --> 00:07:05,200 Speaker 3: nobody with a platter of whiskey and cigars. When you're 124 00:07:05,240 --> 00:07:09,359 Speaker 3: done hunting, there's a guy with a grill that is 125 00:07:09,400 --> 00:07:12,880 Speaker 3: cooking cheeseburgers or tacos or whatever we're having that night 126 00:07:12,920 --> 00:07:15,680 Speaker 3: for dinner. Like we'll take care of you. All the food, water, 127 00:07:15,800 --> 00:07:19,840 Speaker 3: drinks you need is all set. But there's no special 128 00:07:19,880 --> 00:07:20,440 Speaker 3: treatment here. 129 00:07:21,160 --> 00:07:24,480 Speaker 2: So that's like the event side of things. What where 130 00:07:24,520 --> 00:07:25,640 Speaker 2: do folks go from there? 131 00:07:25,840 --> 00:07:29,400 Speaker 3: It's a great question. Well, yeah, go ahead, sehn. 132 00:07:29,280 --> 00:07:32,480 Speaker 5: Yeah, yeah, I've actually got a success story in Washington 133 00:07:32,520 --> 00:07:36,520 Speaker 5: from one of our events. We've had had some guys 134 00:07:36,600 --> 00:07:39,880 Speaker 5: recycle through with different volunteer events, and next thing, you know, 135 00:07:41,160 --> 00:07:43,320 Speaker 5: they pick up on some of the lessons that we 136 00:07:43,400 --> 00:07:47,360 Speaker 5: passed out during the course of a camp or a 137 00:07:47,400 --> 00:07:50,560 Speaker 5: one oh one style of an event, and then they 138 00:07:50,600 --> 00:07:53,200 Speaker 5: tap in and ask a couple of questions just kind 139 00:07:53,200 --> 00:07:59,040 Speaker 5: of really less well, I would be lying not to 140 00:07:59,040 --> 00:08:02,040 Speaker 5: tell you that we do little storytelling, but a lot 141 00:08:02,080 --> 00:08:07,200 Speaker 5: of its storytelling hinged with in the field, actual hands on, 142 00:08:07,400 --> 00:08:12,960 Speaker 5: boots on ground training these attendees on what they're looking 143 00:08:13,000 --> 00:08:16,400 Speaker 5: for or what they're looking at, or how to access 144 00:08:16,400 --> 00:08:19,880 Speaker 5: certain pieces of land, the difference between dn r BLM 145 00:08:20,200 --> 00:08:27,520 Speaker 5: National Forest permitting required to certain areas and certain trailheads. 146 00:08:27,600 --> 00:08:31,200 Speaker 5: And then furthermore, you know, let's say, for example, this 147 00:08:31,320 --> 00:08:35,840 Speaker 5: specific individual, he was cutting his teeth on Northwest blacktail hunting, 148 00:08:36,480 --> 00:08:43,240 Speaker 5: and although he didn't necessarily come to a blacktail specific camp, 149 00:08:44,160 --> 00:08:48,120 Speaker 5: we gave a backcountry one on one scouting class in 150 00:08:48,160 --> 00:08:53,760 Speaker 5: which we had about fifty sixty attendees on a zoom class, 151 00:08:54,080 --> 00:08:57,439 Speaker 5: and we talked all those things that I just mentioned, 152 00:08:57,640 --> 00:09:01,440 Speaker 5: and then we went specific in two different species, whether 153 00:09:01,480 --> 00:09:07,439 Speaker 5: be black bear, roosevelt elk, or high buck mule deer, 154 00:09:08,600 --> 00:09:11,400 Speaker 5: and even touched a little bit on the blacktail since 155 00:09:11,440 --> 00:09:16,000 Speaker 5: it's such a hot, popular thing to do in western Washington. 156 00:09:16,679 --> 00:09:20,079 Speaker 5: And he managed to pick up enough of that, all 157 00:09:20,120 --> 00:09:23,480 Speaker 5: those tidbits on that, and then we vetted through on 158 00:09:23,600 --> 00:09:26,679 Speaker 5: folks that were able to make the part two of 159 00:09:26,679 --> 00:09:29,839 Speaker 5: that event a few weeks after that, which was an 160 00:09:29,880 --> 00:09:30,920 Speaker 5: actual in the field. 161 00:09:31,360 --> 00:09:32,000 Speaker 2: We took. 162 00:09:33,840 --> 00:09:37,360 Speaker 5: The first go around half a dozen attendees into the 163 00:09:37,360 --> 00:09:41,120 Speaker 5: back country of North Peak Wilderness near Mount Rainier National 164 00:09:41,160 --> 00:09:44,520 Speaker 5: Park and they got to see firsthand all the things 165 00:09:44,520 --> 00:09:48,120 Speaker 5: that we talked about in a controlled classroom setting some 166 00:09:48,240 --> 00:09:51,840 Speaker 5: of the storytelling camp the night before, and then they 167 00:09:51,840 --> 00:09:53,760 Speaker 5: could actually see it. It was a tangible thing in 168 00:09:53,760 --> 00:09:56,800 Speaker 5: front of them, and they were able to take some 169 00:09:56,880 --> 00:09:59,880 Speaker 5: notes and asked questions. We had a couple of really, 170 00:10:00,360 --> 00:10:05,559 Speaker 5: really good, solid mentors that came in to help us out, 171 00:10:05,960 --> 00:10:09,920 Speaker 5: and then that individual went off tweaked on the skills 172 00:10:09,920 --> 00:10:11,800 Speaker 5: that he had learned, the knowledge that he had gained, 173 00:10:12,400 --> 00:10:15,400 Speaker 5: and the biggest reward for us, and you know, I'm 174 00:10:15,440 --> 00:10:18,000 Speaker 5: sure I'm speaking for a lot of fellow liaisons out 175 00:10:18,000 --> 00:10:21,400 Speaker 5: there is about two months later, we got a text 176 00:10:21,400 --> 00:10:24,120 Speaker 5: message that here he is with his first blacktail buck, 177 00:10:24,280 --> 00:10:27,320 Speaker 5: first buck ever, you know, and he attributed a lot 178 00:10:27,360 --> 00:10:29,600 Speaker 5: of that success to some of the things that we 179 00:10:29,640 --> 00:10:34,240 Speaker 5: taught him. And here he is now an active member 180 00:10:34,559 --> 00:10:38,080 Speaker 5: within AFI, and he's actually one of our active duty 181 00:10:38,120 --> 00:10:41,560 Speaker 5: guys and volunteering and looking to continue to grow his 182 00:10:41,600 --> 00:10:42,400 Speaker 5: skill sets. 183 00:10:42,960 --> 00:10:46,319 Speaker 2: Very cool. Yeah, And how did you get involved with AFI? Sean? 184 00:10:47,000 --> 00:10:51,840 Speaker 5: So, I have been a member with BHA for probably 185 00:10:51,840 --> 00:10:55,800 Speaker 5: about seven years. It appealed to me just because of 186 00:10:55,800 --> 00:10:57,679 Speaker 5: public land, you know. And I moved around a lot 187 00:10:57,720 --> 00:11:00,240 Speaker 5: in the military. I lived in three of the four 188 00:11:00,240 --> 00:11:04,320 Speaker 5: corners of this country and just needed a public place 189 00:11:04,360 --> 00:11:06,760 Speaker 5: to hunt. And when I moved back out west after 190 00:11:06,840 --> 00:11:09,400 Speaker 5: living in New England and getting into these expansive places 191 00:11:09,400 --> 00:11:12,559 Speaker 5: that we were lucky enough to have out here, I 192 00:11:13,120 --> 00:11:16,600 Speaker 5: could see where the protections kind of needed to be 193 00:11:16,679 --> 00:11:21,080 Speaker 5: made and whatnot real quickly, and it just gravit. I 194 00:11:21,200 --> 00:11:27,000 Speaker 5: just gravitated to it. And so as time went on, 195 00:11:27,520 --> 00:11:30,040 Speaker 5: I retired from the service about five and a half 196 00:11:30,160 --> 00:11:30,679 Speaker 5: years ago. 197 00:11:31,480 --> 00:11:34,040 Speaker 2: And what branch were you in. 198 00:11:34,520 --> 00:11:37,480 Speaker 5: I did twenty four years in the Navy. I was 199 00:11:37,520 --> 00:11:42,120 Speaker 5: a submarine torpedomen, which kind of saw me here, there 200 00:11:42,160 --> 00:11:43,839 Speaker 5: and everywhere. Not a lot of hunting and fishing on 201 00:11:43,880 --> 00:11:47,319 Speaker 5: a submarine, I'll tell you that, but it did finally 202 00:11:47,480 --> 00:11:52,839 Speaker 5: find me back in the Great Northwest, and having left 203 00:11:52,840 --> 00:11:56,400 Speaker 5: the military, I had a lot more time on my hands. 