Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
I'm Sandy Collins. This is iHeart Sinsey, a tri state
public affairs show. Today, my next two guests are here
to bring you information about veteran services in northern Kentucky
and Cincinnati. First up, we've got representing Disabled American Veterans
of Erlinger, Dan Claire. He is the chief Communications and
Outreach officer for the Disabled American Veterans Chapter nineteen, located
(00:23):
in Erlanger, that's their world headquarters. Dan's a veteran of
two branches of the military. Welcome Dan Claire. Let's start
with your story.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
Well, you know, I did four years in the Marine
Corps as a broadcaster and as a broadcaster and like
a print journalist for the military. And when I did
my last year as a broadcaster, we worked with the
Air Force and they take really good care of people,
and I was I got out of the Marine Corps
and right before nine to eleven, I enlisted in the
(00:53):
Air Guard because it just seemed like a great way
to continue my service. Then nine to eleven happened, so
I deployed on nine to eleven to help get the
FEMA teams to New York and after that I was
sold on servant in the Air Force.
Speaker 1 (01:07):
So you've left the military and now you're working for
the Disabled American Veterans Organization at Erlanger, and you sent
out this really interesting piece about the Patriot boot Camp
that you are all putting together for veterans who want
to grow their businesses or start a business. So take
it away. Tell me about this boot camp, how it
(01:28):
came to be, and what veterans can expect.
Speaker 2 (01:32):
This DV Patriot boot Camp was actually founded by civilians,
folks in the tech community, and they wanted to know
what can we do to make founding a company accessible
to disabled veterans and all veterans and spouses.
Speaker 3 (01:48):
So they came up with this program.
Speaker 2 (01:50):
They created a community, and DV got involved with the community,
and about seven years into that program, we actually took
it over now runs DAVY Patriot boot Camp. It's a program.
It's amazing what it does for these founders, whether their
spouses are active military folks. It really provides startup education
(02:11):
for him. It makes, like I said, things more accessible.
They're going to get four hours at least of mentorship,
access to great resources, and the most important thing probably
is that they get a community of people who are
in similar situations who support each other and are there
for each other. And that includes some really impressive business
(02:32):
leaders who never served in.
Speaker 3 (02:33):
The military but found their path to serving veterans.
Speaker 1 (02:36):
This way, you do this for veterans at no cost
to them.
Speaker 2 (02:40):
Yeah, that's true of every service that DAVE offers, no cost,
no obligation.
Speaker 3 (02:44):
You don't have to be a.
Speaker 2 (02:45):
Member of DAV which is possible for veterans, but yeah,
absolutely free.
Speaker 3 (02:50):
We just asked that people get here.
Speaker 2 (02:51):
Our next cohort actually starts February five through seven, and
that's in the Cincinnati area where Northern Kentucky here at
are headquarters.
Speaker 3 (03:00):
Yeah, absolutely free, no obligation.
Speaker 2 (03:03):
We're not going to take a piece of your company
or anything like that, but you're going to get three
days of amazing programming stuff that would cost thousands of
dollars if you were to do it on your own.
But we have great volunteers and subject matter experts who
are going to walk you through the process. They're going
to talk about funding, capitalizing your business, legal mistakes, sales marketing,
(03:25):
all stuff that veterans need to get their companies off
the ground. We have tons of mentors and that's the
thing that impresses me. These CEOs are so busy, attorneys,
so busy, but they take time out of their practice,
take time out of what they're doing to provide a
service to veterans, and it's life changing for these veterans.
Speaker 3 (03:46):
It changes the.
Speaker 2 (03:47):
Entire trajectory of their futures to get involved in a
program like this.
Speaker 1 (03:51):
And it's both for veterans and their military spouses, which
is amazing because oftentimes the spouse is the one that's
trying to handle the business while the military member is
perhaps still serving. How do we get signed up? And
is your next boot camp full or where are we
at with that?
Speaker 3 (04:11):
No seats are open.
