May 13, 2025 • 30 mins
Jessamyn is rejoined by Emma Croston and introduces Cate Slade, both of whom work with Best Buddies - we are also joined by Austin Landon who shares his own experiences with Best Buddies. In honor of Military Appreciation Month, Jessamyn talks to her friend and colleague, Gregg Bell. Gregg is a West Point graduate and an Army veteran and he shares with us what serving our country means to him, as well as the bonds he's made throughout his service.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is Jessman mackensyre, your host of Seattle Voice, your
community Voice, presented by iHeartRadio in Seattle. Here, and we
are once again joined by the Best Buddies crew. I
am pleased to welcome back Emma Croston. Thank you so
much for joining me again.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
Hi. I'm Emma Croston, Washing Stage director of Best Buddies,
and I'm so thrilled to be back with you today
to share more about Best Buddies programs, especially our jobs
program for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and to
recall idd community includes people with Down syndrome, autism, fragile
(00:34):
X Williams syndrome, as well as many other undiagnosed disabilities.
Speaker 1 (00:39):
Yes, it's a very inclusive community and that's why it's
called Best Buddies. And for the first time we are
welcoming in Kate Slide. Kate, thank you so much for
joining us. Can you introduce yourself to the audience.
Speaker 3 (00:50):
Yes, Hi, thanks for having me. I'm Keith Slide. I'm
an employment consultant for the Best Buddies Jobs program in Washington,
and as an employment consultant or I'm also referred to
as a pach I support clients with IDD find and
maintain meaningful employment that's inclusive, has competitive wages, and really
is person centered.
Speaker 1 (01:08):
Well, I love the sound of all that. And you've
had the pleasure of meeting a ton of people who are,
you know, on a lot of sides of this program,
participants who don't necessarily have IDD, who interact with those
who do, those who have IDD, and have a variety
of different ways, different outlets that they get throughout this program.
And we are welcoming in right now a participant in
(01:31):
that program. Austin landed, thank you so much for your
time today.
Speaker 4 (01:35):
Austin Aloha, happy to be here. Let's get the show roll.
Speaker 1 (01:38):
Then, yeah, let's go. Okay, now it's a party. Well,
there's a few questions that I wanted to ask you
about your experience with Best Buddies, and I'll start with
any challenges that you experienced in your life before you
found Best Buddies.
Speaker 4 (01:53):
I'm a victim of bullying and sorry the way I
accomplished that. To get from that, I removed myself from
those from those individuals, and I'm happy that I found
best Buddies.
Speaker 1 (02:07):
I am too. What was the process in finding Best Buddies?
How did that go?
Speaker 4 (02:12):
My family and I if we feel if we found
best Buddies ahead of time in my career and life,
I would have been my life would have been easier.
Speaker 1 (02:22):
So yeah, there were some things that I have learned
about you that teachers didn't exactly give you a lot
of confidence before Best Buddies.
Speaker 5 (02:31):
No, they didn't. Okay, I'll break it down please.
Speaker 4 (02:34):
So when I was in school, they told my parents
that the teachers and stuff told my parents often not
going to make it. He's not going to be successful. Hey,
well I'm successful in life today. I went to college,
I have plenty of job coaches beside Best Buddies before
Best Buddy journey and I'm here and I'm successful.
Speaker 1 (02:57):
So you sounds successful And I love that smile. You
have a lot of confidence. And for those who aren't
able to see Austin right now, you can hear a
smile sometimes, and I absolutely hear it in your voice.
Thank you again, Jessamin McIntyre here the host of Seattle Voice.
And it sounds like Special Olympics is a passion of
yours as well.
Speaker 5 (03:18):
Absolutely.
Speaker 4 (03:19):
I attended the twenty twenty two games in Orlando, Florida.
Mickey Mouse and represented for Team Washington.
Speaker 1 (03:27):
That's amazing. I got to meet Mickey one time when
I worked for ESPN. Disney owns them, and Mickey and
Mini came in one time and it was a special experience.
Speaker 5 (03:36):
A moment in my heart for that one.
Speaker 1 (03:39):
I love it again. This is Austin landon joining me
Jessaman McIntyre. So you said you found bus buddies, but
do you remember exactly how you did.
Speaker 4 (03:51):
Back in twenty twenty two when I officially became a
citizen and bassater for Best Buddies. We're taking it back
to the Buddy Ball. So I got invited to a
buddy ball from a former Galpala mine. We danced and
groove to the music with other Best Buddy citizens one
of the wonderful time and Ashley, who was a friend
(04:17):
of mine to this day. Her and I chatted, We chatted,
chatty chatted, and then she said, often you will make
a ditch ambassador. And from every since that night, I'm
an ambassador. Well, I put in the public pieces, of course,
and I'm officially ambassador for Washington to date.
Speaker 1 (04:36):
Congratulations. That must feel amazing. When did that start? When
did you officially become an ambassador October.
Speaker 4 (04:45):
I don't know the official day, but it was back
in October twenty twenty two.
Speaker 1 (04:49):
Okay, yeah, so you've got a couple years under your.
Speaker 5 (04:51):
Belt now, very grateful and thankful.
Speaker 1 (04:54):
What is your favorite part about doing that being an ambassador?
Speaker 4 (04:58):
I get you, Well, I'm grateful and thankful to go
to the citizen why not citizens correct myself to the
leadership conference in Indiana and meet with other people and
going global and being a becoming a global.
Speaker 5 (05:19):
Ambassador my next one. And also.
Speaker 4 (05:24):
The Philippines, collecting with them and breading the Aloha spirit
and within best buddies. That's the That's that's what I
love doing.
Speaker 1 (05:34):
I love it. You keep saying Aloha and it makes
my heart warm because I love the spirit.
Speaker 4 (05:40):
Yes, my family are from the spirit of Aloha, so
that's beautiful.
Speaker 1 (05:45):
I love it and I just love that that spirit.
So I already asked you your favorite part, But how
would you say best best buddy has actually changed or
improved your life?
Speaker 5 (05:56):
Inclusion?
Speaker 4 (05:57):
Because before in five being adopted befive, being a special Olympian,
and it just brought more inclusion. And I get to
spread the low hot spirit with best buddies, with the
super awesome. And for those who don't have the Loha
spirit with them, hey, you know what, here you go,
(06:20):
I'm giving it to you. So I'm grateful to bring
the low hot spirit to Best Buddies and inclusion in
the background behind me.
Speaker 1 (06:29):
Yes, for those of you who get who can see,
inclusion is a huge part of the Best Buddies program.
And I love that it is in the sign right
behind you because it embodies everything that you guys do together. Again,
this is Austin Landen joining me here on Seattle Voice.
And you know you mentioned everything that you know you
(06:49):
have gained When it comes to employment, how did it help?
Speaker 4 (06:54):
Shout out to my job coaches, Kate and Sherry, And
to answer you a question, how did it help?
Speaker 6 (07:03):
Well?
Speaker 4 (07:04):
They those two helped me become They gave me the
puzzle and the power to be more confident. And when
I'm having a bad day, I can call them or
text them. They're always there for me Emma too. And
I enjoy spreading the inclusion moment, spreading.
Speaker 5 (07:26):
The Aloha spirit in the workplace.
Speaker 4 (07:28):
And my job that I'm out now they know that
my job coaches are there if they need anything. And
I just love being a good team player and spreading
the inclusion in the workplace.
