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A production by and for veterans to learn how to help one another task a bite out of veteran suicide. We take with veterans about their service, things they would have done different, and what advice they would give their younger self. We also highlight community resources for veterans and provide an opportunity to connect veterans with community projects to help seniors and children.
Welcome to the Veterans Club, a
production for and by veterans
and first responders. Each week
we gather as a community to
share stories, laugh, and build
friendships that can stand the
test of time. Together, we can
help prevent veteran suicide.
One cup of coffee at a time.
Guys, welcome to another episode
of The adventurers club. I am
your guest host today, retired
Sergeant Major Roy Lewis. And
I'm so glad to be here with you
today on the Veterans Club,
where we say we empower our
listeners to make a difference
in their communities, and also
focus on a healthful future.
Well, today you are in a treat
in for a treat today. And we
have our guests special guests
today, retired CW three, James
Jackson from Oklahoma City. And
I want to say welcome, James to
the Veterans Club. Good being
here. Thank you for having me.
Great, great. And I thank you
for making time to be with us
today. Because I think I'm
really excited about the topic
that we're going to be really
talking about today. It's just
being able to talking about
reconnecting the veteran, you
know, and I've got a couple of
questions for you, I know you do
a lot of work. And I'm gonna
kind of go ahead and go over
your quick resume your resume
here quick, because you've done
a lot for a veteran that's been
in the military, you served 21
years in the as in the as a CW
three, you are a founding pastor
of the House of Prayer church
that is in Jefferson City,
Missouri. You're a former
volunteer in the Corrections
Department, Jefferson City
Correctional Center there as
well. Then you're a chaplain of
the Missouri House of
Representatives, that's really
something that's you've really
put your thumbprint on and just
about every part of society. I
love that. And then you're a
founding member and the chair of
the pregnancy Help Center of
Missouri. And then you and I
share the same connection
together. You're You're proud
grandfather of four
grandchildren, which is all
girls 20 153 into what a job?
Yes.
Gradually. The other ones? Yeah,
we got another one coming.
And amazing, just simply
amazing. And I can see your your
handprint on through our
society. I mean, you you know, I
want to ask you a couple of
questions. I mean, and the one
of them, you know, when you got
out of the military, what was
your, you know, what was your
challenge for you? Because
that's one of the things that
veterans I know, you meet, just
like I do you meet veterans on a
continuous basis. And, and you
know, how we do we get our
little circles and stuff. We all
have the same common story. But
what how was your transition
from the military culture to the
civilian culture?
Oh, actually, my transition,
actually, be totally honest, was
ignorance, even though there was
some information as far as what
happens? What benefits are out
there? Where to go? It wasn't
extensive. So So we kind of back
in that day 94 When I got out,
there wasn't a lot of
information. As it as you see
today, you know, it's we're
saturated with information. But
it wasn't a whole lot back then.
So when I got out, I really
didn't pursue
it the Veterans Administration,
and it's been a pitching to
things because I really didn't
know those things were
available. So I picked up on
those things later, as I began
to talk to other vets and I have
friends who are retired and, and
actually some that were still in
at the time. So they began to
clue me in on things that were
available asking me that I do
this or do that. And I said, No.
He said, Have you hooked up with
the VA hospital? No. So, you
know, didn't have my records
didn't have all the information.
So. So it was a little
I was kind of in chaos, if I
could see it that way, trying to
figure out what to do next with
that. So quite frankly, I did
nothing with it until later.
Wow, that's amazing. And today,
and where as you see the
landscape today for today's
veterans, you know where it's
2024 Obviously, the landscape
has changed a lot. But in your
own opinion, what are you what
do you perceive the challenges
are for today's vets? I think
still the challenge is that we
have a lot of vets who are still
not talking about their
experience, particularly if they
came through the Vietnam era.
And even some who went over with
the Gulf Wars and things like
that, those wartime experience
It is, I think, even though we
do have groups that they can
join, it'd be a common I think a
lot of that, I think is we
talked about
before.
A lot of those guys need one on
one,
companionship, relationships,
groups are great. But then
there's got to be a follow on,
where you have people that you
can turn to in crisis
situations. Now I see a VA now,
they're saturating the social
media and the internet with all
of these things, talking about
mental health and things of this
nature. And I'm so glad to see
that. But then the follow on,
I'm not sure what happens with
that, for finding that buddy.
You know, early on all those you
know, all those years ago, they
had the buddy program.
Well, I think we still need the
buddy program, we still need
guys after they get out after
they retire, to find that buddy
that they can talk to,
I think you you're you're you
are really hitting, hitting
something real close here.
