March 19, 2025 • 59 mins
When veteran Terry Adams stepped out of a meeting to use the bathroom, he returned to discover he'd been elected president of a brand-new veterans organization. That unexpected moment launched the Mid-South Veterans League Inc. (MVLI), now working to revolutionize support for approximately 100,000 veterans across Tennessee's Shelby County and surrounding areas.
The Veterans Sound Off podcast brings us an intimate conversation with Terry Adams (Marine Corps veteran and MVLI President) and Bob Bunton (Navy veteran and MVLI Secretary) about their ambitious vision. What begins with good-natured inter-service ribbing quickly reveals the profound bonds connecting veterans across all branches.
"We've seen things others will never see. We've done things others will never do," Adams explains, highlighting why veterans need dedicated spaces where they can freely express themselves without civilian judgment. This understanding drives MVLI's centerpiece project: a $7.2 million, 13,000-square-foot community center in Lakeland, Tennessee.
Unlike traditional veterans organizations that sometimes compete for dwindling membership, MVLI serves as a unifying force for 32 different veterans groups. From providing military funeral honors to helping veterans in crisis, they fill critical gaps in the support system. Their Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall event drew over 4,000 visitors despite summer heat, showcasing their ability to mobilize community support.
What truly distinguishes the MVLI is their practical, hands-on approach. When a veteran couldn't afford groceries, they met him at the store. When they discovered his car was nearly empty, they filled his tank. "If we don't take care of each other, who will?" Adams asks simply. It's this spirit of mutual support—spanning from Vietnam veterans to today's newest service members—that makes their work so powerful.
Discover how you can support MVLI's mission through their upcoming fundraisers or by visiting their monthly meetings. Veterans have already paid their dues through service—now it's our turn to ensure they have the community spaces and support networks they've earned.
Don't forget to subscribe and share with your friends and family. Drop us a line today at JDAllhands@outlook.com. If you'd like to become a sponsor of our show or advertise with us please send an email to jdallhands@outlook.com or call us at 662-902-6658.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Jerry Allhands (00:00):
This is the Veterans Sound Off Podcast Hard
work work.
Let's get it going, let's go.
I'm your host, jerry Allhands, aveteran of the US Air Force and
Army and a Mississippi PassDepartment Commander of the
American Legion.
Each week, we will visit anAmerican Legion post and visit
with the Legion family there.
As we travel the state, we'llvisit with other groups and
(00:20):
organizations that are servingAmerica's veterans and their
families.
Be sure to subscribe to thispodcast and mark your calendars
as next Monday we return toCarnath in the upper northeast
corner of the state and visitwith the Legion Riders of Perry
A Johns Post 6.
This podcast series is madepossible by the financial
support of listeners such asyourself.
For more information on how youcan support our mission, please
(00:42):
call 662-902-6658.
That's 662-902-6658.
On today's episode, we're goingto step away from visiting an
actual American Legion post andinstead we'll sit down for a
visit with two veterans who arealso Legionnaires but who are
(01:03):
also serving the veterancommunity and the citizens of
Shelby County, tennessee, andtheir surrounding areas we play
Hard work, hard work, it's whatthey say.
Hard work, hard work, I earn mypay.
(01:31):
We're back in Olive Branch,mississippi, today, at the Olive
Branch Country Club.
Today we're going to be meetingwith Bob Button and Terry Adams
.
Our subject matter today is theMVLI.
I want to welcome you.
Gentlemen.
Back and Bob, if you would, howabout opening us with an
opening prayer?
Bob Buntyn (01:42):
Ward, thank you for allowing us this beautiful day
in Outer Branch, Mississippi.
Please bless our veterans, ourcivilians and all of those
living in the United Statestoday.
Thank you for the opportunityfor the future and the blessings
(02:02):
of the past.
We ask these things in yourname, Amen.
Terry Adams (02:07):
Amen.
Terry Adams, I'm the presidentand CEO of the Mid-South
Veterans League and the MVLIFoundation.
It's an organization designedto assist veterans in just about
anything and everything thatcomes up, and I mean we've done
just about all of it.
Jerry Allhands (02:28):
Just about all of it.
Terry Adams (02:29):
Just about Bob.
Bob Buntyn (02:32):
Hello, I am Bob Bunton.
I am secretary of the Mid-SouthVeterans League and, as Terry
said, we are involved in a lotof different things with
veterans in the local communityand plan on doing even veterans
in the local community and planon doing even more in the future
.
Jerry Allhands (02:47):
Terry, tell me what is the Mid-South Veterans
League.
Terry Adams (02:50):
In the Mid-South area.
Here I have to say that ShelbyCounty, tennessee, has the
largest group of veterans in thestate of Tennessee, with over
50,000.
In the four countiessurrounding Shelby County we
have another estimated 40,000 to50,000.
(03:11):
So we have about 100,000veterans that we're working with
and there are, right in ShelbyCounty, 32 veterans groups and
each group, of course, isautonomous, but at the same time
each group does a lot of thesame things and our thought is
why not work it together?
(03:32):
Many of the groups are gettingsmaller because the veterans are
dying out.
Fewer joining, there's been aneed for fewer enlistees and so,
as the groups get smaller, ifwe don don't band together then
we are all going to lose.
Right now we have americanlegion, vfw, purple heart, dav,
(03:54):
irreverent warriors, air forceassociation, marine corps league
, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah,on and on that.
Uh, we've got people coming into to give their opinion, to
help and us, and that reallymakes a difference.
Jerry Allhands (04:08):
Terry, did you serve in the military?
Terry Adams (04:11):
I was a Marine, I am a Marine, I will always be a
Marine, and I think that's theonly branch of the military
there is out there.
The rest of it's the service.
Jerry Allhands (04:19):
So is it 64 colors.
Is that enough?
I prefer the 132 myself.
That's a big box of crayons.
Terry Adams (04:28):
Yeah, it's got the sharpener with it and everything
, yeah.
You know you chew on them for alittle bit.
You really need to have somesharpen them up.
Jerry Allhands (04:34):
Keeps the wax off the teeth.
Right Got to pick on theMarines.
Thank God for the Marines.
Terry Adams (04:40):
Well, I'm just glad we have all that support back
home with the Army and the Navyand the Air Force.
There's a couple more, aren'tthere?
Coast?
Nora Moreland (04:49):
Guard Coast Guard .
Terry Adams (04:51):
Space Force.
Oh yeah, the grandsons to theArmy, the Space Force.
Yeah, I forgot about that one.
Most people do right now.
Jerry Allhands (04:58):
Yeah.
Bob Buntyn (04:59):
We want them to forget about the Space Force.
It's a very secretive program.
Wreaths Across America (05:03):
Yeah, that's true, it really is.
Bob Buntyn (05:05):
We actually know someone that's associated with
that program.
He owns his own airplane.
He flies from Memphis to StLouis to have dinner and flies
back, and that's as far as I'llgo with that.
Terry Adams (05:22):
You have fewer people in the Space Force than
any other branch because it'smore electronic than any other
branch it's probably why theywon't let me in, because it's
electronic, then I'm old oh, Iunderstand.
Uh, if I touch electronics theytend to short out for some
reason.
So you know, just give me anold m1, m14, I'm a happy camper,
(05:44):
hey I was lucky to be able toplug this into the wall well, I
noticed that you were.
We were all watching to makesure you got both prongs in at
the same time and here I am acrypto gear radar operator and
that's all I did was electronicsso he should have been the one
plugging stuff into the wall.
Really, you had experience onhand and didn't even realize it.
(06:07):
There you go.
Jerry Allhands (06:09):
Crypto what branch for you?
Bob Buntyn (06:12):
I was a communications gentleman and our
right was establishedspecifically for the Vietnam War
.
The difference between acommunications gentleman and a
radioman a radioman had to knowMorse code.
I already knew Morse codebecause I was a Boy Scout, so I
fast-tracked the communications.
(06:32):
I had a boot camp, only sixweeks of training, before I went
to Vietnam and landed in DaNang, Camp Tensha.
They briefed me on my duties ofcommunications.
That was my first tour Back inSan Diego.
I was at Coronado Island andthey sent me to San Diego, to
(06:56):
Special Warfare School to trainon an SPS-10 radar system.
I was never rated as a radarman, but that was my duty.
My second tour in Vietnam wasrunning an SPS-10 radar system.
That is a ground air radarsystem.
So you're responsible forbogeys, both surface and in the
(07:19):
air, and there is nothingscarier than a high-speed bogey
unidentified coming at you offthe coast of North Vietnam.
It happened more than once.
Anyway, that's what I did inthe military.
Jerry Allhands (07:34):
Well, you keep saying the word rate.
I know in the Air Force we'renot rated.
We have an AFSC, so I've got toassume you were in the Navy.
Bob Buntyn (07:41):
I was in the Navy, right.
Just like you've got an MOS inthe Marines in the Army, we have
a rate in the Navy and Iassumed the same thing in the
Air Force.
Jerry Allhands (07:50):
The AFSC.
Right, yeah, I'm afraid to askwhat that stands for.
I came up with lots of namesfor that.
I can't say that out loud.
Terry Adams (07:59):
My wife will slap me and spank me and I'd get
really happy.
Yeah, about me and spank me andI'd get really happy.
Jerry Allhands (08:04):
Yeah, okay, air Force Specialty Code yeah, yep,
I was a security specialist, Iwas the Army of the Air Force
back in the day.
I don't know what they do now,but yeah.
Bob Buntyn (08:14):
Well, today my rate is a communications, as a
communications gentleman wouldbe a crypto technician.
A CT Would be the equivalent ofwhat is in the Navy today
technician.
Terry Adams (08:25):
A CT would be the equivalent of what is in the
Navy today.
My rate today would be probablya sniper for the mafia or
something.
Bob Buntyn (08:33):
Witness protection program.
Jerry Allhands (08:40):
The Army was kind enough to make me a
paratrooper, and then whateverelse they needed when they
needed it.
Terry Adams (08:44):
Marines are extremely good at that.
Bob Buntyn (08:46):
Navy's not bad at it either I started as an 0141,
which was a clerk typist.
Terry Adams (08:51):
I was a Remington Raider back when we actually had
Remingtons Real typewriters,yes, real typewriters.
And then they handed me an M16,and it's like, where do I file
that?
And they said, no, you're goingto use that.
Bob Buntyn (09:12):
One thing has been in communications in the Navy is
that all the antennas are onthe mast at the top of the ship.
They have to be cleaned, scrapedand repainted.
Harness underneath one of these50-foot mast antennas that was
horizontal in a full harness.
In Da Nang Harbor when we cameunder sniper fire we went to
general quarters.
(09:33):
The three guys up there with medid not have time to unstrap me
and get down off the mast so Itold them to leave me.
I had bullets whizzing past myears very close, not knowing
that the next one had my name onit, which obviously it didn't.
But they came back up afterGeneral Quarters they got me out
(09:56):
of the harness, brought me downto believe it or not, captain's
Mass for being AWOL fromGeneral Quarters.
You just got to love themilitary?
Terry Adams (10:08):
Oh no, that was the Navy.
Remember that's the Navy.
Bob Buntyn (10:11):
The Marines would have asked why you didn't have
your rifle with you.
I was written up for being AWOLfrom General Quarters when I
was strapped to the mask of a USNavy ship at the Nang Harbor
under fire.
Of course it was dismissed.
Jerry Allhands (10:26):
Still in your record.
There you go, there you go.
Gotta love the military,whichever branch doesn't matter.
Terry Adams (10:32):
It's amazing.
You know you're asking aboutthe MVLI and we are such a
conglomerate group of peoplefrom all branches.
Bob Buntyn (10:45):
All experiences, all the different conflicts.
Terry Adams (10:47):
Yeah, all the different backgrounds and
current employees.
Bob Buntyn (10:52):
We have truck drivers, we have computer
engineers, we have constructionworkers.
Terry Adams (10:58):
And I've been trying to figure out for a while
well, others have why I'm thepresident and CEO and I have to
tell them the truth.
I went to the bathroom during ameeting and came back and he
was president.
They said well, mr President,and I looked behind me and there
was nobody back there and it'slike what's going on.
They said well, we elected youthe president, and I was like oh
a Marine is a president, allright.
Jerry Allhands (11:22):
Man in my post.
It was step out of the room.
You come back and they hand youa mop and a broom.
Terry Adams (11:28):
They say you're a commander.
Not yet.
Jerry Allhands (11:32):
Not yet Chief bottle washer.
I don't like that one though.
Terry Adams (11:38):
So MVLI was started when, just over two years ago,
we started as a 501c19, aveterans organization, but we
found that some people andorganizations had trouble
donating money to a c19 for taxpurposes.
So we formed the foundation tobe our c3.
(11:58):
It's our 501c3 which gave uscharitable status and made us
exempt on all those things, soit's helped with the donations.
We work every day to do goodthings for the veterans, like a
story I was telling earlierabout a guy's passing and the
(12:20):
chaplain from a local churchcalled and said Terry, I need
somebody I can trust becausethey don't have insurance.
I don't want them to be gouged.
Well, we have a lot of friendsin different businesses and I
immediately thought of a companythat was helping us out all the
time and that was the MemphisFuneral Homes.
I called Corey and he said sure, I got you covered.
(12:43):
You know, it's nice when youknow the man, and it doesn't
matter what business it is.
If you know somebody that cando the job, you refer them and
especially if they're veteransupporters, and, and it's just,
it's amazing to be able to justgo into the phone book and say,
okay, here's the guy thatsupports us on this or here's
(13:04):
the guy that supports us on thatand make it happen.
Jerry Allhands (13:09):
I like those.
