Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Rally pointers fall In.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
Good morning everyone, It's your host Amanda Macchiato mccanue here
in the studio with my co host Paul Puleshi.
Speaker 3 (00:10):
Good morning Veterans, and Jay.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
The Sarge Hemingway, as well as our producer, the man
that makes the magic Happenzane.
Speaker 3 (00:18):
Good morning.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
So without further ado, we're going to jump right into
our show today. So this week is our monthly installment
of Southwest Florida Honor Flight all things related. So we
have with us Naomi Copeland. She is the hub president
for Southwest Florida hon Her Flight. She's here via phone.
Good morning, Naomi, Good morning everyone. And then we also
(00:40):
have with us in the studio Tanya Jones. And Tanya
Jones is a member of the American Legion Auxiliary out
in Rotunda, West, but she also has an interesting tie
to Southwest Florida Honor Flight. So for those of you
who don't know what Southwest Florida Honor Flight is, it
exists to take our veteran to DC for the day
(01:02):
with a guardian who's really like a concierge for them,
somebody who just make sure that they are able to
see all of their service memorials that they stay hydrated.
This person takes pictures of them for the veteran to
share with their family at a later point. And so
the whole day is focused on the veteran, taking them
to their service memorials all throughout DC and then bringing
(01:23):
them home to the welcome they deserve. So the next
honor flight that is going out is going to be
October fourteenth, and it's going out of Sarasota Airport.
Speaker 1 (01:32):
So for those of you that.
Speaker 2 (01:34):
Want to support, you know where it's going. Usually they
fly out of Punagorda. But because the hub covers seven counties,
which are Charlotte, De Soto, Hardy, Hendry Highlands, Manatee and
Sarasota Counties, we are blessed to have two different airports
in our hub region. So we're trying to kind of
(01:55):
spread the love with that. So with Tanya here in
the studio, how are you you good?
Speaker 1 (02:00):
How are you good? So tell us.
Speaker 2 (02:02):
About how you were able to plug the Rotunda American
Legion in with on Southwest word on our flight.
Speaker 4 (02:09):
Oof, you know, by getting the veterans involved, you mean
or do you mean just you know.
Speaker 2 (02:14):
Everything everything about it because you guys have a pretty
interesting thing going at your post, and I think others
could benefit from hearing about it.
Speaker 4 (02:24):
Yeah, it actually was, you know, in one sense, very difficult.
But then after the first round of flight, we you know,
have had an overpouring. It's it's hard to get the
veterans to actually fill out an application, right to have
them understand that this is a free flight. You've already
paid for it, you know. The you know, the Guardians,
we had plenty, you know, we have. I've been on
(02:46):
you know, three flights. We've had another friend of mine, Tina,
has been on three flights, and then we've had Sons
member and actually two Sons members join us as you know,
Guardians ones, you know. But the Strongholds is just reminding
the veterans please just fill out these applications and I
will walk up to them and I'll help you. I'll
(03:08):
have them fill it out and you know, kind just
you know, strong on them.
Speaker 1 (03:12):
I think that's what it takes.
Speaker 2 (03:13):
I think a lot of veterans right now are kind
of the mindset that, like, you know, I don't deserve
this or whatever the case might be. And Sarge, you
always say, if you serve, you deserve yep, so exactly.
So so with that in mind, I think sometimes they
do need that invitation and kind of that loving little
nudge like, hey, do this please fill us out. If
(03:34):
you have rapport with a veteran, it usually goes over
a little bit better than if it's a stranger.
Speaker 1 (03:39):
They might be like, yeah, you can go kick rocks.
Speaker 2 (03:41):
Right, But the goal is to try to get them
to fill that application out and help them recognize and
understand how deserving they really are and how much we
want to do this for them, and to be honest,
while they are able to enjoy it. Because the pecking
order the priority for on our flights is World War
Two veterans, Korean War veterans, life limiting conditions. If I'm
(04:05):
not mistaken, Naomi, correct me if I'm wrong, in the
Vietnam veterans, and then so on and so forth, and
so these generations of veterans are they're not getting any younger.
So it's kind of like time is of the essence,
Like let's get you to go see your memorials because
you deserve it. And it might be an emotional thing,
but it's from what I understand, so many people come
(04:26):
back and say, how therapeutic is it is, and for
some people it is a kind of a source of
closure for them. I've heard several stories about veterans that
go on and on or flight and within several weeks
of their return they pass on, and it's I believe
that for them that is one form of closure that
(04:48):
they might need before they're ready to go. I mean
to keep it from sounding too somber, but it is.
And I've heard several other veterans say what a once
in a lifetime opportunity unity. It is the best day
of their lives, like it's just such an incredible experience,
and I've I've experienced it myself as a veteran. I
(05:08):
actually it was funny because we were talking in the
green room, if you will. We're talking about how I
sat in front of Tanya on the way home from
our on our flight in April, and it was funny
because she said something about her American Legion post and
I turned around because I lived near it. I was like, oh,
I was like, well, you know, I kind of I'll
admit I had kind of a perception about that post.
(05:30):
And she was like, I'm working to change that because
to me, I'll be fair to me, it didn't seem
like the most welcoming place for veterans of my generation.
Speaker 1 (05:39):
I'll just put it that way. And Tanya was like, I'm.
Speaker 2 (05:43):
Trying to change that, and you were so warm and
so friendly, and I was like, you know what, I
believe you like, I'm going to make more of an
effort to get out there and engage with your post
because if that's the change that's coming, then that's a
change I want to be a part of.
Speaker 5 (05:58):
So yeah, and Tanya, one thing that I always share
is it, you know, fundraising is challenging and always difficult,
especially when you are hit with you know, it goes
for us as far back as Hurricane Ian it devastated
a Charlotte County. You know, we were barely recovering from that,
(06:18):
and then we have our you know, tropical storm in
back to back hurricanes of twenty twenty four. But one
the greatest, honest challenge what I have found is our
veterans are some of the most humblest individuals on the planet.
(06:39):
Believe it or not. There are some that are so
so humble. There are others that want everyone to know
about their service, and I appreciate that also but it's
convincing them whatever they did in the service, whether they
were combat or non combat, whether they were reserves or
a female veteran, is that you wore the flag of
(07:03):
our nation, you signed on a line a blank check
that whatever our government asked you to do, you would
do and do to the best of your abilities. And
it's convincing them that they are worthy. Their family members
know there's some of their stories, not all of them,
but on flight day, when we get them convinced to
(07:24):
at least just fill out an application, when we start
learning their stories, we are like, WHOA, you did that?
And you know, the other high priority pecking order for
me and our hub is to honor our female veterans
and our female veterans. If my niece who's now fifteen
(07:47):
years active duty in the Navy, actually being pinned this
week as a chief officer, as a chief officer, a
chief hadn't paved the way for my sons to be
service the Navy as long as you know, ten and
nine years, it's not an easy row that those women
hoe in whatever branch of the service they are in,
(08:10):
and so we take priority to honor our female veterans
and make that a big priority. And then one thing
that I just want to share about how the Legion
and the Legion Auxiliary and I connected was I had
confirmed a couple of the veterans to come fly on
our flight, and then I started getting some guardian applications
(08:35):
of hey, you know, my son, my daughter wants to
come and be my guardian. And we were able to
make that happen. And then just momentum started building and
there was you know, a dozen people, now two dozen people,
and I think maybe even three dozen individuals who wanted
to come to the airport to say welcome home to
(08:56):
the veterans of their legion. And so you reached out
to me, and I gave you some odd of the
box ideas of some connections with some transportation companies that
I am aware of and have connections with, and take
the story from there of how what your legion did.
(09:18):
So that because you're in a kind of obscure round,
you know, down way kind of south and far away,
not a direct route from the airport to get your
members safely to the airport and then everyone safely back
to the Legion, well.
Speaker 4 (09:34):
We've actually, you know, thanks to you, we got all
around charters and Tours have given us a huge discount
to get our veterans there and back. So what we've
done is, you know, raise the money to pay for
that bus and they show up at O dark hundred
to get us down there, and then they come back
(09:54):
at a scheduled time pick up members that want to
come down and do the welcome and we've had up
to you know, forty people on that bus to say hey, thanks,
welcome back. And that's fantastic. I mean it's overwhelming just
to walk through that crowd. You know, even as a guardian,
I can't imagine what the veterans feel. But to see
all you know faces you know that you know right
(10:16):
are saying hey, you know, this is awesome.
Speaker 2 (10:18):
Thanks, and then the synergy with all of the people
on the bus on the way there and then all
the way home after the experience they had getting to
welcome people. I'm sure that's an experience for them as
well because they're able to see these veterans' reactions to it.
And I absolutely agree with you. It's it's so overwhelming
in a good way when you're walking off the plane
(10:41):
at the welcome home, but to see people you know
is like it makes it even more emotional, to be honest,
because like, my village showed up when I came home
and there were like fifteen people out there that I knew,
and I was just like, oh wow, because it was,
oh my gosh, it's probably like ten thirty ish at
night by the time I walked out there, and so
(11:02):
for them to be there and be hanging out that
long and they made signs and it was just amazing.
Speaker 1 (11:07):
So it's a huge support.
Speaker 4 (11:09):
And I, you know, and I tell everybody that you know,
if you're going to be a guardian, be prepared to
hug a lot hold hands. I've held so many hands,
you know, people I didn't know, and I don't care.
You know, y'all deserve it. I want you as a
veteran to be able to put a bad chapter, a
bad page onto a different shelf. And actually, everyone that
(11:30):
I have taken as a guardian, they have said that
they've told me stories that they haven't told other people,
same thing, and they were able to put a few
things behind them.
Speaker 5 (11:42):
Yeah. Yeah, it truly is a day of healing, you know.
I don't think of it going into flight day as
that because there's just so many logistics and things that
I'm juggling on the back end and on the front end,
and there's always a change in our manifest some folks
are you know. We had one guy that went played
(12:03):
tennis two days before his Honor flight and ripped his
rotator cup and went into emergency surgery. So we've always
got last minute things happening. But once I get on
the aircraft with the one hundred and seventy nine other veterans, guardians,
and medics and staff that we fly on our charter aircraft,
(12:24):
I start to really look at the folks in each
of the seats, and then I see them throughout the day.
And our mission at Southwest Florida Honor Flight is we
truly honor our veterans at each memorial. So coming up
on our October fourteenth fly out of Sarasota Brandenton International Airport,
(12:48):
we have a World War Two veteran. I'm so excited,
and maybe half a couple more that are in the wings.
Hopefully we can get them convinced to come with us.