Speaker 1 (07:44):
Yeah, and you're a facilities coordinator, yes, ma'am. And can
you tell me a little bit about that.
Speaker 4 (07:49):
I go around like, for example, I like to you
you lose examples. So if building confidence room is the
upcoming meeting for somebody famous and they want to use
the conference room, I go in there check make sure
(08:09):
everything is in place, like if they have a microphone,
or if the siting, if the light is in missing
its light bulbs, I call and I put in a
work ticket and a work order ticket. Basic thinking. And yeah,
that's my job is it's a good job. And for peach,
(08:32):
your employers get to know us in a workplace with
people with IDD and we'll show.
Speaker 5 (08:39):
You how we work. And I appreciate that as well.
Speaker 1 (08:42):
That is a great thing to put out there. I
wouldn't have thought of it if you didn't bring it up, Austin,
So thank you for putting that into the universe. And
you're a Loha spirit. Finally, I'll ask you how long
do you intend to stay with best buddies.
Speaker 4 (08:54):
I'm not leaving. I'm not leaving best buddies in my life.
I'm gonna keep on writhing rise right. I love best
Buddies and I'm making a heart right now. So I
love best Buddies and my pile and goals who are
in it. You know who you are, so Austin.
Speaker 1 (09:09):
It's an absolute pleasure to meet you, and I hope
we stay in touch. I will be going to the
walk on the seventeenth, which I hope to see you out.
If you're able to make.
Speaker 4 (09:17):
It, I'll be there. And also one more thing, I
am a public speaker.
Speaker 1 (09:23):
That is fantastic, and you know it's funny. Evan. Last
week I thought he was coming for my job. Now
I have Austin coming for my job. You know what
I need, the competition, so bring it. I'm here for it.
It's a pleasure to meet you. Thank you so much
for your time and I'll see you in.
Speaker 5 (09:40):
A couple of weeks here in a couple of weeks.
Speaker 1 (09:42):
And thank you again for listening to Seattle Voice. Jessamin
McIntyre continuing on promoting best Buddies and learning and talking
about best Buddies. Now, Emma Croston, we got to know
you a little bit more last week. Kate. I want
to dive into your side of the job when it
comes to Best Buddies and your role, Yes, great question.
Speaker 3 (10:00):
I'll talk a little bit about the jobs process first
because that just helps kind of know more.
Speaker 1 (10:04):
About what I do specifically.
Speaker 3 (10:05):
So in a nutshell, within the Best Buddies Jobs program,
we match skilled and qualified individuals with IDD to businesses
that are looking for enthusiastic and dedicated employees. So my
job as an employment consultant is really supporting individuals with
IDD navigate job readiness skills, develop resumes, interview practice, things
(10:28):
of that nature, supporting them when they are searching for
a job. It's person centered, as I said originally, which
is really just whatever our client is interested in we're supporting.
Speaker 1 (10:39):
I'll support with employer.
Speaker 3 (10:41):
Reach out things of that nature, and then just continuing
to be a part of the hiring process, the onboarding process,
and just ongoing support. So my job's very fun because
it looks different day to day, and I have a
lot of clients that are in different stages of the
jobs process, so it's really fun to be a.
Speaker 7 (10:59):
Part of it.
Speaker 1 (11:00):
That's really great. Thank you Kate, Laide and m across
and have Best Buddies joining us, and I love what
Austin said, because it didn't occur to me to put
yourself out there to businesses. And I'm wondering if that
is a part of what you do. You know, I
know you're working with those trying to gain employment, but
how do you go about approaching businesses or forming partnerships?
Speaker 5 (11:22):
Such a great question.
Speaker 1 (11:24):
We're lucky in Best Buddies Washington.
Speaker 3 (11:26):
We have some national partnerships as a part of Best Buddies,
but then we're also kind of developing local partnerships as well.
Depends on kind of the client or the different partnerships.
Some we've had for a while and some we're developing.
It's really reaching out and explaining what an asset are
individuals bring to their team. Right, we have people who
(11:47):
are skilled and dedicated and really looking to be a
part of a team and make a difference. And it's
great to empower individuals to advocate for themselves and really
make connections within lawyers.
Speaker 1 (12:01):
And being a part of the conversation.
Speaker 2 (12:03):
Yeah, and our Best Buddies connections also bring us, you know,
they connect us with some of those corporations as well.
When I go out and I meet with someone, whether
it be for a chapter presentation to the school or
a corporate sponsorship. We're always looking to build relationships with
those corporations and let them know right the resources that
we have available to them that could really benefit their organization.
Speaker 1 (12:25):
I completely agree. And that's like Austin said, let us
show you, you know, we'll prove it that you know
we should be here or we can serve exactly the
needs say you have. Now. I already did this to
Emma last week, so buckle up, Kate, Well I already.
It's a part of every single show that I do
(12:46):
is I ask a starfish story, and I'll tell you
the short story. If you've heard it or not, I'm
going to say it anyway because I love it. And
there's a girl who has start. She comes on a
beach after a storm. There's thousands of starfish watched up,
and you know, she's chucking them back into the sea
one by one, and everybody's kind of looking. And a
(13:07):
guy walks up to her and says, you can't make
a difference, that doesn't matter, and you know you're never
gonna save them all, and she picks another one up,
throws it into the sea, and says, it matters to
that one, it made a difference to that one, and
then the man actually starts helping her. And then in
the latest iteration I just read the other day, all
(13:29):
the onlookers there saw the man step in and start
helping her, and all the starfish were saved. There are
several evolutions of that story, but I was wondering if
you had one, maybe an inspiration to get involved, or
one that you've seen in your time in this field
of work.
Speaker 5 (13:46):
Oh, big question, I can.
Speaker 3 (13:48):
I mean, I see so many ways that the starfish
story really connects to best buddies in general, but best
buddy shobs.
Speaker 1 (13:55):
I think.
Speaker 3 (13:57):
Just seeing and working with participants who are finding this
job or career that they've really been waiting for, seeing
that it's more than just.
Speaker 5 (14:07):
A job or a career.
Speaker 3 (14:09):
It's earning a wage, it's feeling valued at work, it's
beginning to develop relationships more independence. Right, It really makes
an impact not just on like their professional and their
work experience, but in so many avenues of their life.
And I think that hearing that maybe the man was
(14:30):
changed his idea or the lookers, I think, you know,
having best buddies participants in jobs and kind of what
Emma said too, right, Our friendship programs kind of overlap.
And so when we have people who are buying into
our friendship program and are interested, and then they see
we have qualified and skilled people who are ready to work,
I think it can really just be a tidal wave
(14:53):
that makes a positive impact.
Speaker 1 (14:56):
I completely agree. And that's what we were talking about
last I was telling Terry and Emma that I will
get so frustrated sometimes and I will rage, bake and
bring cookies to work because because negativity produces negativity and
positivity produces positivity. And you know, Austin talked about that
(15:20):
aloha spirit and his ohana and that just I completely
feel that. And I think the more people, you know,
if you're kind to one person, even if they bumped
into you or cut you in line, but you treat
them with kindness, maybe they go, oh, shoot, all right,
and they're not as angry to the next person they
run into, and they're not That next person isn't as angry,
(15:40):
you know. Like I just completely feel the ripple effects
of kindness and community and that comes with inclusion too.