Because at the Veterans Club,
that's one of the objectives
here at the Veterans Club to
reconnect the vet. And man wreck
the title of this show, if I had
to put a title on it is
reconnecting the veteran,
reconnecting the veteran. And
know like in our culture, in the
military culture, you were
seeing your leader, those of us
that were senior leaders, one of
the things are one of our task,
leadership task was to make sure
that
the people all are the people
under us were connected, they
were connected in their
education, in their health care,
in their family issues. I mean,
I know when I became a First
Sergeant, I thought it was that
I got really proud. And my
checks by chess got stuck out, I
thought it was about bossing
people around. But I had to make
sure that my soldiers were
taking care of their families, I
had to make sure that they were
going to school, I had to make
sure they got promoted, they had
to make sure they got paid all
these other concerns I had I
didn't even think think of when
I became a senior leader. But I
think what you're alluding to is
exactly where the Veterans Club
and organizations like the
veteran club are discovering now
is technically reconnecting the
veteran. And, and I'm gonna ask
you a couple of questions,
because your resume is really
extensive here. I, I see you,
you've touched your community,
politically, spiritually,
with the military. Gosh, and I'm
going to kind of pick your brain
here for the few minutes we have
on how to how do we do that? You
know, like, like, for instance,
like the, and the how would the
vet get connected with
healthcare? I think we already
know that when it's to the VA,
we know that we know that the VA
has, has improved. I mean, what
is your what is your thoughts on
that hasn't hasn't improved or
same or getting better or what?
I think it has tremendously
improved. I see a lot of the
actually going over to the VA
now. I used to have the mindset
so many years ago, that VA was
only for those old guys who are
60 7080 years old.
Well, actually not even 60 guys
who are 7080 years old, who had
nowhere else to go, right. And,
and, quite frankly, at one time
when I went over to VA, that's
really all I saw those Vietnam
era vets Korean War, vets
dependency, a lot of the young
vets over the young guys over at
VA. Now I'm seeing that I'm
seeing guys who are 3040 and up
who are taking it, it's improved
a whole lot. It's fantastic.
Alright, yes.
Now, what about in the area of
community? Now, I know you and
your wife, Doreen, you guys are
heavy hitters in your community.
She's also a veteran as well.
How was that as a veteran? How
did you How are you able to, to
affect your your community like
that? You're you're a veteran of
21 years and got a lot of
experience. And, you know, is
that a plus? I see it as a plus.
But I'm interested to hear your
your view on that. Yeah, I think
it is a plus. I think because of
the camaraderie because of the
community that we had in the
military for all of those years.
We would that translate it over
to our community after we got
out. So quite frankly, what we
did is we went out into the
community, we didn't just sit
waiting for people to come to
us. So we went out into the
community. We were invited into
many of the places where we
found ourselves. We saw a need
like the pregnancy Help Center
we saw that there was a need,
there was a void in the
community. So we gathered
People in the community that we
have met.
And we said, Okay, here's a
need, what are we going to do
about it? We were invited into
the prisons in the county jail.
And so we took advantage of
that. And of course, we see many
vets that are in the prisons,
and they have no idea what their
benefits are, and things of this
nature, so you have that
opportunity to connect with
them. So
I think the biggest thing is, is
getting out there where people
are finding these vets, there
are many homeless vets that are
still out there, finding them,
taking care of them as best we
can, as much as they want to
allow us to. And that leads me
to my next question. And you're
you're just really tracking on
all cylinders here is that the
emotional and spiritual support?
I see that in your in your
career? I think that, would you
agree that, you know, veterans,
that's our one connection that
we have together? Because it's,
it's it's great to get spiritual
and emotional support on from
the civilian world? But I think
we, I mean, what are your
thoughts? I think we connect
better with each other. We all
know our story. You know, I've
always said that. The one common
thread that we all vets have is
we all have that rite of
passage, that time when we we
went from the in to soldier or
sailor or marine or airman. You
know, so I mean, what are your
thoughts on that, just to the
emotional and spiritual support
to the vets? I think, what I
have found, particularly since
we've moved down here to
Oklahoma, there is just
a tremendous sense of belonging
of community, among the vets it,
we can put one of our one of our
friends said, you know, he's got
his card, he's got veterans,
pass it all over it, and
anything you can look at, he
said, I did that. Because
there's such a tremendous
respect. And once they see that
it changes the whole atmosphere,
it changes people's attitude,
when they see something with a
vet on so he said, So I wear my
hat, I have a frame on my car, I
have stickers on my car. And we
said, so we tried it, and I'm
telling you, wherever we went,
we would find those vets.
James,
I know you and I don't think
I've ever not seen you with some
type of vet or army, some, you
know, you always have the hat or
jacket or whatever it is. And,
and yeah, and it identifies
this, I think I agree 100% And
that if I hear your if I hear
you, I think your your call to
action is is that we've got to
reconnect? Yes, we've got to
develop those, the reconnection,
because let's face it in the
military, I alluded to it
earlier that we were as a senior
leader, and we were
commanded to take care of each
other. You know, that was. And
that was one of the things that
I had shared, when I was a as a
guest on I was a guest on the
Veterans Club, early episode,
that I miss, that there was such
a community of that connection.
