Veteran's Affairs Plus W/ David L. Washington

Unknown Speaker 0:00
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Kevin Krall 0:11
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Unknown Speaker 0:31
Good morning, Las Vegas. This is Veterans Affairs plus on 91.5, jazz and more. I'm Dave Washington, your hosts look forward to sharing a lot of information and does everyone to know that this is the history month for women, women's history month so I'm definitely going to say a few things about that as we go through today's topics. Birthdays, yours truly. March 2, I'll be 72 God willing, as they say, in the creek don't rise. Another friend Linda binal. Birthday is This month, Michael Lindsey, a friend of mine, his birthdays this month as well. Condolences. You know, last month I talked extensively about Dudley Trustee binal. And my goal was to speak a little bit more about another colleague, Chief Herschel Clady and sort of ran out of time. So I want to spend just a little bit more time with that today. As I mentioned, when I had an opportunity, both gene Campbell chief gene Campbell and I were able to attend to services last week and I spoke and I spoke about him as a superhero to me because this guy was one of my fire service mentors, Jacqueline, who will be our next guest. He he was such a tremendous role model for myself, along with many other not only fire service folks, but the people in the Long Beach in Southern California area. And he was actually out of Memphis, Tennessee, and grew up in San Diego, California and went away to the Air Force. But just a tremendous friend who really pushed me as I became well was in pursuit of becoming fire chief for for any department but actually wound up with the department that I grew up in Las Vegas Fire and Rescue. So, again, I just wanted to shout him out again and thank his wife D. His good buddy Dan, one of his posse members, his daughter, Shandra, Cassandra, and Herschel the second they did a tremendous job with the services that they that they have for Herschel. Believe it or not, Herschel was 81 years old and was still golfing just up until the time he got eel. So I'm going to miss this young man, this brother, this colleague and mentor. So I just want to say a few more words about Herschel Clady chief, Assistant Fire Chief for the Los Angeles County Fire Department. Then on the home front, boy, we lost the legend, Mr. Herman moody. He was the first black police officer to be hired for the Las Vegas Police Department, as it was called us as the Metropolitan Police Department and the sheriff combined. But at the time, when Mr. Moody I think he retired as a sergeant, when he was patrolling and working the area, he could only work the black community that oh, yeah, that's the way it was. And then I learned just the other day, as we had a family gathering that my nephew, Cliff Washington put together, to have the family to come together yes to discuss family issues. And I learned from my aunt, Elsie Kennedy, who was a metro officer that he raised so much came when he first came on, I believe, in 1960s 766, seven or 69, that they stop requiring black officers to only work the black community because he said, I'm not doing that. And they stopped sending them out throughout the community, which should be the case anyway. So Mr. Herman moody, once again, lost him. He was 98 years old. And Mr. Herman Moody was an outstanding individual that a lot of us young folks in the community looked up to. In fact, he was also a one of the best Seaman guys in the community, not only when he left, as he was still working with Metro, he also had his own business as a concrete cement construction worker and in fact, the Did the slab for our home at 1101 Ralston, and he did a superb job. But again, this is a man that we will miss. And I just hope and pray that God will be pleased with the work that he did with the people in the community because he was an outstanding just a perfect gentleman. And I know that he had, I think he had three girls, he and his wife and she passed away some years ago. But once again to the to Herman, Ella, and the rest of the family. mignon. You guys had a great dad, and we really, really appreciate the work that he did in our community because a lot of us looked up to him. Mr. Herman moody, Sargent, Las Vegas Police Department, now an ancestor. And again, we appreciate the work that he did, while here on Earth. This is 91.5, jazz and more. I'm Dave Washington, your host. I'll see you on the other side with our first guest.

Unknown Speaker 6:02
Once again, good morning, Las Vegas. This is 91.5 Jazz and more. I'm your host of Veterans Affairs. Plus, I'm Dave Washington. Our first guest Miss Jacqueline Fergus, she reminded me that her birthday just passed. So she is a Pisces as well. So Happy belated birthday, young lady.

Unknown Speaker 6:21
Thank you. And happy almost birthday. Yes, yes.

Unknown Speaker 6:23
So Jacqueline, I know you are a veteran. What branch did you serve? And how long? I was

Unknown Speaker 6:29
in the Navy for 15 years as an air traffic controller? In

Unknown Speaker 6:33
the Navy? Yes. So where did you serve and how long? Okay,

Unknown Speaker 6:39
I was in. I was in for 15 years. And my first duty station was Norfolk, Virginia. And then after that, I was in Naples, Italy, which was amazing. Then stationed in Hawaii, then I was sent to the carrier out of San Diego. And then I retired out of San Diego from Coronado. Wow.