So yeah, so let's talk about this walk because it
is coming up soon here. It will be next weekend
actually at this time. So yeah, I know we touched
on it last week, but Kate, you haven't had the
(16:01):
chance to weigh in on it. So what are you
looking forward to. I'm excited.
Speaker 3 (16:06):
This is gonna be my first walk as well.
Speaker 5 (16:08):
I started last year at Best Beutties.
Speaker 3 (16:10):
Excited for it being at the Cooper Mountain too. I
feel like it's a great way to have so many
members of our community come, whether they've been a part
of Best Studies or this is kind of their first
time experiencing it. And from what I've heard from Emma
speaking about it, it's just you know, really what you
make of it.
Speaker 1 (16:27):
Like, we have a short walk, We're going to have.
Speaker 3 (16:29):
Some speeches, but then the rest of the day is
for you to make connections. We're going to have jobs
participants there, and I believe we're gonna.
Speaker 1 (16:37):
Have buttons that say, asked me about my job.
Speaker 3 (16:38):
So it's going to be an opportunity to kind of
meet people who are part of our different programs and
our jobs programs. And I'm excited to connect with others and.
Speaker 5 (16:48):
Talk about it as well.
Speaker 3 (16:49):
I'll be there talking about the jazz program.
Speaker 1 (16:51):
Yeah. Great, And Emma, anything you'd like to add.
Speaker 2 (16:56):
Well, we've confirmed some really fun elements for the day.
Speaker 5 (17:00):
So, as I said before, it's free to attend.
Speaker 2 (17:03):
We just asked that you register so that you can
get into the zoo for free. We've got music and
games and face painting, heartwarming stories, celebrations.
Speaker 3 (17:14):
The Sugar and Spoon ice.
Speaker 5 (17:15):
Cream truck will be there.
Speaker 1 (17:16):
That's a big exciting thing for.
Speaker 2 (17:20):
Arts and crafts and photo ops with firefighters and princesses
and stormtroopers. So it's just this really fun, joyful day
and we can't wait to welcome everyone out to it.
Speaker 1 (17:31):
I can't wait. And where can people register? I know
that it's really coming up soon, but can people still
register now?
Speaker 2 (17:38):
Absolutely, you can register right up to the day of.
We just want you to register so you can get
in the door and you can go to Best Buddies, Friendship,
walk dot Org, Forward Slash Washington. We're going to have
a free shuttle running between the Issaqua transit station to
the zoo all morning up until two o'clock that day,
so if folks need to take transit in from Seattle,
(18:01):
they can and they can still attend it.
Speaker 1 (18:03):
Oh that is really good to know.
Speaker 5 (18:04):
Awesome.
Speaker 1 (18:05):
Do people have to register for that ahead of time
as well, or it will just be there continuously. Oh beautiful.
That is a very very good asset to have on
a busy day up there, beautiful. And I know we
had mentioned teams. Can people register individually?
Speaker 2 (18:19):
Absolutely, you can register individually, you can register as a team.
And you know, this is a free event to attend,
but of course it is a fundraiser to raise funds
to promote all these programs that we offer in Washington State,
so we're always welcoming any donations.
Speaker 1 (18:34):
Well, this has been a pleasure. Thank you all so
much for joining me. I really appreciate it and and
I can't wait to see you in a week.
Speaker 5 (18:41):
Thank you, you apiate you again.
Speaker 1 (18:44):
This is Jessman McIntyre, your host of Seattle Voice, your
community voice presented by iHeartRadio in Seattle. And if you
have show ideas you want people that you know are
doing great in the community, don't forget to email Seattle
Voice at iHeartRadio dot com. And we're going to shift
years a little bit towards the end of this show
because I want to remind everyone that May is Military
(19:07):
Appreciation Month and I couldn't be more thrilled with our
next guest, who is my friend, my colleague, and a
West Point graduate who served our country in the Army,
Greg Bell. Greg, thanks so much.
Speaker 7 (19:20):
Hi, good morning. How are you.
Speaker 1 (19:22):
You know what? I'm really good now that I'm talking
to you, and I really excited to bring you into
this show because you and I have now done three
Army Navy games together, so I first hand got to
witness the pride that you have in the Army. But
I want to go back and talk about your motivation
to join.
Speaker 6 (19:40):
Well, I was seventeen years old in Stubenville, Ohio, in
nineteen eighty eight, eighty nine, and I was looking at
where to go to college and was thinking of playing
college football.
Speaker 7 (19:50):
And I had some.
Speaker 6 (19:51):
Coaches interested in me smaller schools in Pennsylvania and Ohio
where I'm from, and I just wanted to tue something
that it was a higher calling, maybe something outside of
just my own personal football or academic career. And I
didn't have any family history in the military, rather than
an uncle who had been drafted in to serve World
(20:12):
War Two and was a paratrooper at Normandy, but I've
only heard his worst stories as a kid, and I
didn't have any direct family ties to the military, so
it was pretty foreign to me, and I was intrigued
by something bigger than myself to do something that was
for our country and defend our country. But I really
(20:33):
didn't know what that meant, and maybe no, what does
it at seventeen, but especially because I didn't have a
family background to it. So there was a local recruiter
in the Eastern Ohio region, the congressional district that were,
who called me and said, you have pretty decent grades.
You're captain the football team, president of the key club
here at Steubenvill High School in Ohio.
Speaker 7 (20:52):
Why haven't you applied to a service academy?
Speaker 6 (20:55):
And I hadn't considered it, And till that point, I
didn't even know West Point.
Speaker 7 (21:00):
New York was. When I watched watched you right.
Speaker 6 (21:05):
When I watched an Army Navy game as a kid
on television, I thought it was an all star team
of all the best football players in the Army and
all the best football players across the Navy, across the
world team together to play that game. I didn't know
that they were from military academies and university college football
as everyone else is.
Speaker 7 (21:22):
So I was pretty out there and foreig into the whole.
Speaker 6 (21:24):
Thing, and then the recruiter from our area got me
involved in the process of applying my junior year of
high school, and I ended up getting the appointment from
our Congressman, Douglas Applegate US House of Representatives at the
time in the late eighties, and that's how I got
to West Point, New York.
Speaker 7 (21:41):
And then once I got there, j just man.
Speaker 6 (21:43):
I quickly learned that a lot of the hazing and
the process to get through freshman year and fourth class
system and it was just a game, and I had
to get through the game. I had to figure out
what I could get away with not prioritizing time management
wise and focusing on the most important things. That's how
I got through it. And once I got there, I
just didn't want to leave. I wanted to finish it.
(22:04):
I had a couple opportunities to You can transfer before
your first academic class of your junior year and leave
without owing the.
Speaker 7 (22:11):
Government any service time at all.
Speaker 6 (22:13):
So up ut that point, you always in the back
of your mind you might want to leave, But once
I got that far in, I just wanted to finish it.
And that's how I became a Last Point graduate. And
eventually an Army officer and tactical intelligence.
Speaker 1 (22:23):
Creig Bell joining me here. He currently works with us
here at KJR in Seattle, but he is a brilliant
writer at the Tacoma News Tribune. He covers all of
our local sports, focusing on the Seahawks the majority of
the time. And Greg, it is just so great to
hear about that small synopsis of your time there. But
why did you decide to stay in? You said it
(22:46):
was in the back of your mind, but you just
wanted to finish what really drew you to stay.