We've got some Korean, got some Cold War in between
World War Two and Korea. We've got some post Korea
prior to Vietnam, but closer to Korea. We've got lots
(13:11):
of Vietnam veterans, We've got lots that fall right after
the Cold in the Cold War era. And then we've
got I think at least a dozen female veterans that
are going to be coming with us that we get
to honor the Military Women's Memorial. So just super excited
that we have groups from all over. And I just
(13:34):
want every legion, every VFW to know thinks outside of
the box, like this legion and this auxiliary did to
get your folks to be able to participate in the
honor flight. Please work with us first before you start
making promises to your members that hey, our whole group
(13:54):
is going to go together, because I think on a
couple occasions we've had to split you know, your group
up on buses but also on flights.
Speaker 4 (14:02):
Right, correct, And that's fine. I do tell them that
that there's no guarantee. The hardest thing is getting the
supposes to understand that they cannot go.
Speaker 1 (14:10):
With their vegans.
Speaker 6 (14:11):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (14:12):
Yeah, And so that is one of our national networks
guidelines is we need our veterans to be able to
heal on their Honor Flight day. And what our network
and hubs across the United States. And then we have
learned firsthand individually here is our veterans end up being
more worried about their spouse on the flight day, whether
(14:35):
they're with them or actually not with them. But then
also the spouse thinks that the person that's able to
help their veteran. We do take a physition along with us.
I think on this flight we have two physicians. We've
got eight medics and amts that are advanced life saving
(14:55):
trained experts. So I'm pretty sure they're the people that
are going to end up saying any one of us.
But we need our veterans to We need to give
them the opportunity to begin that healing and the camaraderie
that is formed between veteran and veteran and veterans and
(15:15):
guardians and even you know, two veterans and two guardians.
You know, when they start hanging out with each other
throughout the day, Amanda, I think, you know, they start
sharing stories. I think that that's what kind of your
story is a little bit. We honored the women at
the Military Women Memorial. You ladies were looking out at
you know a majority of men veterans, and they started
(15:39):
whispering among themselves as the memorial was telling your service
records abbreviated, they did that.
Speaker 1 (15:47):
Yeah, yeah, exactly.
Speaker 2 (15:49):
There was definitely a look among some of the male
veterans like they didn't realize that some of us did
what we did, and so that was that was kind
of a nice moment of validation that our service mattered
to because sometimes, especially especially in the Vietnam era, a
lot of women veterans were basically told their service didn't count,
(16:11):
or there were no women in Vietnam, or you know,
whatever the case might be. And that breaks my heart
because I served in an era where people, did you know,
they recognize women veterans. I mean, it still happened that
I would be overlooked, especially since I was dual military,
and people would look at my husband and be like,
thank you for your service and act like I was
a spouse, and my husband would have to politely correct them,
(16:33):
be like, you can thank my wife too, because she's
active duty as well, and they're like oh, and then
it gets awkward, but it's okay. But at the women's memorial,
all of that got set aside because yeah, when they
read what these women did and some of the missions
that they participated in their career fields, things they accomplished. Yeah,
(16:54):
the looks on people's faces and like you said, yeah,
there were some guys that kind of elbowed each other
and they're like, she did that.
Speaker 5 (17:00):
Yeah, wow. Yeah. So one of the super cool things
that the Military Women's Memorial is really pursuing is if
you know of a female veteran, anyone that is listening,
if you know of a female veteran, please have them
go to Militarywomen's Memorial dot org. They'll want to have
(17:23):
their history, their service history record with them, whether it's
a DD two fourteen or multiple pages of a DD
two fourteen. They'll also want to have a military picture
of themselves. It doesn't have to be boot camp. It
can be any picture.
Speaker 1 (17:37):
And it doesn't have to be an official photo.
Speaker 2 (17:39):
You're right, any photograph of them in uniform works in uniform.
Speaker 5 (17:44):
Have it handy, and they're gonna just fill out their
service record. It may not be for anything current that
they will need right now for today, but the Military
Women's Memorial is really capturing all of our female service
duty officers enlisted record so that we can have know
(18:07):
their history and when they get to go to the
Military Women's Memorial, they can be honored and that record
is used to honor them, and.
Speaker 1 (18:16):
It really is beautiful.
Speaker 2 (18:17):
That's like one of my favorite favorite things in my
possession from anything related to my time in the military.
And when I retired, I had so many awards, placards,
farewell gifts, whatever, like you have to kind of go
through it all because I no longer had an office
per se, and I was like downsizing, so to be honest,
I took photos of a lot of things and then
(18:38):
I passed them, which I didn't think was doable until
my girlfriend and her husband retired and they told me
fast and I said, what did you guys do? Because
they were both pretty high ranking people. I'm like, what
did you do with all that stuff in your office
and all this stuff? You know? They were like yeah,
they were like I took pictures of it and I
tossed it in the trash.
Speaker 1 (18:55):
I was like, oh, okay, so I can do this.
Speaker 2 (18:57):
But that thing from the Military women Memorial, oh nay, nay,
I will never part with that. Like that thing laid
out in my house for a few days after I
got home. When I came home, though, that thing laid
that thing laid on my bar and I was like,
this is I kept walking past. I was like, this
(19:19):
thing is so cool, this is so cool, and I
don't want to ruin it for people what it looks like,
but let me tell you, it is an extremely well
put together thing. It's beautiful, it's classy. Like any woman
veteran that gets that, you are going to be so
proud to have that. It's just really well done.
Speaker 4 (19:37):
The three veterans, female veterans that are from our posts
love theirs and constantly say thank you. That was just
phenomenal that they got that.
Speaker 7 (19:48):
Absolutely and excuse me, Naomi, Amanda, Tanya, this is the
Sorrge speaking. I wanted to say one thing and I've
already said that's over and over again.
Speaker 8 (20:01):
To borrow my heart. I want to say thank.
Speaker 7 (20:03):
You for providing the opportunity to so many veterans across
the board through multiple generations, and also thank you for
turning service, turning the pain of service into a passion,
and taking that passion of what we did in the
military and turn into a legacy. I think it's one
of the things about legacy that we kind of not
(20:24):
see and a lot of the veterans I've had the
opportunity to cross paths with don't feel that they have
done enough to warrant having a legacy, And that can't
be more wrong than I've ever heard, for the simple
fact it's the small things in our military that make
the big machine work. And for them to have the
(20:45):
opportunity to be recognized for their time of service, no
matter what it was. I've had the opportunity to be
to fore them and Punta Gorda, and the looks on
their faces off the plane is nothing less than phenomenal.
And since you guys represent Honor flight for our area,
I say thank you all because every time you do
(21:06):
it it's a new experience and for an individual who
has been on the flight. Yet I'm saving it for
my two daughters so they can see the legacy of
what we've done as a whole, not the.
Speaker 8 (21:16):
Things you're reading the book. The a lot of things
in the book they leave out.
Speaker 7 (21:20):
And again, thank you very much what you do for
us and for our community.
Speaker 8 (21:24):
It's all I got.
Speaker 5 (21:26):
It's my honor. It is my honor to honor you
veterans on your Honor Flight day. You so deserve it,
So thank you.
Speaker 2 (21:36):
I'll tell you what I say about Naomi, and she
knows this because I've said it to her face. She
is the Mary Poppins of Honor Flight. No kidding, seriously,
like a super califragilistic expialidocious Like when you go yes
on Honor Flight with Naomi Copeland, it is going to be.
(21:57):
That is why so many veterans come back and say
it was the greatest day of their lives because Naomi
and the team make sure they look after every single detail.
But it doesn't happen without volunteers. So let's very quickly
talk about volunteers for Honor Flight, like what kind of
roles do you need help with volunteering and how can
(22:18):
people volunteer?
Speaker 5 (22:20):
Absolutely so, people can volunteer by emailing us at SWFL
hon Or Flight at gmail dot com. That is our
email address. You can find that on our website which
is SWFL Honorflight dot org and send us an email. Hey,
(22:43):
I want to be a volunteer. Make sure you give
me your name and a phone number and the best
time to give you a call. I will let you know.
We are an entire volunteer organization. All of our board members,
all of us work full time jobs. And some of
us are overachiever Mary Poppins like, and we work at
(23:04):
part time job on top of a full time job,
on top of on our flight. So I just say,
you know, let us know sometimes we will get in
touch with you. Our flight is on October fourteenth, that
is a Tuesday. It is from Sarasota Bradenton International Airport.
It is the first time we are going to be
flying out of this airport, so we need a lot
(23:26):
of hands make light work. So let's start with flight day.
If sleep is not your friend, or if you are
just an early riser, we would love for you to
help us with our send off, and that will be
You'll need to be at Sarasota Brandenton Airport at about
(23:47):
three forty five am, three point thirty maybe even because
our veterans, even though we tell them to come at
four am, your clock must be set to two am
because that's when you show up and you're going to
just have to wait. But our volunteers will help set
up some things there at the airport and help us
(24:08):
welcome our veterans. Some of them will be in wheelchairs,
so you'll might be the wheelchair brigade at the front door.
And help get them in the door. We will be
at the Allegiant terminal. But if you send me an
email and say hey, I want to help with send off,
I will get you in touch with the correct person
and they will reach out to you. That organizes that
her name is Carolyn. Please send an email to that
(24:31):
same email address swfl Honor Flight at gmail dot com
and say I would like to help for orientation. Other
than that, we do have monthly hub meetings. They are
the fourth Wednesday of every month, except for November and
December because of holidays and those months we move it
(24:53):
up a week. But it is at seven pm and
there are two options for you to join us at
a meeting, and one is in person, and we meet
in the ballroom of Kingsgate Golf Club in Port Charlotte
slash Punta Gorda, depending on which side of the street
you live on. The Lion's Den is a restaurant bar
(25:15):
that is open to the public beforehand, So if you
want to come out support them, grab a drink, grab
some food before you come to our seven pm meeting,
we love that. Or we have a zoom option and
you can email me and say hey, add me to
your mailing list and then you'll get that zoom link.
Our meeting on September twenty fourth will be the last
(25:38):
meeting before our October flight, and so we will be
talking all things flight related and leading up to it.
But I'd like to share that every flight is approximately
one hundred and eighteen thousand dollars to get it off
the ground, between chartering and aircraft catering. We give our
(26:01):
veterans a special shirt and a special bag, and our
guardians a special shirt and a special bag. Between all
of that, we raise all that money locally. We're going
to talk about how to help us raise the funds
for those flights. So come out to a meeting, email us,
we'll take care of you awesome.
Speaker 1 (26:21):
And then, Paul, I think you had something to add
as well.
Speaker 3 (26:24):
Well, I want to talk about we mentioned that the
flight is free to veterans. Well, that part of it
is true, but it's not free for us to accomplish
what we do. So we need all of you listeners
out there to consider donating through the Southwest on our
flight site and there's a donate button that's right there
(26:46):
on the front, so please hit that donate button. There's
no donation too small, and there's certainly not one too large,
right and consider if you're not in our immediate area,
there's ann flight near you across America, and there's a
lot of people out there that could use that donation also.
