WEBVTT 1 00:00:04.560 --> 00:00:08.240 Welcome to the Hot Dish, comfort food for rural America. I'm 2 00:00:08.240 --> 00:00:12.080 Heidi Heitkamp. And I'm Joel Heitkamp. Monday was Memorial Day, 3 00:00:12.080 --> 00:00:15.520 a day we give thanks to the heroes of this country 4 00:00:15.600 --> 00:00:19.160 who dedicate their lives to service. That's 5 00:00:19.160 --> 00:00:22.920 absolutely true, Joel. And I hope that, you know, one thing that we 6 00:00:22.920 --> 00:00:26.760 can do is encourage people, you know, you get a day off. I get 7 00:00:26.760 --> 00:00:30.530 it. Just every community has a celebration of 8 00:00:30.530 --> 00:00:34.370 our veterans. You know, go out to a cemetery, show your support for those 9 00:00:34.370 --> 00:00:38.090 people who are working really hard to make this a special day. 10 00:00:38.090 --> 00:00:41.810 But also in memoriam to so many people who have 11 00:00:41.810 --> 00:00:45.650 given their lives. And so today, Joel, we're lucky 12 00:00:45.650 --> 00:00:49.330 enough to have a few veterans from around the country join the 13 00:00:49.330 --> 00:00:52.890 show for this episode, and they're going to discuss what's most 14 00:00:52.890 --> 00:00:56.320 affecting them right now and and how it affects the rest of us 15 00:00:56.480 --> 00:01:00.120 as a result of things happening right now to vets. You bet, 16 00:01:00.120 --> 00:01:03.760 Hyde. One of our board members for the One Country Project, 17 00:01:03.920 --> 00:01:07.640 former Indiana Senator and member of the Committee on 18 00:01:07.640 --> 00:01:11.280 Veterans Affairs, Joe Donnelly, spoke with a panel of 19 00:01:11.280 --> 00:01:14.960 three veterans based in rural New York. Lieutenant 20 00:01:14.960 --> 00:01:18.320 Colonel Coulter, Master Sergeant Morales, and 21 00:01:18.320 --> 00:01:21.760 Brigadier General Austin. And I was also truly honored 22 00:01:22.000 --> 00:01:25.760 to talk with Bradley Aune, a Marine who 23 00:01:25.760 --> 00:01:29.500 works to help veterans readjust to civilian life once they've 24 00:01:29.500 --> 00:01:32.580 returned home. Your conversation with Bradley is 25 00:01:32.580 --> 00:01:36.380 particularly poignant, Joel. And so we're gonna hear 26 00:01:36.380 --> 00:01:40.140 from Staff Sergeant Jessica Petrick from North Dakota Army 27 00:01:40.140 --> 00:01:43.940 National Guard. And I think these conversations are so 28 00:01:43.940 --> 00:01:47.420 important to have to expose people if they - I mean, you and I grew 29 00:01:47.420 --> 00:01:51.260 up with veterans in our life. In fact, I think every one 30 00:01:51.260 --> 00:01:55.060 of our uncles, with the exception of one, put on the uniform and, and served 31 00:01:55.060 --> 00:01:58.660 their country. And trust me, when you come from a family our size, that 32 00:01:58.660 --> 00:02:02.260 is a lot of uncles, and these are amazing veterans 33 00:02:02.260 --> 00:02:06.060 and amazing families who have sacrificed. Now let's hear from 34 00:02:06.060 --> 00:02:06.300 them. 35 00:02:10.779 --> 00:02:14.060 You know, this is a real thrill for me. I get to visit with Bradley 36 00:02:14.060 --> 00:02:17.780 Aune. Bradley is a retired military veteran who 37 00:02:17.780 --> 00:02:21.260 now, you know, uses that past to work with 38 00:02:21.260 --> 00:02:24.780 transitioning service members and homeless veterans, assisting them 39 00:02:25.190 --> 00:02:28.550 in overcoming barriers to employment. It's. It's important 40 00:02:28.790 --> 00:02:32.510 work. Bradley, a veteran himself, a little bit intimidating, ladies and 41 00:02:32.510 --> 00:02:36.350 gentlemen, with what he earned in service to this country. You 42 00:02:36.350 --> 00:02:40.190 know, it's a great honor to, to welcome Bradley to the Hot Dish. Good 43 00:02:40.190 --> 00:02:43.870 to have you on, Bradley. Hey, thanks for having me, Joel. I appreciate it. You 44 00:02:43.870 --> 00:02:47.710 know, before we get started, I just want the listeners 45 00:02:47.710 --> 00:02:51.350 to know that personal experience. Talk to me about that. Tell people 46 00:02:51.350 --> 00:02:54.970 about your services as a Veteran. Well, I enlisted in the Marine 47 00:02:54.970 --> 00:02:58.770 Corps in 1985, went through infantry school, went through a bunch of 48 00:02:58.770 --> 00:03:02.610 different schools, you know, survival skills training in the jungle 49 00:03:02.610 --> 00:03:06.330 and mountaineering schools. I was in combat 50 00:03:06.330 --> 00:03:09.970 in the Persian Gulf in '87 with Operation Earnest Will, escorting 51 00:03:11.010 --> 00:03:14.730 oil tankers in the Persian Gulf. When I left the Marine 52 00:03:14.730 --> 00:03:18.490 Corps after my enlistment, I went back home to Mayville, to 53 00:03:18.490 --> 00:03:22.230 Mayville State College. Got my degree there. And while in college, 54 00:03:22.230 --> 00:03:25.630 I enlisted in the Army National Guard in North Dakota. Did 55 00:03:25.870 --> 00:03:29.550 18 years with the Army National Guard and while serving in the Guard was 56 00:03:29.550 --> 00:03:33.390 deployed to Iraq for 18 month deployment. And 57 00:03:33.550 --> 00:03:37.350 I was the First Sergeant for the, for that unit when we went to Iraq 58 00:03:37.350 --> 00:03:41.150 in 2004 and '05. And I earned the Bronze Star Medal for my 59 00:03:41.150 --> 00:03:44.830 leadership of that unit while in Iraq. I told 60 00:03:44.830 --> 00:03:48.030 you ladies and gentlemen, how intimidating it is. Thank 61 00:03:48.350 --> 00:03:51.990 you for that service to this country. It just amazes 62 00:03:51.990 --> 00:03:55.770 me the, the price that, that individuals like yourself 63 00:03:55.770 --> 00:03:59.490 pay for all of that. And Bradley, just for the record, 64 00:03:59.490 --> 00:04:03.250 I, you know, I've been on a number of Honor Flights, and what I've 65 00:04:03.250 --> 00:04:07.050 learned on those honor flights with you Marines is not to say you 66 00:04:07.050 --> 00:04:10.890 were a Marine. That's right. Once 67 00:04:10.890 --> 00:04:14.730 a Marine, always Marine. Exactly. You know, 68 00:04:14.730 --> 00:04:17.890 the daily work you do, the work you do each and every day on behalf 69 00:04:17.890 --> 00:04:21.630 of veterans, describe that to people. Well, I get the opportunity 70 00:04:21.630 --> 00:04:25.230 to work with vets. You know, I go into the, 71 00:04:25.230 --> 00:04:28.990 you know, the homeless shelters, different venues where they hang out 72 00:04:28.990 --> 00:04:32.430 at, drop in centers, downtown, on the street, 73 00:04:32.430 --> 00:04:36.109 wherever the vets are at, you know, we get to go visit with them. They 74 00:04:36.109 --> 00:04:39.830 come into my office, you know, and some are homeless. Some 75 00:04:39.830 --> 00:04:43.670 are transitioning out of the military, some are transitioning from one job to 76 00:04:43.670 --> 00:04:47.470 another. Some may be laid off or fired or just coming out of 77 00:04:47.470 --> 00:04:51.070 college or in college. I work with the Veterans Service Groups, 78 00:04:51.150 --> 00:04:54.910 our veteran - Student Veterans Groups on the campuses, locally here. 79 00:04:54.990 --> 00:04:58.430 So all shapes and sizes of veterans. 80 00:04:58.830 --> 00:05:02.630 So it's a great variety of folks to work with and try 81 00:05:02.630 --> 00:05:05.630 to help them get where they want to be. What incredible 82 00:05:06.270 --> 00:05:09.910 rewarding work that must be. But you get a 83 00:05:09.910 --> 00:05:13.560 chance to sense it and to know it from a firsthand experience. 