Empowering Veterans and Communities: Highlights from Veterans Affairs Plus
Download MP3Kevin Krall 0:00
You're listening to special programming sponsored by making moves life coaching services. The content of Veterans Affairs plus does not reflect the views or opinions of public radio K, u and v the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, or the Board of Regents of the Nevada System of Higher Education.
Unknown Speaker 0:22
Good morning, Las Vegas in the world. This is Dave Washington. I'm the host of Veterans Affairs plus.
Unknown Speaker 0:44
It is sponsored by my business, making moves life coaching services. Today we have two calling guests and a in house guests. And that is Commander James McDonald. And we'll get into our guests shortly I got a couple of things I need to cover real quick. Once again, Veterans Affairs plus. First of all, I like to give condolences to a number of my colleagues, their family, brother, Captain Leroy Norwood out of Chattanooga, Tennessee passed away, also the wife of Lieutenant William ward. Both of these are EDI colleagues and fire service colleagues that I just wanted to express my condolences to their respective families that I asked them information that was shared with me by the guests that we had last month. One of my colleagues, Eugene Campbell, former fire chief out of Missouri City, Texas, there's a newsletter that comes out from Veterans Affairs that I'd encourage you guys you can get, you can contact me at d o w wash@aol.com. Do W wash@aol.com. And I will share this information with you but very briefly, this call there's a debt relief extended for veterans that will be going from August 6 20 to September 3021. And is deals with medical and pharmacy co payments that you have incurred, that the veterans affairs are going to take care of that for you. So you can contact me by that email I gave you to get further information on VA benefits for family caregivers. There's an act that's been passed where family members of veterans who are who need care, their family members can actually be paid to assist them. So again, contact me and I'll send you all this information dl ws@aol.com. This is Veterans Affairs plus on 91.5. Ladies and gentlemen, I got some good news that I like to share after the condolences in that brief information that I gave you from Chief Eugene Campbell. We have one of our battalion chief for Las Vegas Fire and Rescue where I work, Lawrence Wickliffe. He retired recently. So we want to say congrats to him. The city of Chicago hired his first female and black American. Miss Annette Nance hope she is the Fire Commissioner that means she has the top job in that I think it's either the third or fourth largest fire department in our country. So we want to say kudos and congrats to it. And then out of the great city of Cincinnati, Ohio we have Michael Washington, we call ourselves kin folks not really know if we're related or not. But he just became the fire chief. He is a EDI instructor as he is in it. And also a graduate of the car homes executive development institute. And then a final in terms of announcements. I want to encourage folks if you're a motorcycle type person and likes to ride, Brian Harris opened up a shop. It's it's called E motorcycles. He does rentals as well as sale so so if you need further information on any of that, just email me D LW wash@aol.com. Now to our in house guests, Commander James MacDonald, would you give us just a little bit of background to our listening audience about you where you've been as far as your military service?
Unknown Speaker 4:02
Okay, Originally, I'm from Columbia, Missouri, and I was reserve in the Navy. So I was called up in the 100,000 in 1965. by President Johnson I did two tours of Vietnam on the aircraft carrier Hancock. And I was lucky enough to be an air traffic controller, which was really unheard of in 1966 and 67.
Unknown Speaker 4:34
Air traffic controllers. That's what your job was when you went in.
Unknown Speaker 4:38
And no, no doing in the Navy. Okay. And the Navy. Okay, so I took the test and after 67 You had to have a school experience before you even take the test. So I was very lucky. It was a great job. after that. I did not pursue the job because they were paying seven knew 500 a year, at that time 67. And I didn't think that was enough for that job. Oh, really went up in 1980. Would Reagan. So then I went to school on the GI Bill, and received a degree in restaurant management, and worked in San Francisco for almost 30 years as a front bartender in the hotels there.
Unknown Speaker 5:26
So as far as military service you did, how many years? Just two? I was in reserve, okay, two years as a result of active reserve, right?
