WEBVTT 00:03.530 --> 00:05.474 I don't want and smoke coming up . 00:05.690 --> 00:07.857 Let's call for the smoke's coming up . 00:07.857 --> 00:10.079 I dropped another set of quick spinners 00:10.079 --> 00:12.134 and the type is going to pick up the 00:12.134 --> 00:10.550 slack . 00:16.240 --> 00:18.400 Mhm Hey , I want to stand here and 00:18.400 --> 00:20.567 across the pressure from the selection 00:21.540 --> 00:25.350 Vietnam . Mm hmm . Iraq 00:26.140 --> 00:30.040 Afghanistan ? Mm hmm . These are just a 00:30.040 --> 00:32.373 few places where men and women of the U . 00:32.373 --> 00:35.150 S . Army have fallen or lost a piece of 00:35.150 --> 00:37.510 themselves for causes , both personal 00:37.740 --> 00:40.250 and political . Mhm . 00:42.650 --> 00:44.706 This program looks at the history of 00:44.706 --> 00:47.120 why we celebrate veteran's day , the 00:47.120 --> 00:49.342 experiences of soldiers who have served 00:49.342 --> 00:51.940 overseas . The writings of William 00:51.940 --> 00:54.051 Shakespeare and how it relates to the 00:54.051 --> 00:55.970 mindset of the modern day soldier 00:56.740 --> 01:00.490 current veteran programs and the praise 01:00.490 --> 01:02.601 those today have for those who served 01:02.601 --> 01:03.620 in the past . 01:14.340 --> 01:15.340 Right , 01:20.940 --> 01:24.260 yeah , wow ! 01:25.840 --> 01:26.840 Right , 01:47.940 --> 01:48.940 mm hmm . 01:52.740 --> 01:53.740 Mhm , 02:02.340 --> 02:03.340 mm hmm , 02:09.540 --> 02:10.540 mm hmm . 02:29.340 --> 02:31.500 World War I , known at the time as a 02:31.500 --> 02:33.740 Great War officially ended when the 02:33.740 --> 02:36.340 Treaty of Versailles was signed on June 02:36.340 --> 02:39.900 28 , 1919 . However , fighting 02:39.900 --> 02:41.960 seized seven months earlier when an 02:41.960 --> 02:44.182 armistice between the Allied nations in 02:44.182 --> 02:46.320 Germany went into effect on the 11th 02:46.320 --> 02:49.860 hour of the 11th day of the 11th month . 02:50.230 --> 02:53.680 For that reason , November 11 , 1918 is 02:53.680 --> 02:55.736 generally regarded as the end of the 02:55.736 --> 02:57.390 war . To end all wars . 03:00.040 --> 03:02.580 In November 1919 , President Woodrow 03:02.580 --> 03:04.870 Wilson proclaimed November 11 as the 03:04.870 --> 03:07.150 first commemoration of armistice day 03:07.160 --> 03:10.630 with the following words to us in 03:10.630 --> 03:12.797 America , the reflections of Armistice 03:12.797 --> 03:15.019 Day will be filled with solemn pride in 03:15.019 --> 03:17.074 the heroism of those who died in the 03:17.074 --> 03:19.350 country's service and with gratitude 03:19.350 --> 03:21.461 for the victory . Both because of the 03:21.461 --> 03:23.970 thing from which it has freed us and 03:23.970 --> 03:26.192 because of the opportunity it has given 03:26.192 --> 03:29.690 America to show her sympathy with peace 03:29.900 --> 03:32.340 and justice in the councils of the 03:32.340 --> 03:36.050 nations . The 03:36.050 --> 03:38.106 original concept for the celebration 03:38.106 --> 03:40.830 was for a day observed with parades and 03:40.830 --> 03:43.380 public meetings and a brief suspension 03:43.380 --> 03:45.750 of business . Beginning at 11 a.m . 03:48.340 --> 03:51.740 An act approved May 13 , 1938 , made 03:51.740 --> 03:54.720 11 November in each year , a legal 03:54.720 --> 03:56.980 holiday , a day to be dedicated to the 03:56.980 --> 03:58.710 cause of world peace and to be 03:58.710 --> 04:01.130 thereafter celebrated and known as 04:01.140 --> 04:02.160 armistice day . 04:05.540 --> 04:07.920 Armistice Day was primarily a day set 04:07.920 --> 04:10.020 aside to honor veterans of World War 04:10.020 --> 04:13.360 One . But in 1950 for after American 04:13.360 --> 04:15.730 forces had fought aggression in Korea . 