I like being able to knowyou've got a roster of people
that you can reach out to.
Terry Adams (13:15):
Oh, yes, yeah, and you have to have when you have
so many veterans in the area.
And I've been working with theveterans here in the tri-state
area for 27 years, 39 years,with the American legion in
several states and, uh, it's afamily thing with us.
Uh, you know, granddad wasworld war one.
(13:35):
He started a legion post.
Uh, dad was world war ii.
Oldest brother was korea.
Older brother myself, twoyounger brothers were all
vietnam marines.
My oldest boy was air force, myother boy is the army and now
my, my grandson's, going in thenavy.
So it's a family tradition thatwe take care of each other, we
take care of our veterans and wetake care of their families,
(13:58):
because the family pays a pricetoo.
Bob Buntyn (14:00):
Yeah, how would you like to uh tell us about our
association with LakelandTennessee?
Terry Adams (14:10):
we back.
Just after we got charteredwith the state, we had a meeting
and there was only like threeof us there and two guys showed
up, one I knew, another marine,and the other guy was with him,
I didn't know, but he wasdressed a bit better than the
average soldier, you know.
(14:30):
And we sat down and he said hi,I'm adam and uh, the city of
lakeland, tennessee, wants youthere.
And I said well, that's nicebecause everybody wants your
veterans groups there.
But I said that's nice and hesays no, you don't understand,
we want you there.
(14:50):
I said okay, I said we'retalking about building a
veterans community center.
And he said I know, and we wantyou to build it there.
And I said, all right.
So he had takes out his laptopand he opens it up and brings up
a thing and he says this areahere, right off the interstate,
(15:11):
we want to get you two acres ofproperty there.
I said, okay, well, you realizewe're getting started.
We don't have a lot of cash.
He goes no, the city wants youto get that property.
The city will do this for youif you'll come to Lakeland.
And so we talked and said well,you know, the location was ideal
(15:32):
it's right off the interstate,easy access and we started
holding meetings up there andjoined the Chamber of Commerce.
The Chamber for 2024 recognizedus as being the nonprofit of
the year for all the thingswe've been doing and have done
there.
We pulled off a near miraclelast August.
(15:53):
I had been in the hospital fora couple months but we had
scheduled the Vietnam TravelingMemorial Wall to come in and
people say you can't do that inAugust, not in memphis, it's
going to be too hot, nobody willshow up.
And we looked at the budget.
Well, we didn't have a lot ofmoney to work with, but we knew
it was going to run around 40grand by the time you house and
(16:16):
stage and sound system andport-a-johns a whole bit.
And I said well, we're going togo with it anyway.
And all the good people likeBob and Jim and so many others
got together and they startedworking on it while I was in the
hospital and I couldn't even doa computer I was lucky to do
phone and they picked up theball and ran with it.
(16:37):
I got out three weeks beforethe wall came in.
The wall shows up with 167motorcycles and cars and pickups
and a huey escorting it in thetown.
And the huey landed there andpeople were just like in
amazement because it was.
It was amazing.
(16:58):
They put the wall up and thealso there were other panels
with us, well, for each of theconflicts since Vietnam.
And they just did the job andall I had to do was stand there
and watch.
I didn't have to do anything.
And they said well, you're thepresident and CEO, you're in
(17:18):
charge of everything, in chargeof what?
They've got everything covered.
I don't have to do anything, Ihave to stand here and look
pretty and I was concernedbecause it was hot and it was
august.
But you know, oh, the managerof the wall, doc, said when they
were taking it down he goes.
You know, this is the best oneI've seen here in years.
(17:40):
We had over 4 000 people showedup in those three days.
We had security on site all thetime.
We had good speakers there.
Bob had to step up and help outwith that one when I fell out
one morning.
Bob Buntyn (17:53):
Yeah, I wake up in the morning and the first text
message I see, terry says we hadto stay on guard last night
because the second shift for thevolunteer sheriff's department
did not show up, so mary andterry were there from a little
after midnight till six in themorning.
You have to have security thereat the wall.
(18:14):
So I get a text message thatsays uh, you're in charge
goodbye, but that's the kind ofpeople we got.
Terry Adams (18:22):
He stepped right up , so I got a call from jim.
Bob Buntyn (18:24):
Jim says have you seen the text message?
I said, yeah, I'm on my way Now.
The pastor there, dean, atFirst Baptist Church in Lakeland
, is a fantastic person.
He really is.
So I told Dean, I'll get thesound system set up, I'll make
the introduction, but you arenow the master of ceremonies for
(18:47):
the day.
And just like that, Dean pickedit up and became master of
ceremonies.
It really did come off well itdid?
Terry Adams (18:56):
I got to bed at seven.
I couldn't get back up at eightand go be an emcee for an event
like that, not to do it with.
Bob Buntyn (19:02):
And it was packed, yeah, and do it with.
And it was packed, yeah to doit properly.
Terry Adams (19:05):
I couldn't do it.
I knew that and it all workedout great yeah we just have so
many good people that are comingon board and helping out with
the things we're doing, andthings like that.
It just it.
It makes me get those chillsthat, uh, there are so many good
people out there that'll do it.
Bob Buntyn (19:23):
And now we've got some big events coming up.
Terry Adams (19:26):
Oh yes.
Bob Buntyn (19:27):
Tell me about those.
The spaghetti dinner I guess isstarting.
Terry Adams (19:31):
We've got a spaghetti dinner.
Yeah, we've got a spaghettidinner.
Bob Buntyn (19:34):
Lakeland First Baptist Church sponsoring a
spaghetti dinner for us.
Jerry Allhands (19:39):
What's that going to benefit?
Terry Adams (19:41):
That will go into our building fund too we're
trying to raise.
Well, the building itself lookslike it's going to be about
$7.2 million because it'soffices.
It's a coffee area where theveterans can just sit around and
drink coffee and lie to eachother about who's the best
branch of the service, eventhough we know it's the Marines.
(20:01):
Well, I thought it was the AirForce.
No, no, no.
You guys, we have to explain toyou.
Two clicks left, two clicksleft, it's okay, we got a nuke
yeah I know, but we do.
Jerry Allhands (20:11):
We're on the ground anyway, uh.
Terry Adams (20:14):
But yeah, we'll have the coffee area where they
can sit around and and talk toeach other and carry on.
We'll have meeting rooms.
We'll have uh storage areasspecifically for, like, many of
the groups have weaponsgovernment rifles that need to
be secured.
Unfortunately, a lot of themare secured at folks homes and
(20:35):
it does meet the requirementbecause they're secured there,
but if the person who has aweapon passes away, the spouse
doesn't know what to do withthem and these aren't
operational weapons.
These are ceremonial weaponsyeah and so it would have secure
areas for that and it'll have aa rather large gathering hall
(20:56):
for events, an event room thatwe could use for the different
events and including renting itout to help support the place,
and it's about 13,000 squarefeet according to our latest
design.
And so we're constantly raisingmoney, doing things like
spaghetti dinner.
Over Veterans Day we put up 100four-foot by six-foot flags
(21:19):
that were up for two weeks andthey're again the people that
stepped up.
I planned four to five hours toget them up and just it was
amazing If you can imagine whata hundred four-foot-by-six-foot
flags looks like.
These guys came in, set up fournice straight rows, eight foot
(21:41):
apart and eight foot betweeneach flag.
They cut and drilled the PVC,they mounted the flags on the
pvc, they put them on, put rebarin the ground every eight feet
to put the pvc on to hold theflag up, and they did all that
and we're putting the tent inthe back of my truck in two
hours.
Wow, it was teamwork, but we'regetting that kind of teamwork.
(22:06):
When we took it down, we hadgotten the city of Lakeland in
as a Purple Heart City.
It's now with the NationalRegistry as a Purple Heart City.
We presented the mayor with arather large plaque about I
think it's 18 by 24, and hedidn't want to put it down.
But we did a ceremony that day,presented that to him and took
(22:28):
all these flags down, storedthem properly, folded them and
stored them them.
And we did that in two hoursand that ground looked like
nobody had been there and that'sthe way it's supposed to be.
And they again.
I had to shake my head and gowhat the heck?
You know that?
Where have these folks been?
But that's teamwork, that's thekind of teams we're getting to
(22:48):
come in and help.
Jerry Allhands (22:50):
Well now, all these people who volunteered to
come out and help with this, doyou think they're all veterans,
or is this a mix of veterans andcivilians?
Terry Adams (22:56):
Both it's veterans and civilian supporters and
their veterans' families.
The youngest guy putting it upwas that little one who was like
six years old.
He was out there picking up thesawed-off sections of the pvc,
picking up the cutoff for him.
They put the zip ties on theflags.
He he's out there helping.
And I mean the oldest guy outthere, jim, probably 75, yeah
(23:24):
and uh.
So we we really had the gambitand they were families and when
we would go out there therewould be people that would park
and get their picture in frontof the flags.
We don't know who they were.
Jerry Allhands (23:41):
What kind of signage did you have in front of
this?
Terry Adams (23:43):
Just one sign that said thank you to the city of
Lakeland and the mayor forletting us use their property.
Bob Buntyn (23:50):
Then we have signs coming up to it from the
different businesses that helpedsponsor it.
We didn't have those for theflag.
Terry Adams (23:58):
Oh, at the wall.
Bob Buntyn (23:59):
Oh, at the wall, I'm sorry.
Yeah, at the wall, we did have,we had, thank yous for the wall
.
Terry Adams (24:03):
Memphis Funeral Homes was one of the major
sponsors.
It was a major sponsor for thewall.
Who was that?
Funeral Homes?
Bob Buntyn (24:09):
was one of the major sponsors.
It was a major sponsor for thewall.
Who was that?
Terry Adams (24:11):
Memphis Funeral Homes.
Memphis Funeral Homes, yep, andyou know.
Again, I called Corey when Ineeded a favor.
I was down at the wire and hesaid what do you need?
And I told him and he said,okay, I'll get it.
And that's the kind of thingsthat they do.
Bob Buntyn (24:25):
And.
Terry Adams (24:25):
Corey is Corey.
Corey Haag of the DignityFuneral Homes in Memphis.
Jerry Allhands (24:33):
Now, I'm not from this area, so help me out
here.
Where is Lakeland, tennessee,in relation to South Haven,
mississippi?
Terry Adams (24:39):
It would be like straight up 269 and get off at
40 and go west on 41 exit.
Jerry Allhands (24:50):
So are we talking 30 minutes an hour From
here?
Bob Buntyn (24:53):
45 minutes from here , 45 minutes if you're doing the
speed limit.
Terry Adams (25:00):
Because it's right at exit 20,.
It doesn't matter if you comedown 51 and 269 around to it.
It doesn't matter if you'recoming in from Jackson on 40.
It doesn't matter if you'recoming up 55.
You just turn right on 40 andtake 40 east there to exit 20.
(25:20):
If you're coming over fromCreighton and County, same thing
Just straight across 40, andit's 30 minutes from West
Memphis.
Jerry Allhands (25:28):
Okay, and this field of flags, what I'm going
to call it was it seen from thehighway?
Was it easily seen from.
Terry Adams (25:37):
No, that one was not easily seen from the highway
Word kind of spread word ofmouth.
The day we went to take it downthere was a van load of people
out there getting pictures oftheir family in front of it and
guys and motorcycles the cornerof interstate 40 and canada road
is a very busy intersectiondefinitely a very large, very
(26:00):
big intersection once you getdown canada road to there by the
fire station.
Bob Buntyn (26:07):
That area there, yeah, it's easily seen from that
area there once now, with thenew one going up over memorial
day.
Terry Adams (26:15):
It'll be easily seen from the top of the ramp
from any direction, okay whichwill be over by the fire station
so the league building itself,mvli building, is going to be
where it'll be right there atcountered road 940 okay
easily seen though it should beeasily seen.
Uh, because it'll be seen moreif you're going westbound than
(26:38):
going eastbound.
Uh, we have a lot of peoplefrom out of state that call an
american legion post one,because it's the first one in
the book, want to know wherethey can stop and have a coffee
and meet with other veterans,and we don't really have a place
.
The only place in southwestTennessee that has a building
that's open on a regular basisis VFW 7175 in Millington,
(27:05):
because none of the rest of it.
There's only two of them thathave buildings and three VFWs
that have buildings, but onlyone of them is even open on a
regular basis.
So this will allow people tostop, no matter what group
they're with we don't care ifthey're, you know, purple Heart,
irreverent Warriors, whatever.
(27:25):
They want to stop and have acoffee and, you know, kill some
time, relax a little bit.
This will be a place to do it13,000 square feet in size.
Jerry Allhands (27:36):
I think you said yes.
Bob Buntyn (27:38):
So that's going to be a pretty big-sized facility.
Terry Adams (27:40):
How is?
Jerry Allhands (27:40):
it going to be broke down on the inside.
Terry Adams (27:44):
The four meeting rooms, one will be exclusive to
veterans.
Civilians won't be allowed inthere, because, as a veteran
yourself, you know there's timeswhen you want to scream and we
need a place.
I believe in my heart that weneed a place where you can go
scream, cry, laugh and, if youpartake down one or two, and
(28:09):
that's your business.
It doesn't need to be somethingwhere you have civilians going.
What's wrong with him, what'swrong with her?
Well, what's wrong with us iswe get trained to do things and
we never get untrained.
Right, because we will never beuntrained.
We've seen things others willnever see.
We've done things others willnever do, and so we are there to
(28:32):
look out for each other, andthat's where the mvli being the
group of veterans rather thanjust one particular organization
yeah, it would allow foranybody, from any organization.
you know we want to stop suicide, everybody wants to stop
suicide.