Speaker 6 (22:51):
Well, I was personally challenged, Jess by the system. I
wanted to show I could do it. I wanted to
show that I could get through that, and I could
overcome that, and I could do it. Academically, your challenge
at West Point is to excel in three areas academically, militarily,
and physically, and you're graded on each and then your
(23:14):
those three grades go into your overall past standing in
rank that determine your post selection, your brand selection of
what part of the Army you want to serve after graduation.
And even if you graduated OH, you have to have
a two point oh to graduate, So I was challenged.
Speaker 1 (23:29):
I was.
Speaker 6 (23:29):
I lost twenty five pounds in my first two weeks
of being there. In dam basic training, we weren't allowed
to eat. I mean we were allowed to eat, but
we were getting screamed out all the time. So this
was nineteen eighty nine. West Point had in the military
space and become a little more enlightened. But yeah, you
would be screaming at as soon as you picked up
your four teeth. They would scream at you at the table,
so that you had to drop your fork or swallow
(23:51):
your food that might be in your mouth before you
can respond to a command of the upper customers.
Speaker 7 (23:55):
So I lost twenty five pounds in the first couple
of weeks. Wow, that point, I wanted to get through it.
Speaker 6 (24:01):
And I also was really intrigued by what the actual
army was. I quickly realized that the military academy setting
is not the general army or the general military. I
have a daughter who's at the United States Coast Guard
Academy right now or junior year there in Connecticut, and
I tell her the same thing. If you don't like
cadet life, you don't have to. Maybe you shouldn't, because
(24:22):
that's not the real coast Guard. That's not the real military.
You're gonna go to sert. It didn't take me long
once I got to West Point to realize that squaring
your corners and tucking your bed in and making quarters,
bounce off your bed and eating with a ramrod straight
posture and at fistus and from the table in the chair,
is not how the real army is the military. So
(24:44):
I was able to just kind of, I guess said
it was a game, and I was playing the game.
I realized the upper classmen they were yelling and screaming
at me. It really it wasn't that personal. It was
a role they were playing because they had the same
thing I've done under them. And once I figured all
of that out, it was just a matter of, Okay,
how do I manage my time. What's the most important
thing to get done? The most important thing which wag
(25:04):
the most for the academic classes. So I focused on that.
And I didn't know much about the military. I told you,
I had no background in it. So that was the
one that struggled for most for me. And I figured
that out as well, and I just didn't I wanted to,
like I said, to serve something beyond a higher calling
than myself. And I was fortunate enough to earn a
(25:24):
commission upon graduation. And that's why I didn't leave. I
didn't want to look back the rest of my life.
So I could have done that, I just didn't want
to at the time. I could have done that, right,
and I didn't want to look back and say, well,
I could have done that and didn't do it.
Speaker 7 (25:35):
Yeah, I love that.
Speaker 1 (25:36):
It sounds like, you know, it's training. You know, you
and I both work in sports media and we see
the things that some people go through. And you know,
Mike Leech used to roll as guys in a sandpit.
Is the game going to be that way? No, you know,
you're going to train a lot harder for you know,
then the game will be. And that's the whole point
of it. And you were trained discipline, you know, way
(25:58):
to communicate with a already prioritization of time management and
what you know, and and respect, respect for your team
and those around you, and respect for yourself. And that's
what it sounds like to me, is that on.
Speaker 6 (26:14):
Point it is and it's self discipline to maintain a
standard throughout, no matter if the situation is a matter
what your personal preference is no matter what you feel
like when you wake up in the morning, the discipline
to get up and do it all over again, and
because that's what the mission requires. And I have actually
taken that self discipline throughout my life and it's held
(26:36):
me in great stead.
Speaker 7 (26:37):
The other thing that is probably.
Speaker 6 (26:39):
The most meaningful thing I got out of the military,
the most meaningful reward that still enriches me to the
stay adjustment are the friendships and relationships that I have.
And I think you've seen some of it when We've
gone to the Army Navy Games and I've reunited with
my classmates, so it's like I just saw him two
hours ago. Yeah, sometimes I haven't seen him in a year,
(27:00):
or years or twenty years. When I got married, it
was my last year on active duty in the military
in nineteen ninety seven. I had people come from Germany
from Panama from their duty stations as lieutenants and captains
in the Army. I was a captain at the time,
and they dropped everything to come from Germany, from Panama,
(27:21):
from Alaska.
Speaker 7 (27:22):
And they flew it.
Speaker 6 (27:22):
One of them flew in from Europe, went to the wedding,
and then we took.
Speaker 7 (27:28):
We had our limousine.
Speaker 6 (27:29):
That took us from the wedding reception to the the
wedding ceremony to the reception in Cleveland. We had that
limousine then take my best buddy back to the airport
in Cleveland to fly right back out.
Speaker 5 (27:39):
Wow, he flew from Europe.
Speaker 6 (27:41):
He flew it from Europe to Cleveland, Ohio for two
hour wedding ceremony and then investigate.
Speaker 7 (27:46):
But he did. And that's what we do.
Speaker 6 (27:49):
That's the bond we have for the things we went
through together at West Point.
Speaker 7 (27:54):
In the Army. It's a unique bond. And you see
people at their most challenged.
Speaker 6 (28:00):
You see people when they're exhausted, when they've lost weight,
when they're stressed, and you get through that together.
Speaker 7 (28:05):
It's aphond the last.
Speaker 6 (28:07):
And that's something that now what thirty plus years since
I graduated, that still lives today. And it's that camaraderie
and that joint suffering, I guess you could say the
joint challenge and adversity that really have made lifelong friends.
Speaker 7 (28:21):
To me.
Speaker 6 (28:21):
That is my most cherished, coveted relationship coming out of
the military.
Speaker 1 (28:27):
And all throughout all of that, you went out and
defended our country and that is why we are celebrating
you today. Military Appreciation Month is the month of May.
Greg Bell, my friend joining me here on Seattle Voice.
Remember don't forget to email in if you want to
be heard on this show Seattle Voice at iHeartMedia dot com. Greg,
(28:47):
it has been a pleasure. I know that I get
to see you multiple days a week, but it is
always good to talk a little bit outside the office,
So I appreciate your time and thank you for all
of that you've done to serve the country.
Speaker 6 (28:58):
Yeah, thank you, jessin that for shining lights on aspects
of society and things we do every day that maybe
people aren't familiar with.
Speaker 7 (29:05):
Thanks for recognizing military appreciation.
Speaker 6 (29:08):
I'm honored that you would call and ask, and I'm
happy to share my story. It's interesting because a lot
of in civilian life we don't understand as big as
our country is and how big the military is.
Speaker 7 (29:18):
To our nation.
Speaker 6 (29:19):
A lot of people just don't understand it rightly. So
they've never served, they haven't had to serve. It hasn't
been forced subscription where everyone had to know the military,
so a lot of people don't have an idea of
what the military is all about, and I think it's
I applaud you for solute you as a I guess
appropriate term for recognizing Military Appreciation Month.