But we're kind of tied into Southwest Florida. So please,
(27:10):
if you're out there and you have the ability to
make a donation to help us pull these flights off,
we certainly would appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (27:17):
Absolutely.
Speaker 2 (27:17):
It's one hundred and eighteen thousand dollars approximately for a flight,
all costs involved. So if you go to SWFL honorflight
dot org, that is the website that Paul's talking about,
where as soon as you pull up SWFL Honor flight
dot org, you'll see a donate button. You can click it.
You can do one time, you can do it monthly.
(27:40):
There are all kinds of options depending on your budget
and how you feel led to give. But that is
definitely worth mentioning. So thank you Paul for bringing that.
Speaker 5 (27:49):
Up absolutely, And then I'll just make a will month
and I would just like to put out there that
if you or your family member has experienced an honor flight,
whether it's been by a direct participation, you've been a
guardian or if you saw one. You are landing or
arriving at an airport and you saw an honor flight there,
(28:11):
please consider us in your legacy, for it can be
again any No amount is too small, no amount is
too large, but it would help us further our mission
in the future if you could leave a legacy. Also,
we are always taking veteran applications. It's not too soon
to submit a veteran application. It is not too soon
(28:32):
to submit a guardian application. Our guardians are the lifeline
that help our flights get off the ground, and you
can find both those applications on our website.
Speaker 1 (28:42):
Awesome.
Speaker 2 (28:42):
Well, that's all the time we have for today. Thank you, Naomi,
and thank you Tanya for being on the show with us.
Speaker 1 (28:48):
Thank you and we appreciate you.
Speaker 2 (28:50):
Guys.
Speaker 1 (28:50):
We'll see you next month.
Speaker 2 (28:51):
Naomi, thank you.
Speaker 9 (28:54):
I'm Staff Sargeant Mark Anthony Matricas Stars and the Samanta
Cab Staff Sergeant.
Speaker 10 (28:57):
At ass Sargeant William Lewis, and I am proud in
my family and arnish the.
Speaker 11 (29:02):
Air Force Reserve is part of the story of this
great nation.
Speaker 10 (29:05):
Grateful that I have a chance to wear the uniform
of the heroes that won't performing.
Speaker 7 (29:09):
I am proud to be part of a team that
helps make a difference in the world.
Speaker 11 (29:12):
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(29:35):
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Speaker 10 (29:44):
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Speaker 5 (29:48):
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Speaker 11 (29:50):
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Speaker 9 (30:00):
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our donors. Most of us want to make some type
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Speaker 1 (30:14):
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Speaker 3 (30:17):
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Speaker 11 (30:20):
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Speaker 10 (30:24):
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Speaker 11 (30:33):
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Speaker 3 (30:42):
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Speaker 5 (30:44):
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Speaker 9 (30:48):
To help finding cures saving children. Saint Jude Children's Research Hospital.
Find out how you can help at Saint Jude dot org.
Speaker 6 (31:00):
Our veterans risked it all to protect our freedom. One
of the best ways to say thank you is to
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(31:20):
Heal Veterans, a not for profit organization, with the support
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(31:41):
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Speaker 8 (32:00):
Aties.
Speaker 7 (32:01):
Okay, folks, it's the sarage back on the microphone here,
all right. Next guest we have up here today is
Brett Hawker. He's at HM three from the Navy. Welcome aboard, sir.
Speaker 10 (32:10):
Well, thank you. I appreciate you having me.
Speaker 7 (32:12):
Today anytime, anytime, Brett, what you tell America about yourself?
Speaker 8 (32:16):
And yeah, a little about yourself.
Speaker 10 (32:19):
Well, I'm fifty two. I was born in Michigan, and
until my military service, I spent my time in Michigan
when I graduated high school way back now, I guess,
nineteen ninety one.
Speaker 7 (32:34):
I'm fifty two to two. Yes, it's way back by man,
we can say that, all right.
Speaker 10 (32:39):
So I knew that I didn't want more schooling. I
thought I didn't want more schooling at that time. So,
being a person that loved the water, I spent all
my time on the water, I thought maybe the Navy
would be a good direction for me to go and
I ended up going to boot camp in Orlando, which
(33:00):
isn't there anymore. I went up to Mike Corman c
School up in Wakegan, Illinois, which is where most of
I think nowadays, that's where all the Navy basic training is.
So I went up there for my schooling, and I
chose my first duty station was Campbelujun in North Carolina.
(33:20):
I wanted to I wanted to experience everything at the
highest level. So I went into camplusion to be with
the Marines.
Speaker 8 (33:32):
Okay, you in the Navy. How many years?
Speaker 10 (33:36):
Just four years? My first My first job was working,
you know, twenty years old. I'm taking care of babies
in the Neon Lael Intensive Care Unit.
Speaker 8 (33:46):
Wow.
Speaker 10 (33:48):
I realized that I did want more education. It just wasn't.
It wasn't something I thought I wanted at the time,
But I found myself signing up for just about every
training course I could I could get, and at one
point point I was what's called an Advanced Cardiac Life
Support instructor trainer. I taught and certified physicians, okay, so
that they could teach advanced cardiac life support. In addition
(34:11):
to that, I pediac pediatric advanced life support and the
neonatal resuscitation program. I was a trainer for all of
those and that's what I did for a period of
time until I convinced the right people to allow me
into the ambulance division because I like the emergencies.
Speaker 7 (34:28):
Oh definitely. And folks, he's a lifesaver, so he's one
of the friends you want to have on your side
sometimes absolutely, most definitely. So any type of experiences did
you have during your time of service that stuck out
for you.
Speaker 10 (34:40):
To most there's a few that.
Speaker 8 (34:44):
You were allowed to talk about.
Speaker 10 (34:46):
Well, you know, when I got into the ambulance division,
I you know, I became a director of my shift.
There was three shifts. We worked twenty four on thirty
or I'm sorry, forty eight off and I was the
director of my team and we were servicing a base
of five hundred thousand people at twenty one years old.
So I was pretty proud of myself at that time.
(35:06):
But this is the things you see and the accidents
that happen are a lot different. And I never ever
wish pain or something terrible to happen to anybody, but
I know it's going to happen. I just hope it
happened on my shift, so I could be out there
helping people, but you know, people falling out of helicopters,
blowing stuff up. You know, there's just a lot of
(35:28):
crazy things that you see out there, but it's all
just people that need help. And that's you know, that
was my calling I felt.
Speaker 3 (35:36):
And I think that's the thing that we want to
our listeners to know, is that as young men, we
get into situations that are traumatic, handling people that have
serious injuries. The last person you want to call is
a medic, but he's the first one you want on
(35:56):
the scene when you need one. So that's that's the
kind of pressure that we put our young people through.
As an old man, now I can say that that
we're an.
Speaker 7 (36:08):
I'll say this also, I'm baff at a rally point media.
Thank you for your sacrifice in your four years. I'm thankful.
Although I don't know you personally or the things that
you did personally, I know without without question that you
had to impact in your immediate AO, and I'm thankful
to have you on our in our family.
Speaker 10 (36:26):
Well, I appreciate it. It has it has been a
family and one thing I didn't know at the time
when I went you know, the Marines are actually you know,
they don't like to talk about this, but the Marines
are a department of the Navy. Yes, and Corman's are
their medical support and they are very loyal to us.
I found that out one night at a at a bar.
(36:47):
Oh yes, when I got into a sticky situation and
in a couple of Marines I never met before, I
found out that I was a doc, and they took
care of the situation for me. So until this day,
you run across anytime I run across the Marine, I say, hey,
I'm a Corman.
Speaker 11 (36:59):
That's it.
Speaker 10 (37:00):
Beyond is there, go off into the corner and have conversations.
That's all it taks.
Speaker 8 (37:04):
And definitely being in the Army. And one of the
things I learned at a.
Speaker 7 (37:07):
Very very young age is that no matter what happens,
you got to protect the doc because you go down,
we're screwed. So I'll say this anybody a hey, I'll
say this is going to be a universal designation. If
you're at a bar, a military bar, you say you're
a DOC, I guarantee you you get priority protection.
Speaker 3 (37:25):
Yeah. V. And they're all whether they're a medical or
Corman they're all very humble about what they did if
they don't understand or appreciate how much we appreciate them
and needed.
Speaker 7 (37:37):
Them, most definitely, most definitely, so Brent, during your time,
I guess as you're trying yourself transitioning out of the Navy,
what have your skill set provided you? Now, Folks, remember this,
he's twenty one years old. He's the director of your bus.
And I'll say this again, I'm going to beat the
(37:58):
chest of the veteran that at young ages were given
responsibilities and education that would take some other people a
lifetime to achieve. And again, one of the things I
love is the legacy of a veteran. We are fountain
or fountains of knowledge and training on the flip side
of being a civilian. So again, kudos to you man,
(38:21):
because at twenty one you're basically run the bus by yourself.
And I mean, how many twenty one year olds you
have I can say that. I mean probably those in
the military. But a lot of responsibility that to be
given at a young age, and that's not a bad thing.
Age is not a bad thing, folks. It's a matter
of that's a sign of accountability and responsibility.
Speaker 10 (38:42):
Yeah, it was quite astounding. I just wasn't interested in
high school. I just wanted to get out. But then
when I got in the military, I just I wanted
to learn more and more and more. And it was
quite amazing to have be given the opportunity to do
so many amazing things and get the opportunity to learn
and some of these skills that I that I've been
(39:03):
able to take with me throughout my whole life. So
I always recommend to any young person, if they don't
know what they want to do, give up four years
of your life and see where that takes you. My
son right now is in my not in North Dakota
as the security forces for the Air Force.
Speaker 8 (39:18):
Congratulations.
Speaker 10 (39:19):
He's afraid of sharks, so he didn't want to go
in the Navy and follow dead footsteps. So I still
can't wrap my head around that one. But you know
he's up there garden a nuclear base and I'm proud
of that too.
Speaker 7 (39:32):
Absolutely to serve in our United States military service. And
I just said that in not too long ago and
a previous segment, we as service people don't see the
impact we have pertaining to our world as as a
complete entity, being the global world. We just think of
(39:54):
us being a little rivet or a little screw and
a big watch, and not in until I left in
the military that I discovered the importance of that little
job on the grand scheme of a bigger, bigger world stage.
And we talked about something about how we as veterans,
I don't think we give ourselves enough credit for.
Speaker 8 (40:16):
What we do and who we've become.
Speaker 7 (40:19):
And in that process, I think there needs to be
an opportunity for us to enjoy the legacy that we've created.
