 And welcome to another edition of Military in Hawaii, I'm the host Calvin Griffin. And for those of you who hadn't seen the program before here in the program, we talk about a lot of different issues concerning the veterans and the military. We encourage you to call in if you have anything you'd like to share about what's happening, if you're in the military or a veteran. And you'll want to share some information, give us a call here at 415-871-2474. And as I mentioned on previous programs, what we try to do here or what we're doing here is being informative about a lot of things. There's quite a few activities going on within the military and veterans community. A lot of organizations, a lot of good things being done. But a lot of people are not aware of some of the things that's out there. So what we're going to try to do is connect the dots in case you miss something. And it also enlightens the civilian populace about what's happening here with our military because the military here in Hawaii is a very integral part. A lot of our veterans, a lot of our military personnel, they retire and live here and provide a lot of community services for our community because it's in the spirit of giving back. But right now on the program I have a call-in guest, Mr. Dennis E. Gay. And he's been on the program with me before. And Dennis is an advocate for veterans. He travels around the country talking to a lot of policy makers. And right now he's in Florida. But Dennis, thank you for joining us on the program. Well, thank you for having me, Calvin. It's always a pleasure. Great. For those of you who have never heard of you before, which I think everybody's basically heard of you. But what are some of the things you're into right now? I know that you're the president of NAOS. Could you tell us a little bit about that organization and your military background? This is recap. Well, my military background was 20 years in the Navy, eight of it that sea. And I only did one short assignment inside the United States, although Hawaii was a state when I was stationed there. My specialty was electronic radio and radar. So I had a lot of attention. And Vietnam was kind of the central focus of my 20 years in the Navy. At the moment, I'm president of the NAUS Hawaii chapter. Nationally, we went out of business the end of last year. And they're in the process of reforming as USA.org, United Uniform Services Association.org. They have a website up. Anybody interested? Maybe they were a former NAUS member. They're still on board. They're keeping the membership as it was. And then, of course, when it comes time to renew, the member gets to make the choice. Well, NAOS is part of the, I know there's a much larger group on the national level with the major organizations, veterans organizations who are part of that. Are they part of the, I forgot, the National Council or something? Well, they're a founding member of the National Military Veterans Alliance. And they also are also a member of the military coalition. The alliances are not so high-bound by rules that require everybody to be, you know, consensual. Right. And what they do reach out, and they are effective in seeking the assistance of members of Congress, that's their mission. Right. I know that with these organizations, they're supposed to be apolitical. But I know that individually, the members get involved with a lot of things that's happening, not only with locally here like in Hawaii, but also, of course, across the country. A lot of members, you know, our service members or veterans, ever ran for office anyhow. What are some of the things when you, recently you went to Washington, what are some of the things that they're talking about concerning the veterans in the military now that we need to be aware of? Well, they are making noise on television, so it's no secret that they want to build the military back up, maybe to where it was during Reagan's time. Maybe it won't quite get that big, because it'd be awful expensive. But during Vietnam's time in the Navy, we had a thousand ships, and there were a million personnel boarding or riding in those ships. So, now I think we're maybe about one-third of that number. But what I'm still concerned that Blue Water Sailors from the Vietnam War, their presumed exposure to Asian arms was unceremoniously terminated to fund another program which will remain anonymous, and this could be a discussion for another day. Right. Yeah. Okay, yeah, because I know there's a lot of issues not only with the Blue Water Sailors, but quite a few of them. Hello. Remaining Vietnam vets, there's a lot of issues of health that are... Hello, Calvin. Hello. Can you hear me? Okay, we may be seem to have a technical problem here. Dennis, can you hear me? Hello. Okay. Hello. Thanks. Hi, my name is Justine Espiritu. This is my co-host, Matthew Johnson. Every Thursday at 4 p.m., we host the Hawaii Food and Farmers series. This is the place you can come to for insight on the perspective and history and passions of Hawaii's farmers and all folks involved in Hawaii's local food system. What kind of folks do we have on? So, we have everyone from local farmers. We have foodies, chefs. We also have journalists, researchers. Anyone who's actually working to help make Hawaii's local food system that much better. So, join us every Thursday and tweet in us and ask us some questions and leave your comments as well. Thank you. Hawaii is a place where you get to watch shrinks and others involved in psychology talk about the joy, the sorrow, the pain and the bliss of being human. I am Steve Katz and I am a practicing marriage and family therapist here in Honolulu. My guests are psychologists, clinical social workers and others who are interested in helping people be fully alive. Please join us into this most human journey in consciousness and loving kindness. Hey, everybody. That's Ian, social media manager here at ThinkTek Hawaii. Thanks for tuning in. Sorry to break into your show. If you're listening on the podcast, thanks for listening, watching on YouTube. We appreciate the subscription, et cetera. If you are a longtime listener or viewer of ThinkTek Hawaii, you would know that we are on every day five to six hours a day, basically streaming stuff that's happening here in Hawaii that matters to everybody worldwide, basically. There's a lot of stuff that