Unknown Speaker 5:35
Six. It was six years tour, you know, two years inactive? Two years active and two years inactive after?
Unknown Speaker 5:43
So what were some of the assignments that you had? Did you leave the country or
Unknown Speaker 5:47
at all or I was in Vietnam, doing the active duty? Yes. So
Unknown Speaker 5:50
you're an actual Vietnam, I'm Vietnam era veteran, I went in 71 to 73. In the United States Army. No, we went he was actually he was actually in combat.
Unknown Speaker 6:01
We were on Yankee and Dixie station and Vietnam, USS Hancock,
Unknown Speaker 6:06
well, I, you know, I always admire and extend my appreciation to those and I think God every day, because if you go into war, you see something totally different than those of us who were even in the military yet didn't go to combat. So your service is greatly appreciated, I trust by all of our American citizens. And I always tell people, man, you know, for those who didn't go, we went for them. Right. But you know, there's, there's times when there's demonstrations that go on that we may not like, but that's why we we serve to give people the right to, to demonstrate, organize, etc, etc. Job will do tell me now, you have a number of things that's going on over it. You're the commander for how long is for for one year, posting,
Unknown Speaker 6:56
right, located 1905 H Street, H and Doolittle on the west side. And we we've got a lot of new programs going on, we have contacted the boy scouting, and we have that application for that we're going to get boys and girls scouting. And we were also reaching out to all veterans for all holidays, especially Memorial days and, and Fourth of July, and Veterans Day, we're gonna have food and programs all those days from now on. We got a Veterans Outreach with Tony Marshall. And he's there if any veteran needs any help with filling out paperwork, he's there Wednesdays and Saturdays, from one to about four if you need systems with that, his numbers 301-537-9465 And any new members, all you need is your DD 214 And I believe is a $30 fee yearly. And also, we have VFW at the same post Stevens Gibbs post 12 198. And they meet there every third Sunday at 11am. And our regular meeting for the American Legion is first Saturday at 11am.
Unknown Speaker 8:19
So give our listening audience a loose idea of the structure of your leadership team. Your number one and then as folks that work with you.
Unknown Speaker 8:30
I have the first face. Jeffrey Jones. Second Vice is Earl Morgan, finance officer is Maurice pass commander is Leo dancy. And we work we work very well together. Great, and we're getting a lot of a lot of things done. We got the roof repair, complete new roof, new air conditioning in the back. And we were we got a lot of other things within the next couple of months. Great.
Unknown Speaker 8:58
You know, Commander McDonald, I've been here since I was three and a half. And that particular location for those who've been here for many, many years as I have. That is the O El Rio location is right there, as the commander mentioned at Doolittle in Eighth Street, the programs that you that you run out of there, I think gonna be tremendously helpful to young people, as you mentioned the scouts. And that donation I just pass you because I know you just had a function this past weekend. Tell us a little bit about that.
Unknown Speaker 9:27
Well, it was for the false 1057 The old timers as you say it was a tribute to them, and they had the Buffalo Soldiers there and they did a presentation. So went well. It went well. And we're going to be doing things like that from now on. As long as I'm there.
Unknown Speaker 9:46
That's great. And you know, one thing I've been doing a lot of studying of history etc. And one thing that they talk about is how much we we as people in general and blacks in particular, we like to be recognized And I think it's a tremendous job that you're doing to recognize people, because sometimes people just forget about the the sacrifice that those military personnel, whether he went into war or not have made in terms of contribution to our country.
Unknown Speaker 10:15
Right, right. So we just we going forward, not not backward, so especially veterans, we're going to be having a closed giveaway and, and for homeless veterans, we will try to send you to the right places to get help.
