"Women and Minority Veterans Roundtable." An event held April 11, 2023 at Patriot Hall in Los Angeles. Organized by Greg Lee, former California Commander of the Jewish War Veterans.
After inducting new military recruits in Los Angeles, and following his speech to more young people, we asked visiting guest speaker, NBC/MSNBC military analyst Col. Jack Jacobs (a US Medal of Honor recipient) how well he feels Vietnam veterans are finally getting their due? Might American security benefit from a national service obligation for young people living here nowadays?
Part 1: "Introducing the Participants" "A Who's Who of Leading Veteran Advocates and Providers.
Greg Lee of the Jewish War Veterans leads the exploration of the current state of collaboration and coordination among veteran groups in Sacramento. While there may be several separate groups working on similar issues, they are not always aligned or coordinated. Mr. Lee believes that collaboration and coordination among experts in different areas can be beneficial and can help move the dial in the right direction. Regarding producer-generated content, the video touches on the topic of social media, specifically short reels on TikTok, which are currently popular among younger audiences.
The hosts also discuss the effects of the pandemic on the industry and the importance of marketing efforts in promoting the important work being done by these organizations. The video welcomes the attendees and acknowledges the challenges they faced getting there.
The next speaker, Dov Cohen, gives a brief invocation on behalf of the National Cemetery Support Foundation, and the deputy director of the Los Angeles County Department of Military and Veteran Affairs discusses the importance of their role in the event. The speakers in this session focus on advocating for veterans and their families, specifically women veterans. They discuss the issue of women veterans not participating in the full range of veteran benefits programs, despite being the fastest-growing cohort. They emphasize the need to help these veterans better understand their eligibility and connect them to these resources, as well as acknowledge the sacrifices made by all veterans, regardless of gender.
The video introduces a group of leaders actively involved with the Rolling Vietnam Mall, including Captain Tasu Battalion EXO for Los Angeles recruiting, Dr. Ali H. Hong, Trojan Success Initiatives Director at USC, and Janine Williams, a USC veteran and center supervisor for the veterans Resource Center. The group also features Cedric Thomas, office administrator for the Los Angeles National Cemetery, Glenn Sheer, past commander of the Hollywood Squadron 43, Jeff D, US Marine Corps Commander, and Chaplain Dove Cohen, US Air Force Vietnam. They discuss their relationships with various veteran organizations and the work they do to provide resources and support for veterans and their families. The video concludes with reflections on the host's experience of interacting with civilians who don't understand the challenges faced by veterans during their transition to civilian life. The host emphasizes the importance of empowering veterans with resources and guidance to achieve success in their career. The video also introduces several veterans who are present in the roundtable and provides insight into their backgrounds, experiences, and achievements.
- 00:00:00 In this section of the Roundtable Pt 1, the speaker discusses the current state of collaboration and coordination among veteran groups in Sacramento. While there may be several separate groups working on similar issues, they are not always aligned or coordinated. However, the speaker believes that collaboration and coordination among experts in different areas can be beneficial and can help move the dial in the right direction. The speaker also emphasizes the need to address the growing number of women veterans and the importance of their contributions. Women veterans in the military currently make up a 50% contingent when all dependent spouses, reserves, guards, and other family members and caregivers are included. This is a significant increase from the 20% of women that previously comprised the military. The speaker acknowledges that addressing the needs of women veterans and minorities will require consistent incremental improvements, but believes that this can lead to significant changes in the future. The speaker then discusses the importance of addressing minority veteran issues, specifically the Jewish War Veterans, the Latino community, and the African-American population. While the latter may have more visibility, the speaker is excited to extend a hand of friendship to the Latino community and acknowledge their contributions to the veteran community.
- 00:05:00 In this section the hosts discuss various topics related to veteran advocacy and provision. They begin by asking everyone to introduce themselves, emphasizing the importance of standing up and being succinct during these introductions. The video then moves on to the topic of social media, specifically short reels on Tik Tok, which are currently popular among younger audiences. The hosts also discuss the effects of the pandemic on the industry and the importance of marketing efforts in promoting the important work being done by these organizations. The video ends with a call to appreciate different opinions and respect the diversity of viewpoints.
- 00:10:00 In this section Greg Lee welcomes the attendees and thanks them for coming to Downtown LA. He acknowledges the challenges of getting there, but expresses gratitude for their presence. The host then gives an introduction of the next speaker, Dove Cohen, who will be giving a brief invocation. Cohen is an Air Force veteran, chaplain, and chairman emeritus of the National Cemetery Support Foundation. The host then acknowledges and thanks the deputy director of the Los Angeles County Department of Military and Veteran Affairs, Stephanie Stone, for her participation and leadership in the event.
