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, the University of Nevada Las Vegas this is RetroSurfairs Plus on 91.5

Dave Washington
0:00:53
Good day Las Vegas this is Vectors of Paris Plus on 91.5 Jazz and More. I'm Dave Washington your host. I've got a few comments to make and then I'll properly introduce our first guest that will join us today and glad to be back in the swing and once again I want to thank former Fire Chief Gene Campbell for sitting in for me a couple of times last month, along with Wes, our producing engineer. As always, I like to acknowledge birthdays, and I did mention just a general statement, happy birthday to all of those who were born in the month of November.

Dave Washington
0:01:29
But I can tell you, we were all, I don't want to say nagged, but we were texted several times our Aunt Magnolia to acknowledge and call and reach out to her sister, Aunt Ruby Lee. So we all did that thanks to you, Aunt Mac, and we certainly hope that Aunt Ruby Lee had a very happy 79th birthday. And my wife is over there running her mouth, as she always do, in the control room, and I can see her. She's probably telling me I need to speak up.

Dave Washington
0:02:04
But the medication that I'm taking you guys, it causes me various issues to include my voice, but I'm here. Condolences that we like to mention as well. I can tell you, Pastor Reese, I know you could speak to this, but you know you learn a lot of things about people when you go to their respective memorial services. Yesterday, Marsh and I went to the memorial services of Dr. Lois Tarkanian. Man, you know, sometimes, folks, we all know that the term phenomenal is just tossed around

Dave Washington
0:02:41
sometimes, but she was a phenomenal woman from a multitude of perspectives from my personal standpoint. She is a woman of integrity. She's dedicated and stood by her man and she stood by her constituents too. If they're even more powerful people, lots of money, she wouldn't change her vote. She voted in favor of the people, which is very, very important because a lot of times

Dave Washington
0:03:09
officials, and if I'm not talking about you, don't worry about it and Jason already said that us talk show hosts, especially people like Dave Washington, you don't speak for the university. So I'm not speaking for the university, but sometimes people get bought and paid for and as a consequence they'll change their vote just to change it to go along with the power where one thing we found out from Dr. Laura Tarkini, she wasn't that type of elected official. She was a servant of the people.

Dave Washington
0:03:40
In fact, she was utilized by George and Danny Tarkanian. And man, they did a phenomenal job. They had us all laughing in the audience because this woman, after games, and if they were closed games and they lost, she would run down referees and they would hide out until security came to help escort them out because she was a tyrant in terms of, and I'm sure she is probably right because sometimes we're all human beings and sometimes you just make

Dave Washington
0:04:11
a bad call and she just wasn't having it. In that vein, over 30 some years, I think they said it was that she went after the NCAA because she felt they had trashed her husband, Coach Jerry Tarkanian, and she went after them and ultimately won. So that tells you something about her character. So we salute her and hope that God was pleased

Dave Washington
0:04:36
with the work that Dr. Lois Tarkanian did while she was here on this earth. And she, again, was a truly phenomenal woman. Along the lines of condolences, we also like to express condolences to Coach Robinson who brought UNLV back to a level of fame

Dave Washington
0:04:53
because they had been getting beat down. So I think he had a eight and three record or something like doing one of his seasons. I think it may have been his second or third season but the bottom line is Coach Robinson passed away recently again, surrounded by his family.

Dave Washington
0:05:08
So we want to express condolences to his family. I talked about bringing in Antonio Fargas, and he is on travel right now going down to visit with his family, as a lot of people are, for Turkey Day, Thanksgiving. And also I had mentioned Kevin Taylor and Oscar Jones, who are fellow firefighters, who are EDI graduates, who hosted the firefighters, the retirees down in Chandler, Arizona, last month, or earlier this month, I should say. So we are pleased with the work that they did and we're going to have them on the show. So it'll be next month for them.

Dave Washington
0:05:53
And this being the end of Pancreatic Cancer Month that was brought to my attention by our eldest daughter April. I want to thank again, Dr. Maxwell, Amber, my play daughter Joyce, and of course the junior police and investigator Angel for being guests on the show last month, earlier this month. Man, I'm getting my dates all jacked up here. But I can tell you that they brought value, I hope, to the listening audience as it relates to patriotic cancer and some of the things that one would go through.

Dave Washington
0:06:27
And as far as, you know, when you have a show that is taped, you get an opportunity to correct some things. On a previous show this month, I said I joined Las Vegas Fire and Rescue in 1977. No, I misspoke. I came on the department in 1974. I also misstated and I said that Wes had garnered us through our show. No, he guided us through.

Dave Washington
0:06:53
I don't know where, you know, sometimes my wife has told me, why are you always trying to use big words and then you throw them out of context and et cetera, et cetera. So I just want to make those corrections.

