Breaking Barriers: Empowering Veterans and Women in Trades
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Unknown Speaker 0:42
You can see what's going on? What's going on? What's going on? Good morning. This is Veterans Affairs plus on 91.5, jazz and more. I'm Dave Washington, your host. Pleased to be with you on this Saturday morning. And as always, I try to start out with an announcement or two. And I want to mention what I mentioned last week, and that is that the White House announced that $3.1 billion dollars to address homelessness. Included amongst that is our veterans. So we certainly hope that something will be done to help the more than 33,000 veterans from across this country who lack permanent housing. Also from our commander, Jeff Jones at American Legion Post 10. He posted that there will be what's called PAC at summer that fits town hall and resource fair on 720 9:10am to 2pm. At the VA Medical Center, 6900 North Pecos Road, North Las Vegas 89086. So for you veterans out there, and always remember we want to make contact with Tony Marshall, who's our service officer. I'll give his name at the end of the show today. On the line, we have a good friend of mine, one of my former golfing buddies, Mr. Don Hamilton. Don, how you doing? Good. Good. Say done. Please tell our listening audience what branch of service Did you serve in it for how long?
Unknown Speaker 2:33
In the Air Force for 2025 days?
Unknown Speaker 2:37
Get it all down? 28. So done, where are you from? And when did you actually join the military?
Unknown Speaker 2:47
I am from a small town in Alabama called Andalusia. And I joined the military on six August 1962. Wow.
Unknown Speaker 2:56
I was 11 years old. So so how many years? Did you serve? Again?
Unknown Speaker 3:08
20 years,
Unknown Speaker 3:09
20 years? So how many different jobs did you have while you were serving?
Unknown Speaker 3:16
I can't even remember I started off. As a theater in 1962. Out of basic training, I went to McNeil Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida. It was right in the middle of the Cuban crisis, if you remember that, yes. pretty harrowing time for quite a few was youngsters because we didn't know what was going on. And it was pretty exciting, but pretty scary at the same time. So I was I was a military policeman. So we worked some pretty long hours. Our days were usually 12 to 14 hours, seven days a week with no time off. And we got through it in about the first or second month of 63. And I was there for from 62 until 65 At which time I left there and went to Thailand. It was the beginning I guess you could say 63 was the beginning of the buildup in Vietnam. And we had some first at that particular time in my career we we were the first ones. I won't say the first ones but we were one of the first bases to get the new at that time. f4 Phantom jets and they flew them down to our base on Armed Forces Day. And it was something to behold just looking at that thing. It looked like it was doing it about 200 miles an hour sitting on the ground. And we also that same year, one of the first few bases to get the new M 16 rifle. Prior to that we were using the M one ran and the m two karbi. So they they phase those out and gave us the M 16. rifle, which, as I said, we took with us to Tallinn in Vietnam got them at the same time. I was there until, I don't know I was there for about six months and then rotating back to MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida. As I said I was a military policeman but I worked some pretty high end jobs. While there I worked at what is now called Central Command. At that time, it was called Strike command. And the headquarters was at MacDill Air Force Base filled with a combination of all four military branches under one supreme commander for Star knew at that time was general policy Adams, he was Army General that was in charge of strike command that can encompass all of the military in South, not Southeast Asia, but the South Central Asia.
Unknown Speaker 6:33
So throughout your your 28 years, you were military police throughout.
Unknown Speaker 6:41
I was moved to a police for the entire 28 years. Yeah,
Unknown Speaker 6:45
that's interesting. Interesting. So as you were transitioning out, I do know a place that you've worked at here in town. So how did your military service help you with that, with that career change to civilian life, I should say?
Unknown Speaker 7:01
Well, I came to Las Vegas in 1989. And about a year left in the military. I had decided prior to coming here, I came here from Korea. And I had decided to come here and retire and go back to California because I went to California, I went to Korea from California in 1988. But when I got to Las Vegas, I kind of fell in love with the city because of the weather with us. I just prior to that about two years prior to coming here, I just began to play golf. When I got here was ideal for playing golf as you know. I decided to stay here. And I retired in 90. I went to work at Caesar's Palace as a security officer in 91. And I worked at Caesar's Palace for 80 years. And I retired from there as a security manager in 2009. So my military career specialty as a as a military policeman helped me a great deal in a job because there are a lot of similarities in what we did as military policemen and what you do as a security officer. Right.
