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Veteran's Affairs Plus discusses the issues that veterans in Las Vegas deal with on a daily basis. Your host, David L. Washington connects listeners with relevant community resources and information that they need to help veterans or themselves.
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This is a Kun V studios original program.
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You're listening to special programming sponsored by making moves, life coaching services. The content of this program does not reflect the views or opinions of 91.5 jazz and more the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, or the Board of Regents of the Nevada System of Higher Education. You
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what's going on Good
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Morning, Las Vegas. This is Veterans Affairs, plus on 91.5 jazz and more. I'm Dave Washington, your host. And you know, as I go through my my treatments, they tell me sometimes that you will have what they call a chemo, kind of a block, if you will. And apparently I got a gentleman on the line that I sent him. I gave him my number because I know he said, This guy's got to be a dumb as a rock. He's telling me to call one number, and he gave me his cell number. So Miss Harris, just hang on for a second and we will be straight. I appreciate you, sir. Once again, this is Veterans Affairs plus on 91.5 jazz and more. My first guest today will be Mr. Harris. We'll get him on in a second. But as I always try to do, on the plus side of things, I talk about some things that I think are good for us as a community, particularly us as veterans. And you know, my good friend, Frank Hawkins, he, he and I were looking at the project 2025 the other day, and he has a, he has some frank got all kind of apps. He's really into technology. So I said, Look, tell me if you would, if you could, can you go on a thing, and it'll give you an indication of what will happen if we get a new president, and he's a former president, and let me say this, this is my feelings. Dave Washington is the host of 91.5 jazz and more veterans affairs show, and nothing to do with the university. But I want to make that clear, even though Jason always does that, this the disclaimer before the show hits the air. So with that, I want to just say that, and again, as I mentioned last week, we have a number of police, firefighters, veterans, etc, who are supporting the former president, and I understand, but I want to, I want to bring a couple things to your attention. Again, something that I got from my friend Frank Hawkins. It's project 2025 a policy agenda developed by the Heritage Foundation has raised significant concerns regarding its potential impact on veterans. The Plan proposes extensive changes to the Department of Veterans Affairs, VA and other federal agencies, which could be detrimental to veterans in several ways. I want to go through these real quickly, and then we'll get Mr. HARRIS on reduction of disability benefits project 2020. 25 suggests that revisiting the criteria for disability ratings, potentially reducing the number of health conditions that qualify veterans for disability benefits. This will This could mean that some of the veterans may see their existing benefits reduced or future claims denied, especially for conditions the project deals as tedious related military service. Ain't that something number two, prioritization of VA services. The plan advocates for increasing the role of private companies in providing healthcare, processing disability claims and other VA benefits, while this might improve access to care for some veterans, especially in the rural areas. It also risks complicating the coordination of care, increased costs and potentially lowering the quality of services due to fragmental nature of private health care providers. And then finally, number three, massive federal job cuts, one of the most controversial at controversial aspects of project 2025 Its goal is to dramatically reduce the federal workforce by up to 75% over four years since veterans make up a significant portion of federal employees, around 30% they're saying this could result in a massive loss of jobs for veterans, particularly those veterans heavily in areas of the FBI and the Department of Justice. These cuts will not only affect their individual livelihoods, but also Dominic. The support and services these agents provide to the public overall, the policy proposed of project 25 could undermine the support system that veterans are on and rely on, both in VA and broader Federal workforce, leading up to significant negative consequences for those who have served. We have served the country honorably, and would be just a shame. So I just want to bring that, guys to you, to you all's attention. We know that it's a over 900 pages. You don't have to read the entire document. You can find an app, and I don't. I'll get Mr. Hawkins. He's going to be on the show next week. I'll ask him to to let everyone out there know what app he has that can draw information from from that document that so you don't have to go through all 900 some page. But with that, I'm off my rant and Ray but I thought it was important to share with fellow veterans out there and others that this, get this project 2025, can be very harmful to veterans, in particular. With that now I have on the show a veteran, and he's going to give us an indication of where they serve, how long, etc. Mr. Harris, how you doing? I'm
Unknown Speaker 6:15
doing well, sir. How are you today?
