Veteran's Affairs Plus W/ David L. Washington

Announcer
0:00:00
This is a KUNV Studios original program.

Wesley Knight
0:00:04
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 & More,

Wesley Knight
0:00:14
the University of Nevada Las Vegas.

Gene Campbell
0:00:52
Good morning, good morning, good morning Las Vegas. This is Gene Campbell and I'm sitting in again for David L. Washington. David Lee, as he's on a hiatus taking care of his health, so I just want to make sure you're putting him in your hearts and minds because David is an advocate for the community. He loves doing this and he loves interviewing the guests. maybe almost close to 100 now on this show.

Gene Campbell
0:01:21
This is Veterans Affairs Plus at KUNV. That's a radio station now at UNLV. So I want to thank them. And I want to thank Wes, our engineer, our great engineer, for prompting me and keeping me in line as I sit in for Dave because Dave's now a professional,

Gene Campbell
0:01:39
and I'm still a novice. I'm kind of like an intern. And so I thank Dave for making me an intern. I really appreciate it. With that, you know, today we're going to talk a little bit about Veterans Affairs.

Gene Campbell
0:01:53
We might touch on that for sure. Our audience is veterans, but it's also the local community. So with that, I thought about a friend of mine. I'm going to get ready to introduce you now and we're just going to have a light conversation. This person here is full of energy, she's full of life, and she's into helping others and she's a world traveler. So I'm going to introduce you Miss Gretchen Williams

Gene Campbell
0:02:18
and she's going to tell you a little bit about herself and maybe touch a little bit on how long she's been in Las Vegas.

Gretchen Williams
0:02:27
So good morning, Gretchen. Good morning, Gene. How are you?

Gene Campbell
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Great.

Gretchen Williams
0:02:32
How are you doing today?

Gene Campbell
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Good, thank you. Good, good, good. Gretchen, how long have you been in Las Vegas, and where was home for you before you came to Las Vegas?

Gretchen Williams
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I have been here 19 years. I cannot believe the time has gone so fast. I moved here with my children 19 years ago, we're from Illinois, Springfield, Illinois, and wow, yeah, it's been a long time.

Gene Campbell
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Yeah, now Springfield, is that, where's Abe Lincoln from? Is he from somewhere close up there?

Gretchen Williams
0:03:03
Okay, so Springfield, Illinois claims Abraham Lincoln, but he was actually born in Kentucky. But yes, Springfield, Illinois is known as the hometown of Abraham Lincoln. And there's Abraham Lincoln's home, his tomb, street, any and everything Abraham Lincoln you will find in Springfield, Illinois. All right, well, I thought so.

Gretchen Williams
0:03:26
That is so funny, that is so funny, Gretchen. Wow, so you've been here 19 years and you sure have seen Vegas changing that 19 years. Gretchen, you know, one of the things we like to do is we like to talk a little bit about a person's history, work, his experience, and different things. And I know you served in the military and you went on to work in some other fields.

Gretchen Williams
0:03:49
Maybe you can just give us a verbal resume of anything you'd like to share about either your military or your private sector experience, a little bit about your background. Okay. I joined the United States Marine Corps at 17 years old. My mom had to sign the paperwork giving me permission. I went to Parris Island, South Carolina.

Gretchen Williams
0:04:10
Then was the only place they made women Marines. They've since added San Diego as a place where women Marines go through boot camps. I was a field radio operator, affectionately referred to as a battery operated grunt. We were attached to artillery and grunt units and tank units. And our motto was, you can talk about us, but not without us. And then I went on into high frequency, ultra high frequency, multi-channel,

Gretchen Williams
0:04:46
several different courses of training that all fall within the radio field. And I didn't really, I served about three years active duty and then I went to the reserves. Active duty wasn't for me, I'm not knocking it for anybody else, it just wasn't for me. I got out and went to college and still went to the reserves though. And my actual career field is corrections. I started as a correctional officer in 1993. Yeah, think about it. 1993, and worked my way up through the ranks and around to different departments until I left

Gretchen Williams
0:05:29
as a prison warden. Wow. You know, one thing I knew about you, you have the energy like a Marine. You have that look. I mean, is someone about, am I, just because I'm in the Air Force, am I wrong or do Marines have a special look to them? We're known to be crazy, but I don't think I look any particular type of way.