Dave Washington
0:07:03
And finally, I hope that everyone had a happy Thanksgiving. And I trust that we're all grateful to God for giving us this opportunity to continue to be on this earth. And let's all try to do good things as we move toward this holiday season as we move into 2025. So with that I'd like to introduce our guest.

Dave Washington
0:07:23
He is Jeffrey Reese. He's a pastor of Majestic House of Worship. So how you doing pastor? I'm doing well. I'm doing well. Great. Glad to be here. Absolutely. And we're pleased that you were able to make it. You are a military veteran. Would you tell our listening audience, Pastor, what branch did you serve in? What was your MOS?

Jeffrey Reese
0:07:50
I served in the military, and my MOS was infantry. The branch was Army. I was a part of the first ID 216 infantry at Fort Riley, Kansas, and I served from 83 to 85.

Dave Washington
0:08:11
Let me tell you something about Fort Riley, Kansas. Man, Wes, I'm looking at you and I got to say this, man. I was at Fort Riley, Kansas too, for that reason. But I was there to go through reindoctrination. I had to go back through basic training from getting court-martials. So I was at Fort Riley.

Dave Washington
0:08:34
That must have been 1972, I think. And from there, I went up to Fort Lewis, Washington, where Marsha and I, I came back home. We got married and they moved and we lived in a little one-bedroom apartment up there. So you were, once again, what was your military MOS again?

Jeffrey Reese
0:08:56
My MOS was infantry.

Dave Washington
0:08:58
Infantry, okay.

Jeffrey Reese
0:09:00
Yeah, at Fort Riley, I was mechanized infantry. So it was an experience.

Dave Washington
0:09:08
I bet. During that time, is there something that you may have learned that would help you as you re-entered into civilian life?

Jeffrey Reese
0:09:19
Well, one of the things that the military do teach is a high level of discipline and focus. So, I believe that that's something that was needed at that point in my life because I went in straight out of high school.

Dave Washington
0:09:41
Oh, wow.

Jeffrey Reese
0:09:42
And, you know, at that age, you don't know what discipline is. So I was introduced to a level of discipline that is—words can't really describe it, but it was something that was necessary for me as an individual individual because it set me on the course that I should have been on.

Dave Washington
0:10:08
Interesting. You know, they do talk about military and the discipline that you learn. I didn't get broken down as much as I probably should have because I was a pretty radical militant guy while in there. I got court-martialed. I had a couple of Article 15s, but God puts you in places, as we know, for reasons.

Dave Washington
0:10:32
I can tell you that had I not got drafted and gone into the military, and I've stated this several times on this show, I wouldn't have made it onto the Las Vegas Fire Department at the time, and now Las Vegas Fire and Rescue, because I scored almost an 87 on my test and my military points kicked me over into the 90s where I got selected to join the department. So Pastor, where were you born and raised?

Jeffrey Reese
0:11:00
I was born in Jackson, Mississippi at the University Hospital there, but we came to Las Vegas when I was four months old. And in Vegas is where I remain except for my military service. So I basically grew up here in Vegas, but was born in Jackson, Mississippi.

Dave Washington
0:11:28
Wow, Jackson, Mississippi. I came here with mother and father came with three boys. I was three and a half from Dale, Hialesia, a little small farming community. So now you recently retired. Tell us about that experience and what were you doing before you retired?

Jeffrey Reese
0:11:48
I was a letter carrier for the U.S. Postal Service for 33 years. Wow. that was an experience in itself because there, you know, you have to learn how to deal with people. You gotta learn how to serve at a high level because being a letter carrier,

Jeffrey Reese
0:12:14
you are the face of the company and you're out front. So, but that really helped me as far as, you know, what I'm doing now. And you know, it was a blessing. But when I joined the Postal Service, you know, it was, it's basically a miracle that I actually got hired on. Because again, I mentioned having to go into the military because, you know, needing a sense of discipline.

Jeffrey Reese
0:12:53
So I didn't have any problems in my life until I went into the military. That's when I end up getting in trouble. Interesting. You would think that that's when you would get things in order.

Dave Washington
0:13:10
Right, right.

Jeffrey Reese
0:13:11
think that that's when you would get things, you know, in order. But I, that's where I, that's where I end up getting in trouble. But, you know, God is amazing, and He works things exactly the way that they need to be worked. So, you know, all all the glory and the credit goes to the Lord for where I am now, having, you know, retired 33 years at the Postal Service with a military background. Only God could have worked that out for me.

Jeffrey Reese
0:13:43
And I am truly grateful for that. Sure.