And people throw that word around a lot, legacy this
and legacy that, but it's not a word a tone
to wealth. It's a tone to what your impact in
the past provide to the present and may have for
(40:41):
the future generations of who we used to be. And
I'm thankful that you had shared that your sons is
in the military, because a part of that legacy is
now living out because what you did is now doing
what he wants to do. And I think if the
world is rebuilt, it should be rebuilt in the end
of service members, because we appreciate the small things, and
(41:04):
in that legacy of having peace and appreciation, the whole.
Speaker 8 (41:09):
World will get along.
Speaker 7 (41:10):
But as I digress, so how'd you parlay your career
after you left the military.
Speaker 10 (41:16):
Well, I've always been my mom's in that very outgoing person.
My father was a car salesman his whole life and
all of his all of his friends, you know, they
always joke about used car salesman, all of his friends.
That is the one guy that if you ask about
Gary Hawker, they'd always say, well, he's the most honest
car salesman I've ever met. But my dad just loved
(41:38):
you know, both my parents are a people person people,
They love people, and and I'm an outgoing person. I'm
definitely an extrovert. So I found myself in sales. You know,
I found myself in doing sales in various roles, and
then I landed with a company for many years where
I was a sales leader running a team of people
(41:58):
in the you know, in the South for it in
Tampa area. But we're not just out there. You know,
it's a product. Everything is really sales. Yes, it is
in every aspect. But you know, if I could help
somebody with that particular product and if it made their
if it made their business flow better, if it made
their life easier, you know, I would never go out
there and try to sell something that, you know, just
(42:20):
to make a buck if it's not helping somebody. So
I mean, I'm selling business technologies. It's not changing the world,
but it is you know, helping them save a little
bit of money, maybe make their their job a little
bit easier to do. So I did that for many
years in sales, and I was very successful at it.
Speaker 3 (42:39):
And so you were part of a team though.
Speaker 10 (42:41):
Yeah, I was part of a team. I was part
of a publicly traded company and had.
Speaker 3 (42:44):
And what what military experiences that you developed in the
military did you transfer over to the business world.
Speaker 10 (42:52):
Well, I think the biggest one would be the maintaining
calm under pressure and being able to be able to
lead people. Those are two of the biggest ones, you know.
I had at one point twenty six people on my team,
you know, and I was, you know, strange as I
was the only person that didn't have a college degree.
Everybody else on my team either had a bachelor's or
(43:13):
a master's degree. And I was very open with them
about that. They all knew that it didn't make a
difference to them.
Speaker 3 (43:19):
But see, I look at it a little differently. You
had a four year degree. You just did in the
real world. You just didn't have a piece of paper.
Speaker 8 (43:26):
Right right, Well, I say the discharge paper.
Speaker 3 (43:31):
That's his papers. Yes, but that's what people don't understand,
as you really are in those four years develop some
techniques and attitudes and your ability to look at problems
and move ahead not not go backwards.
Speaker 10 (43:48):
Perhaps a degree in life skills.
Speaker 3 (43:50):
There, Yeah, there you go.
Speaker 7 (43:51):
It's funny that you say that because in given today's
technological advances, I will tell you that right now. I
feel that again, if the military run the world will
be more efficient. And one of the things I've always
said to my unit would are my oppatoons like this, folks,
you have a problem. Do not stand in front of
me with not a solution. You're waste, You're burning my
(44:13):
time and the problem is getting worse, but you're not
having a solution. And one of the things I've also discovered,
people fall apart in a minut of chaos. I'm going
the world's in chaos every day. How you how you
feel that chaos defines who you are and if you
have leadership skills, if you don't, you'll fall apart. And
you know, it'll consume you. From what I'm hearing from you, Bratt,
is that you just byom demeanor, you're like going, yeah,
(44:34):
this is the problem, Okay, solutions buy them off. If not,
you'll you're I think you're inspired. Would you think as
the leadership, what's your leadership skill? You inspire those that
you work with or are you one of those we
had to bust this crisis moment?
Speaker 8 (44:49):
You get it done and they follow your lead?
Speaker 3 (44:51):
Yeah?
Speaker 10 (44:52):
I think somebody told me one time. You know, I've
been seeing so many leadership people that are strong in
leadership speak. You know the company I workfore, we went
to conferences every year. I've seen John Maxwell, Peyton Manning,
Magic Johnson. You know, I get to see all these
people speak. But somebody said something I don't recall who
it was. But the job of a leader is define
(45:14):
reality and show that there's hope. Always kept that close.
Speaker 7 (45:20):
That's very meaningful to me, most definitely, because you have
no hope. There's everything else, there's no nothing, there's nothing
to go for, there's nothing to go for it, there's
no inspiration, there's no uh, there's nothing without hope. So
as you've found yourself going through the years, where do
you see yourself evolving into and do you feel that
(45:40):
your military background will have any influence on that in
that decision?
Speaker 10 (45:45):
Well, wherever I am and wherever I will go, the
military that the influence of the military has given me
will always be a foundation of everything I do. I
mean they really, it really set the table for who
I am and who I will be. Strangely enough, you
know I'm a big guy. I'm six foot eight and
(46:06):
I'm in the salon business.
Speaker 3 (46:07):
Now what made you make that change?
Speaker 8 (46:11):
Yes?
Speaker 10 (46:11):
Well, first of all, marriage, I uh, there's your sign.
I had a good a good friend, one of my
customers that I had sold some technology to used my services,
set me up on a blind date with her with
her hairstylist who owned a salon in Punta Gorda. Now,
it took us about a month and a half to
(46:31):
make that date work with the dates and times, and
we ended up meeting at Portofino, which is now where
our Sunseeker sits. And we've been together ever since. And
I was about twelve years ago.
Speaker 8 (46:41):
Gradually blind date.
Speaker 10 (46:42):
Yeah, I never been on a blind date, never considered it.
And anybody listening if if you ever have that opportunity
go because I don't know if we would have ever
now now thinking back and looking back, we've been in
the same room before. Oh really, Yeah, we just didn't
know who each other were, and we obviously didn't connect
to talk. So take two people from different backgrounds, one's
(47:03):
an extrovert, one's introvert. You put them in the same room,
It's amazing what can happen. But that's how I ended
up in the salon business. I had an opportunity because
of my success at the company that I worked for.
We had moved her salon from a twelve hundred score
foot location to a five thousand square foot building we
were renting in downtown Punta Order right congratulated Taylor Street,
(47:23):
And by the way, it's called Illusions Salon and Spa.
I'm gonna I'm gonna.
Speaker 3 (47:26):
Discoss We were going to get to that.
Speaker 10 (47:30):
But I had an opportunity. We moved into that building
and I gave her some help as she was growing rapidly.
And then a few years back, well actually February of
twenty twenty four, I had the fortunate enough opportunity I
bought the building. I bought the building and I left
my sales career and now I work at a hair salon.
Speaker 8 (47:54):
Man moving for Moving Forward. Man's one of.
Speaker 10 (47:56):
My favorite places to be. I love working there. I
love because there's people coming in all day long and
we're helping people every day. Well it's a different way, but.
Speaker 3 (48:04):
Well it's yeah, but it still fits and ties into
what you did when you came out of high school.
Speaker 10 (48:10):
Yeah, and I get to people every day, so you.
Speaker 3 (48:12):
Know you love duvetail together. Yeah, it's just there's no
end in sight. And that's the great thing.
Speaker 7 (48:18):
It's the mystery almost differently, and when right now I'm
walking and freaking light bulb pair, it just popped on,
like going, Wow, what a great way to identify women
veterans better than a hair salon and when the place
is one of the places you feel safe and the
established relationships with and definitely in my little brain, I'm thinking, well, hmmm,
(48:39):
I think we may able to work this out somehow
because definitely, if we if we can any way the
rally point men can assist your yours in your business.
Oh please let us do that because I feel that
again you have the mindset of the veteran where you're
providing a service a public service and in that improves
the esteem of the people walking through. I will venture
(49:00):
to say that in that same moment, if you can
have that in a proper atmosphere, a woman feels more
confident to speak about them being or man, excuse me
to talk about their service well, you know, being a natural,
safe environment. And if that's the case, I mean, if
you can participate in any way to make that happen,
I mean, that's what we're here for.
Speaker 10 (49:21):
Yeah, there's a ton of there's a ton of veterans.
You know, we have men, men, women and children that
come in there. But you know, I'm always looking for
some way to start a conversation with people looking at
their you know, what's written on their yetti cup or
what they're wearing on their shirt. And there's so many
women veterans that come through there, and I love having
conversations and just find out what they did exactly. There's
so many crazy things that people have done for jobs
(49:44):
in the military, and I love to hear about it exactly.
Speaker 7 (49:46):
And I'm almost certain that and maybe there's not a gospel,
but I'm going to probably go online and say they
have a voice that they've done more in the military
in your salon that they've done outside the building. And no,
that's why we're here at Rally Point is to end
that stigma for them to say, well, by the way
I serve too, and I and be proud of it.
(50:09):
And again, if there's anything we can do here to
accelerate your business at what's just along in locations.
Speaker 10 (50:16):
It's called Illusions Salon and Spa. It's at one fifteen
Taylor Street and Puntagorda. My wife is actually from Pontaguorda,
so she's one of those unicorns than actually are from here.
Come June of next year, she'll be in business twenty
five years, continue this business, twenty five years women owned business.
That's pretty impressive.
Speaker 3 (50:33):
That is. Yeah, the trends shutter, Yeah she is.
Speaker 7 (50:38):
She is most definitely. But Brett, thank you for having
us on the show today and again folks, being a
chairperson of the Rally Point the media network, we just
made another connection for you, Thank goodness. And now my
women veterans, you now have a place. Hopefully we can
work out a deal to get your hair done and
be represented as a veteran of our country on behalf
(51:00):
of your Valley Point.
Speaker 3 (51:02):
Thank you for coming and sharing your story. We look
forward to it.
Speaker 8 (51:05):
We'll have you on again most definitely.
Speaker 2 (51:08):
Well.
Speaker 10 (51:08):
I appreciate the time of talks.
Speaker 3 (51:10):
I do appreciate it.
Speaker 8 (51:11):
Oh, thank you.
Speaker 3 (51:13):
Rally powners fall out
Rally pointers fall In.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
Good morning everyone, It's your host Amanda Macchiato mccanue here
in the studio with my co host Paul Puleshi.
Speaker 3 (00:10):
Good morning Veterans, and Jay.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
The Sarge Hemingway, as well as our producer, the man
that makes the magic Happenzane.
Speaker 3 (00:18):
Good morning.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
So without further ado, we're going to jump right into
our show today. So this week is our monthly installment
of Southwest Florida Honor Flight all things related. So we
have with us Naomi Copeland. She is the hub president
for Southwest Florida hon Her Flight. She's here via phone.