04:15.740 --> 04:18.040 The 83rd Congress , at the urging of 04:18.040 --> 04:20.310 the veteran service organizations 04:20.330 --> 04:23.300 amended the Act of 1938 by striking out 04:23.300 --> 04:25.790 the word armistice and inserting in its 04:25.790 --> 04:27.690 place the word veterans 04:29.740 --> 04:32.180 veterans Day is really important to 04:32.180 --> 04:35.510 recognize everyone that serves 04:36.040 --> 04:39.260 everyone that sacrifices . We separate 04:39.260 --> 04:42.470 ourselves sometimes by who's deployed 04:42.470 --> 04:44.637 or where they're deployed or what they 04:44.637 --> 04:46.637 did on deployment , whether they're 04:46.637 --> 04:48.860 combat arms or a support Mos . And 04:48.860 --> 04:52.100 really the truth is all of these people 04:52.100 --> 04:54.156 raised their hand and volunteered to 04:54.156 --> 04:56.520 step across the line and so many people 04:56.540 --> 04:59.220 either didn't volunteer or couldn't to 04:59.220 --> 05:02.030 set apart the entire population of 05:02.030 --> 05:03.863 those that stepped over the line 05:03.980 --> 05:07.440 without dividing them into separate who 05:07.440 --> 05:09.773 did , what better , who did , what more , 05:09.773 --> 05:11.996 who gave more , who sacrificed more . I 05:11.996 --> 05:13.996 think it's really important to just 05:13.996 --> 05:16.220 recognize that With the approval of the 05:16.220 --> 05:19.410 legislation on June 1 , 1950 for 05:19.420 --> 05:21.760 November 11 became a day to honour 05:21.760 --> 05:25.700 American veterans of all wars . To 05:25.700 --> 05:28.240 me , it's just a time to honor other 05:28.240 --> 05:31.210 veterans who have come before me and 05:31.210 --> 05:33.620 really laid the pathway and the 05:33.620 --> 05:35.676 foundation for everything that we do 05:35.676 --> 05:37.842 now . I love giving back and I love to 05:37.842 --> 05:39.898 receive as well . So it really feels 05:39.898 --> 05:41.898 good when someone approaches me and 05:41.898 --> 05:44.009 they say thank you for your service . 05:45.240 --> 05:47.351 When I came back from Vietnam , there 05:47.351 --> 05:49.573 was a whole lot going on . You know , a 05:49.573 --> 05:51.740 lot of protests and all that . But you 05:51.740 --> 05:54.510 know , I didn't really notice it . I 05:54.510 --> 05:56.510 didn't spend a lot of time watching 05:56.510 --> 05:59.990 television , but I did know that things 05:59.990 --> 06:02.212 were going on . Of course when you were 06:02.212 --> 06:04.379 in country you weren't you didn't hear 06:04.379 --> 06:06.434 about any of this and it wasn't like 06:06.434 --> 06:08.434 the army was trying to keep it away 06:08.434 --> 06:10.546 from you . It's just that you you had 06:10.546 --> 06:12.823 too much going on trying to stay alive . 06:12.823 --> 06:12.410 You weren't interested in what was 06:12.410 --> 06:14.577 going on back here . At least I wasn't 06:15.640 --> 06:19.060 the older I have become , the 06:19.060 --> 06:22.590 more I have realized . Mhm . The 06:22.590 --> 06:25.060 importance and the value 06:26.140 --> 06:29.570 of of what I contributed to the country 06:31.140 --> 06:33.680 when I got back . I just I just thought , 06:33.690 --> 06:35.912 you know , I'm back and I made it , I'm 06:35.912 --> 06:38.910 home , I'm happy and Veterans Day was 06:38.910 --> 06:41.021 just I really didn't think about it . 06:41.540 --> 06:43.790 But as I've gotten older I've begun to 06:43.790 --> 06:47.540 appreciate the value of contributing to 06:47.540 --> 06:51.540 your country . Later that same year on 06:51.540 --> 06:53.560 october 8th President Dwight D 06:53.560 --> 06:55.680 Eisenhower issued the first Veterans 06:55.680 --> 06:59.560 Day proclamation Veterans 06:59.560 --> 07:01.338 Day continues to be observed on 07:01.338 --> 07:03.730 November 11 regardless of what day of 07:03.730 --> 07:05.730 the week on which it falls . The 07:05.730 --> 07:07.563 restoration of the observance of 07:07.563 --> 07:09.640 veterans day till November 11 . Not 07:09.640 --> 07:11.307 only preserves the historical 07:11.307 --> 07:13.330 significance of the date but helps 07:13.330 --> 07:15.163 focus attention on the important 07:15.163 --> 07:17.670 purpose of veterans day . A celebration 07:17.670 --> 07:19.860 to honor America's veterans for their 07:19.860 --> 07:22.210 patriotism , love of country and 07:22.210 --> 07:24.377 willingness to serve