WEBVTT 00:00:04.809 --> 00:00:08.669 All across America and around the world, this 00:00:08.669 --> 00:00:15.810 is Veterans Radio. This is Veterans Radio. And 00:00:15.810 --> 00:00:19.850 now, your host for today's program, Dale Throneberry. 00:00:23.519 --> 00:00:26.399 And welcome to veterans radio. My name is Dale 00:00:26.399 --> 00:00:29.519 Throneberry CW to helicopter pilot in Vietnam 00:00:29.519 --> 00:00:32.679 Welcome to our program today. I'm really excited 00:00:32.679 --> 00:00:34.859 to have you here. We've got two great guests 00:00:34.859 --> 00:00:37.399 We're gonna be talking with dr. Rebecca Grant 00:00:37.399 --> 00:00:40.979 about what is happening right now in Iran and 00:00:40.979 --> 00:00:43.780 some of the military aspects of it and some of 00:00:43.780 --> 00:00:48.219 the potential dangers, I guess, in continuing 00:00:48.219 --> 00:00:51.320 what is going on, how Iran is reacting and so 00:00:51.320 --> 00:00:53.619 on and so forth. Many of you are familiar with 00:00:53.619 --> 00:00:56.840 Dr. Grant. She's been on our program. many many 00:00:56.840 --> 00:01:00.380 times Explaining what is going on in the world. 00:01:00.560 --> 00:01:02.840 So I'm looking forward to talking to with her 00:01:02.840 --> 00:01:05.120 shortly I recorded her interview earlier this 00:01:05.120 --> 00:01:07.700 week and then the second half of the program 00:01:07.700 --> 00:01:11.219 we're going to be talking with Trinidad Aquarium 00:01:11.219 --> 00:01:14.439 and he is the founder and CEO of vets forever. 00:01:14.480 --> 00:01:17.599 It's a veteran service organization That helps 00:01:17.599 --> 00:01:20.239 veterans with their claims through the VA benefits 00:01:20.239 --> 00:01:23.260 program. It's an interesting interview. I just 00:01:23.260 --> 00:01:25.879 finished that recently. And I'm looking forward 00:01:25.879 --> 00:01:29.620 to you meeting Trinidad. He seems to be a great 00:01:29.620 --> 00:01:33.120 guy. And so we're going to get into that right 00:01:33.120 --> 00:01:36.239 now by going straight to my interview with Dr. 00:01:36.540 --> 00:01:40.239 Rebecca Grant. Joining me now on Veterans Radio 00:01:40.239 --> 00:01:43.659 is Dr. Rebecca Grant. Dr. Grant is a national 00:01:43.659 --> 00:01:47.140 security analyst based in Washington, DC, specializing 00:01:47.140 --> 00:01:49.459 in defense and aerospace research and national 00:01:49.459 --> 00:01:52.019 security consulting. She's the vice president 00:01:52.019 --> 00:01:55.019 of the Lexington Institute. which is kind of 00:01:55.019 --> 00:01:57.459 a center right think tank headquartered in Arlington, 00:01:57.859 --> 00:02:00.700 Virginia, focusing mainly on defense and security 00:02:00.700 --> 00:02:03.400 policy. Dr. Grant has been on our program more 00:02:03.400 --> 00:02:05.939 than any other guest over the last 20 years. 00:02:05.959 --> 00:02:09.080 And she is the one person that I trust entirely 00:02:09.080 --> 00:02:11.780 because she always tells it exactly like it is. 00:02:12.539 --> 00:02:14.699 So Dr. Grant, welcome back to Veterans Radio. 00:02:15.300 --> 00:02:18.780 I'm glad to join Veterans Radio once again. All 00:02:18.780 --> 00:02:22.250 right. So tell me what is going on. in Iran. 00:02:22.909 --> 00:02:25.330 What is your take on the whole thing right now? 00:02:25.750 --> 00:02:28.830 So over three weeks into Operation Epic Fury, 00:02:29.849 --> 00:02:33.169 and our air and sea forces have destroyed over 00:02:33.169 --> 00:02:37.389 9 ,000 targets in Iran. What this means is that 00:02:37.389 --> 00:02:39.830 we've significantly degraded the things we're 00:02:39.830 --> 00:02:43.150 going after. That was Iran's drones, their missiles, 00:02:43.669 --> 00:02:46.009 their Navy, and their integrated command and 00:02:46.009 --> 00:02:48.560 control. along with taking out the leadership 00:02:48.560 --> 00:02:51.319 targets that support that. So we're looking at 00:02:51.319 --> 00:02:54.780 a win in terms of our ability to operate in Iran's 00:02:54.780 --> 00:02:58.800 airspace, a win against their naval capabilities, 00:02:59.360 --> 00:03:01.879 but still continuing to work that target set 00:03:01.879 --> 00:03:04.520 and get after the last of their drone and missile 00:03:04.520 --> 00:03:07.439 launchers. And of course, looking now to see 00:03:07.439 --> 00:03:11.889 what is the end game. in Iran. We know the USS 00:03:11.889 --> 00:03:15.729 Tripoli is just arriving in theater with Marines 00:03:15.729 --> 00:03:18.550 on board and indications perhaps that we'll see 00:03:18.550 --> 00:03:22.370 at least a quick reaction element from the 82nd 00:03:22.370 --> 00:03:25.930 Airborne being called to be ready for a mission 00:03:25.930 --> 00:03:29.050 in the Middle East as well. Yeah I was kind of 00:03:29.050 --> 00:03:31.810 concerned I guess myself when I saw that oh the 00:03:31.810 --> 00:03:35.569 82nd Airborne is you know back you know in action 00:03:35.569 --> 00:03:39.930 and being sent over there. So the the things 00:03:39.930 --> 00:03:42.349 that are going on right now at least from what 00:03:42.349 --> 00:03:44.930 I'm able to discern from the various news sources 00:03:44.930 --> 00:03:48.969 is You know, the Gulf of Hermos is is a bottleneck 00:03:48.969 --> 00:03:51.889 as far as shipping is concerned And it looks 00:03:51.889 --> 00:03:54.849 like Iran is going to kind of try to focus on 00:03:54.849 --> 00:03:57.509 disrupting that more than anything else. Well, 00:03:57.849 --> 00:04:00.370 Iran thinks that Hormuz is still a card in play 00:04:00.370 --> 00:04:03.270 for them. Now, the facts are that some ships 00:04:03.270 --> 00:04:05.909 have transited through the straits bound for 00:04:05.909 --> 00:04:09.250 destinations like India and China, and some of 00:04:09.250 --> 00:04:11.930 Iran's shadow fleet tankers have gone through. 00:04:12.229 --> 00:04:15.490 But the vast majority of the larger bulk crew 00:04:15.490 --> 00:04:19.350 commercial carriers don't want to risk a transit 00:04:19.350 --> 00:04:21.529 through the straight. It's not like it's exactly 00:04:21.529 --> 00:04:24.420 closed. but more that the shippers are unwilling 00:04:24.420 --> 00:04:27.220 to resume their normal routes. And, you know, 00:04:27.220 --> 00:04:29.100 those things don't turn on a dime. They really 00:04:29.100 --> 00:04:30.879 pre -plan the shipping routes. And so they're 00:04:30.879 --> 00:04:33.759 wanting to see a level of confidence. That said, 00:04:33.759 --> 00:04:35.360 it's been a couple of days now since there's 00:04:35.360 --> 00:04:37.759 been an attack on any ships in the Strait of 00:04:37.759 --> 00:04:40.259 Hormuz. And what's happening is that the U .S. 00:04:40.379 --> 00:04:42.800 Navy and with Operation Epic Fury is putting 00:04:42.800 --> 00:04:45.740 together a great surveillance over the strait 00:04:45.740 --> 00:04:49.540 and also taking out anything that floats and 00:04:49.540 --> 00:04:53.279 has Iran on the side of it. been briefed that 00:04:53.279 --> 00:04:56.740 A -10s have been strafing Iranian naval boats. 00:04:57.199 --> 00:04:59.740 That would be a sight to see, I tell you. And 00:04:59.740 --> 00:05:02.800 of course, some attacks on things like their 00:05:02.800 --> 00:05:05.199 underground storage facilities for the anti -ship 00:05:05.199 --> 00:05:06.699 cruise missiles. You know, the anti -ship cruise 00:05:06.699 --> 00:05:09.180 missiles, they're not gonna take out an oil tanker, 00:05:09.319 --> 00:05:12.740 but they are certainly a heavy threat. Iran had 00:05:12.740 --> 00:05:14.740 a lot of them. And so we're getting after both 00:05:14.740 --> 00:05:17.160 the weapon storage and the coastal batteries. 00:05:17.519 --> 00:05:19.519 I think it's gonna take a little bit longer. 00:05:20.089 --> 00:05:22.430 The trouble is, you know, you're not going to 00:05:22.430 --> 00:05:25.149 have an escort where it's like a World War II 00:05:25.149 --> 00:05:28.430 style convoy. It's more about playing zone defense 00:05:28.430 --> 00:05:30.670 and putting ships all the way up, indeed, up 00:05:30.670 --> 00:05:33.509 to the top of the strait by Kuwait, as well as 00:05:33.509 --> 00:05:37.810 around that turn show point going past the isthmus 00:05:37.810 --> 00:05:40.250 there in the Strait of Hormuz that we think about. 00:05:40.610 --> 00:05:42.689 And, you know, for the ships, it's kind of a 00:05:42.689 --> 00:05:44.930 narrow channel. You've got it two mile wide in... 00:05:45.019 --> 00:05:48.980 a two mile wide inbound lane, a two mile wide 00:05:48.980 --> 00:05:51.939 outbound lane. And to the shippers, that means 00:05:51.939 --> 00:05:54.240 that they're kind of an easy target. I think 00:05:54.240 --> 00:05:57.040 that we will see some help from our European 00:05:57.040 --> 00:06:00.000 and other allies like Japan and South Korea who 00:06:00.000 --> 00:06:02.399 depend on this oil flow. But it is going to take 00:06:02.399 --> 00:06:03.959 working a little bit more of that target set 00:06:03.959 --> 00:06:05.879 before shipping gets back to normal. But I think 00:06:05.879 --> 00:06:09.029 it's more a matter of days. Do you think that 00:06:09.029 --> 00:06:11.709 we were a little bit surprised by the resistance 00:06:11.709 --> 00:06:14.610 that Iran is continuing to put up, even though 00:06:14.610 --> 00:06:17.069 we've kind of blown so many different things 00:06:17.069 --> 00:06:20.420 to smithereens? Right, and it is still a combat 00:06:20.420 --> 00:06:22.259 zone, even though their drone and missile launches 00:06:22.259 --> 00:06:24.839 are down to just a fraction of what they once 00:06:24.839 --> 00:06:28.220 did. The big surprise to me was Iran's heavy 00:06:28.220 --> 00:06:30.680 missile and drone strikes against its nearest 00:06:30.680 --> 00:06:32.779 neighbors, like the United Arab Emirates. I mean, 00:06:32.879 --> 00:06:35.660 they're just 30 miles across the strait. And 00:06:35.660 --> 00:06:38.420 Iran's attacks on all the countries in the region, 00:06:38.579 --> 00:06:41.480 starting from Turkey. all the way down through 00:06:41.480 --> 00:06:43.620 all of the Gulf states. And then, of course, 00:06:43.620 --> 00:06:47.500 a couple days ago, Iran fired extremely long 00:06:47.500 --> 00:06:50.560 range missiles towards our island based in Diego 00:06:50.560 --> 00:06:53.439 Garcia. It's out in the Indian Ocean. But remember, 00:06:53.560 --> 00:06:57.319 Dale, this is a major forward base for our B 00:06:57.319 --> 00:07:00.420 -2 Spirit bombers, the stealth bombers, also 00:07:00.420 --> 00:07:03.639 our B -1s and B -52s and a big naval support 00:07:03.639 --> 00:07:07.519 facility there on the atoll. Now, luckily, our 00:07:07.519 --> 00:07:10.019 U .S. Navy with their standard missile Three 00:07:10.019 --> 00:07:12.899 popped up an interceptor and hit one of those 00:07:12.899 --> 00:07:15.899 Iranian missiles for an exo -atmospheric kill. 00:07:16.199 --> 00:07:19.399 That's 65 ,000 feet up in mid course. We think 00:07:19.399 --> 00:07:22.139 the other Iranian missile didn't function properly. 