Veteran's Affairs Plus W/ David L. Washington

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Unknown Speaker 0:42
You can't see what's going on. What's going on? What's going on? Good morning, Las Vegas. This is Veteran Affairs plus 190 1.5, jazz and more. I'm Dave Washington, your host. Generally start out with a few announcements. You don't want to do something a little bit different. I have a question. Did you guys know who started black or not black but Negro History Week? Of course. It was Carter G. Woodson. Carter G Woodson started. Negro history be excuse me Negro History Week. Then around between the late 1960s, up to around 1970. A group of students at Kent University, Kent State University, they proceeded to talk about and got it going black history month and it was even made a month through. I forget what President and I should know that since I'm bringing it up, but it's official. And it had to do with the press that the birthday of President Lincoln and also the birthday of Frederick Douglass. That's how the week was started through. Carter G. Woodson, little get but again, as we know now we celebrate Black History Month and it had nothing to do with the shortness of the month like some folks thing to think that we were dealt the shortest. They were the shortest month of the year. But that's not true. It was because of the birthday of President Lincoln, and also Frederick Douglass birthdays this month, the only one that I can think of Believe it or not, is a dear old friend of mine, Mr. Ray Feaster Ray's birthday is at the end of this month and a good guy. He's had a few medical issues that we were concerned about, but he's doing fine for those of you who know Ray, and Ray is a veteran. I must say he was in the United States Army back in the day. With respect to condolences, I want to again, say to the family of Chief Herschel Clady of LA County Fire Department, his wife D, daughter, Shandra daughter, Cassandra and son Herschel, the second condolences. And our next week's show, I definitely plan to talk a lot more about Herschel and his commitment and involvement and dedication to the fire service. He is an individual that we will sorely miss. So keep that in mind. In fact, his services will be on February 21, down in downtown Long Beach. So I trust that there'll be a lot of folks from from around the country, certainly from the region because he was once a regional director for the IBP FF southwest region. In fact, that also was one of his assistant Regional Director. So we'll get a little bit more into that in depth next week, if you will. So Happy Valentine's Day has gone past for those who celebrate that particular holiday. Lots of love to everyone out there in radio land. This is 91.5, jazz and more. I'm Dave Washington, your host and certainly wish everybody well for that particular holiday. We're going to have our first guest shortly. And that's Captain Lionel Newby with the Las Vegas Fire and Rescue Department. He's also a Southwest Regional Director of the IABP FF young man that I've known for a number of years. We will have him on our show very shortly. So with that, we'll be back in just a few with our guests. Captain Lionel noop

Unknown Speaker 5:01
Good morning. Once again, this is Veterans Affairs plus on 91.5, jazz and more. I'm Dave Washington, your host. We got one of my colleagues on board here as our next guests I've mentioned to him. I mentioned him briefly that as Captain Lando newbie with Las Vegas Fire and Rescue, and he's also southwest, regional director of the EPFL. Captain newbie. How you doing?

Unknown Speaker 5:26
Good. Good, sir. Thank you, Chief and give him an opportunity to be able to come in on your podcast, man. Absolutely.

Unknown Speaker 5:32
Absolutely. This is a radio show that goes to podcast believe it. So we will air next Saturday. And I don't mind being transparent. I let people know this is a taped show. This is not a live show. So we've runs the first Saturday. Excuse not the first. I'm going four times a month now, thanks to general manager asked and he really gave me the opportunity to do four shows. So we were pleased with that line. Which branch of the service did you spend time in?

Unknown Speaker 6:09
Yeah, so I spent eight years three months the United States Air Force, spent three years in Anchorage, Alaska and Elmendorf Air Force Base. And I was stationed at Nellis Air Force Base for five years, three months. So

Unknown Speaker 6:22
you're up in Alaska, you say?

Unknown Speaker 6:25
Yes, sir. Anchorage, Alaska.

Unknown Speaker 6:27
Wow. So what was what was that tour duty, like?