and sacrifice for 07:24.377 --> 07:28.030 the common good . I'm glad to see that 07:28.040 --> 07:30.690 the Veterans Day recognition 07:30.690 --> 07:33.800 celebration is still really prominent 07:33.800 --> 07:35.800 in society . While there's a lot of 07:35.800 --> 07:39.050 discord in civil society this year 07:39.050 --> 07:42.070 today , in the recent past , it's nice 07:42.070 --> 07:44.181 to see that there's still a set aside 07:44.540 --> 07:47.230 that I think is generally universally 07:47.230 --> 07:50.060 agreed on that our kids in school are 07:50.060 --> 07:52.171 still learning about Veterans Day and 07:52.171 --> 07:54.270 to respect those that actually step 07:54.270 --> 07:57.560 across the line . Veterans Day is 07:57.560 --> 08:00.380 important . It signifies that the 08:00.380 --> 08:03.410 country does appreciate what they're 08:03.420 --> 08:05.870 citizen soldiers have done for the 08:05.870 --> 08:08.720 country . The U . S . Armed forces are 08:08.720 --> 08:10.887 highly trained and ready to respond at 08:10.887 --> 08:12.998 a moment's notice to natural or human 08:12.998 --> 08:15.164 made disasters anywhere in the country 08:15.164 --> 08:18.190 or the world yet . Many americans 08:18.190 --> 08:20.412 knowledge about the military is limited 08:20.412 --> 08:22.412 to what they have seen in movies or 08:22.412 --> 08:25.450 read in books and news reports , few 08:25.450 --> 08:27.450 outside the military understand the 08:27.450 --> 08:29.980 culture , the values or the mindset of 08:29.990 --> 08:32.046 people who make up the most powerful 08:32.046 --> 08:34.157 military force and why they choose to 08:34.157 --> 08:37.530 serve every member of my family had 08:37.530 --> 08:40.280 served some time in the military . So I 08:40.280 --> 08:42.447 would too . It seemed like that's what 08:42.447 --> 08:44.613 our family did . This was my life , my 08:44.613 --> 08:46.836 lived experience was . Well of course I 08:46.836 --> 08:49.250 will because everyone has and now when 08:49.250 --> 08:51.472 I look back I think everyone didn't all 08:51.472 --> 08:53.528 the women didn't . But it seems like 08:53.528 --> 08:55.750 the most natural thing in the world for 08:55.750 --> 08:58.890 me of course I would when it comes down 08:58.890 --> 09:01.920 to Our brothers and sisters in arms we 09:01.920 --> 09:04.460 are one there's no gender , 09:07.440 --> 09:09.607 honor and integrity of the core values 09:09.607 --> 09:11.850 of military service . One branch in 09:11.850 --> 09:14.120 particular the U . S . Army values , 09:14.120 --> 09:17.550 loyalty duty , respect , selfless 09:17.550 --> 09:20.810 service , honor , integrity and 09:20.810 --> 09:22.920 personal courage . As the largest 09:22.920 --> 09:25.080 branch of the U . S . Armed Services 09:25.130 --> 09:27.130 members of the U . S . Army have an 09:27.130 --> 09:29.030 array of experiences that have 09:29.030 --> 09:31.860 challenged them at home and overseas . 09:36.740 --> 09:39.140 My experience being overseas and coming 09:39.140 --> 09:41.440 back to America . It was very humbling . 09:41.450 --> 09:44.100 Um I think prior to going over you take 09:44.100 --> 09:45.933 a lot of things for granted your 09:45.933 --> 09:48.160 freedom , the ability to wake up every 09:48.160 --> 09:50.160 day and just choose and do what you 09:50.160 --> 09:52.327 want especially as a female . So going 09:52.327 --> 09:54.570 over there and seeing other women and 09:54.570 --> 09:56.750 not seeing so many women over there , 09:56.840 --> 09:59.600 you really , it really puts things into 09:59.600 --> 10:02.150 perspective . So once I came back , I 10:02.150 --> 10:04.970 was very humbled and honored to be able 10:04.970 --> 10:07.192 to wake up and choose what I want to do 10:07.192 --> 10:09.192 every day and choose what I want to 10:09.192 --> 10:11.026 wear every day and how I want to 10:11.026 --> 10:14.600 contribute to society . It's a 10:14.600 --> 10:16.656 dangerous business we're in . And if 10:16.656 --> 10:18.878 we're going to train like we fight , we 10:18.878 --> 10:20.767 tend to train