204 00:11:56,520 --> 00:11:59,719 Speaker 5: I started to get out and hunt and fish a 205 00:11:59,800 --> 00:12:02,640 Speaker 5: lot lot more because I wasn't deploying, I wasn't going 206 00:12:02,679 --> 00:12:07,839 Speaker 5: to see, not going on travel, and started to learn 207 00:12:07,880 --> 00:12:12,920 Speaker 5: a lot rEFInd the skills that I'd had over probably 208 00:12:13,280 --> 00:12:15,520 Speaker 5: two decades, you know, even though I did twenty four 209 00:12:15,600 --> 00:12:17,400 Speaker 5: or only about twenty of it. I was able to 210 00:12:17,440 --> 00:12:20,120 Speaker 5: get outside when I could, you know, over that span. 211 00:12:21,120 --> 00:12:25,559 Speaker 5: And I saw a turkey hunting one on one class 212 00:12:26,240 --> 00:12:28,920 Speaker 5: that the Armed Forces Initiative was putting on in Washington 213 00:12:29,000 --> 00:12:34,400 Speaker 5: with the National Wild Turkey Foundation. The president for NWTF 214 00:12:34,400 --> 00:12:36,600 Speaker 5: and Washington's also a Navy vet, and I said, huh, 215 00:12:36,679 --> 00:12:38,240 Speaker 5: that's kind of like mine. And I'm a pretty good 216 00:12:38,280 --> 00:12:42,160 Speaker 5: turkey hunter, but I could always you know, buff and 217 00:12:42,160 --> 00:12:47,160 Speaker 5: polish some skills, maybe get a hippin of information, who knows, 218 00:12:47,160 --> 00:12:49,520 Speaker 5: maybe meet somebody that's hunting the same area, you know, 219 00:12:49,760 --> 00:12:56,360 Speaker 5: little networking. And the presentation that NWTF was great, did 220 00:12:56,520 --> 00:13:01,120 Speaker 5: was great, and then THEFI presentation was spot on, you know, 221 00:13:01,200 --> 00:13:05,719 Speaker 5: it was it was marrying that public land advocacy and 222 00:13:05,760 --> 00:13:09,680 Speaker 5: importance with kind of that service above self that a 223 00:13:09,679 --> 00:13:14,360 Speaker 5: lot of us see in practice throughout the military. And 224 00:13:14,440 --> 00:13:19,280 Speaker 5: I'm seeing two things that I cared for deeply, you know, 225 00:13:19,800 --> 00:13:22,240 Speaker 5: just the military in general and then the outdoors. And 226 00:13:22,280 --> 00:13:24,559 Speaker 5: I said, well, this is perfect and I've got time. 227 00:13:24,720 --> 00:13:27,720 Speaker 5: I've got time. My kids were getting a little bit older, 228 00:13:28,240 --> 00:13:30,720 Speaker 5: we had a little bit more time around the home, 229 00:13:31,440 --> 00:13:33,320 Speaker 5: saw me at home a lot more, and I said, 230 00:13:33,320 --> 00:13:35,439 Speaker 5: you know, how do how do I get involved with this? 231 00:13:36,520 --> 00:13:41,439 Speaker 5: And so I started emailing and got in touch with Trevor, 232 00:13:41,600 --> 00:13:44,440 Speaker 5: I got in touch with Ryan and whatnot from BHA. 233 00:13:44,760 --> 00:13:47,080 Speaker 5: And next thing, you know, I said, well, how can 234 00:13:47,120 --> 00:13:50,480 Speaker 5: I help? Where do you need me? And a little 235 00:13:50,480 --> 00:13:53,000 Speaker 5: bit of Q and a figuring out who I was, 236 00:13:53,080 --> 00:13:56,640 Speaker 5: my background, and next thing, you know, yeah, I'm the 237 00:13:56,679 --> 00:13:59,240 Speaker 5: liaison for the State of Washington, you know, for AFI 238 00:13:59,360 --> 00:14:03,800 Speaker 5: and bridge that gap between our military community as well 239 00:14:03,840 --> 00:14:07,760 Speaker 5: as the State chapter of BHA and seeing how we 240 00:14:07,760 --> 00:14:11,880 Speaker 5: can mutually benefit from each other. And in turn, you know, 241 00:14:12,200 --> 00:14:16,040 Speaker 5: we're taking these military folks and turning them into a conservationists, 242 00:14:16,080 --> 00:14:18,480 Speaker 5: which is a pretty awesome thing when you get an 243 00:14:18,520 --> 00:14:22,400 Speaker 5: individual from a place like Oklahoma or Kansas that comes 244 00:14:22,440 --> 00:14:24,760 Speaker 5: up to the Northwest and next thing you know, now 245 00:14:24,760 --> 00:14:27,920 Speaker 5: he or she is in love with that, and that's 246 00:14:27,960 --> 00:14:28,840 Speaker 5: a huge thing to do. 247 00:14:28,960 --> 00:14:31,880 Speaker 2: And Dan, it sounds like from our talking earlier, that's 248 00:14:31,960 --> 00:14:35,000 Speaker 2: kind of how you're dipping your toe under the AFI 249 00:14:35,520 --> 00:14:36,360 Speaker 2: side of things. 250 00:14:36,680 --> 00:14:41,840 Speaker 6: Absolutely right, yeah, absolutely, this event here is what kicked 251 00:14:41,880 --> 00:14:45,080 Speaker 6: me in the butt to finally get the membership done. 252 00:14:45,320 --> 00:14:49,480 Speaker 6: And I've actually known Sean for a lot of years now. 253 00:14:49,520 --> 00:14:54,120 Speaker 6: We serve together in the Navy, and I've been looking 254 00:14:54,120 --> 00:14:56,640 Speaker 6: for an organization to get involved with and I've done 255 00:14:56,680 --> 00:15:00,880 Speaker 6: some work with some other veterans groups here and there, 256 00:15:01,440 --> 00:15:04,800 Speaker 6: but I really wanted to find where I belong to 257 00:15:05,360 --> 00:15:08,000 Speaker 6: I guess make the most benefit in what organization was 258 00:15:08,000 --> 00:15:10,680 Speaker 6: actually doing things for veterans in the bigger picture of BHA, 259 00:15:10,760 --> 00:15:15,080 Speaker 6: what they're doing for public land access conservation, so that 260 00:15:15,280 --> 00:15:18,640 Speaker 6: like I'm looking at my family, I had two boys 261 00:15:18,760 --> 00:15:21,560 Speaker 6: and a wife that hunt, and I want to see 262 00:15:21,800 --> 00:15:26,200 Speaker 6: opportunity for them down the road. And so the fact 263 00:15:26,240 --> 00:15:30,200 Speaker 6: that BHA has the AFI side, I get to do 264 00:15:30,320 --> 00:15:33,960 Speaker 6: both and like I said, I'm just getting started, but 265 00:15:34,160 --> 00:15:39,600 Speaker 6: I definitely see a big future for myself getting involved. 266 00:15:39,880 --> 00:15:41,760 Speaker 6: Shawn's on the west side of Washington. I'm on the 267 00:15:41,760 --> 00:15:44,040 Speaker 6: east side, which some people might know almost like two 268 00:15:44,040 --> 00:15:48,800 Speaker 6: different states. But I'm looking to get involved and get 269 00:15:48,840 --> 00:15:50,400 Speaker 6: some stuff going on that side of the state. 270 00:15:50,640 --> 00:15:53,040 Speaker 2: And I was just kind of making funny year earlier 271 00:15:53,040 --> 00:15:56,760 Speaker 2: because you're a submarine guy too, right, Yes, sir, do 272 00:15:56,800 --> 00:15:59,920 Speaker 2: you guys like sub mariner or is it submariner or 273 00:16:00,080 --> 00:16:00,920 Speaker 2: does anybody care? 274 00:16:01,040 --> 00:16:03,720 Speaker 5: Well at this point, at this point, it's kind of 275 00:16:03,760 --> 00:16:07,440 Speaker 5: water under the bridge, but we'll go with submariner. 276 00:16:07,880 --> 00:16:08,200 Speaker 2: Okay. 277 00:16:08,240 --> 00:16:11,160 Speaker 5: You know you'll you'll hear some guys say submarriner, and 278 00:16:11,200 --> 00:16:14,880 Speaker 5: so am I not a good mariner? 279 00:16:15,120 --> 00:16:18,320 Speaker 4: So yeah, submariner and they always affection it bubble head. 280 00:16:18,640 --> 00:16:21,479 Speaker 5: Yes, you can never go wrong with bubblehead. 281 00:16:21,520 --> 00:16:24,240 Speaker 2: Where what is bubblehead? Where does that come from? 282 00:16:24,600 --> 00:16:26,920 Speaker 5: Well, we're kind of breathing in a big steel bubble, 283 00:16:27,040 --> 00:16:29,120 Speaker 5: you know, a few hundred feet out below the surface. 