00:07:22.639 --> 00:07:25.240 But that just proves that Iran will still go 00:07:25.240 --> 00:07:27.980 after critical infrastructure. And I've been 00:07:27.980 --> 00:07:31.420 surprised at the extent of their missile capabilities, 00:07:31.699 --> 00:07:34.199 the extent of their attacks on every country 00:07:34.199 --> 00:07:36.819 in the region. And to me, it proves that they 00:07:36.819 --> 00:07:40.060 were really a worse threat. than I realized. 00:07:40.519 --> 00:07:43.300 Was there an imminent Iranian strike on the table? 00:07:43.379 --> 00:07:46.680 I don't know, but certainly to characterize Iran's 00:07:46.680 --> 00:07:49.459 threat as imminent, I think was correct. And 00:07:49.459 --> 00:07:53.720 we almost waited too long to get after the Iranian 00:07:53.720 --> 00:07:55.980 missile and drone capability. We needed to destroy 00:07:55.980 --> 00:08:02.060 it all. Yeah, it was much, much more. Many more. 00:08:02.579 --> 00:08:05.480 I can't think of many more missiles and everything 00:08:05.480 --> 00:08:10.029 else than I was. expecting and many of the more 00:08:10.029 --> 00:08:13.069 long -range Missiles that I don't think that 00:08:13.069 --> 00:08:17.209 we were all aware of or at least you know People 00:08:17.209 --> 00:08:18.910 weren't talking to us about it. Mostly. I think 00:08:18.910 --> 00:08:21.750 we thought they were short short distance ones 00:08:21.750 --> 00:08:27.410 and They've certainly Come to face and you know, 00:08:27.529 --> 00:08:29.329 it's not that Iran are the good guys. Absolutely 00:08:29.329 --> 00:08:32.110 not They're just it is sort of an evil Empire 00:08:32.110 --> 00:08:35.620 and that they've got to We have to continue, 00:08:35.620 --> 00:08:37.320 I think, putting the pressure on them, because 00:08:37.320 --> 00:08:40.139 I think that they're feeling that they're kind 00:08:40.139 --> 00:08:42.240 of getting themselves backed into a corner here. 00:08:43.139 --> 00:08:45.960 And it's almost like catching a raccoon in your 00:08:45.960 --> 00:08:49.720 garage. He's going to come at you with everything 00:08:49.720 --> 00:08:53.220 he's got to get you away. And I'm concerned about, 00:08:53.220 --> 00:08:57.759 I wonder how long this is going to go. And what 00:08:57.759 --> 00:09:03.059 could be the final result? the Iranian Revolutionary 00:09:03.059 --> 00:09:07.100 Guard seems to be still having an awful lot of 00:09:07.100 --> 00:09:11.019 power in whatever government that is there since 00:09:11.019 --> 00:09:15.139 we wiped out most of the leadership. But where 00:09:15.139 --> 00:09:21.320 do you see this going as far as cleaning this 00:09:21.320 --> 00:09:23.940 up or ending this? Because I know we have this 00:09:23.940 --> 00:09:31.139 new 15 -step proposition out there. Yes, I see 00:09:31.139 --> 00:09:36.220 really two key indicators. One will be when Admiral 00:09:36.220 --> 00:09:38.379 Brad Cooper, who is the commander of US Central 00:09:38.379 --> 00:09:42.259 Command, reefs back to the president and to Chairman 00:09:42.259 --> 00:09:44.759 of the Joint Chiefs, Dan Cain, that the target 00:09:44.759 --> 00:09:47.419 set is completed. You know, as the airstrikes 00:09:47.419 --> 00:09:50.289 begin, it's often the case that the additional 00:09:50.289 --> 00:09:53.370 targets appear and you spot a missile facility 00:09:53.370 --> 00:09:55.309 that you didn't know was there. You see Iranian 00:09:55.309 --> 00:09:57.470 military forces maneuvering in a place you didn't 00:09:57.470 --> 00:09:59.769 expect. That adds to the target list. So the 00:09:59.769 --> 00:10:01.450 first thing I want to see is Admiral Cooper. 00:10:01.730 --> 00:10:03.389 He's not going to tell you and me, but he'll 00:10:03.389 --> 00:10:05.129 brief to the president that he feels the target 00:10:05.129 --> 00:10:07.629 set is largely complete. The second thing is 00:10:07.629 --> 00:10:10.669 the negotiations is clearly some type of back 00:10:10.669 --> 00:10:13.309 channel. President Trump refused to name any 00:10:13.309 --> 00:10:17.409 names as to who the U .S. is talking to in Iran. 00:10:17.669 --> 00:10:20.009 We've heard recently too that But Pakistan may 00:10:20.009 --> 00:10:22.169 be playing the role of intermediary, which is 00:10:22.169 --> 00:10:24.169 good. The Pakistani military is very professional. 00:10:24.549 --> 00:10:27.250 They also have ties, you know, professional ties 00:10:27.250 --> 00:10:31.789 to Iran. So that would be a good interlocutor. 00:10:32.710 --> 00:10:35.409 Then what President Trump's going to ask for 00:10:35.409 --> 00:10:37.850 is an accounting for the highly enriched uranium. 00:10:38.129 --> 00:10:40.169 Maybe it's buried so deeply we don't need to 00:10:40.169 --> 00:10:42.309 worry about it. Maybe we need to put it on a 00:10:42.309 --> 00:10:44.389 truck and drive it out of there somewhere. But 00:10:44.389 --> 00:10:46.230 accounting for that highly enriched uranium is 00:10:46.230 --> 00:10:48.289 going to be a big deal. There'll be other elements 00:10:48.289 --> 00:10:51.330 to that plan. And I think, as our previous discussion 00:10:51.330 --> 00:10:53.850 showed, the Strait of Hormuz will figure very 00:10:53.850 --> 00:10:56.649 prominently. I'm curious to see, too, what happens 00:10:56.649 --> 00:10:59.830 with Kars Island. About 90 % of Iran's crude 00:10:59.830 --> 00:11:02.509 products are loaded through terminals off Kars 00:11:02.509 --> 00:11:06.509 Island. You know, we only get about 2 % of our 00:11:06.509 --> 00:11:08.970 petroleum products through the Strait of Hormuz. 00:11:09.240 --> 00:11:12.120 But China gets a lot. So does Japan, South Korea, 00:11:12.200 --> 00:11:14.860 and many, many other countries. So this will 00:11:14.860 --> 00:11:19.159 have to end with more or less with Iran not able 00:11:19.159 --> 00:11:21.419 to interrupt shipping. So that may look like 00:11:21.419 --> 00:11:24.220 the U .S. or international coalition in control 00:11:24.220 --> 00:11:26.120 of the Strait of Hormuz. Those are the end games 00:11:26.120 --> 00:11:28.519 I'm looking at. Do you have any input or any 00:11:28.519 --> 00:11:31.000 ideas about what you think that maybe the Russians 00:11:31.000 --> 00:11:34.720 are doing as far as helping the Iranian with, 00:11:34.720 --> 00:11:39.100 you know, targeting and so forth? Such an interesting 00:11:39.100 --> 00:11:42.340 question. I don't think the Russians can stop 00:11:42.340 --> 00:11:45.419 Operation Epic Fury or make any real military 00:11:45.419 --> 00:11:49.500 impact. Did they perhaps supply probably two 00:11:49.500 --> 00:11:52.559 types of intelligence, maybe some access to their 00:11:52.559 --> 00:11:54.980 version of GPS called GLONASS that gives satellite 00:11:54.980 --> 00:11:59.759 coordinates? some technical information on U 00:11:59.759 --> 00:12:01.740 .S. military systems that the Russians have collected 00:12:01.740 --> 00:12:04.000 up. But I got to tell you, too, I think the Russians 00:12:04.000 --> 00:12:05.860 are going to be standing back and saying, wow, 00:12:06.019 --> 00:12:09.080 look at this demonstration of precision air power 00:12:09.080 --> 00:12:12.159 and of precision sea -based missile defense from 00:12:12.159 --> 00:12:15.360 the Navy, which has just been unbelievable. We'll 00:12:15.360 --> 00:12:17.659 start to see reports soon about the USS Tripoli 00:12:17.659 --> 00:12:20.210 in theater. And then again, yes. yet another 00:12:20.210 --> 00:12:23.350 layer of power. Of course, the primary and terrible 00:12:23.350 --> 00:12:26.970 connection between Iran and Russia is that Russia 00:12:26.970 --> 00:12:30.049 has set up a factory in Tatarstan in Russia to 00:12:30.049 --> 00:12:33.570 make Iranian Shahed drones, the very ones that 00:12:33.570 --> 00:12:36.269 our forces have been shooting down. About 57 00:12:36.269 --> 00:12:39.110 ,000 of those Iranian -made drones have been 00:12:39.110 --> 00:12:41.870 used by Russia to attack Ukraine. And sadly, 00:12:41.990 --> 00:12:47.409 Russia's drone factory is out of reach. we're 00:12:47.409 --> 00:12:49.669 forgetting about Ukraine, you know, while we're 00:12:49.669 --> 00:12:51.950 all involved in all these, you know, everything 00:12:51.950 --> 00:12:54.409 that goes along with Iran. I'm kind of concerned. 00:12:54.549 --> 00:12:57.429 What do you, kind of a quick transition, what 00:12:57.429 --> 00:13:00.750 do you see going on between, you know, Ukraine 00:13:00.750 --> 00:13:05.730 and Russia right now? Well, the same, same situation 00:13:05.730 --> 00:13:08.690 obtains, you know, Russia is continuing its attack 00:13:08.690 --> 00:13:11.799 and its illegal invasion. I think that maybe 00:13:11.799 --> 00:13:14.720 a good part of Operation Epic Fury, as pertains 00:13:14.720 --> 00:13:18.919 to Ukraine, is that this is a weakening of the 00:13:18.919 --> 00:13:22.580 Russia -China -Iran -North Korea alliance, because 00:13:22.580 --> 00:13:25.240 Iran will be defeated here in Operation Epic 00:13:25.240 --> 00:13:28.519 Fury, and that is good in geopolitical terms. 