Speaker 7 (29:37):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (29:37):
We covered a lot today on Seattle Voice and I
can't tell you how much a joy it brings to
my heart to speak to various members of this community
in all facets and what they do for all of
us out there. You've been listening to Seattle Voice, presented
by iHeart Radio Seattle. I'm Justinan McIntyre and once again,
for show ideas or to find out how your voice
can be heard, email Seattle Voice at iHeartMedia dot com
This is Jessman mackensyre, your host of Seattle Voice, your
community Voice, presented by iHeartRadio in Seattle. Here, and we
are once again joined by the Best Buddies crew. I
am pleased to welcome back Emma Croston. Thank you so
much for joining me again.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
Hi. I'm Emma Croston, Washing Stage director of Best Buddies,
and I'm so thrilled to be back with you today
to share more about Best Buddies programs, especially our jobs
program for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and to
recall idd community includes people with Down syndrome, autism, fragile
(00:34):
X Williams syndrome, as well as many other undiagnosed disabilities.
Speaker 1 (00:39):
Yes, it's a very inclusive community and that's why it's
called Best Buddies. And for the first time we are
welcoming in Kate Slide. Kate, thank you so much for
joining us. Can you introduce yourself to the audience.
Speaker 3 (00:50):
Yes, Hi, thanks for having me. I'm Keith Slide. I'm
an employment consultant for the Best Buddies Jobs program in Washington,
and as an employment consultant or I'm also referred to
as a pach I support clients with IDD find and
maintain meaningful employment that's inclusive, has competitive wages, and really
is person centered.
Speaker 1 (01:08):
Well, I love the sound of all that. And you've
had the pleasure of meeting a ton of people who are,
you know, on a lot of sides of this program,
participants who don't necessarily have IDD, who interact with those
who do, those who have IDD, and have a variety
of different ways, different outlets that they get throughout this program.
And we are welcoming in right now a participant in
(01:31):
that program. Austin landed, thank you so much for your
time today.
Speaker 4 (01:35):
Austin Aloha, happy to be here. Let's get the show roll.
Speaker 1 (01:38):
Then, yeah, let's go. Okay, now it's a party. Well,
there's a few questions that I wanted to ask you
about your experience with Best Buddies, and I'll start with
any challenges that you experienced in your life before you
found Best Buddies.
Speaker 4 (01:53):
I'm a victim of bullying and sorry the way I
accomplished that. To get from that, I removed myself from
those from those individuals, and I'm happy that I found
best Buddies.
Speaker 1 (02:07):
I am too. What was the process in finding Best Buddies?
How did that go?
Speaker 4 (02:12):
My family and I if we feel if we found
best Buddies ahead of time in my career and life,
I would have been my life would have been easier.
Speaker 1 (02:22):
So yeah, there were some things that I have learned
about you that teachers didn't exactly give you a lot
of confidence before Best Buddies.
Speaker 5 (02:31):
No, they didn't. Okay, I'll break it down please.
Speaker 4 (02:34):
So when I was in school, they told my parents
that the teachers and stuff told my parents often not
going to make it. He's not going to be successful. Hey,
well I'm successful in life today. I went to college,
I have plenty of job coaches beside Best Buddies before
Best Buddy journey and I'm here and I'm successful.
Speaker 1 (02:57):
So you sounds successful And I love that smile. You
have a lot of confidence. And for those who aren't
able to see Austin right now, you can hear a
smile sometimes, and I absolutely hear it in your voice.
Thank you again, Jessamin McIntyre here the host of Seattle Voice.
And it sounds like Special Olympics is a passion of
yours as well.
Speaker 5 (03:18):
Absolutely.
Speaker 4 (03:19):
I attended the twenty twenty two games in Orlando, Florida.
Mickey Mouse and represented for Team Washington.
Speaker 1 (03:27):
That's amazing. I got to meet Mickey one time when
I worked for ESPN. Disney owns them, and Mickey and
Mini came in one time and it was a special experience.
Speaker 5 (03:36):
A moment in my heart for that one.
Speaker 1 (03:39):
I love it again. This is Austin landon joining me
Jessaman McIntyre. So you said you found bus buddies, but
do you remember exactly how you did.
Speaker 4 (03:51):
Back in twenty twenty two when I officially became a
citizen and bassater for Best Buddies. We're taking it back
to the Buddy Ball. So I got invited to a
buddy ball from a former Galpala mine. We danced and
groove to the music with other Best Buddy citizens one
of the wonderful time and Ashley, who was a friend
(04:17):
of mine to this day. Her and I chatted, We chatted,
chatty chatted, and then she said, often you will make
a ditch ambassador. And from every since that night, I'm
an ambassador. Well, I put in the public pieces, of course,
and I'm officially ambassador for Washington to date.
Speaker 1 (04:36):
Congratulations. That must feel amazing. When did that start? When
did you officially become an ambassador October.
Speaker 4 (04:45):
I don't know the official day, but it was back
in October twenty twenty two.
Speaker 1 (04:49):
Okay, yeah, so you've got a couple years under your.
Speaker 5 (04:51):
Belt now, very grateful and thankful.
Speaker 1 (04:54):
What is your favorite part about doing that being an ambassador?
Speaker 4 (04:58):
I get you, Well, I'm grateful and thankful to go
to the citizen why not citizens correct myself to the
leadership conference in Indiana and meet with other people and
going global and being a becoming a global.
Speaker 5 (05:19):
Ambassador my next one. And also.
Speaker 4 (05:24):
The Philippines, collecting with them and breading the Aloha spirit
and within best buddies. That's the That's that's what I
love doing.
Speaker 1 (05:34):
I love it. You keep saying Aloha and it makes
my heart warm because I love the spirit.
Speaker 4 (05:40):
Yes, my family are from the spirit of Aloha, so
that's beautiful.
Speaker 1 (05:45):
I love it and I just love that that spirit.
So I already asked you your favorite part, But how
would you say best best buddy has actually changed or
improved your life?
Speaker 5 (05:56):
Inclusion?
Speaker 4 (05:57):
Because before in five being adopted befive, being a special Olympian,
and it just brought more inclusion. And I get to
spread the low hot spirit with best buddies, with the
super awesome. And for those who don't have the Loha
spirit with them, hey, you know what, here you go,
(06:20):
I'm giving it to you. So I'm grateful to bring
the low hot spirit to Best Buddies and inclusion in
the background behind me.
Speaker 1 (06:29):
Yes, for those of you who get who can see,
inclusion is a huge part of the Best Buddies program.
And I love that it is in the sign right
behind you because it embodies everything that you guys do together. Again,
this is Austin Landen joining me here on Seattle Voice.
And you know you mentioned everything that you know you
(06:49):
have gained When it comes to employment, how did it help?
Speaker 4 (06:54):
Shout out to my job coaches, Kate and Sherry, And
to answer you a question, how did it help?
Speaker 6 (07:03):
Well?
Speaker 4 (07:04):
They those two helped me become They gave me the
puzzle and the power to be more confident. And when
I'm having a bad day, I can call them or
text them. They're always there for me Emma too. And
I enjoy spreading the inclusion moment, spreading.
Speaker 5 (07:26):
The Aloha spirit in the workplace.
Speaker 4 (07:28):
And my job that I'm out now they know that
my job coaches are there if they need anything. And
I just love being a good team player and spreading
the inclusion in the workplace.
Speaker 1 (07:44):
Yeah, and you're a facilities coordinator, yes, ma'am. And can
you tell me a little bit about that.