we've got going on and we're excited about many of them. 2017 is going to be really cool. Right now I can tell you that we are on iTunes where you can listen to all of this stuff now. We're really excited about how that's going. And we have just started on the street feature where we take a camera out to the street and stream live to you guys out there and getting what people in the local community out, what they want or are thinking about and sharing that with you. We're really excited about all that stuff. We're really excited about you guys watching and following us on all the social media sort of things, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, all that good stuff. Look for us. ThinkTekHI. Watch us on Olalo. Thank you so much. Everybody here appreciates it. Hello. Okay. All right. You're back live. We had a slight technical difficulty in our communication with Dennis. And as I mentioned, he's my calling guest today, Mr. Dennis Igay, who's the national party chapter president here in Hawaii for now. And Dennis, thanks a lot for staying on the line anyhow. Okay. Okay. Yeah, before we took our break here, one of the things we talked about as far as like some of the medical issues when you talk about the blue water sale or something else. How much progress has been made? I mean, has it been in these solid legislation or funding to address that issue? And I think you did mention that, but is there anything in place right now? Well, there are bills that are being introduced. There was legislation that really not specific enough to make anything happen. But I think we're going to get back what we should never have lost in the first place. It's just going to take a little while. There was another agenda that was popular at the time that our presumed exposure was terminated in order to pay for another program. But ironically, the beneficiaries were mostly not able to qualify. So the VA is sitting on the money. They'd like to spend it somewhere else, but there's a few hops in the house that are watching it real close. They don't want the VA to say, oh no, we spent that money on something else. They're not allowing that to happen. All right. Akai was one of those, and I think we still have a few that are in the house, but they're not going to let the VA just spend that money as they fit. If that's made for a purpose, then that's ground for us to get our presumption back. So we can benefit from having you serve. I know there are one other thing, of course, we talk about what's happening with the benefits for our current veterans, but one of the things that I don't hear talked about too much is that, especially during the Vietnam era, there have been issues that came up with certain birth defects or certain things that came up, health issues that are not, I don't think have been really openly addressed in a way. Have you heard anything or any discussion about that? Because I think a lot of people may not be aware that they may be entitled to benefits, because if they had a parent that was stationed in Vietnam who suffered from some of these ailments that were caused by Agent Orange and somebody else, that they may be entitled if there's a direct correlation in their current health situation. Is that correct? That seems to be the case, yes. Children of the veterans who served, there's no doubt about it. They were exposed if they had boots on the ground. And so if they have birth defects in the family when none ever existed, I think it is in their best interest that they check with the VA or check with somebody. Keeping an eye on that, I wouldn't necessarily say it would be your congressional representative, but that might be a good place to start. We're going to try to do some more research on that. I get all choked up when I talk to you. We'll be here sometime offline in the military community if you look at the instances of cancers and some other things that have developed with some of the dependent children. You have to think really what's going on. So what we're going to try to do is get in touch with the right people. Again, we're not here to go ahead and put any misinformation out or try to make any innuendos about impossible health issues. But there's another number of things that came up as far as like with water on a certain basis, not necessarily here in Hawaii, but in other parts of the country. And on a later date when it's been disclosed that there have been issues. So these are some of the things that we will tackle because again there's a lot of things that are talked about offline. Not that we're trying to embarrass the military or any other facet of the government. But I think there are a lot of people who get frustrated sometimes when they feel that their issues are not being adequately addressed. Am I correct? Is there anything else you want to add to that? No, I think they're absolutely correct. The government may be, I don't think they can be over cautious with the taxpayers' money. There are people out there that they find out from time to time they are dealing with the system. And it's like a point I made at the February while the veterans got home. But I think if the VA would take the lead in finding jobs as the principal benefit for veterans, that maybe if they are busily busy and the gamefully employed, they'll have less time to dwell on some of the elements that they picked up from being in a bad place, you know, 50 years ago. Now, us the Vietnam vets, we're getting a little bit old, a little long in the sea. But then we've got kids. And I don't think it's any better, Potman, because it could need more attention. In the sandbox, as we call it, over in Afghanistan and Iraq and the Middle East. I lived over there. Luckily, it was a pretty peace time when I was there. But, oh man, the weather itself is brutal and then you throw in high rate of fire weapons and anything else that could pick up from the desert environment. It's not nice. And it's no wonder people come back a little bit, a little bit changed in their minds and their attitudes when they come back being ordered into harm's way. Yeah. Well, I guess there's a lot of things that need to be addressed. I mean, we constantly hear about the new revelations within the system. And the thing that over here, as I mentioned, there are a lot of good people that, you know, work within the VA system over here. A lot of