00:13:29.980 --> 00:13:32.919 But another thing, too, is look at the air defense. 00:13:34.000 --> 00:13:37.480 A lot of that Ukrainian air defense is based 00:13:37.480 --> 00:13:40.620 on American technology. We're going to hear some 00:13:40.620 --> 00:13:43.379 stories now about how a lot of our new counter 00:13:43.379 --> 00:13:46.159 drone systems have functioned very, very well 00:13:46.159 --> 00:13:49.139 against Iran's drones in Operation Epic Fury, 00:13:49.299 --> 00:13:52.039 starting with our Air Force and Navy fighters 00:13:52.039 --> 00:13:53.899 that are pretty good at taking them down, but 00:13:53.899 --> 00:13:55.779 going also to the ground -based point defenses. 00:13:55.980 --> 00:13:58.600 And there are a lot of them. I'm talking Coyote. 00:13:59.399 --> 00:14:02.240 vampire, slam ram, a lot of things that have 00:14:02.240 --> 00:14:05.720 been modified and updated for lessons of the 00:14:05.720 --> 00:14:08.519 Ukraine airspace now being applied in the Iranian 00:14:08.519 --> 00:14:11.000 airspace. So what do you think is going to be 00:14:11.000 --> 00:14:13.440 going on over the next couple of weeks? Well, 00:14:13.480 --> 00:14:15.039 it'll be a very interesting couple of weeks. 00:14:15.240 --> 00:14:17.340 Again, Central Command finishing up the target 00:14:17.340 --> 00:14:22.419 set. We will also see, I think within a few weeks, 00:14:22.600 --> 00:14:25.480 we'll see an uptick in traffic through the Strait 00:14:25.480 --> 00:14:28.600 of Hormuz as the threat diminishes there. But 00:14:28.600 --> 00:14:30.299 that's going to take some planning. The Allies 00:14:30.299 --> 00:14:32.620 have a lot they can contribute, anything from 00:14:32.620 --> 00:14:35.559 their P -8 radar planes to, of course, their 00:14:35.559 --> 00:14:38.139 destroyers with their Aegis radars. it would 00:14:38.139 --> 00:14:40.480 be very helpful. So I think we'll see some allied 00:14:40.480 --> 00:14:43.899 response down along in the Strait of Hormuz and 00:14:43.899 --> 00:14:47.299 hopefully fewer and fewer missile or drone shots 00:14:47.299 --> 00:14:50.639 of any type coming out of Iran. It may not go 00:14:50.639 --> 00:14:53.120 completely to zero, but I think we'll see that 00:14:53.120 --> 00:14:56.259 number continue to fall. And then very interesting 00:14:56.259 --> 00:15:00.059 to see what becomes of Karsh Island. That and 00:15:00.059 --> 00:15:03.379 there, you know, I just saw something about Bushar. 00:15:03.600 --> 00:15:06.940 Is that their atomic energy something up in the 00:15:06.940 --> 00:15:10.850 north? east part of the gulf well they do have 00:15:10.850 --> 00:15:15.210 a nuclear power plant yeah that's right right 00:15:15.210 --> 00:15:16.870 then it's just the one the russians are building 00:15:16.870 --> 00:15:19.269 up another one but they do have what they were 00:15:19.269 --> 00:15:21.590 but they do have their nuclear power plant so 00:15:21.590 --> 00:15:23.690 uh this is also you know president trump had 00:15:23.690 --> 00:15:27.370 threatened to attack uh the the power plant infrastructure 00:15:27.370 --> 00:15:29.610 no specific details not thinking that's more 00:15:29.610 --> 00:15:33.870 liquid but i we would certainly hope to see some 00:15:33.870 --> 00:15:36.129 real negotiations going on with Iran, but wow, 00:15:36.149 --> 00:15:37.629 they've been a slippery customer. And I think 00:15:37.629 --> 00:15:41.110 we have to rate the success of Operation Fury 00:15:41.110 --> 00:15:44.129 really on military terms, the destruction inflicted 00:15:44.129 --> 00:15:47.110 on drones, missiles, Navy, and the prevention 00:15:47.110 --> 00:15:49.669 of Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. That 00:15:49.669 --> 00:15:53.590 is the metric for success. I couldn't agree more. 00:15:53.690 --> 00:15:55.509 And I think the whole idea is to just get everybody 00:15:55.509 --> 00:15:58.080 to the table and figure out how they can. And 00:15:58.080 --> 00:16:00.600 this whole thing to the benefit all concerned. 00:16:01.080 --> 00:16:03.159 Right. And I think we have to we're going to 00:16:03.159 --> 00:16:06.159 hear some incredible stories as our as our forces 00:16:06.159 --> 00:16:08.740 complete their mission in Operation Epic Fury. 00:16:09.120 --> 00:16:11.659 More than 50 ,000, probably a good bit more than 00:16:11.659 --> 00:16:15.440 that deployed Army air defenders, Army and Kuwait, 00:16:15.759 --> 00:16:18.279 Marines, Marines on the Tripoli, United States 00:16:18.279 --> 00:16:20.440 Space Force watching all those missile launches 00:16:20.440 --> 00:16:22.639 and keeping the navigation going. And of course, 00:16:22.899 --> 00:16:25.200 the U .S. Air Force. U .S. Navy carrying out 00:16:25.200 --> 00:16:28.639 a tremendous operation, over 50 ,000 American 00:16:28.639 --> 00:16:30.960 service members in Central Command running this, 00:16:31.340 --> 00:16:33.440 making America safer, making the Middle East 00:16:33.440 --> 00:16:36.259 safer, and giving Iran a chance at a new future. 00:16:36.840 --> 00:16:39.700 Okay. I think that answers the questions for 00:16:39.700 --> 00:16:42.620 today. Thank you very much for joining me and 00:16:42.620 --> 00:16:45.759 explaining what is going on right now, and hopefully 00:16:45.759 --> 00:16:48.019 when we bring you back in a couple of weeks we'll 00:16:48.019 --> 00:16:51.750 have a better story even. to tell our audience. 00:16:52.070 --> 00:16:57.830 Thanks so much, Dr. Grant. Thank you. OK. All 00:16:57.830 --> 00:17:00.350 right. Thank you, Rebecca. It's always a pleasure 00:17:00.350 --> 00:17:02.929 to talk with you. We're going to take a real 00:17:02.929 --> 00:17:05.369 quick break here to announce what's going on 00:17:05.369 --> 00:17:07.769 with the Medal of Honor Conference in Detroit. 00:17:07.829 --> 00:17:10.829 And when we come back, we'll be talking with 00:17:10.829 --> 00:17:16.210 Trinidad Aquari from Vets Forever. The Congressional 00:17:16.210 --> 00:17:18.450 Medal of Honor Society Convention will be held 00:17:18.450 --> 00:17:22.490 in Detroit from September 29th to October 3rd 00:17:22.490 --> 00:17:26.529 of 2026, featuring the largest gathering of living 00:17:26.529 --> 00:17:30.410 Medal of Honor recipients. It brings together 00:17:30.410 --> 00:17:33.690 as many as 60 living Medal of Honor recipients 00:17:33.690 --> 00:17:36.089 for a series of public and private events aimed 00:17:36.089 --> 00:17:38.869 at sharing their heroic stories and promoting 00:17:38.869 --> 00:17:42.130 the values of the Medal of Honor, such as commitment, 00:17:43.049 --> 00:17:48.140 integrity, courage, sacrifice, citizenship, and 00:17:48.140 --> 00:17:52.039 patriotism. This event will also include community 00:17:52.039 --> 00:17:54.819 engagement activities along with recipients to 00:17:54.819 --> 00:17:58.579 connect with the local Metro Detroit students, 00:17:59.019 --> 00:18:03.000 veterans, and active military members. This convention 00:18:03.000 --> 00:18:05.579 represents a unique opportunity for the City 00:18:05.579 --> 00:18:08.400 of Detroit and surrounding area to honor its 00:18:08.400 --> 00:18:12.079 military heroes and foster a spirit of patriotism 00:18:12.299 --> 00:18:15.599 and community engagement. You can learn more 00:18:15.599 --> 00:18:19.539 about this upcoming convention at medalofhonoredetroit 00:18:19.539 --> 00:18:23.940 .com. You can go there to support it with financial 00:18:23.940 --> 00:18:27.859 resources and volunteer support. Let me tell 00:18:27.859 --> 00:18:33.380 you about one of these men, Thomas Norris. He 00:18:33.380 --> 00:18:36.380 grew up in Florida, but his family moved around 00:18:36.380 --> 00:18:38.519 a lot because his father was in the U .S. Navy. 00:18:39.069 --> 00:18:43.470 So he spent time in Michigan and Wisconsin, ultimately 00:18:43.470 --> 00:18:47.529 in Washington, D .C., in the Maryland area. He 00:18:47.529 --> 00:18:49.910 enrolled in the University of Maryland majoring 00:18:49.910 --> 00:18:53.829 in sociology, of all things, with a focus on 00:18:53.829 --> 00:18:59.210 criminology. He wanted to be in the FBI. He distinguished 00:18:59.210 --> 00:19:05.849 himself as a wrestling star in the ACC in the 00:19:05.849 --> 00:19:11.369 mid -1960s. But about that time, he had to focus 00:19:11.369 --> 00:19:15.009 on the Vietnam War. He wanted to be a pilot, 00:19:15.029 --> 00:19:18.430 but he was disqualified because of his eyesight 00:19:18.430 --> 00:19:22.390 and his depth perception. Well, he was good enough 00:19:22.390 --> 00:19:25.490 to volunteer and get through the Navy's elite 00:19:25.490 --> 00:19:29.329 special operations force, the SEALs. And in April 00:19:29.329 --> 00:19:33.589 of 1972, when two American aviators had been 00:19:33.589 --> 00:19:39.049 shot down, it was Norris, who volunteered, and 00:19:39.049 --> 00:19:42.710 he had to hide and crawl and maneuver for multiple 00:19:42.710 --> 00:19:48.230 days, hiding as a fisherman alongside a South 00:19:48.230 --> 00:19:50.970 Vietnamese commando. They found the first pilot, 00:19:51.089 --> 00:19:54.109 carried him out at daybreak under every threat 00:19:54.109 --> 00:19:58.829 of searching. The second rescue pilot took even 00:19:58.829 --> 00:20:02.269 more nerve, or journeyed, I should say, by a 00:20:02.269 --> 00:20:05.430 sampan, blending in with the local population. 