284 00:16:29,240 --> 00:16:34,880 Speaker 2: Yeah, but uh yeah, right, Like the jokes is like 285 00:16:35,480 --> 00:16:38,760 Speaker 2: it's no surprise as to why the outside means so 286 00:16:38,840 --> 00:16:41,480 Speaker 2: much to Damn because he spent twenty years in a 287 00:16:41,720 --> 00:16:45,480 Speaker 2: submarine and now he works inside a dam Yeah. Yeah, 288 00:16:45,840 --> 00:16:48,440 Speaker 2: it's like you're afraid of light kind of. 289 00:16:48,520 --> 00:16:50,440 Speaker 6: I mean the damn I can at least go up 290 00:16:50,440 --> 00:16:53,000 Speaker 6: top and see the boats out fishing, just to you know, 291 00:16:53,040 --> 00:16:54,520 Speaker 6: hurt myself a little bit more at work. 292 00:16:54,600 --> 00:16:57,040 Speaker 4: But but yeah, and a lot of similarities. 293 00:16:57,440 --> 00:17:00,440 Speaker 2: That's pretty funny. That's pretty funny. So yeah, what do 294 00:17:00,520 --> 00:17:03,680 Speaker 2: we want to accomplish by working with AFI? 295 00:17:04,240 --> 00:17:07,200 Speaker 6: So I moved to eastern Washington about three years ago. 296 00:17:07,240 --> 00:17:10,520 Speaker 6: I was I was a Western Washington guy, uh for 297 00:17:10,560 --> 00:17:13,760 Speaker 6: like about fifteen years, did my last like twelve years 298 00:17:13,840 --> 00:17:17,119 Speaker 6: up in Bangor Submarine base. And so I made a 299 00:17:17,160 --> 00:17:19,480 Speaker 6: lot of connections over on that side. A lot of people, 300 00:17:19,720 --> 00:17:23,880 Speaker 6: other active duty guys and veterans got me out into 301 00:17:23,880 --> 00:17:27,680 Speaker 6: the Northwest because I moved from Hawaii to the Northwest. 302 00:17:27,720 --> 00:17:31,920 Speaker 6: So that was pretty big change right there. And I'd 303 00:17:31,960 --> 00:17:34,199 Speaker 6: grown up in Nevada, so I had some experience with 304 00:17:34,240 --> 00:17:36,520 Speaker 6: like some of these big mountains and stuff. But you know, 305 00:17:36,560 --> 00:17:39,439 Speaker 6: the Northwest is a completely different animal than the Southwest. 306 00:17:40,280 --> 00:17:43,080 Speaker 6: And so those guys got me out, got me kicked 307 00:17:43,280 --> 00:17:48,000 Speaker 6: and going. And now that I moved to I made 308 00:17:48,000 --> 00:17:50,560 Speaker 6: all those connections over there and do you know social media, 309 00:17:50,560 --> 00:17:53,240 Speaker 6: it's really easy to keep track of people now. And 310 00:17:53,480 --> 00:17:56,040 Speaker 6: I moved to the East Side, and since moving there, 311 00:17:56,160 --> 00:17:59,879 Speaker 6: I made a lot of other connections to some veterans 312 00:18:00,320 --> 00:18:05,040 Speaker 6: organizations that are local, like to the Winatchi area, and 313 00:18:05,600 --> 00:18:08,639 Speaker 6: also to like people that have no involvement with veterans organizations, 314 00:18:08,640 --> 00:18:12,440 Speaker 6: were involved in the outdoors and they love to help 315 00:18:12,480 --> 00:18:16,320 Speaker 6: out vets and so you know, it's like that networking. Like, 316 00:18:16,359 --> 00:18:18,960 Speaker 6: so I got all these guys that I was talking 317 00:18:18,960 --> 00:18:20,760 Speaker 6: to Sean earlier. I'm like, I know all these people 318 00:18:20,760 --> 00:18:22,760 Speaker 6: on the East Side. I can make phone calls to 319 00:18:22,880 --> 00:18:25,680 Speaker 6: maybe get some things going, find some places we can 320 00:18:25,720 --> 00:18:29,439 Speaker 6: do stuff, and so I'm looking to bring that to 321 00:18:29,480 --> 00:18:30,040 Speaker 6: the table. 322 00:18:30,840 --> 00:18:33,919 Speaker 2: And then but you know, we talked a lot about 323 00:18:34,440 --> 00:18:37,200 Speaker 2: Washington politics, right the Washington Game Commission. What are you 324 00:18:37,240 --> 00:18:39,760 Speaker 2: hoping to get done by being a part of this 325 00:18:39,920 --> 00:18:43,840 Speaker 2: organization on the advocacy front, we'd call it. 326 00:18:44,240 --> 00:18:48,080 Speaker 6: So one thing personally, like I have now I have 327 00:18:48,160 --> 00:18:51,919 Speaker 6: Trevor's phone number, and Trevor's a pretty smart guy that 328 00:18:52,960 --> 00:18:56,639 Speaker 6: can probably point you in the direction or point me 329 00:18:56,720 --> 00:18:58,800 Speaker 6: in the direction of some like better information. Better ways 330 00:18:58,800 --> 00:19:02,119 Speaker 6: to communicate better is to maybe even listen to the 331 00:19:02,119 --> 00:19:06,280 Speaker 6: political and business aspects side of what's going on, because 332 00:19:06,760 --> 00:19:08,280 Speaker 6: like it was kind of a thing in our camps. 333 00:19:08,280 --> 00:19:11,160 Speaker 6: I've always had the conversations like just because you scream 334 00:19:11,200 --> 00:19:14,400 Speaker 6: the loudest doesn't mean you get listened to. It's better 335 00:19:14,400 --> 00:19:18,159 Speaker 6: to have that two way conversation and learning, I guess 336 00:19:18,640 --> 00:19:20,600 Speaker 6: learning from these guys that have been kind of involved 337 00:19:20,640 --> 00:19:24,480 Speaker 6: in BHA in general on how to listen and how 338 00:19:24,520 --> 00:19:30,119 Speaker 6: to communicate to get the message to our representatives, and 339 00:19:30,200 --> 00:19:34,000 Speaker 6: also maybe two guys that don't want to listen to 340 00:19:34,040 --> 00:19:36,119 Speaker 6: stuff being able to talk to them more on a 341 00:19:36,160 --> 00:19:38,639 Speaker 6: one to one on like kind of our redneck level, 342 00:19:39,520 --> 00:19:42,160 Speaker 6: and because that's what it's going to take to make 343 00:19:42,200 --> 00:19:46,119 Speaker 6: effective change, I think absolutely absolutely. 344 00:19:46,119 --> 00:19:49,120 Speaker 5: I couldn't agree more. I mean, not to hijack Dan here, 345 00:19:49,200 --> 00:19:51,439 Speaker 5: but you know, one of the big things for me 346 00:19:52,880 --> 00:19:57,679 Speaker 5: with that is getting that military community in front of 347 00:19:57,720 --> 00:20:01,399 Speaker 5: that commission and explaining to these commission members, you know, 348 00:20:01,600 --> 00:20:04,000 Speaker 5: even even if it's a letter, you know, a statement, 349 00:20:04,680 --> 00:20:07,439 Speaker 5: that this means something to me, this this loss of 350 00:20:07,520 --> 00:20:12,400 Speaker 5: this UH trail, this UH this species you know that's 351 00:20:12,440 --> 00:20:16,920 Speaker 5: doing well and I can't can't pursue it or this landscape. 352 00:20:16,359 --> 00:20:18,800 Speaker 2: Well, you had the spring bear hunting right. Oh yeah, 353 00:20:18,920 --> 00:20:20,760 Speaker 2: everybody was telling you you're going to drive this year. 354 00:20:21,440 --> 00:20:24,359 Speaker 5: I was there. I was there, I had uh I 355 00:20:24,400 --> 00:20:28,159 Speaker 5: had Wanaha in my sights, and I had the magic 356 00:20:28,200 --> 00:20:30,320 Speaker 5: points to get it, and I was and I was 357 00:20:30,359 --> 00:20:32,960 Speaker 5: out of the Navy, and I had the vacation time 358 00:20:33,520 --> 00:20:37,120 Speaker 5: and uh yeah that that's no longer there. And it 359 00:20:37,160 --> 00:20:39,560 Speaker 5: was a it was a lot of miles, a lot 360 00:20:39,600 --> 00:20:43,119 Speaker 5: of scouting back and forth and helping other folks in 361 00:20:43,160 --> 00:20:46,760 Speaker 5: that area. And uh, I absolutely fell in love with 362 00:20:46,800 --> 00:20:49,280 Speaker 5: the Blue Mountains down in the southeast part of the state. 