Gretchen Williams
0:06:00
That's funny you said that. Actually, I don't think I look like a Marine. I was a Marine Corps poster girl, one of those recruiting posters. Back in 1980, 1985 I think it was. I was on a recruiting poster. I do not have that poster.

Gretchen Williams
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I wish I did.

Gretchen Williams
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Boy, that sure would be some nostalgia and some fun to share. You probably look a lot like your daughter then. Your daughter looks a lot like you were probably back then and so it's just beautiful. Yes, so would you share?

Gene Campbell
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Go ahead.

Gretchen Williams
0:06:33
Actually, my youngest children are in the family business. My father was a police officer and my two youngest children are correctional officers.

Gene Campbell
0:06:44
That's right. That's right. Isn't that something? They follow in your footsteps and I know you're proud of that.

Gretchen Williams
0:06:49
I am. They're good people, absolutely.

Gene Campbell
0:06:51
So, since you're talking about your children, what I want to ask you is, we're going to switch from talking about the military really quickly, we're going to switch over to the public sector. So, not only were you in internal affairs and investigation, but you went all the way through your career, up including being awarded. And now you have your children in that career field.

Gene Campbell
0:07:18
Could you share what I guess, maybe how you prepared yourself for that? What skills that you had, maybe some skills that you had gained somewhere else, transformed into that line of work?

Gretchen Williams
0:07:33
And what helped you propel through the ranks as you did? Correction was actually pretty easy. Like I said, my father was a police officer. I've always had a sense of fairness and justice, do the right thing no matter what anybody else is doing. And my parents also, my father was also into politics and his model was Watson Means Service.

Gretchen Williams
0:07:56
Watson is my maiden name. My entire life has been dedicated as in the footsteps of my parents, serving the community, giving back, taking care of people who can't necessarily take care of themselves or who are maybe having a hard time at this present time. So going into law enforcement, this was natural for me, and I made it my business to treat people, inmates in particular, with decency and respect.

Gretchen Williams
0:08:28
That's not always what's taught, but that's how I always carried myself. I referred to most of my career I worked with male inmates, and I would refer to them as gentlemen or sir. I would speak to them, good morning, good afternoon, how are you, how was your day? And I always carried a notepad to write down their issues so that I didn't just give lip service, I actually followed through to see if I could resolve issues. So I enjoyed corrections.

Gretchen Williams
0:08:58
Just, there was a funny story almost every day. There's, whether or not somebody would take a word out of context or tried to be impressive using big words that they didn't know the correct definition of, or just interacting also with the inmate's families. Now, as I went through the ranks, especially when I became an assistant warden, I dealt a lot with family members of inmates, and I made sure

Gretchen Williams
0:09:25
that I treated them with respect and dignity. I always made sure that my staff understood that you will not mistreat the mother of an inmate visiting her child because no mother plans for their baby to commit a crime and go to prison, never intentionally. So you will not mistreat her or disrespect her when she comes to visit. And that carried me quite a way.

Gretchen Williams
0:09:52
I feel like I had a lot of respect from the inmates and the majority of the staff just for being kind to people and being intentional with my interactions with them, making sure that I treated people fairly. And I hope that my children are the same way in their interactions at work. I feel like they are.

Gretchen Williams
0:10:10
I've heard really good things about those two from their peers as well from a supervisor.

Gene Campbell
0:10:16
Well, that is just wonderful. I know you're a proud mama, proud parent. I am. We won't talk about the grandkids today, but I know you're proud of them too.

Gretchen Williams
0:10:30
Oh, my God, absolutely. I have six of them now. That's just so crazy to me. Good.

Gene Campbell
0:10:36
Wow, man.

Gretchen Williams
0:10:37
I have six of them. The newest baby is not even a month old.