84 00:05:14.040 --> 00:05:17.640 If you could explain that to folks. You know, meet them where they're at. You 85 00:05:17.640 --> 00:05:21.360 know, some are, you know, at high levels of education and looking for something 86 00:05:21.360 --> 00:05:25.000 else. And others, you know, came out of the service and maybe 87 00:05:25.320 --> 00:05:28.359 physically or mentally treated those 88 00:05:28.440 --> 00:05:31.560 situations with alcohol or drugs and found themselves 89 00:05:32.120 --> 00:05:35.920 in the prison systems or wherever. And, you know, we 90 00:05:35.920 --> 00:05:39.600 do outreach at the Cass County Jail, the Jamestown Correctional Center. So I meet 91 00:05:39.600 --> 00:05:42.880 vets in there and trying to get them out of there. I'm meeting a vet 92 00:05:42.880 --> 00:05:45.880 tomorrow that's involved in Veterans Treatment Court up in Grand Forks. 93 00:05:46.600 --> 00:05:49.880 So you know, they're working their way out of situations and we try to 94 00:05:50.200 --> 00:05:53.920 get them on the right path or, you know, connect them to resources in the 95 00:05:53.920 --> 00:05:57.720 community. And part of that is getting them employed, 96 00:05:57.720 --> 00:06:00.920 you know, and then I connect them with people to find them housing and, and 97 00:06:00.920 --> 00:06:04.200 get them where they need to go. Before we get into, 98 00:06:04.520 --> 00:06:08.240 you know, the money - what it takes to run a program like 99 00:06:08.240 --> 00:06:12.040 this, what it takes to make sure you have the ability to achieve the goals 100 00:06:12.040 --> 00:06:15.720 that you just talked about. What I want to visit with you about is how 101 00:06:15.800 --> 00:06:19.080 hard is it to get that veteran. I mean, 102 00:06:19.560 --> 00:06:23.080 I have so many friends in my life that are the way you just 103 00:06:23.080 --> 00:06:26.760 described, but how hard is it to get them to admit that they 104 00:06:26.760 --> 00:06:29.960 need that help? Yeah, you gotta, like I say, meet 'em where they're at. You 105 00:06:29.960 --> 00:06:33.800 know, some are to that place already and are, you know, through other avenues, 106 00:06:33.800 --> 00:06:37.580 they've decided, hey, I need to get there, need help. Some 107 00:06:37.900 --> 00:06:41.300 are not quite there. You know, I went through my own struggles with PTSD 108 00:06:41.300 --> 00:06:45.060 and I have a degree in psychology and I, 109 00:06:45.060 --> 00:06:48.580 you know, think I have my act together and I was struggling with PTSD 110 00:06:48.580 --> 00:06:52.339 myself to the point where I was like, maybe I need to 111 00:06:52.339 --> 00:06:56.100 talk to somebody. And I reached out to the VA myself and, and ended 112 00:06:56.100 --> 00:06:59.780 up going through PTSD treatment like 13 years ago and, and still 113 00:06:59.780 --> 00:07:03.460 go to groups that, you know, maintain my mental health. 114 00:07:03.460 --> 00:07:07.180 So, you know, we don't always see it ourselves and, and 115 00:07:07.340 --> 00:07:11.100 you know, family members, support systems - some people don't have support systems and 116 00:07:11.100 --> 00:07:14.740 they find their support in the bottle or in drugs or alcohol, 117 00:07:14.740 --> 00:07:17.740 you know, whatever. So just trying to find a 118 00:07:18.300 --> 00:07:21.620 support system. And that can be your local veterans 119 00:07:21.620 --> 00:07:25.060 organization, it could be the VA, 120 00:07:25.060 --> 00:07:28.620 the county Veteran Service Officers, it may be whoever that can 121 00:07:29.050 --> 00:07:32.690 help you get to the right place and connect to the community. I've had them 122 00:07:32.690 --> 00:07:35.370 sitting at my desk and say, you don't need a job, you need to go 123 00:07:35.370 --> 00:07:38.570 talk to someone at the VA. So to do that, 124 00:07:38.970 --> 00:07:42.250 you know, it takes a commitment. It takes a commitment by the government 125 00:07:42.490 --> 00:07:46.250 that quite frankly, the individuals you're talking to 126 00:07:46.810 --> 00:07:50.650 actually served, you know, all of us. Now the cuts that they're talking 127 00:07:50.650 --> 00:07:53.130 about to federal funding for veterans, families, 128 00:07:54.540 --> 00:07:58.140 I mean, these have to be devastating for you, Bradley. They are, you know, 129 00:07:58.140 --> 00:08:01.420 personally as a veteran, you know, when you look at these cuts that come down 130 00:08:01.420 --> 00:08:05.220 the line, you know, they, they start talking about these programs - the suicide hotline, 131 00:08:05.220 --> 00:08:08.980 they're cutting funding to that, you know, are talking about 132 00:08:08.980 --> 00:08:11.420 it or have done it. You know, from one day to the next, you know, 133 00:08:11.420 --> 00:08:14.980 stuff's being cut or has been cut. Benefits for SNAP programs, 134 00:08:14.980 --> 00:08:18.140 Medicaid, Medicare. All these funding sources directly 135 00:08:18.540 --> 00:08:22.140 affect veterans as well as everybody else. They talk about 136 00:08:22.140 --> 00:08:25.740 federal jobs. All these funding sources typically 137 00:08:25.820 --> 00:08:29.460 start at the federal government and whittle themselves down to local entities. 138 00:08:29.460 --> 00:08:33.020 You get all these housing grants that we get at the local level 139 00:08:33.020 --> 00:08:36.860 come from the federal grants. And so then there's no housing. So then they talk 140 00:08:36.860 --> 00:08:40.540 about, we have homeless vets. Well, it's going to make more homeless 141 00:08:40.540 --> 00:08:44.340 vets because there's less grants, less money to house 142 00:08:44.340 --> 00:08:47.860 vets. What about North Dakota just going through a 143 00:08:47.860 --> 00:08:51.260 legislative session. I know that you track this quite a bit. 144 00:08:51.500 --> 00:08:55.230 Did they come through? Did they understand the need? Did they put their 145 00:08:55.230 --> 00:08:58.950 money where their mouth is? I know they did put some 146 00:08:58.950 --> 00:09:02.750 money on the table and that's appreciated. But the federal money is the 147 00:09:02.750 --> 00:09:06.270 big money and that's where the problem comes in. Because these 148 00:09:06.430 --> 00:09:10.110 HUD VASH, the HUD money, then you have VASH, is the veteran side 149 00:09:10.110 --> 00:09:13.950 of the vouchers. And that's where all this money 150 00:09:13.950 --> 00:09:17.790 gets portioned out, so to speak, for the veteran side. And, 151 00:09:17.870 --> 00:09:21.450 you know, I'm not an expert in that world at all. I'm more on the 152 00:09:21.450 --> 00:09:24.970 employment side of things. But I know it all trickles down and 153 00:09:24.970 --> 00:09:28.370 they start cutting programs when it comes to housing, 154 00:09:28.370 --> 00:09:31.970 you know, even like employment programs, money 155 00:09:32.450 --> 00:09:35.890 starts to start chipping away down the line and training 156 00:09:36.210 --> 00:09:39.930 programs get cut. And, you know, 157 00:09:39.930 --> 00:09:43.770 then it just starts with the widdle whittle away at the opportunities 158 00:09:43.770 --> 00:09:47.370 that folks have, you know, and veterans. I know 30% 159 00:09:47.450 --> 00:09:50.170 of the federal workforce is veterans. 