Unknown Speaker 6:32
long winters and long summers to you know, it's amazing. When you look outside your window right now, and it's just sunny as it is, is just like that. And the summertime like July? It's like, at 12 o'clock at midnight. That can be a challenge with sleeping messes up your sleeping pattern. No

Unknown Speaker 6:55
doubt about it. In fact, when a friend of mine retired, they asked me hey, man, you want to go up to Alaska to go salmon fishing? I said, Absolutely. I mean, it dead dead. That nighttime daytime, whatever the heck you call it, we had you all jacked up. But Marcia, my wife, she said, Well, you think you don't catch a lot of fish? I say woman do you watch the Discovery Channel? There'll be just jumping into the boat. Not the case when you found out. It was about 100 boats in that river man. And it was really something but we did have a young man who helped us. I think we did catch I think it was the the Homer meal in our home. We didn't catch any fish. It was Fern. Fern caught a couple of fish. And then we had a young man to assist us by giving us fish that he caught right off the bat. Man, it's it's really something to be up there fishing. But like you say that daylight time is really crazy. So yeah, what was your What was your position when you were in the Air Force.

Unknown Speaker 7:58
So I worked on a flight line, our aircraft ground support. So basically, any equipment that hooks up to a jet that simulate the jet flying on the ground, that pretty much is what I worked on. So we had FAA teams. And we call, we call that that time Alaska call, I believe was called Top cover for America. Because anytime the Russians, if they would invade the United States, they the shortest route for them is to come through Alaska, and come down through Canada and come in from that northern part of the country. So they caught it. We they they nicknamed the top cover for us. So we had a couple of remote sites out there two, and 15 just staged on standby in case some Russian bears. They flew Russia bears over to the United States, we were scrambling jets out to catch them around. So

Unknown Speaker 8:53
what what made you decide to join the military and where are you from?

Unknown Speaker 8:59
I'm originally from Chicago, Illinois, I Southside born and raised well, I wasn't born there. I was conceived in Chicago, Chicago, born in Des Moines, Iowa, and a mom, mom moved back to Chicago in which I was raised. That's why I was raised on the South Side graduating high school and class 86. And what taught me to join Air Force was I had a mentor in high school. And he asked me said, Michael, what are you doing when you graduate from high school was a great book. This man I respect it, such as yourself? She she's always a great supply. So I told him, I said, I got you know, I got C's and these few B's. And he looked at me said, Brian, you're not ready for college, wants to join the military. So I started out testing through the Neff center and kind of start out with the Navy and I'm like, I don't want to go on this ship for nine months to a year. Marines. Join marine that you know, So I got a mechanical background. So I ended up, walk past Air Force recruiters office guys just laid back. And I said, What are you doing? He said, I'm chilling. And he said, No, I'm not. I'm not recruiting. But, you know, so I'm like, really? So that piqued my interest and which I ended up joining the Air Force. And my first assignment was Anchorage, Alaska. Now,

Unknown Speaker 10:23
you mentioned what a gentleman said to you was that you didn't think he was ready for college. Now, I know that you have several degrees, if I'm not mistaken. Talk about that a little bit.

Unknown Speaker 10:37
Yeah, so I went to went to unlv, graduated undergrad, public administration. And then in grad school, actually, with Ashton, we were in grad school, same time, he went on to finish up his PhD. And so yeah, sounds like you know, just went to unlv. local college, I really like UNLV, especially the grad program, because you actually really meet a whole lot of people in the community that are doing the same thing. And then instructors have you do group projects where you have to work with the fire department to work with water district, you have to work within the NG Metro. So all these people are in the room at same time, and they do different things, and we all collaborate. So at that time, I figured out, you know, I'm like, Oh, well, firefighters, I'm you know about? Well, I learned from the water district that, you know, we wouldn't be able to put out fires if we didn't, we didn't have the water, and water wasn't, the system wasn't maintained. So maybe you're not so you know, your shoulders. So being your chest isn't stuck out so much, you know, community comes together and works together and keep us all safe.

Unknown Speaker 11:54
Excellent. Excellent. So, in your opinion, did the military help to prepare you for civilian life?