Speaker 4 (07:49):
I go around like, for example, I like to you
you lose examples. So if building confidence room is the
upcoming meeting for somebody famous and they want to use
the conference room, I go in there check make sure
(08:09):
everything is in place, like if they have a microphone,
or if the siting, if the light is in missing
its light bulbs, I call and I put in a
work ticket and a work order ticket. Basic thinking. And yeah,
that's my job is it's a good job. And for peach,
(08:32):
your employers get to know us in a workplace with
people with IDD and we'll show.
Speaker 5 (08:39):
You how we work. And I appreciate that as well.
Speaker 1 (08:42):
That is a great thing to put out there. I
wouldn't have thought of it if you didn't bring it up, Austin,
So thank you for putting that into the universe. And
you're a Loha spirit. Finally, I'll ask you how long
do you intend to stay with best buddies.
Speaker 4 (08:54):
I'm not leaving. I'm not leaving best buddies in my life.
I'm gonna keep on writhing rise right. I love best
Buddies and I'm making a heart right now. So I
love best Buddies and my pile and goals who are
in it. You know who you are, so Austin.
Speaker 1 (09:09):
It's an absolute pleasure to meet you, and I hope
we stay in touch. I will be going to the
walk on the seventeenth, which I hope to see you out.
If you're able to make.
Speaker 4 (09:17):
It, I'll be there. And also one more thing, I
am a public speaker.
Speaker 1 (09:23):
That is fantastic, and you know it's funny. Evan. Last
week I thought he was coming for my job. Now
I have Austin coming for my job. You know what
I need, the competition, so bring it. I'm here for it.
It's a pleasure to meet you. Thank you so much
for your time and I'll see you in.
Speaker 5 (09:40):
A couple of weeks here in a couple of weeks.
Speaker 1 (09:42):
And thank you again for listening to Seattle Voice. Jessamin
McIntyre continuing on promoting best Buddies and learning and talking
about best Buddies. Now, Emma Croston, we got to know
you a little bit more last week. Kate. I want
to dive into your side of the job when it
comes to Best Buddies and your role, Yes, great question.
Speaker 3 (10:00):
I'll talk a little bit about the jobs process first
because that just helps kind of know more.
Speaker 1 (10:04):
About what I do specifically.
Speaker 3 (10:05):
So in a nutshell, within the Best Buddies Jobs program,
we match skilled and qualified individuals with IDD to businesses
that are looking for enthusiastic and dedicated employees. So my
job as an employment consultant is really supporting individuals with
IDD navigate job readiness skills, develop resumes, interview practice, things
(10:28):
of that nature, supporting them when they are searching for
a job. It's person centered, as I said originally, which
is really just whatever our client is interested in we're supporting.
Speaker 1 (10:39):
I'll support with employer.
Speaker 3 (10:41):
Reach out things of that nature, and then just continuing
to be a part of the hiring process, the onboarding process,
and just ongoing support. So my job's very fun because
it looks different day to day, and I have a
lot of clients that are in different stages of the
jobs process, so it's really fun to be a.
Speaker 7 (10:59):
Part of it.
Speaker 1 (11:00):
That's really great. Thank you Kate, Laide and m across
and have Best Buddies joining us, and I love what
Austin said, because it didn't occur to me to put
yourself out there to businesses. And I'm wondering if that
is a part of what you do. You know, I
know you're working with those trying to gain employment, but
how do you go about approaching businesses or forming partnerships?
Speaker 5 (11:22):
Such a great question.
Speaker 1 (11:24):
We're lucky in Best Buddies Washington.
Speaker 3 (11:26):
We have some national partnerships as a part of Best Buddies,
but then we're also kind of developing local partnerships as well.
Depends on kind of the client or the different partnerships.
Some we've had for a while and some we're developing.
It's really reaching out and explaining what an asset are
individuals bring to their team. Right, we have people who
(11:47):
are skilled and dedicated and really looking to be a
part of a team and make a difference. And it's
great to empower individuals to advocate for themselves and really
make connections within lawyers.
Speaker 1 (12:01):
And being a part of the conversation.
Speaker 2 (12:03):
Yeah, and our Best Buddies connections also bring us, you know,
they connect us with some of those corporations as well.
When I go out and I meet with someone, whether
it be for a chapter presentation to the school or
a corporate sponsorship. We're always looking to build relationships with
those corporations and let them know right the resources that
we have available to them that could really benefit their organization.
Speaker 1 (12:25):
I completely agree. And that's like Austin said, let us
show you, you know, we'll prove it that you know
we should be here or we can serve exactly the
needs say you have. Now. I already did this to
Emma last week, so buckle up, Kate, Well I already.
It's a part of every single show that I do
(12:46):
is I ask a starfish story, and I'll tell you
the short story. If you've heard it or not, I'm
going to say it anyway because I love it. And
there's a girl who has start. She comes on a
beach after a storm. There's thousands of starfish watched up,
and you know, she's chucking them back into the sea
one by one, and everybody's kind of looking. And a
(13:07):
guy walks up to her and says, you can't make
a difference, that doesn't matter, and you know you're never
gonna save them all, and she picks another one up,
throws it into the sea, and says, it matters to
that one, it made a difference to that one, and
then the man actually starts helping her. And then in
the latest iteration I just read the other day, all
(13:29):
the onlookers there saw the man step in and start
helping her, and all the starfish were saved. There are
several evolutions of that story, but I was wondering if
you had one, maybe an inspiration to get involved, or
one that you've seen in your time in this field
of work.
Speaker 5 (13:46):
Oh, big question, I can.
Speaker 3 (13:48):
I mean, I see so many ways that the starfish
story really connects to best buddies in general, but best
buddy shobs.
Speaker 1 (13:55):
I think.
Speaker 3 (13:57):
Just seeing and working with participants who are finding this
job or career that they've really been waiting for, seeing
that it's more than just.
Speaker 5 (14:07):
A job or a career.
Speaker 3 (14:09):
It's earning a wage, it's feeling valued at work, it's
beginning to develop relationships more independence. Right, It really makes
an impact not just on like their professional and their
work experience, but in so many avenues of their life.
And I think that hearing that maybe the man was
(14:30):
changed his idea or the lookers, I think, you know,
having best buddies participants in jobs and kind of what
Emma said too, right, Our friendship programs kind of overlap.
And so when we have people who are buying into
our friendship program and are interested, and then they see
we have qualified and skilled people who are ready to work,
I think it can really just be a tidal wave
(14:53):
that makes a positive impact.
Speaker 1 (14:56):
I completely agree. And that's what we were talking about
last I was telling Terry and Emma that I will
get so frustrated sometimes and I will rage, bake and
bring cookies to work because because negativity produces negativity and
positivity produces positivity. And you know, Austin talked about that
(15:20):
aloha spirit and his ohana and that just I completely
feel that. And I think the more people, you know,
if you're kind to one person, even if they bumped
into you or cut you in line, but you treat
them with kindness, maybe they go, oh, shoot, all right,
and they're not as angry to the next person they
run into, and they're not That next person isn't as angry,
(15:40):
you know. Like I just completely feel the ripple effects
of kindness and community and that comes with inclusion too.
So yeah, so let's talk about this walk because it
is coming up soon here. It will be next weekend
actually at this time. So yeah, I know we touched
on it last week, but Kate, you haven't had the
(16:01):
chance to weigh in on it. So what are you
looking forward to. I'm excited.