160 00:09:51.290 --> 00:09:54.330 Well, let's talk about the employment side of this, because 161 00:09:55.050 --> 00:09:58.810 everywhere I go, people are looking for workers. You know, how do you 162 00:09:58.810 --> 00:10:02.170 place the individual that you've met who 163 00:10:02.490 --> 00:10:06.170 could use that employment and fit that into the life and what 164 00:10:06.170 --> 00:10:09.850 they're going through? I mean, how do you put those two together? Well, 165 00:10:09.850 --> 00:10:13.370 I, you know, like I said, I get all random veterans coming through. And 166 00:10:13.930 --> 00:10:17.450 so when they come in, you try to see what their skill set is. And, 167 00:10:17.450 --> 00:10:21.210 you know, veterans, you know, the military has every occupation in it. You 168 00:10:21.210 --> 00:10:24.930 know, so I get a, someone who might be a purchasing agent in 169 00:10:24.930 --> 00:10:28.770 the military. They come in, but they might not have a degree. They might 170 00:10:28.770 --> 00:10:31.890 have done this job for 10 years. They might be excellent at it, but they 171 00:10:31.890 --> 00:10:35.330 don't have a finance degree. So then it's like, oh, you may have to go 172 00:10:35.330 --> 00:10:38.970 to college now, or I can try to talk an employer into maybe taking this 173 00:10:38.970 --> 00:10:42.230 person on. But you know, a lot of times you got to go to school. 174 00:10:42.230 --> 00:10:45.550 So then we got to get them in the GI Bill or the, you know, 175 00:10:45.550 --> 00:10:49.310 some type of funding source, the VA Voc-Rehab. But then they have to get 176 00:10:49.310 --> 00:10:53.110 a VA disabilities to get that to go to school 177 00:10:53.110 --> 00:10:56.630 and then try to get funding and live while they go to school. So when 178 00:10:56.630 --> 00:10:59.950 they start cutting all these benefits or if they do cut 179 00:10:59.950 --> 00:11:03.430 benefits to veterans for housing, or if it takes 180 00:11:03.430 --> 00:11:07.130 forever for them to get a service-connected disability, qualify 181 00:11:07.450 --> 00:11:11.210 to get benefits for education or to get to a service-connected 182 00:11:11.210 --> 00:11:14.890 disability so they qualify for VA Voc-Rehab. You know, it just kind of 183 00:11:14.890 --> 00:11:18.730 slows down the whole process and muddies the water for them 184 00:11:18.890 --> 00:11:22.609 getting education or credentials to get that good job that they 185 00:11:22.609 --> 00:11:26.410 want. The other part though, that instantly popped into 186 00:11:26.410 --> 00:11:30.170 my mind is older than average students. You know, how do you 187 00:11:30.170 --> 00:11:33.130 deal with that? Well, I was a 23 year old 188 00:11:33.890 --> 00:11:37.610 Marine vet and I was an old man at that point, 189 00:11:37.610 --> 00:11:41.370 you know, going there and with these kids and 190 00:11:41.370 --> 00:11:44.370 it was a culture shock to go walk in there, you know, after being around 191 00:11:44.370 --> 00:11:47.970 the world on a ship twice and in combat and, 192 00:11:48.130 --> 00:11:51.570 you know, it was, I, luckily I had a good mentor. 193 00:11:51.810 --> 00:11:55.490 My advisor just happened to be teaching college in 194 00:11:55.490 --> 00:11:59.330 Subic Bay, Philippines for the past 10 years and he took me under 195 00:11:59.330 --> 00:12:03.110 his wing and kind of got me, you know, stabilized there. But, you know, they 196 00:12:03.110 --> 00:12:06.830 have the Student Veterans Programs at NDSU, MSUM, you know, those kind 197 00:12:06.830 --> 00:12:10.510 of programs. And then, but that takes people that care 198 00:12:10.510 --> 00:12:14.350 and people that put, you know, programs, they have grants that help support 199 00:12:14.510 --> 00:12:18.189 those programs as well, or the campus has to put 200 00:12:18.189 --> 00:12:21.950 effort and time and money into those. So I, you know, I'm lucky. 201 00:12:21.950 --> 00:12:25.710 I just kind of stumbled into it and I grew up there, so most of 202 00:12:25.710 --> 00:12:28.750 my professors I knew from growing up there, they might happen to be my Sunday 203 00:12:28.750 --> 00:12:32.350 School teacher or something like that, you know, so. So 204 00:12:32.510 --> 00:12:35.970 that kind of helped me along the way, yeah. I'm, I'm curious 205 00:12:35.970 --> 00:12:39.050 about this. Had you made up your mind before you 206 00:12:39.770 --> 00:12:43.530 left active service? Did you know what the game plan was? 207 00:12:44.250 --> 00:12:47.850 Well, I know I needed a degree. I had planned on being a U.S. 208 00:12:47.850 --> 00:12:51.330 Marshal. That was the plan, you know. Well, I wanted to 209 00:12:51.330 --> 00:12:54.890 re-enlist and be an Embassy guard, but they wanted me to do another deployment 210 00:12:54.890 --> 00:12:58.410 overseas before they sent me to Embassy school. And, 211 00:12:58.810 --> 00:13:02.210 and I'm like, I just did. I spent two and a half years on ships, 212 00:13:02.210 --> 00:13:05.980 I've got three deployments already. Like, you need one more deployment? I'm like, well, I 213 00:13:05.980 --> 00:13:09.100 already did three. Well, the first two don't count, you know, I'm like, what the 214 00:13:09.100 --> 00:13:12.700 hell? Those don't count? Okay. So then I'm like, well, how about this Early Out 215 00:13:12.700 --> 00:13:15.580 for Education deal. So, yeah, yeah, you can get out. So two weeks later, I 216 00:13:15.580 --> 00:13:19.260 was out of the Marine Corps going, what the hell just happened? You know, so 217 00:13:19.420 --> 00:13:22.700 I'm like, oh, I want to be a U.S. Marshal or work for the CIA. 218 00:13:22.780 --> 00:13:25.980 I had some great ideas. So I got, I'm going to get this degree. And, 219 00:13:26.460 --> 00:13:29.940 and so I was on, I told my advisor, I'm like, I'm on a four 220 00:13:29.940 --> 00:13:32.300 year plan, not the five year plan. I need to get the hell out of 221 00:13:32.300 --> 00:13:35.210 here because I got the GI Bill. And. And then I started taking all these 222 00:13:35.210 --> 00:13:38.810 psychology classes. I'm like, well, maybe I should be a counselor, you know, that kind 223 00:13:38.810 --> 00:13:42.610 of thing. And, and then I ended up being a Juvenile Probation Officer 224 00:13:43.250 --> 00:13:47.010 for 15 years. And then now I'm a job counselor. I'm like, I 225 00:13:47.010 --> 00:13:50.410 don't know how that all happened, but it worked out pretty well. So, yeah, and 226 00:13:50.410 --> 00:13:53.810 that was another transition too, because when I came back from Iraq, my 227 00:13:53.810 --> 00:13:57.530 mentality had changed and I went back to that job and I was not fit 228 00:13:57.530 --> 00:14:00.850 for that job anymore. My mental health had changed and I had to find a 229 00:14:00.850 --> 00:14:04.640 new career. And that's when I transitioned to helping veterans. And 230 00:14:04.720 --> 00:14:08.560 that was a good transition for me for sure. So let's talk about 231 00:14:08.800 --> 00:14:11.840 money again. I want to bring it back to that, Bradley. 