Unknown Speaker 6:17
Good, good, good. So what branch and how long did you serve? I was in
Unknown Speaker 6:21
the Navy from 1991 1995 served the board the USS Nimitz aircraft carrier. And I did get a little bit of that Desert Storm
Unknown Speaker 6:30
in there, little Desert Storm. So what was your MOS and what was some of the assignments you had doing that during that period of time?
Unknown Speaker 6:37
Well, I worked in combat. I was electronic warfare technician, which I actually worked with the operation specialist, to entail, and find all the enemy threats in the in the world, and relay them to the captain so the EA 6p pilots can go out there and verify what we told them it was and make sure that wasn't a threat to the US.
Unknown Speaker 6:59
Wow, that's a pretty interesting field, and one that's obviously much needed for keeping us American citizens safe, if you will.
Unknown Speaker 7:11
Yes, sir. So
Unknown Speaker 7:13
I want you to talk a little bit about you and your wife. You guys own your own business. It's one that I go to from time to time. Tell us a little bit about that. Well,
Unknown Speaker 7:26
we moved here in March before years from Houston, Texas, originally from Louisiana, and we saw a date for some authentic Cajun food. So we opened a restaurant called Cajun mouth, and we're located on 3441 West Sahara, between Sahara and Valley View, we've been there in the restaurant in April, be three years, and we strive to give back to the community and do the best we can to give great customer service, day in and day out.
Unknown Speaker 7:59
Excellent, excellent. So you've been there, you say, about three years. April b3, years. Okay, so your study, I assume, building your clientele.
Unknown Speaker 8:12
Yes, sir, every day we're working relentless to be a clientele and just show people what southern hospitality is all about. That's
Unknown Speaker 8:24
excellent. I know you had two young waitresses that works with you guys as well, and I made a comment. I asked your wife, could I, could I speak to them? Because I got a sister that's 44 year waitress, and she makes bank man, and a lot of it has to do with personality and how you carry yourself. And I spoke to the young ladies, and they seem receptive, if you will, but I didn't want to be messing with your staff without getting some approval bare, because I will get run up out of the store. But no, I mean, y'all got excellent food. In fact, I go by all the time. One of my favorites is red beans and rice and those greens. Well, one of the
Unknown Speaker 9:03
things I would tell you, sir, is that I really appreciate the feedback, because I think the young, the younger generation that really understand, and I think just all of the fabric of America that understand how important customer service really is, and it's the fabric of your business. Just like, you know, I would tell people when they will say different things to me involving military and racism and different things. I'll tell people, until you join the military, you can't really tell me about the fabric of America. You've done that, because it's a totally different ball game, even when you step out there, and I can imagine how rough it was for you back in the days it was, it was me going in the 90s. I can imagine what my dad did in the 70s, right? So shout out to all the veterans that are out there that are working really, really hard to to maintain and you. It and survive what they've been through in the military. It wasn't, it wasn't an easy task all those that he had do 2030, years. Big shout out. Big shout out.
Unknown Speaker 10:13
Excellent. So from your, your your four years or so in the military, what did you learn that you took to your business, if you will.
Unknown Speaker 10:24
Well, what I learned that I took to my business was the discipline of cleanliness, the discipline of treating people with dignity and respect. There's a lot of things that I learned from the military that I took for me, and I would tell a bunch of young adults, if you have no idea what you're going to do, what you're going to be in life, there's nothing wrong with giving up a good four years of your life to go see what's different but but mainly the professionalism of treating people with dignity and respect. And that was huge for me, even in starting my own business.