Unknown Speaker 10:33
Great, you know, there's a number of things that I think that that we can do better in terms of the government. But certainly, it's admirable that you as commander of American Legion, post, Tn is going to do some things that's going to be helpful, particularly to the homeless. And a lot of times people don't realize or appreciate the fact that some of these homeless, former military people have been damaged,
Unknown Speaker 11:04
correct, laden was suffering from PTSD, and, and a lot of them don't want to be in a closed in space. So it's very difficult for them. A lot of the people, a lot of the homeless are veterans. So we're going to try to reach out to them and see what we can do to help them
Unknown Speaker 11:21
I've heard, don't quote me out there Las Vegas on this. But I'm, I'm hearing that there is some money that's going to be coming down through the federal government coming to Nevada, and I would imagine other states as well to assist people with mental issues, which, as you stated, Commander, a lot of our former military people are in that vein, and we've got to do what we can to assist them. So because I remember years ago, where a lot of the funding, just just try it up. And we hear all this talk about the need to reform police departments. And, and some even talking about defunding police departments, which I don't, I don't prescribe to that. But I can understand, you know, shifting money to other places to include, because I know that police officers sometimes are put in awkward positions in terms of their knowledge, skills, and ability has nothing to do with the psychology and psychiatry type thoughts in dealing with people with mental issues? Correct. Correct. And as such, a lot of times, there's there's violence takes place, people can lose their lives. So I'm going to keep my eyes on on any ears to the ground as far as this money, and anything that I can share. That may be of help to you over at the polls, I'll be extending that information to you. But we certainly appreciate your time, your effort and the work that you've done. So recapping, you got several different programs that you're going to be bringing forward. So tell the folks about that again, please.
Unknown Speaker 12:54
As we speak, we have the Boys and Girls Club starting and we're looking to see a check on the baseball team. But that's down the road. You know, we want to reach out to the community first and veterans. So we're doing things that will help the veterans today. I just want to thank you for this time, the American Legion Post 10. Thank you. And thank 91.5 also
Unknown Speaker 13:19
cool. So is there is there any way of contacting you they just stopped by I'm talking about people in general, they may want to talk to you about a loved one who's having some issues.
Unknown Speaker 13:29
They can give me a call. My number is 70235556 to six. That's my cell number.
Unknown Speaker 13:38
And would you please one more time for Tony Marshalls information as well, because, again, he is a good guy, y'all that that's been through. Tony and I had a long conversation. That's the longest conversation we ever had last Friday at the post. This man has been through a number of things,
Unknown Speaker 13:55
right? He's correct. His number is 301-537-9465. And he's the one of the best service officers going in the state. In fact, he's the state service officer now.
Unknown Speaker 14:11
Right. All right, Commander James McDonald. We appreciate your time and and your willingness to come in and be on the program to share some information with our veterans. Again, this is Dave Washington, host of Veterans Affairs plus on 91.5. Thank you. We'll be right back after a little break. Good morning, once again, this is Dave Washington. I am the host of Veterans Affairs plus 190 1.5. I do this through my business the sponsorship with making moves life coaching services. I am so pleased and honored to have two distinguished guests. One is a state senator from the great state of Oklahoma. That is Kevin Matthews, good friend a man who was is also a fire service colleague doing tremendous work there. And, Senator, we're going to have you to say a few words right after I introduce brother R key who was one of the principals and the president of what is called the Black achievement fund domiciled out of Atlanta, Georgia. He has a number of tremendous programs that will be going on throughout the year. In fact, and I know the Senator, you have a number of things that you embarked upon with respect to the 100 commemoration of the massacre that occurred in Tulsa, Oklahoma. So Senator, it's your space, Sir, give us a little bit of background on
Unknown Speaker 15:31