232 00:14:12.320 --> 00:14:16.000 You're sitting there in a position where you know you're getting the job done. 233 00:14:16.000 --> 00:14:19.840 Let's just acknowledge that, you know, there's a need and you 234 00:14:19.840 --> 00:14:23.200 have the ability to have the results, whether or not they have that 235 00:14:23.200 --> 00:14:27.000 employment that they're going to succeed at, advance at all of 236 00:14:27.000 --> 00:14:30.760 that, I have no doubt that, that, that's not the problem. The 237 00:14:30.760 --> 00:14:34.520 problem is having the money to do it, to just 238 00:14:34.520 --> 00:14:37.720 do it. You know, there's a lot of people that are listening to us here 239 00:14:37.720 --> 00:14:41.520 on the Hot Dish who are really good at walking up to people like you 240 00:14:41.520 --> 00:14:45.360 and thanking you for your service. Right? I mean, they are. I'm not 241 00:14:45.360 --> 00:14:49.120 trying to diminish that. But the one way they can thank 242 00:14:49.120 --> 00:14:52.880 you for your service is to make sure, you know, that your 243 00:14:52.880 --> 00:14:56.620 program's funded the way it damn well should be. And so I want you 244 00:14:56.620 --> 00:14:59.980 to talk to the public about that. Everybody that's listening to you on the Hot 245 00:14:59.980 --> 00:15:03.660 Dish. Well, and I do appreciate when people do come up to me 246 00:15:03.660 --> 00:15:07.300 and say that and other veterans do as well. But the contract 247 00:15:07.540 --> 00:15:11.260 we all signed, and when you signed a contract with the government, you give up 248 00:15:11.260 --> 00:15:14.660 your rights to your constitutional rights. You have the UCMJ 249 00:15:15.380 --> 00:15:18.980 and you become property of the government with that contract. 250 00:15:19.140 --> 00:15:22.980 That's a lifetime contract with the government. You know that you have 251 00:15:22.980 --> 00:15:26.500 access to the VA for health care. You have access to government 252 00:15:26.500 --> 00:15:29.700 programs like the GI Bill, the home loan guarantees, 253 00:15:30.180 --> 00:15:33.900 those kind of contract benefits that are given to you for 254 00:15:33.900 --> 00:15:37.540 the rest of your life. And so I know we're talking to vets 255 00:15:37.700 --> 00:15:41.500 now, they get offended when they hear 256 00:15:41.500 --> 00:15:45.060 the government saying, well, we don't think - we might want to reevaluate the 257 00:15:45.060 --> 00:15:48.710 service connected disability stuff, you know, these are "entitlements." They're 258 00:15:48.710 --> 00:15:52.430 not benefits. No, they're benefits because we signed the contract 259 00:15:52.430 --> 00:15:56.230 with you when we were 18 years age. You know, they get 260 00:15:56.230 --> 00:16:00.070 frustrated when they start removing rights. Constitutional, you know, when you say, well, 261 00:16:00.070 --> 00:16:03.430 the Constitution, this and that. No, we, we took an 262 00:16:03.910 --> 00:16:07.510 oath to the Constitution. We took it seriously. You've been on the Honor Flights. You 263 00:16:07.510 --> 00:16:11.030 see these guys take it seriously. They're nine years old, they still believe in that 264 00:16:11.030 --> 00:16:14.230 oath. And then those guys, I see them when I go to the VA, I 265 00:16:14.230 --> 00:16:17.670 get all my health care at the VA, you know, and it's frustrating. I was 266 00:16:17.670 --> 00:16:21.510 there for some dental stuff here the other day and I got my next appointment 267 00:16:21.510 --> 00:16:25.310 and I got to have some reconstructive stuff done on one of my 268 00:16:25.310 --> 00:16:28.630 teeth and I gotta wait till September, the next available 269 00:16:28.950 --> 00:16:32.669 appointment, because they're down a dentist and they can't get one because of the 270 00:16:32.669 --> 00:16:36.310 hiring freeze and this and that. And 271 00:16:36.550 --> 00:16:40.070 you know what makes me the most, Brad. Again, I realize 272 00:16:40.310 --> 00:16:43.990 we're going back to the Honor Flight and that's an 273 00:16:43.990 --> 00:16:47.740 experience I think I can bring to it to that would relate to 274 00:16:47.740 --> 00:16:51.540 some of what you went through. But the people that do this, you 275 00:16:51.540 --> 00:16:55.340 know, the people that are working at the VA they're, they're working in fear. 276 00:16:55.500 --> 00:16:58.860 I mean, they really are. Right now they're sitting there wondering if they're going to 277 00:16:58.860 --> 00:17:02.420 have a job tomorrow, if they're going to get cut. They look around at each 278 00:17:02.420 --> 00:17:05.500 other and say, well, which one of us is more valuable? Which one of us 279 00:17:05.500 --> 00:17:09.100 costs more? I mean, nobody should have to go to work every day that way. 280 00:17:09.340 --> 00:17:12.300 Oh, I know. I have, I know for a fact I have friends, I have 281 00:17:12.610 --> 00:17:16.450 former clients who have been let go from the VA for no reason other than 282 00:17:16.610 --> 00:17:20.170 they are on probation. And probation - and a lot of people are not aware 283 00:17:20.170 --> 00:17:23.850 that every employee starts the federal government on probation. 284 00:17:23.850 --> 00:17:27.570 That's just a thing. It's up to a year. And sometimes 285 00:17:27.650 --> 00:17:31.170 when they get promoted, you could be the best in that position, if you get 286 00:17:31.170 --> 00:17:34.930 promoted to a supervisory position, you're now on probation for that position. 287 00:17:34.930 --> 00:17:38.130 So when they go in and say a blank swipe and say, if 288 00:17:38.710 --> 00:17:42.470 you're on probation, you're basically fired. Probation is not a bad 289 00:17:42.470 --> 00:17:45.830 thing at the VA. It's a structural thing. It's a procedural 290 00:17:45.830 --> 00:17:49.590 thing. And so that kind of clean sweep kind 291 00:17:49.590 --> 00:17:53.390 of...Then they're like, oh, we shouldn't let all those people go. Then they try 292 00:17:53.390 --> 00:17:56.550 to hire them back. You know, that kind of whiplash, kind of craziness that is 293 00:17:56.710 --> 00:18:00.150 affecting people's lives, it's affecting veterans 294 00:18:00.150 --> 00:18:03.270 healthcare, it's affecting veterans benefits. It's 295 00:18:04.470 --> 00:18:08.260 scary, really. You know, Bradley, every day 296 00:18:08.260 --> 00:18:11.940 you get up and you make a difference in veterans lives and you've got that 297 00:18:11.940 --> 00:18:15.180 experience. I hope that the Hot Dish helps you here 298 00:18:15.580 --> 00:18:19.260 in terms of getting word out, because it isn't just 299 00:18:19.420 --> 00:18:23.179 your state, but it's a lot of states that are listening to you. 300 00:18:23.420 --> 00:18:27.260 What would be your advice to that veteran that's struggling 301 00:18:27.260 --> 00:18:30.940 with some of those same issues that you are? I would just, you know, 302 00:18:30.940 --> 00:18:33.740 tell them to advocate for themselves, advocate 303 00:18:34.700 --> 00:18:38.460 for all veterans, to all, for all people anyway. And 304 00:18:38.460 --> 00:18:41.980 talk to your county Veterans Service Officer, no matter what county you're in in 305 00:18:41.980 --> 00:18:45.740 America. Talk to your local VA folks, try to support them, 306 00:18:45.980 --> 00:18:49.620 talk to your politicians, let them know what you really feel. And just 307 00:18:49.620 --> 00:18:53.380 talk to your local leaders, you know, and rally the troops. You know, those 308 00:18:53.380 --> 00:18:57.100 veterans. You know, if you get a room full of veterans, people 309 00:18:57.100 --> 00:19:00.950 will listen. I would say thanks for your service because you've earned 310 00:19:00.950 --> 00:19:04.710 it. But I will tell you this. The one thing I've learned many walks 311 00:19:04.710 --> 00:19:08.510 through my life is don't piss with a Marine. I've learned that big time. 312 00:19:10.350 --> 00:19:14.150 Thanks for giving us the time today, Bradley. Appreciate it. Appreciate you all. Thank 313 00:19:14.150 --> 00:19:14.430 you. 314 00:19:19.790 --> 00:19:23.630 My name is Jessica Petrick. I proudly served as a Staff 315 00:19:23.630 --> 00:19:27.230 Sergeant in the North Dakota Army National Guard 316 00:19:27.230 --> 00:19:30.810 for six years in the 957 Multi-Role 317 00:19:30.810 --> 00:19:34.650 Bridge Company that included a deployment to Iraq 318 00:19:34.650 --> 00:19:37.850 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom from early 319 00:19:37.850 --> 00:19:41.290 2003 until about mid 2004. 