WEBVTT 00:00.340 --> 00:03.580 um , what did we do today ? Wow . Um , 00:03.590 --> 00:06.740 what we did today is I was installed , 00:06.750 --> 00:09.450 I guess that's the right word as the 00:09.450 --> 00:11.617 joint task force honorary commander to 00:11.617 --> 00:13.680 the Nevada National Guard . Um , the 00:13.690 --> 00:15.912 brief , probably the biggest takeaway I 00:15.912 --> 00:17.912 had from the brief this morning was 00:18.140 --> 00:20.830 obviously , you know , we all know that 00:20.830 --> 00:23.400 militarily , there's such a degree of 00:23.400 --> 00:26.900 organization and structure . Um , and 00:26.900 --> 00:28.678 it was , it was dealt with very 00:28.678 --> 00:31.080 systematically , very structured and , 00:31.080 --> 00:34.440 and very much to the point I grew up 00:34.450 --> 00:38.260 as one of five kids , a single mother . 00:38.740 --> 00:41.000 Um , and I had some very significant 00:41.000 --> 00:43.390 influences in my life that that helped 00:43.390 --> 00:46.270 me and mentored me . Uh , and got me 00:46.280 --> 00:49.400 really to where I am today . Um , and 00:49.410 --> 00:51.577 part of that was I've always viewed as 00:51.577 --> 00:53.688 they volunteered to help me and I was 00:53.688 --> 00:55.799 willing to receive , you know , I was 00:55.799 --> 00:58.021 mentored at a lot of different levels , 00:58.021 --> 01:00.243 but I was also willing to be mint ead . 01:00.243 --> 01:02.410 And to me that's my way of paying back 01:02.410 --> 01:04.577 to the community for everything that I 01:04.577 --> 01:06.521 received over the years . Why do I 01:06.521 --> 01:08.632 volunteer my time with the military ? 01:08.632 --> 01:10.410 That's a very easy answer . The 01:10.420 --> 01:13.900 military is what protects our lifestyle 01:13.910 --> 01:15.799 and our way of life in this great 01:15.799 --> 01:17.850 country of ours . Uh , and has done 01:17.850 --> 01:20.640 that for gosh in excess of 240 plus 01:20.640 --> 01:24.240 years . And if I can help , I never had 01:24.240 --> 01:27.240 the opportunity to serve . Um , and 01:27.240 --> 01:30.430 this is my way of giving back to those 01:30.430 --> 01:32.541 that protect us every day . What does 01:32.541 --> 01:34.763 it mean to me to be the tags ? Honorary 01:34.763 --> 01:37.820 commander ? Wow ! What an amazing . 01:37.820 --> 01:40.400 What an amazing honor . Uh , it truly 01:40.400 --> 01:43.560 is an honor . Uh , my relationship with 01:43.560 --> 01:46.290 General Barry goes back a number of 01:46.290 --> 01:48.346 years as I mentioned earlier today , 01:48.440 --> 01:52.160 back to around 1987 88 when I first 01:52.160 --> 01:55.300 met General Barry at the time . Uh , 01:55.310 --> 01:57.510 reno police lieutenant , I believe , 01:57.510 --> 02:00.350 Andhra Barry . And and to have him 02:00.350 --> 02:03.730 select me uh to fill this 02:03.730 --> 02:06.730 inaugural role of the Joint Task force . 02:06.740 --> 02:09.120 Honorary commander or the Joint force 02:09.120 --> 02:12.550 Honorary commander . Uh An honor . I I 02:12.560 --> 02:15.090 I don't know that I have the words and 02:15.090 --> 02:17.312 it hasn't totally sunk in yet . What do 02:17.312 --> 02:20.320 I think of today's tour ? Again , it 02:20.320 --> 02:22.380 really put into perspective the 02:22.380 --> 02:25.710 critical role that the Nevada National 02:25.710 --> 02:28.780 Guard plays in our state , not only in 02:28.780 --> 02:31.150 our national defense but in the great 02:31.150 --> 02:33.130 state of Nevada . Uh they're an 