Unknown Speaker 11:06
You know, that's actually, in fact, I got two I'm trying to, I think they would be my cousins. One just graduated last week down in South Carolina, somewhere in the army. She's going, she's in her ait for air traffic controller, and her brother is also in the military. I don't know what his MOS is, but they're taking that opportunity to to go out see some parts of the world, and hopefully, as you mentioned, learn some discipline and how to get things done. And I think that's very, very important. And there's also trials and tribulations that certainly we have to go through. And I tell people, and I mentioned it several times on this show, how I got court martialed for something that I did was wrong, and like I say, we went to the military to ensure that we could support American citizens to have the right to protest and any other thing along those lines, however, you can't be taking over and destroying things and not expect to have to to pay a price. And what I did was, and I said, You know what, I'm not going out here with a dishonorable discharge that would be a stain on me, personally, as well as my family. So I talked to the folks I needed to talk to, and they told me what I had to do to make it right, and I did so, and thank God I was led that way, because I can tell you that had I not gotten my honorable discharge, the likelihood of me having a 33 year career with Las Vegas Fire and Rescue would not have happened, because on the test, I scored 87 and with those five military points, it put me up into the 90s, where generally is the population that's going to be selected for positions within the fire service. Any comments in regards to just the things that you learn? Well,
Unknown Speaker 12:59
one of the biggest things I learned is not to be so self limit, to not think about others, because it was so many ethnicities that some people hadn't really in the Navy for me and my my Moses was, you know, it wasn't a lot of black men doing what I was doing and having a toxic player. So, you know, I had friends in my division of different people that had never seen black people, had never been around black people. So to be adjusted and really learning what life has to give me from a broader perspective, coming from the south, you know, it really just showed me that you can be whatever you want to be, or whoever you can be in the midst of everything that's going on now, even politically and just in America, it's just, it's just different, right? So I thank God for just, just that, to let me see that along. And I wish a lot of young men will go just to see for themselves, you know, something different, if they don't have an aspect of life or what they want to do,
Unknown Speaker 14:08
that's a great point. And I can tell you that it's interesting that you would make those kind of comments, because I think you learn a lot there, and you have to be smart enough, wise enough to take heed to to the things that you will learn. In fact, here I am working for for Mr. Hawkins. And believe it or not, early, just as I was turning 18, and I don't mind sharing this my family, you say, Well, you tell people that I got I had a marijuana possession. So as a consequence, they didn't give me a top they didn't originally give me, or initially give me a top secret clearance. So they wanted me to be a mechanic. Now I took High School auto mechanics, so it wasn't about me getting my hands dirty, anything like that. So I said, you know. I don't want to be a mechanic. They say, Well, what do you want to be? I used to watch my mother bake cakes. So say, I want to be a baker. And I mentioned this to the audience before they said, We don't have no baking school here. They said, tell you what. We have cook school, and it has a chapter on baking. I say, I'll take it. Thank you very much. So that's how I became a cook. I also worked some some time in supplies and equipment. But the interesting thing you do learn how to work. And as far as me working in the kitchen as a as a first class and then then a spec four, I ran a doggone kitchen because Sergeant Jenkins, God rest his soul, because he would be in his 90s if he was still alive today, and he could be, but I could tell you, say, Washington, I want you to run this kitchen. So I was up early. You know, when you got to when you got that morning shift, man, I'm talking about five o'clock. You got to be rocking and rolling, because when those soldiers come in for their meals, you can't be half stepping man, kitchens got to be clean, and all those who are working under your leadership, man, you got to deal with them in a proper way. And like I say, respect for one another and those who are working with you is a key to success in a lot of ways. In my humble opinion, further thoughts.
Unknown Speaker 16:23
Oh, yeah, absolutely
Unknown Speaker 16:24
correct. I mean, I've learned so much in life, and still I learned that humility. It takes you so much further than what people imagine in life, and sometimes just being humble and just thank God for just what it is that you have and and all the people that you're crossing your life, whether it was good or bad, right? How can you use that to a benefit? The good people, you embrace them, the bad people you you pray for them, and you continue to to, to keep praying for them, you know that we all would see disability in America and as people absolutely because it's a tough road to go go down every day, but you know you just keep trying to be the best you can be. And I really appreciate you know, going through the four years of the military, it just taught me so much, you know, that I just want to share. And I think about all the friends and people that I met along the way that I would have never met, that inspire me every day. And that thing, when you think about the friendships that you made in the military, and you going away from home, and you have nobody else that's that's second to none that, I mean, you just named somebody that will probably be in their 90s and maybe dead now, but you think about that person that made an impact on your life way back when, absolutely that you can think about somebody that made an impact on your life that you can still Think of no doubt, it was probably 50 years ago.