320 00:19:42.010 --> 00:19:45.730 My deployment took place my last semester of my senior 321 00:19:45.730 --> 00:19:49.410 year. So as my peers were preparing 322 00:19:49.410 --> 00:19:53.010 for graduation, I was kind of in the unknown overseas in 323 00:19:53.010 --> 00:19:56.760 Iraq. Also, as a female soldier, there were a lot 324 00:19:56.760 --> 00:20:00.320 of challenges. Obviously, being a female in the military 325 00:20:00.640 --> 00:20:04.240 is not easy. Maybe it's gotten easier since I've been in. It's, 326 00:20:04.240 --> 00:20:07.840 it's been quite some time since I was in. But of course 327 00:20:07.840 --> 00:20:10.640 I faced a lot of challenges of resilience, 328 00:20:11.360 --> 00:20:15.200 testing my strength, really commitment to the people, 329 00:20:15.360 --> 00:20:18.760 my soldiers and the people that I served with, and of course to the 330 00:20:18.760 --> 00:20:22.480 mission. Memorial Day really means 331 00:20:23.340 --> 00:20:26.940 perspective. The service that I have done 332 00:20:27.100 --> 00:20:30.860 has given me that perspective on life, on freedom, 333 00:20:31.420 --> 00:20:34.780 on what really matters. And Memorial Day is 334 00:20:35.260 --> 00:20:38.900 really a reminder of what comes at a 335 00:20:38.900 --> 00:20:42.620 cost and what that cost is. We've lost 336 00:20:42.700 --> 00:20:45.900 a lot of people since we've been home from suicide. 337 00:20:46.540 --> 00:20:50.220 And you know, I don't want to go to any more of those funerals, 338 00:20:50.470 --> 00:20:53.670 but I will continue to carry each of those 339 00:20:53.830 --> 00:20:57.670 individuals' memories with me every day and continue 340 00:20:57.750 --> 00:21:01.510 with that perspective. You know, my deployment really helped 341 00:21:01.510 --> 00:21:04.830 shape my life and really gave me a deeper 342 00:21:04.830 --> 00:21:08.510 appreciation for what service really looks like. You know, I'm 343 00:21:08.510 --> 00:21:12.190 really grateful for the people that didn't make it 344 00:21:12.190 --> 00:21:15.790 home. There were quite a few were injured or 345 00:21:15.790 --> 00:21:19.350 killed while I served in Iraq and really their 346 00:21:19.350 --> 00:21:23.080 courage and sacrifice and their legacy has really 347 00:21:23.080 --> 00:21:26.680 left a lasting impression on me and I carry that memory 348 00:21:26.680 --> 00:21:30.480 everywhere also. We have a very strong bond between 349 00:21:30.560 --> 00:21:34.160 those that I served with, especially the women that I 350 00:21:34.160 --> 00:21:37.840 served beside. We really did this together 351 00:21:37.999 --> 00:21:41.720 and we leaned on each other in those hard moments. I mean, there's 352 00:21:41.720 --> 00:21:45.520 been a long or a lot of times since I've 353 00:21:45.520 --> 00:21:49.280 been home that, you know, people have just reached out to me and just 354 00:21:49.280 --> 00:21:53.080 needed somebody there. Just really showing up is what they need. And a 355 00:21:53.080 --> 00:21:56.700 simple thank you really goes a long way. Think about how 356 00:21:56.700 --> 00:22:00.500 important those around you are. You know, I've really started 357 00:22:00.500 --> 00:22:03.900 to really focus on just myself and my family and 358 00:22:04.220 --> 00:22:06.940 the mission of the nonprofit that I work within. 359 00:22:07.820 --> 00:22:11.300 We have about 650 employees. We 360 00:22:11.300 --> 00:22:14.940 serve individuals with developmental disabilities 361 00:22:15.100 --> 00:22:18.660 and low income families through West River Head 362 00:22:18.660 --> 00:22:21.500 Start and early intervention services. 363 00:22:22.380 --> 00:22:26.040 It's a great place to work and it really gives me a purpose 364 00:22:26.040 --> 00:22:29.600 now that my kids are grown and don't need me as much 365 00:22:29.600 --> 00:22:33.360 anymore. So it's a great place to be and be a part of. 366 00:22:33.920 --> 00:22:37.640 I have worked a lot of jobs where I wasn't provided 367 00:22:37.640 --> 00:22:40.800 health insurance and so I've had to rely on 368 00:22:41.440 --> 00:22:45.200 Veteran Services and access is, 369 00:22:45.280 --> 00:22:49.040 is hard. You know, the closest veterans hospital and a lot of those 370 00:22:49.040 --> 00:22:52.250 services are over three hours away. 371 00:22:52.970 --> 00:22:56.690 So it's not immediate. But you know, I have gotten 372 00:22:56.690 --> 00:23:00.450 the services that I need. I was diagnosed with bladder cancer, which 373 00:23:00.450 --> 00:23:04.290 I do attribute to being within Iraq. And the 374 00:23:04.290 --> 00:23:08.050 VA has helped through that process. Does 375 00:23:08.050 --> 00:23:11.450 it need improvement? Absolutely. Is it a service that's needed? 376 00:23:11.610 --> 00:23:12.410 Absolutely. 377 00:23:18.160 --> 00:23:21.840 Hello, everybody. I'm Joe Donnelly, former US Senator from Indiana 378 00:23:21.840 --> 00:23:25.440 and a One Country Project board member. Today I'm 379 00:23:25.440 --> 00:23:29.240 speaking with three retired military veterans. They have served 380 00:23:29.240 --> 00:23:33.080 our country so extraordinarily well, and we want to talk about the issues they're 381 00:23:33.080 --> 00:23:36.560 facing right now with veterans care and with veterans issues. 382 00:23:36.960 --> 00:23:40.480 Talking with me today, I have retired Brigadier General 383 00:23:40.480 --> 00:23:44.280 Art Austin, retired Master Sergeant Francisco "Frank" 384 00:23:44.280 --> 00:23:48.040 Morales, and retired Lieutenant Colonel Sean Coulter. 385 00:23:48.040 --> 00:23:51.720 A quick rundown. Lieutenant Colonel Coulter served 386 00:23:52.120 --> 00:23:55.920 honorably for 23 years with assignments in many, many places, 387 00:23:55.920 --> 00:23:59.759 including Iraq, and was a Senior Advisor to 388 00:23:59.759 --> 00:24:03.480 the Afghan Army, former Professor of Military Science at 389 00:24:03.800 --> 00:24:07.600 St. Bonaventure in Olean, New York. Master Sergeant 390 00:24:07.600 --> 00:24:11.150 Morales is currently the Director of of the Militarily Assigned 391 00:24:11.150 --> 00:24:14.790 Student Program at St. Bonaventure University. He 392 00:24:15.270 --> 00:24:18.870 was awarded the Silver Star Medal, which was bestowed for his heroic 393 00:24:18.870 --> 00:24:22.150 actions on August 26, 2006, when 394 00:24:22.470 --> 00:24:25.510 Morales' Unit was ambushed by 60 Taliban. 