- 00:15:00 In this section, the speakers discuss their focus on advocating for veterans and their families, specifically women veterans. They highlight the issue of women veterans not participating in the full range of veteran benefits programs, despite being the fastest growing cohort. They also mention the need to help these veterans better understand their eligibility and connect them to these resources, as well as to acknowledge the sacrifices made by all veterans, regardless of gender. The speakers include Bob Lee, retired from the US Navy, who served in the First Gulf War and now serves as vice commander of American Legion Post 138; Ronnie Guy, who served in the US Army and has been involved with Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom; and a recovered Cuyahoga County Veteran Service Officer who has focused on advocating for veterans since leaving the Air Force. Along with Shad Metcalf, president and founder of the National Veterans Foundation, and Dr. R. Shad Macon, they emphasize the importance of supporting and connecting with all veterans and providing them with resources they are entitled to.
- 00:20:00 In this section, a group of leaders actively involved with the Rolling Vietnam Mall are introduced. The National Cemetery at the Rolling Vietnam Mall is going to host the largest Vietnam Wall display that travels, and it is expected to attract a record audience. Captain Tasu Battalion EXO for Los Angeles recruiting is also present. Dr. Ali H. Hong, Trojan Success Initiatives Director at USC, discusses his focus on serving historically marginalized populations and addressing equity issues. Janine Williams, a USC veteran and center supervisor for the veterans Resource Center, speaks about her work with community engagement and programming for veteran and military students. Cedric Thomas, office administrator for the Los Angeles National Cemetery, shares information about benefits extended to veterans, spouses, and children. Glenn Sheer, past commander of the Hollywood Squadron 43, shares information about the National Cemetery Support Foundation. Jeff D, US Marine Corps Commander, discusses the American Legion and his work with the national level podcast Tango Alpha Lima. Chaplain Dove Cohen, US Air Force Vietnam, shares a message of hope and wisdom for the audience. Finally, the Pink Lady, an actress and producer, and her partner, introduce their TV show and talk about their work with the senior and veteran military committee.
- 00:25:00 In this section, several leaders from veteran organizations discuss their relationships with the Marine Corps and their activities related to providing knitted goods for veterans and recruiting young veterans. Dr. Jerry Silver, a Flight Surgeon in the Marine Corps, talks about his relationship with the Department Commander for their state and their work with the hospital and various branches of the Marines. He also mentions their success in providing wool for a group of ladies who make lap blankets and other items for veterans. Jerick Lindz, the incoming president of the Veterans Association of USC, talks about his experiences mentoring young veterans and helping them transition from the military to civilian life. Leo Trinos, the Program Manager for Veteran Pure Access Network District 1, also discusses his work with JVS Soel and their Veteran and Perer Access Network team, as well as his collaboration with the Supervisor District 1. Joe Le, an Army veteran and advocate, talks about his experiences mentoring young veterans and helping them understand the challenges of transitioning from the military to civilian life.
- 00:30:00 In this section, the host, a veteran himself, shares his experience of interacting with civilians who don't understand the challenges faced by veterans during their transition to civilian life. The host speaks about the importance of empowering veterans with resources and guidance to achieve success in their career. The video also introduces several veterans who are present in the roundtable and provides insight into their backgrounds, experiences, and achievements. The video highlights the importance of advocacy for veterans in achieving their goals and building a better future.
- 00:35:00 In this section, we meet five individuals who are leaders in the veteran community. Sam Uden is a sergeant major in the US Army and post commander in Jewish war vets. Dave Smith is a retired Air Force officer who served as a test pilot and now works as a civilian supporting the Air National Guard. Jack Jacobs is a retired US Army major general who worked as a test pilot at the Skunk Works. Scott Abrams is the district director for Congressman Brad Sherman, who helps veterans with their benefits through his office's casework system. Nelson Mellitz is the national commander for the Jewish War Veterans and has served for 32 years.
- 00:40:00 In this section, the speaker discusses the importance of education and how it is a key to moving forward in today's world. They highlight the contributions of two individuals, Colonel Jack Jacobs of West Point and their alma mater, the University of Southern California. The speaker talks about how Colonel Jack Jacobs teaches firsties at West Point, preparing them for leadership roles. They also express the value of learning from past experiences and how time seems to go by quickly when we get older.
- 00:45:00 In this section, the speaker reflects on their experience as a cadet and the impact they had on their cadets. They highlight examples of cadets who grew up to become successful leaders, including Ray Odno, who became Chief of Staff of the Army, Marty Dempsey, who became Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Bob C, who became the Superintendent of West Point. The speaker also emphasizes the importance of education in passing on the lessons learned and sacrifices made by previous generations. They encourage everyone to make a commitment every day to teach everything they know to succeeding generations in order to remain free.