My brother committed suicideafter Vietnam.
(28:54):
I don't like it.
But if you have no place wherethey can go and just sit and be
with others who understand, whatdo you do?
Well, go to the VA.
The VA is a good place to gettreatment, but don't go sit in
that lobby down there.
It won't work.
Jerry Allhands (29:15):
So this is going to be a private room for
veterans.
Only Individual shows up.
How is he going to prove he's avet?
Terry Adams (29:22):
He'll have a lot of paperwork somewhere in your
driver's license today.
If you're a veteran, has thaton it your VA card, your
American Legion card, your DAVcard, your Purple Heart card,
your VFW card, membership cardsin any organization.
If they don't have it, then youget to that story about the guy
that was running the bar.
(29:44):
And this guy walked in thereand goes I'm an Army vet.
And the owner goes really, hesaid and what was your MOS?
And he told him I was 11 Bravo.
Bartender says okay, you'refine.
Next guy walks in.
He said I was in the Navy andhe said okay.
(30:05):
He says well, what did you doin the Navy?
What was your rate?
He says I was an MS.
You know a cook.
He said okay, you're good, goahead.
The guy from the Marines walkedin and he just had that look
and he still asked me.
He said were you in themilitary?
He goes yeah, I'm a Marine.
He said what's your MOS?
He said I'm a vet too.
(30:31):
He says I was in the air forceand he said, okay, you're good.
And he walked on by and theother bartender goes over there
and says why didn't you ask himanything?
He says because nobody liesabout being in the air force.
I'll show myself out excuse.
Jerry Allhands (30:48):
I'm going to press this button right here and
see what happens.
Bob Buntyn (30:53):
Stay away from the shiny red buttons.
That's the eject seat button hejust pushed, mercy.
Terry Adams (31:01):
In helping the veterans, you have to have fun
while you're doing it.
Sure, you have to be dedicated.
You have to be committed, and Ithink most of us need to be
dedicated.
You have to be committed, and Ithink most of us need to be
committed.
Jerry Allhands (31:13):
I was going there, then I stopped myself.
Terry Adams (31:15):
Yeah, it's something where, if you have
that commitment, then you willenjoy what you're doing and the
people that are doing this withthe MVLI.
I honestly believe we all enjoydoing it.
There's times when it gets alittle taxing.
Bob Buntyn (31:31):
Yes, I mean, terry runs from Bartlett to Olive
Branch.
I run from Olive Branch toLakeland.
We're running all over theMid-South getting these things
done.
Jerry Allhands (31:46):
Let's pause for a moment to hear from some of
the people who have helped tomake this episode possible with
their financial support.
A very special thank you toDean and Judy Graves of Mount
Vernon, missouri, for theirfinancial support.
Dean passed away recentlywithout ever hearing the podcast
, but he believed in thisproject and his support helps to
make each episode possible, andfor that we say thank you.
Terry Adams (32:07):
Possible and for that we say thank you.
Hi, this is Judy Graves ofMount Vernon, missouri inviting
you to listen to the nextepisode of the Veteran Sound Off
podcast.
Nora Moreland (32:27):
Hello, my name is Nora Moreland.
I am a proud US Marine, thegranddaughter of a World War II
US Navy veteran, adelbert Shea,who served in the Pacific
Theater, the wife of a combatcorpsman and a mother of an
active-duty Marine.
I would humbly ask you tosponsor the Veterans Sound Off
podcast.
Each episode tells the storiesof what we in the American
Legion do locally and around theworld.
(32:47):
Thank you.
Wreaths Across America (32:49):
You can join in the mission to remember
our fallen heroes, honor thosewho currently serve and their
families, and teach youngergenerations about the value of
freedom.
A $17 donation to WreathsAcross America sponsors a fresh
balsam remembrance wreath.
These wreaths have become asymbol of America's respect for
those who have served and nolonger walk with us.
(33:09):
Sponsor a wreath today.
Visit wreathsacrossamericaorgor call 877-385-9504.
Jerry Allhands (33:19):
To buy a wreath, call Carlene Parker at
662-415-6743.
Again, that's 662-415-6743.
Nora Moreland (33:31):
Hey, this is Kobe Stewart from Springfield
Missouri inviting you to catchthe next episode of Veteran
Sound Off Podcast.
When a person calls 988,they're connected to a crisis
counselor.
Crisis is completelyself-defined.
If you're wondering if youshould call, you should probably
call.
Wreaths Across America (33:50):
A caller can expect to talk about coping
skills, talk about resourcesand ways to move forward beyond
the call.
Nora Moreland (33:58):
They can call us, they can chat, they can text
and when they come out on theother side they're feeling
better.
Call or text 988.
Or chat 988lifelineorg.
Be The One (34:08):
Be willing to show up for your veteran, your friend
, your loved one.
Be willing to trust your gut,follow your heart, take a risk.
Be the one willing to ask, toguess wrong, to even offend
another, to keep them safe, toremind them that they are
valuable.
If you know a veteran, be theone to reach out and make them a
(34:32):
part of your life.
Jerry Allhands (34:35):
The Veterans Sound Off podcast is made
possible by you, the listener,and we need your help in keeping
this podcast series going.
Your continued financialsupport enables us to produce
these episodes.
Call 662-902-6658 today andwe'll give you all the details
on how you and or your businesscan become a sponsor.
And now back to this episode ofthe Veterans Sound Off podcast
(34:58):
Hard work hard work.
It's what they say Hard work,hard work.
I'm a veteran.
Terry Adams (35:04):
It does get a little taxing from time.
One of our big accomplishmentswas what we started there post-1
, our Mid-South Funeral HonorsTeam.
We do funerals.
We have the rifle team, we havethe buglers.
We have flag folders, we havethe chaplain.
Whatever they team, we have thebuglers, we have flag folders,
we have the chaplain.
Whatever they need, we can showup and do it and we do.
We've done as many as sevenfunerals in one day and we did
(35:25):
those in three states, and it'swhat we do.
We did what.
Did you say?
100 last year?
Bob Buntyn (35:31):
We did almost 100, yeah, 93 last year.
Jerry Allhands (35:34):
We have a funeral this coming Sunday in
Senatobiaobia mississippi, and,if I'm not mistaken, one of your
members is at a funeral todayyes, yes, well, he's at a
personal funeral.
Terry Adams (35:44):
Okay, this is not a military funeral uh, but yeah,
it's what we do because everyveteran deserves the honor and
military doesn't have thefunding to give that honor every
time and they're barely doingwell to get two people and often
we get called to replace thosetwo people.
(36:05):
Just to do the flag, just to dothe flag, the flag and taps and
we find it's an honor and westarted this eight, nine years
ago and you know Bob has been onTV with it, on national TV.
Uh, I was hiding in the shadowsthat day cause I didn't need to
be out there being on thewitness protection program at
(36:28):
all.
Yeah, Biggest sniper from themafia.
Jerry Allhands (36:30):
You know, I understand that.
Terry Adams (36:32):
Yeah, yeah, you know you, you gotta kind of hide
it out a little bit.
Jerry Allhands (36:41):
Tell me.
Terry Adams (36:42):
Uh, tell me about the ML.
The ml mvli is the overallmission is, is going to be what?
The?
The foundation?
The mission is to raise funds.
The mvli we.
Our motto is to honor the past,continue the journey and shape
the future.
Because we honor the past bydoing these many things, like
Memorial Day and the funerals,and we continue the journey by
(37:09):
being out here every day andhelping the veterans, and we
shape the future by going out.
I often end up going out toschools anything from grade
schools to high schools to talkabout veterans and how we do the
many things we do and continueto do them, and I try to explain
to these young people that youknow, being a veteran, you don't
(37:32):
have to be 80 years old to be aveteran.
We have veterans who are 17years old.
The minute they go into servicethey become a veteran.
You know, they serve one day ofactive duty.
We consider them a veteranbecause they have now learned
things and they're learningthings every day that shape
their life.
And without that kind of amission, you know they don't go
(37:55):
in there and we learn in ourboot camp and our basic training
the many things that it takesto survive in life.
I wish more young people woulddo that.
Jerry Allhands (38:07):
I do too.
I agree with you on that.
Tell me how somebody coulddonate to this fund, to this
endeavor.
Terry Adams (38:16):
Well, don't bring cash please.
Okay, jim's not here.
Uh, no, we have a a web page,mvliorg, and in the top right
corner is a little tab that saysdonate and they can do, uh,
paypal, visa, mastercard, youknow just about any electronic
(38:41):
source of donations, and alldonations to the MVLI are tax
deductible.
So, being the 501c3 charitableand we're real happy that we
have people that do donate,we're always looking for a good
grant writer.
Jerry Allhands (39:02):
I'll take one of those.
Terry Adams (39:05):
Grant writing is something that they say oh use
AI.
Well, ai writes the same grantfor you and me and everybody
else, so it doesn't stand out asbeing special.
But yeah, grants will be themainstay of getting this up and
running.
We do not want it to be agovernment organization, because
(39:26):
then the government can come inand say, well, you can't do
these things.
No, you can't do those things.
You know, our uh, our politicalparty frowns on you doing this,
so you might not want to dothat, or you won't get funding
next year, and it's stuff likethat and we don't want any of
that.
We want this to be owned andoperated by the veterans and the
community.
In talking with the citymanager and the mayor, they did
(39:50):
not realize that one of thebenefits to having this building
there in the case of extremeweather extreme cold when the
power goes out, extreme coldwhen the power goes out, extreme
heat when the power goes outwe'll have a generator there.
We'll be able to house thecivilians of the area.
Because it's a community center, it it's got to be set up so
(40:10):
that people can utilize it as acommunity center, but focused on
the veterans all All rightsaying that.
Jerry Allhands (40:17):
I know that you've got one room that's going
to be set aside for veteransonly.
We've discussed how we're goingto approve our veteran to get
into the room and what we'll dothere.
But the rest of the building.
Let's talk about the layoutthere somewhat.
Terry Adams (40:33):
I actually have a picture.
I'm surprised I didn't givethat to you A floor plan.
Jerry Allhands (40:39):
A floor plan.
Terry Adams (40:43):
It's set up to where it kind of resembles a
Quonset hut, to give it thatmilitary look, but it's also
designed so that parts of it canbe shut off when not needed, so
we're not having to heat it inthe winter and cool it in the
summer, keeping utilities down.
We really have done a lot ofthinking and talking about this
(41:08):
and even now that's not ingranite, that's all in sand,
because if we find there's abetter design or layout, then we
definitely want to do that,because it's supposed to be for
the veterans and we welcomeveterans and their families and
business people coming in andgiving us an idea, a thought,
(41:31):
what they would like to see,what they would like us to do
with it, because it is about thecommunity, it's about the
veterans, it's about taking careof each other.
And then Bob's just handed youa floor plan and and a sketch of
the building, I think, and soit's something that I honestly
(41:54):
believe that we can be a benefitto, not only the veterans.
You know, with 100,000 veteranshere, the federal government
says that each veteran hasroughly three family members
living either with them or closeby, and if we look at 100,000
veterans with three familymembers, you're talking that
(42:15):
could possibly affect 400,000people.
Now I see a need there.
Yeah.
Jerry Allhands (42:23):
I see a very large need right now and in the
future to come as well.
The Quonset Hut brings backmemories.
Bob Buntyn (42:33):
And for those of you who are too young to remember
some of that.
Jerry Allhands (42:36):
Let me suggest that you go find yourself a good
episode of Gomer Pyle, USMC.
And that is probably thebiggest example of what most of
us will see of a Quonset hut.
Terry Adams (42:48):
And when I was in boot camp in 68, we didn't have
Quonset huts for our platoonbecause there were so many of us
.
They had us in tents.
They were looking for cannonfodder, so they were just
cramming them in and we hadtents, wooden floors, and you
know, it's the way it was.
Jerry Allhands (43:08):
Yeah, as soon as I said Gilmer Powell, that
series the next visual that cameinto my mind was Heartbreak.
Ridge Clint Eastwood took oversome.
Terry Adams (43:21):
Must be a movie.
Bob Buntyn (43:21):
It was a movie yeah, Terry doesn't watch movies.
Terry Adams (43:24):
I don't do movies, I have enough problems.
Bob Buntyn (43:26):
Matter of fact, we were talking the other day about
a John Wayne movie that I lovedit, Anyway, and, being a radio
man communications, I enjoyedthis because they called it an
airstrike on a mountain.
When it was over with, JohnWayne turned to the radio and
said how does it feel to havejust spent a million dollars?
(43:47):
That was in 1969.
Wow.
Terry Adams (43:54):
You know, our group has been able to perform some
miracles, some more amazing thanothers.
But some people say how do youdo that?
I don't know.
You know we gather together forGod and country.
We're not about oh, this isBob's show, or this is Jerry's
(44:16):
show, or Terry's show or Jim'sshow.
This is about taking care ofeach other and when you rely on
each other and the good Lordleading you, I don't think you
can get away from succeeding.
Bob Buntyn (44:29):
I think you got a phone call yesterday from a
stranded veteran in Memphistrying to get to Little Rock,
Arkansas.
Terry Adams (44:37):
It's every day and that's why I turned my phone off
for this session, because everyday these calls come in and it
could be something simple, andsometimes it's.
We had a guy not long ago whohad they missed a paycheck for
whatever reason.
He had a family, five kids.
He says, look, he said I justneed a little help.
(44:59):
Uh, he said can you make me aloan or a handout or something
that'll help?
I said, well, what's going on?
He said my check didn't come in.
I got to get groceries for thefamily and I said, well, meet me
at this kroger's store.