Unknown Speaker 12:05
It did. I think that it brought a different perspective for me. One is an in a military, we always look to put our boss out of work, if you will. So you learn, especially me at a young age. You learn how to you earn those work ethics where nobody has to tell you what to do. Just get it done. You know what you got to do you adopt the philosophy at a young age? Let me put my boss out of work. So I don't have my boss. Hey, did you get that done? You know, Nope, it's already done. You know, so I learned at a very young age, and I'm kind of glad have no regrets of joining the Air Force. And the military, right after high school man was the best thing for me had a chance for me to mature. And then I want to call this a little bit later. So and that was, so I tell young folks to figure out where you want to go make sure your goals are realistic. If the money isn't there, the grants aren't there, your grades aren't there, then maybe you want to look at it as an option. But at that time, we have there was a lot of recruitment. You have recruitment places all over, you know, mass stations recruiting. So it was a lot of options for the military. You don't see that now. I don't see the map station, you remember nice to have one on Craig row. And it's not there anymore. So it's kind of like, the military doesn't recruit in large numbers as as it used to be, you know, when I went was men, it was like, it was like an assembly line of people. You know, and you look on the floor, there was a red line, a blue line, a green line, and an orange line. And depends on what branch of service you follow that line through the system. You know, so was like, battle through, you know, we're now you don't see that? No. So I kind of wonder, Is that an option, you got to really seek out the military nowadays? What you want to do if you don't have anything going on, you know, so.

Unknown Speaker 14:10
So how did it help you with your careers as an officer with the Las Vegas Fire Department?

Unknown Speaker 14:18
So yeah, so you know, how my interest became. Fire was through Sam Smith, and actually the efforts of U G. Jean Campbell. You're recruited LaTanya during the MLK parade. Yeah, we're really pushing to get some African Americans. females in the fire service and memorials are just a good location to recruit folks to come to the to the fire service. And then another thing that that really piqued my interest in the fire service was for Black History month we had Um, I think you remember our Dale or Dale did a lot of stuff we, between kind of like the city and the county government estate, and now he brought out judge dates. And just dates gay is such a powerful speech right. At Black History Month at Nellis, we knew they weren't going to have him back again because he was like, you know, but that really opened my eyes and piqued my interest in and doing something else. I wanted something that I can have more in the mission. Instead of me recording chairs, and a pilot dropping the bombs. I'm now in the field doing stuff, difference in people's lives and things like that. So

Unknown Speaker 15:43
we're gonna, we're gonna take a break. This is okay. This is a Veterans Affairs plus on any 1.5 js and more, I want to come back with you on the other side of the brain

Unknown Speaker 16:01
once again, good morning, Las Vegas. This is Veterans Affairs plus on 91.5, jazz and more. We have as our guest this morning, Captain Lionel Newby with Las Vegas Fire and Rescue. You're doing such a wonderful job. I want to give you a few more minutes because I have a couple more questions I'd like to ask you since you've been with the department. And in fact, how long have you been with Las Vegas Fire and Rescue rescue?

Unknown Speaker 16:25
Maybe 20 years next month?

Unknown Speaker 16:28
28 years? So you have since I've known you, Lionel, you've been pretty active in our community, would you share just a couple of the different organizations that you're involved with?

Unknown Speaker 16:40
Yes, so involved in our personal Masonic founding family here at att here in North Las Vegas. And we, you know, mentor you provide food for the homeless and things like that my fraternity mates that by Metro, our youth and being involved in the community and giving back to community also too, as well as international Southwest Region Director currently just out recruiting African American firefighters and minorities in in the fire service and just trying to diversify fire service in this western region, and making sure this to tools and resources are there for those cities to be able to use.

Unknown Speaker 17:24
You kind of touched on it. But I want to go a little bit deeper on what you would suggest to any young person, male or female that's thinking about the military, and or Las Vegas fire or a fire department, the fire service as a career. She has some thoughts.

Unknown Speaker 17:43
Yes. So I would figured out what what branch of service if you're going to join the military. And I think all young folks should definitely look at look at that as an option. My little cousins in an Air Force right now she's stationed in Japan, she was stationed in Alaska as well. And when she asked me, she wanted to go to Air Force, her dad was Army, and I helped her pick out a career. So you got to really seek out people and adults that you respect and ask them Hey, what do you think I should do? You know, so and if you want to be a firefighter, you definitely have to stop at fire stations, you see a firefighter and just reach out to them and ask them to come see what they do when we come out of Barstow to see what's going on. And then what do I need to do to prepare myself for those for those opportunities?

Unknown Speaker 18:26
Excellent. Excellent. So what is it you mentioned about the diversity etc house? How are things going with, with respect to blacks joining the fire department in our valley, and specifically,

Unknown Speaker 18:41
what we're doing pretty good. We can always do better. You know, I was amazed. This year at MLK parade. We actually met some brothers from Henderson. And it was found out they were nine brothers and Henderson. And I'm like, wow, that no, there was a nine brothers had a chance to meet Joe. Most of Joe, he was the first African American hired and Harrison 7016. So yeah, so far as the other agencies, the numbers are gone the city. We got a couple academies going on. Right now. I believe the county has to count on a parallel thing with two academies, but 100 firefighters, by 10%, I believe are minorities and some females. So we always can increase those numbers. But we got to figure out where where we were to recruit. And I think we got to recruit at a younger age.