okay, I'm saying Matthews, a life long telson well traveled but a native telson in the state, the only state in the United States that not one county voted for our black President Barack Obama, the state where the Oklahoma City bombing happened, and it was a domestic terrorism event against the government. But this terrorism event was against black people and businesses and killing up to 300 people in our community. And we have a federal monument to the Oklahoma City bombing and we can't even find tombstones. In Tulsa, I spent 25 years on the product partner where I met Dan SAR chief, Dave Washington, the host of this show, and he and I have worked together, building young black firefighters to become fire chiefs. And in 2017, we passed legislation in the state of Oklahoma to support the 1921 race riot Centennial Commission that we're going to cut the ribbon on just here in June 2. So I'm a lifelong telson. I have been a firefighter for 25 years of fire chief actually, in the city of Tulsa and now working to tell our story, that story that was being told at the National African American Museum of History and Culture in Washington, DC, and not being told here. And so as we cut that ribbon, here on June 2, just days after the centennial, we are trying to tell the story in the way that it was told in Washington DC, what 5 million people went in the first two years that it opened. And we weren't telling that story here today. And well. I'm from a state, the great state of Oklahoma where I was the only black man in the Senate when we passed that piece of legislation. I have to work with my Republican colleagues, I have to work with my white colleagues. And it's a big big lift, but we're able to do that. And we're still full of controversy and the bills that have passed. House Bill 7075 says you can't teach it after we just put it in the curriculum. So that's why I am I'm State Senator Kevin Matthew said district 11, the home of Greenwood Black Wall Street and the 1921 Centennial race massacre.
Unknown Speaker 17:58
Thank you for that, Senator now. Tell us I know you got a number of things you and the commission that will be taking place and has already started if I'm not mistaken from the calendar that I've seen. Tell us a little bit about some of the programs that that will be upcoming.
Unknown Speaker 18:12
Well, thank you. They watched him. We have he'll Hopper coming. We were going to have a economic empowerment day here in Tulsa. I think that's going to happen on June 1, he'll hop is coming. We want to have people from all over the country come in to talk to us about economics, entrepreneurship, homeownership, land ownership and investment, which is the real way over education to the new civil rights. But we have to have the margin on the streets. We have to own the businesses and the homes on the street where we have an economic empowerment day here in Tulsa. We just got through commemorating the Greenwood art project. Many of you have heard of gab band Greenwood, Argentine Charlie Wilson, and the Gap Band from Tulsa. We have a Greenwood art project that Mike Bloomberg gave a million dollars to some 28 to 30 artists that are going to kick it off. We just kicked off today. Those activities in spoken word, we'll have a movie theater where they're going to be showing jazz music. We're gonna have all types of art around the city that tells the story of Black Wall Street. We're gonna be having speakers all over the city. And those are just some of the things that are going to be happening in Tulsa.
Unknown Speaker 19:26
Outstanding. And you know, let me tell you listening audience so you know, he's very modest. This the senator I'm speaking of because the brother is one of the top businessmen in his city as well. He has a number of businesses. Oh, I know you've written at least one book. He's an author also. talked about that a little bit. Senator.
Unknown Speaker 19:44
My personal mission statement is to empower those who have not been empowered. I am the author of empowering the powerless the five steps to a new way of thinking. My son Kevin L. Matthew, the second just debuted a book top on Amazon green Word, still burning. And talking about what we've done here. I also want to remind you that this is our 13th year that we have taken young people, young black kids in the summer when out of school and I supervise most prone to gang violence and teen pregnancy. We raised the money to give them a stipend to go with business owners for five weeks, three to four hours a day to not learn to work for the business, but to own the business. Now, we've grown that up to our chamber of commerce creating the externship program with corporations now 3015 young black women, 15 young black men that go with cooperation from a junior in high school, through college, because they always say they can't find qualified black folks. We're gonna do two of them early. Those are some of the things that we're doing here in Tulsa.
Unknown Speaker 20:45
Senator you know, I love you and appreciate your your fire your gut and your your passion for dealing with things that is going to uplift your people. So Senator, thank you for your time. And I know you got a meeting to get to I will be in touch. later on this afternoon. Again, Senator, thank you for your service.
Unknown Speaker 21:02
We look forward to you coming to Tulsa.