00:20:06.039 --> 00:20:09.440 to save a 53 -year -old airman, call -signed 00:20:09.440 --> 00:20:13.539 Bat 21 Bravo, who had been captured for 12 days 00:20:13.539 --> 00:20:16.640 or avoided capture for 12 days with a broken 00:20:16.640 --> 00:20:22.240 wrist and loss of about 45 pounds. For that effort, 00:20:22.880 --> 00:20:27.759 Norris received the Medal of Honor in 1976. The 00:20:27.759 --> 00:20:31.640 heroics were such that a 1988 movie, Bat 21 with 00:20:31.640 --> 00:20:35.180 Gene Hackman and Danny Glover, was made focusing 00:20:35.529 --> 00:20:39.970 on all the actions around that crash and survival, 00:20:40.049 --> 00:20:42.950 but not focusing on what Norris did, because 00:20:42.950 --> 00:20:48.089 a lot of it was still confidential. After service, 00:20:48.230 --> 00:20:52.650 he applied to join the FBI, and he became one 00:20:52.650 --> 00:20:55.029 of the founding members of the Bureau's hostage 00:20:55.029 --> 00:20:59.430 rescue team. You can learn more by going to the 00:20:59.430 --> 00:21:02.569 Congressional Medal of Honor Society site at 00:21:02.569 --> 00:21:09.039 CMN. and remember to visit medalofhonoredetroit 00:21:09.039 --> 00:21:14.440 .com. We are back here on veterans radio my guest 00:21:14.440 --> 00:21:18.240 today is Trinidad acuity and he is from the vets 00:21:18.240 --> 00:21:21.140 forever He is the CEO of vets forever and he 00:21:21.140 --> 00:21:24.099 is a Navy veteran seasoned leader in the professional 00:21:24.099 --> 00:21:27.640 Nonprofit sectors in 2022 he co -founded vets 00:21:27.640 --> 00:21:30.980 forever a law group with VA accredited attorneys 00:21:30.980 --> 00:21:34.069 after his own frustrating experience pursuing 00:21:34.069 --> 00:21:38.789 benefits as a 100 % P &T disabled veteran. He's 00:21:38.789 --> 00:21:40.930 passionate about providing hope and clarity to 00:21:40.930 --> 00:21:43.210 other service members through legal representation 00:21:43.210 --> 00:21:47.150 for VA disability claims, military discharge 00:21:47.150 --> 00:21:50.210 upgrades, and many, many more. So without further 00:21:50.210 --> 00:21:53.910 ado, here is Trinidad Akiri on Veterans Radio. 00:21:54.289 --> 00:21:56.849 And so welcome. We're going to get this recording 00:21:56.849 --> 00:22:01.720 right this time. I love it. Thank you so much 00:22:01.720 --> 00:22:04.599 though for having me on very excited for today's 00:22:04.599 --> 00:22:08.519 conversation Well, tell me all about what what 00:22:08.519 --> 00:22:13.440 veterans forever is Yeah, absolutely. So we are 00:22:13.440 --> 00:22:16.299 a law group with VA accredited attorneys and 00:22:16.299 --> 00:22:20.539 agents that literally help veterans from the 00:22:20.539 --> 00:22:24.259 VA clean process from A to Z This really started 00:22:24.259 --> 00:22:29.309 out of a labor of love from back A few years 00:22:29.309 --> 00:22:32.269 ago on my own journey, when I was sitting around 00:22:32.269 --> 00:22:34.250 watching my son play Little League baseball, 00:22:34.390 --> 00:22:37.170 and I was sitting next to a retired Navy chief 00:22:37.170 --> 00:22:40.390 and those fathers that remember how expensive 00:22:40.390 --> 00:22:43.349 these baseball bats are, I asked him, I go, how 00:22:43.349 --> 00:22:45.630 are you paying for your baseball bat? And he 00:22:45.630 --> 00:22:49.450 said, I'm using my VA disability money. And I 00:22:49.450 --> 00:22:52.210 looked at him and I was like, I didn't understand 00:22:52.210 --> 00:22:55.089 what that was. Now I've been 20 years, for context, 00:22:55.230 --> 00:22:57.819 I was 20 years out of the service. And I had 00:22:57.819 --> 00:23:00.319 no clue what he was talking. And so he, as he 00:23:00.319 --> 00:23:03.839 explained it to me, I said, well, yeah, I, you 00:23:03.839 --> 00:23:05.700 know, I have all these same issues you do and 00:23:05.700 --> 00:23:09.619 a bit more. So I went to the DAV and I became 00:23:09.619 --> 00:23:12.720 a life member and the whole nine and I filed 00:23:12.720 --> 00:23:16.099 for like 20 things. Well, 18 of those 20 were 00:23:16.099 --> 00:23:20.900 denied and that sense of frustration and anger 00:23:20.900 --> 00:23:23.500 and like, cause I felt the service, right? Like 00:23:23.500 --> 00:23:26.839 I felt like I was being, you know, that I was 00:23:26.809 --> 00:23:29.150 a liar, you know, all the negative emotions that 00:23:29.150 --> 00:23:32.349 one feels. So, you know, instead of getting angry 00:23:32.349 --> 00:23:36.210 about it, I dove into the 38 CFR to understand, 00:23:36.329 --> 00:23:38.670 okay, what is it that the VA is actually asking 00:23:38.670 --> 00:23:40.970 me? Like, what is it the things that I need to 00:23:40.970 --> 00:23:45.470 do to get to point A to point B? And because 00:23:45.470 --> 00:23:47.809 of that journey and understanding some of the 00:23:47.809 --> 00:23:51.490 technicalities that come with the VA claim process, 00:23:51.849 --> 00:23:54.710 I was able to get myself to 100%. And at that 00:23:54.710 --> 00:23:57.400 point, I was like, no veteran. should have to 00:23:57.400 --> 00:24:00.039 go through that two and a half years, three years, 00:24:00.079 --> 00:24:02.700 and I'm one of the lucky ones to get to that, 00:24:02.700 --> 00:24:05.079 you know, to the rating that they deserve. And 00:24:05.079 --> 00:24:07.480 so that's where Vets Forever was founded with 00:24:07.480 --> 00:24:10.759 that sole purpose is how can we provide a quality 00:24:10.759 --> 00:24:13.839 service to our veteran community and help them 00:24:13.839 --> 00:24:16.619 throughout all of that red tape. And over the 00:24:16.619 --> 00:24:20.039 course of our journey, we hired a a retired JAG 00:24:20.039 --> 00:24:22.940 officer who became accredited, passed all the 00:24:22.940 --> 00:24:24.960 background checks, the tests that we need to 00:24:24.960 --> 00:24:28.279 do. I myself, I'm like literally just got to 00:24:28.279 --> 00:24:31.099 take the test, then I'm a credited agent. I went 00:24:31.099 --> 00:24:34.619 through that process. So it's important for us 00:24:34.619 --> 00:24:37.000 to do things the right way and know that veterans 00:24:37.000 --> 00:24:40.319 can assure that their claim is in trusted hands 00:24:40.319 --> 00:24:44.420 and care. I can understand your frustration. 00:24:44.420 --> 00:24:46.579 I've been there myself and many, many veterans 00:24:46.579 --> 00:24:49.819 that I know over the last 20 years of doing this 00:24:49.819 --> 00:24:53.519 program. That's one of the main complaints is 00:24:53.519 --> 00:24:56.200 that you just, you don't know where you're supposed 00:24:56.200 --> 00:24:59.000 to go. And we constantly encourage people to 00:24:59.000 --> 00:25:03.640 work with an accredited VSO, county service offer, 00:25:03.980 --> 00:25:07.180 even law firms and so on and so forth that are 00:25:07.180 --> 00:25:10.099 helping out. But it's still very frustrating 00:25:10.099 --> 00:25:13.920 to go through the steps that you have to go through. 00:25:16.170 --> 00:25:18.809 as you mentioned in your case you know 20 years 00:25:18.809 --> 00:25:21.809 later mine was similar only it was 30 some odd 00:25:21.809 --> 00:25:24.269 years later before somebody told well you know 00:25:24.269 --> 00:25:27.430 you're entitled to this thing and i said i am 00:25:27.430 --> 00:25:31.549 oh okay i didn't know that um even if it's just 00:25:31.549 --> 00:25:36.990 tinnitus um you know yeah exactly it's kind of 00:25:36.990 --> 00:25:40.809 eye opening it's like i didn't know right and 00:25:40.809 --> 00:25:44.680 i think Yeah, I think that the military itself 00:25:44.680 --> 00:25:46.880 or DOD, whatever you call it, you know, it doesn't 00:25:46.880 --> 00:25:49.220 do a really effective job of helping the veterans 00:25:49.220 --> 00:25:52.220 go through this. You mentioned that you utilize 00:25:52.220 --> 00:25:55.759 the DAV. And I know that, you know, many of the 00:25:55.759 --> 00:25:59.720 different organizations have their own specialists 00:25:59.720 --> 00:26:04.019 in helping, you know, kind of get through the 00:26:04.019 --> 00:26:06.940 muck of working with the VA disability side of 00:26:06.940 --> 00:26:12.440 the whole thing. What do you think the main issue 00:26:12.440 --> 00:26:16.440 is with this? Is it just lack of knowledge or 00:26:16.440 --> 00:26:20.819 people don't think that it applies to them? I 00:26:20.819 --> 00:26:23.000 honestly think it's a myriad of different things. 00:26:23.240 --> 00:26:26.460 So first and foremost, as you mentioned, you 00:26:26.460 --> 00:26:29.240 know, they train us to be three or four months 00:26:29.240 --> 00:26:31.779 of training to become a warfighter, but they 00:26:31.779 --> 00:26:35.599 give us a 90 page slide deck to become a civilian 00:26:35.599 --> 00:26:38.839 again, right? and that's through that TAPS class. 00:26:39.519 --> 00:26:42.799 So they're just throwing this funnel of information 00:26:42.799 --> 00:26:45.380 on the warfighter who just came out the lines 00:26:45.380 --> 00:26:48.480 to check off the box that leads to the TAPS and 00:26:48.480 --> 00:26:51.339 will receive the information. And that information 00:26:51.339 --> 00:26:55.240 is mission critical when it comes to, hey, you 00:26:55.240 --> 00:26:57.460 know, especially on VA claims, it's like, hey, 00:26:57.529 --> 00:26:59.890 you were entitled, you should absolutely file 00:26:59.890 --> 00:27:02.450 for your BDD, your benefits discharge at delivery. 00:27:03.170 --> 00:27:06.170 And you can do this as early as six months before 00:27:06.170 --> 00:27:08.470 enlistment. Numerous amount of veterans that 00:27:08.470 --> 00:27:10.789 I talked to had no clue what I was talking about. 00:27:11.130 --> 00:27:13.829 Or did you know you have up to 12 months after 00:27:13.829 --> 00:27:16.930 your discharge, that is still considered a presumptive. 