Unknown Speaker 8:31
Interesting. So you did 18 years there. Now what was your I'm assuming that there was a rank difference from when you served in the military to your civilian life?
Unknown Speaker 8:43
Oh, yeah, we started out as, as I said, as security officers. And then over time, if you were lucky enough to get promoted, which I did, I got promoted to sergeant. And then I think it was about two or three years after that. I got promoted to lieutenant, which is the overall shift manager for the shift that you're working on. And I worked that until I retired. So it was pretty interesting. I learned a lot there. And I enjoyed it, to be perfectly honest with you. It was really, really eye opening to work in that environment and with the diverse number of people and groups of people that come through that Casino. You know, the entertainers, the dealers, you know, the whole spectrum. It was pretty
Unknown Speaker 9:45
well sound like you had two very exciting careers. Now, why did why are you in the military? What rank did you achieve upon your departure?
Unknown Speaker 9:56
I was retired as a senior master assignment which was, which is, as you know, the highest rank you can get as an enlisted person is a nine. And I retired as an eight. So I was pretty happy with that.
Unknown Speaker 10:13
Oh, yeah, he's up at the top of the food chain, for sure. Yeah, well done. What? Suggestions? I don't, I don't really advise people, nor do I encourage others to advise anyone. But what suggestions would you give to some young person who's given consideration to joining one of the branches of the military,
Unknown Speaker 10:31
I would say I'm kind of prejudiced towards the airforce because I was in there for so long. But I would say any branch of the military that you join would be pretty, I would say, pretty, pretty exciting. And it has a lot of advantages, you know, in today's military, especially, because it's all high tech. Now, when I went in, it was, you know, you know, you can get a rubber band and a couple of toothpicks, and you'd go out and do what you got. Now, you got to be tech savvy, you gotta be, you got to have computer knowledge and all this stuff. So it's pretty exciting. You know, people think of it as just boots on the ground. But when you put those boots on the ground, you got to be able to operate computers, you got to be able to operate drones, satellites, you got to do all of these things, and a whole lot of other things you have to know. So you can't grow into the military like guy did back in my day, you have to be knowledgeable of today's environment. And you got to be able to be deal with different concepts and different ideas. And you learn a lot in there. And when you call out now, you're ready for the world. Because everything you do in there now is the same things that people are doing out in the world today. As far as, you know, technology and things like that. So I think it would be to anyone's advantage if you're looking for a chance to learn how to deal with today's society in today's environment, you cannot be joining the military. I know a lot of young people don't want to hear that.
Unknown Speaker 12:33
too. I agree. 100%. So done any closing remarks as we wind down this segment of the show, and I certainly appreciate you for coming on.
Unknown Speaker 12:43
No problem, I would again, say that to any young person out there. If you don't know, right now, today, if you're graduating high school, or even college, and you're not sure about what you want to do, or how or where you want to go moving forward, I would give the military a good look. Because you'd be surprised at what you can learn and the concepts and ideas and things that you can pick up in there. And bring back to the table once you get out. And so I would say give it a shot. Just give it a thought it nothing else. All
Unknown Speaker 13:25
right. All right. Mr. Don Hamilton, we appreciate your time and effort. This is Veterans Affairs plus on 91.5, jazz and more. We'll be back on the other side with Miss Evelyn Pacheco.
Unknown Speaker 13:44
Once again, good morning, Las Vegas. This is Veterans Affairs plus on 91.5 Jazz and more. I'm excited to have our second guests on this morning. In fact, she was on at over at KCP a few years back. We were on the show together when I was co hosting with Commander Grady. So Evelyn, how have you been?
Unknown Speaker 14:05
I've been great. And and I just want to say thank you for having me on here. Oh,
Unknown Speaker 14:09
it's a pleasure. It's a pleasure. You know, just for the sake of our listening audience, would you give us a again, just what branch and how long did you serve in the military?
Unknown Speaker 14:19
Army in the house? Yeah. And I served in 1985. And I went to Fort Jackson. That was an experience coming from Minnesota, where it's cold and snow, right and then landing in South Carolina. I'm like, Well, wait a minute. There's no snow here, what's going on? And then I went to Aberdeen Proving Ground. And that was quite the experience.
Unknown Speaker 14:44
What was your total service time?