Unknown Speaker 19:37
Right. Oh, that's great that you keep in focus and keeping your eyes on things. So any closing remarks camp?

Unknown Speaker 19:46
Yes, sir. So keep it's always a pleasure. Thank thank you for giving me an opportunity. I remember. And I'm sure many many moons ago that when I interview for the fire department. You sat on my old board For instance, and also to when I believe he was the chief of support services gaming, the first step turnout, so I don't get into that stuff. I want to thank you. And when I got promoted to captain, you can so use the fire chief at the time. So want to say thank you and anything we can do anything you need. Definitely. Let me know. And if I can help out, definitely we'll be there. No, if ands or buts about it. No excuses.

Unknown Speaker 20:29
Work. Yep. I certainly appreciate the warm comments. But I'll tell you this. I don't just give things just whatever you got. You earned it. So stay focused and stay in hon. I expect and hope to see you in a gold badge wearing wearing a gold badge sometime in the near future. So stay in the hunt. Take care. All right, always today, the day I retire. All right, take care care.

Unknown Speaker 21:00
Good morning. Once again, this is Veterans Affairs plus on 91.5, jazz and more. We have a guest here that has an extensive resume he sent it to me his bio was tremendous. I've never met this man. But he was recommended to me by former Assemblyman window P. Williams. Mr. Hayes, Andre Hayes. How are you doing today, sir?

Unknown Speaker 21:25
I'll do a wonderful, thank you so much for the opportunity to be a guest on your show.

Unknown Speaker 21:30
And thank you for making yourself available, not only in certainly short term, in terms of time, because I was going to have you on the next show. But God works, as they say, in the serious ways. You have, as I mentioned, a very extensive background. So what branch did you serve him for our listening audience, and how long

Unknown Speaker 21:54
I did not have the honor of serving in the military. On both of my parents side, I come from a long line of veterans who served in every branch and with the exception of the Space Force, and they fought in conflicts going all the way back to the Korean War to you know, Desert Storm Afghanistan, present day. So this is my opportunity to serve those who served. And, you know, because of family relationships, I've been able to see firsthand what a lot of the veterans and soldiers go through, which is what really gave me a passion, a lot of gratitude and appreciation, and motivated me to do what I can to serve those who first served us.

Unknown Speaker 22:42
Excellent. Well, you know, in my haste, I didn't get through all of your information, because my assumption was, since you have a veterans chamber, I'm assuming that you had served, my apologies for that. But tell us a little bit about your, about your organization and what inspired you to start it?

Unknown Speaker 23:03
Okay, wonderful. We've, we've been around since 2017. And we are at his largest and oldest Chamber of Commerce, wanting to serve Armed Forces members. And one of the that inspired the establishment of this organization is for 10 years plus, I've been very involved with the veteran's treatment court programs, throughout different cities in Clark County, Nevada. And what that program is, is when veterans get in trouble with the law, right, we're talking misdemeanor gross misdemeanor crimes, they're able to participate in a program with community partners like the VA hospital, the Armed Forces member, they have counseling. And of course, they have to remain sober. And at the conclusion of that program, which goes anywhere from one to two years, the charges are reduced, the records are sealed. And this helps the veteran be able to be reintegrated or reintroduced into society. And by having that record, still, it now makes it easier to get approved for housing. Jobs are different programs like that. Well, in supporting that program for 10 plus years, I realized one of the common challenges that those veterans have is money, right? And a lot of civilians because of what they see portrayed by the media, a lot of times they assume the worst about veterans, they don't have the best. And then when you look at the Veterans, you got veterans who overseas were in charge of millions, sometimes billions of dollars worth of equipment, right and manpower. And to leave that awesome responsibility, and then come work for an eight year old and this is their first job out of high school and the very disrespectful it's just doesn't work very well. So one of the great things about the Armed Forces chamber is we help those veterans Who are now in the civilian workspace, we help them do everything like established careers, we will help them start their own business, if they already have an existing business, we help them even sustain and grow that business. So you know, we're putting the veteran in charge and control at the rise and destinies as it relates to money, which a lot of them is by owning their own business. So that's how that came about. Well,