things are systemic in nature that have to be changed at the core, back in Washington or some other higher level. But there are a lot of people that really want to be part of the solution when you're dealing with, not only with the veterans and the military issues, but sometimes it seems that we have certain elected officials who subscribe to the old adage that, if it doesn't serve me, it serves no purpose. And, you know, that's where we have a lot of veterans that are, you know, they're kind of, you know, they're hurting in a way, you know. But I think we need more cooperation within the veterans and the military community when the certain people who are charged with being in charge of the programs are not really living up to par. Anyhow, what are some of the other things that you thought that you became aware of? Well, here's something that you don't hear about over there in Hawaii, and you should. Yeah. The chemical is called Roundup. And if you dig into it a little bit, you'll find out that it's aching orange by another name, slightly modified and not supposed to be quite the toxic. But when you're out there applying it on the ranches and, you know, in the places where they grow seeds, they use an awful lot of insecticides like Roundup. It's a pretty dangerous chemical, and I'm hearing about it here in Florida because we have a lot of orange growth here, and they use it, keep the bugs off the fruit, so, you know, it's edible. And we're not hearing about it too much here in Hawaii, but the name does pop up. I want people to remember the name Roundup. It's pretty much like aching orange, not exactly, and I'm not a chemical engineer, so I can't tell you what they changed in it to try to make it a little more acceptable. It's still going on, so we've got people who are not necessarily in Vietnam are being exposed to something quite similar to aching orange, and they have the same issues with cancers. Well, see, that's the thing. When something is identified, you either relabel it, you know, or bury the information, you know, and the thing is like profits over health, you know, and I think that's another thing that gets people very upset when the fact that you think that there's certain, you know, the companies would have more, be more responsible to the, not only to the customers, but also, you know, to the environment in general, and then you come to find that later on when all these things happen, you know, it's like years down the road, and by that time, like I say, as far as the number of individuals who, you know, may have, you know, terminated out or, you know, of course passed away, you know, that's when the fight begins. So it's all about, it seems to be about the money, you know, and here in America, you know, we still have the illusion that, you know, that there are people that are, I mean, there are a lot of people still looking out for the American populace, but there are too many people out there in the wrong, in the right places, the wrong people in the right places who are making the decisions, who don't seem to really give a rip, you know, it's all about the profit line, you know, about the image, you know, like I say, the illusion that, you know, everything is fine, you know. But, you know, we see... I think there needs to be a lot, I think there needs to be a lot more selflessness, not selfishness. There are people out there, not so much in Campbell and June, but there's an army force up in the upstate New York where apparently they process the toxic chemicals, and they're making the big belly who, about being victims of this and poor management, and so they get the sick. But then when I ask them, they say, well, what about Agent Orange? Can't you include this, the toxic chemical? Oh, no, you guys, take care of yourself. We're too busy. So, I don't call that very selfless, and therefore divide and conquer. Nothing gets done, the generation dies off, and it leaves the birth to despair. I don't know where did all that come from, that's strange. I remember my uncle, he was in Nagasaki at the end of the Second World War, and he got some radiation poisoning, and, well, 50, 60 years later, he ended up with throat cancer. And the doctor finally, the VA allowed regular ordinary doctors to diagnose to the VA satisfactory for the longest time, and say, if you weren't a VA doctor, you'd diagnose it. And so, he was awarded a rating, and giving money, and they called my aunt, and said, well, you're too late, he died, and said, okay, we'll give you a pen. Well, that's another issue. That's another issue, I think, that needs to be more explored in a very public way. As I mentioned, once you get into the system of the medical care that's provided to the veterans of the military, you know, our top notch, you know. But there's times when there's certain new innovative medical techniques that may come aboard that are either dismissed, or by the time they try to, you know, the individuals or the companies that try to introduce this to the protocol for addressing certain issues, it's ridiculous. I mean, you know, we had a guest on the program a couple of weeks ago who have some very innovative ways of dealing with not only diabetes, but post-traumatic stress and all these different issues. And it sounds like the powers would be, they take more than too much time trying to overanalyze. I mean, especially when it's been vetted in the civilian sector. Why can't it, you know, transition over into the military or the veteran treatment, you know, programs? And again, that's a lot of frustration because there are people out there, and I don't want to be negative about the VA. But as I mentioned before, systemically, there's a lot of issues that need to be addressed, and they're not being properly aired in public, and that's in my opinion, and I think some other people have been sharing that with me. And again, it's not to be negative, but we want to be proactive as far as trying to provide the information. If there's certain medical protocols out there that the system is reluctant to embrace, then we need to put pressure on these people, you know. And again, that's the purpose here in the program, is to network. You know, if there is something out there, a lot of times with benefits, with even securing your benefits in a timely manner, you know, and then that becomes a medical, you know, a financial drain