Unknown Speaker 21:04
Thank you. All right. Thanks. Bye. Now, we're going to have Mr. Our key hajus. He is the principal founding member of what is called the Black achievement fund. How're you doing, sir?
Aki 21:15
I'm doing great out here in the ATL.
Unknown Speaker 21:18
Cool. Tell us a little bit about you and how you embarked upon bringing this black achievement fund to fruition?
Aki 21:26
Well, first of all, thanks for having me on. I really appreciate it. And for Senator Matthews, we have over almost 100 members in Oklahoma. And we will be a very visible component of the Black Wall Street parade, the black Shimon fund, we are a national, nonprofit, black economic and community development corporation with a very big goal. That is black economic independence, for self determination or plainly Monday to do whatever it is that we need to do to improve our communities and to economically empower ourselves. Now, that's a big, big, big, big statement. People have been trying to accomplish that for a very long time. And now I'm here to tell you that we have a very simple solution, an amazingly simple solution to achieve this 10 million black people in our allies, plus $9 A month equals 90 million miles and over a billion dollars a year in capital to achieve this mission. So that's what the black achievement fund is currently embarking upon. We are open to anyone who believes in our mission and our guiding principles regardless of race, religion, political preference, sexual orientation, we currently have close to 2000 members in 45 states. We also have multiple members in Canada, the UK, we have members in South Africa, the Gambia as well as Australia.
Unknown Speaker 22:53
Yeah, let me let me say this, the black achievement fund is very transparent. And to that point, when I go on the website, which I'm sure he will, will mention here, my disappointment and it's you hope you don't get angry with me. Mr. Hodge, my disappointment to the fellas out there, we need to step up. We cannot because from the numbers that I saw, correct me if I'm wrong, three quarters are women. Fellas, we got to stick we got to step up fellas for the for the amount of money $9 a month. Are you kidding me? I've got my wife involved. I'm getting three of my older grandchildren involved, because we must do for ourselves. So tell them about the departments that you have. Mr. hajus.
Aki 23:35
We have the black achievement fund is comprehensive in scope. We have 12 program departments that range from real estate development, health and wellness, education, farming and agriculture, banking and financial services, manufacturing and transportation, international affairs, grants and scholarships, special initiatives volunteer coach and community. But all of our programs and services are free or at cost to members of the Black achievement fund. Our goal is to put people over profit 100% of the time, all of our programs and services once again are free or at cost the members of the Black achievement fund. So let me just give you a real real quick scenario of how all of our programs and services work. Let's take our Health and Wellness Department with the membership capital that we generate from the black achievement plan we will begin building hospitals dental clinics, things like that. Let's take a dental clinic for example. So Black achievement been purchased the building which is a dental clinic out of membership dollars, we own it outright, the black achievement been purchased. It's all in the state of the art dental equipment we own it outright. The black achievement fund pays the salaries of the dentist dental technicians and support staff. So when you as a black achievement a member go into that dental clinic, why will we have to charge you any money? This is the simplicity of the model. In addition to that the black achievement fund is in partnership with the freedom Georgia initiative, the 19 black family and friends who purchased the 97 one acre of land and then the 404 acres of land to build their own city in the state of Georgia. So what we're about is solutions to our problems. And building a city and municipality as opposed to building the neighborhood carries. So so so many advantages that we want to highlight for our community. Number one, once we become a municipality, we have the power to control our own police department. We hire fire the police department, we structure the police department, however we see fit, we control the political apparatus in our community, we control the assessment of taxes, the collection of taxes, we control the water coming in to our bosses, we can show the contracts for all of the different services that our city will be paying for. So these are solutions that are at our fingertips right now, these are solutions that do not require us to ask someone else for permission to accomplish these things. All the things that the black achievement fund is about when you go to our website, every single thing that we're talking about, we can accomplish to our own power, our own resources, and they can all happen tomorrow.