And we went in and we boughtgroceries and we focused on good
food, not junk food, food tosustain him and the five kids
(45:26):
for a week.
And as I was getting ready toleave, I said, well, how'd you
get over here?
He said, well, I was going towalk because I'm almost out of
gas, but I didn't think I couldbe here in time.
I said, well, pull your cararound to the gas pump there,
we'll fill that up too.
And so we did, because that'swhat we do, you know, if we
don't take care of each otherwho's going to do it Exactly,
(45:47):
exactly, looking out for eachother.
Jerry Allhands (45:50):
Tell me a little bit more about how, if somebody
wants to join MVLI, can they dothat?
What's involved?
Terry Adams (45:57):
Sure, and for guys like yourself, anybody who's in
the Air Force, we have a$500,000 minimum payment.
Jerry Allhands (46:05):
You do remember I said I was an enlisted grunt
right, the Army of the Air Forcefor a minute.
I protected those things thatgo boom in the night.
Terry Adams (46:15):
No I kid about things like that, but I probably
shouldn't.
My wife says no, be seriousabout things like that, but I
probably shouldn't.
My wife says no, be seriouswhen they ask that question.
But to join us, come to ameeting.
Our meetings are the firstThursday of each month.
They're held at theInternational Harvester
Managerial Center in Lakeland.
It's an opportunity to meet theothers, to voice an opinion, to
(46:37):
see what we're doing, to findout what's happening.
If you want to help, it's achance to come out and help.
Bob Buntyn (46:42):
If you can't make that, and it doesn't cost your
group anything to join.
Terry Adams (46:47):
That's right.
Every group is welcome to senda representative, because if the
whole group wants to show up,I'm in the Vietnam Vets of
America and they're not talkingabout bringing their meeting out
to us because it's the samenight.
They can never make it.
And I told Gary I said come on,bring it on.
You are all welcome there.
Any veteran is welcome.
Jerry Allhands (47:08):
Okay, give me again the day and time that you
meet, and then give me aphysical location along with the
zip code.
Terry Adams (47:15):
First Thursday of each month at 6 pm.
It's at the InternationalHarvester Managerial Center
located at 4523 Canada Road,lakeland 48002, if you need to
(47:36):
put it in your GPS, okay.
I'm sorry, 3-8-0-0-2.
Did.
Bob Buntyn (47:40):
I say 4-8?
.
You said 4-8.
Terry Adams (47:42):
3-8-0-0-2.
Bob Buntyn (47:44):
Yeah.
Terry Adams (47:45):
I did that once before on some business cards
and all our mail went toMichigan.
Jerry Allhands (47:48):
You, see, and that's why the Marines always
complained about the bombsdropping short.
They gave us the wrongcoordinates.
Terry Adams (47:55):
And then they don't hear.
The Air Force doesn't hear thecorrection.
Jerry Allhands (47:58):
That's true.
Air Force doesn't hear thecorrection, that's true, that's
true.
Terry Adams (48:00):
What do you?
Jerry Allhands (48:01):
say Huh, repeat, repeat oh my Lord have for sure
, all right.
So it's the first Thursday at 6pm at the what?
Terry Adams (48:11):
International Harvester Managerial Center.
That's a mouthful.
Oh yeah, IHMC is easier.
Bob Buntyn (48:17):
Which was purchased by the city of Lakeland.
Terry Adams (48:21):
Yeah.
Bob Buntyn (48:21):
And the city of Lakeland operates the
International HarvesterManagerial Center, which is a
beautiful park.
Terry Adams (48:28):
A gorgeous facility .
It really is.
It's an amazing facility.
Bob Buntyn (48:32):
It's an amazing facility Lakeland was lucky 4523
Canada Road, lakeland,mississippi, no Lakeland.
Tennessee, lakeland Tennessee.
But I know where LakelandMississippi, no, lakeland
Tennessee, lakeland Tennessee.
Jerry Allhands (48:42):
But I know where Lakeland Mississippi is.
Bob Buntyn (48:44):
Oh, this is Lakeland , Tennessee that we're talking
about.
I know where.
Terry Adams (48:47):
Lakeland.
Florida is too, but I'm notdriving there for a meeting.
Jerry Allhands (48:51):
So we're at Lakeland, Tennessee, Lakeland.
Tennessee 3-8-0-0-2 and thewebsite for MVLI is what.
Terry Adams (49:01):
MVLIorg.
Jerry Allhands (49:03):
Okay, Now you told me earlier that you
yourself are totally responsiblefor everything on this website.
Is that correct?
Terry Adams (49:11):
No, no, I have an executive secretary which by the
way, all of us the boardmembers and all the helpers are
all volunteers.
We have no employees.
It's too important to look formoney to do this and I know that
shocks some people that know mebecause they see me everywhere.
(49:32):
But no, I do this as avolunteer.
Our executive secretary, Mary,does an outstanding job of
keeping that web page up.
She helps with our Facebookpage, she helps with the web
page, she coordinates things,she supports Bob being the
secretary and helping him withthe notes and helping Jim.
(49:53):
You know, when money comes in,this is what account it should
go to and that's the account itshould go to, and so she's just.
She's there all the time in theshadows.
Bob Buntyn (50:02):
She's an integral part of our organization, for
sure.
Terry Adams (50:05):
And she represents us for the Honor Our Troops
Association in Olive Branch, forthe events that we do down here
.
She represents the MVLI.
So yeah, she's an importantpart of it, for sure.
Jerry Allhands (50:21):
And that's mvliorg.
If you'd like to make donations, you'd like to know more about
the organization, that would bethe place to go.
Yes, sir.
Is there this nice outline yougave me here of the building and
everything that's on thewebsite as well?
Terry Adams (50:37):
No, I don't think it is.
We can get it up there though.
Okay, now that you say that,make a note.
Jerry Allhands (50:44):
I'm good for something today.
Terry Adams (50:47):
I always thought the Air Force was.
Well, how?
About the Army, well, the AirForce.
I was amazed that they were theonly ones to ever walk into our
tents and go where are thechandeliers?
Jerry Allhands (50:59):
Let's see his box of crayons is getting
smaller by the minute.
Bob Buntyn (51:02):
You know what I'm saying.
Jerry Allhands (51:03):
I'll tell you what gentlemen, I appreciate you
being here so much today and Ihope that we've answered, uh, at
least a few questions that theaudience might have about what
the mvli is.
And again, that's the mid.
Uh, you say what is the?
Terry Adams (51:17):
midouth veterans league incorporated mvli.
And I tell you, jerry, thankyou for having us on here.
I it's always a pleasure to seeyou and I hope others will
continue to listen to your showin the future too.
Bob Buntyn (51:32):
I appreciate I didn't run them off with my
stupid jokes and one moreupcoming event that we didn't
talk about is the chuckwagon.
Oh, that's not set yet butwe're working on bringing a
chuckwagon into lakeland, okayand yeah, it will.
You know the american legiondoes a big one in corinth right,
(51:53):
something similar to that.
Terry Adams (51:55):
This will be the weekend after memorial day,
after Memorial Day, and theAmerican Legion writers are
doing a legacy run.
They may be stopping by andwe're talking about having the
chuck wagon in there, so we'llhave vittles for them, and oh
yeah, so we like to do thingsfirst class, I mean, if you're
(52:16):
going to do them doing uprightSure yeah, absolutely.
Jerry Allhands (52:19):
You bring it up to the chuck wagon and all of a
sudden I'm getting hungry.
Terry Adams (52:22):
I was Indian.
Joe is a big supporter of theveterans.
He's out of Arkansas.
He supports the Fisher House.
If you know what the FisherHouse is, they're home for like
the Ronald McDonald House of the.
Nora Moreland (52:38):
VA yes.
Terry Adams (52:39):
And yeah, he's a big supporter of that raises
funds for that.
He wants to come in and help usraise funds for our building,
so yeah, A few things going on.
We're always doing something.
Jerry Allhands (52:51):
There'll be an outline on the MVLIorg page.
Terry Adams (52:54):
Yes, sir, there sure will as soon as we get it
solid, then we're good to go.
All right, come on out to thespaghetti dinner on March 22nd.
Come on up and see us for aspaghetti dinner.
You get a chance to Jerry.
I'm talking to you now, I'mwriting it down.
Grab the wife and say honey,I'm taking you out to dinner.
When she hears where you'regoing, she may Believe me.
Bob Buntyn (53:17):
Lakeland Tennessee is beautiful and appropriately
named.
It is Lakeland Tennessee isbeautiful and appropriately
named.
It is Lakeland Tennessee.
Terry Adams (53:25):
It's gorgeous.
Jerry Allhands (53:25):
up there there's a huge lake right there,
absolutely gorgeous, and thedinner's going to be where, at
the Lakeland, the First.
Terry Adams (53:31):
Baptist Church yeah , First Baptist Church, oh no,
it's a Lakeland.
Bob Buntyn (53:34):
Which is right across the street from.
It's the Lakeland BaptistChurch.
What did I?
Say you said First Baptist.
Oh, what did I say?
You said First Baptist.
It's not First Baptist,lakeland Baptist, it's the
Lakeland Baptist, which isdirectly across the street from
the managerial center, exactly.
I mean directly across thestreet Right off of US 70.
Terry Adams (53:50):
Canada Road.
Jerry Allhands (53:50):
Canada Road, and that's Lakeland Tennessee not
Lakeland Mississippi or LakelandFlorida.
Bob Buntyn (53:55):
Correct, not Lakeland Florida, that's a long
drive for some spaghetti.
Terry Adams (53:58):
Yes, I've gotten people from Lakeland, florida,
who said we couldn't find youand it's like because you're in
the wrong state.
Jerry Allhands (54:05):
There you go.
So March 22nd is the SpaghettiDinner.
Terry Adams (54:08):
Fundraiser, what time 5 o'clock to 8 o'clock.
All right, it's all being doneby volunteers.
We had people that jumped upand said, oh, we want to make
the sauce.
Bob Buntyn (54:22):
Really and said oh, we want to make the sauce.
Jerry Allhands (54:23):
Really, do you know how much we want to make
the beans?
Wait, wait.
I thought you said we werehaving a spaghetti dinner and
you just said sauce.
Terry Adams (54:26):
Where's the gravy Gravy on spaghetti Sure.
Jerry Allhands (54:30):
You know, it's the only way the Irish eat it or
do it on me.
Terry Adams (54:35):
What part of the country are you from?
Over yonder, over yonder.
Jerry Allhands (54:40):
Over yonder from .
Terry Adams (54:40):
Ovionda.
Jerry Allhands (54:41):
Ovionda.
With the Italians it's gravy.
Okay, where's that sniper at?
Jokes are getting bad folks.
March 22nd, 5 to 8 pm, is aspaghetti dinner fundraiser.
It is across the street fromthe International Harvester
Managerial Center, close to 4523.
(55:02):
It's 4600.
It is 4600.
The church, the church is 4600.
Terry Adams (55:09):
Okay, lakeland Baptist Church.
Lakeland Baptist Church, 4600,canada Road, all right.
Jerry Allhands (55:16):
The zip code is 38002.
Terry Adams (55:17):
Yes, all right.
Jerry Allhands (55:20):
We'll get that correct here in a minute or two.
All right, fundraiser, what'sthe cost on the dinner?
Terry Adams (55:29):
$15.
Okay, all you can eat.
Careful now.
Jerry Allhands (55:33):
Careful now Doesn't matter.
I got a hollow leg when itcomes to spaghetti.
Terry Adams (55:37):
The church said don't worry, we're going to make
it.
So Yep, Okay.
Jerry Allhands (55:43):
And of course you will be taking additional
donations if somebody wants to,of course, yeah, well we turn
those down.
Terry Adams (55:50):
He does, we don't.
Jim will be standing there withhis hand out.
But yeah, we're really lookingforward to it.
They did a breakfast for uswhen we were raising funds for
the wall and they were verygenerous.
And you know, we're not goingto ask anybody to join the
(56:11):
church.
If they want to, they'rewelcome to.
We're not going to ask anybodyto join the MVLI, but they're
welcome to if they want to.
This is not to recruit, it's toinform, to have some fun, meet
up with a bunch of veterans.
It's kind of like havingspaghetti with a vet.
Jerry Allhands (56:29):
Well, there ought to be a lot of us there
then.
Yeah, I don't know if I askedthis question earlier.
If I did, I'll fix it, but isthere a cost to join the MVLI?
Terry Adams (56:40):
No, currently there is no cost.
You've already paid the dues.
You joined the military.
You paid dues beyond belief andmany paid more than just a
little time in the service.
They continue to pay and as aMarine, I understand that and we
(57:06):
had discussed that and wedecided no, you've paid the dues
.
Let's work on the donationsthrough and funding through our
pledges through grants, thingslike that.
We don't need to have a costbecause not everybody can afford
it and those that have it arewelcome to donate more than what
(57:28):
they want.
Jerry Allhands (57:30):
Well, guys, I appreciate you being here today.
Thank you so much for lettingme have this sit down with you
and learn more about the MVLIand look forward to getting
involved with it more in thevery near future.
Jerry, you're welcome anytime.
Thank you, Bob.
Would you please give us aclosing prayer?
Bob Buntyn (57:47):
Lord, thank you very much for the day, for the
opportunity to let the worldknow what we do for the veterans
that have sacrificed their timeand efforts for this great
nation.
We ask your blessings in yourname, amen.
Jerry Allhands (58:06):
Thank you, appreciate it.
And that was our visit with theMid-South Veterans League
located in Lakeland, tennessee.