02:33.140 --> 02:35.950 integral part . And I think that the 02:36.340 --> 02:39.450 The answer to the call of the COVID-19 02:39.450 --> 02:41.990 pandemic is a great example of it . Um 02:42.000 --> 02:44.430 what had a national guard has done for 02:44.430 --> 02:46.740 the citizens of our great state is 02:46.750 --> 02:49.010 amazing and I hope that someday 02:49.010 --> 02:51.320 everybody understands all the residents 02:51.320 --> 02:53.950 of Nevada , understand what an integral 02:54.140 --> 02:56.670 critical role that the Nevada National 02:56.670 --> 02:58.892 Guard has played in the pandemic in the 02:58.892 --> 03:01.240 last year . What do I think I can do in 03:01.240 --> 03:03.830 my role as honorary commander for the 03:03.830 --> 03:06.750 Nevada National Guard . Um I guess my 03:06.750 --> 03:08.840 discussion with , with with Colonel 03:08.840 --> 03:12.100 Pearl was really brought that to light 03:12.100 --> 03:14.960 to me and it's just , it's being an 03:14.960 --> 03:17.182 objective sounding board , but also the 03:17.182 --> 03:19.127 relationships . And I've been very 03:19.127 --> 03:21.510 fortunate to establish relationships 03:21.510 --> 03:23.621 throughout the state of Nevada , both 03:23.621 --> 03:25.843 from a business perspective , a charity 03:25.843 --> 03:28.330 perspective , charitable perspective 03:28.340 --> 03:30.690 and a political perspective and and how 03:30.690 --> 03:33.310 we can help uh the Nevada National 03:33.310 --> 03:36.090 Guard . And it's , as I mentioned , I 03:36.090 --> 03:38.257 don't know that the citizens of Nevada 03:38.257 --> 03:41.350 truly understand the role in the impact 03:41.360 --> 03:43.800 the Nevada National Guard has on as the 03:43.800 --> 03:46.280 example of the covid pandemic and what 03:46.280 --> 03:49.100 what you all and what the organization 03:49.100 --> 03:51.156 really does and the impact it has on 03:51.156 --> 03:53.211 our great state . I think my passion 03:53.211 --> 03:55.220 for the military while it's very 03:55.220 --> 03:57.442 fevered right now , I reached a fevered 03:57.442 --> 04:00.100 pitch about six years ago . Um , and 04:00.110 --> 04:02.750 that was when my daughter and my now 04:02.750 --> 04:04.972 son in law told me that they were gonna 04:04.972 --> 04:07.750 get married and my son in law is now a 04:07.750 --> 04:09.972 staff sergeant . But it really hit home 04:09.972 --> 04:12.210 to me that you all and the great men 04:12.210 --> 04:14.750 and women of our nations , 04:15.240 --> 04:18.760 Military forces and our states , the 04:18.760 --> 04:21.030 commitment you all made to our country 04:21.040 --> 04:23.940 and our way of life . And when a young 04:23.950 --> 04:26.850 18 year old man or woman , you know , 04:26.850 --> 04:29.017 signs that contract in that recruiters 04:29.017 --> 04:31.072 office or joins the National Guard , 04:31.072 --> 04:33.294 what they're basically saying is I just 04:33.294 --> 04:35.750 signed a contract to protect you the 04:35.750 --> 04:38.650 american citizen and our lifestyle and 04:38.660 --> 04:40.771 I will be forever grateful for that . 04:40.771 --> 04:42.882 And I think our nation should be very 04:42.882 --> 04:44.882 grateful . And it really was very , 04:44.882 --> 04:46.938 very emotional and impactful to me . 04:46.938 --> 04:49.049 And I think that that's what gives me 04:49.049 --> 04:51.049 my drive and my desire every day to 04:51.049 --> 04:53.530 support military , men and women , 04:53.530 --> 04:54.760 veterans and their family .