Unknown Speaker 6:59
15 years. Yep. And all you did was air traffic controller. Did you have other positions within that service? Just air traffic control? And did you attempt to do that once you

Unknown Speaker 7:13
exited the military? No. No, absolutely not.

Unknown Speaker 7:17
Is there any reason why not? It was way too stressful.

Unknown Speaker 7:20
It was like, on some days, you can have, you know, a bad day. And it doesn't really impact anybody, maybe your coworkers because you have a bad attitude or whatever. But in air traffic control, if you have a bad day people can die. So just the things that that were going on with my home life, and then just the regular stress of the job. I was like I can't do this.

Unknown Speaker 7:43
Interesting, because I know that generally there was it President Reagan, I think he can get it the whole trip, air traffic control group, unfortunately, but I think everybody survived that, if I will. Everything is still moving along. So obviously we did survive that. But that's interesting. So due to the stress, and one of the most stressful jobs, I tell people I believe in the fire service is the dispatchers and the medics, the paramedics because they see a lot. And I always used to tell the officers, don't be talking crazy to those dispatchers because they are your link between additional resources. So treat them with dignity and respect. I know you get a little stressed out there, but they're the ones who are trying to ensure that you get what you need to function out there. So the stress said to you know, you don't want to be this when you be when you roll out to civilian life. Yeah, absolutely not. And I have you guys to know for I always like to disclose things that are important that I feel that the public should know. Jacqueline is a dear friend of my daughter, amre youngest daughter. You guys went to school together, right? Yeah, we

Unknown Speaker 8:50
cheered together in high school. Yeah, they cheered. Okay. And we used to. We used to skip school and watch stories at your house. Haha. 30 years later,

Unknown Speaker 9:03
right with that a funny man. I see you over there laughing. Yeah, the things that young folks do. So why did you decide to actually join the military in the Navy, in of itself?

Unknown Speaker 9:16
Well, I wanted to go to school to be a fashion designer. But my parents didn't have a plan for me. As far as you know, finances, there was nothing set aside for me to go to school. And you know, since I was skipping school, my grades weren't all of that. So I didn't get a scholarship. And my mom was like, well, you need to do something. So I initially wanted to go to the Air Force. But they were like, you're a little overweight. And I was like, Well, yeah. And I was like, Well, I'm definitely not going to the Marine Corps or the army because I don't like to be dirty. And I want to be someplace where I'm going to be comfortable in the air condition using my mind not necessarily my body, right. So the Navy was To the natural choice.

Unknown Speaker 10:03
So what would you say to a young man or a woman who was considering a military career,

Unknown Speaker 10:09
I would say, do it. The sacrifice, you have to sacrifice whether you're going to go to work nine to five, or you're going to be an entrepreneur, or in the military, but the reward I feel, from my experience is that it is greater. The Sacrifice is greater, of course, but so is the reward because my children are able to go to school, and not have to, I don't have to pay for them to go to school, the military pays for them to go to school, right? And healthcare, the experience that you get from having, you know, 510 15 years working in a job, and then you're able to go out into the civilian world and actually apply that if you want to. And if not, then that's fine, too. Because hopefully, you'll have that retirement money coming in to supplement you.

Unknown Speaker 10:56
Right. Resting. So you mentioned children.

Unknown Speaker 11:01
I did. I've got three. So my oldest is 23. And she's just like, not about the military life. She doesn't mind. Kids don't like to be told what to do. I don't know where they got that from. But so yeah, so she went to college, and is she got her degree in business. And then I've got a 15 year old and a 13 year old and I homeschool them because when I was in the military, I hated having to leave my kids like that was gut wrenching, it was horrible, heartbreaking. So when I decided to retire, because they were offering early retirement at the time, I was like, I'm definitely gonna take it. And I will never miss another event because of work. Like, I'm just not doing that anymore. So they are part of my life every single hour, pretty much. So

Unknown Speaker 11:49
you got out early, because they offered early outs. So what did they give you time? Well, so I'm assuming that they gave you additional time to add to your 50? Well,

Unknown Speaker 12:01
because and I will say this, if you're thinking about going to the military, keep meticulous records, about your injuries about anything that you deal with medically because I was able to retire early, but I also had a medical retirement. So I was rated at 100% disability. So that gave me a retirement as if I were a captain instead of just an e6. Oh, yeah. So definitely you want to keep your medical records up to par. And yeah, so I make good money just by waking up in the morning more than what a lot of people make having to go to work. That

Unknown Speaker 12:35
is interesting. So keep meticulous records. You're suggesting to folks are advising them to do yes, they going right?