363 00:20:49,960 --> 00:20:53,080 Speaker 5: And they needed to hear that from me. You know this, 364 00:20:53,080 --> 00:20:56,040 Speaker 5: this is important to me. This is important. There's there's 365 00:20:56,119 --> 00:20:58,639 Speaker 5: guys out there and gals out there that they go 366 00:20:58,680 --> 00:21:01,320 Speaker 5: into these wild places and this is kind of what 367 00:21:01,359 --> 00:21:03,040 Speaker 5: they do. And if they don't have that, you know, 368 00:21:03,080 --> 00:21:05,240 Speaker 5: that's that's kind of a loss of an important thing 369 00:21:05,280 --> 00:21:07,960 Speaker 5: to a service member. And I think they need to 370 00:21:08,080 --> 00:21:08,400 Speaker 5: kind of. 371 00:21:08,320 --> 00:21:16,720 Speaker 2: Hear that from your guys' experience, What like, what is 372 00:21:16,760 --> 00:21:21,639 Speaker 2: the outdoors doing for veterans? We always hear of suicide 373 00:21:21,720 --> 00:21:26,760 Speaker 2: rates and and obviously all these organizations exist more than 374 00:21:26,880 --> 00:21:30,479 Speaker 2: likely for a reason. But from the folks sitting at 375 00:21:30,520 --> 00:21:34,919 Speaker 2: this table, like what what niche is that fulfilling? What 376 00:21:35,640 --> 00:21:42,280 Speaker 2: is getting done? Like, dude, are you aware of folks 377 00:21:42,320 --> 00:21:47,080 Speaker 2: who need help? And are these organizations helping? 378 00:21:49,760 --> 00:21:49,960 Speaker 3: Yes? 379 00:21:50,440 --> 00:21:55,320 Speaker 5: Yes, yes, and yes. So for example, I got to 380 00:21:55,359 --> 00:21:58,920 Speaker 5: see or didn't get to see, but there was a 381 00:21:59,800 --> 00:22:02,880 Speaker 5: tech received by one of our camp leaders a while back. 382 00:22:03,680 --> 00:22:08,160 Speaker 5: One of the attendees. You know, he showed up. He participated, 383 00:22:09,119 --> 00:22:14,760 Speaker 5: very jovial, very positive attitude, positive mental focus, was really 384 00:22:14,800 --> 00:22:17,640 Speaker 5: active throughout the whole thing. I wasn't there. I didn't 385 00:22:17,640 --> 00:22:21,159 Speaker 5: get to see that individual, never even met this person, 386 00:22:22,200 --> 00:22:25,200 Speaker 5: But I did get to read about about that camp 387 00:22:25,320 --> 00:22:28,800 Speaker 5: in the the after action report that that camp lead 388 00:22:29,040 --> 00:22:33,280 Speaker 5: submitted and sounded like it was a great event. Well 389 00:22:33,480 --> 00:22:36,359 Speaker 5: he he reached out after the fact and said, you know, 390 00:22:37,119 --> 00:22:39,879 Speaker 5: this is what I needed. I was in an extremely 391 00:22:39,960 --> 00:22:41,879 Speaker 5: dark place and this was probably going to be one 392 00:22:41,880 --> 00:22:44,280 Speaker 5: of the last times that I recreate in a place 393 00:22:44,400 --> 00:22:49,320 Speaker 5: like this, and to participate in something like this a 394 00:22:49,440 --> 00:22:53,320 Speaker 5: hunt and that camp leads it, Oh no, man, we 395 00:22:53,480 --> 00:22:55,879 Speaker 5: literally just taught you how to do X. You know, 396 00:22:55,920 --> 00:22:58,480 Speaker 5: you can you know whether it's a snow goose hunt 397 00:22:58,600 --> 00:23:01,879 Speaker 5: or a age grouse hunt like we just did, or 398 00:23:01,960 --> 00:23:04,760 Speaker 5: a white tail hunt down in North Carolina, or duck 399 00:23:04,840 --> 00:23:08,280 Speaker 5: hunt up in New England. You know, we could we 400 00:23:08,440 --> 00:23:10,160 Speaker 5: teach you how to do this. You know, you've got 401 00:23:10,200 --> 00:23:12,000 Speaker 5: the tools and the skills. Now he says, no, I 402 00:23:12,040 --> 00:23:16,359 Speaker 5: don't think you understand, you know. And he was in 403 00:23:16,400 --> 00:23:20,439 Speaker 5: such a dark place and so so lost that that 404 00:23:20,640 --> 00:23:23,840 Speaker 5: was going to be his last hunt. And all of 405 00:23:23,920 --> 00:23:28,520 Speaker 5: us liaisons found out about that, and I mean it 406 00:23:28,640 --> 00:23:33,280 Speaker 5: resonates with all of us me personally. The very first 407 00:23:33,400 --> 00:23:38,000 Speaker 5: AFI camp that I went to, it was awesome. You know, 408 00:23:38,680 --> 00:23:42,320 Speaker 5: it was a South Dakota pheasant hunt. Was lucky enough 409 00:23:42,320 --> 00:23:45,760 Speaker 5: to get selected to go. I'd already done a couple 410 00:23:45,840 --> 00:23:48,760 Speaker 5: of smaller events in Washington, and I really wanted to 411 00:23:48,800 --> 00:23:50,600 Speaker 5: see how things were done and kind of kind of 412 00:23:50,680 --> 00:23:52,359 Speaker 5: learned how to run my own event up there and 413 00:23:52,840 --> 00:23:55,440 Speaker 5: get the flavor. And there was there was an individual 414 00:23:55,480 --> 00:23:58,720 Speaker 5: there's a very similar case. And then after the fact, 415 00:24:00,480 --> 00:24:03,200 Speaker 5: we we found out that that dude really needed that 416 00:24:03,320 --> 00:24:06,600 Speaker 5: you know, not as deep dark as a place, but uh, 417 00:24:07,760 --> 00:24:11,200 Speaker 5: he he needed he needed that service connection. Again, because 418 00:24:11,400 --> 00:24:13,960 Speaker 5: a lot of us leave the military and we leave 419 00:24:14,040 --> 00:24:14,720 Speaker 5: the community. 420 00:24:15,080 --> 00:24:16,520 Speaker 4: Uh, and uh that. 421 00:24:16,400 --> 00:24:19,320 Speaker 5: We were used to. We kind of lose that identity 422 00:24:19,920 --> 00:24:22,760 Speaker 5: and a lot of folks have trouble with that, you 423 00:24:22,800 --> 00:24:26,240 Speaker 5: know when you know he's living in the middle of 424 00:24:26,320 --> 00:24:28,359 Speaker 5: the country and he was stationed on the coast his 425 00:24:28,560 --> 00:24:29,080 Speaker 5: entire time. 426 00:24:29,359 --> 00:24:32,199 Speaker 2: You know, so well that that's an interesting thing from 427 00:24:32,720 --> 00:24:35,840 Speaker 2: like the civilian perspective, right, It's like I feel like 428 00:24:37,640 --> 00:24:42,600 Speaker 2: b h A has always been like very welcoming of anybody, 429 00:24:42,640 --> 00:24:46,040 Speaker 2: you know, It's it's it's the big tent perspective, right, 430 00:24:46,119 --> 00:24:48,639 Speaker 2: like like if you want to be outside you know 431 00:24:48,680 --> 00:24:52,119 Speaker 2: where your crew, Oh absolutely, you want to you know, 432 00:24:52,240 --> 00:24:53,919 Speaker 2: you want to learn how to cook or you know 433 00:24:53,960 --> 00:24:56,160 Speaker 2: how to cook, and you can teach us something that's great, 434 00:24:56,320 --> 00:25:01,359 Speaker 2: all the all the thanks the skills, and so it 435 00:25:01,640 --> 00:25:06,040 Speaker 2: was a question of mine of like, well, this group 436 00:25:06,119 --> 00:25:11,280 Speaker 2: is already so welcoming, why is it a need to 437 00:25:11,440 --> 00:25:18,960 Speaker 2: have something like military specific And wouldn't it even be 438 00:25:19,080 --> 00:25:24,199 Speaker 2: better if we got these veterans in here just mixing 439 00:25:24,280 --> 00:25:27,959 Speaker 2: with this, you know, civilian population that has never been 440 00:25:28,000 --> 00:25:33,480 Speaker 2: in the military. So what is the need for that 441 00:25:33,640 --> 00:25:35,600 Speaker 2: continued military connection? 442 00:25:37,280 --> 00:25:41,000 Speaker 5: I think if I plants that seed for growth into 443 00:25:41,600 --> 00:25:48,040 Speaker 5: that veteran or active duty to get into the big 444 00:25:48,080 --> 00:25:50,480 Speaker 5: tent with the civilian side of BHA. But what I 445 00:25:50,520 --> 00:25:52,480 Speaker 5: think it is, it's a bird of a bird of 446 00:25:52,520 --> 00:25:56,480 Speaker 5: a feather. You know, I speak Navy, I don't speak 447 00:25:56,600 --> 00:25:58,920 Speaker 5: army trever and I have a hard time talking military. 