Gretchen Williams
0:10:40
He's in Illinois, though. Wow, that is so beautiful. I'll have to see all those pictures the next time we get together and see all those pictures. I definitely see from time to time your daughter's pictures come up and see her in her uniform. And boy, I tell you what, time does fly. You know, getting back to, you know, preparing yourself, you know,

Gretchen Williams
0:11:00
one of the things we do is I want you to not only talk to our guests, but you're a woman that's served in some nontraditional fields led by women. The Marine Corps was one, as well as corrections, and you said you also dealt with all-male inmates. One of the things you were basically talking about, being kind to people, being intentional with your thoughts, and treating people fairly, but what other skills did you develop, did you use coming up, and what skills or attributes did you try to share with your children as they apply for those positions?

Gretchen Williams
0:11:41
Again, a sense of fairness and justice. I hate to see a wrongdoing. I am absolutely pro-police, but I definitely get offended when they act inappropriately, get a little bit power hungry, but that's a whole different issue for a different discussion. I instilled in them, again, you do the thing no matter what anyone else around you is doing. Be firm, fair, and consistent. Be honorable.

Gretchen Williams
0:12:18
Have some humility. Good work ethics. I will absolutely say they have good work ethics, which they got from myself and their father. And to just, in general, be good people. Try to treat people as you want to be treated. Now, that does not mean that you turn the other cheek.

Gretchen Williams
0:12:37
I love the Lord, and I read the Bible. However, if your back is against the wall, come out swinging. I understand.

Gene Campbell
0:12:45
I understand that. I just want to make sure folks know to listen to Veterans Affairs Plus on KNUV radio station. And Gretchen, I want to thank you for that information. But one of the things that you do, you know, you say you like giving back and helping people, taking care of people is what I have in quotes from you here. And being a former veteran, you always shared some insight

Gene Campbell
0:13:16
with some other people about veterans' benefits. And we might have some veterans that this is their first time and saying, hey, somebody told me to go listen to Veterans Affairs. Maybe I can learn a little bit about, you know, how I look at trying to find out about my benefits or, you know,

Gene Campbell
0:13:33
other ideas, were you interested in your benefits and how did you go about seeking information about them after you got out of the service or sometime later?

Gretchen Williams
0:13:47
Okay. So, actually, after I left corrections, I worked for DAV, Disabled American Veterans, as a veteran service officer. So, that's how I learned all the things that I've learned. I absolutely enjoy working with veterans. I'm not at DAV anymore, but I still don't mind answering questions and helping out someone who has issues with the system.

Gretchen Williams
0:14:13
First and foremost, I would say to veterans, speak to a professional when it comes to getting your disability information. The worst source of information comes from other veterans. They mean well. I don't think they're malicious. However, they are generally misinformed, and they continue to pass on bad information

Gretchen Williams
0:14:40
or information that applies to them only. Everybody's situation is different. So, the main thing that people should think of is this. There are three parts to service connection. The very first part is you have to have an injury, illness, or traumatic event or something that happened while you were on active duty.

Gretchen Williams
0:15:03
You have to also have the second part is a current diagnosis. And then the third part is the nexus between the two issues. So, for instance, say you broke your ankle while you were on active duty. And 30 years later, you have arthritis in your ankle. The VA is going to want to know, well, where have you been for 30 years? Have you been consistently treated for that injury?

Gretchen Williams
0:15:33
How do we know something else in your career did not cause that injury? So, the mistake that most veterans do is they put together a laundry list of issues or complaints, conditions that they have now that they didn't complain about or not documented while they were on active duty. So ask yourself before you go and file a claim, was I seen or treated? Is this medical condition documented in my military records while I was on active duty.

Gretchen Williams
0:16:02
With the exception of mental health, like PTSD, because that does not go away, and most people don't realize they have it. Other than that, your condition has to be documented while you are on active duty, or you're not going to win the claim now. It is just that simple. I hate to say it, but that's just how it is.

Gretchen Williams
0:16:22
The rules are the rules. You have to be, and that's according to Congress, it has to be documented while you are on active duty or you cannot come back and claim it now. You could try with many buddy statements or layman statements. I haven't found that to be real effective, but it does work sometimes.