Dave Washington
0:13:45
And I can say to you, I had same 33 years of Las Vegas Fire and Rescue. Now, why did you decide to go into the military? Because there were no, there were no major conflicts that I recall during that period of time or were there? Right.

Jeffrey Reese
0:13:58
No, no, there was, there was no major conflicts. I was straight out of high school, so I graduated in 82, and I was out for that summer, and it was a very improductive summer for me. Very improductive. And I had to take a look at the direction that I was going in. And I didn't do anything productive for that whole summer,

Jeffrey Reese
0:14:34
and we were coming to the end of the summer, and I had to make a decision. Was I going to try to go into the hotel industry? Because the way that I was raised at home, my parents was not going to let you just sit around and just do nothing. You had to make some decisions or they were going to make them for you. So I decided, well, I didn't do anything for this whole summer. I didn't make any plans or anything.

Jeffrey Reese
0:15:08
I was just glad to be out of high school. So I decided, well, let me take a look at the military. Now, when I went down to the recruiter's office, I was only 17 years old. So I can only just acquire the information that I needed or ask about how this process begins.

Jeffrey Reese
0:15:32
I actually had to have the recruiter to come to my house to get my mother's permission because I was only 17. Right. Oh, okay. So, and I end up going in on a delayed entry program, which I was delayed long enough to turn 18, then I was able to go off to basic once I turned 18.

Jeffrey Reese
0:15:55
So where'd you do your basic training at? I did my basic training at Fort Benning, Georgia. Okay. All right. So I think that the audience would be interested in knowing that you are a pastor. Where and how long? I was ordained a minister ever since 1990. And I've been pastoring ever since 1994 at Majestic House of Worship, which is at 1113 North H. Now, during that time period, the ministry changed leadership three times. And I was that on the back end of

Jeffrey Reese
0:16:59
the leadership there, and I've been there since 1990, I've been pastoring since 1994, and that's where I came into ministry there. You know, you hear stories about a lot of other ministers that, you know, they was at one ministry and another ministry, and they were just bouncing around, but I've been healed. You know, ever since, you know, the, I would say the Lord saved my life, you know. So, it's been a blessing. It's been a blessing.

Dave Washington
0:17:32
What, however you want to frame it, inspired you to go into the ministry?

Jeffrey Reese
0:17:39
Well, one of the things, the leadership that I was under, they never pushed you for ministry. They always encouraged you to pursue God. Okay. Go after the Lord. So I was never one that sought after ministry. I really had no desire for ministry. All I wanted was the Lord, because, you know, with Him transforming me and changing my life

Jeffrey Reese
0:18:09
the way He did, I just wanted more of Him. So I was never one that really sought after ministry. And one of the things that I've learned in this journey is that ministry is not something that you choose. It chooses you.

Dave Washington
0:18:35
Okay. Interesting. All right. So, is there anything in particular you would like to share with our listening audience from your former military experience and or as a pastor to include inviting folks by if they so choose.

Jeffrey Reese
0:18:54
Yeah, and I tell this story often to our congregation that, you know, my military service, it literally prepared me for God's purpose and God's plan. And I can incorporate a lot of training in the military that is parallel to a lot of things that happen in our lives spiritually. Because we learn that our spiritual journey is like battle. It's like warfare. And we have to learn how to fight this spiritual war and understand that what goes on in the natural are just muted shadows of a larger battlefield. So it is something that I used to question God on, but I learned that it was there that God was preparing me for where I am now.

Jeffrey Reese
0:20:06
And a lot of times we think that what we go through when we are just living our lives independent of God's plan and God's purpose, how could that benefit where we are now? But God in His infinite wisdom, He knows exactly what He's doing. He knew that He would call me for ministry, even when I wasn't even thinking about ministry, and he was preparing me for that. So a lot of times we think that we have a lot of wasted time in our history of going

Jeffrey Reese
0:20:37
through certain things and going through different trials and tribulations, but those things are literally preparing us for what's to come. You know, I learned to just embrace that, and quite often, I reach back, and I'll pull on that training. I pull on that training, and it helps me out a lot. It helps me out a lot.

Jeffrey Reese
0:21:01
So, you know, I'm just excited about where I am now. I never imagined that God would be using me the way that He has, and even in my younger days, I always thought that God would call me to the ministry, you know, when I'm at the age that I am now. I should be, for me, I think I should have been just getting started, you know.

Dave Washington
0:21:26
He brought you in as a youngster.

Jeffrey Reese
0:21:28
I've been in it quite some time.

Dave Washington
0:21:30
All right, Pastor Jeffrey Reese of the Majestic House of Worship, this is Veterans Affairs Plus on 91.5 Jazz and More. Any closing remarks you'd like to share with our listening audience? We really appreciate you coming on.