Be sure to join us next Mondaymorning as we return to Corinth
and visit with the Legion Ridersof Perry A Johns Post 6.
A very special thank you toJonathan Michael Fleming for his
musical talents.
You can find his CDs and videoson Facebook, instagram, amazon
(58:27):
Music and YouTube.
We hope you've enjoyed thisepisode and look forward to your
feedback and ask that yousubscribe too and share the
Veterans Sound Off podcast withyour friends and family.
If you have a comment,suggestion or questions, or you
would like to become a supporterof this podcast, please call
662-902-6658, and we'll get backto you as soon as possible.
(58:50):
This has been a production ofAll Hands Media LLC, with
offices in Renalara, mississippi.
All rights reserved.
This is the Veterans Sound Off Podcast Hard
work work.
Let's get it going, let's go.
I'm your host, jerry Allhands, aveteran of the US Air Force and
Army and a Mississippi PassDepartment Commander of the
American Legion.
Each week, we will visit anAmerican Legion post and visit
with the Legion family there.
As we travel the state, we'llvisit with other groups and
(00:20):
organizations that are servingAmerica's veterans and their
families.
Be sure to subscribe to thispodcast and mark your calendars
as next Monday we return toCarnath in the upper northeast
corner of the state and visitwith the Legion Riders of Perry
A Johns Post 6.
This podcast series is madepossible by the financial
support of listeners such asyourself.
For more information on how youcan support our mission, please
(00:42):
call 662-902-6658.
That's 662-902-6658.
On today's episode, we're goingto step away from visiting an
actual American Legion post andinstead we'll sit down for a
visit with two veterans who arealso Legionnaires but who are
(01:03):
also serving the veterancommunity and the citizens of
Shelby County, tennessee, andtheir surrounding areas we play
Hard work, hard work, it's whatthey say.
Hard work, hard work, I earn mypay.
(01:31):
We're back in Olive Branch,mississippi, today, at the Olive
Branch Country Club.
Today we're going to be meetingwith Bob Button and Terry Adams
.
Our subject matter today is theMVLI.
I want to welcome you.
Gentlemen.
Back and Bob, if you would, howabout opening us with an
opening prayer?
Bob Buntyn (01:42):
Ward, thank you for allowing us this beautiful day
in Outer Branch, Mississippi.
Please bless our veterans, ourcivilians and all of those
living in the United Statestoday.
Thank you for the opportunityfor the future and the blessings
(02:02):
of the past.
We ask these things in yourname, Amen.
Terry Adams (02:07):
Amen.
Terry Adams, I'm the presidentand CEO of the Mid-South
Veterans League and the MVLIFoundation.
It's an organization designedto assist veterans in just about
anything and everything thatcomes up, and I mean we've done
just about all of it.
Jerry Allhands (02:28):
Just about all of it.
Terry Adams (02:29):
Just about Bob.
Bob Buntyn (02:32):
Hello, I am Bob Bunton.
I am secretary of the Mid-SouthVeterans League and, as Terry
said, we are involved in a lotof different things with
veterans in the local communityand plan on doing even veterans
in the local community and planon doing even more in the future
.
Jerry Allhands (02:47):
Terry, tell me what is the Mid-South Veterans
League.
Terry Adams (02:50):
In the Mid-South area.
Here I have to say that ShelbyCounty, tennessee, has the
largest group of veterans in thestate of Tennessee, with over
50,000.
In the four countiessurrounding Shelby County we
have another estimated 40,000 to50,000.
(03:11):
So we have about 100,000veterans that we're working with
and there are, right in ShelbyCounty, 32 veterans groups and
each group, of course, isautonomous, but at the same time
each group does a lot of thesame things and our thought is
why not work it together?
(03:32):
Many of the groups are gettingsmaller because the veterans are
dying out.
Fewer joining, there's been aneed for fewer enlistees and so,
as the groups get smaller, ifwe don don't band together then
we are all going to lose.
Right now we have americanlegion, vfw, purple heart, dav,
(03:54):
irreverent warriors, air forceassociation, marine corps league
, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah,on and on that.
Uh, we've got people coming into to give their opinion, to
help and us, and that reallymakes a difference.
Jerry Allhands (04:08):
Terry, did you serve in the military?
Terry Adams (04:11):
I was a Marine, I am a Marine, I will always be a
Marine, and I think that's theonly branch of the military
there is out there.
The rest of it's the service.
Jerry Allhands (04:19):
So is it 64 colors.
Is that enough?
I prefer the 132 myself.
That's a big box of crayons.
Terry Adams (04:28):
Yeah, it's got the sharpener with it and everything
, yeah.
You know you chew on them for alittle bit.
You really need to have somesharpen them up.
Jerry Allhands (04:34):
Keeps the wax off the teeth.
Right Got to pick on theMarines.
Thank God for the Marines.
Terry Adams (04:40):
Well, I'm just glad we have all that support back
home with the Army and the Navyand the Air Force.
There's a couple more, aren'tthere?
Coast?
Nora Moreland (04:49):
Guard Coast Guard .
Terry Adams (04:51):
Space Force.
Oh yeah, the grandsons to theArmy, the Space Force.
Yeah, I forgot about that one.
Most people do right now.
Jerry Allhands (04:58):
Yeah.
Bob Buntyn (04:59):
We want them to forget about the Space Force.
It's a very secretive program.
Wreaths Across America (05:03):
Yeah, that's true, it really is.
Bob Buntyn (05:05):
We actually know someone that's associated with
that program.
He owns his own airplane.
He flies from Memphis to StLouis to have dinner and flies
back, and that's as far as I'llgo with that.
Terry Adams (05:22):
You have fewer people in the Space Force than
any other branch because it'smore electronic than any other
branch it's probably why theywon't let me in, because it's
electronic, then I'm old oh, Iunderstand.
Uh, if I touch electronics theytend to short out for some
reason.
So you know, just give me anold m1, m14, I'm a happy camper,
(05:44):
hey I was lucky to be able toplug this into the wall well, I
noticed that you were.
We were all watching to makesure you got both prongs in at
the same time and here I am acrypto gear radar operator and
that's all I did was electronicsso he should have been the one
plugging stuff into the wall.
Really, you had experience onhand and didn't even realize it.
(06:07):
There you go.
Jerry Allhands (06:09):
Crypto what branch for you?
Bob Buntyn (06:12):
I was a communications gentleman and our
right was establishedspecifically for the Vietnam War
.
The difference between acommunications gentleman and a
radioman a radioman had to knowMorse code.
I already knew Morse codebecause I was a Boy Scout, so I
fast-tracked the communications.
(06:32):
I had a boot camp, only sixweeks of training, before I went
to Vietnam and landed in DaNang, Camp Tensha.
They briefed me on my duties ofcommunications.
That was my first tour Back inSan Diego.
I was at Coronado Island andthey sent me to San Diego, to
(06:56):
Special Warfare School to trainon an SPS-10 radar system.
I was never rated as a radarman, but that was my duty.
My second tour in Vietnam wasrunning an SPS-10 radar system.
That is a ground air radarsystem.
So you're responsible forbogeys, both surface and in the
(07:19):
air, and there is nothingscarier than a high-speed bogey
unidentified coming at you offthe coast of North Vietnam.
It happened more than once.
Anyway, that's what I did inthe military.
Jerry Allhands (07:34):
Well, you keep saying the word rate.
I know in the Air Force we'renot rated.
We have an AFSC, so I've got toassume you were in the Navy.
Bob Buntyn (07:41):
I was in the Navy, right.
Just like you've got an MOS inthe Marines in the Army, we have
a rate in the Navy and Iassumed the same thing in the
Air Force.
Jerry Allhands (07:50):
The AFSC.
Right, yeah, I'm afraid to askwhat that stands for.
I came up with lots of namesfor that.
I can't say that out loud.
Terry Adams (07:59):
My wife will slap me and spank me and I'd get
really happy.
Yeah, about me and spank me andI'd get really happy.
Jerry Allhands (08:04):
Yeah, okay, air Force Specialty Code yeah, yep,
I was a security specialist, Iwas the Army of the Air Force
back in the day.
I don't know what they do now,but yeah.
Bob Buntyn (08:14):
Well, today my rate is a communications, as a
communications gentleman wouldbe a crypto technician.
A CT Would be the equivalent ofwhat is in the Navy today
technician.
Terry Adams (08:25):
A CT would be the equivalent of what is in the
Navy today.
My rate today would be probablya sniper for the mafia or
something.
Bob Buntyn (08:33):
Witness protection program.
Jerry Allhands (08:40):
The Army was kind enough to make me a
paratrooper, and then whateverelse they needed when they
needed it.
Terry Adams (08:44):
Marines are extremely good at that.
Bob Buntyn (08:46):
Navy's not bad at it either I started as an 0141,
which was a clerk typist.
Terry Adams (08:51):
I was a Remington Raider back when we actually had
Remingtons Real typewriters,yes, real typewriters.
And then they handed me an M16,and it's like, where do I file
that?
And they said, no, you're goingto use that.
Bob Buntyn (09:12):
One thing has been in communications in the Navy is
that all the antennas are onthe mast at the top of the ship.
They have to be cleaned, scrapedand repainted.
Harness underneath one of these50-foot mast antennas that was
horizontal in a full harness.
In Da Nang Harbor when we cameunder sniper fire we went to
general quarters.
(09:33):
The three guys up there with medid not have time to unstrap me
and get down off the mast so Itold them to leave me.
I had bullets whizzing past myears very close, not knowing
that the next one had my name onit, which obviously it didn't.
But they came back up afterGeneral Quarters they got me out
(09:56):
of the harness, brought me downto believe it or not, captain's
Mass for being AWOL fromGeneral Quarters.
You just got to love themilitary?
Terry Adams (10:08):
Oh no, that was the Navy.
Remember that's the Navy.
Bob Buntyn (10:11):
The Marines would have asked why you didn't have
your rifle with you.
I was written up for being AWOLfrom General Quarters when I
was strapped to the mask of a USNavy ship at the Nang Harbor
under fire.
Of course it was dismissed.
Jerry Allhands (10:26):
Still in your record.
There you go, there you go.
Gotta love the military,whichever branch doesn't matter.
Terry Adams (10:32):
It's amazing.
You know you're asking aboutthe MVLI and we are such a
conglomerate group of peoplefrom all branches.
Bob Buntyn (10:45):
All experiences, all the different conflicts.
Terry Adams (10:47):
Yeah, all the different backgrounds and
current employees.
Bob Buntyn (10:52):
We have truck drivers, we have computer
engineers, we have constructionworkers.
Terry Adams (10:58):
And I've been trying to figure out for a while
well, others have why I'm thepresident and CEO and I have to
tell them the truth.
I went to the bathroom during ameeting and came back and he
was president.
They said well, mr President,and I looked behind me and there
was nobody back there and it'slike what's going on.
They said well, we elected youthe president, and I was like oh
a Marine is a president, allright.
Jerry Allhands (11:22):
Man in my post.
It was step out of the room.
You come back and they hand youa mop and a broom.
Terry Adams (11:28):
They say you're a commander.
Not yet.
Jerry Allhands (11:32):
Not yet Chief bottle washer.
I don't like that one though.
Terry Adams (11:38):
So MVLI was started when, just over two years ago,
we started as a 501c19, aveterans organization, but we
found that some people andorganizations had trouble
donating money to a c19 for taxpurposes.
So we formed the foundation tobe our c3.
(11:58):
It's our 501c3 which gave uscharitable status and made us
exempt on all those things, soit's helped with the donations.
We work every day to do goodthings for the veterans, like a
story I was telling earlierabout a guy's passing and the
(12:20):
chaplain from a local churchcalled and said Terry, I need
somebody I can trust becausethey don't have insurance.
I don't want them to be gouged.
Well, we have a lot of friendsin different businesses and I
immediately thought of a companythat was helping us out all the
time and that was the MemphisFuneral Homes.
I called Corey and he said sure, I got you covered.
(12:43):
You know, it's nice when youknow the man, and it doesn't
matter what business it is.
If you know somebody that cando the job, you refer them and
especially if they're veteransupporters, and, and it's just,
it's amazing to be able to justgo into the phone book and say,
okay, here's the guy thatsupports us on this or here's
(13:04):
the guy that supports us on thatand make it happen.
Jerry Allhands (13:09):
I like those.
I like being able to knowyou've got a roster of people
that you can reach out to.
Terry Adams (13:15):
Oh, yes, yeah, and you have to have when you have
so many veterans in the area.
And I've been working with theveterans here in the tri-state
area for 27 years, 39 years,with the American legion in
several states and, uh, it's afamily thing with us.
Uh, you know, granddad wasworld war one.
(13:35):
He started a legion post.
Uh, dad was world war ii.
Oldest brother was korea.
Older brother myself, twoyounger brothers were all
vietnam marines.
My oldest boy was air force, myother boy is the army and now
my, my grandson's, going in thenavy.
So it's a family tradition thatwe take care of each other, we
take care of our veterans and wetake care of their families,
(13:58):
because the family pays a pricetoo.
Bob Buntyn (14:00):
Yeah, how would you like to uh tell us about our
association with LakelandTennessee?
Terry Adams (14:10):
we back.
Just after we got charteredwith the state, we had a meeting
and there was only like threeof us there and two guys showed
up, one I knew, another marine,and the other guy was with him,
I didn't know, but he wasdressed a bit better than the
average soldier, you know.
(14:30):
And we sat down and he said hi,I'm adam and uh, the city of
lakeland, tennessee, wants youthere.
And I said well, that's nicebecause everybody wants your
veterans groups there.
But I said that's nice and hesays no, you don't understand,
we want you there.