Unknown Speaker 14:46
My total was six years. I'm at 63 Juliet, which is a lightweight mechanic.
Unknown Speaker 14:52
Really? A mechanic that's always you know, when I went in, and I don't mind seeing this on the year I I had a marijuana possession as a teenager. They wouldn't even give me a top secret clearance. So they told me Well, you're going to be a mechanic. I said, No, not. So I went to class a couple times, you know, stood by pole. I said, you can make me come to class, but you can't make me learn. What do you want to do? Why shouldn't What is wrong with you? But you know what? I took auto mechanics in high school, and I loved it. But anyway, so you're a mechanic. I
Unknown Speaker 15:25
always liked tinkering with my bicycle and I would ride it as a young girl and I always liked to football. I grew up with the family watching boxing. So it was more interesting, I think to get off into fixing things, learn how they were what's happening with it.
Unknown Speaker 15:42
So So family wise brothers sisters,
Unknown Speaker 15:45
so I have sisters. I'm the only one that went into the military. As I got older and, and wiser I found out I had a lot of family in the Korean War, Civil War. My dad was Air Force. That's okay. Right. Dad was Air Force, but he was not his forte, Luke, found out that my brothers coastguards. And so it was like, wow, that's interesting. All of us were. Yeah. Oh,
Unknown Speaker 16:11
cool. Now you are the president. The president,
Unknown Speaker 16:15
the owner of Nevada, women in trades, and women in trades is actually a national organization, and international. So when people think, oh, Nevada women trades you just started here, you just did that? I'm like, No, the idea has already happened. So Chicago, women in trays started back in 1981, Ohio, women and trades in 1979. Then we had Washington, Oregon. Now we have many more states, Texas, Alaska, Missouri, West Virginia. England is getting in on it, Canada's getting in on it. And it's about supporting women that want to be into non traditional careers.
Unknown Speaker 16:57
So under your umbrella, what trades do you prepare them for? Or how does that whole program work? So
Unknown Speaker 17:02
we have a six week program. And our next one starts in October 23. And so info at Nevada spelled out Wi t.org. So that's info at Nevada wit.org. And we are going to start another class, like I said, October 23. And it consists of any union, I'm not just because I'm a Pipe Fitter out of five to five whoop in the house, but it's about what she wants to do. It's about what she her interest is because the programs are three years apprenticeship programs, five year apprenticeship, and that's a long time right to stay at something. And so I have partnerships with local 357. Local 12 857 Wow. 669. So and then I also have a relationship with the Culinary Academy and indot for CDL. And so
Unknown Speaker 17:59
is your training up reparatory. For a person me, you say six week program? Yes.
Unknown Speaker 18:04
Online.
Unknown Speaker 18:06
It prepares you to get into any of those trades,
Unknown Speaker 18:09
it allows you to take the math tests, okay, because that's the barrier.
Unknown Speaker 18:13
Yeah, you know, that's interesting, because I ran a program for a number of years, for women, also for young men and women who want to get into me and Larry Powell, many, many years ago, back in the late 70s, early 80s. And then as I got on the department, I became a training officer. And I saw this program out of Seattle, Washington, I'm reading the news, man, I want to feel let me do this. It was a preparatory program for women. And when you talk about the black guys, and the white guys want a peace of mind, but what are you doing? You don't get these women either take our jobs. That's it, man. If you sit on the doggone couch and don't want to promote up, why can't a woman be your boss if I just believe if you're capable and have the gumption to enter any career field? If you got the wherewithal, the knowledge, skills and ability why shouldn't you have an opportunity?