Speaker 2 (04:12):
They will fill, but they are open right now, and
we encourage people to visit Patriot boot Camp dot org
to sign up. And that's true too for mentors and
true just for people who are listening. If you know
a veteran who could benefit from this, if you know
a mentor who has a lot to give back to
the military and veteran community, please let them know. Tell
(04:33):
them about dav Patriot boot Camp, send them to Patriot
boot Camp dot org. We need the help, but it's
going to be a rewarding experience. We guarantee it and
it's just a life changing thing for the veterans who participate.
Speaker 3 (04:47):
And we hear the same thing from the mentors.
Speaker 1 (04:49):
How many boot camps have you put on your own?
And how many people are typically in these sessions in
this In this boot camp.
Speaker 2 (04:58):
We try and keep our cohorts between thirty five and
fifty veterans or spouses.
Speaker 3 (05:04):
So that's the core group there. We've done.
Speaker 2 (05:07):
Now, let's see about nine programs over the last last
three years. That's been a dav program. We're looking forward
to three cohorts this year. So even if you can't
make it in February, we have another event coming up
in May that's going to be here at National Headquarters.
We want people to get involved, so visit Patriot boot
Camp dot org to learn more.
Speaker 1 (05:29):
All right, Dan, and just a note, you might want
to hurry because the Patriot boot Camp is coming up
the first week of February, so you have to be quick.
This is Iheartsincy. I'm Sandy Collins. Now we're turning to
another excellent veterans resource, the Hamilton County Veterans Service Commission,
the go to place for veterans in the tri State
to navigate the large number of services, the healthcare and
(05:51):
all the government agencies on which all our veterans rely.
My next guest is the outreach manager of the Hamilton
County Veterans commiss Amber in Dubussi. We had the Veterans
Appreciation Day earlier this summer. Were you a part of
that and how did that go?
Speaker 2 (06:06):
I was?
Speaker 4 (06:07):
I was, So that was a new thing, that was
a new initiative and we will do that yearly. We're
actually starting already to plan for next year, so that's
something that we'll be offering yearly from here on out.
Speaker 1 (06:19):
Yeah, it was a frea great turnout, great America Ballpark,
back behind the scenes tours, all of the veterans possible needs,
all represented by folks. They're answering questions and getting stuff done,
and it was a great idea. I know, I talked
to Alicia Reese and it was just a great Hamilton
County collaboration with you guys. Are these still mostly Vietnam vets?
Speaker 4 (06:42):
So it is, but I think we're getting to that
finicky space where we are starting to see more golf
war veterans and post nine eleven and stuff veterans. But
it is still the Vietnam and Korean War veterans that
we are seeing it.
Speaker 1 (06:55):
Yeah, and any veteran can be a part of your organization,
whether you just retired last year and you were in
for four years, you.
Speaker 4 (07:01):
Know, And that's our goal to reach them all. Eighteen
to infinity, we want to reach all veterans. Well, let's
past president and future.
Speaker 1 (07:09):
Let's tell the vets how to join right now, and
then we'll get back to what you've got coming up.
Speaker 4 (07:14):
Yeah, So you can always call the Hamilton County Veterans
Service Commission and our direct line is five one three
nine four six three three zero zero, and our receptionists
will send you to the appropriate service officer depending on
your knee. You can also go online at our website
HVSC dot org and there you can find applications for
(07:34):
emergency assistance, transportation requests, or you can just ask a
question and have a Veterans Service officer to call you directly.
And as always, you can walk up. You don't have
to have an appointment, and we are at two thirty
East ninth Street and the William Hawt Taff Building on
the first floor, and you can walk in and have
any answer, any questions asked and answered in lifetime as well.
Speaker 1 (07:54):
The whole transportation area has completely changed with technology and
with funding. What have you got coming up now?