395 00:24:25.510 --> 00:24:28.990 He was inducted in 2024 by State Senator 396 00:24:28.990 --> 00:24:32.510 George Borrello in the Senate Veteran Hall of Fame. 397 00:24:32.510 --> 00:24:35.390 Brigadier General Austin served in the Army from 1977 398 00:24:35.390 --> 00:24:39.030 to 2014. He served during the Cuba 399 00:24:39.030 --> 00:24:42.630 Fefugee Crisis, Operations Desert Shield and Desert 400 00:24:42.630 --> 00:24:46.150 Storm, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, for Operation Enduring 401 00:24:46.150 --> 00:24:49.630 Freedom and for Operation Iraqi Freedom. Austin 402 00:24:49.630 --> 00:24:53.430 has also received numerous medals and awards and is an inductee 403 00:24:53.430 --> 00:24:55.790 in the Michigan State University ROTC 404 00:24:56.350 --> 00:25:00.110 Spartan Battalion Hall of Fame. He currently 405 00:25:00.110 --> 00:25:03.960 lives in the small town of Cuba, New York, located about 406 00:25:03.960 --> 00:25:07.800 70 miles south of Buffalo. To all of you veterans, to 407 00:25:07.800 --> 00:25:11.000 all of you people who have cared for our country so much, thank you for 408 00:25:11.000 --> 00:25:14.360 being here with us today. Thank you. So 409 00:25:14.760 --> 00:25:18.400 when you look at what the VA can do, what the 410 00:25:18.400 --> 00:25:22.160 government can do for our veterans, because it was earned with your 411 00:25:22.160 --> 00:25:25.920 blood and with your treasure, what were you hoping for and what 412 00:25:25.920 --> 00:25:29.690 are you seeing? General, would you like to go first? I went to a 413 00:25:29.690 --> 00:25:32.370 course that they called, we basically called the 414 00:25:32.930 --> 00:25:36.530 Charm School for the Army. And we had the 415 00:25:36.530 --> 00:25:39.810 leader of the VA process get up and talk about, 416 00:25:40.210 --> 00:25:43.650 you know, improvements at that time. And that was around 417 00:25:43.730 --> 00:25:47.090 2011 or so. So I had 418 00:25:47.250 --> 00:25:50.930 the concept and idea that, you know, once I get 419 00:25:50.930 --> 00:25:54.210 out, I'm going to make sure that I get into the process 420 00:25:54.860 --> 00:25:58.620 to see what is actually being done versus what I've heard. 421 00:25:58.620 --> 00:26:02.380 And I had heard a lot of issues as far as patient 422 00:26:02.380 --> 00:26:06.140 care availability and those kind of things. Frankly, 423 00:26:06.380 --> 00:26:09.580 when in 2016, my first contact 424 00:26:10.300 --> 00:26:12.620 with the VA system, I was 425 00:26:13.580 --> 00:26:17.420 disappointed. I spent a lot of time following that, 426 00:26:17.500 --> 00:26:21.020 trying to figure out what right looks like, right folks, and that kind of thing. 427 00:26:21.590 --> 00:26:25.030 I'm glad to say that there has been improvements from that time, but 428 00:26:25.270 --> 00:26:29.030 it's a journey. It's a journey. Master Sergeant? So I 429 00:26:29.030 --> 00:26:32.390 retired in 2010. I had no idea 430 00:26:32.630 --> 00:26:36.470 what was available to me. When we're 431 00:26:36.470 --> 00:26:40.070 in active duty service, we're really not thinking what's 432 00:26:40.070 --> 00:26:43.870 next. We're thinking three, six months, a year ahead at the 433 00:26:43.870 --> 00:26:47.630 most. But crossing that gate into the civilian side of our 434 00:26:47.630 --> 00:26:51.470 lives, into the VA portion of it, we don't get a lot of 435 00:26:51.470 --> 00:26:55.230 information when we're getting out. We have basic information of what's going to happen 436 00:26:55.230 --> 00:26:58.750 for us, but there's no clear path on what kind of 437 00:26:59.070 --> 00:27:02.790 medical coverage is there for us for being retired, if we're getting some 438 00:27:02.790 --> 00:27:06.510 kind of disability rating to help us out financially, 439 00:27:06.750 --> 00:27:10.430 how that works with retirement. And around that time, there was a big 440 00:27:10.430 --> 00:27:13.670 change going on with it. So there was a lot of, a lot of unknowns, 441 00:27:13.670 --> 00:27:17.000 especially when, you know, you know, I was 38 years old, 442 00:27:17.400 --> 00:27:21.240 retiring from 20 years of active duty service, married, 443 00:27:21.240 --> 00:27:24.880 three kids. You know, I'm still wondering what I was at that point, 444 00:27:24.880 --> 00:27:28.680 still wondering, how is my medical stuff going to be coverage, how much 445 00:27:28.680 --> 00:27:31.320 money am I really going to be making? What are they going to be covering? 446 00:27:31.480 --> 00:27:35.160 And active duty army doesn't have a lot of time to really 447 00:27:35.640 --> 00:27:38.920 put all that information together on that process out, so, 448 00:27:39.160 --> 00:27:42.880 so there wasn't a lot until you actually are thrown into the 449 00:27:42.880 --> 00:27:46.430 water, so. Lieutenant Colonel? Yeah, slightly different 450 00:27:46.430 --> 00:27:48.590 take, I think. Rookie retiree, 451 00:27:49.310 --> 00:27:52.830 2023...or 2021, I got out, so I was a little later than these 452 00:27:52.830 --> 00:27:56.390 guys. And a lot of changes on the Army side of the house as far 453 00:27:56.390 --> 00:28:00.190 as how they handled the retirement process and educating people as they're 454 00:28:00.190 --> 00:28:03.870 transitioning from the military. Had the benefit of a very good 455 00:28:03.870 --> 00:28:07.150 transition class based out of Carlisle Barracks down in, down in 456 00:28:07.150 --> 00:28:10.830 Pennsylvania. Learned how to spell VA, so big success 457 00:28:10.830 --> 00:28:13.990 for them on their part, I guess. But having, you know, 10 fingers, 10 toes, 458 00:28:13.990 --> 00:28:17.510 didn't think a whole lot about medical care. But, you know, another big benefit I 459 00:28:17.510 --> 00:28:21.310 had is, you know, guys like Frank, guys like General Austin kind of showing me 460 00:28:21.310 --> 00:28:24.190 the way as I got out and kind of looking back to how we all 461 00:28:24.190 --> 00:28:27.750 operate in the military. Military, it's a bureaucracy like anything else. I mean, no one 462 00:28:27.750 --> 00:28:31.510 does anything alone in the military. You rely on trusted advisors, your 463 00:28:31.510 --> 00:28:33.950 battle buddies. You know, people to your left and right that have gone before you. 464 00:28:33.950 --> 00:28:37.370 And for me, that's how the system has worked. You know, these guys helped lead 465 00:28:37.370 --> 00:28:40.650 the way, showed me, you know, to go left when I should be going right 466 00:28:40.650 --> 00:28:44.490 and connected me with the right people in the process. And I've, I've 467 00:28:44.490 --> 00:28:48.290 had a very good experience up to this point between the VA disability and the 468 00:28:48.290 --> 00:28:51.970 healthcare. So in effect, you learn, you learn as you go, as you 469 00:28:51.970 --> 00:28:55.810 need something. Yeah, I never asked really the VA, I'd always talk 470 00:28:55.810 --> 00:28:58.450 to these guys or there's a couple other folks in the area who have helped 471 00:28:58.450 --> 00:29:01.090 me out. Now to help my wife out as she goes through the VA for 472 00:29:01.090 --> 00:29:04.510 disability process. Is Buffalo the primary VA center for 473 00:29:04.670 --> 00:29:08.270 some of you? Yeah, somebody knows. I think Bath is another site, right? 474 00:29:08.270 --> 00:29:11.990 Yes. Okay. But mainly Buffalo. One of the challenges. I 475 00:29:11.990 --> 00:29:15.470 live in South Bend, Indiana. One of the challenges we had was 476 00:29:15.710 --> 00:29:19.310 we have a significant amount of veterans and for 477 00:29:19.790 --> 00:29:23.510 most any care of significance, we had to travel about two, two and a 478 00:29:23.510 --> 00:29:26.830 half hours to Fort Wayne. We were fortunate that we were able to 479 00:29:27.310 --> 00:29:31.080 finally get a VA health center in the South Bend area to take care 480 00:29:31.080 --> 00:29:34.560 of most everything except for the hospital related type things. 481 00:29:34.640 --> 00:29:38.440 So the goal, I think for the VA has been how 482 00:29:38.440 --> 00:29:42.160 do we make it available to folks in rural areas and 483 00:29:42.160 --> 00:29:45.440 what other ways can we extend care in rural areas? 