Unknown Speaker 12:44
And don't be ashamed to get you know, mental health. Help. And if something hurts, don't be too like macho or too proud to be like, No, my back hurts. Go to medical for that. Because if it's in your record, you're gonna be compensated for it when you're ready to take it out.

Unknown Speaker 13:03
Excellent. Well, you know, and you mentioned getting help, particularly as it relates to mental I know that something I mentioned my my nephew, Cliff, a little bit ago, and one of the Sundays we every other Sunday, we do a zoom call talking about family matters, etc. And he brought up the issue of there seems to be like a pandemic, or just an overflow of young people wanting to kill themselves. So, and I know that in our community, and I'm talking about the black community, it used to be and I think is changing now that it will be taboo, you crazy. Just go sit down somewhere, don't go good, no hill, that ain't part of the deal. Which is crazy. As we think about it. In these modern times.

Unknown Speaker 13:51
There's a lot of things that are crazy that happened within our community. There's a lot of things that we don't talk about, we don't talk about mental health, we don't talk about money. And you know, like money is a huge thing. It's a huge factor for your mental health. If you're not able to feed your family, if you're not able to take those breaks to relax and reset, you're gonna be stressed out. And you're just gonna want to be like, oh, man, I'm tired of this, right? It's, it can be overwhelming. And so like, my goal is to help people work on their mindset, so that they can see the world from a different paradigm or a different set of lenses. And get out of the victimhood. And then also teach them about how money works. Because if your money is right in your mind is right, well then now you can start living the life that you want to live and not necessarily be in victim mode and sad and despair all the time. Right.

Unknown Speaker 14:39
Now, you mentioned that the military will take care of your children's education. How about you did you go back to school or are you in school in terms of degree or what you did in the military has suffice you so far,

Unknown Speaker 14:54
and went back to school for communication and now I am an aspiring speaker. cuz I want to help people learn more about money. And like I said, get their, their, their goals in order inside of their head and all of this, these sorts of things. So the military did pay for my schooling. And the only reason that the military covers my kids schooling is because of my 100% rating. But again, had I not made those initial sacrifices in the military, I wouldn't be reaping these huge rewards, right?

Unknown Speaker 15:24
This is, as I mentioned earlier, Women's History Month, any reflections with regards to any women that kind of mentored you, etc, etc.

Unknown Speaker 15:36
During your life, there are so many women that mentored me, but I would have to say my grandmother who passed away maybe two years ago, she passed away and she was 101 years old. So could you imagine the history that she's seen? I regret that I didn't take the time to like really sit down and dig into her past and everything. I think that it's so important, though, that we if you do have a person in your life like that, that has seen things, they can help you prepare for the future, because they know what you mean, things are kind of cyclical, right? So yes,

Unknown Speaker 16:12
Veterans Affairs plus on 91.5, jazz and more, I'm going to help you to come back on the other side for just a few more moments.

Unknown Speaker 16:29
Once again, in Las Vegas, this is Veterans Affairs, plus on 91.5, jazz and more. I'm Dave Washington, your host, I thought it would be important to bring this Jacqueline back for just a few more moments, because I had a couple of additional questions based upon her talking about her grandmother, you know, something that I I started out to do last year, I tried to shuffle it off to my, to my nephew, Cliff. He didn't he didn't know like, this ain't my job. This is yours. And my point is, I got some, some, their elders, how many older now with with my family at 71, soon to be 72. But I told my family, I think it's important, I got an aunt, I'm not gonna give you your age, and Magnolia and Ruby. And then we got a cousin I down in Texas. But I want to get these folks on the phone. Because something you say it triggered my man on what I didn't do with a couple of my grandmothers to include my own mother and father, to talk about some of the things that occurred in their life. And I just think it's important for us to know about those things, whatever they may have been good, bad or indifferent. Because I think that it helps us to become stronger as people as fellow human beings. And just to know, because there's some things that I want to know about my dad, whose past that I didn't ask him, and I wish that I had. So now I don't want to leave this out, and not have my own family to ask these questions of some of our elders. I love that. Say you love that. So tell me, you mentioned your grandmother, as a mentor, was there any other

Unknown Speaker 18:09
I would really have to say my mom, too. I mean, obviously my mom. But those would be the main ones that I can think of right now. Okay.

Unknown Speaker 18:16
All right, closing remarks from you on what we've covered today. And I appreciate you coming in.