448 00:25:58,960 --> 00:26:00,919 Speaker 5: Help be us with Yeah, I've learned a lot over 449 00:26:00,960 --> 00:26:05,760 Speaker 5: the past year and a half. Though, there's a common 450 00:26:06,640 --> 00:26:11,760 Speaker 5: thread amongst the branches, and we're able to receive messages 451 00:26:11,800 --> 00:26:14,679 Speaker 5: better from each other. You know, we tend to we 452 00:26:14,760 --> 00:26:16,240 Speaker 5: tend to do a little bit of tough love, but 453 00:26:16,320 --> 00:26:18,240 Speaker 5: we don't promote promote it in the camps. 454 00:26:18,280 --> 00:26:19,200 Speaker 2: We tend to. 455 00:26:20,720 --> 00:26:24,120 Speaker 5: Tend to be a little a lot more direct, you know, 456 00:26:24,800 --> 00:26:29,280 Speaker 5: and it's pretty well received there by our veteran community. 457 00:26:29,320 --> 00:26:31,040 Speaker 5: And then we go, hey, by the way, you're good 458 00:26:31,040 --> 00:26:35,040 Speaker 5: with this, Well, guess what. Here's your here's your Arkansas 459 00:26:35,119 --> 00:26:39,679 Speaker 5: state chapter, here's your Colorado state chapter. And you know, 460 00:26:40,040 --> 00:26:42,439 Speaker 5: it takes off from there, and. 461 00:26:42,600 --> 00:26:45,359 Speaker 3: That's the end goal, right, Like a perfect event is 462 00:26:46,040 --> 00:26:48,879 Speaker 3: we take you out into the wild places of the 463 00:26:49,000 --> 00:26:52,400 Speaker 3: United States or Canada and we show you an amazing 464 00:26:52,480 --> 00:26:56,880 Speaker 3: time engaging with that environment, whether it's hunting, fishing, trapping, 465 00:26:57,400 --> 00:27:02,000 Speaker 3: whatever the case for that event. And the second part 466 00:27:02,040 --> 00:27:04,359 Speaker 3: of that is, you have such a good time that 467 00:27:04,400 --> 00:27:09,080 Speaker 3: you can't help but get engaged with conservation, right and 468 00:27:10,000 --> 00:27:13,560 Speaker 3: ideally want everybody to go be a BHA member, Go 469 00:27:13,640 --> 00:27:16,360 Speaker 3: engage with the local chapter. Go see wow, I really 470 00:27:16,400 --> 00:27:18,760 Speaker 3: had a great time on the Saint Croix River smallmouth fishing. 471 00:27:19,200 --> 00:27:22,520 Speaker 3: How is the Wisconsin and Minnesota BHA chapters helping protect 472 00:27:22,520 --> 00:27:25,440 Speaker 3: this watershed? And what can I do with my veteran 473 00:27:25,560 --> 00:27:30,600 Speaker 3: voice to help in that fight? Right, That's the natural progression, 474 00:27:30,680 --> 00:27:33,600 Speaker 3: and we've seen it pre AFI in BHA. Two of 475 00:27:33,640 --> 00:27:37,879 Speaker 3: BHA's founders were military members, right, so we've seen this. 476 00:27:38,080 --> 00:27:40,959 Speaker 3: In fact, that rendezvous last year, we had a large fundraiser, 477 00:27:41,640 --> 00:27:43,840 Speaker 3: fancy dinner. It's like six hundred dollars a plate or something. 478 00:27:44,280 --> 00:27:46,440 Speaker 3: Think on the silent auction for that dinner, we raised 479 00:27:46,440 --> 00:27:49,159 Speaker 3: eighty three thousand dollars and sixty two thousand of that 480 00:27:49,240 --> 00:27:53,639 Speaker 3: eighty three came from members of this military community. So 481 00:27:53,720 --> 00:27:56,800 Speaker 3: once you engage, then once you can teach our participants 482 00:27:57,359 --> 00:28:00,159 Speaker 3: how they can use their voice to continue serving their country, 483 00:28:00,760 --> 00:28:04,000 Speaker 3: like sky's the limit, they can become some of BHA's 484 00:28:04,080 --> 00:28:04,879 Speaker 3: best volunteers. 485 00:28:04,880 --> 00:28:07,760 Speaker 2: And I think we've shown that AFI doing that is 486 00:28:08,119 --> 00:28:13,720 Speaker 2: there some built in training to become an advocate or 487 00:28:13,800 --> 00:28:19,320 Speaker 2: work on those communication skills that Dan was talking about. 488 00:28:19,720 --> 00:28:23,800 Speaker 3: Absolutely there is. It's once we get you through your 489 00:28:23,840 --> 00:28:26,520 Speaker 3: first event, what we're seeing is about ninety percent of 490 00:28:26,560 --> 00:28:29,200 Speaker 3: folks come back right because we have the action after 491 00:28:29,280 --> 00:28:32,679 Speaker 3: action review, like Sean says, But there's no break in 492 00:28:32,720 --> 00:28:35,800 Speaker 3: the communication. So once you attend event, you're on a 493 00:28:35,800 --> 00:28:38,680 Speaker 3: text chain like very simply just a text group with 494 00:28:38,760 --> 00:28:40,800 Speaker 3: all of the people that attend to that event. And 495 00:28:40,840 --> 00:28:42,320 Speaker 3: having run so many events, I think I'm on a 496 00:28:42,440 --> 00:28:45,200 Speaker 3: hundred of these text change now on my phone. But 497 00:28:45,320 --> 00:28:47,560 Speaker 3: people are always talking, right, Like so our Great Lakes 498 00:28:47,560 --> 00:28:51,280 Speaker 3: group from from the Boundary Waters trip two years ago 499 00:28:51,680 --> 00:28:54,280 Speaker 3: are continuing like, hey, did this legislation get passed? Great, 500 00:28:54,320 --> 00:28:56,440 Speaker 3: what's the next step? How do we stop this next 501 00:28:56,520 --> 00:28:57,400 Speaker 3: mining proposal? 502 00:28:57,960 --> 00:28:58,160 Speaker 2: Right? 503 00:28:58,200 --> 00:29:01,719 Speaker 3: And then they feed into their the Soda chapter and 504 00:29:01,760 --> 00:29:04,640 Speaker 3: really make that happen. Like that's where we see this 505 00:29:04,760 --> 00:29:10,640 Speaker 3: growth is BHA already has such well, it's developed programs 506 00:29:10,640 --> 00:29:12,600 Speaker 3: for training people and how to become a conservation of 507 00:29:12,600 --> 00:29:16,480 Speaker 3: how to become a habitat steward or a policy advocate. 508 00:29:17,120 --> 00:29:20,400 Speaker 3: Right that all AFI really needs to do is just 509 00:29:20,480 --> 00:29:23,360 Speaker 3: help walk them through that BHA door and all the 510 00:29:23,400 --> 00:29:25,840 Speaker 3: tools are there. Does that make sense I answer your question? 511 00:29:26,080 --> 00:29:29,480 Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, for sure. I think you know. The thing 512 00:29:29,520 --> 00:29:33,000 Speaker 2: that I was getting at is, as we've talked about 513 00:29:33,000 --> 00:29:37,320 Speaker 2: a bunch in the in the past, is like the 514 00:29:37,320 --> 00:29:39,760 Speaker 2: there's a lot of places people can go for a party, 515 00:29:40,840 --> 00:29:44,080 Speaker 2: and is that what AFI is providing is is just 516 00:29:44,160 --> 00:29:49,160 Speaker 2: another another party for for the veterans, right, And it's like, 517 00:29:49,560 --> 00:29:52,000 Speaker 2: what is the thing that's going to carry this through 518 00:29:52,120 --> 00:29:56,480 Speaker 2: and and that is developing those skills where you can 519 00:29:56,600 --> 00:30:01,360 Speaker 2: be an effective advocate. No right, for these resources, making 520 00:30:01,360 --> 00:30:04,719 Speaker 2: sure they're around for dance kids. Sure, making sure that 521 00:30:04,760 --> 00:30:07,720 Speaker 2: they're around for these guys that are getting out of 522 00:30:08,200 --> 00:30:10,720 Speaker 2: you know, twenty year careers where they really weren't afforded 523 00:30:10,720 --> 00:30:13,959 Speaker 2: a whole lot of time to get out and do stuff. 