Unknown Speaker 19:04
I mean, I'm not a very big person. I'm not a very tall per se, but I was a pipe fitter, right retired other plumbers and pipefitters union. And it's it really comes down to loving what you do. Right right. I mean, there's nothing like me going on the strip right now and looking at Encore when Mandalay Bay Turnberry towers, Palazzo. I'm seeing the power houses and all the insane wow, I had something to do with why you're on that sitting on that toilet in the tub or you breathe in air. You're, you know, I mean, it's standing there. And that's pride. You know, that's it's interesting how I got done with the military. And then I went into my civilian world help my kids. And then now when I came back to Vegas, because my background was secretary, so that's interesting, too. So I'm going to college for Secretary Well, administration. And then I came back and did like a whole full circle back into what I did in the military, right? I mean, it's kind of like full circle, right like, and then got into construction and I just loved it. I loved fixing everything I loved the plumbing, the bracing, the welding, the I mean, it's like, wow. So
Unknown Speaker 20:07
what are the requirements to actually join your program, that six week program that you have? Yes. And then I trust that they will learn enough in your program where then they can apply for these other trades that they may be interested
Unknown Speaker 20:21
in, we go further than that, you know, because you can't just put a person in the water and get their feet wet, and then walk away from them and tell them hey, go, go get the other foot wet, right. And so when they come in, they come to us. And again, we prepared we have to do a whole process of application and we do that do an interview, and you're not just gonna come say, oh, I want to do this, we have you take a little minor math test, just to see where you're at. And everything else. And, and then we, again, we have you prepared to take the math, and we have you doing those things, and then you will get you your OSHA, your CPR, your forklift awareness. And then we introduce you to the five unions. So in the classes from nine to one, because what's happening is I'm raising my grandbaby. And I have to get her to school. And what's interesting is, I figured out well wait a minute, the best time for me to do anything is when they're in school, right? I don't have to worry about where she is what's going on there. And I got a time frame to Right, right. So nine to one. So right, you dropped the kids off at eight in the morning, you jump on our class at nine, you you do what we do, and then you we get done with a class at one and you got enough time to go pick up the kiddos, right. And for six weeks, it was Monday through Friday, and in three Saturdays because of the certifications. But the whole thing is we introduce you to the unions. But when we have our class in October, the good thing about it is at that point in time, when you get done with our class, we have a graduation forum to you got to have a graduation right. And you are able to jump right into taking the apprenticeship test to get into the plumbers, then then the following month is the it's the IBEW right and then it's the laborers like like I set it up to where once you leave my class, that you can just go bam, you can and I tell I encourage the women to apply for all the units, right? So you have a choice, right? You're not just like, Oh, I'm gonna, but what if that don't fall through? So
Unknown Speaker 22:15
in the in the pre stuff you do? If someone is just totally terrible? Do you do anything? Well, there's them I'm saying because because it seems like everybody's not prepared know, we're mentally to do these different trades. So there must be some prerequisite if you can't handle this right here. This is probably not for
Unknown Speaker 22:37
you. Well, that's why we have them do the little math test. Okay, why would it do the application so we really can see where they're at before and then we pick, right? Once you do the interview, and then we call you, you know that you know, either yay or nay or come and play again or however but but we have standards too, though, you know, because being in the military during nothing like watching somebody show up for late right when you're out and we know what happens when anybody does anything wrong. Everybody paid for it right military. So I already have a you know that that they have to if they miss more than one day, we we dismissed them. If they have to two or more tardiness, we dismissed him. They gotta have a C average, because you're getting graded and what we're doing, so you got to have a C average to their standard. So you're not just gonna come in here and think you just finished because it's not no. And then even on when I'm put out my flyers, you know, if you're not serious and did not apply.
Unknown Speaker 23:30
That's right. You don't have time. So how many do you take in we can take
Unknown Speaker 23:34
up to 15. Ladies, we started since 2018. My first class was 2019 and Pamela Goins Brown, who was now the mayor was the first Oh, I love her the first to recognize me and and to let us have our first graduation at City Hall North Las Vegas it and that's and that's so beautiful, right? She she's really been there for me. And she gave me a plaque of being the first black woman to get a plumber's license. And this fella forgot about that part. Yeah, yeah. 2007 When I journeyed out at the plumbers and pipefitters, which I didn't even know. And Don Johnson, who was my first year instructor, he came up to me, he goes, You know what you did? Don Johnson. Oh,
Unknown Speaker 24:15
good. Yeah, we were
Unknown Speaker 24:18