Unknown Speaker 18:22
I really appreciate you having me here. This has been an amazing experience. But yeah, again, if you are looking to join the military, just keep your books in order. And another thing is, we can talk about this another time, if you would like to bet, instead of using the fgli, which is the service, I don't even remember what it stands for. But it's their life insurance, you want to have something that as a permanent life insurance, because that's just for term. And that's a whole other topic. But you want to have your money working for you while you are out there working for your money. That way when you do retire, you'll have a huge nest egg to to pull from to buy the house that you want to buy or live the life that you want to live instead of just relying on your military retirement.

Unknown Speaker 19:04
Thank you so much, Miss Jacqueline, and she actually retired as an e6, but paid at Luton US dollars and that is wonderful. So have a plan for those of you who are still in the military as you exit have a plan on how you're going to deal with things going forward in life. So once again, thank you for the opportunity to come and be on our program and I trust that some of the veterans out there will gain something from what you stated today. And we look forward to having you back on again to tell us about the success of you becoming a motivational and inspiring type speaker so thank you so much Jack

Unknown Speaker 19:50
Good morning. Once again, this is Veterans Affairs plus on 91.5 Jazz and more. I'm Dave Washington, your hosts. Our next guest is a longtime friend, Miss Dora grin. How are you doing? You're

Unknown Speaker 20:03
just fine. Dave, how are you?

Unknown Speaker 20:06
I'm doing well doing well. Thank you for coming on the show. I really appreciate it.

Unknown Speaker 20:11
Not a problem. All right, Dory,

Unknown Speaker 20:14
how long have you lived in Las Vegas? And where are you from?

Unknown Speaker 20:17
Dave? I came here. August 22 1977. So that would put me here at 46 years from Detroit, Michigan, Detroit. This year, yeah. All right,

Unknown Speaker 20:27
from the Motor City, the Motor City. Door many years ago, you ran for state assembly. You weren't successful. But I'd really like to know what you may have gained out of that experience.

Unknown Speaker 20:44
They bet experiences and education that money can't buy. First of all, you have to care enough to run, and then decide whether you're willing to do the hard work and to learn. And so I ran, I met a lot of interesting people, there was an opportunity to help people even after I even after I left, as you know, I always have something to say about about blacks. And so my professional life and my, my community life has always intersected with one another and alone that leadership is an activity not a position. Despite not having not winning the assembly. Title, I was still a leader, I share with others my experiences, I help people anywhere I can. And I do whatever I can do to try to make situations better for other people. And so all of that came, a lot of that came out of me running for office. Excellent.

Unknown Speaker 21:42
Well, you know, one of the things that I wanted to get you in some other when all the shows this month will be with women. And the next one, we'll have a Sandra Marshall, the American Legion, auxiliary and en su Phillips, with the Phelps or other with she has a new veterans newspaper. But Dora tell me from and I know enough about you in terms of, and it's interesting that you say talk about leadership. I know that you've always been extremely active in the community. In fact, I recall when you were one of the lead members of the Martin Luther King committee, talk about that experience a little bit if you would.

Unknown Speaker 22:21
So the Martin Luther King committee was actually my foray into community activism. As you will know, at that time, I met your wife back in 1985. And she introduced me to the king committee. And from there, I've always been committed, like I said, to helping other people. So from the King committee, I, you know, chaired the boards of SafeNet of oil vice chair of the boards of safeness. Here, the KCP. At one time Economic Opportunity development, State of Nevada Welfare Board, I chaired the Southern Nevada regional housing authority, Workforce Connection board. And so everything I've done has been to make sure that we help and we left uplift other people. So it has been the king committee was my first step into the Las Vegas community. And it's just been rising ever since then, although right now I'm trying to tamper all of that.

Unknown Speaker 23:16
Understand it or in fact, my family has been on me about stepping back, you know, what I learned quite a bit and just those few statements that you made, because I didn't realize you were on the board and, and cheering over it, saving it, which is a very important community organization for folks.

Unknown Speaker 23:32
Absolutely. It seems to be more important now than ever, with all the domestic violence that has taken place in our community. But safe nest is a very interesting organization. And they not only serve women, they serve men as well. And so for anyone who is experiencing any type of domestic violence, be it male or female, they're an excellent organization to reach out to i i have i share their boards for seven years.

Unknown Speaker 23:57
So often, and I know I'm really asking a lot because how would people make contact with that particular organization? Is it Do they have a website or anything?

Unknown Speaker 24:09
Segments has both a website and a phone number and I can pull it up for you? I didn't have it because I didn't know we were gonna talk about it that much. But yes, it is. It's you can reach it anywhere you can reach the you can reach the the the office itself, you can reach the home that they have if you if you need help there 24 hour organization.