Jeffrey Reese
0:21:45
It has certainly been an honor for me for you to have me on your show. One of the things that I would like to communicate is that change is the way of life. And we as human beings, we struggle with change because we're creatures of habit. But if we can just open up to change and allow God to do the change and manage the change, we will find ourselves really, really becoming what He's ordained before the foundations of the world.

Jeffrey Reese
0:22:28
But the thing is that we have to allow God, we have to let God, you know, initiate the change and not have our heels dug in when it comes to embracing it. Well said.

Dave Washington
0:22:39
Well, once again, this is Veterans Affairs Plus on 91.5 Jazz and More. We just had Jeffrey Reese, pastor of Majestic House of Worship over in West Las Vegas. Please check him out if you want to. The brother, Kenny, he can go because our youngest daughter and her husband, Nathan, they attend, and I stop by from time to time, and he has some wisdom that he shares with folks on Sundays. What time do you start up, Pastor, on Sunday?

Jeffrey Reese
0:23:15
Our morning worship starts at 9.30. And yeah, I'm not one of them preachers that like to do a lot of filibustering. I communicate the purpose and the plan of God, and I keep it moving.

Dave Washington
0:23:31
All right, sir. We appreciate you once again, and we look forward to having you back on the show. I think you have a lot of valuable information to share with our listening audience, and it's pleasing to know that you had 33 years of service with the United States Postal Service. So take care of passing it to your family. We said hey and Happy Thanksgiving to you as we just passed it.

Jeffrey Reese
0:23:56
Okay, okay. And the same to everybody that's listening. It's been an honor for me. God bless.

Dave Washington
0:24:04
All right, thanks. Once again, this is Veterans Affairs Plus on 91.5 Jazz and More. Got a few more minutes to cover here, so I want to urge everyone to continue. Let's all continue our prayers for world peace as we enter the holiday season. I think that's important, and hopefully God will hear our prayers. Next month, it is my intent to get on the show, Senator Dina Neal, to give us a further update, particularly on the issue she brought a month or so ago with respect to homeless housing. That's an important issue for our community.

Dave Washington
0:24:42
who will give us an update on what will be occurring for the Martin Luther King parade coming up in January. Once again, I want to express condolences to the family of Melvin Givens, long time community person, good guy. His services will be on December 6th, 11 p.m.

Dave Washington
0:25:03
at True Love Baptist Church. So for those who know Melvin, if you can make it to that service, please. We'll be very, very pleased to see some of his friends show up for his memorial. And also next month, again, I mentioned that I plan to get Antonio Fargus, Huggy Bear, longtime actor, just a great guy because I know he's a JETNA mentor over at the West Las Vegas Arts Center.

Dave Washington
0:25:40
So I wanted to come on and just talk about that experience as an actor and the things that he's doing to help to grow young actors in our community and beyond. I should tell you guys that the Carl Holmes Executive Development Institute, Chairwoman Carla Holmes, myself as president and Carla will be the vice president.

Dave Washington
0:26:15
We're just restructuring for greater growth of our organization. As it was currently standing, I was reporting to five directors now as a voting member now even. There's 11 of us on the board and it complicates to an extent with me wanting to get a few things done. I now have to get a minimum of seven people to give their approval, but that's okay.

Dave Washington
0:26:40
That's all in growth. And I am pleased to continue serving, God willing, not anything to do with health necessarily because I'm hoping that I'm good. But it is my intent to step aside at the end of 2025 as the quote unquote leader of the Carl Holmes Executive Development Institute, which we are a summer institute housed at Dillard University in New Orleans, Louisiana, me and Marsha's home state.

Dave Washington
0:27:08
And sometimes my wife, she gets confused on whether or not she wants to support LSU, the New Orleans, whatever that team is, the basketball team. You know, she's all over the place. Unlike me, I'm a Warrior fan. She wants to put me back with the Lakers, but I'm a Warrior fan for now anyway.

Dave Washington
0:27:28
Ha ha.

Dave Washington
0:27:29
Anyway, wishing everybody a happy holiday season. I can tell you, once again, I appreciate Wes so much for guiding us through all that he has to do with the Veterans Affairs show. He's not gonnering us through, as I mentioned on the last show. Improperly use the word, just totally out of context.

Dave Washington
0:27:51
But Wes, you are an appreciated young man. So thanks, Wes, and see you, God willing, in the Creek Dome Rise next year. Not next year, next month. Man, what is wrong with me today but anyway see you next month and hopefully as well then to next year so thanks Wes thanks everybody for listening to Veterans Affairs Plus on 91.5 jazz and more I'm your host signing

Dave Washington
0:28:13
off off

Dave Washington
0:28:15
the next, video!!

Transcribed with Cockatoo