Gretchen Williams
0:16:40
So I would say anyone who is still on active duty, absolutely, please document any and everything that you think is a problem for you. And it has to also be a chronic condition. So you have to have complained about it or been seen for it more than once. So if you go in with a runny nose,

Gretchen Williams
0:16:58
you've got a cold one time, you can't come back now and file a claim for it. Now, however, throughout your career, if you had a runny nose, which is probably allergies or sinusitis or rhinitis or something,

Gretchen Williams
0:17:09
and you've continually had issues for it and been seen for it, that you could claim as a condition. It would be considered a chronic condition. Temporary conditions probably won't work for you either. Well, let's see.

Gretchen Williams
0:17:23
Appendicitis, if you had your appendix removed, that's no longer a problem for you. So that was a temporary condition that was addressed and fixed by the VA or the military. I know that's a lot of information and I talk fast, but. No, you gave us a lot of good points.

Gene Campbell
0:17:41
You gave us a lot of good points. You know, what I heard is not only were you with a DAV, DAV's a service organization. So, you were one of those people that if I was a veteran and I came up to the VA hospital and I said, hey, I'm interested in seeing somebody from the DAV, there's some way either through a telephone number or through signing up through the help desk there, a person would sign up and they would get an appointment with you, is that how that works?

Gene Campbell
0:18:12
How would that work, Gretchen? Saying that, I know you don't work there now, but how would somebody go about getting help from a service officer like yourself, like you used to be?

Gretchen Williams
0:18:21
You can make an appointment, but there's also more than one service organization. State of Nevada has Veterans Affairs Office there in the VA hospital also. Veterans of Foreign Wars, VFW has a component there. And I believe Catholic War Veterans has an office there too. And also, you can just walk into the VA. They have VA employees who help file claims and answer questions.

Gretchen Williams
0:18:56
Typically, those organizations are not going to give you a lot of information. They're pretty much going to file the paperwork that you request to be filed. So, they're doing their job. I'm not saying that they're not. But they're dealing with a lot of people. So, they're going to process your paperwork, help you fill it out, process it,

Gretchen Williams
0:19:16
and get it moving. Whereas other organizations like DAV or Nevada Department of Veterans Affairs may take a little bit more time with you to explain how the process works and maybe some other options. So those are the two main ones that I would recommend. But yeah, you're going an appointment or sometimes they have walk-in days or you can call in and make an appointment or maybe answer a quick question or also there's email. They will respond to email.

Gretchen Williams
0:19:46
Well, that's great. That means, you know, folks, you can look up the DAV online. You can look up these service veterans online and volunteer service organizations, veteran service organizations, and you'll see them. They'll come up in a Google search or if you go to the Veterans Hospital out there off of Pecos, I believe it's 9,000 Pecos right there at Pecos and 215. That's where the office is.

Gretchen Williams
0:20:13
It's 6,900 North Pecos. Right at 3,900. I know there was a nine in there. 6,900. You're right. It's actually at, it's at right at 215 and North Pecos. You can't miss it. Can't miss it. If they go to 9,000, if they go to 19, if they go to 9,000, they'll be off in the desert somewhere.

Gene Campbell
0:20:33
Because it's not built yet out there. Well, thanks for correcting that for me. Well, you might be able to go out there and get your health card if you've done certain time.

Gretchen Williams
0:21:03
Do you remember those parameters, Gretchen? Yes. So, you have to have served active duty for two years to get assistance. Also, it has to be a, preferably an honorable discharge. You can have a general discharge under honorable conditions and a regular general discharge.

Gretchen Williams
0:21:27
But if you have a negative, a dishonorable discharge, I would check into, depending on what the circumstances were, I would check on getting that upgraded. You'd have to go through your particular branch of the military. It can't hurt to ask, depending on the circumstances. You may get it upgraded, and then you could then file for benefits. Unless there are also, again, particular circumstances that will allow you to apply

Gretchen Williams
0:22:00
for benefits with less than two years. But generally, it's two years of active duty. For reservists, you, it's a smaller window because, again, it has to be, you have to have medical documentation from your active duty time. So that would be, for reservists, that would be boot camp and then their military occupational specialty schools.