484 00:29:46.400 --> 00:29:50.240 So as far as care in rural areas, as I mentioned, my 485 00:29:50.240 --> 00:29:53.720 wife is going through the VA disability process. She was a veteran, got out after 486 00:29:53.720 --> 00:29:57.410 seven years, eight years, didn't do anything VA related, you know, 487 00:29:57.410 --> 00:30:00.890 until just last year. One of the biggest issues I, I did have when I 488 00:30:00.890 --> 00:30:04.650 went through the process, I traveled three hours to Cleveland for a PTSD 489 00:30:04.810 --> 00:30:08.490 checkup or something like that. A lot of trips on Buffalo for very routine 490 00:30:08.490 --> 00:30:11.450 things that we could get done in the local area. Now my wife just got 491 00:30:11.450 --> 00:30:15.250 a letter from the VA and they've got another subcontractor that they're working for them 492 00:30:15.250 --> 00:30:18.490 that her appointment's right here in Olean. So I think the message is getting out. 493 00:30:18.730 --> 00:30:22.050 You know, plenty of doctors here, there's no reason why the VA couldn't subcontract through 494 00:30:22.050 --> 00:30:25.660 them to do the CMP checks or what do they call? Yeah. 495 00:30:26.060 --> 00:30:29.620 So looks like they're the silver lining to some of the work that you've been 496 00:30:29.620 --> 00:30:33.300 doing. Is it pretty important to be able to get it right there locally when 497 00:30:33.300 --> 00:30:36.860 you can? With a city like Buffalo, especially 498 00:30:37.260 --> 00:30:40.860 from November to April, you know, 499 00:30:40.940 --> 00:30:44.300 8ft of snow in Buffalo, I'm not going, so. 500 00:30:44.460 --> 00:30:48.140 Right. It's, it's. Your town's about what, 70 miles 501 00:30:48.140 --> 00:30:51.980 away from Buffalo? It's 70 miles away, but it still takes an hour and 40 502 00:30:51.980 --> 00:30:55.700 minutes to get there. So what do you think 503 00:30:55.700 --> 00:30:59.300 is the best way as our service members are heading 504 00:30:59.300 --> 00:31:02.900 toward retirement or heading toward getting out? How do we get the 505 00:31:02.900 --> 00:31:06.580 word out the services that are available, you 506 00:31:06.580 --> 00:31:10.140 think from the VA? I think it starts with big Army. 507 00:31:10.460 --> 00:31:14.260 Before you leave the active service, they need to have the 508 00:31:14.260 --> 00:31:17.950 right folks with the right message taking care of the soldiers before 509 00:31:17.950 --> 00:31:21.550 you leave. Because once you get here, you know, the 510 00:31:21.550 --> 00:31:24.990 biggest problem that I face with the VA is they have civilians, 511 00:31:25.150 --> 00:31:28.990 great hearts. You know, they are dedicated to 512 00:31:28.990 --> 00:31:32.830 duty. However, they don't know who they're dealing with. 513 00:31:32.830 --> 00:31:36.430 They don't speak army speak. They don't understand the service behind it. 514 00:31:36.750 --> 00:31:40.430 And I would say that was my, my biggest issue. That's what I faced in 515 00:31:40.430 --> 00:31:43.990 2016. And in our area here is that we do have a 516 00:31:43.990 --> 00:31:47.740 VA clinic, but there wasn't a lot of information that you could actually 517 00:31:47.820 --> 00:31:51.620 go to the clinic and apply for to get into the 518 00:31:51.620 --> 00:31:55.340 VA through the clinic itself, we're supposed to use, 519 00:31:55.340 --> 00:31:59.060 like, the American Legions, programs like that are supposed to be out there 520 00:31:59.060 --> 00:32:02.900 to help veterans get into the system. But the issue with that is 521 00:32:02.900 --> 00:32:06.740 a lot of veterans won't go to the American Legions because there's 522 00:32:06.740 --> 00:32:10.260 a big stigma that the Legions are just bars. And 523 00:32:10.260 --> 00:32:14.000 nowadays a lot of vets don't want to go to the bars, you know, 524 00:32:14.000 --> 00:32:17.720 the smoking areas. And, you know, we need a 525 00:32:17.720 --> 00:32:21.320 different type of building in our area that says, hey, come here, and 526 00:32:21.320 --> 00:32:25.120 we'll help you get to what you need, you know, and, and yes, it 527 00:32:25.120 --> 00:32:28.719 should be like a, like a bigger version of a clinic here compared 528 00:32:28.719 --> 00:32:32.280 to the hospital where, you know, there's just not enough 529 00:32:32.280 --> 00:32:35.640 information of us to be able to go into the clinic and register, 530 00:32:35.960 --> 00:32:39.650 you know, because we were sending guys to Buffalo all the way up until about 531 00:32:39.650 --> 00:32:43.050 four years ago, until we found out you can actually do some stuff at the 532 00:32:43.050 --> 00:32:45.970 clinic, but you don't know until you kind of stumble into it. 533 00:32:46.610 --> 00:32:49.970 Right, so do you have a - is there a county 534 00:32:49.970 --> 00:32:53.650 VA officer who kind of tracks everything for all of 535 00:32:53.650 --> 00:32:57.450 you? There is. There's a county VA officer, and then 536 00:32:57.450 --> 00:33:01.250 we have a state one as well. But they're not always as easy 537 00:33:01.250 --> 00:33:05.100 accessible to be part of. And then also 538 00:33:05.420 --> 00:33:09.180 you have to make an appointment, so there's only one or two people there, 539 00:33:09.500 --> 00:33:13.140 and veterans don't want to go somewhere and find out, well, you can't see, I 540 00:33:13.140 --> 00:33:16.740 can't see you because you need to make an appointment, you know, so that's another 541 00:33:16.740 --> 00:33:20.580 deterrence when that veteran probably took the day off to go there and 542 00:33:20.580 --> 00:33:23.980 just let it know because our VA representative is 543 00:33:24.220 --> 00:33:27.860 not out in the community letting people know, hey, come and see 544 00:33:27.860 --> 00:33:31.460 me so I can help you, so I can provide these services for you. You 545 00:33:31.460 --> 00:33:35.220 know what I think has been interesting is my general 546 00:33:35.220 --> 00:33:38.620 impression is that the vets, they like the 547 00:33:38.620 --> 00:33:42.300 VA, that they like the people there who 548 00:33:42.300 --> 00:33:46.060 they know are trying, are trying to take good care of their veterans 549 00:33:46.380 --> 00:33:49.420 and care about the mission. And so 550 00:33:49.900 --> 00:33:53.500 I've often thought it would be great if the American people understood 551 00:33:53.500 --> 00:33:56.900 that they're not perfect, but the 552 00:33:56.900 --> 00:34:00.660 veterans really do. Like you said, General, they don't speak the 553 00:34:00.660 --> 00:34:04.180 exact language, but they speak it a lot closer than most everybody 554 00:34:04.180 --> 00:34:07.820 else. And you know, the other thing that I 555 00:34:07.820 --> 00:34:11.580 thought was when they say, well, this happened or that happened and it's the 556 00:34:11.580 --> 00:34:15.420 VA, probably in terms of operations and 557 00:34:16.460 --> 00:34:20.100 medical treatment and such, provides so much more than 558 00:34:20.100 --> 00:34:23.429 almost any other medical group in the United States. 