Good morning, Naomi, Good morning everyone. And then we also
(00:40):
have with us in the studio Tanya Jones. And Tanya
Jones is a member of the American Legion Auxiliary out
in Rotunda, West, but she also has an interesting tie
to Southwest Florida Honor Flight. So for those of you
who don't know what Southwest Florida Honor Flight is, it
exists to take our veteran to DC for the day
(01:02):
with a guardian who's really like a concierge for them,
somebody who just make sure that they are able to
see all of their service memorials that they stay hydrated.
This person takes pictures of them for the veteran to
share with their family at a later point. And so
the whole day is focused on the veteran, taking them
to their service memorials all throughout DC and then bringing
(01:23):
them home to the welcome they deserve. So the next
honor flight that is going out is going to be
October fourteenth, and it's going out of Sarasota Airport.
Speaker 1 (01:32):
So for those of you that.
Speaker 2 (01:34):
Want to support, you know where it's going. Usually they
fly out of Punagorda. But because the hub covers seven counties,
which are Charlotte, De Soto, Hardy, Hendry Highlands, Manatee and
Sarasota Counties, we are blessed to have two different airports
in our hub region. So we're trying to kind of
(01:55):
spread the love with that. So with Tanya here in
the studio, how are you you good?
Speaker 1 (02:00):
How are you good? So tell us.
Speaker 2 (02:02):
About how you were able to plug the Rotunda American
Legion in with on Southwest word on our flight.
Speaker 4 (02:09):
Oof, you know, by getting the veterans involved, you mean
or do you mean just you know.
Speaker 2 (02:14):
Everything everything about it because you guys have a pretty
interesting thing going at your post, and I think others
could benefit from hearing about it.
Speaker 4 (02:24):
Yeah, it actually was, you know, in one sense, very difficult.
But then after the first round of flight, we you know,
have had an overpouring. It's it's hard to get the
veterans to actually fill out an application, right to have
them understand that this is a free flight. You've already
paid for it, you know. The you know, the Guardians,
we had plenty, you know, we have. I've been on
(02:46):
you know, three flights. We've had another friend of mine, Tina,
has been on three flights, and then we've had Sons
member and actually two Sons members join us as you know,
Guardians ones, you know. But the Strongholds is just reminding
the veterans please just fill out these applications and I
will walk up to them and I'll help you. I'll
(03:08):
have them fill it out and you know, kind just
you know, strong on them.
Speaker 1 (03:12):
I think that's what it takes.
Speaker 2 (03:13):
I think a lot of veterans right now are kind
of the mindset that, like, you know, I don't deserve
this or whatever the case might be. And Sarge, you
always say, if you serve, you deserve yep, so exactly.
So so with that in mind, I think sometimes they
do need that invitation and kind of that loving little
nudge like, hey, do this please fill us out. If
(03:34):
you have rapport with a veteran, it usually goes over
a little bit better than if it's a stranger.
Speaker 1 (03:39):
They might be like, yeah, you can go kick rocks.
Speaker 2 (03:41):
Right, But the goal is to try to get them
to fill that application out and help them recognize and
understand how deserving they really are and how much we
want to do this for them, and to be honest,
while they are able to enjoy it. Because the pecking
order the priority for on our flights is World War
Two veterans, Korean War veterans, life limiting conditions. If I'm
(04:05):
not mistaken, Naomi, correct me if I'm wrong, in the
Vietnam veterans, and then so on and so forth, and
so these generations of veterans are they're not getting any younger.
So it's kind of like time is of the essence,
Like let's get you to go see your memorials because
you deserve it. And it might be an emotional thing,
but it's from what I understand, so many people come
(04:26):
back and say, how therapeutic is it is, and for
some people it is a kind of a source of
closure for them. I've heard several stories about veterans that
go on and on or flight and within several weeks
of their return they pass on, and it's I believe
that for them that is one form of closure that
(04:48):
they might need before they're ready to go. I mean
to keep it from sounding too somber, but it is.
And I've heard several other veterans say what a once
in a lifetime opportunity unity. It is the best day
of their lives, like it's just such an incredible experience,
and I've I've experienced it myself as a veteran. I
(05:08):
actually it was funny because we were talking in the
green room, if you will. We're talking about how I
sat in front of Tanya on the way home from
our on our flight in April, and it was funny
because she said something about her American Legion post and
I turned around because I lived near it. I was like, oh,
I was like, well, you know, I kind of I'll
admit I had kind of a perception about that post.
(05:30):
And she was like, I'm working to change that because
to me, I'll be fair to me, it didn't seem
like the most welcoming place for veterans of my generation.
Speaker 1 (05:39):
I'll just put it that way. And Tanya was like, I'm.
Speaker 2 (05:43):
Trying to change that, and you were so warm and
so friendly, and I was like, you know what, I
believe you like, I'm going to make more of an
effort to get out there and engage with your post
because if that's the change that's coming, then that's a
change I want to be a part of.
Speaker 5 (05:58):
So yeah, and Tanya, one thing that I always share
is it, you know, fundraising is challenging and always difficult,
especially when you are hit with you know, it goes
for us as far back as Hurricane Ian it devastated
a Charlotte County. You know, we were barely recovering from that,
(06:18):
and then we have our you know, tropical storm in
back to back hurricanes of twenty twenty four. But one
the greatest, honest challenge what I have found is our
veterans are some of the most humblest individuals on the planet.
(06:39):
Believe it or not. There are some that are so
so humble. There are others that want everyone to know
about their service, and I appreciate that also but it's
convincing them whatever they did in the service, whether they
were combat or non combat, whether they were reserves or
a female veteran, is that you wore the flag of
(07:03):
our nation, you signed on a line a blank check
that whatever our government asked you to do, you would
do and do to the best of your abilities. And
it's convincing them that they are worthy. Their family members
know there's some of their stories, not all of them,
but on flight day, when we get them convinced to
(07:24):
at least just fill out an application, when we start
learning their stories, we are like, WHOA, you did that?
And you know, the other high priority pecking order for
me and our hub is to honor our female veterans
and our female veterans. If my niece who's now fifteen
(07:47):
years active duty in the Navy, actually being pinned this
week as a chief officer, as a chief officer, a
chief hadn't paved the way for my sons to be
service the Navy as long as you know, ten and
nine years, it's not an easy row that those women
hoe in whatever branch of the service they are in,
(08:10):
and so we take priority to honor our female veterans
and make that a big priority. And then one thing
that I just want to share about how the Legion
and the Legion Auxiliary and I connected was I had
confirmed a couple of the veterans to come fly on
our flight, and then I started getting some guardian applications
(08:35):
of hey, you know, my son, my daughter wants to
come and be my guardian. And we were able to
make that happen. And then just momentum started building and
there was you know, a dozen people, now two dozen people,
and I think maybe even three dozen individuals who wanted
to come to the airport to say welcome home to
(08:56):
the veterans of their legion. And so you reached out
to me, and I gave you some odd of the
box ideas of some connections with some transportation companies that
I am aware of and have connections with, and take
the story from there of how what your legion did.
(09:18):
So that because you're in a kind of obscure round,
you know, down way kind of south and far away,
not a direct route from the airport to get your
members safely to the airport and then everyone safely back
to the Legion, well.
Speaker 4 (09:34):
We've actually, you know, thanks to you, we got all
around charters and Tours have given us a huge discount
to get our veterans there and back. So what we've
done is, you know, raise the money to pay for
that bus and they show up at O dark hundred
to get us down there, and then they come back
(09:54):
at a scheduled time pick up members that want to
come down and do the welcome and we've had up
to you know, forty people on that bus to say hey, thanks,
welcome back. And that's fantastic. I mean it's overwhelming just
to walk through that crowd. You know, even as a guardian,
I can't imagine what the veterans feel. But to see
all you know faces you know that you know right
(10:16):
are saying hey, you know, this is awesome.
Speaker 2 (10:18):
Thanks, and then the synergy with all of the people
on the bus on the way there and then all
the way home after the experience they had getting to
welcome people. I'm sure that's an experience for them as
well because they're able to see these veterans' reactions to it.
And I absolutely agree with you. It's it's so overwhelming
in a good way when you're walking off the plane
(10:41):
at the welcome home, but to see people you know
is like it makes it even more emotional, to be honest,
because like, my village showed up when I came home
and there were like fifteen people out there that I knew,
and I was just like, oh wow, because it was,
oh my gosh, it's probably like ten thirty ish at
night by the time I walked out there, and so
(11:02):
for them to be there and be hanging out that
long and they made signs and it was just amazing.
Speaker 1 (11:07):
So it's a huge support.
Speaker 4 (11:09):
And I, you know, and I tell everybody that you know,
if you're going to be a guardian, be prepared to
hug a lot hold hands. I've held so many hands,
you know, people I didn't know, and I don't care.
You know, y'all deserve it. I want you as a
veteran to be able to put a bad chapter, a
bad page onto a different shelf. And actually, everyone that
(11:30):
I have taken as a guardian, they have said that
they've told me stories that they haven't told other people,
same thing, and they were able to put a few
things behind them.
Speaker 5 (11:42):
Yeah. Yeah, it truly is a day of healing, you know.
I don't think of it going into flight day as
that because there's just so many logistics and things that
I'm juggling on the back end and on the front end,
and there's always a change in our manifest some folks
are you know. We had one guy that went played
(12:03):
tennis two days before his Honor flight and ripped his
rotator cup and went into emergency surgery. So we've always
got last minute things happening. But once I get on
the aircraft with the one hundred and seventy nine other veterans, guardians,
and medics and staff that we fly on our charter aircraft,
(12:24):
I start to really look at the folks in each
of the seats, and then I see them throughout the day.
And our mission at Southwest Florida Honor Flight is we
truly honor our veterans at each memorial. So coming up
on our October fourteenth fly out of Sarasota Brandenton International Airport,
(12:48):
we have a World War Two veteran. I'm so excited,
and maybe half a couple more that are in the wings.
Hopefully we can get them convinced to come with us.
We've got some Korean, got some Cold War in between
World War Two and Korea. We've got some post Korea
prior to Vietnam, but closer to Korea. We've got lots
(13:11):
of Vietnam veterans, We've got lots that fall right after
the Cold in the Cold War era. And then we've
got I think at least a dozen female veterans that
are going to be coming with us that we get
to honor the Military Women's Memorial. So just super excited
that we have groups from all over. And I just
(13:34):
want every legion, every VFW to know thinks outside of
the box, like this legion and this auxiliary did to
get your folks to be able to participate in the
honor flight. Please work with us first before you start
making promises to your members that hey, our whole group
(13:54):
is going to go together, because I think on a
couple occasions we've had to split you know, your group
up on buses but also on flights.