It you know, we may have said,
we hated it, but we yet we loved
it. We loved you know, we loved
it. And it was that kind of
thing. And, and, you know, it's
I guess it's the old adage that
when you miss something, you
don't miss it until it's gone.
You know? And you're right, I'm
seeing the same thing with vets
out there to just kind of
disconnected kind of wandering
along the way. But when I make
that connection, I'm just saying
as you I've been in airports,
restaurants, gas station, yeah,
you know, we you name it. And
when I make that connection with
a vet, it doesn't matter what
branch it doesn't matter what
decade it is, something lights
up in that veteran where we're
reconnected from that moment in
time. And I think it's vital
that we
start
heating tube that call that call
to action to start coming up
with strategies, would you think
of strategies or strategies of
how to reconnect
for the bet so we can start
establishing a better
connection, that's that are now
because I think it's we there's
a full of skill sets, resources,
experiences that we'd have that
you haven't even tapped into yet
that the veteran brings to
society. And, and I hate the
stigma because I mean, you look
at movies and and, you know,
they make the bet, like, like
we're some wandering weirdo out
there. You know,
that there's something wrong
with us, you know that but it's
honorable position. I mean,
would you agree? Yeah, I do
agree.
Uh, I think one of the things,
we also have to ensure that our
older vets are not forgotten,
and that we do go to the
veterans homes, and we do go
down to the Veterans Hospital
and help them help them get to
their appointments and things of
this nature. And there are all
kinds of volunteer opportunities
down there. And what I found
when I walked through that door,
that there is this sense of
camaraderie.
When you walk through there, and
you begin to talk with people,
you see the smiles on those vets
face when they are volunteering
there. So yeah, I think that we
need to do whatever we can to
reconnect and to get them
connected. Can I share this too,
that one of the things that I
found by reconnecting during and
I both found by reconnecting is
that we found out things that we
that were available to us in
veteran benefits just by talking
to other people who've already
walked through that. Even after
we've done so much, we still
found out more that we didn't
know, but that through the
reconnecting with people out in
the community that that is this
wonderful man, I tell you, and,
and I know we're coming to the
close of our of our of our
window of time here, but I want
might want to ask you, if you
you know, speaking to that, what
do you what's your what's your
take? What is your, your one
message to, to veterans out
there that are looking to be
reconnected? What can you
uh, you know, what, what's your,
what's your advice? What's your
one piece of wisdom there that
you have?
I would say, as a retired vet, I
would say, as a retired pastor,
as someone who spent time in
those places that could be dark
or considered dark, you know,
the prisons in the jails, and
things it's making, talking to
people that my encouragement is
to find at least that one person
that you can trust. And of
course, that's developed over a
period of time, find that person
that you can trust final
community of this, even if it's
if you'd have to start with
social media, there are all
kinds of different groups that
are out there. But and that's
fine. But I would say find that
person that you can sit down
with, have coffee with, and look
him in the eye, and talk with
them and share your heart. Share
your struggles. I think that's
so important that we create that
type of community and that type
of fellowship. Awesome, awesome.
I know I have to ask this
question because if somebody
wants to get a hold of you,
James, you know, you have any a
website or you have any
materials or, or a connection
that someone can if they need to
reach out to you to talk to you
about on this topic? Well, only
we have right now. In Mexico,
people can always find me on
Facebook and an Instagram and
places like that we also have
a page on their group called
Keep it simple. And people can
reach out through that is not
necessarily a veteran's specific
page, but they can reach out and
find a community of people of
faith through that particular
page.
Well, thank you.
See You stinky chief. I know
you're a warrant officers and a
Chief
Warrant Officer, so I have to
call your chief by 207. That's
calling.
Did you have a salute? Yeah, I
gave him his first salute. By
the way, when he I pinned his
bars on I had the opportunity,
though. Nobody was gonna get
that I got that because I got
that with blood, sweat and
tears. Okay, ladies. Yeah. My
wife avoided me for a long time.
Then I finally cornered her and
she had to salute that flute,
right. That's it. My wife has no
military service, but she's
known my code word. amongst my
friends, she's known as a
commander. So when, when she
calls on the phone, I say enter.
So I snapped to it and get to a
position of attention. James,
thank you so much for being here
today making time to be with us
here on the Veterans Club. And,
guys, ladies and gentlemen, that
are viewing this broadcast.
Don't count yourself out. You
know you as a veteran, you are a
vital part of our community. We
you are valued. You have a
purpose. You have a plan. And
we're here at the Veterans Club.
We are trying to make sure that
we are reconnecting the vet
and in our communities. You
In our families in every part of
society because you are truly
valued, and I want to say thank
you again, and we look forward
to hear much more from you.
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
Thank you for tuning in to the
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