Unknown Speaker 18:03
That's right, that's right. Look, I haven't heard from my second guest, so we'll take a few more minutes, if we if you would be willing to do so, and I want to swing back to your business once again. Please tell our listening audience where you're located and what kind of food you serve there. I think it's important for them to know, yeah,
Unknown Speaker 18:22
once again, our business is called Cajun mouth. And it's crazy how we got the name, because my wife would always tell me, say, you eat everything out the swamp with your Cajun mouth, but, but she used the other words. I was like, Oh, they got a kind of ring to it, but we sell fish, shrimp, oysters, trouble, oysters, gumbo, alligator, Boudin, pastas and more. We're located at 3441 with Sahara Avenue, and we're open from 11 to seven Tuesday through Saturday, and we look forward to you guys coming to visit. Well,
Unknown Speaker 19:05
I can tell you that I'm surprised Weston whispering my ear. Yeah, I'm glad he didn't cuss, because West Julie, particularly when they come, when folks come to the studio, you let them know you can't be cussing on radio. And I have, I have, I have learned to be very disciplined in that regard. So, brother Harris, once again, we thank you so so, so very much for hanging in there with us. And again, hopefully folks will hear the show and some will come and to include young folks who will take that advice that you gave to and do something with it, because I think it's a golden opportunity for you to learn something that, in fact, like in terms of my young cousin, air traffic controllers, I told you, you're entering a very, very stress field profession, but. I tell you from that training that you're embarking upon, it will be very useful in in your civilian life once you fulfill your military obligation. So Brother Harris, I want to thank you again for your time and effort. And hey, Be Cool man, and you'll see me again around this around the store. So any closing remarks from No
Unknown Speaker 20:21
sir, I just want to say once again, thank you for supporting our business, thank you for coming by, and I thank you for giving me an opportunity to speak on your platform. And I wish you well, and I need it so
Unknown Speaker 20:33
Alright, thank you, sir. We'll be back on the other side. Surely. This is Veterans Affairs, plus on 91.5 jazz and more. I'm Dave Washington, your host,
Unknown Speaker 20:50
once again, this is Veterans Affairs, plus on 91.5 jazz and more. I am pleased to have Mr. Frank Hawkins on the line. We're going to talk about a few things my second guess was unable to make it, so I call on my friend, Mr. Hawkins, Hey, Boss, can you come in and talk for a minute on a couple items? Because, in fact, he's going to be on the full show for next week. So Mr. Frank Hawkins, how you doing, sir?
Unknown Speaker 21:15
I am wonderful chief. How you doing today?
Unknown Speaker 21:17
Hey, man, I'm in the scramble mode. I told the senator when I text, I say, Look, if you don't make it, it just put me in the scramble mode. But that's what happens in radio. So with that, yeah, so frank, give us an update on what's going on in the cannabis world. I think it's something that would be of interest to veterans out there and others. Well, you
Unknown Speaker 21:37
know, there's a lot going on and then there's not a lot going on. There's very little that. At our last conversation, when I was on with you guys talking to your audience and your veteran family, we were talking about the local laws and how the state of Nevada was revising and making changes to NCCR regulations, 4567, 12 and 13. They have actually voted on those regulations, and now they have to go back to the legislature, the Legislative Council Bureau and the either Ways and Means Committee, or one of the money committees, and then be voted out, and then come back to the CCB, the Cannabis Control Board, and they vote in public before the people. So the big issue then was making sure that any flower that's marijuana, cannabis that failed the state's test, and there's like 50 items that they test for that, if you eradicated or radiated it, then there needed to be a symbol and an explanation placed on the package. That was what the vast majority of the public wanted, but it is not what the CCB approved. Actually, they did approve it, and then one of the commissioners or board members said they didn't understand it, so they had to rescind it, and there was a new motion made, and they didn't get any votes. So a different motion was made to accept it the way it was written, with no changes. And so therefore it went to the Legislative Council Bureau, and the board is the assembly and senate for them to have another vote, we believe that it's going to come back. Hopefully they'll change it and send it back to