Speaker 4 (14:02):
Right, correct, And that's fine. I do tell them that
that there's no guarantee. The hardest thing is getting the
supposes to understand that they cannot go.
Speaker 1 (14:10):
With their vegans.
Speaker 6 (14:11):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (14:12):
Yeah, And so that is one of our national networks
guidelines is we need our veterans to be able to
heal on their Honor Flight day. And what our network
and hubs across the United States. And then we have
learned firsthand individually here is our veterans end up being
more worried about their spouse on the flight day, whether
(14:35):
they're with them or actually not with them. But then
also the spouse thinks that the person that's able to
help their veteran. We do take a physition along with us.
I think on this flight we have two physicians. We've
got eight medics and amts that are advanced life saving
(14:55):
trained experts. So I'm pretty sure they're the people that
are going to end up saying any one of us.
But we need our veterans to We need to give
them the opportunity to begin that healing and the camaraderie
that is formed between veteran and veteran and veterans and
(15:15):
guardians and even you know, two veterans and two guardians.
You know, when they start hanging out with each other
throughout the day, Amanda, I think, you know, they start
sharing stories. I think that that's what kind of your
story is a little bit. We honored the women at
the Military Women Memorial. You ladies were looking out at
you know a majority of men veterans, and they started
(15:39):
whispering among themselves as the memorial was telling your service
records abbreviated, they did that.
Speaker 1 (15:47):
Yeah, yeah, exactly.
Speaker 2 (15:49):
There was definitely a look among some of the male
veterans like they didn't realize that some of us did
what we did, and so that was that was kind
of a nice moment of validation that our service mattered
to because sometimes, especially especially in the Vietnam era, a
lot of women veterans were basically told their service didn't count,
(16:11):
or there were no women in Vietnam, or you know,
whatever the case might be. And that breaks my heart
because I served in an era where people, did you know,
they recognize women veterans. I mean, it still happened that
I would be overlooked, especially since I was dual military,
and people would look at my husband and be like,
thank you for your service and act like I was
a spouse, and my husband would have to politely correct them,
(16:33):
be like, you can thank my wife too, because she's
active duty as well, and they're like oh, and then
it gets awkward, but it's okay. But at the women's memorial,
all of that got set aside because yeah, when they
read what these women did and some of the missions
that they participated in their career fields, things they accomplished. Yeah,
(16:54):
the looks on people's faces and like you said, yeah,
there were some guys that kind of elbowed each other
and they're like, she did that.
Speaker 5 (17:00):
Yeah, wow. Yeah. So one of the super cool things
that the Military Women's Memorial is really pursuing is if
you know of a female veteran, anyone that is listening,
if you know of a female veteran, please have them
go to Militarywomen's Memorial dot org. They'll want to have
(17:23):
their history, their service history record with them, whether it's
a DD two fourteen or multiple pages of a DD
two fourteen. They'll also want to have a military picture
of themselves. It doesn't have to be boot camp. It
can be any picture.
Speaker 1 (17:37):
And it doesn't have to be an official photo.
Speaker 2 (17:39):
You're right, any photograph of them in uniform works in uniform.
Speaker 5 (17:44):
Have it handy, and they're gonna just fill out their
service record. It may not be for anything current that
they will need right now for today, but the Military
Women's Memorial is really capturing all of our female service
duty officers enlisted record so that we can have know
(18:07):
their history and when they get to go to the
Military Women's Memorial, they can be honored and that record
is used to honor them, and.
Speaker 1 (18:16):
It really is beautiful.
Speaker 2 (18:17):
That's like one of my favorite favorite things in my
possession from anything related to my time in the military.
And when I retired, I had so many awards, placards,
farewell gifts, whatever, like you have to kind of go
through it all because I no longer had an office
per se, and I was like downsizing, so to be honest,
I took photos of a lot of things and then
(18:38):
I passed them, which I didn't think was doable until
my girlfriend and her husband retired and they told me
fast and I said, what did you guys do? Because
they were both pretty high ranking people. I'm like, what
did you do with all that stuff in your office
and all this stuff? You know? They were like yeah,
they were like I took pictures of it and I
tossed it in the trash.
Speaker 1 (18:55):
I was like, oh, okay, so I can do this.
Speaker 2 (18:57):
But that thing from the Military women Memorial, oh nay, nay,
I will never part with that. Like that thing laid
out in my house for a few days after I
got home. When I came home, though, that thing laid
that thing laid on my bar and I was like,
this is I kept walking past. I was like, this
(19:19):
thing is so cool, this is so cool, and I
don't want to ruin it for people what it looks like,
but let me tell you, it is an extremely well
put together thing. It's beautiful, it's classy. Like any woman
veteran that gets that, you are going to be so
proud to have that. It's just really well done.
Speaker 4 (19:37):
The three veterans, female veterans that are from our posts
love theirs and constantly say thank you. That was just
phenomenal that they got that.
Speaker 7 (19:48):
Absolutely and excuse me, Naomi, Amanda, Tanya, this is the
Sorrge speaking. I wanted to say one thing and I've
already said that's over and over again.
Speaker 8 (20:01):
To borrow my heart. I want to say thank.
Speaker 7 (20:03):
You for providing the opportunity to so many veterans across
the board through multiple generations, and also thank you for
turning service, turning the pain of service into a passion,
and taking that passion of what we did in the
military and turn into a legacy. I think it's one
of the things about legacy that we kind of not
(20:24):
see and a lot of the veterans I've had the
opportunity to cross paths with don't feel that they have
done enough to warrant having a legacy, And that can't
be more wrong than I've ever heard, for the simple
fact it's the small things in our military that make
the big machine work. And for them to have the
(20:45):
opportunity to be recognized for their time of service, no
matter what it was. I've had the opportunity to be
to fore them and Punta Gorda, and the looks on
their faces off the plane is nothing less than phenomenal.
And since you guys represent Honor flight for our area,
I say thank you all because every time you do
(21:06):
it it's a new experience and for an individual who
has been on the flight. Yet I'm saving it for
my two daughters so they can see the legacy of
what we've done as a whole, not the.
Speaker 8 (21:16):
Things you're reading the book. The a lot of things
in the book they leave out.
Speaker 7 (21:20):
And again, thank you very much what you do for
us and for our community.
Speaker 8 (21:24):
It's all I got.
Speaker 5 (21:26):
It's my honor. It is my honor to honor you
veterans on your Honor Flight day. You so deserve it,
So thank you.
Speaker 2 (21:36):
I'll tell you what I say about Naomi, and she
knows this because I've said it to her face. She
is the Mary Poppins of Honor Flight. No kidding, seriously,
like a super califragilistic expialidocious Like when you go yes
on Honor Flight with Naomi Copeland, it is going to be.
(21:57):
That is why so many veterans come back and say
it was the greatest day of their lives because Naomi
and the team make sure they look after every single detail.
But it doesn't happen without volunteers. So let's very quickly
talk about volunteers for Honor Flight, like what kind of
roles do you need help with volunteering and how can
(22:18):
people volunteer?
Speaker 5 (22:20):
Absolutely so, people can volunteer by emailing us at SWFL
hon Or Flight at gmail dot com. That is our
email address. You can find that on our website which
is SWFL Honorflight dot org and send us an email. Hey,
(22:43):
I want to be a volunteer. Make sure you give
me your name and a phone number and the best
time to give you a call. I will let you know.
We are an entire volunteer organization. All of our board members,
all of us work full time jobs. And some of
us are overachiever Mary Poppins like, and we work at
(23:04):
part time job on top of a full time job,
on top of on our flight. So I just say,
you know, let us know sometimes we will get in
touch with you. Our flight is on October fourteenth, that
is a Tuesday. It is from Sarasota Bradenton International Airport.
It is the first time we are going to be
flying out of this airport, so we need a lot
(23:26):
of hands make light work. So let's start with flight day.
If sleep is not your friend, or if you are
just an early riser, we would love for you to
help us with our send off, and that will be
You'll need to be at Sarasota Brandenton Airport at about
(23:47):
three forty five am, three point thirty maybe even because
our veterans, even though we tell them to come at
four am, your clock must be set to two am
because that's when you show up and you're going to
just have to wait. But our volunteers will help set
up some things there at the airport and help us
(24:08):
welcome our veterans. Some of them will be in wheelchairs,
so you'll might be the wheelchair brigade at the front door.
And help get them in the door. We will be
at the Allegiant terminal. But if you send me an
email and say hey, I want to help with send off,
I will get you in touch with the correct person
and they will reach out to you. That organizes that
her name is Carolyn. Please send an email to that
(24:31):
same email address swfl Honor Flight at gmail dot com
and say I would like to help for orientation. Other
than that, we do have monthly hub meetings. They are
the fourth Wednesday of every month, except for November and
December because of holidays and those months we move it
(24:53):
up a week. But it is at seven pm and
there are two options for you to join us at
a meeting, and one is in person, and we meet
in the ballroom of Kingsgate Golf Club in Port Charlotte
slash Punta Gorda, depending on which side of the street
you live on. The Lion's Den is a restaurant bar
(25:15):
that is open to the public beforehand, So if you
want to come out support them, grab a drink, grab
some food before you come to our seven pm meeting,
we love that. Or we have a zoom option and
you can email me and say hey, add me to
your mailing list and then you'll get that zoom link.
Our meeting on September twenty fourth will be the last
(25:38):
meeting before our October flight, and so we will be
talking all things flight related and leading up to it.
But I'd like to share that every flight is approximately
one hundred and eighteen thousand dollars to get it off
the ground, between chartering and aircraft catering. We give our
(26:01):
veterans a special shirt and a special bag, and our
guardians a special shirt and a special bag. Between all
of that, we raise all that money locally. We're going
to talk about how to help us raise the funds
for those flights. So come out to a meeting, email us,
we'll take care of you awesome.
Speaker 1 (26:21):
And then, Paul, I think you had something to add
as well.
Speaker 3 (26:24):
Well, I want to talk about we mentioned that the
flight is free to veterans. Well, that part of it
is true, but it's not free for us to accomplish
what we do. So we need all of you listeners
out there to consider donating through the Southwest on our
flight site and there's a donate button that's right there
(26:46):
on the front, so please hit that donate button. There's
no donation too small, and there's certainly not one too large,
right and consider if you're not in our immediate area,
there's ann flight near you across America, and there's a
lot of people out there that could use that donation also.
But we're kind of tied into Southwest Florida. So please,
(27:10):
if you're out there and you have the ability to
make a donation to help us pull these flights off,
we certainly would appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (27:17):
Absolutely.
Speaker 2 (27:17):
It's one hundred and eighteen thousand dollars approximately for a flight,
all costs involved. So if you go to SWFL honorflight
dot org, that is the website that Paul's talking about,
where as soon as you pull up SWFL Honor flight
dot org, you'll see a donate button. You can click it.