(14:50):
I said okay, I said we'retalking about building a
veterans community center.
And he said I know, and we wantyou to build it there.
And I said, all right.
So he had takes out his laptopand he opens it up and brings up
a thing and he says this areahere, right off the interstate,
(15:11):
we want to get you two acres ofproperty there.
I said, okay, well, you realizewe're getting started.
We don't have a lot of cash.
He goes no, the city wants youto get that property.
The city will do this for youif you'll come to Lakeland.
And so we talked and said well,you know, the location was ideal
(15:32):
it's right off the interstate,easy access and we started
holding meetings up there andjoined the Chamber of Commerce.
The Chamber for 2024 recognizedus as being the nonprofit of
the year for all the thingswe've been doing and have done
there.
We pulled off a near miraclelast August.
(15:53):
I had been in the hospital fora couple months but we had
scheduled the Vietnam TravelingMemorial Wall to come in and
people say you can't do that inAugust, not in memphis, it's
going to be too hot, nobody willshow up.
And we looked at the budget.
Well, we didn't have a lot ofmoney to work with, but we knew
it was going to run around 40grand by the time you house and
(16:16):
stage and sound system andport-a-johns a whole bit.
And I said well, we're going togo with it anyway.
And all the good people likeBob and Jim and so many others
got together and they startedworking on it while I was in the
hospital and I couldn't even doa computer I was lucky to do
phone and they picked up theball and ran with it.
(16:37):
I got out three weeks beforethe wall came in.
The wall shows up with 167motorcycles and cars and pickups
and a huey escorting it in thetown.
And the huey landed there andpeople were just like in
amazement because it was.
It was amazing.
(16:58):
They put the wall up and thealso there were other panels
with us, well, for each of theconflicts since Vietnam.
And they just did the job andall I had to do was stand there
and watch.
I didn't have to do anything.
And they said well, you're thepresident and CEO, you're in
(17:18):
charge of everything, in chargeof what?
They've got everything covered.
I don't have to do anything, Ihave to stand here and look
pretty and I was concernedbecause it was hot and it was
august.
But you know, oh, the managerof the wall, doc, said when they
were taking it down he goes.
You know, this is the best oneI've seen here in years.
(17:40):
We had over 4 000 people showedup in those three days.
We had security on site all thetime.
We had good speakers there.
Bob had to step up and help outwith that one when I fell out
one morning.
Bob Buntyn (17:53):
Yeah, I wake up in the morning and the first text
message I see, terry says we hadto stay on guard last night
because the second shift for thevolunteer sheriff's department
did not show up, so mary andterry were there from a little
after midnight till six in themorning.
You have to have security thereat the wall.
(18:14):
So I get a text message thatsays uh, you're in charge
goodbye, but that's the kind ofpeople we got.
Terry Adams (18:22):
He stepped right up , so I got a call from jim.
Bob Buntyn (18:24):
Jim says have you seen the text message?
I said, yeah, I'm on my way Now.
The pastor there, dean, atFirst Baptist Church in Lakeland
, is a fantastic person.
He really is.
So I told Dean, I'll get thesound system set up, I'll make
the introduction, but you arenow the master of ceremonies for
(18:47):
the day.
And just like that, Dean pickedit up and became master of
ceremonies.
It really did come off well itdid?
Terry Adams (18:56):
I got to bed at seven.
I couldn't get back up at eightand go be an emcee for an event
like that, not to do it with.
Bob Buntyn (19:02):
And it was packed, yeah, and do it with.
And it was packed, yeah to doit properly.
Terry Adams (19:05):
I couldn't do it.
I knew that and it all workedout great yeah we just have so
many good people that are comingon board and helping out with
the things we're doing, andthings like that.
It just it.
It makes me get those chillsthat, uh, there are so many good
people out there that'll do it.
Bob Buntyn (19:23):
And now we've got some big events coming up.
Terry Adams (19:26):
Oh yes.
Bob Buntyn (19:27):
Tell me about those.
The spaghetti dinner I guess isstarting.
Terry Adams (19:31):
We've got a spaghetti dinner.
Yeah, we've got a spaghettidinner.
Bob Buntyn (19:34):
Lakeland First Baptist Church sponsoring a
spaghetti dinner for us.
Jerry Allhands (19:39):
What's that going to benefit?
Terry Adams (19:41):
That will go into our building fund too we're
trying to raise.
Well, the building itself lookslike it's going to be about
$7.2 million because it'soffices.
It's a coffee area where theveterans can just sit around and
drink coffee and lie to eachother about who's the best
branch of the service, eventhough we know it's the Marines.
(20:01):
Well, I thought it was the AirForce.
No, no, no.
You guys, we have to explain toyou.
Two clicks left, two clicksleft, it's okay, we got a nuke
yeah I know, but we do.
Jerry Allhands (20:11):
We're on the ground anyway, uh.
Terry Adams (20:14):
But yeah, we'll have the coffee area where they
can sit around and and talk toeach other and carry on.
We'll have meeting rooms.
We'll have uh storage areasspecifically for, like, many of
the groups have weaponsgovernment rifles that need to
be secured.
Unfortunately, a lot of themare secured at folks homes and
(20:35):
it does meet the requirementbecause they're secured there,
but if the person who has aweapon passes away, the spouse
doesn't know what to do withthem and these aren't
operational weapons.
These are ceremonial weaponsyeah and so it would have secure
areas for that and it'll have aa rather large gathering hall
(20:56):
for events, an event room thatwe could use for the different
events and including renting itout to help support the place,
and it's about 13,000 squarefeet according to our latest
design.
And so we're constantly raisingmoney, doing things like
spaghetti dinner.
Over Veterans Day we put up 100four-foot by six-foot flags
(21:19):
that were up for two weeks andthey're again the people that
stepped up.
I planned four to five hours toget them up and just it was
amazing If you can imagine whata hundred four-foot-by-six-foot
flags looks like.
These guys came in, set up fournice straight rows, eight foot
(21:41):
apart and eight foot betweeneach flag.
They cut and drilled the PVC,they mounted the flags on the
pvc, they put them on, put rebarin the ground every eight feet
to put the pvc on to hold theflag up, and they did all that
and we're putting the tent inthe back of my truck in two
hours.
Wow, it was teamwork, but we'regetting that kind of teamwork.
(22:06):
When we took it down, we hadgotten the city of Lakeland in
as a Purple Heart City.
It's now with the NationalRegistry as a Purple Heart City.
We presented the mayor with arather large plaque about I
think it's 18 by 24, and hedidn't want to put it down.
But we did a ceremony that day,presented that to him and took
(22:28):
all these flags down, storedthem properly, folded them and
stored them them.
And we did that in two hoursand that ground looked like
nobody had been there and that'sthe way it's supposed to be.
And they again.
I had to shake my head and gowhat the heck?
You know that?
Where have these folks been?
But that's teamwork, that's thekind of teams we're getting to
(22:48):
come in and help.
Jerry Allhands (22:50):
Well now, all these people who volunteered to
come out and help with this, doyou think they're all veterans,
or is this a mix of veterans andcivilians?
Terry Adams (22:56):
Both it's veterans and civilian supporters and
their veterans' families.
The youngest guy putting it upwas that little one who was like
six years old.
He was out there picking up thesawed-off sections of the pvc,
picking up the cutoff for him.
They put the zip ties on theflags.
He he's out there helping.
And I mean the oldest guy outthere, jim, probably 75, yeah
(23:24):
and uh.
So we we really had the gambitand they were families and when
we would go out there therewould be people that would park
and get their picture in frontof the flags.
We don't know who they were.
Jerry Allhands (23:41):
What kind of signage did you have in front of
this?
Terry Adams (23:43):
Just one sign that said thank you to the city of
Lakeland and the mayor forletting us use their property.
Bob Buntyn (23:50):
Then we have signs coming up to it from the
different businesses that helpedsponsor it.
We didn't have those for theflag.
Terry Adams (23:58):
Oh, at the wall.
Bob Buntyn (23:59):
Oh, at the wall, I'm sorry.
Yeah, at the wall, we did have,we had, thank yous for the wall
.
Terry Adams (24:03):
Memphis Funeral Homes was one of the major
sponsors.
It was a major sponsor for thewall.
Who was that?
Funeral Homes?
Bob Buntyn (24:09):
was one of the major sponsors.
It was a major sponsor for thewall.
Who was that?
Terry Adams (24:11):
Memphis Funeral Homes.
Memphis Funeral Homes, yep, andyou know.
Again, I called Corey when Ineeded a favor.
I was down at the wire and hesaid what do you need?
And I told him and he said,okay, I'll get it.
And that's the kind of thingsthat they do.
Bob Buntyn (24:25):
And.
Terry Adams (24:25):
Corey is Corey.
Corey Haag of the DignityFuneral Homes in Memphis.
Jerry Allhands (24:33):
Now, I'm not from this area, so help me out
here.
Where is Lakeland, tennessee,in relation to South Haven,
mississippi?
Terry Adams (24:39):
It would be like straight up 269 and get off at
40 and go west on 41 exit.
Jerry Allhands (24:50):
So are we talking 30 minutes an hour From
here?
Bob Buntyn (24:53):
45 minutes from here , 45 minutes if you're doing the
speed limit.
Terry Adams (25:00):
Because it's right at exit 20,.
It doesn't matter if you comedown 51 and 269 around to it.
It doesn't matter if you'recoming in from Jackson on 40.
It doesn't matter if you'recoming up 55.
You just turn right on 40 andtake 40 east there to exit 20.
(25:20):
If you're coming over fromCreighton and County, same thing
Just straight across 40, andit's 30 minutes from West
Memphis.
Jerry Allhands (25:28):
Okay, and this field of flags, what I'm going
to call it was it seen from thehighway?
Was it easily seen from.
Terry Adams (25:37):
No, that one was not easily seen from the highway
Word kind of spread word ofmouth.
The day we went to take it downthere was a van load of people
out there getting pictures oftheir family in front of it and
guys and motorcycles the cornerof interstate 40 and canada road
is a very busy intersectiondefinitely a very large, very
(26:00):
big intersection once you getdown canada road to there by the
fire station.
Bob Buntyn (26:07):
That area there, yeah, it's easily seen from that
area there once now, with thenew one going up over memorial
day.
Terry Adams (26:15):
It'll be easily seen from the top of the ramp
from any direction, okay whichwill be over by the fire station
so the league building itself,mvli building, is going to be
where it'll be right there atcountered road 940 okay
easily seen though it should beeasily seen.
Uh, because it'll be seen moreif you're going westbound than
(26:38):
going eastbound.
Uh, we have a lot of peoplefrom out of state that call an
american legion post one,because it's the first one in
the book, want to know wherethey can stop and have a coffee
and meet with other veterans,and we don't really have a place
.
The only place in southwestTennessee that has a building
that's open on a regular basisis VFW 7175 in Millington,
(27:05):
because none of the rest of it.
There's only two of them thathave buildings and three VFWs
that have buildings, but onlyone of them is even open on a
regular basis.
So this will allow people tostop, no matter what group
they're with we don't care ifthey're, you know, purple Heart,
irreverent Warriors, whatever.
(27:25):
They want to stop and have acoffee and, you know, kill some
time, relax a little bit.
This will be a place to do it13,000 square feet in size.
Jerry Allhands (27:36):
I think you said yes.
Bob Buntyn (27:38):
So that's going to be a pretty big-sized facility.
Terry Adams (27:40):
How is?
Jerry Allhands (27:40):
it going to be broke down on the inside.
Terry Adams (27:44):
The four meeting rooms, one will be exclusive to
veterans.
Civilians won't be allowed inthere, because, as a veteran
yourself, you know there's timeswhen you want to scream and we
need a place.
I believe in my heart that weneed a place where you can go
scream, cry, laugh and, if youpartake down one or two, and
(28:09):
that's your business.
It doesn't need to be somethingwhere you have civilians going.
What's wrong with him, what'swrong with her?
Well, what's wrong with us iswe get trained to do things and
we never get untrained.
Right, because we will never beuntrained.
We've seen things others willnever see.
We've done things others willnever do, and so we are there to
(28:32):
look out for each other, andthat's where the mvli being the
group of veterans rather thanjust one particular organization
yeah, it would allow foranybody, from any organization.
you know we want to stop suicide, everybody wants to stop
suicide.
My brother committed suicideafter Vietnam.
(28:54):
I don't like it.
But if you have no place wherethey can go and just sit and be
with others who understand, whatdo you do?
Well, go to the VA.
The VA is a good place to gettreatment, but don't go sit in
that lobby down there.
It won't work.
Jerry Allhands (29:15):
So this is going to be a private room for
veterans.
Only Individual shows up.
How is he going to prove he's avet?
Terry Adams (29:22):
He'll have a lot of paperwork somewhere in your
driver's license today.
If you're a veteran, has thaton it your VA card, your
American Legion card, your DAVcard, your Purple Heart card,
your VFW card, membership cardsin any organization.
If they don't have it, then youget to that story about the guy
that was running the bar.
(29:44):
And this guy walked in thereand goes I'm an Army vet.
And the owner goes really, hesaid and what was your MOS?
And he told him I was 11 Bravo.
Bartender says okay, you'refine.
Next guy walks in.
He said I was in the Navy andhe said okay.
(30:05):
He says well, what did you doin the Navy?
What was your rate?
He says I was an MS.
You know a cook.
He said okay, you're good, goahead.
The guy from the Marines walkedin and he just had that look
and he still asked me.
He said were you in themilitary?
He goes yeah, I'm a Marine.
He said what's your MOS?