00:27:17.329 --> 00:27:22.250 And again, so this lack of knowledge from DOD 00:27:22.250 --> 00:27:24.930 or DOD, whatever we're gonna call them, to the 00:27:24.930 --> 00:27:28.359 war fighter. it's just not enough and it's not 00:27:28.359 --> 00:27:31.319 enough care and energy. And so we wrote a white 00:27:31.319 --> 00:27:34.740 paper on that transition because a lot of the 00:27:34.740 --> 00:27:37.519 negative press that veterans get today, you know, 00:27:37.880 --> 00:27:40.980 from mental health issues, you know, suicide 00:27:40.980 --> 00:27:43.759 report came out. A lot of these things are white 00:27:43.759 --> 00:27:46.579 papers predicated on my theory of Maslow's law. 00:27:46.660 --> 00:27:48.960 Like when you look at Maslow's law hierarchy, 00:27:49.519 --> 00:27:52.299 you know, the basic foundational level is food, 00:27:52.400 --> 00:27:55.700 shelter, water. And so when you transition out, 00:27:55.900 --> 00:27:58.059 you've lost your community. You know, you no 00:27:58.059 --> 00:28:00.160 longer wear that uniform, your band of brothers 00:28:00.160 --> 00:28:03.319 and sisters, your housing, your funding, your 00:28:03.319 --> 00:28:06.079 healthcare, all that's gone day one. And it's 00:28:06.079 --> 00:28:08.079 good luck to you, Charlie. So if you don't have 00:28:08.079 --> 00:28:12.039 that BDD claim in to get at least half some sort 00:28:12.039 --> 00:28:15.500 of healthcare and financial income coming in, 00:28:15.619 --> 00:28:18.720 you know, whether it's 10 % or whatever percent 00:28:18.720 --> 00:28:21.619 that you achieve and receive that monthly compensation. 00:28:21.980 --> 00:28:24.720 that small amount of money could make or break 00:28:24.720 --> 00:28:27.420 the difference and reduce those financial stressors 00:28:27.420 --> 00:28:30.480 that could cause some of that anxiety that a 00:28:30.480 --> 00:28:33.779 lot of veterans face within the first early months 00:28:33.779 --> 00:28:37.839 of that transition. And so that is kind of a 00:28:37.839 --> 00:28:40.799 bit, and I've talked to a lot of great nonprofit 00:28:40.799 --> 00:28:43.519 leaders around, and that financial stressor is 00:28:43.519 --> 00:28:46.619 one of the key indicators for folks wanting to 00:28:46.619 --> 00:28:49.880 harm themselves. Other things are, there's so 00:28:49.880 --> 00:28:52.299 much misinformation out there. I call it the 00:28:52.299 --> 00:28:55.680 YouTube experts. You can go on there and they'll 00:28:55.680 --> 00:28:59.019 just tell you the things that you do without 00:28:59.019 --> 00:29:02.420 really having it clear to find knowledge of each 00:29:02.420 --> 00:29:05.759 veteran's different. So their theory is if you 00:29:05.759 --> 00:29:08.420 throw a bunch of paperwork at it, then it will 00:29:08.420 --> 00:29:10.700 resolve itself. And by the way, you can charge. 00:29:11.039 --> 00:29:13.980 out these extra hidden fees like nexus letters 00:29:13.980 --> 00:29:17.400 or pay for a dbq by seeing some of their own 00:29:17.400 --> 00:29:19.799 doctors and we hear about the va cracking down 00:29:19.799 --> 00:29:23.319 on that so there's all of this negative stuff 00:29:23.319 --> 00:29:25.960 and they can afford to put this information out 00:29:25.960 --> 00:29:28.440 into the public because they have these massive 00:29:28.440 --> 00:29:32.319 budgets in a contingent i'm trying to fight is 00:29:32.319 --> 00:29:35.720 to say listen when you hear it enough then people 00:29:35.720 --> 00:29:38.559 assume that it's true and that's not true You 00:29:38.559 --> 00:29:41.660 know when you hear the word accreditation, that's 00:29:41.660 --> 00:29:45.500 not a marketing term that is Accreditation is 00:29:45.500 --> 00:29:47.740 a certification of trust badge by the government 00:29:47.740 --> 00:29:51.740 by the va that these folks are qualified I absolutely 00:29:51.740 --> 00:29:54.059 send people to the vso all the time. I go see 00:29:54.059 --> 00:29:57.710 your local vso go see you know, you know, the 00:29:57.710 --> 00:30:00.309 legion, the VFW doesn't really matter or an attorney 00:30:00.309 --> 00:30:02.490 or an agent, but as long as they say that they 00:30:02.490 --> 00:30:05.430 are BA accredited, you're going to be in good 00:30:05.430 --> 00:30:08.369 hands versus being taken by one of someone that's 00:30:08.369 --> 00:30:10.869 taking advantage of you. So there's a lot, you 00:30:10.869 --> 00:30:13.369 know, and lastly, I'll say this or some folks 00:30:13.369 --> 00:30:17.109 that are now saying that the accreditation are 00:30:17.109 --> 00:30:20.309 like lame sharks, which blows my mind. And I'm 00:30:20.309 --> 00:30:23.269 like, because you know, the way the whole fee 00:30:23.269 --> 00:30:27.859 structure is set up. So again, A lot of noise, 00:30:28.000 --> 00:30:30.700 bottom line, in the current YouTube hemisphere. 00:30:31.140 --> 00:30:34.299 That's not necessarily correct. And then we don't 00:30:34.299 --> 00:30:37.640 do a good job on the front end during the transition 00:30:37.640 --> 00:30:41.099 to allow our service members or future service 00:30:41.099 --> 00:30:44.579 veterans to say, hey, you know, these are the 00:30:44.579 --> 00:30:46.900 things you should do while you can. While it's 00:30:46.900 --> 00:30:49.180 a presumptive, it's easy. Don't wait. I always 00:30:49.180 --> 00:30:51.660 say, don't be like Trinidad. Don't wait 20 years 00:30:51.660 --> 00:30:54.690 to file your first claim. Please. Let's take 00:30:54.690 --> 00:30:58.190 advantage of those claims now. Well, it's interesting 00:30:58.190 --> 00:30:59.990 what you're saying, because obviously you are 00:30:59.990 --> 00:31:04.150 at least a generation or so behind me when it 00:31:04.150 --> 00:31:08.269 comes to filing these claims. And I've been out 00:31:08.269 --> 00:31:11.609 of this service for 50 some odd years now. And 00:31:11.609 --> 00:31:14.170 I still run into veterans who have never filed 00:31:14.170 --> 00:31:19.069 a claim. And they've, oh, I've had this issue. 00:31:19.190 --> 00:31:21.349 I can't hear. I can't do that. And all these 00:31:21.349 --> 00:31:24.380 other things. Really kind of simple things that 00:31:24.380 --> 00:31:27.079 you know, they just didn't weren't aware that 00:31:27.079 --> 00:31:30.519 they were entitled to and they always take Especially 00:31:30.519 --> 00:31:33.880 the hearing aid thing was it was I'm talking 00:31:33.880 --> 00:31:36.339 these guys. Oh, I just spent you know $6 ,000 00:31:36.339 --> 00:31:39.779 on my hearing aids. Why? Because you know you 00:31:39.779 --> 00:31:41.960 were in the service you were near artillery and 00:31:41.960 --> 00:31:44.380 all these other different things You're entitled 00:31:44.380 --> 00:31:46.859 to this hearing loss. They may not give you any 00:31:46.859 --> 00:31:48.859 money, but they'll give you free hearing aids 00:31:48.859 --> 00:31:53.390 and And that's that's some of the other things 00:31:53.390 --> 00:31:55.950 that you know that you are talking about and 00:31:55.950 --> 00:31:58.230 I I have to admire what you're you know You're 00:31:58.230 --> 00:32:00.829 attempting to do because there is so much misinformation 00:32:00.829 --> 00:32:04.950 That's out there due to you know, the internet 00:32:04.950 --> 00:32:07.130 and all these, you know, the youtubers and everything 00:32:07.130 --> 00:32:09.789 else that's out there Plus there's some rather 00:32:09.789 --> 00:32:13.809 unscrupulous organizations that will charge you 00:32:13.809 --> 00:32:19.470 money to file a claim 100 % agree. I mean Our 00:32:19.470 --> 00:32:21.450 number one thing that we hear people say is, 00:32:21.630 --> 00:32:24.650 I just don't know where to start or what to claim. 00:32:24.869 --> 00:32:27.589 Like myself, right, when I first started, there's 00:32:27.589 --> 00:32:31.730 850 plus items that a service room could claim. 00:32:32.049 --> 00:32:33.750 Now, that doesn't mean you're eligible for all 00:32:33.750 --> 00:32:37.009 850, but what is unique to you, especially when 00:32:37.009 --> 00:32:40.309 it's based on your MOS, your rate, you know, 00:32:40.369 --> 00:32:42.829 what is it about your journey? And that's, for 00:32:42.829 --> 00:32:47.089 me, I enjoy that. because I even though it's 00:32:47.089 --> 00:32:48.569 you know you hear the same stories if you're 00:32:48.569 --> 00:32:51.329 11 bravo okay these are probably the the key 00:32:51.329 --> 00:32:53.430 things that you're gonna i'm gonna encounter 00:32:53.430 --> 00:32:58.029 um the toughest challenge is especially for the 00:32:58.029 --> 00:33:02.309 the vietnam vet era is and even uh some of the 00:33:02.309 --> 00:33:04.069 peacetime and of course well it's all errors 00:33:04.069 --> 00:33:07.049 i would say is given the veteran the veteran 00:33:07.049 --> 00:33:10.009 has to give themselves permission to be a little 00:33:10.009 --> 00:33:12.980 vulnerable And that's a hard pill to swallow 00:33:12.980 --> 00:33:17.640 sometimes because we are trained to push through 00:33:17.640 --> 00:33:21.680 the pain to accomplish the mission, ignore what 00:33:21.680 --> 00:33:25.799 our feelings are because it's not doing the unit 00:33:25.799 --> 00:33:28.299 any good or my band of brothers and sisters may 00:33:28.299 --> 00:33:30.240 laugh at me, whatever the case, the cultures 00:33:30.240 --> 00:33:32.500 are very different amongst the services. But 00:33:32.500 --> 00:33:35.700 the point is, if I don't give myself permission 00:33:35.700 --> 00:33:37.859 to say, yeah, I'm a little hurt, I'm a little 00:33:37.859 --> 00:33:39.980 weak, I don't have to push and live through this 00:33:39.980 --> 00:33:44.009 pain. then you have a great shot of getting successfully 00:33:44.009 --> 00:33:46.710 service connected. So when we go through these 00:33:46.710 --> 00:33:49.230 C &P exams, and they're scary, right? Because 00:33:49.230 --> 00:33:51.750 you don't know what to expect. You don't know 00:33:51.750 --> 00:33:54.809 what they're going to ask. So as I help veterans 00:33:54.809 --> 00:33:57.869 prepare for these exams, it's like, give yourself 00:33:57.869 --> 00:34:04.470 permission. It's 45 minutes of whatever, insert 00:34:04.470 --> 00:34:08.510 verbiage there, of so you can tell your story 00:34:08.510 --> 00:34:12.210 appropriately, tell your truth to the evaluator 00:34:12.210 --> 00:34:14.809 who's just simply trying to determine, you know, 00:34:14.809 --> 00:34:16.949 do you have a disability? And if so, then how 00:34:16.949 --> 00:34:19.269 much should you be rated at? Because if you withhold 00:34:19.269 --> 00:34:22.170 that information, if you push through the pain, 00:34:22.690 --> 00:34:24.369 then you're not, you're only hurting yourself. 