524 00:30:15,160 --> 00:30:18,120 Speaker 3: Absolutely. I mean that's all of our camps are dry 525 00:30:18,200 --> 00:30:20,360 Speaker 3: camps just because we were here to do a job. 526 00:30:20,400 --> 00:30:24,000 Speaker 3: We're here to focus. I don't want people sleeping in 527 00:30:24,080 --> 00:30:26,280 Speaker 3: and missing part of the camp that so many volunteers 528 00:30:26,280 --> 00:30:28,400 Speaker 3: worked for you to put on. And I don't want 529 00:30:28,440 --> 00:30:31,760 Speaker 3: to put any pressure on people, especially with the trend 530 00:30:31,840 --> 00:30:36,600 Speaker 3: of dependency in the military community. But This isn't let's 531 00:30:36,600 --> 00:30:38,480 Speaker 3: go hang out in a wall tent and drink beers 532 00:30:38,480 --> 00:30:41,240 Speaker 3: and maybe somebody shoots an elk. This is let me 533 00:30:41,320 --> 00:30:43,520 Speaker 3: teach you how to go do this over and over 534 00:30:43,560 --> 00:30:46,160 Speaker 3: again for the rest of your life. And by doing that, 535 00:30:46,240 --> 00:30:49,080 Speaker 3: what w ends up happening is we create a highly passionate, 536 00:30:49,120 --> 00:30:54,120 Speaker 3: highly engaged cadre of AFI BHA members that cannot help 537 00:30:54,160 --> 00:30:58,000 Speaker 3: but go get involved like Sean was in Sean justin 538 00:30:58,040 --> 00:31:01,280 Speaker 3: the entire Washington crew we have has just been that 539 00:31:01,400 --> 00:31:04,479 Speaker 3: you've played them on your podcast before, Like they come 540 00:31:04,520 --> 00:31:05,840 Speaker 3: out and you teach them, Like you just give a 541 00:31:05,840 --> 00:31:07,160 Speaker 3: guy a hammer and all of a sudden he's out 542 00:31:07,160 --> 00:31:09,040 Speaker 3: trying to build a house. They're just so passionate this. 543 00:31:09,080 --> 00:31:09,800 Speaker 4: These guys after it. 544 00:31:09,880 --> 00:31:12,560 Speaker 5: They're killing it. You know, it was really heartwarming to 545 00:31:12,560 --> 00:31:15,040 Speaker 5: see these guys. Next thing, you know, they're they're interfacing 546 00:31:15,120 --> 00:31:18,640 Speaker 5: with other state chapter members. Heck, I think one of 547 00:31:18,640 --> 00:31:20,760 Speaker 5: them went on a fishing trip with one, you know, 548 00:31:20,800 --> 00:31:24,160 Speaker 5: and I didn't talk about fishing up and Brewster. But 549 00:31:24,480 --> 00:31:26,760 Speaker 5: my guy now can talk about fishing up and Brewster. 550 00:31:27,480 --> 00:31:30,240 Speaker 5: Why some of that access in the issues that the 551 00:31:30,240 --> 00:31:32,760 Speaker 5: fish that go into there are so important that's that's 552 00:31:32,800 --> 00:31:33,520 Speaker 5: pretty heartwarming. 553 00:31:33,560 --> 00:31:37,320 Speaker 3: That's a win absolutely. I mean that's the goal. So 554 00:31:37,920 --> 00:31:40,400 Speaker 3: if you want the trip of a lifetime, if you 555 00:31:40,440 --> 00:31:43,000 Speaker 3: want somebody to take you walleye fishing or salmon fishing 556 00:31:43,080 --> 00:31:45,360 Speaker 3: or whatever, we're probably not the group for you. If 557 00:31:45,360 --> 00:31:47,320 Speaker 3: you want to learn how to go develop these skills 558 00:31:47,840 --> 00:31:51,000 Speaker 3: and then ideally be able to get to a point 559 00:31:51,040 --> 00:31:53,200 Speaker 3: where you can teach those skills to others and just 560 00:31:53,320 --> 00:31:56,680 Speaker 3: be involved in the conservation conversation, right like whether that 561 00:31:56,720 --> 00:31:59,440 Speaker 3: passion lies and policy like we're seeing in Washington, or 562 00:31:59,480 --> 00:32:02,200 Speaker 3: whether like Colorado where they're just they put one hundred 563 00:32:02,200 --> 00:32:05,240 Speaker 3: and twenty Army combat engineers on a fence pole project 564 00:32:05,600 --> 00:32:08,360 Speaker 3: because that's one guy came. He's like, Hey, I serve 565 00:32:08,360 --> 00:32:10,600 Speaker 3: in a company of activity combat engineers. We can get 566 00:32:10,600 --> 00:32:13,320 Speaker 3: this done a lot faster. Let's go do this right. 567 00:32:13,360 --> 00:32:16,120 Speaker 3: So they're engaged in stewardship and habitat improvement. And then 568 00:32:16,160 --> 00:32:20,160 Speaker 3: you have folks like North Carolina where our goal down there, 569 00:32:20,200 --> 00:32:24,680 Speaker 3: not our goal, but the participants down there, they're hole 570 00:32:24,760 --> 00:32:28,080 Speaker 3: into Wow, this deer hunting, turkey hunting made such an 571 00:32:28,080 --> 00:32:30,160 Speaker 3: impact on me. How do I share this with more 572 00:32:30,560 --> 00:32:33,280 Speaker 3: members of the military community. So they're very are three focused, 573 00:32:33,520 --> 00:32:35,479 Speaker 3: and I don't necessarily care which one you focus on. 574 00:32:35,960 --> 00:32:37,520 Speaker 3: I just want you, as a veteran, you, as a 575 00:32:37,520 --> 00:32:40,360 Speaker 3: member of this military community, to feel empowered like you 576 00:32:40,440 --> 00:32:43,120 Speaker 3: have the tools, the capability and the training to go 577 00:32:43,440 --> 00:32:45,720 Speaker 3: continue to serve your country, because that's what I think 578 00:32:45,720 --> 00:32:48,600 Speaker 3: we all need internally, That's what my need is. That's 579 00:32:48,600 --> 00:32:51,400 Speaker 3: why I'm here. Is oh something bigger. 580 00:32:51,520 --> 00:32:55,200 Speaker 5: I agree. You know, you do four years, you do 581 00:32:55,280 --> 00:32:59,280 Speaker 5: twenty four years. You have a sense of service about you. 582 00:32:59,360 --> 00:33:02,040 Speaker 5: That's just, you know, it's just part of who you are. 583 00:33:02,080 --> 00:33:06,680 Speaker 5: It's beat into you by military service. And you get out. 584 00:33:06,840 --> 00:33:09,160 Speaker 5: Some folks get lost with it, you know. And I 585 00:33:09,160 --> 00:33:12,200 Speaker 5: think this is an excellent opportunity for engagement of those 586 00:33:12,240 --> 00:33:16,840 Speaker 5: folks and in some ways help transition into civilian life 587 00:33:16,960 --> 00:33:21,400 Speaker 5: and be better than productive members of Sicilian civilian life. 588 00:33:21,440 --> 00:33:24,640 Speaker 4: It's a reconnection from the disconnection. Oh that's a good 589 00:33:24,680 --> 00:33:25,200 Speaker 4: way to put it. 590 00:33:26,040 --> 00:33:28,360 Speaker 6: Because someone like Sean was alluding to a lot of 591 00:33:28,400 --> 00:33:34,480 Speaker 6: guys the time and service the job identifies them and 592 00:33:34,640 --> 00:33:37,520 Speaker 6: or or you know, I say guys, but guys and gals, 593 00:33:38,280 --> 00:33:41,440 Speaker 6: and when they leave, some people have a really hard 594 00:33:41,480 --> 00:33:46,760 Speaker 6: time finding the new identity and this is a good 595 00:33:46,760 --> 00:33:50,840 Speaker 6: way to kind of mix both and find your happy 596 00:33:50,880 --> 00:33:55,040 Speaker 6: place after that four years, twenty years, thirty years, whatever 597 00:33:55,080 --> 00:33:55,440 Speaker 6: it is. 598 00:33:56,400 --> 00:33:59,600 Speaker 2: And Nan, you said that you'd gotten in touch with 599 00:33:59,640 --> 00:34:04,040 Speaker 2: some other veterans groups, Uh, some sort when you first 600 00:34:04,080 --> 00:34:05,120 Speaker 2: got back to Washington. 