He said I'm a vet too.
(30:31):
He says I was in the air forceand he said, okay, you're good.
And he walked on by and theother bartender goes over there
and says why didn't you ask himanything?
He says because nobody liesabout being in the air force.
I'll show myself out excuse.
Jerry Allhands (30:48):
I'm going to press this button right here and
see what happens.
Bob Buntyn (30:53):
Stay away from the shiny red buttons.
That's the eject seat button hejust pushed, mercy.
Terry Adams (31:01):
In helping the veterans, you have to have fun
while you're doing it.
Sure, you have to be dedicated.
You have to be committed, and Ithink most of us need to be
dedicated.
You have to be committed, and Ithink most of us need to be
committed.
Jerry Allhands (31:13):
I was going there, then I stopped myself.
Terry Adams (31:15):
Yeah, it's something where, if you have
that commitment, then you willenjoy what you're doing and the
people that are doing this withthe MVLI.
I honestly believe we all enjoydoing it.
There's times when it gets alittle taxing.
Bob Buntyn (31:31):
Yes, I mean, terry runs from Bartlett to Olive
Branch.
I run from Olive Branch toLakeland.
We're running all over theMid-South getting these things
done.
Jerry Allhands (31:46):
Let's pause for a moment to hear from some of
the people who have helped tomake this episode possible with
their financial support.
A very special thank you toDean and Judy Graves of Mount
Vernon, missouri, for theirfinancial support.
Dean passed away recentlywithout ever hearing the podcast
, but he believed in thisproject and his support helps to
make each episode possible, andfor that we say thank you.
Terry Adams (32:07):
Possible and for that we say thank you.
Hi, this is Judy Graves ofMount Vernon, missouri inviting
you to listen to the nextepisode of the Veteran Sound Off
podcast.
Nora Moreland (32:27):
Hello, my name is Nora Moreland.
I am a proud US Marine, thegranddaughter of a World War II
US Navy veteran, adelbert Shea,who served in the Pacific
Theater, the wife of a combatcorpsman and a mother of an
active-duty Marine.
I would humbly ask you tosponsor the Veterans Sound Off
podcast.
Each episode tells the storiesof what we in the American
Legion do locally and around theworld.
(32:47):
Thank you.
Wreaths Across America (32:49):
You can join in the mission to remember
our fallen heroes, honor thosewho currently serve and their
families, and teach youngergenerations about the value of
freedom.
A $17 donation to WreathsAcross America sponsors a fresh
balsam remembrance wreath.
These wreaths have become asymbol of America's respect for
those who have served and nolonger walk with us.
(33:09):
Sponsor a wreath today.
Visit wreathsacrossamericaorgor call 877-385-9504.
Jerry Allhands (33:19):
To buy a wreath, call Carlene Parker at
662-415-6743.
Again, that's 662-415-6743.
Nora Moreland (33:31):
Hey, this is Kobe Stewart from Springfield
Missouri inviting you to catchthe next episode of Veteran
Sound Off Podcast.
When a person calls 988,they're connected to a crisis
counselor.
Crisis is completelyself-defined.
If you're wondering if youshould call, you should probably
call.
Wreaths Across America (33:50):
A caller can expect to talk about coping
skills, talk about resourcesand ways to move forward beyond
the call.
Nora Moreland (33:58):
They can call us, they can chat, they can text
and when they come out on theother side they're feeling
better.
Call or text 988.
Or chat 988lifelineorg.
Be The One (34:08):
Be willing to show up for your veteran, your friend
, your loved one.
Be willing to trust your gut,follow your heart, take a risk.
Be the one willing to ask, toguess wrong, to even offend
another, to keep them safe, toremind them that they are
valuable.
If you know a veteran, be theone to reach out and make them a
(34:32):
part of your life.
Jerry Allhands (34:35):
The Veterans Sound Off podcast is made
possible by you, the listener,and we need your help in keeping
this podcast series going.
Your continued financialsupport enables us to produce
these episodes.
Call 662-902-6658 today andwe'll give you all the details
on how you and or your businesscan become a sponsor.
And now back to this episode ofthe Veterans Sound Off podcast
(34:58):
Hard work hard work.
It's what they say Hard work,hard work.
I'm a veteran.
Terry Adams (35:04):
It does get a little taxing from time.
One of our big accomplishmentswas what we started there post-1
, our Mid-South Funeral HonorsTeam.
We do funerals.
We have the rifle team, we havethe buglers.
We have flag folders, we havethe chaplain.
Whatever they team, we have thebuglers, we have flag folders,
we have the chaplain.
Whatever they need, we can showup and do it and we do.
We've done as many as sevenfunerals in one day and we did
(35:25):
those in three states, and it'swhat we do.
We did what.
Did you say?
100 last year?
Bob Buntyn (35:31):
We did almost 100, yeah, 93 last year.
Jerry Allhands (35:34):
We have a funeral this coming Sunday in
Senatobiaobia mississippi, and,if I'm not mistaken, one of your
members is at a funeral todayyes, yes, well, he's at a
personal funeral.
Terry Adams (35:44):
Okay, this is not a military funeral uh, but yeah,
it's what we do because everyveteran deserves the honor and
military doesn't have thefunding to give that honor every
time and they're barely doingwell to get two people and often
we get called to replace thosetwo people.
(36:05):
Just to do the flag, just to dothe flag, the flag and taps and
we find it's an honor and westarted this eight, nine years
ago and you know Bob has been onTV with it, on national TV.
Uh, I was hiding in the shadowsthat day cause I didn't need to
be out there being on thewitness protection program at
(36:28):
all.
Yeah, Biggest sniper from themafia.
Jerry Allhands (36:30):
You know, I understand that.
Terry Adams (36:32):
Yeah, yeah, you know you, you gotta kind of hide
it out a little bit.
Jerry Allhands (36:41):
Tell me.
Terry Adams (36:42):
Uh, tell me about the ML.
The ml mvli is the overallmission is, is going to be what?
The?
The foundation?
The mission is to raise funds.
The mvli we.
Our motto is to honor the past,continue the journey and shape
the future.
Because we honor the past bydoing these many things, like
Memorial Day and the funerals,and we continue the journey by
(37:09):
being out here every day andhelping the veterans, and we
shape the future by going out.
I often end up going out toschools anything from grade
schools to high schools to talkabout veterans and how we do the
many things we do and continueto do them, and I try to explain
to these young people that youknow, being a veteran, you don't
(37:32):
have to be 80 years old to be aveteran.
We have veterans who are 17years old.
The minute they go into servicethey become a veteran.
You know, they serve one day ofactive duty.
We consider them a veteranbecause they have now learned
things and they're learningthings every day that shape
their life.
And without that kind of amission, you know they don't go
(37:55):
in there and we learn in ourboot camp and our basic training
the many things that it takesto survive in life.
I wish more young people woulddo that.
Jerry Allhands (38:07):
I do too.
I agree with you on that.
Tell me how somebody coulddonate to this fund, to this
endeavor.
Terry Adams (38:16):
Well, don't bring cash please.
Okay, jim's not here.
Uh, no, we have a a web page,mvliorg, and in the top right
corner is a little tab that saysdonate and they can do, uh,
paypal, visa, mastercard, youknow just about any electronic
(38:41):
source of donations, and alldonations to the MVLI are tax
deductible.
So, being the 501c3 charitableand we're real happy that we
have people that do donate,we're always looking for a good
grant writer.
Jerry Allhands (39:02):
I'll take one of those.
Terry Adams (39:05):
Grant writing is something that they say oh use
AI.
Well, ai writes the same grantfor you and me and everybody
else, so it doesn't stand out asbeing special.
But yeah, grants will be themainstay of getting this up and
running.
We do not want it to be agovernment organization, because
(39:26):
then the government can come inand say, well, you can't do
these things.
No, you can't do those things.
You know, our uh, our politicalparty frowns on you doing this,
so you might not want to dothat, or you won't get funding
next year, and it's stuff likethat and we don't want any of
that.
We want this to be owned andoperated by the veterans and the
community.
In talking with the citymanager and the mayor, they did
(39:50):
not realize that one of thebenefits to having this building
there in the case of extremeweather extreme cold when the
power goes out, extreme coldwhen the power goes out, extreme
heat when the power goes outwe'll have a generator there.
We'll be able to house thecivilians of the area.
Because it's a community center, it it's got to be set up so
(40:10):
that people can utilize it as acommunity center, but focused on
the veterans all All rightsaying that.
Jerry Allhands (40:17):
I know that you've got one room that's going
to be set aside for veteransonly.
We've discussed how we're goingto approve our veteran to get
into the room and what we'll dothere.
But the rest of the building.
Let's talk about the layoutthere somewhat.
Terry Adams (40:33):
I actually have a picture.
I'm surprised I didn't givethat to you A floor plan.
Jerry Allhands (40:39):
A floor plan.
Terry Adams (40:43):
It's set up to where it kind of resembles a
Quonset hut, to give it thatmilitary look, but it's also
designed so that parts of it canbe shut off when not needed, so
we're not having to heat it inthe winter and cool it in the
summer, keeping utilities down.
We really have done a lot ofthinking and talking about this
(41:08):
and even now that's not ingranite, that's all in sand,
because if we find there's abetter design or layout, then we
definitely want to do that,because it's supposed to be for
the veterans and we welcomeveterans and their families and
business people coming in andgiving us an idea, a thought,
(41:31):
what they would like to see,what they would like us to do
with it, because it is about thecommunity, it's about the
veterans, it's about taking careof each other.
And then Bob's just handed youa floor plan and and a sketch of
the building, I think, and soit's something that I honestly
(41:54):
believe that we can be a benefitto, not only the veterans.
You know, with 100,000 veteranshere, the federal government
says that each veteran hasroughly three family members
living either with them or closeby, and if we look at 100,000
veterans with three familymembers, you're talking that
(42:15):
could possibly affect 400,000people.
Now I see a need there.
Yeah.
Jerry Allhands (42:23):
I see a very large need right now and in the
future to come as well.
The Quonset Hut brings backmemories.
Bob Buntyn (42:33):
And for those of you who are too young to remember
some of that.
Jerry Allhands (42:36):
Let me suggest that you go find yourself a good
episode of Gomer Pyle, USMC.
And that is probably thebiggest example of what most of
us will see of a Quonset hut.
Terry Adams (42:48):
And when I was in boot camp in 68, we didn't have
Quonset huts for our platoonbecause there were so many of us
.
They had us in tents.
They were looking for cannonfodder, so they were just
cramming them in and we hadtents, wooden floors, and you
know, it's the way it was.
Jerry Allhands (43:08):
Yeah, as soon as I said Gilmer Powell, that
series the next visual that cameinto my mind was Heartbreak.
Ridge Clint Eastwood took oversome.
Terry Adams (43:21):
Must be a movie.
Bob Buntyn (43:21):
It was a movie yeah, Terry doesn't watch movies.
Terry Adams (43:24):
I don't do movies, I have enough problems.
Bob Buntyn (43:26):
Matter of fact, we were talking the other day about
a John Wayne movie that I lovedit, Anyway, and, being a radio
man communications, I enjoyedthis because they called it an
airstrike on a mountain.
When it was over with, JohnWayne turned to the radio and
said how does it feel to havejust spent a million dollars?
(43:47):
That was in 1969.
Wow.
Terry Adams (43:54):
You know, our group has been able to perform some
miracles, some more amazing thanothers.
But some people say how do youdo that?
I don't know.
You know we gather together forGod and country.
We're not about oh, this isBob's show, or this is Jerry's
(44:16):
show, or Terry's show or Jim'sshow.
This is about taking care ofeach other and when you rely on
each other and the good Lordleading you, I don't think you
can get away from succeeding.
Bob Buntyn (44:29):
I think you got a phone call yesterday from a
stranded veteran in Memphistrying to get to Little Rock,
Arkansas.
Terry Adams (44:37):
It's every day and that's why I turned my phone off
for this session, because everyday these calls come in and it
could be something simple, andsometimes it's.
We had a guy not long ago whohad they missed a paycheck for
whatever reason.
He had a family, five kids.
He says, look, he said I justneed a little help.
(44:59):
Uh, he said can you make me aloan or a handout or something
that'll help?
I said, well, what's going on?
He said my check didn't come in.
I got to get groceries for thefamily and I said, well, meet me
at this kroger's store.
And we went in and we boughtgroceries and we focused on good
food, not junk food, food tosustain him and the five kids
(45:26):
for a week.
And as I was getting ready toleave, I said, well, how'd you
get over here?
He said, well, I was going towalk because I'm almost out of
gas, but I didn't think I couldbe here in time.
I said, well, pull your cararound to the gas pump there,
we'll fill that up too.
And so we did, because that'swhat we do, you know, if we
don't take care of each otherwho's going to do it Exactly,
(45:47):
exactly, looking out for eachother.
Jerry Allhands (45:50):
Tell me a little bit more about how, if somebody
wants to join MVLI, can they dothat?
What's involved?
Terry Adams (45:57):
Sure, and for guys like yourself, anybody who's in
the Air Force, we have a$500,000 minimum payment.
Jerry Allhands (46:05):
You do remember I said I was an enlisted grunt
right, the Army of the Air Forcefor a minute.
I protected those things thatgo boom in the night.
Terry Adams (46:15):
No I kid about things like that, but I probably
shouldn't.
My wife says no, be seriousabout things like that, but I
probably shouldn't.
My wife says no, be seriouswhen they ask that question.
But to join us, come to ameeting.
Our meetings are the firstThursday of each month.
They're held at theInternational Harvester
Managerial Center in Lakeland.