559 00:34:23.829 --> 00:34:27.589 And I think their record stacks up pretty well. And I got to 560 00:34:27.589 --> 00:34:30.869 give props to the VA hospital up in Buffalo. I've been there for a couple 561 00:34:30.869 --> 00:34:34.589 of routine checkups as I was starting on the process. And you 562 00:34:34.589 --> 00:34:38.389 go to the parking lot and it's cars everywhere, parking garage is all 563 00:34:38.389 --> 00:34:41.829 full. You go in there and there's no lines, everything's 564 00:34:41.829 --> 00:34:45.189 organized. I'm sure there's some place where I didn't see a whole lot of people 565 00:34:45.189 --> 00:34:48.549 because I never went there. But just look at a very well oiled machine, 566 00:34:48.770 --> 00:34:52.210 nobody yelling at each other. You go to the pharmacy, you know, you sit there 567 00:34:52.210 --> 00:34:55.290 and wait. But it's not crazy like if you go to the local hospital here. 568 00:34:55.290 --> 00:34:58.930 Yeah. What you find too is, Master Sergeant, 569 00:34:58.930 --> 00:35:02.770 I'm sure you find this too, or that the people who 570 00:35:02.770 --> 00:35:06.290 work at the VA, for them it's more than a job, that they love their 571 00:35:06.290 --> 00:35:09.570 veterans. And a lot of times, you know, there are 572 00:35:09.810 --> 00:35:13.090 veterans who are actually working in those positions. So when you're talking, 573 00:35:13.490 --> 00:35:17.290 so when you get lucky and find someone like that, you know, it's, it's 574 00:35:17.290 --> 00:35:21.130 pretty much hassle free. But you know, you, we talk about our rural 575 00:35:21.130 --> 00:35:24.690 area, you know, we're making a two hour drive to get 576 00:35:24.690 --> 00:35:28.370 there for something that took literally, and I'm not exaggerating, 577 00:35:28.610 --> 00:35:32.410 literally five minutes. Five minutes! You know, and 578 00:35:32.410 --> 00:35:34.290 then we're like, okay, that's it? 579 00:35:36.450 --> 00:35:39.730 Again, I guess it's, no news is better than bad news. 580 00:35:40.130 --> 00:35:43.970 I was going to say, I think there's two ways to look at that. You 581 00:35:43.970 --> 00:35:47.510 know, that's where like the issues we're having are not necessarily at 582 00:35:47.750 --> 00:35:51.430 the big hospital in Buffalo. It's the fact that we got to go 583 00:35:51.430 --> 00:35:54.710 there. And there was a program out before where 584 00:35:55.030 --> 00:35:58.790 we were allowed to see a local doctor, but the 585 00:35:58.870 --> 00:36:02.710 red tape to get all that done was a nightmare. And there's a couple 586 00:36:02.710 --> 00:36:05.990 of times for me personally, like I was getting charged by the 587 00:36:05.990 --> 00:36:09.670 civilian hospital or clinic because paperwork 588 00:36:09.670 --> 00:36:13.430 wasn't done correctly or - And/or the VA assumed that I knew how 589 00:36:13.430 --> 00:36:16.930 to navigate that part of the road where, like, 590 00:36:16.930 --> 00:36:20.650 listen, you, you created this program. I shouldn't have to navigate anything 591 00:36:20.650 --> 00:36:24.490 but myself to that place to get checked out. You know, I shouldn't 592 00:36:24.490 --> 00:36:28.290 have to report anything back. The entities need to communicate to each other. 593 00:36:28.290 --> 00:36:32.090 So that way, the veteran, I mean, I semi know what I'm 594 00:36:32.090 --> 00:36:35.930 doing. So figure a gentleman who doesn't know how to utilize 595 00:36:35.930 --> 00:36:39.690 his smartphone doesn't know how to utilize his computer. How are they 596 00:36:39.690 --> 00:36:43.190 supposed to know? They're not going to know. Yeah, you're ahead of me, I think, 597 00:36:43.190 --> 00:36:46.550 on a lot of that stuff. What are the kind of things you hope the 598 00:36:46.550 --> 00:36:50.110 VA can do? When you look, you go, boy, it'd be nice if they could 599 00:36:50.110 --> 00:36:52.670 do this or if they could do that. And I think one of them you 600 00:36:52.670 --> 00:36:55.590 just mentioned, which would be, how do you make it so that you can go 601 00:36:55.590 --> 00:36:59.390 locally and it runs smoothly? And I've had a 602 00:36:59.390 --> 00:37:03.150 positive experience with that, but I've been a driver 603 00:37:03.150 --> 00:37:06.910 at it, you know, so it's been pretty easy for 604 00:37:06.910 --> 00:37:10.710 the most part, you know, but like Frank says, there's certain things 605 00:37:10.710 --> 00:37:13.990 that I still have to go to Buffalo for. When I get there, they're 606 00:37:14.390 --> 00:37:17.710 pretty squared away. You know, I get there, have my appointment 607 00:37:17.710 --> 00:37:21.110 time, they get me in pretty quickly, get it done. And 608 00:37:21.590 --> 00:37:25.430 we learn how to embrace the suck, wo we 609 00:37:26.230 --> 00:37:29.510 make a day of it. You go up there, you go do something else. You 610 00:37:29.670 --> 00:37:32.590 know, take, take the wife out to lunch while I'm up there, you know, that 611 00:37:32.590 --> 00:37:35.880 kind of thing. I want to tell all of you how grateful we are for 612 00:37:35.880 --> 00:37:39.520 your service to the country. When the country called, you stood up and 613 00:37:39.520 --> 00:37:43.080 said, count on me. That is something that, when you look at. 614 00:37:43.080 --> 00:37:46.800 That's what's kept us free for all these years. That's what's 615 00:37:46.800 --> 00:37:50.520 given us the chance to have the wonderful place that we 616 00:37:50.520 --> 00:37:53.920 live in. And so we're very grateful to all of you for what you've done. 617 00:37:54.240 --> 00:37:57.720 And with that, I want to wrap this up by saying how 618 00:37:57.720 --> 00:38:01.050 grateful we are to General Austin, to 619 00:38:01.050 --> 00:38:04.570 Lieutenant Colonel Coulter, and to Master Sergeant 620 00:38:04.570 --> 00:38:08.010 Morales and go Saint Bonaventure, right? 621 00:38:08.170 --> 00:38:10.410 Yeah. Go Bonnies! Go Bonnies! 622 00:38:14.410 --> 00:38:18.010 It's so important. Not only around Memorial Day, but all year 623 00:38:18.010 --> 00:38:21.610 long to keep veterans in our minds and in our hearts. 624 00:38:21.850 --> 00:38:25.570 You know what, Heidi? That's true. And we hope this episode helped 625 00:38:25.570 --> 00:38:29.050 explain what veterans are facing right now. If there's 626 00:38:29.050 --> 00:38:32.850 truly something you or a loved one is experiencing that you'd 627 00:38:32.850 --> 00:38:36.490 like to address, you know what, you got to let us know. Yeah, 628 00:38:36.490 --> 00:38:40.290 no lie. And you know, there's going to be so much to talk about. We've 629 00:38:40.290 --> 00:38:44.010 got this the Big Beautiful Bill making its way through, which 630 00:38:44.010 --> 00:38:47.730 is going to have huge effects on rural America. The 631 00:38:47.730 --> 00:38:51.540 retreating of this Administration from deploying FEMA 632 00:38:51.540 --> 00:38:55.300 to help people who get hit with really devastating hurricanes 633 00:38:55.300 --> 00:38:58.980 and devastating tornadoes. I mean, there's just a lot going on 634 00:38:58.980 --> 00:39:02.780 and a lot to talk about. But, you know, it's one thing for Joel and 635 00:39:02.780 --> 00:39:06.339 I to tell the stories, but it really is important. If you have a story 636 00:39:06.339 --> 00:39:10.140 to tell, you should reach out. And so I'm hoping you can email us 637 00:39:10.140 --> 00:39:13.420 your stories and your thoughts. Our email address is 638 00:39:13.420 --> 00:39:17.270 podcast@onecountryproject.org. You 639 00:39:17.270 --> 00:39:20.670 know, please also reach out on Bluesky and Substack. 640 00:39:20.990 --> 00:39:24.310 I want to thank you for joining us on the Hot Dish, which is brought 641 00:39:24.310 --> 00:39:28.070 to you by One Country Project, making sure the voices of the 642 00:39:28.070 --> 00:39:30.910 rest of us are heard in Washington. Learn 643 00:39:30.910 --> 00:39:34.750 more at onecountryproject.org. We'll be back in 644 00:39:34.750 --> 00:39:38.350 two weeks with more Hot Dish, comfort food for rural 645 00:39:38.430 --> 00:39:39.230 America.