You can do one time, you can do it monthly.
(27:40):
There are all kinds of options depending on your budget
and how you feel led to give. But that is
definitely worth mentioning. So thank you Paul for bringing that.
Speaker 5 (27:49):
Up absolutely, And then I'll just make a will month
and I would just like to put out there that
if you or your family member has experienced an honor flight,
whether it's been by a direct participation, you've been a
guardian or if you saw one. You are landing or
arriving at an airport and you saw an honor flight there,
(28:11):
please consider us in your legacy, for it can be
again any No amount is too small, no amount is
too large, but it would help us further our mission
in the future if you could leave a legacy. Also,
we are always taking veteran applications. It's not too soon
to submit a veteran application. It is not too soon
(28:32):
to submit a guardian application. Our guardians are the lifeline
that help our flights get off the ground, and you
can find both those applications on our website.
Speaker 1 (28:42):
Awesome.
Speaker 2 (28:42):
Well, that's all the time we have for today. Thank you, Naomi,
and thank you Tanya for being on the show with us.
Speaker 1 (28:48):
Thank you and we appreciate you.
Speaker 2 (28:50):
Guys.
Speaker 1 (28:50):
We'll see you next month.
Speaker 2 (28:51):
Naomi, thank you.
Speaker 9 (28:54):
I'm Staff Sargeant Mark Anthony Matricas Stars and the Samanta
Cab Staff Sergeant.
Speaker 10 (28:57):
At ass Sargeant William Lewis, and I am proud in
my family and arnish the.
Speaker 11 (29:02):
Air Force Reserve is part of the story of this
great nation.
Speaker 10 (29:05):
Grateful that I have a chance to wear the uniform
of the heroes that won't performing.
Speaker 7 (29:09):
I am proud to be part of a team that
helps make a difference in the world.
Speaker 11 (29:12):
Every day, men and women from communities across this nation
serve as Reserve citizen Airmen. Even as technology evolves and changes,
our commitment to defend and protect this nation remains steadfast.
We celebrate those who have served and those who are
proudly serving. We celebrate our proud history and look towards
(29:35):
an exciting and uniting future. Our mission is to fly,
fight and win in air space and cyberspace.
Speaker 10 (29:44):
And I'm proud to be a member, and I'm proud
to serve the and i am proud to protect our country.
Speaker 5 (29:48):
Proud to serve in the US Air Force.
Speaker 11 (29:50):
Reserve Affreserve dot com.
Speaker 9 (30:00):
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cancer every day. At the heart of this battle are
our donors. Most of us want to make some type
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Speaker 1 (30:14):
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Speaker 3 (30:17):
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Speaker 11 (30:20):
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Speaker 10 (30:24):
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Speaker 11 (30:33):
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Speaker 3 (30:42):
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Speaker 5 (30:44):
If we have the ability to help, then we have
a responsibility.
Speaker 9 (30:48):
To help finding cures saving children. Saint Jude Children's Research Hospital.
Find out how you can help at Saint Jude dot org.
Speaker 6 (31:00):
Our veterans risked it all to protect our freedom. One
of the best ways to say thank you is to
volunteer to support them at a time and history where
kindness is a virtue. Volunteering at a therapy bag event,
teaching a craft class, or simply helping veterans at a
hospital means a lot. For over forty seven years, Help
(31:20):
Heal Veterans, a not for profit organization, with the support
of citizens like you, has created manufactured and distributed therapeutic
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no charge to them. As a National Veteran service organization,
Help Heal Veterans supports VA hospitals, patients at home, and
(31:41):
our active military. Together Help Heal veterans and volunteers like
you have delivered over thirty two million therapy kits to
injured and recovering veterans. To volunteer or learn more, visit
heel vets dot org. That's Helvets dot org.
Speaker 8 (32:00):
Aties.
Speaker 7 (32:01):
Okay, folks, it's the sarage back on the microphone here,
all right. Next guest we have up here today is
Brett Hawker. He's at HM three from the Navy. Welcome aboard, sir.
Speaker 10 (32:10):
Well, thank you. I appreciate you having me.
Speaker 7 (32:12):
Today anytime, anytime, Brett, what you tell America about yourself?
Speaker 8 (32:16):
And yeah, a little about yourself.
Speaker 10 (32:19):
Well, I'm fifty two. I was born in Michigan, and
until my military service, I spent my time in Michigan
when I graduated high school way back now, I guess,
nineteen ninety one.
Speaker 7 (32:34):
I'm fifty two to two. Yes, it's way back by man,
we can say that, all right.
Speaker 10 (32:39):
So I knew that I didn't want more schooling. I
thought I didn't want more schooling at that time. So,
being a person that loved the water, I spent all
my time on the water, I thought maybe the Navy
would be a good direction for me to go and
I ended up going to boot camp in Orlando, which
(33:00):
isn't there anymore. I went up to Mike Corman c
School up in Wakegan, Illinois, which is where most of
I think nowadays, that's where all the Navy basic training is.
So I went up there for my schooling, and I
chose my first duty station was Campbelujun in North Carolina.
(33:20):
I wanted to I wanted to experience everything at the
highest level. So I went into camplusion to be with
the Marines.
Speaker 8 (33:32):
Okay, you in the Navy. How many years?
Speaker 10 (33:36):
Just four years? My first My first job was working,
you know, twenty years old. I'm taking care of babies
in the Neon Lael Intensive Care Unit.
Speaker 8 (33:46):
Wow.
Speaker 10 (33:48):
I realized that I did want more education. It just wasn't.
It wasn't something I thought I wanted at the time,
But I found myself signing up for just about every
training course I could I could get, and at one
point point I was what's called an Advanced Cardiac Life
Support instructor trainer. I taught and certified physicians, okay, so
that they could teach advanced cardiac life support. In addition
(34:11):
to that, I pediac pediatric advanced life support and the
neonatal resuscitation program. I was a trainer for all of
those and that's what I did for a period of
time until I convinced the right people to allow me
into the ambulance division because I like the emergencies.
Speaker 7 (34:28):
Oh definitely. And folks, he's a lifesaver, so he's one
of the friends you want to have on your side
sometimes absolutely, most definitely. So any type of experiences did
you have during your time of service that stuck out
for you.
Speaker 10 (34:40):
To most there's a few that.
Speaker 8 (34:44):
You were allowed to talk about.
Speaker 10 (34:46):
Well, you know, when I got into the ambulance division,
I you know, I became a director of my shift.
There was three shifts. We worked twenty four on thirty
or I'm sorry, forty eight off and I was the
director of my team and we were servicing a base
of five hundred thousand people at twenty one years old.
So I was pretty proud of myself at that time.
(35:06):
But this is the things you see and the accidents
that happen are a lot different. And I never ever
wish pain or something terrible to happen to anybody, but
I know it's going to happen. I just hope it
happened on my shift, so I could be out there
helping people, but you know, people falling out of helicopters,
blowing stuff up. You know, there's just a lot of
(35:28):
crazy things that you see out there, but it's all
just people that need help. And that's you know, that
was my calling I felt.
Speaker 3 (35:36):
And I think that's the thing that we want to
our listeners to know, is that as young men, we
get into situations that are traumatic, handling people that have
serious injuries. The last person you want to call is
a medic, but he's the first one you want on
(35:56):
the scene when you need one. So that's that's the
kind of pressure that we put our young people through.
As an old man, now I can say that that
we're an.
Speaker 7 (36:08):
I'll say this also, I'm baff at a rally point media.
Thank you for your sacrifice in your four years. I'm thankful.
Although I don't know you personally or the things that
you did personally, I know without without question that you
had to impact in your immediate AO, and I'm thankful
to have you on our in our family.
Speaker 10 (36:26):
Well, I appreciate it. It has it has been a
family and one thing I didn't know at the time
when I went you know, the Marines are actually you know,
they don't like to talk about this, but the Marines
are a department of the Navy. Yes, and Corman's are
their medical support and they are very loyal to us.
I found that out one night at a at a bar.
(36:47):
Oh yes, when I got into a sticky situation and
in a couple of Marines I never met before, I
found out that I was a doc, and they took
care of the situation for me. So until this day,
you run across anytime I run across the Marine, I say, hey,
I'm a Corman.
Speaker 11 (36:59):
That's it.
Speaker 10 (37:00):
Beyond is there, go off into the corner and have conversations.
That's all it taks.
Speaker 8 (37:04):
And definitely being in the Army. And one of the
things I learned at a.
Speaker 7 (37:07):
Very very young age is that no matter what happens,
you got to protect the doc because you go down,
we're screwed. So I'll say this anybody a hey, I'll
say this is going to be a universal designation. If
you're at a bar, a military bar, you say you're
a DOC, I guarantee you you get priority protection.
Speaker 3 (37:25):
Yeah. V. And they're all whether they're a medical or
Corman they're all very humble about what they did if
they don't understand or appreciate how much we appreciate them
and needed.
Speaker 7 (37:37):
Them, most definitely, most definitely, so Brent, during your time,
I guess as you're trying yourself transitioning out of the Navy,
what have your skill set provided you? Now, Folks, remember this,
he's twenty one years old. He's the director of your bus.
And I'll say this again, I'm going to beat the
(37:58):
chest of the veteran that at young ages were given
responsibilities and education that would take some other people a
lifetime to achieve. And again, one of the things I
love is the legacy of a veteran. We are fountain
or fountains of knowledge and training on the flip side
of being a civilian. So again, kudos to you man,
(38:21):
because at twenty one you're basically run the bus by yourself.
And I mean, how many twenty one year olds you
have I can say that. I mean probably those in
the military. But a lot of responsibility that to be
given at a young age, and that's not a bad thing.
Age is not a bad thing, folks. It's a matter
of that's a sign of accountability and responsibility.
Speaker 10 (38:42):
Yeah, it was quite astounding. I just wasn't interested in
high school. I just wanted to get out. But then
when I got in the military, I just I wanted
to learn more and more and more. And it was
quite amazing to have be given the opportunity to do
so many amazing things and get the opportunity to learn
and some of these skills that I that I've been
(39:03):
able to take with me throughout my whole life. So
I always recommend to any young person, if they don't
know what they want to do, give up four years
of your life and see where that takes you. My
son right now is in my not in North Dakota
as the security forces for the Air Force.
Speaker 8 (39:18):
Congratulations.
Speaker 10 (39:19):
He's afraid of sharks, so he didn't want to go
in the Navy and follow dead footsteps. So I still
can't wrap my head around that one. But you know
he's up there garden a nuclear base and I'm proud
of that too.