Gretchen Williams
0:22:25
So they have a really small window of opportunity to have medical conditions documented. Right. And so I know that recently the benefits have changed to reach out and have expanded, especially as it relates to Gulf War Desert Storm veterans, as well as veterans Veterans who were affected by either nuclear exposure,

Gretchen Williams
0:22:55
that would be radiation exposure and or burn pits. And so I know there's been a lot of change for that. Maybe you can touch on that. We got about five minutes left in the program, Betsy. Okay. So that would fall under the PASS Act. So for instance, almost along the lines of they did not understand the fallout of Agent Orange back

Gretchen Williams
0:23:18
in the time of the Vietnam War. Now, they are finding certain conditions that have, a lot of conditions that have come up for those people who served in Iraq, Iran, I'm sorry, Iraq or Afghanistan, desert storm, desert shield, different, the different combat theaters. So, now they are having an open window basically if you, if enough veterans are having these same symptoms,

Gretchen Williams
0:23:40
the VA agrees, okay, this couldn't have come from anywhere else, and we will address it. And again, you just need to have a current diagnosis and to be able to show that you were in that particular area that is, that's called, they're called presumptive conditions. So as long as you were serving in, that falls in the areas of the PACT Act, and you have that particular condition, the VA will presume that it came

Gretchen Williams
0:24:11
from being in the military service, and you will be awarded service connection. Ultimately, that's what you're trying to achieve is service connection. And, of course, those run in increments of from 10% up to 100%, with most veterans trying to achieve 100%.

Gretchen Williams
0:24:27
The closer you get to 100% it gets, and the VA does not use regular math. So 50 and 50 do not equal 100 in VA math. And contrary to popular belief, you'll hear veterans say, I've got 200%. No, it only goes up to 100. They're using regular math when they say that. And again, they don't, they just aren't aware that that's not how the VA math is calculated.

Gretchen Williams
0:24:53
Right. Well, Gretchen, I tell you what, we sure have covered a lot today. I mean, not only did we touch on your career and who you were and your beautiful children and your six grandchildren, but we also touched on a lot for our today's veterans. And so, what I heard, you know, Gretchen, I just want to summarize. We got about two, three minutes left here.

Gretchen Williams
0:25:17
I just want to summarize that you spoke about the DAV as well as other service organizations. They can reach out to them online for our guests or go out to 6900 North Pecos and check out and ask somebody about assistance. I would say this, if you don't have your records or you lost your records, that might be one of the first things you need to do. If you don't have a DD-214 and or something like that, you might need to do that.

Gretchen Williams
0:25:46
And what else would they do as you give us your last parting words, what else should they do in any last minute things you'd like to say to our guests today, Gretchen? Okay. The VA Benefits Office can give you a copy of your DD-214. You'd have to request your actual medical records from your branch of service or from the National Personnel Center. You'd have to Google that.

Gretchen Williams
0:26:07
But again, I'd like to say, get help from a professional when you attempt to get your benefits. It's just the best way to go, and you'll get the most accurate and up-to-date information because the rules keep changing. And don't give up. All right.

Gretchen Williams
0:26:23
Don't give up.

Gene Campbell
0:26:24
And you know what, Gretchen? Being a, I think that must be something in the Marine Corps or just something your daddy taught you because I know one thing about you is you don't give up. Just in closing, Gretchen, I want to thank you for taking time for our show today. And I look forward to you sending me more pictures, not only those grandchildren, but all those beautiful trips that you go on from year to year.

Gene Campbell
0:26:53
Yes, thank you. I have been living my best life trying to see all of the world. Well, that's great, Gretchen. Well, folks, I'm Gene Campbell sitting in for Dave Washington. This is Veterans Affairs Plus on this Saturday morning. Just a quick shout out to all the October birthdays. Happy birthday to everyone and I hope you had a beautiful time this Saturday morning. Keep day watching in your thoughts and prayers. This is KNULV and this is

Wesley Knight
0:27:24
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, yeah yeah all the pain that we bear

Transcribed with Cockatoo