601 00:34:06,000 --> 00:34:09,840 Speaker 6: Uh, not when I first gotten It's more towards my 602 00:34:09,960 --> 00:34:12,520 Speaker 6: retirement time in Washington, when I started kind of like, hey, 603 00:34:12,560 --> 00:34:14,319 Speaker 6: I'm actually gonna have time to maybe go out and 604 00:34:14,360 --> 00:34:17,600 Speaker 6: do some stuff. And and because like for me, it 605 00:34:17,680 --> 00:34:20,239 Speaker 6: was like work and then family is really outdoorsy, and 606 00:34:20,280 --> 00:34:24,320 Speaker 6: then and then trying to get like given back time. 607 00:34:24,440 --> 00:34:26,879 Speaker 2: So so you're kind of like trying to network with 608 00:34:26,960 --> 00:34:30,520 Speaker 2: some of these groups to uh just kind of find 609 00:34:30,520 --> 00:34:32,960 Speaker 2: some more recreational opportunities a little bit. 610 00:34:34,080 --> 00:34:37,759 Speaker 6: Uh No, not for myself. It was well, when I 611 00:34:37,760 --> 00:34:40,240 Speaker 6: initially got to Washington, it was just learning the area. 612 00:34:40,600 --> 00:34:44,040 Speaker 6: Then there were there were no outdoor veteran groups back 613 00:34:44,040 --> 00:34:46,680 Speaker 6: in like two thousand and six that if they if 614 00:34:46,719 --> 00:34:48,560 Speaker 6: they were there, I don't even know about them. You know, 615 00:34:48,600 --> 00:34:51,839 Speaker 6: it was really before like social media and anything like that. 616 00:34:52,280 --> 00:34:55,040 Speaker 6: So it was all just like literally I was in 617 00:34:55,040 --> 00:34:58,640 Speaker 6: the smoke pit with a guy on Friday and he's like, Hey, 618 00:34:58,680 --> 00:35:01,480 Speaker 6: I'm gonna go deer hunting to and I'm like, man, 619 00:35:01,480 --> 00:35:03,080 Speaker 6: I'd love to go to your i'n't have done that 620 00:35:03,160 --> 00:35:06,719 Speaker 6: in like twelve years. And he's like, well, you want 621 00:35:06,719 --> 00:35:10,000 Speaker 6: to go? And that was like my first Washington hunting trip. 622 00:35:10,040 --> 00:35:13,000 Speaker 6: And that later that night we're in a minivan going 623 00:35:13,040 --> 00:35:15,600 Speaker 6: in by mountaineer in the dark, almost hidden elk and 624 00:35:16,200 --> 00:35:18,839 Speaker 6: freezing our butts off intent and that's when I'm like, wow, 625 00:35:18,880 --> 00:35:23,120 Speaker 6: I have no gear. That's for Washington and uh but 626 00:35:23,239 --> 00:35:25,719 Speaker 6: it was ethic because that guy took me out and 627 00:35:25,760 --> 00:35:29,280 Speaker 6: he was another active duty guy. So the Metroans organizations 628 00:35:29,280 --> 00:35:34,040 Speaker 6: now out there are are connecting us and in like 629 00:35:34,120 --> 00:35:37,560 Speaker 6: an organized manner, which what military guys we like organization, right, 630 00:35:38,160 --> 00:35:43,480 Speaker 6: And uh so it it's a lot easier to find 631 00:35:43,560 --> 00:35:46,560 Speaker 6: something and for I guess groups to find you too, 632 00:35:47,719 --> 00:35:49,080 Speaker 6: uh nowadays than. 633 00:35:48,920 --> 00:35:51,239 Speaker 4: It used to be. So I hope that answer is 634 00:35:51,280 --> 00:35:52,160 Speaker 4: what you're asking there. 635 00:35:52,200 --> 00:35:57,040 Speaker 2: Oh, yeah, that that's that's good. I think you know this, 636 00:35:57,480 --> 00:36:01,359 Speaker 2: uh topics not a new one. We talk about it 637 00:36:01,760 --> 00:36:05,640 Speaker 2: pretty consistently and certainly lots of other people do too, 638 00:36:05,760 --> 00:36:10,080 Speaker 2: and I you know, I think that there's still a 639 00:36:10,120 --> 00:36:13,400 Speaker 2: lot of people out there looking for their community. And 640 00:36:13,480 --> 00:36:17,720 Speaker 2: so the more we can talk about how you guys 641 00:36:17,760 --> 00:36:21,480 Speaker 2: found a community, that's there's gonna be some touch points 642 00:36:21,480 --> 00:36:24,399 Speaker 2: out there for other people that go, oh yeah, yeah, 643 00:36:24,480 --> 00:36:28,799 Speaker 2: I can see reaching out because of that, even though 644 00:36:28,840 --> 00:36:31,520 Speaker 2: I don't need to for all these other reasons. Yeah yeah, 645 00:36:31,560 --> 00:36:33,360 Speaker 2: but I love a new hunting spot. You know. 646 00:36:33,480 --> 00:36:35,560 Speaker 6: It's like a lot of things, like I guess, like 647 00:36:35,600 --> 00:36:37,560 Speaker 6: we talk and focus kind of like young guys, guys 648 00:36:37,600 --> 00:36:40,239 Speaker 6: just retiring to that. But I've like I've taken guys 649 00:36:40,280 --> 00:36:44,080 Speaker 6: fishing on my boat that were like Vietnam vets that 650 00:36:44,400 --> 00:36:48,200 Speaker 6: they just got involved with somebody and they were so 651 00:36:48,320 --> 00:36:51,360 Speaker 6: happy to like be with another serviceman, even though like 652 00:36:51,400 --> 00:36:53,120 Speaker 6: they're all going to be my grandpa. 653 00:36:53,239 --> 00:36:54,279 Speaker 4: You know. Yeah. 654 00:36:54,320 --> 00:36:58,839 Speaker 6: So it it's it's it's a big opportunity to touch 655 00:36:58,880 --> 00:37:00,640 Speaker 6: a lot of people and the right way. 656 00:37:01,120 --> 00:37:05,400 Speaker 3: But it's, uh, the folks, folks that do this professionally 657 00:37:05,920 --> 00:37:09,279 Speaker 3: v a professional psychiatrist. They've been trying to describe the 658 00:37:09,320 --> 00:37:13,279 Speaker 3: bond that the soldiers, sale, sailors, airman, marine get for 659 00:37:13,680 --> 00:37:15,919 Speaker 3: you know, hundreds of years since warfare has existed, because 660 00:37:15,920 --> 00:37:19,319 Speaker 3: it's always something super strange, uh, to people because it's not. 661 00:37:19,920 --> 00:37:21,719 Speaker 3: We call it brotherhood, but it's not the same. I 662 00:37:21,760 --> 00:37:23,600 Speaker 3: got't treat my brother the same way that I treat 663 00:37:23,640 --> 00:37:26,000 Speaker 3: you guys, and we didn't even serve together, correct, right, 664 00:37:26,040 --> 00:37:29,560 Speaker 3: But it's it's some like weird mix between like closer 665 00:37:29,600 --> 00:37:32,040 Speaker 3: than a brother, but not quite a wife like. It's 666 00:37:32,080 --> 00:37:34,840 Speaker 3: some part. I call it the trauma bond. Is the 667 00:37:35,040 --> 00:37:38,560 Speaker 3: is the new zeitgeist word or whatever the catchy phrase, 668 00:37:38,640 --> 00:37:42,319 Speaker 3: but it's uh. The best way that I can put 669 00:37:42,320 --> 00:37:45,080 Speaker 3: it is when I was in the Army, there was 670 00:37:45,120 --> 00:37:47,239 Speaker 3: a guy in our unit, and everybody in the unit 671 00:37:47,280 --> 00:37:50,719 Speaker 3: was this way with this exact example. He had pneumonia, 672 00:37:50,800 --> 00:37:53,480 Speaker 3: so he missed a training Rock march. Totally allowed to 673 00:37:53,520 --> 00:37:55,560 Speaker 3: miss the march. Man like medics said, you're sick. You're 674 00:37:55,600 --> 00:37:59,839 Speaker 3: sick every night in the barracks. While sick, he put 675 00:37:59,880 --> 00:38:02,279 Speaker 3: it rock on and walked around the barracks building because 676 00:38:02,280 --> 00:38:04,160 Speaker 3: he was confined to barracks until he made up all 677 00:38:04,160 --> 00:38:06,720 Speaker 3: twelve miles of that march. Because he didn't want anybody 678 00:38:06,719 --> 00:38:09,000 Speaker 3: else in that unit to think he was lacking, because 679 00:38:09,040 --> 00:38:11,319 Speaker 3: he didn't want to be the one the weak link 680 00:38:11,360 --> 00:38:13,120 Speaker 3: in the chain. And I know when I look at 681 00:38:13,160 --> 00:38:16,360 Speaker 3: you guys that you have that same inside piece to 682 00:38:16,440 --> 00:38:20,200 Speaker 3: you like all the AFI members do. And it's you 683 00:38:20,239 --> 00:38:23,000 Speaker 3: walk into an AFI event and you can immediately feel 684 00:38:24,000 --> 00:38:26,200 Speaker 3: like you can trust that guy. Yeah, he can trust you, 685 00:38:26,600 --> 00:38:27,720 Speaker 3: you can trust you whatever. 