Unknown Speaker 26:11
That is great work that you're doing. And I should tell you all that your own Dave Washington here is a recent graduate of the black achievement funds ambassador program. So I'm an ambassador, we're not only just a member, but I'm an ambassador, who can give you more insight, if you touch base with me. And again, I'll give my email address dl ws@aol.com, do w wash@aol.com. Because I certainly want to once again mentioned with my colleague Jean Kambou shared with me and this is the information on veterans benefits newsletter, please contact me and I'll forward this to you because there's about 810 different things that they will do in terms of assisting you as a veteran. So the black achievement fund has been in existence since when
Aki 26:57
we originally conceptualized the black achievement fund, way back in 1996, as undergrad and at University of Virginia. And idea became so powerful that it ended up becoming what we decided was going to be our life's work 2526 years ago, and we stuck with it. And so, in the midst of the Trump era, we did our formal launch, and that was June to June 19 of 2018. So, June 19, this year is our big June 18 birthday party on our land and freedom, Georgia. So we encourage everyone who were looking for something to do for June team. If you haven't filed something we welcome you on at the black achievement fund. And our website is www.ba F dot solutions. And we have a page up there for our June 10 event. So you can go and check that out as well. Great. Well, 2018.
Unknown Speaker 27:55
Great. Look, I know we don't have enough time to go into detail. But how many members do you have serving? Male, female on your board of directors on our
Aki 28:05
board of directors we have we have five females and four male,
Unknown Speaker 28:09
please go on the website. Because one thing I think that we all need to do is ferret out, check out people who you want to be involved with. And I can tell you this from from my view of these people reading their Bibles, they meet the litmus test of being good leaders, for our community. So I would encourage folks to take a look. And also
Aki 28:32
every Sunday, we have an informational session on Zoom. So if you want to hear more about the black achievement fund, you can always go on Zoom. And I believe that on Pacific time is 11am. And David can share with you the Zoom link and information. I'm sure after the
Unknown Speaker 28:52
telecare. Absolutely. Or there's all the shows radio show. Yes. Well, once again, for that key, we thank you and your leadership there with the black achievement fund. And I think that the goals that you all have set. Now let me Hey, Soos gets on me all the time know what we have set. It's a weak, because sometimes I talk about them and y'all and I said no, it's we it's us. So I am in for the long haul because I just believe that there are so many things and one of the key things that one of our colleagues in this membership, who happens to be a white woman, she said, You guys drew me and when you say solutions, we can all whine and cry about this, that and the other. But if you ain't talking about solutions, you just you just talking so I I appreciate that part of the strategy and the discussion of the group talking about solutions that are things that we can bring forward to include banking, credit unions, hiring people to do the things that we want to have done and buildings Solid communities that we can be proud of. So I encourage people to look it up, look it up and, and you'll get an idea of just what the black achievement fund is all about. So I thank you for your time. And I look forward to talking to you again soon. And as we wrap up, if there's anything you want to comment on to wrap up, please do.
Aki 30:21
I just want to thank you once again. And I want to personally thank all of the Black and Brown veterans out there for all of your service. I want you guys to know that the black achievement fund is an organization that respects you and will stand behind all the things that you need to have a stand behind with you on as related to getting your fair share of everything from the government for your service.
Unknown Speaker 30:45
Right. Appreciate your time. I want to thank Commander James McDonald of American Legion Post 10 and also Senator Kevin Matthews, out of the great state of Oklahoma, as he serves and our community, our world because there's things that people need to know about what happened during that massacre. Thank you and we'll be in touch with you guys in about a month.
Kevin Krall 31:19
You've been listening to special programming sponsored by making moves life coaching services, the content of Veterans Affairs plus does not reflect the views or opinions of public radio K, u and v. The University of Nevada, Las Vegas, or the Board of Regents of the Nevada System of Higher Education.
Transcribed by https://otter.ai