Speaker 4 (08:01):
It's new, So we are starting to focus on our
transportation department. So currently we partner with Metro and we
also have flex which is our partnership with Uber and
Left to get veterans to their VA appointments. But we
will be rolling out our new transportation department and where
we'll have our own vans and our own means to
(08:22):
transport our veterans as well, So it won't it won't
cease the partnership that we have with Metro, but we're
just adding to that so we can service more veterans.
Speaker 1 (08:31):
When is it going to go into effect?
Speaker 4 (08:34):
So we are in the process of picking our vehicos,
so hopefully it'll be up and running soon. You know,
we'll be moving next year, so we'll definitely be moving
with an up and running transportation department.
Speaker 1 (08:46):
And so what kind of transportation can a veteran get
from us for the doctor's appointments, what else?
Speaker 4 (08:53):
And that includes community care, so a lot of veterans
specialists outside of the VA or even if you want
to use a community.
Speaker 1 (09:01):
Provider.
Speaker 4 (09:03):
Then we give you transportation to that and that looks
like bus passes. You can come down and get bus
passes or we can mail them to you. You can
also we can help you to apply for metro Access,
which is their door to door service, and then Flex
which is us reimbursing you for any uber or lift
rides that you use.
Speaker 1 (09:21):
So if you're a veteran you're not familiar with all
these benefits, certainly check it out. It is HVSC dot org.
I'm talking with Amber in Dubusy. Amber is the outreach
manager and you just said that's a new department. What
are you're hoping to do with that new role? So
I want to do outreach.
Speaker 4 (09:42):
Like like you said earlier, we serve over forty thousand
veterans and we just want to make sure that we're
providing services to all those veterans and touching them in
some way, just to make sure they're ware that we're
here and we're here to help. So that's me going
out into the community, attending events, throwing events, and bring
it out in reach opportunities as well, so teaching financial
(10:02):
literacy and walking through home loan processes. So those are
some things we'll do in house as well, just connecting
all the resources we have through.
Speaker 1 (10:11):
The Veterans Amber. A lot of times you hear complaints
from veterans that they can't get what they need done,
whether it's through the hospital or through the government itself.
You guys provide help for that. So if they've been
turned down before, what would you suggest somebody do to
(10:32):
have another set of eyes look at their situation.
Speaker 4 (10:35):
Just that, to have another set of eyes look at
their situation. So our service officers were all certified to
do claim work, and that is if they even if
they received a no, we help with the appeal process.
And there's so many levels to the appeal. A lot
of times when a veteran gets no, they get bogged
down with it, and which is understandable. But just understand
that it's no right now, and then we'll try to
(10:57):
figure out if there is a way.
Speaker 1 (10:58):
To make it a yes.
Speaker 4 (10:59):
And so if that means and a pill or you know,
looking over the claim or whatever we need to do
to assist. That's what we're here to do.
Speaker 1 (11:06):
And my favorite part the services are free, correct part
of your membership.
Speaker 4 (11:09):
Everything is free. We don't want you getting attorneys. We
don't want you dealing with agencies that are saying that
they're representing veterans. We don't want that. We want you
to come to us, let us assist you for free.
So what we do is we're creating these new initiatives,
We're measuring them by the input and then we'll readjust.
Speaker 1 (11:31):
Well it sounds terrific. Thank you so much for being
on the show today. We're going to make sure that
the veterans know that the Hamilton County Veterans Service Commission
is there and serving veterans all across the tri States.
So thank you, Amber, appreciate it. Say hi to Steve
and everybody, and thanks for what you do.
Speaker 4 (11:47):
Thank you Fandy.
Speaker 1 (11:49):
That is iHeart Sinsey for this week. For questions, comments
or suggestions for guests or important topics that need the
lights shined on them, just email me iHeart Sensey with
an eye ANDIA dot com. Iheartsinsey is on the iHeartRadio app.
There is a trove of local information there from the
last couple of years that you will find helpful, hopefully
and heartwarming. Until next week. I'm Sandy Collins. Thanks for listening.
Speaker 4 (12:13):
iHeart Cincy is a production of iHeartMedia, Cincinnati,