the CCB to approve, because the public has a right to know, even though we may eat and drink stuff that's not good or healthy for us, but it's on the label, right or not? We read the label fine, but it should be on the label. And I'm suggesting that folks are out there listening, elect the person will call the Cannabis Control Board and let them know that you want to know if your rate your marijuana, your cannabis that you're purchasing has been read radiated, and if it has been you want them to have the symbol and a special notice written on the packet. So second thing I'd like I can update and tell you about is the federal government. You know, there's been lots of discussion about them, changing the laws, removing cannabis, because it's legal in so many states, still illegal federally, the Biden administration was moving forward, thinking that they were going to have that done this session. Population as of right now, it doesn't look like that's going to happen. And if they don't legalize it federally, then you know that's really going to depend on the politicians. The Democrats appear to be in favor. The Republicans appear not to be in favor of legalizing of marijuana. It's an important issue and an important item that needs to be resolved, because we have 75% of the states where it's legal and federally it isn't, which still causes problems. And it's on, they're taking it off schedule one, which make a huge difference for people like me who were in the marijuana business for disclosure, right that we would be taxed like ordinary businesses. But currently we are not. We are not allowed to take and utilize current taxes because federally, it's an illegal business. So that's the two updates as it relates to state and local marijuana and federal marijuana, but we'll say marijuana is still growing and spreading all over the country, and more and more people are using it For medical and recreational issues, problems that they may have, and it's been around since the beginning of the time. And as we all know, it comes from the earth, which means it comes from the good Lord. Well,
Unknown Speaker 26:31
you know what? Frank to that point, and I have no shame, I'm just not waiting on these doctors with my particular cancer issue. I tell people I'm taking a 5000 milligram this little drop bin, and, you know, I'm doing everything on my side. You know, I'm not a doctor, but I'm doing things that I've been told by others that have helped to reduce their tumor. Additionally, I know you remember John rose, John turned me on just last week to a smoothie of fruits and vegetables. It helps to reduce a tumor. So Frank, I ain't waiting on nobody. I'm doing everything I can to try to help this old, old body of man. But very quickly, Frank, and we got a couple more minutes, real quickly, could you you made several points on the state? Could you clarify those again? Real quickly, you made some points. Yes, please.
Unknown Speaker 27:25
Sure. So we are going to be on the lookout, and I encourage the community, the listeners, to get involved. NCCR, regulations, 4567, 12 and 13, they've all been passed by the CCB now gets referred back to the state, and then the those committees will review and then send it back to the CCB to have a public comment and then have final vote. We, I, and the folks that I represent think that item number NCCR number 12 needs to be a couple things added to that, and those two things are the symbol that lets you know if the marijuana cannabis has been radiated. Now,
Unknown Speaker 28:23
let me ask you this so frank on that radiated says that take away the level on the product, and we got about a minute to go. Yet. Does it take away from the strength of what does that radiation do? So that
Unknown Speaker 28:36
kills a lot of the microbials? That is within the flower. But so, you know, there's good and bad, but my whole point is, whether it's good or bad, that's not my interest. My interest is the public has a right to know that it is, that it is not grown in your soil or in your water and then dried and then test it and then sold to you. They there. There's been another step added before it's been tested. They put it in this microwave oven and cooked it okay. They cooked off the stuff that could be harmful, right? And if you have different allergies or system some issues, physical issues within your immune system that might negatively hurt you by smoking it and you don't know. All right, so give the people the right to know. All right.
Unknown Speaker 29:33
Very good. Well, we appreciate it. And once again, this is Veterans Affairs, plus on 91.5 jazz and more. I'm going to have Mr. Hawkins on our show for next week, so we're going to wrap it up and we will talk to you next week. Mr. Hawkins, thank you, sir. Thanks. You.
Transcribed by https://otter.ai