Speaker 7 (39:32):
Absolutely to serve in our United States military service. And
I just said that in not too long ago and
a previous segment, we as service people don't see the
impact we have pertaining to our world as as a
complete entity, being the global world. We just think of
(39:54):
us being a little rivet or a little screw and
a big watch, and not in until I left in
the military that I discovered the importance of that little
job on the grand scheme of a bigger, bigger world stage.
And we talked about something about how we as veterans,
I don't think we give ourselves enough credit for.
Speaker 8 (40:16):
What we do and who we've become.
Speaker 7 (40:19):
And in that process, I think there needs to be
an opportunity for us to enjoy the legacy that we've created.
And people throw that word around a lot, legacy this
and legacy that, but it's not a word a tone
to wealth. It's a tone to what your impact in
the past provide to the present and may have for
(40:41):
the future generations of who we used to be. And
I'm thankful that you had shared that your sons is
in the military, because a part of that legacy is
now living out because what you did is now doing
what he wants to do. And I think if the
world is rebuilt, it should be rebuilt in the end
of service members, because we appreciate the small things, and
(41:04):
in that legacy of having peace and appreciation, the whole.
Speaker 8 (41:09):
World will get along.
Speaker 7 (41:10):
But as I digress, so how'd you parlay your career
after you left the military.
Speaker 10 (41:16):
Well, I've always been my mom's in that very outgoing person.
My father was a car salesman his whole life and
all of his all of his friends, you know, they
always joke about used car salesman, all of his friends.
That is the one guy that if you ask about
Gary Hawker, they'd always say, well, he's the most honest
car salesman I've ever met. But my dad just loved
(41:38):
you know, both my parents are a people person people,
They love people, and and I'm an outgoing person. I'm
definitely an extrovert. So I found myself in sales. You know,
I found myself in doing sales in various roles, and
then I landed with a company for many years where
I was a sales leader running a team of people
(41:58):
in the you know, in the South for it in
Tampa area. But we're not just out there. You know,
it's a product. Everything is really sales. Yes, it is
in every aspect. But you know, if I could help
somebody with that particular product and if it made their
if it made their business flow better, if it made
their life easier, you know, I would never go out
there and try to sell something that, you know, just
(42:20):
to make a buck if it's not helping somebody. So
I mean, I'm selling business technologies. It's not changing the world,
but it is you know, helping them save a little
bit of money, maybe make their their job a little
bit easier to do. So I did that for many
years in sales, and I was very successful at it.
Speaker 3 (42:39):
And so you were part of a team though.
Speaker 10 (42:41):
Yeah, I was part of a team. I was part
of a publicly traded company and had.
Speaker 3 (42:44):
And what what military experiences that you developed in the
military did you transfer over to the business world.
Speaker 10 (42:52):
Well, I think the biggest one would be the maintaining
calm under pressure and being able to be able to
lead people. Those are two of the biggest ones, you know.
I had at one point twenty six people on my team,
you know, and I was, you know, strange as I
was the only person that didn't have a college degree.
Everybody else on my team either had a bachelor's or
(43:13):
a master's degree. And I was very open with them
about that. They all knew that it didn't make a
difference to them.
Speaker 3 (43:19):
But see, I look at it a little differently. You
had a four year degree. You just did in the
real world. You just didn't have a piece of paper.
Speaker 8 (43:26):
Right right, Well, I say the discharge paper.
Speaker 3 (43:31):
That's his papers. Yes, but that's what people don't understand,
as you really are in those four years develop some
techniques and attitudes and your ability to look at problems
and move ahead not not go backwards.
Speaker 10 (43:48):
Perhaps a degree in life skills.
Speaker 3 (43:50):
There, Yeah, there you go.
Speaker 7 (43:51):
It's funny that you say that because in given today's
technological advances, I will tell you that right now. I
feel that again, if the military run the world will
be more efficient. And one of the things I've always
said to my unit would are my oppatoons like this, folks,
you have a problem. Do not stand in front of
me with not a solution. You're waste, You're burning my
(44:13):
time and the problem is getting worse, but you're not
having a solution. And one of the things I've also discovered,
people fall apart in a minut of chaos. I'm going
the world's in chaos every day. How you how you
feel that chaos defines who you are and if you
have leadership skills, if you don't, you'll fall apart. And
you know, it'll consume you. From what I'm hearing from you, Bratt,
is that you just byom demeanor, you're like going, yeah,
(44:34):
this is the problem, Okay, solutions buy them off. If not,
you'll you're I think you're inspired. Would you think as
the leadership, what's your leadership skill? You inspire those that
you work with or are you one of those we
had to bust this crisis moment?
Speaker 8 (44:49):
You get it done and they follow your lead?
Speaker 3 (44:51):
Yeah?
Speaker 10 (44:52):
I think somebody told me one time. You know, I've
been seeing so many leadership people that are strong in
leadership speak. You know the company I workfore, we went
to conferences every year. I've seen John Maxwell, Peyton Manning,
Magic Johnson. You know, I get to see all these
people speak. But somebody said something I don't recall who
it was. But the job of a leader is define
(45:14):
reality and show that there's hope. Always kept that close.
Speaker 7 (45:20):
That's very meaningful to me, most definitely, because you have
no hope. There's everything else, there's no nothing, there's nothing
to go for, there's nothing to go for it, there's
no inspiration, there's no uh, there's nothing without hope. So
as you've found yourself going through the years, where do
you see yourself evolving into and do you feel that
(45:40):
your military background will have any influence on that in
that decision?
Speaker 10 (45:45):
Well, wherever I am and wherever I will go, the
military that the influence of the military has given me
will always be a foundation of everything I do. I
mean they really, it really set the table for who
I am and who I will be. Strangely enough, you
know I'm a big guy. I'm six foot eight and
(46:06):
I'm in the salon business.
Speaker 3 (46:07):
Now what made you make that change?
Speaker 8 (46:11):
Yes?
Speaker 10 (46:11):
Well, first of all, marriage, I uh, there's your sign.
I had a good a good friend, one of my
customers that I had sold some technology to used my services,
set me up on a blind date with her with
her hairstylist who owned a salon in Punta Gorda. Now,
it took us about a month and a half to
(46:31):
make that date work with the dates and times, and
we ended up meeting at Portofino, which is now where
our Sunseeker sits. And we've been together ever since. And
I was about twelve years ago.
Speaker 8 (46:41):
Gradually blind date.
Speaker 10 (46:42):
Yeah, I never been on a blind date, never considered it.
And anybody listening if if you ever have that opportunity
go because I don't know if we would have ever
now now thinking back and looking back, we've been in
the same room before. Oh really, Yeah, we just didn't
know who each other were, and we obviously didn't connect
to talk. So take two people from different backgrounds, one's
(47:03):
an extrovert, one's introvert. You put them in the same room,
It's amazing what can happen. But that's how I ended
up in the salon business. I had an opportunity because
of my success at the company that I worked for.
We had moved her salon from a twelve hundred score
foot location to a five thousand square foot building we
were renting in downtown Punta Order right congratulated Taylor Street,
(47:23):
And by the way, it's called Illusions Salon and Spa.
I'm gonna I'm gonna.
Speaker 3 (47:26):
Discoss We were going to get to that.
Speaker 10 (47:30):
But I had an opportunity. We moved into that building
and I gave her some help as she was growing rapidly.
And then a few years back, well actually February of
twenty twenty four, I had the fortunate enough opportunity I
bought the building. I bought the building and I left
my sales career and now I work at a hair salon.
Speaker 8 (47:54):
Man moving for Moving Forward. Man's one of.
Speaker 10 (47:56):
My favorite places to be. I love working there. I
love because there's people coming in all day long and
we're helping people every day. Well it's a different way, but.
Speaker 3 (48:04):
Well it's yeah, but it still fits and ties into
what you did when you came out of high school.
Speaker 10 (48:10):
Yeah, and I get to people every day, so you.
Speaker 3 (48:12):
Know you love duvetail together. Yeah, it's just there's no
end in sight. And that's the great thing.
Speaker 7 (48:18):
It's the mystery almost differently, and when right now I'm
walking and freaking light bulb pair, it just popped on,
like going, Wow, what a great way to identify women
veterans better than a hair salon and when the place
is one of the places you feel safe and the
established relationships with and definitely in my little brain, I'm thinking, well, hmmm,
(48:39):
I think we may able to work this out somehow
because definitely, if we if we can any way the
rally point men can assist your yours in your business.
Oh please let us do that because I feel that
again you have the mindset of the veteran where you're
providing a service a public service and in that improves
the esteem of the people walking through. I will venture
(49:00):
to say that in that same moment, if you can
have that in a proper atmosphere, a woman feels more
confident to speak about them being or man, excuse me
to talk about their service well, you know, being a natural,
safe environment. And if that's the case, I mean, if
you can participate in any way to make that happen,
I mean, that's what we're here for.
Speaker 10 (49:21):
Yeah, there's a ton of there's a ton of veterans.
You know, we have men, men, women and children that
come in there. But you know, I'm always looking for
some way to start a conversation with people looking at
their you know, what's written on their yetti cup or
what they're wearing on their shirt. And there's so many
women veterans that come through there, and I love having
conversations and just find out what they did exactly. There's
so many crazy things that people have done for jobs
(49:44):
in the military, and I love to hear about it exactly.
Speaker 7 (49:46):
And I'm almost certain that and maybe there's not a gospel,
but I'm going to probably go online and say they
have a voice that they've done more in the military
in your salon that they've done outside the building. And no,
that's why we're here at Rally Point is to end
that stigma for them to say, well, by the way
I serve too, and I and be proud of it.
(50:09):
And again, if there's anything we can do here to
accelerate your business at what's just along in locations.
Speaker 10 (50:16):
It's called Illusions Salon and Spa. It's at one fifteen
Taylor Street and Puntagorda. My wife is actually from Pontaguorda,
so she's one of those unicorns than actually are from here.
Come June of next year, she'll be in business twenty
five years, continue this business, twenty five years women owned business.
That's pretty impressive.
Speaker 3 (50:33):
That is. Yeah, the trends shutter, Yeah she is.
Speaker 7 (50:38):
She is most definitely. But Brett, thank you for having
us on the show today and again folks, being a
chairperson of the Rally Point the media network, we just
made another connection for you, Thank goodness. And now my
women veterans, you now have a place. Hopefully we can
work out a deal to get your hair done and
be represented as a veteran of our country on behalf
(51:00):
of your Valley Point.
Speaker 3 (51:02):
Thank you for coming and sharing your story. We look
forward to it.
Speaker 8 (51:05):
We'll have you on again most definitely.
Speaker 2 (51:08):
Well.
Speaker 10 (51:08):
I appreciate the time of talks.
Speaker 3 (51:10):
I do appreciate it.
Speaker 8 (51:11):
Oh, thank you.
Speaker 3 (51:13):
Rally powners fall out
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