00:34:24.489 --> 00:34:27.449 You're doing yourself a disservice because then, 00:34:27.469 --> 00:34:30.289 you know, that range of motion, you know, is 00:34:30.289 --> 00:34:32.449 now, well, you know, he can bend down, touch 00:34:32.449 --> 00:34:35.869 his toes. He's good to go. When in reality, you're 00:34:35.690 --> 00:34:37.969 you're grunting through the pain the entire time, 00:34:38.150 --> 00:34:40.389 you know, and that's not good. Or there was a 00:34:40.389 --> 00:34:42.969 traumatic event in the service, but you don't 00:34:42.969 --> 00:34:45.489 want to talk about it or bring it up. And that's 00:34:45.489 --> 00:34:48.090 in that this service to yourself. So those are 00:34:48.090 --> 00:34:50.289 the things that's the hard part veterans have 00:34:50.289 --> 00:34:53.610 to face as they go through this process. Well, 00:34:53.610 --> 00:34:56.679 we've got to counter that. with getting the true 00:34:56.679 --> 00:34:59.440 statements out there and what these veterans 00:34:59.440 --> 00:35:02.639 really need to do to, you know, get what they 00:35:02.639 --> 00:35:05.440 are entitled to. And I go back to what I said 00:35:05.440 --> 00:35:07.079 earlier, there are so many veterans out there 00:35:07.079 --> 00:35:09.199 that don't think that they're entitled to anything 00:35:09.199 --> 00:35:13.440 because there are other guys, men or women that 00:35:13.440 --> 00:35:17.099 need it more than they do. And meanwhile, they're, 00:35:17.099 --> 00:35:19.440 you know, they're walking with a cane or they've 00:35:19.440 --> 00:35:22.460 got lots of pain or they've got a cancer or they, 00:35:22.599 --> 00:35:25.079 you know, something that that they were exposed 00:35:25.079 --> 00:35:27.840 to wherever it was, whether it was Agent Orange 00:35:27.840 --> 00:35:31.380 or Burn Pits or Fort Lejeune or Camp Lejeune, 00:35:31.380 --> 00:35:36.320 I'm not a Marine, so Camp Lejeune. And we are 00:35:36.320 --> 00:35:39.420 talking with Trinidad and Cary here from Vets 00:35:39.420 --> 00:35:42.179 Forever and his organization's out there trying 00:35:42.179 --> 00:35:45.000 to help veterans. And there are so many organizations 00:35:45.000 --> 00:35:48.599 out there like Trinidad's that we really encourage 00:35:48.599 --> 00:35:53.289 you, go to your VA hospital, they've got Offices 00:35:53.289 --> 00:35:56.230 there for many VSOs, American Legion, Vietnam 00:35:56.230 --> 00:35:58.369 veterans, all the other ones are there. This 00:35:58.369 --> 00:36:00.550 is what we have to do as a veteran community 00:36:00.550 --> 00:36:04.809 to our fellow veterans. Just keep, keep pushing 00:36:04.809 --> 00:36:07.949 them, you know, be annoying to them until they 00:36:07.949 --> 00:36:12.750 get something taken care of. Amen to all of that. 00:36:12.929 --> 00:36:15.130 I mean, some of the things that there are a lot 00:36:15.130 --> 00:36:18.769 of myths out there, such as when I, and that's 00:36:18.769 --> 00:36:21.489 why, again, I always say accreditation matters. 00:36:21.739 --> 00:36:25.559 because a good VSO or a good attorney or agent 00:36:25.559 --> 00:36:28.480 can look in your record and say, you know, you 00:36:28.480 --> 00:36:30.500 know, I'm sorry that you got zero percent for 00:36:30.500 --> 00:36:33.679 this condition. You based on your readings, it 00:36:33.679 --> 00:36:37.659 should be for the CFR 30 or whatever the percentage 00:36:37.659 --> 00:36:41.679 is. And so those folks that can see that file, 00:36:42.199 --> 00:36:45.380 your CD file can say you're underrated here, 00:36:45.460 --> 00:36:49.340 here and here. We can absolutely ask for an increase. 00:36:49.579 --> 00:36:52.389 And that's OK. I had other veterans say, well, 00:36:52.409 --> 00:36:54.750 I've been denied. That means I'm done. I'm like, 00:36:54.929 --> 00:36:58.269 absolutely not. Oh, no, I know. Seventeen steps 00:36:58.269 --> 00:37:00.010 you can take. If you're if you're willing to 00:37:00.010 --> 00:37:04.090 fight the fight, you can keep going. That's that's 00:37:04.090 --> 00:37:06.530 that's 100 percent right, because we'll only 00:37:06.530 --> 00:37:09.610 stop when you tell me to stop because there's 00:37:09.610 --> 00:37:12.469 all sorts of theories, entitlement, medical literature. 00:37:12.630 --> 00:37:16.090 There's things that we have to advocate for you 00:37:16.090 --> 00:37:18.900 and fight because. If we believe in your case 00:37:18.900 --> 00:37:21.360 and we say, yeah, you have all of the criteria, 00:37:21.679 --> 00:37:24.699 you've met the standard. Again, this takes two 00:37:24.699 --> 00:37:27.940 people to approve a claim. It's the VA rater, 00:37:28.039 --> 00:37:30.119 the evaluator, excuse me, the evaluator, the 00:37:30.119 --> 00:37:32.519 person doing the CMP exam. Hopefully they have 00:37:32.519 --> 00:37:34.300 a good day and they do all the right things. 00:37:34.820 --> 00:37:39.860 Then the VA rater. The VA, we all knock on them, 00:37:39.860 --> 00:37:42.980 but the rater themselves are doing about 27 plus 00:37:42.980 --> 00:37:46.619 cases a day. They're going through each case 00:37:46.619 --> 00:37:50.170 at a breakneck speed, and if anything's off, 00:37:50.650 --> 00:37:52.809 the veteran loses. And that's the unfortunate 00:37:52.809 --> 00:37:55.150 truth. We see three out of five claims being 00:37:55.150 --> 00:37:59.789 denied today, and it's not right. But we, as 00:37:59.789 --> 00:38:01.849 accredited agents, go in and we, our attorneys, 00:38:02.329 --> 00:38:06.019 go in and say, There's a CUE here, a clear unmistakable 00:38:06.019 --> 00:38:08.940 error or a duty to assist the veteran. You need 00:38:08.940 --> 00:38:11.940 to go back and correct this. And we win a bulk 00:38:11.940 --> 00:38:15.360 of those arguments because we can adjudicate 00:38:15.360 --> 00:38:18.519 that claim, that case before the VA and make 00:38:18.519 --> 00:38:22.980 the legal argument and often overturn. So there 00:38:22.980 --> 00:38:25.800 are options. It doesn't mean it's the end of 00:38:25.800 --> 00:38:29.139 the road. It just means that we just have to 00:38:29.139 --> 00:38:32.710 go and explore. Those options so we can get you 00:38:32.710 --> 00:38:35.949 to the right percentage Well, the other thing 00:38:35.949 --> 00:38:37.530 that goes along with that, of course, is that 00:38:37.530 --> 00:38:40.530 your family may be entitled to benefits as well 00:38:40.530 --> 00:38:45.369 Especially if you you know if you die and it's 00:38:45.369 --> 00:38:47.809 a result of whatever your condition was in the 00:38:47.809 --> 00:38:52.010 VA Your family's got going to be able to continue 00:38:52.010 --> 00:38:53.989 some of those benefits throughout the rest of 00:38:53.989 --> 00:38:57.449 their lives I'll tell you a win that we just 00:38:57.449 --> 00:39:00.389 received yesterday and and I'm actually really 00:39:00.380 --> 00:39:03.519 You know, me and all three co -founders, it took 00:39:03.519 --> 00:39:06.239 all three of us to get involved in this particular 00:39:06.239 --> 00:39:10.199 case. It took us two and a half years to adjudicate 00:39:10.199 --> 00:39:12.460 this particular veteran. He was a Blue Water 00:39:12.460 --> 00:39:16.539 Navy veteran, Vietnam era. He was in the coastal 00:39:16.539 --> 00:39:21.199 waters of Vietnam back in 71. And long story 00:39:21.199 --> 00:39:25.579 short, his sole purpose to get to 100%, which 00:39:25.579 --> 00:39:28.039 he was what we thought that he should have been 00:39:28.039 --> 00:39:31.250 at, was so when he passes, because he's terminal 00:39:31.250 --> 00:39:35.349 from the cancer, that he would, his spouse, would 00:39:35.349 --> 00:39:39.090 receive the benefits. And so we were literally 00:39:39.090 --> 00:39:43.570 race against time, putting all the emergent codes, 00:39:44.690 --> 00:39:48.869 trying to move this as fast as we can, and looking 00:39:48.869 --> 00:39:51.809 at the denials. I mean, this gentleman had death 00:39:51.809 --> 00:39:55.650 logs in the 70s that we submitted saying, here's 00:39:55.650 --> 00:39:59.360 the ship. I mean literally here's his pictures 00:39:59.360 --> 00:40:01.880 like he had his you know, his buddies had taken 00:40:01.880 --> 00:40:06.380 back in the 70s. I mean we Everything and the 00:40:06.380 --> 00:40:09.420 VA was denied tonight and we finally got before 00:40:09.420 --> 00:40:12.059 the BVA and we're finally to be able to get to 00:40:12.059 --> 00:40:14.960 somebody that said Full stop. This is ridiculous. 