Unknown Speaker 24:31
Yeah, and I tell people all the time, as I told you, I'm not a journalist. I don't try to trip people up but just some things that you say it spurred me to ask that question because I think we're trying to grow our listening audience and, and the counting information that you would give out I think will be important. So as I continue to kind of quiz you on things if you would look that up. I think it's important for for people to know. So the next thing I want not a problem at all. Great. Do you want to answer Don, the Metropolitan Police Department's multicultural committee, tell me about your experience there. And, and I'm not gonna throw you out there to the wolves. But I will say this Dora don't play. She's very, very well versed in any topic that comes up anything that she brings up, you better believe that she has researched it, you know, because sometimes you would, as I sit there and watch you operate door, you know, me and Barbara Robinson, we used to raise so much cane. And then when you come in, you always you always have your facts and you read bam, bam, bam, and you and sometimes I could see whatever Sheriff it was, get a little red in the face. But you know, when you bring in truth, it's got to be responded to, and it's nothing. And one thing I used to tell Ramadan, one thing, and I've told Kevin and others to include our new Governor Joe Lombardo. Look, one thing, I noticed that none of us ever walked out of that room angry. You know, we get only we get on each other's nerves a little bit, but it was all for the right thing is for for the service of the people. And not only that, I tell people, we serve those officers too.

Unknown Speaker 26:11
Yes, absolutely correct. And you know, as Kevin is moving forward, and he's talking about a police department full of humanity and humility, and taking care of his police officers, then they'll take care of the people, it has been a very interesting experience for me. I became more interested, when by Williams was killed in September of 2019. And that was when me and four or five other people worked with Captain Jim Rochelle to revise their use of force policy. Because when they when they, when they essentially killed that man, he said 24 times that he couldn't breathe. And then the officers mocked him and high five, as they, as they were taking him down. And they turned off the cameras, the whole nine yards. So you were there, you know, that didn't fit too well with any of us. But we sat, and we came up with what he came up with revisions to the use of force policy. And so in that policy, now, they have to make sure that they're restraining individuals in a manner that does not compromise their ability to breathe, they need to make sure that they're, they're placing those individuals in a recovery position, they need to make they have a duty to intervene, because nobody helps. You know, you have all these officers standing around, he this man is in distress, and nobody seemed to help him. They also have a duty to render aid. Nobody, again, they're standing around, and nobody's rendering aid to this man. So with that, we, they now they have to make sure that their body cameras are on and their foot pursuit policy was changed as a result of that. So we, collectively, you and all of us, in that committee bring a lot to the Metropolitan Police Department because we can share with them our perspective as citizens and not as police officers. Excellent. So I think it is, as a matter of fact, it's, it's the only thing that I'm doing right now that I want to do right now, because I you know, I chair their African American recruitment committee, and we need to make sure we need to ensure that blacks are becoming a part of this organization, we can't continue to complain about the problems. Unless we become a part of the solution. Part of that solution is for us to get it and we can't win it if we aren't in it. And a part of that is for us to get in and so that we collectively as a group of black folks can make sure that things are being done right.

Unknown Speaker 28:32
Excellent, excellent. Tour, this being women's history, money, any particular thoughts with respect to any figure or two that you hold in high esteem? I'm talking about women.

Unknown Speaker 28:46
Wow, let me think about it. So David, you, I'm kind of like you, I have a real hard time lifting people up because people will let you fail. The person that I look to more than anyone is Jesus, because if you read the Bible, he sets the tone for how all of us should be and how we are. And so as women collectively, I think we probably follow his teachings more than say, per se men do because we're, we're incubators, we receive stuff inwardly. And I think that's why we have an opportunity to, to express it and to be more compassionate and more empathetic towards people. So in terms of a particular woman, I can't think of anyone right offhand. Because I kind of sway on the side of following the word.

Unknown Speaker 29:41
Close remarks.

Unknown Speaker 29:44
Well, first of all, thank you for having me on. You know, I kept saying I don't know why you want me to come on enough. Have anything to offer? And I and I'm glad that you're doing this as we go forward. I hope we as a community as a black community can continue to pray progress, and to be willing to lift one another up because it's not just nothing is about us. It's about the young people that are coming behind us. And I think we need to put in the work, the time and the effort to make sure that they are headed in the right direction and that they have whatever it is they need to be successful.

Unknown Speaker 30:15
Excellent door appreciate and love your sister friend for doing the work that you do in our community. Once again, Las Vegas. This is Veterans Affairs plus on 91.5, jazz and more. I'm your host, Dave Washington. And don't forget to call Tony Marshall 301-537-9465. Thank you so much. All right. You're more than welcome. Thanks, bye

Transcribed by https://otter.ai