Speaker 3 (16:06):
This is gonna be my first walk as well.
Speaker 5 (16:08):
I started last year at Best Beutties.
Speaker 3 (16:10):
Excited for it being at the Cooper Mountain too. I
feel like it's a great way to have so many
members of our community come, whether they've been a part
of Best Studies or this is kind of their first
time experiencing it. And from what I've heard from Emma
speaking about it, it's just you know, really what you
make of it.
Speaker 1 (16:27):
Like, we have a short walk, We're going to have.
Speaker 3 (16:29):
Some speeches, but then the rest of the day is
for you to make connections. We're going to have jobs
participants there, and I believe we're gonna.
Speaker 1 (16:37):
Have buttons that say, asked me about my job.
Speaker 3 (16:38):
So it's going to be an opportunity to kind of
meet people who are part of our different programs and
our jobs programs. And I'm excited to connect with others and.
Speaker 5 (16:48):
Talk about it as well.
Speaker 3 (16:49):
I'll be there talking about the jazz program.
Speaker 1 (16:51):
Yeah. Great, And Emma, anything you'd like to add.
Speaker 2 (16:56):
Well, we've confirmed some really fun elements for the day.
Speaker 5 (17:00):
So, as I said before, it's free to attend.
Speaker 2 (17:03):
We just asked that you register so that you can
get into the zoo for free. We've got music and
games and face painting, heartwarming stories, celebrations.
Speaker 3 (17:14):
The Sugar and Spoon ice.
Speaker 5 (17:15):
Cream truck will be there.
Speaker 1 (17:16):
That's a big exciting thing for.
Speaker 2 (17:20):
Arts and crafts and photo ops with firefighters and princesses
and stormtroopers. So it's just this really fun, joyful day
and we can't wait to welcome everyone out to it.
Speaker 1 (17:31):
I can't wait. And where can people register? I know
that it's really coming up soon, but can people still
register now?
Speaker 2 (17:38):
Absolutely, you can register right up to the day of.
We just want you to register so you can get
in the door and you can go to Best Buddies, Friendship,
walk dot Org, Forward Slash Washington. We're going to have
a free shuttle running between the Issaqua transit station to
the zoo all morning up until two o'clock that day,
so if folks need to take transit in from Seattle,
(18:01):
they can and they can still attend it.
Speaker 1 (18:03):
Oh that is really good to know.
Speaker 5 (18:04):
Awesome.
Speaker 1 (18:05):
Do people have to register for that ahead of time
as well, or it will just be there continuously. Oh beautiful.
That is a very very good asset to have on
a busy day up there, beautiful. And I know we
had mentioned teams. Can people register individually?
Speaker 2 (18:19):
Absolutely, you can register individually, you can register as a team.
And you know, this is a free event to attend,
but of course it is a fundraiser to raise funds
to promote all these programs that we offer in Washington State,
so we're always welcoming any donations.
Speaker 1 (18:34):
Well, this has been a pleasure. Thank you all so
much for joining me. I really appreciate it and and
I can't wait to see you in a week.
Speaker 5 (18:41):
Thank you, you apiate you again.
Speaker 1 (18:44):
This is Jessman McIntyre, your host of Seattle Voice, your
community voice presented by iHeartRadio in Seattle. And if you
have show ideas you want people that you know are
doing great in the community, don't forget to email Seattle
Voice at iHeartRadio dot com. And we're going to shift
years a little bit towards the end of this show
because I want to remind everyone that May is Military
(19:07):
Appreciation Month and I couldn't be more thrilled with our
next guest, who is my friend, my colleague, and a
West Point graduate who served our country in the Army,
Greg Bell. Greg, thanks so much.
Speaker 7 (19:20):
Hi, good morning. How are you.
Speaker 1 (19:22):
You know what? I'm really good now that I'm talking
to you, and I really excited to bring you into
this show because you and I have now done three
Army Navy games together, so I first hand got to
witness the pride that you have in the Army. But
I want to go back and talk about your motivation
to join.
Speaker 6 (19:40):
Well, I was seventeen years old in Stubenville, Ohio, in
nineteen eighty eight, eighty nine, and I was looking at
where to go to college and was thinking of playing
college football.
Speaker 7 (19:50):
And I had some.
Speaker 6 (19:51):
Coaches interested in me smaller schools in Pennsylvania and Ohio
where I'm from, and I just wanted to tue something
that it was a higher calling, maybe something outside of
just my own personal football or academic career. And I
didn't have any family history in the military, rather than
an uncle who had been drafted in to serve World
(20:12):
War Two and was a paratrooper at Normandy, but I've
only heard his worst stories as a kid, and I
didn't have any direct family ties to the military, so
it was pretty foreign to me, and I was intrigued
by something bigger than myself to do something that was
for our country and defend our country. But I really
(20:33):
didn't know what that meant, and maybe no, what does
it at seventeen, but especially because I didn't have a
family background to it. So there was a local recruiter
in the Eastern Ohio region, the congressional district that were,
who called me and said, you have pretty decent grades.
You're captain the football team, president of the key club
here at Steubenvill High School in Ohio.
Speaker 7 (20:52):
Why haven't you applied to a service academy?
Speaker 6 (20:55):
And I hadn't considered it, And till that point, I
didn't even know West Point.
Speaker 7 (21:00):
New York was. When I watched watched you right.
Speaker 6 (21:05):
When I watched an Army Navy game as a kid
on television, I thought it was an all star team
of all the best football players in the Army and
all the best football players across the Navy, across the
world team together to play that game. I didn't know
that they were from military academies and university college football
as everyone else is.
Speaker 7 (21:22):
So I was pretty out there and foreig into the whole.
Speaker 6 (21:24):
Thing, and then the recruiter from our area got me
involved in the process of applying my junior year of
high school, and I ended up getting the appointment from
our Congressman, Douglas Applegate US House of Representatives at the
time in the late eighties, and that's how I got
to West Point, New York.
Speaker 7 (21:41):
And then once I got there, j just man.
Speaker 6 (21:43):
I quickly learned that a lot of the hazing and
the process to get through freshman year and fourth class
system and it was just a game, and I had
to get through the game. I had to figure out
what I could get away with not prioritizing time management
wise and focusing on the most important things. That's how
I got through it. And once I got there, I
just didn't want to leave. I wanted to finish it.
(22:04):
I had a couple opportunities to You can transfer before
your first academic class of your junior year and leave
without owing the.
Speaker 7 (22:11):
Government any service time at all.
Speaker 6 (22:13):
So up ut that point, you always in the back
of your mind you might want to leave, But once
I got that far in, I just wanted to finish it.
And that's how I became a Last Point graduate. And
eventually an Army officer and tactical intelligence.
Speaker 1 (22:23):
Creig Bell joining me here. He currently works with us
here at KJR in Seattle, but he is a brilliant
writer at the Tacoma News Tribune. He covers all of
our local sports, focusing on the Seahawks the majority of
the time. And Greg, it is just so great to
hear about that small synopsis of your time there. But
why did you decide to stay in? You said it
(22:46):
was in the back of your mind, but you just
wanted to finish what really drew you to stay.