00:40:15.139 --> 00:40:17.900 Get that man You know the rating that he deserved 00:40:17.900 --> 00:40:21.699 and we just won just a couple days ago and just 00:40:21.699 --> 00:40:26.539 the joy You know goes now I can go in peace You 00:40:26.539 --> 00:40:29.739 know when my time is up because I know my wife 00:40:29.739 --> 00:40:31.880 and my family are taking care and that's you 00:40:31.880 --> 00:40:33.780 know Part of why we do it because you're 100 00:40:33.780 --> 00:40:36.820 % right if you don't do it for yourself Do it 00:40:36.820 --> 00:40:39.500 for your family members, right because it's the 00:40:39.500 --> 00:40:43.980 spouses that are often wondering well aren't 00:40:43.980 --> 00:40:47.340 I entitled to and they are but the veteran needs 00:40:47.340 --> 00:40:51.500 to get that connection so they their family can 00:40:51.500 --> 00:40:53.900 get the respective benefits that they've Also 00:40:53.900 --> 00:40:56.179 earn because I don't think you'll argue that 00:40:56.179 --> 00:40:58.820 spouses are probably the hardest -working Members 00:40:58.820 --> 00:41:02.739 of of any military family unit so they do so 00:41:02.739 --> 00:41:06.019 much for our community. Oh, absolutely because 00:41:06.019 --> 00:41:08.480 Well, they got to put up with us. That's one 00:41:08.480 --> 00:41:12.340 part of it You know, and I think you know I think 00:41:12.340 --> 00:41:14.579 you know whatever traumatic events that we went 00:41:14.579 --> 00:41:16.320 through especially if we were married while we 00:41:16.320 --> 00:41:17.940 were in a service They went through the whole 00:41:17.940 --> 00:41:23.599 thing with us I wanted to ask you with the Changes 00:41:23.599 --> 00:41:28.440 going on at the at the VA currently have you 00:41:28.440 --> 00:41:33.579 seen any difference in the speed or You know 00:41:33.579 --> 00:41:35.360 the speed up with claims because they've you 00:41:35.360 --> 00:41:36.719 know They've said that they've been able to get 00:41:36.719 --> 00:41:39.599 rid of a hundred thousand Backlogged claims and 00:41:39.599 --> 00:41:41.619 so forth and I'm just wondering if they're getting 00:41:41.619 --> 00:41:43.719 rid of a hundred thousand by just denying them 00:41:43.719 --> 00:41:49.639 and saying okay See you later 100 % no, I mean 00:41:49.639 --> 00:41:51.920 we like if you had asked me that question 15 00:41:51.920 --> 00:41:55.349 months ago I told you it's about 120 to 150 days 00:41:55.349 --> 00:41:58.989 on average. Now it's, you know, I'm seeing it 00:41:58.989 --> 00:42:02.849 as fast as 30 days. Um, and it's mostly denials 00:42:02.849 --> 00:42:06.070 that come through the easy ones like your tinnitus, 00:42:06.289 --> 00:42:07.809 you know, they're pretty straightforward, you 00:42:07.809 --> 00:42:09.929 know, when you're in artillery to your point, 00:42:09.929 --> 00:42:13.489 that's pretty easy case to, um, to win and adjudicate 00:42:13.489 --> 00:42:18.869 in 30 days or less, but it's so fast that we 00:42:18.869 --> 00:42:21.559 don't feel that the evaluators are looking at 00:42:21.559 --> 00:42:24.039 all the evidence. When I review the decision 00:42:24.039 --> 00:42:28.119 letters and what evidence reviewed, you didn't 00:42:28.119 --> 00:42:32.179 take advantage of the migraine log or the additional 00:42:32.179 --> 00:42:34.300 paperwork from the external medical providers 00:42:34.300 --> 00:42:39.059 that you're obligated to look at. I don't think 00:42:39.059 --> 00:42:42.820 they're taking the time from the cases at least 00:42:42.820 --> 00:42:44.760 that we're submitting. I won't say this across 00:42:44.760 --> 00:42:47.280 Univer, but they're not taking the time to evaluate 00:42:47.280 --> 00:42:50.079 the full package that we're submitting appropriately 00:42:50.079 --> 00:42:52.300 so they could properly adjudicate, because I 00:42:52.300 --> 00:42:57.159 think it's moving too fast. And while speed is 00:42:57.159 --> 00:43:00.340 good, quality is better. And I'd rather have 00:43:00.340 --> 00:43:04.820 a slower but more quality outcome to have the 00:43:04.820 --> 00:43:08.059 veteran properly adjudicated than I just looked 00:43:08.059 --> 00:43:10.460 at your case and you're denied. But hey, I told 00:43:10.460 --> 00:43:13.340 you that denial was in 30 days. I'd rather you 00:43:13.340 --> 00:43:16.949 take the time you need. And get the right outcome 00:43:16.949 --> 00:43:19.730 from that that there are organizations out there 00:43:19.730 --> 00:43:24.230 like yours that really are there to help the 00:43:24.230 --> 00:43:28.309 veteran and Them, you know them and their families. 00:43:28.309 --> 00:43:31.409 That's that's what's so important to me. I have 00:43:31.409 --> 00:43:36.230 a nephew Who was an army ranger and landed in 00:43:36.230 --> 00:43:41.550 a tree? parachuting And ended up with I think 00:43:41.550 --> 00:43:45.840 he said 300 % with everything that was broken, 00:43:46.420 --> 00:43:48.719 all this other stuff, but of course you can't 00:43:48.719 --> 00:43:54.320 get more than 100. Nevermind, keep my thoughts 00:43:54.320 --> 00:44:00.119 to myself here. But the advantage of him was 00:44:00.119 --> 00:44:04.300 that as a result of that, his children got educational 00:44:04.300 --> 00:44:07.599 benefits, which many veterans I don't think are 00:44:07.599 --> 00:44:11.760 aware of. And so you got, two kids that get to 00:44:11.760 --> 00:44:16.380 go to school for basically free and continue 00:44:16.380 --> 00:44:19.940 their lives. If something happens to him, then 00:44:19.940 --> 00:44:24.440 the family also gets aid and attendance. And 00:44:24.440 --> 00:44:28.000 there's so many benefits that are out there that 00:44:28.000 --> 00:44:32.000 so many veterans are leaving on the table. Yeah, 00:44:32.059 --> 00:44:34.119 I mean, some of the top five are some of the 00:44:34.119 --> 00:44:38.489 top benefits for those that are at 100%. and 00:44:38.489 --> 00:44:40.829 besides the tax -free income, right, that you 00:44:40.829 --> 00:44:44.030 receive, is let's say you're not a retiree, like 00:44:44.030 --> 00:44:47.170 I did not retire from the Navy, but my family 00:44:47.170 --> 00:44:50.349 is covered through Champ VA. So it's healthcare, 00:44:50.750 --> 00:44:53.429 it's similar to TRICARE, and they're able to 00:44:53.429 --> 00:44:55.949 get healthcare benefits and see outside community 00:44:55.949 --> 00:44:58.070 partners in the community, you know, for their 00:44:58.070 --> 00:45:00.829 healthcare needs. That's amazing too, Chapter 00:45:00.829 --> 00:45:03.710 35. For the kids, you're right, because that, 00:45:03.789 --> 00:45:06.829 so like in Texas, We have the Hazelwood Act. 00:45:07.050 --> 00:45:09.070 Since I enlisted, that pays for the tuition, 00:45:09.230 --> 00:45:11.690 but it doesn't pay for housing and the books. 00:45:12.269 --> 00:45:15.030 Chapter 35 covers that. And that's an amazing 00:45:15.030 --> 00:45:18.050 benefit. It's like $1 ,400, $1 ,500 to the student 00:45:18.050 --> 00:45:21.670 per month. Amazing. There's also federal grant 00:45:21.670 --> 00:45:25.309 relief. So if you took out a student loan, I 00:45:25.309 --> 00:45:29.599 had one retired, she was a chief. Coming out 00:45:29.599 --> 00:45:31.659 and she's going for her doctorate super smart 00:45:31.659 --> 00:45:34.380 lady and but she had about a hundred twenty five 00:45:34.380 --> 00:45:37.519 thousand dollars in student loans all forgiven 00:45:37.519 --> 00:45:42.719 because of that benefit so then there's other 00:45:42.719 --> 00:45:46.820 Other lesser -known benefits such as grants So 00:45:46.820 --> 00:45:49.840 if you need to change your permanent home your 00:45:49.840 --> 00:45:52.960 forever home and put assistive devices like you 00:45:52.960 --> 00:45:55.840 know rails or Things to help you get up the stairs. 00:45:55.840 --> 00:45:58.099 There's grant money up to a hundred and thirteen 00:45:58.239 --> 00:46:02.059 $115 ,000 that you can apply and receive to help 00:46:02.059 --> 00:46:05.780 fund those assets for your home so you can move 00:46:05.780 --> 00:46:08.460 around a little bit easier. So, I mean, that's 00:46:08.460 --> 00:46:12.380 not counting all the individual state benefits 00:46:12.380 --> 00:46:14.820 based on your disability rating. Again, I mentioned 00:46:14.820 --> 00:46:17.619 Texas, I know Florida, Virginia, and numerous 00:46:17.619 --> 00:46:20.900 other states offer property tax exemptions. So 00:46:20.900 --> 00:46:25.039 again, these are things that veterans should, 00:46:25.039 --> 00:46:27.929 you know, you know, we love to talk about those 00:46:27.929 --> 00:46:31.610 benefits. We educate. I always love my favorite 00:46:31.610 --> 00:46:33.670 word is I rather educate than sell a veteran. 00:46:34.130 --> 00:46:36.590 It's I'm educating you because these are the 00:46:36.590 --> 00:46:39.329 benefits again that benefit not only for you, 00:46:39.550 --> 00:46:42.289 but if it's your family and if it benefits you, 00:46:42.289 --> 00:46:45.170 you know, long term and you know, there's so 00:46:45.170 --> 00:46:48.489 many auxiliary things that just touches the veteran's 00:46:48.489 --> 00:46:51.199 life that we just don't think about because We 00:46:51.199 --> 00:46:53.199 think we're indestructible when we're young, 00:46:53.539 --> 00:46:56.360 get a bit older. As you well know, we're like, 00:46:56.480 --> 00:46:59.139 we start to become a little older, wiser, slower. 00:47:00.280 --> 00:47:03.260 I like I don't like to say it, but the warranty 00:47:03.260 --> 00:47:09.519 runs out and rust sets in. And so, you know, 00:47:09.519 --> 00:47:13.960 we've got to do that. Well, you know, Trinidad 00:47:13.960 --> 00:47:18.000 is the co -founder and CEO of Vets Forever. uh 00:47:18.000 --> 00:47:20.300 what is one thing that you know we can end this 00:47:20.300 --> 00:47:22.340 up with what is one thing you would like the 00:47:22.340 --> 00:47:24.800 veteran community to be aware of what what you 00:47:24.800 --> 00:47:27.519 can do to help out and what you know as i mentioned 00:47:27.519 --> 00:47:29.820 what's your organization and how they how they 00:47:29.820 --> 00:47:34.320 would contact you yeah absolutely i mean we are 00:47:34.320 --> 00:47:37.880 all we no matter what i highly highly encourage 00:47:37.880 --> 00:47:40.559 all veterans even if you have a question or concern 00:47:40.559 --> 00:47:43.820 always seek out your local and county vso see 00:47:43.820 --> 00:47:47.380 how they can help and assist you Do that first 00:47:47.380 --> 00:47:51.059 and foremost. We partner with the DAV, VFWs, 00:47:51.059 --> 00:47:56.039 Texas Veteran Commission. Numerous organizations, 00:47:56.440 --> 00:47:59.860 when the complex cases come in where you've been 00:47:59.860 --> 00:48:02.960 denied, you're frustrated, you're not getting 00:48:02.960 --> 00:48:07.360 anywhere, come seek us out because conversation's 00:48:07.360 --> 00:48:10.280 always free. Let's have that conversation. Let's 00:48:10.280 --> 00:48:13.000 understand where are you rated? You can find 00:48:13.000 --> 00:48:16.820 us on vetsforever .com. You can book a meeting. 