It's an opportunity to meet theothers, to voice an opinion, to
(46:37):
see what we're doing, to findout what's happening.
If you want to help, it's achance to come out and help.
Bob Buntyn (46:42):
If you can't make that, and it doesn't cost your
group anything to join.
Terry Adams (46:47):
That's right.
Every group is welcome to senda representative, because if the
whole group wants to show up,I'm in the Vietnam Vets of
America and they're not talkingabout bringing their meeting out
to us because it's the samenight.
They can never make it.
And I told Gary I said come on,bring it on.
You are all welcome there.
Any veteran is welcome.
Jerry Allhands (47:08):
Okay, give me again the day and time that you
meet, and then give me aphysical location along with the
zip code.
Terry Adams (47:15):
First Thursday of each month at 6 pm.
It's at the InternationalHarvester Managerial Center
located at 4523 Canada Road,lakeland 48002, if you need to
(47:36):
put it in your GPS, okay.
I'm sorry, 3-8-0-0-2.
Did.
Bob Buntyn (47:40):
I say 4-8?
.
You said 4-8.
Terry Adams (47:42):
3-8-0-0-2.
Bob Buntyn (47:44):
Yeah.
Terry Adams (47:45):
I did that once before on some business cards
and all our mail went toMichigan.
Jerry Allhands (47:48):
You, see, and that's why the Marines always
complained about the bombsdropping short.
They gave us the wrongcoordinates.
Terry Adams (47:55):
And then they don't hear.
The Air Force doesn't hear thecorrection.
Jerry Allhands (47:58):
That's true.
Air Force doesn't hear thecorrection, that's true, that's
true.
Terry Adams (48:00):
What do you?
Jerry Allhands (48:01):
say Huh, repeat, repeat oh my Lord have for sure
, all right.
So it's the first Thursday at 6pm at the what?
Terry Adams (48:11):
International Harvester Managerial Center.
That's a mouthful.
Oh yeah, IHMC is easier.
Bob Buntyn (48:17):
Which was purchased by the city of Lakeland.
Terry Adams (48:21):
Yeah.
Bob Buntyn (48:21):
And the city of Lakeland operates the
International HarvesterManagerial Center, which is a
beautiful park.
Terry Adams (48:28):
A gorgeous facility .
It really is.
It's an amazing facility.
Bob Buntyn (48:32):
It's an amazing facility Lakeland was lucky 4523
Canada Road, lakeland,mississippi, no Lakeland.
Tennessee, lakeland Tennessee.
But I know where LakelandMississippi, no, lakeland
Tennessee, lakeland Tennessee.
Jerry Allhands (48:42):
But I know where Lakeland Mississippi is.
Bob Buntyn (48:44):
Oh, this is Lakeland , Tennessee that we're talking
about.
I know where.
Terry Adams (48:47):
Lakeland.
Florida is too, but I'm notdriving there for a meeting.
Jerry Allhands (48:51):
So we're at Lakeland, Tennessee, Lakeland.
Tennessee 3-8-0-0-2 and thewebsite for MVLI is what.
Terry Adams (49:01):
MVLIorg.
Jerry Allhands (49:03):
Okay, Now you told me earlier that you
yourself are totally responsiblefor everything on this website.
Is that correct?
Terry Adams (49:11):
No, no, I have an executive secretary which by the
way, all of us the boardmembers and all the helpers are
all volunteers.
We have no employees.
It's too important to look formoney to do this and I know that
shocks some people that know mebecause they see me everywhere.
(49:32):
But no, I do this as avolunteer.
Our executive secretary, Mary,does an outstanding job of
keeping that web page up.
She helps with our Facebookpage, she helps with the web
page, she coordinates things,she supports Bob being the
secretary and helping him withthe notes and helping Jim.
(49:53):
You know, when money comes in,this is what account it should
go to and that's the account itshould go to, and so she's just.
She's there all the time in theshadows.
Bob Buntyn (50:02):
She's an integral part of our organization, for
sure.
Terry Adams (50:05):
And she represents us for the Honor Our Troops
Association in Olive Branch, forthe events that we do down here
.
She represents the MVLI.
So yeah, she's an importantpart of it, for sure.
Jerry Allhands (50:21):
And that's mvliorg.
If you'd like to make donations, you'd like to know more about
the organization, that would bethe place to go.
Yes, sir.
Is there this nice outline yougave me here of the building and
everything that's on thewebsite as well?
Terry Adams (50:37):
No, I don't think it is.
We can get it up there though.
Okay, now that you say that,make a note.
Jerry Allhands (50:44):
I'm good for something today.
Terry Adams (50:47):
I always thought the Air Force was.
Well, how?
About the Army, well, the AirForce.
I was amazed that they were theonly ones to ever walk into our
tents and go where are thechandeliers?
Jerry Allhands (50:59):
Let's see his box of crayons is getting
smaller by the minute.
Bob Buntyn (51:02):
You know what I'm saying.
Jerry Allhands (51:03):
I'll tell you what gentlemen, I appreciate you
being here so much today and Ihope that we've answered, uh, at
least a few questions that theaudience might have about what
the mvli is.
And again, that's the mid.
Uh, you say what is the?
Terry Adams (51:17):
midouth veterans league incorporated mvli.
And I tell you, jerry, thankyou for having us on here.
I it's always a pleasure to seeyou and I hope others will
continue to listen to your showin the future too.
Bob Buntyn (51:32):
I appreciate I didn't run them off with my
stupid jokes and one moreupcoming event that we didn't
talk about is the chuckwagon.
Oh, that's not set yet butwe're working on bringing a
chuckwagon into lakeland, okayand yeah, it will.
You know the american legiondoes a big one in corinth right,
(51:53):
something similar to that.
Terry Adams (51:55):
This will be the weekend after memorial day,
after Memorial Day, and theAmerican Legion writers are
doing a legacy run.
They may be stopping by andwe're talking about having the
chuck wagon in there, so we'llhave vittles for them, and oh
yeah, so we like to do thingsfirst class, I mean, if you're
(52:16):
going to do them doing uprightSure yeah, absolutely.
Jerry Allhands (52:19):
You bring it up to the chuck wagon and all of a
sudden I'm getting hungry.
Terry Adams (52:22):
I was Indian.
Joe is a big supporter of theveterans.
He's out of Arkansas.
He supports the Fisher House.
If you know what the FisherHouse is, they're home for like
the Ronald McDonald House of the.
Nora Moreland (52:38):
VA yes.
Terry Adams (52:39):
And yeah, he's a big supporter of that raises
funds for that.
He wants to come in and help usraise funds for our building,
so yeah, A few things going on.
We're always doing something.
Jerry Allhands (52:51):
There'll be an outline on the MVLIorg page.
Terry Adams (52:54):
Yes, sir, there sure will as soon as we get it
solid, then we're good to go.
All right, come on out to thespaghetti dinner on March 22nd.
Come on up and see us for aspaghetti dinner.
You get a chance to Jerry.
I'm talking to you now, I'mwriting it down.
Grab the wife and say honey,I'm taking you out to dinner.
When she hears where you'regoing, she may Believe me.
Bob Buntyn (53:17):
Lakeland Tennessee is beautiful and appropriately
named.
It is Lakeland Tennessee isbeautiful and appropriately
named.
It is Lakeland Tennessee.
Terry Adams (53:25):
It's gorgeous.
Jerry Allhands (53:25):
up there there's a huge lake right there,
absolutely gorgeous, and thedinner's going to be where, at
the Lakeland, the First.
Terry Adams (53:31):
Baptist Church yeah , First Baptist Church, oh no,
it's a Lakeland.
Bob Buntyn (53:34):
Which is right across the street from.
It's the Lakeland BaptistChurch.
What did I?
Say you said First Baptist.
Oh, what did I say?
You said First Baptist.
It's not First Baptist,lakeland Baptist, it's the
Lakeland Baptist, which isdirectly across the street from
the managerial center, exactly.
I mean directly across thestreet Right off of US 70.
Terry Adams (53:50):
Canada Road.
Jerry Allhands (53:50):
Canada Road, and that's Lakeland Tennessee not
Lakeland Mississippi or LakelandFlorida.
Bob Buntyn (53:55):
Correct, not Lakeland Florida, that's a long
drive for some spaghetti.
Terry Adams (53:58):
Yes, I've gotten people from Lakeland, florida,
who said we couldn't find youand it's like because you're in
the wrong state.
Jerry Allhands (54:05):
There you go.
So March 22nd is the SpaghettiDinner.
Terry Adams (54:08):
Fundraiser, what time 5 o'clock to 8 o'clock.
All right, it's all being doneby volunteers.
We had people that jumped upand said, oh, we want to make
the sauce.
Bob Buntyn (54:22):
Really and said oh, we want to make the sauce.
Jerry Allhands (54:23):
Really, do you know how much we want to make
the beans?
Wait, wait.
I thought you said we werehaving a spaghetti dinner and
you just said sauce.
Terry Adams (54:26):
Where's the gravy Gravy on spaghetti Sure.
Jerry Allhands (54:30):
You know, it's the only way the Irish eat it or
do it on me.
Terry Adams (54:35):
What part of the country are you from?
Over yonder, over yonder.
Jerry Allhands (54:40):
Over yonder from .
Terry Adams (54:40):
Ovionda.
Jerry Allhands (54:41):
Ovionda.
With the Italians it's gravy.
Okay, where's that sniper at?
Jokes are getting bad folks.
March 22nd, 5 to 8 pm, is aspaghetti dinner fundraiser.
It is across the street fromthe International Harvester
Managerial Center, close to 4523.
(55:02):
It's 4600.
It is 4600.
The church, the church is 4600.
Terry Adams (55:09):
Okay, lakeland Baptist Church.
Lakeland Baptist Church, 4600,canada Road, all right.
Jerry Allhands (55:16):
The zip code is 38002.
Terry Adams (55:17):
Yes, all right.
Jerry Allhands (55:20):
We'll get that correct here in a minute or two.
All right, fundraiser, what'sthe cost on the dinner?
Terry Adams (55:29):
$15.
Okay, all you can eat.
Careful now.
Jerry Allhands (55:33):
Careful now Doesn't matter.
I got a hollow leg when itcomes to spaghetti.
Terry Adams (55:37):
The church said don't worry, we're going to make
it.
So Yep, Okay.
Jerry Allhands (55:43):
And of course you will be taking additional
donations if somebody wants to,of course, yeah, well we turn
those down.
Terry Adams (55:50):
He does, we don't.
Jim will be standing there withhis hand out.
But yeah, we're really lookingforward to it.
They did a breakfast for uswhen we were raising funds for
the wall and they were verygenerous.
And you know, we're not goingto ask anybody to join the
(56:11):
church.
If they want to, they'rewelcome to.
We're not going to ask anybodyto join the MVLI, but they're
welcome to if they want to.
This is not to recruit, it's toinform, to have some fun, meet
up with a bunch of veterans.
It's kind of like havingspaghetti with a vet.
Jerry Allhands (56:29):
Well, there ought to be a lot of us there
then.
Yeah, I don't know if I askedthis question earlier.
If I did, I'll fix it, but isthere a cost to join the MVLI?
Terry Adams (56:40):
No, currently there is no cost.
You've already paid the dues.
You joined the military.
You paid dues beyond belief andmany paid more than just a
little time in the service.
They continue to pay and as aMarine, I understand that and we
(57:06):
had discussed that and wedecided no, you've paid the dues
.
Let's work on the donationsthrough and funding through our
pledges through grants, thingslike that.
We don't need to have a costbecause not everybody can afford
it and those that have it arewelcome to donate more than what
(57:28):
they want.
Jerry Allhands (57:30):
Well, guys, I appreciate you being here today.
Thank you so much for lettingme have this sit down with you
and learn more about the MVLIand look forward to getting
involved with it more in thevery near future.
Jerry, you're welcome anytime.
Thank you, Bob.
Would you please give us aclosing prayer?
Bob Buntyn (57:47):
Lord, thank you very much for the day, for the
opportunity to let the worldknow what we do for the veterans
that have sacrificed their timeand efforts for this great
nation.
We ask your blessings in yourname, amen.
Jerry Allhands (58:06):
Thank you, appreciate it.
And that was our visit with theMid-South Veterans League
located in Lakeland, tennessee.
Be sure to join us next Mondaymorning as we return to Corinth
and visit with the Legion Ridersof Perry A Johns Post 6.
A very special thank you toJonathan Michael Fleming for his
musical talents.
You can find his CDs and videoson Facebook, instagram, amazon
(58:27):
Music and YouTube.
We hope you've enjoyed thisepisode and look forward to your
feedback and ask that yousubscribe too and share the
Veterans Sound Off podcast withyour friends and family.
If you have a comment,suggestion or questions, or you
would like to become a supporterof this podcast, please call
662-902-6658, and we'll get backto you as soon as possible.
(58:50):
This has been a production ofAll Hands Media LLC, with
offices in Renalara, mississippi.
All rights reserved.
Popular Podcasts
New Heights with Jason & Travis Kelce
Football’s funniest family duo — Jason Kelce of the Philadelphia Eagles and Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs — team up to provide next-level access to life in the league as it unfolds. The two brothers and Super Bowl champions drop weekly insights about the weekly slate of games and share their INSIDE perspectives on trending NFL news and sports headlines. They also endlessly rag on each other as brothers do, chat the latest in pop culture and welcome some very popular and well-known friends to chat with them. Check out new episodes every Wednesday. Follow New Heights on the Wondery App, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to new episodes early and ad-free, and get exclusive content on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. And join our new membership for a unique fan experience by going to the New Heights YouTube channel now!
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!