Speaker 6 (22:51):
Well, I was personally challenged, Jess by the system. I
wanted to show I could do it. I wanted to
show that I could get through that, and I could
overcome that, and I could do it. Academically, your challenge
at West Point is to excel in three areas academically, militarily,
and physically, and you're graded on each and then your
(23:14):
those three grades go into your overall past standing in
rank that determine your post selection, your brand selection of
what part of the Army you want to serve after graduation.
And even if you graduated OH, you have to have
a two point oh to graduate, So I was challenged.
Speaker 1 (23:29):
I was.
Speaker 6 (23:29):
I lost twenty five pounds in my first two weeks
of being there. In dam basic training, we weren't allowed
to eat. I mean we were allowed to eat, but
we were getting screamed out all the time. So this
was nineteen eighty nine. West Point had in the military
space and become a little more enlightened. But yeah, you
would be screaming at as soon as you picked up
your four teeth. They would scream at you at the table,
so that you had to drop your fork or swallow
(23:51):
your food that might be in your mouth before you
can respond to a command of the upper customers.
Speaker 7 (23:55):
So I lost twenty five pounds in the first couple
of weeks. Wow, that point, I wanted to get through it.
Speaker 6 (24:01):
And I also was really intrigued by what the actual
army was. I quickly realized that the military academy setting
is not the general army or the general military. I
have a daughter who's at the United States Coast Guard
Academy right now or junior year there in Connecticut, and
I tell her the same thing. If you don't like
cadet life, you don't have to. Maybe you shouldn't, because
(24:22):
that's not the real coast Guard. That's not the real military.
You're gonna go to sert. It didn't take me long
once I got to West Point to realize that squaring
your corners and tucking your bed in and making quarters,
bounce off your bed and eating with a ramrod straight
posture and at fistus and from the table in the chair,
is not how the real army is the military. So
(24:44):
I was able to just kind of, I guess said
it was a game, and I was playing the game.
I realized the upper classmen they were yelling and screaming
at me. It really it wasn't that personal. It was
a role they were playing because they had the same
thing I've done under them. And once I figured all
of that out, it was just a matter of, Okay,
how do I manage my time. What's the most important
thing to get done? The most important thing which wag
(25:04):
the most for the academic classes. So I focused on that.
And I didn't know much about the military. I told you,
I had no background in it. So that was the
one that struggled for most for me. And I figured
that out as well, and I just didn't I wanted to,
like I said, to serve something beyond a higher calling
than myself. And I was fortunate enough to earn a
(25:24):
commission upon graduation. And that's why I didn't leave. I
didn't want to look back the rest of my life.
So I could have done that, I just didn't want
to at the time. I could have done that, right,
and I didn't want to look back and say, well,
I could have done that and didn't do it.
Speaker 7 (25:35):
Yeah, I love that.
Speaker 1 (25:36):
It sounds like, you know, it's training. You know, you
and I both work in sports media and we see
the things that some people go through. And you know,
Mike Leech used to roll as guys in a sandpit.
Is the game going to be that way? No, you know,
you're going to train a lot harder for you know,
then the game will be. And that's the whole point
of it. And you were trained discipline, you know, way
(25:58):
to communicate with a already prioritization of time management and
what you know, and and respect, respect for your team
and those around you, and respect for yourself. And that's
what it sounds like to me, is that on.
Speaker 6 (26:14):
Point it is and it's self discipline to maintain a
standard throughout, no matter if the situation is a matter
what your personal preference is no matter what you feel
like when you wake up in the morning, the discipline
to get up and do it all over again, and
because that's what the mission requires. And I have actually
taken that self discipline throughout my life and it's held
(26:36):
me in great stead.
Speaker 7 (26:37):
The other thing that is probably.
Speaker 6 (26:39):
The most meaningful thing I got out of the military,
the most meaningful reward that still enriches me to the
stay adjustment are the friendships and relationships that I have.
And I think you've seen some of it when We've
gone to the Army Navy Games and I've reunited with
my classmates, so it's like I just saw him two
hours ago. Yeah, sometimes I haven't seen him in a year,
(27:00):
or years or twenty years. When I got married, it
was my last year on active duty in the military
in nineteen ninety seven. I had people come from Germany
from Panama from their duty stations as lieutenants and captains
in the Army. I was a captain at the time,
and they dropped everything to come from Germany, from Panama,
(27:21):
from Alaska.
Speaker 7 (27:22):
And they flew it.
Speaker 6 (27:22):
One of them flew in from Europe, went to the wedding,
and then we took.
Speaker 7 (27:28):
We had our limousine.
Speaker 6 (27:29):
That took us from the wedding reception to the the
wedding ceremony to the reception in Cleveland. We had that
limousine then take my best buddy back to the airport
in Cleveland to fly right back out.
Speaker 5 (27:39):
Wow, he flew from Europe.
Speaker 6 (27:41):
He flew it from Europe to Cleveland, Ohio for two
hour wedding ceremony and then investigate.
Speaker 7 (27:46):
But he did. And that's what we do.
Speaker 6 (27:49):
That's the bond we have for the things we went
through together at West Point.
Speaker 7 (27:54):
In the Army. It's a unique bond. And you see
people at their most challenged.
Speaker 6 (28:00):
You see people when they're exhausted, when they've lost weight,
when they're stressed, and you get through that together.
Speaker 7 (28:05):
It's aphond the last.
Speaker 6 (28:07):
And that's something that now what thirty plus years since
I graduated, that still lives today. And it's that camaraderie
and that joint suffering, I guess you could say the
joint challenge and adversity that really have made lifelong friends.
Speaker 7 (28:21):
To me.
Speaker 6 (28:21):
That is my most cherished, coveted relationship coming out of
the military.
Speaker 1 (28:27):
And all throughout all of that, you went out and
defended our country and that is why we are celebrating
you today. Military Appreciation Month is the month of May.
Greg Bell, my friend joining me here on Seattle Voice.
Remember don't forget to email in if you want to
be heard on this show Seattle Voice at iHeartMedia dot com. Greg,
(28:47):
it has been a pleasure. I know that I get
to see you multiple days a week, but it is
always good to talk a little bit outside the office,
So I appreciate your time and thank you for all
of that you've done to serve the country.
Speaker 6 (28:58):
Yeah, thank you, jessin that for shining lights on aspects
of society and things we do every day that maybe
people aren't familiar with.
Speaker 7 (29:05):
Thanks for recognizing military appreciation.
Speaker 6 (29:08):
I'm honored that you would call and ask, and I'm
happy to share my story. It's interesting because a lot
of in civilian life we don't understand as big as
our country is and how big the military is.
Speaker 7 (29:18):
To our nation.
Speaker 6 (29:19):
A lot of people just don't understand it rightly. So
they've never served, they haven't had to serve. It hasn't
been forced subscription where everyone had to know the military,
so a lot of people don't have an idea of
what the military is all about, and I think it's
I applaud you for solute you as a I guess
appropriate term for recognizing Military Appreciation Month.
Speaker 7 (29:37):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (29:37):
We covered a lot today on Seattle Voice and I
can't tell you how much a joy it brings to
my heart to speak to various members of this community
in all facets and what they do for all of
us out there. You've been listening to Seattle Voice, presented
by iHeart Radio Seattle. I'm Justinan McIntyre and once again,
for show ideas or to find out how your voice
can be heard, email Seattle Voice at iHeartMedia dot com
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