Unknown Speaker 25:26
very interesting and very helpful to veterans out there. Because one thing I do know, I say this publicly many, many times, even while we're still working in the fire service, I think America has done a poor job with respect to looking out for the interest, medical, mental finance of their veterans in the other. The other group that I was always shouting out was classroom school teachers, because I don't think they get paid enough for the work that they do. But this is outstanding. So you mentioned the court system. Yes. Now, do you know Roland were a young man named Roland, where

Unknown Speaker 26:08
that name sounds familiar. I can't I cannot picture a face but the name does sound familiar. Yeah,

Unknown Speaker 26:12
cuz he does some some work with the courts. They have some kind of a veterans court. I forget all the particulars on it. But this is outstanding. So how does a person get in, get in touch with you, those who may be interest because I think that our listening audience may be may have some interest in and even if they don't, maybe they'll pass it on to someone else that you can be helpful to.

Unknown Speaker 26:37
Okay, you know, the best way is to go to our website, and the address, armed AR M Ed forces, f o r ces chamber, d h a m r.com. And the website is wonderful. It tells you not only about the Armed Forces chamber organization, but if you look in their title, and you click on a page that says shindigs, you can see the calendar for the remainder of the year. And we have things like the state of a chamber, which those start in March. We have business career and veterans Expo during the month of May. We have held the stairs during the month of August. And we even have achievement awards during the month of October, a trunk or treat and haunted house. So we have lots of business, community education, financial events that go on and the great things about these events. They're free and open to the public. So you do not have to be a dues paying member of the Armed Forces Chamber of Commerce. You don't even have to be a veteran or have served in the US Army. But if you're looking for some great information and resources about business, community, education, housing, workforce, and things of that nature, go to armed forces paper.com Click on shindigs, look at the calendar for the entire year. And the other great thing is our events are shindigz. They're hosted through our Clark County in Las Vegas, Henderson, North Las Vegas, and even mesquite. So we made it so that we can accommodate people in those four cities throughout Clark County.

Unknown Speaker 28:20
That's excellent. So your program you say started 2017. And this is a nationwide program.

Unknown Speaker 28:29
Yes, the Chamber of Commerce, the services that membership are nationwide. To date, we proudly serve a little bit more than 5000 businesses are in person in Vegas right now are in the four different cities of Clark County, Las Vegas, Henderson, North Las Vegas and mesquite. We do stream those cin Dix. So if you're in a different country, a different state, a different county, you can still participate and benefit by receiving that information. So

Unknown Speaker 29:01
what are the funding Do you seek? Or do you have to to keep the the organization standing, if you will?

Unknown Speaker 29:11
You know what, there's a great question. Thank you for asking that. There's a few different things. One of them, there's a person, the Armed Forces chamber, a person can make a donation, they can make a financial donation, they can even donate something unkind on the website, armed forces chamber.com All that information is there that allows them to do it and and even shares things that the organization is in need of that a person can donate, of course, they can volunteer, and in addition, person is looking to start a business or they have a business. Of course they can join the armed forces chamber and become a member and all those different types of beings help support the organization and keep it going. One of the cool things about being a man For the Armed Forces chamber, there's different membership levels. And a person can join the armed forces Chamber of Commerce for as little as $10 a month. We made it so that audible for everyone, no matter what your budget is, right matter the size, your business, no matter how much experience you have. It's affordable. It's easy, and it's fast to join. And everybody can benefit with the information, the resources, and the network. And that's made available. Andre,

Unknown Speaker 30:29
as we close out, very briefly, quick question. Are you 501? C three?

Unknown Speaker 30:37
Yes, we are your 501 C three. We're also in this in the state of Nevada through the Department of Taxation, right?

Unknown Speaker 30:46
Well, we appreciate your time. And I hope that some value will come from the words that you shared to the folks out there because we do have a number of veterans listening to the show and we're continuing to grow that and we urge you to tell your your membership about us and in fact, has window. The former Assemblyman mentioned that there's an opportunity for me to touch base with you on a continuous basis with the possibility of getting some of your members on the show so thank you so much for your time.

Unknown Speaker 31:48
Hey, when I step on the pavement, we

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