on the family because it was coming out of their pockets, you know. So if that's the case where they do have to wait for certain medical treatments and there's something out there that's going to really benefit them, right, that's what we're going to do here in the program is allow people to get the people, the information, let them benefit for themselves, and if it helps to relieve certain financial or either health issues, then, you know, hopefully we'll do that. And that's why I like to have people call in. If they do know of anything that, or any system out there, that is going to be beneficial, you know, not just to make money or anything like that, but something that is truly beneficial to our veterans and military. Then I think that, you know, we need to share that information. So that's true. And then, even exactly to your point in El Paso, Texas, where Fort Bliss is located, the VA facility there, they are working with the local health care industry and they're outsourced in many of the, many things that the VA could do, but this is almost duplicated. So now, in that case, it's a pilot program to what I've been advised and the VA focuses on what it can do but that the local health care industry providers, they cannot. And so there are one plus one is three because you've got a good team going. Yeah. Well, like I said, I think we, as far as the veterans and, you know, the populace, because one thing, something George Washington said that a country is judged by the way it treats its veterans. And, you know, it becomes an issue when you have someone that's served in the military and they go back to their neighborhoods and their family and they might relate to the negative things that they've encountered in the system systemically. And that, you know, it discourages a lot of people from serving the country. We have like two, well, as far as percentages, like 1% of the total American population is involved. I mean, you know, in the military and then you got to, you know, according to certain sources, 1%, you know, 99% of the money in the country, you know. So you got 2% that's having a major effect on what's happening in our country, you know. But I think there are a lot of people who do want to get involved and be, you know, serve their country, but they want to make sure that they're not left hanging out to dry after they serve their country, you know. So, again, I think it, you know, it has a reverberating effect, like, see throughout the country, you know. So is it? Well, you're so right, Calvin. And, you know, you definitely got your ear to the rail so you know what's happening. It always has, in my opinion. So anytime I get a chance to contribute my little bit, I'm real happy to do it. Yeah. Like, you know, as I mentioned with yourself, I mentioned this before is, you know, the fact that, you know, you are one of the unsung heroes over here that really you go out there, you walk to walk, talk to talk, you go to Washington and these other places around the country and there are, of course, a lot of people that do listen, you know, because you do reflect a lot of the sentiments of the people in the, you know, in the veterans community. I think one of their issues right now that we should be made aware of that you came across when you were in Washington. Well, another thing that's kind of off the topic, but a lot of military people, they work in communications and we have HR 555 who's introduced. Kind of focused the issue on the fact that these ugly hand radio antennas who see and we love to hate them so bad, they certainly serve a useful purpose and if we don't give the licensed operators of the radios that are connected to the antennas a chance to practice and, you know, kind of groom their skill, hone their skills, we're not going to be here for folks in there, of course, then we'll be criticized. But if that, so I focused my attention on our two U.S. senators because this bill died with another number in the last session of Congress. And I reminded them that you guys are probably shooting yourself in the foot and the two people I testified, you know, in their office to share advice at the minutes, hopefully I convinced them that they should convince the senator to stop listening to who they're listening to and give us a chance to do what we're licensed to do in an emergency and they'll be amazed how really much benefit we will be to the community. We just have to be given a chance. We shouldn't have to fight with rules and regulations. So that's HR 555, which passed the House as it did last time and it was killed in a sense. So we need to get our two senators on board with this and, you know, listen to us. We're there to help them. The people are listening to you. They're going to go run high somewhere when the hurricane comes or the earthquake or something even worse and more sinister. But we'll be here if we're given a chance. Yeah, okay. Like I said, keep up the good work. That's okay. Well, I'll be back at the end of the month and then May, April is another Oahu-Becton council meeting. I'll be there for that and I'll pass the word on to you. Okay. Whatever comes down. All right. Well now, Dennis, I want to thank you. I'm sorry. You're welcome. You're welcome. Okay. Anyhow, I want to thank you for joining us on the program and, you know, for all you do for the military and the veterans over here and throughout the country anyhow. And yeah, we'll see when you get back anyhow but keep up the good work. Right. Well, take some credit for that too. You're pretty inspirational yourself, Calvin. Yeah, there's a lot of people doing a lot more than I am but thank you for that sentiment anyhow. I appreciate that. That's okay. You have access to them and you're not, you don't mind sharing. All right. That's the good part. Okay. Okay. Again, Dennis, thanks a lot for the Oahu. We'll see you when you get back here. Okay, bye. Okay. And that was Mr. Dennis E. Gay. And as I mentioned, if there's anything you'd like to share here on the program, just give us a call, you know, and we'll be more than happy to put you in the air or, you know, call in and we'll talk about it. But the main thing is networking. Being part of the solution in that part of the problem. And I want to thank you all for viewing into the program again and we'll see you sometime in the future. Thank you very much and aloha.