686 00:38:28,200 --> 00:38:31,440 Speaker 5: There's a silent bond very quick after that initial conversation. 687 00:38:31,560 --> 00:38:34,200 Speaker 5: It's interesting, it is, it is, it really is. 688 00:38:34,800 --> 00:38:37,560 Speaker 2: So yeah, best way to get involved. 689 00:38:38,560 --> 00:38:41,719 Speaker 5: Well, for the state of Washington, we got one heck 690 00:38:41,760 --> 00:38:44,359 Speaker 5: of a social media presence going. You can find us 691 00:38:44,400 --> 00:38:47,959 Speaker 5: on Instagram, you can find us on Facebook. Feel free 692 00:38:47,960 --> 00:38:54,279 Speaker 5: to email me WAAFI at backhuntry Hunters dot org. We 693 00:38:54,840 --> 00:38:57,719 Speaker 5: look at the website, go to the BHA website and 694 00:38:57,880 --> 00:39:02,800 Speaker 5: you can find the Armforce initiative there and there's points 695 00:39:02,800 --> 00:39:03,680 Speaker 5: of contact right there. 696 00:39:03,960 --> 00:39:08,120 Speaker 3: No Armed Forces Initiative, all spelled out at Backcountry Hunters 697 00:39:08,120 --> 00:39:12,160 Speaker 3: dot org. Every one of our emails gets answered in 698 00:39:12,200 --> 00:39:14,120 Speaker 3: the field about two hundred days a year, so it 699 00:39:14,120 --> 00:39:16,399 Speaker 3: doesn't get answered fast, but I promise you it will 700 00:39:16,400 --> 00:39:20,759 Speaker 3: get answered. We just brought on administrative assistant, so things 701 00:39:20,760 --> 00:39:23,279 Speaker 3: are speeding up. But please reach out. Reach out if 702 00:39:23,280 --> 00:39:25,840 Speaker 3: you're interested, reach out if you know somebody who's interested. 703 00:39:26,560 --> 00:39:28,399 Speaker 3: Worst case, reach out if you can help us. We're 704 00:39:28,400 --> 00:39:31,600 Speaker 3: always looking for mentors, photographers, cooks, like even if you 705 00:39:31,640 --> 00:39:33,040 Speaker 3: don't want to hunt at all, but you're like, man, 706 00:39:33,080 --> 00:39:36,120 Speaker 3: I don't mind slinging some burgers for some guys. We'd 707 00:39:36,160 --> 00:39:36,680 Speaker 3: love to help. 708 00:39:37,480 --> 00:39:40,160 Speaker 2: And speaking of help, if there is one branch of 709 00:39:40,239 --> 00:39:43,920 Speaker 2: the military that would need help spelling initiative, if they 710 00:39:43,960 --> 00:39:47,080 Speaker 2: were to write in, what would it be, I'll let 711 00:39:47,120 --> 00:39:48,040 Speaker 2: you ever go first. 712 00:39:48,400 --> 00:39:53,680 Speaker 3: Yeah, yeah, that would be the Marine Corps. Okay, I 713 00:39:53,680 --> 00:39:56,280 Speaker 3: mean I'm not great at spelling either, but Army Infantry, 714 00:39:56,280 --> 00:39:59,360 Speaker 3: Marine Corps, Infantry where we're cut from the same cloth. 715 00:39:59,520 --> 00:40:03,919 Speaker 3: The We did have cow saw it at a BHA event. 716 00:40:03,960 --> 00:40:06,799 Speaker 3: We had these flyers printed out and Garrett, who was 717 00:40:07,360 --> 00:40:10,240 Speaker 3: one of our members of our board, Marine Corps, highly 718 00:40:10,400 --> 00:40:14,800 Speaker 3: educated guy, misspelled conservation in about size seventy two font 719 00:40:14,880 --> 00:40:17,839 Speaker 3: on the front page of the trifold. And the problem 720 00:40:17,920 --> 00:40:19,440 Speaker 3: it's not on him because he sent it to me. 721 00:40:19,600 --> 00:40:21,480 Speaker 3: He sent it to a couple other members of the board, 722 00:40:21,880 --> 00:40:24,160 Speaker 3: like some officers, some senior n CEOs that are like, 723 00:40:24,320 --> 00:40:26,480 Speaker 3: they'll catch it. But in our minds we're like, yeah, 724 00:40:26,480 --> 00:40:28,120 Speaker 3: Garret used to work at the Pentagon. Of course he's 725 00:40:28,120 --> 00:40:30,000 Speaker 3: gonna nail this. Like I don't need you this, so 726 00:40:30,040 --> 00:40:32,960 Speaker 3: we all messed it up. But the letters are in 727 00:40:33,000 --> 00:40:35,080 Speaker 3: the wrong order, but the message is the same. 728 00:40:35,200 --> 00:40:37,439 Speaker 5: Man, he's really driving marines on that one. 729 00:40:37,520 --> 00:40:41,000 Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean I was only asking because I listened 730 00:40:41,040 --> 00:40:42,680 Speaker 2: to you guys give each other crap all. 731 00:40:42,600 --> 00:40:43,800 Speaker 4: Week, so that's how it goes. 732 00:40:44,000 --> 00:40:44,200 Speaker 3: Yeah. 733 00:40:44,239 --> 00:40:46,920 Speaker 6: If not giving each other crap, that's when you need 734 00:40:47,040 --> 00:40:47,600 Speaker 6: to be scared. 735 00:40:47,760 --> 00:40:48,200 Speaker 2: Yeah. 736 00:40:48,320 --> 00:40:52,120 Speaker 5: Right, I got to disagree with whichever marines are Department 737 00:40:52,160 --> 00:40:53,920 Speaker 5: of the Navy, and we're pretty darn smart, So it's 738 00:40:53,960 --> 00:40:56,279 Speaker 5: the army they need the most help. That's where there's 739 00:40:56,320 --> 00:40:57,600 Speaker 5: only four letters in their name. 740 00:40:57,760 --> 00:40:58,240 Speaker 4: That's fair. 741 00:40:59,040 --> 00:41:01,640 Speaker 2: And then yeah, I guess just to wrap up the thing, 742 00:41:01,719 --> 00:41:05,279 Speaker 2: like so if even if you're not a member of 743 00:41:05,560 --> 00:41:07,960 Speaker 2: b h A or b h A A F I 744 00:41:07,960 --> 00:41:11,120 Speaker 2: if would it be appropriate for folks to just write 745 00:41:11,160 --> 00:41:15,520 Speaker 2: in ask questions or even if they had a something 746 00:41:15,560 --> 00:41:18,400 Speaker 2: going on that they wanted folks to tackle, I e. 747 00:41:18,600 --> 00:41:22,600 Speaker 2: Like you know, an issue, an access issue, at legislative issue, 748 00:41:22,680 --> 00:41:26,720 Speaker 2: something like that. Still cool to write in and chat 749 00:41:26,760 --> 00:41:27,279 Speaker 2: you guys up. 750 00:41:27,400 --> 00:41:29,640 Speaker 3: Oh absolutely, Well that's what we're here for. 751 00:41:29,800 --> 00:41:30,040 Speaker 2: Greed. 752 00:41:30,719 --> 00:41:33,280 Speaker 5: Yes, that just makes all of it better. 753 00:41:33,440 --> 00:41:38,359 Speaker 2: No, awesome, that's all I've got for you this week. 754 00:41:38,400 --> 00:41:41,040 Speaker 2: Thank you so much for listening. Remember to write in 755 00:41:41,200 --> 00:41:44,520 Speaker 2: to ask c A L. That's ask Cal at the 756 00:41:44,600 --> 00:41:48,120 Speaker 2: Meat Eater dot com. And remember, get yourself a clean, 757 00:41:48,200 --> 00:41:51,919 Speaker 2: quiet steel chainsaw. They'll save your butt at least once 758 00:41:51,960 --> 00:41:54,520 Speaker 2: a year. And then you know you can help clean 759 00:41:54,600 --> 00:41:56,920 Speaker 2: up the yard and do things that make you look 760 00:41:56,960 --> 00:41:59,359 Speaker 2: good around the house too, and you'll look like a pro. 761 00:41:59,400 --> 00:42:03,640 Speaker 2: Because it says steal, type into the Google machine www 762 00:42:03,719 --> 00:42:06,800 Speaker 2: dot steel Dealers dot com. Find a local, knowledgeable steel 763 00:42:06,840 --> 00:42:09,080 Speaker 2: dealer near you. They're gonna get you set up with 764 00:42:09,120 --> 00:42:11,000 Speaker 2: what you need. They won't try to send you home 765 00:42:11,000 --> 00:42:13,239 Speaker 2: with what you don't. Thanks again, I'll talk to you 766 00:42:13,280 --> 00:42:13,680 Speaker 2: next week.