00:48:16.880 --> 00:48:18.840 It's a phone call or you can do a virtual meeting, 00:48:19.019 --> 00:48:21.519 whatever you're comfortable with. And we just 00:48:21.519 --> 00:48:24.880 have a simple 30, 40 minute conversation. Then 00:48:24.880 --> 00:48:29.000 we can advocate for you should you sign on. That's 00:48:29.000 --> 00:48:32.659 it. And that comes with a guarantee of, look, 00:48:32.679 --> 00:48:36.619 we are going to look at your record fairly and 00:48:36.619 --> 00:48:38.619 tell you the truth. We're going to be very transparent. 00:48:38.880 --> 00:48:41.960 Like, yeah. But at the same time if you are looking 00:48:41.960 --> 00:48:45.320 to increase Looking to get your denial overturn, 00:48:45.940 --> 00:48:48.420 you know, absolutely come to have a simple conversation 00:48:48.420 --> 00:48:51.760 with that's forever We'll take a fair look no 00:48:51.760 --> 00:48:54.619 guarantees on the rating, but we will talk about 00:48:54.619 --> 00:48:58.539 how we can assist you Okay, I think that's pretty 00:48:58.539 --> 00:49:01.179 cool. I mean it's it's always One our audience 00:49:01.179 --> 00:49:03.579 is to be aware that there there's so much help 00:49:03.579 --> 00:49:07.039 out there for you everybody in the veterans community 00:49:07.039 --> 00:49:10.030 is is out there to you know, we The saying is, 00:49:10.030 --> 00:49:11.469 you know, when you were in the service, we had 00:49:11.469 --> 00:49:13.909 your back. We like to say that we have your back 00:49:13.909 --> 00:49:18.369 today as well. And so take that step. If you 00:49:18.369 --> 00:49:21.789 haven't, you know, found anybody that can help 00:49:21.789 --> 00:49:24.610 you out, take that step. And as Trinidad talks 00:49:24.610 --> 00:49:28.030 about, you know, start with your local VSO, see 00:49:28.030 --> 00:49:31.409 where it goes and get get the help that you need, 00:49:31.469 --> 00:49:34.329 because these are benefits that you are entitled 00:49:34.329 --> 00:49:38.210 to. You know, the proverbial you sign that blank 00:49:38.210 --> 00:49:41.550 check And this is something that the government 00:49:41.550 --> 00:49:43.849 promised that they would help out. So we've got 00:49:43.849 --> 00:49:46.170 to hold their feet to the fire and make sure 00:49:46.170 --> 00:49:49.309 that they do honor that commitment, just as you 00:49:49.309 --> 00:49:52.170 honored yours. So I want to thank Trinidad and 00:49:52.170 --> 00:49:55.090 Cary for being on the program and representing 00:49:55.090 --> 00:49:59.530 his organization, Vets Forever. The website is 00:49:59.530 --> 00:50:03.469 vetsforever .com. And Trinidad, whenever you've 00:50:03.469 --> 00:50:05.869 got some more information, please let me know. 00:50:05.889 --> 00:50:07.570 I'd be more than happy to have you back on the 00:50:07.570 --> 00:50:11.179 program. I love that. Thank you for the extension. 00:50:11.340 --> 00:50:13.139 It was a great conversation, and thank you for 00:50:13.139 --> 00:50:15.719 having me on today. Thanks very much for talking 00:50:15.719 --> 00:50:18.239 with us here on Veterans Radio Trinidad, and 00:50:18.239 --> 00:50:20.000 I look forward to talking to you again in the 00:50:20.000 --> 00:50:22.039 future, as I mentioned. We're going to take a 00:50:22.039 --> 00:50:24.340 real quick break here for our Medal of Honor 00:50:24.340 --> 00:50:27.579 feature, so we'll be right back after this. The 00:50:27.579 --> 00:50:29.440 Medal of Honor is the highest award for valor 00:50:29.440 --> 00:50:31.420 in combat given a member of the Armed Forces 00:50:31.420 --> 00:50:34.440 of the United States. There had been over 3 ,400 00:50:34.440 --> 00:50:37.530 recipients of the nation's highest award. This 00:50:37.530 --> 00:50:41.329 is one of them. Private Dale Hanson killed 12 00:50:41.329 --> 00:50:43.829 Japanese soldiers in a one -man attack on their 00:50:43.829 --> 00:50:49.570 positions. Details after this. If you have a 00:50:49.570 --> 00:50:51.909 VA claim denied by the Board of Veterans' Appeals, 00:50:52.110 --> 00:50:55.010 contact Legal Help for Veterans at 1 -800 -693 00:50:55.010 --> 00:50:58.809 -4800. They're experts in handling cases before 00:50:58.809 --> 00:51:00.909 the U .S. Court of Appeals for Veterans' claims. 00:51:01.230 --> 00:51:05.539 Their number again, 1 -800 -693 -4800. Hansen 00:51:05.539 --> 00:51:08.579 unhesitatingly took the initiative during a critical 00:51:08.579 --> 00:51:11.619 stage of the action and armed with a rocket launcher 00:51:11.619 --> 00:51:14.260 crawled to an exposed position where he attacked 00:51:14.260 --> 00:51:17.019 and destroyed a strategically located hostile 00:51:17.019 --> 00:51:20.679 pillbox. With his weapon subsequently destroyed 00:51:20.679 --> 00:51:24.000 by enemy fire he seized a rifle and continued 00:51:24.000 --> 00:51:27.400 his one -man assault. Reaching the crest of a 00:51:27.400 --> 00:51:30.280 ridge he opened fire on six Japanese and killed 00:51:30.280 --> 00:51:33.760 four before his rifle jammed. Attacked by the 00:51:33.760 --> 00:51:36.519 two remaining Japanese, he beat them off with 00:51:36.519 --> 00:51:38.780 the butt of his rifle and then climbed back to 00:51:38.780 --> 00:51:42.320 cover. Returning with another weapon and supply 00:51:42.320 --> 00:51:45.159 of grenades, he fearlessly advanced and destroyed 00:51:45.159 --> 00:51:48.400 a strong mortar position and annihilated eight 00:51:48.400 --> 00:51:50.659 more of the enemy. The Medal of Honor series 00:51:50.659 --> 00:51:54.199 is a production of Veterans Radio. Military veterans 00:51:54.199 --> 00:51:56.639 touch everyone's life. I'm guessing right now 00:51:56.639 --> 00:51:59.219 you're thinking of a veteran, a close friend, 00:51:59.699 --> 00:52:02.880 relative, maybe it's you. Even the toughest of 00:52:02.880 --> 00:52:05.480 us sometimes need help but don't know where to 00:52:05.480 --> 00:52:07.860 turn for support. You don't need special training 00:52:07.860 --> 00:52:10.179 to help a veteran in your life. We can all help 00:52:10.179 --> 00:52:12.420 someone going through a difficult time. Learn 00:52:12.420 --> 00:52:16.019 how you can be there for veterans. Visit VeteransCrisisLine 00:52:16.019 --> 00:52:20.280 .net VeteransCrisisLine .net A message from the 00:52:20.280 --> 00:52:29.980 U .S. Department of Veterans Affairs. I want 00:52:29.980 --> 00:52:32.619 to thank you for listening to today's Veterans 00:52:32.619 --> 00:52:36.239 Radio program. And if you have any ideas of subjects 00:52:36.239 --> 00:52:39.079 or stories that maybe you'd like to hear on the 00:52:39.079 --> 00:52:42.099 program, please send me an email. That's dale 00:52:42.099 --> 00:52:46.420 at veteransradio .org. I want to make sure that 00:52:46.420 --> 00:52:48.800 we thank our sponsors today. We cannot do this 00:52:48.800 --> 00:52:51.679 program without their support. So first of all, 00:52:51.699 --> 00:52:53.820 we've got Legal Help for Veterans. Legal Help 00:52:53.820 --> 00:52:56.659 for Veterans specializes in veterans disability 00:52:56.659 --> 00:53:01.099 claims. Call Legal Help for Veterans at 800 -693 00:53:01.099 --> 00:53:05.380 -4800 or go to their website LegalHelpForVeterans 00:53:05.380 --> 00:53:08.659 .com. The National Veterans Business Development 00:53:08.659 --> 00:53:12.179 Council, better known as NVBDC, is the nation's 00:53:12.179 --> 00:53:14.480 leading third -party authority for certification 00:53:14.480 --> 00:53:17.219 of veteran -owned businesses. For more information, 00:53:17.380 --> 00:53:21.239 go to their website, NVBDC .org, or give them 00:53:21.239 --> 00:53:27.519 a call at 888 - Remember, if you are a veteran 00:53:27.519 --> 00:53:30.239 -owned business and you want to do business with 00:53:30.239 --> 00:53:32.340 the federal government or many corporations, 00:53:32.880 --> 00:53:35.199 you need to become certified. That means that 00:53:35.199 --> 00:53:39.500 a veteran actually is running the business. So 00:53:39.500 --> 00:53:42.960 check out NVBDC for more information. They put 00:53:42.960 --> 00:53:47.480 on seminars and training sessions all over the 00:53:47.480 --> 00:53:50.760 country. We also want to thank the Erwin Prescor 00:53:50.760 --> 00:53:53.579 and American Post 46, that's American Legion 00:53:53.579 --> 00:53:57.460 Post 46, and the Charles S. Kettles Vietnam Veterans 00:53:57.460 --> 00:54:00.659 of America Chapter 310, both of Ann Arbor, Michigan. 00:54:01.260 --> 00:54:04.079 If you would like to support Veterans Radio, 00:54:04.239 --> 00:54:07.519 please go to our website, veteransradio .org, 00:54:07.519 --> 00:54:10.139 and click on the donate button. We would really 00:54:10.139 --> 00:54:13.699 appreciate it. Today, again, we're going to go 00:54:13.699 --> 00:54:17.280 out on a God bless America. This is Jimmy Fortunes. 00:54:17.920 --> 00:54:20.599 version of God Bless America. And it's something 00:54:20.599 --> 00:54:22.539 that I like to play at the end of each program 00:54:22.539 --> 00:54:24.739 to remind us of what a great country we've got 00:54:24.739 --> 00:54:28.900 here. And I think that as you listen to the words 00:54:28.900 --> 00:54:30.800 of this song, you're going to feel the same way 00:54:30.800 --> 00:54:34.920 I do. What an awesome place that we live. So 00:54:34.920 --> 00:54:37.519 until next week, this is Dale Throneberry for 00:54:37.519 --> 00:54:41.840 all of us here at Veterans Radio. You are dismissed. 00:54:48.909 --> 00:55:01.570 God bless America Land that I love Stand beside 00:55:01.570 --> 00:55:08.909 her and guide her Through the night with a light 00:55:08.909 --> 00:55:17.070 from above From the mountains to the prairies 00:55:17.500 --> 00:55:28.539 To the oceans white with foam God bless America, 00:55:30.039 --> 00:55:42.480 my home sweet home God bless America, my home