down. He's in Atlanta right now. But anyways, we opened his son, but um, he, he was like, I want to tell you something. I'm like, what he goes, you know, you're the first black woman that passed the journey miss and I was like, whatever the time, you know, this is 2007 Come on, come on. You know, he's
Unknown Speaker 24:33
somebody before. Yeah. Had to be right. He was no, no, no, no, I'm
Unknown Speaker 24:38
telling you. That he after graduation, we went over to a restaurant right after right across from Palace station. And we celebrated and they pay for all the kids my kids came we party and it was just so Wow. Right. Like, I can't believe this is happening to me, right? Like wow, who would ever thought you know, I come to Vegas and this is happening. So then in 2000 I 15 I had kind of a, I want to call it a spiritual awakening, because I at that point was taking care of my grandbaby. And I was like, God, I know, you didn't put me on this earth to do diapers and clean puke and do all that kind of stuff, right? There has to be a purpose, especially when you gave me the title of being the first black woman. And so I don't know how some of the thought came in there. Well, maybe I could do a women in trade. So I went to Chicago, talk with them with the California came back. Don Johnson, who I'm very grateful and appreciate helped me start giving me You know, I called him What do you think about this, but the curriculum together, and everything. So how is
Unknown Speaker 25:36
the program funded? 15 people in the classroom when you're working with them, they must Well,
Unknown Speaker 25:41
we got a lot of volunteering that's happening. We work on grants and donations, because this is why and and I had to really think about this, right? Because I said, you can't just have people just come in and drop in this. So we do have like a $50 fee that you do when you apply for our class. But we also give half of it back to you. Because you have to finish the class. But no, there's there's not a lot of that going on. So how
Unknown Speaker 26:12
how would people contact you that may be interested in your program,
Unknown Speaker 26:16
just go on our website to www dot Nevada spelled out. Debbie i t.org That's Nevada. wit.org. But um, but it's not always about the money on every chart, right? It's the beauty part of where when we're I was at women's build Nations last year, and I had one of my students come up to me and I was like, wow, you're here she goes, I just want to tell you, I was like, what she goes, thank you. And now I'm a third year carpenter. I was like, No way. And I was heard that that was gonna happen. I thought it wouldn't happen too soon.
Unknown Speaker 26:52
You know, when you when you run any kind of training program. Like I said, I'm the president, CEO of the Carl Holmes executive development as to, we don't care if a person just moves from from a firefighter, to what's called an engineer or driver. You get excited. They don't think everybody won't become fired up. But you're excited that they took the initiative. They had the drive, they stayed and you just smile.
Unknown Speaker 27:14
Yeah, yes, yes. Yes. Yes. It's beautiful. And we got another lady that's a third year and IBEW. And then we have another lady that's in the plumbers and pipefitters. Now she's second year. And she's making up to 1500 a week, y'all. Man
Unknown Speaker 27:29
is 21 years old. You got something going on here? Oh, yeah. So audience know about Thank
Unknown Speaker 27:36
you. So punches vegan Cantina. On July 21st, which is a Friday at 730. They are doing a benefitting for Nevada women and trades our pipeline. And they're doing they're having in just about veterans that are come there. And it's a comedy show. So they got four comedy, people that are going to be there and it's $30 a ticket. And you get not only you get to see the comedy show, you also get to eat tacos, vegan tacos, and you get a margarita when that those Win Win deal. And Nevada women tres gets part of the benefits from that. Excellent,
Unknown Speaker 28:15
excellent. As we prepare to close out this show. Any remarks you'd like to share any suggestions of pointers to give to those veterans out there period and women in particular, who may be interested in the Nevada Women's Trades Program,
Unknown Speaker 28:33
the women that are in Florence, the women that are in North Las Vegas City Jail. And the veteran women that I know there's 20 veteran women that are up in Florence right now, I just want to let you know that Nevada women and Chase is here for you. If you're aging out of the foster system, if you're going through domestic too, in any of this, this is a way for you to take care of your families. And to know that your past does not dictate your future, you can do anything so So
Unknown Speaker 29:03
I appreciate you so much, Evelyn, we're gonna have you back on the show. Because the work that you're doing, see, sometimes we get this male thing going on a lot. Well, I say sometimes I'm just not one of those kind of people. And I just think that if you are capable of doing something, you should be given that opportunity. And I think that you are making a way for a lot of women so I just pray that God continues to bless you because you're doing great work. So keep doing it and you are always welcome to be on our show. Thank you. Thank you, Evelyn. And your your program again is
Unknown Speaker 29:41
Nevada women in trades, y'all. All right. Hey, once again,
Unknown Speaker 29:45
Service Officer Tony Marshall. Do you have something some needs 301-537-9465 Tony Marshall with that. This is Veterans Affairs plus on 91.5 Jazz and more. And Wes will be Closing us out thank you so appreciate you young me
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