in very unforgiving 10:20.767 --> 10:22.989 environments as well . We do see people 10:22.989 --> 10:24.878 get hurt . We do put ourselves in 10:24.878 --> 10:27.570 dangerous positions . First night in 10:27.570 --> 10:30.150 Vietnam , you know , your fly in and 10:31.740 --> 10:34.750 late night morning you've got a duffel 10:34.750 --> 10:36.861 bag and nothing else with you . Right 10:36.861 --> 10:39.083 then . So the shuttle you off what they 10:39.083 --> 10:41.306 call Herky Hill over which is away from 10:41.306 --> 10:44.980 the main base . and 3:00 AM , 10:45.640 --> 10:47.870 the whole place lit up red alert . 10:47.880 --> 10:49.991 What's red alert . They ain't told us 10:49.991 --> 10:52.102 nothing yet , you know , because they 10:52.102 --> 10:54.350 just got there . Well , they were on 10:54.350 --> 10:58.020 bass . I were rockets and 10:58.020 --> 10:59.964 mortars going off everywhere . The 10:59.964 --> 11:02.020 whole base was lit up . So that's my 11:02.020 --> 11:04.750 indoctrinating into Vietnam , which was 11:05.840 --> 11:08.250 uh huh . Where do you like it ? You 11:08.250 --> 11:10.083 know ? For the first night there 11:12.740 --> 11:15.090 the Vietnam war was a long , costly and 11:15.090 --> 11:17.090 divisive conflict that pitted the 11:17.090 --> 11:19.201 communist government of North Vietnam 11:19.201 --> 11:21.423 against South Vietnam and its principal 11:21.423 --> 11:24.580 ally , the United States . One 11:24.580 --> 11:27.180 individual martin Bandy a Purple Heart 11:27.180 --> 11:29.402 recipient who served as a civil Affairs 11:29.402 --> 11:31.180 officer with the third Infantry 11:31.180 --> 11:32.847 Division takes us through his 11:32.847 --> 11:35.550 experiences during the Vietnam conflict . 11:35.560 --> 11:39.430 Our job was to go out and do what we 11:39.430 --> 11:41.920 could from a civil affairs point of 11:41.920 --> 11:45.640 view To assist the local population . I 11:45.640 --> 11:48.670 had projects scattered around within 11:48.680 --> 11:52.050 3-4 miles of our base camp . Our base 11:52.050 --> 11:54.640 camp was in like a there was a main 11:54.640 --> 11:56.890 road that went through like a and went 11:56.890 --> 11:59.060 down to the next town called Ben Cat . 12:00.140 --> 12:02.890 And there were no american troops have 12:02.890 --> 12:06.460 been kept . But the Arvin , 12:07.330 --> 12:11.250 the South Vietnamese Army had 12:11.260 --> 12:15.210 a unit and Ben Cat that was 12:15.210 --> 12:18.160 their , their local headquarters . So 12:18.170 --> 12:20.280 we had communication with them on a 12:20.280 --> 12:22.690 regular basis . We did a latrine 12:22.690 --> 12:24.890 project in a grammar school . We did 12:24.900 --> 12:27.910 dispensary , we did some repair work on , 12:27.920 --> 12:30.250 on a dispensary . But the big project 12:30.250 --> 12:32.570 that I had was building 12:33.640 --> 12:37.570 shelters for the 12:37.570 --> 12:41.050 people in that part of South 12:41.050 --> 12:43.940 Vietnam that were displaced . Well , 12:43.940 --> 12:46.480 the people that were displaced were the 12:46.480 --> 12:50.390 families of the VC . So 12:50.390 --> 12:53.740 we were building housing and that's 12:53.740 --> 12:55.796 stretching it to call it house . And 12:55.796 --> 12:58.430 these were just these were , as I said , 12:58.430 --> 13:01.210 shelters for them to live in because 13:01.210 --> 13:05.140 they had they had no home . Here's a 13:05.140 --> 13:07.280 project that one of the projects I've 13:07.280 --> 13:09.447 worked on . We've built a little train 13:09.447 --> 13:12.310 for one of the local school houses and 13:12.310 --> 13:16.190 Ben ket mm hmm and 13:16.190 --> 13:18.470 there is a picture of a part of the 13:18.470 --> 13:22.200 village . Mhm and Ben 13:22.200 --> 13:23.200 kept , 13:27.140 --> 13:30.020 We didn't realize what a positive 13:30.020 --> 13:33.550 impact we were having until 13:34.540 --> 13:38.210 one day I found out that I had a 13:38.210 --> 13:41.250 wanted poster not for 13:42.340 --> 13:46.040 the third brigade , not for the 13:46.040 --> 13:48.180 first inference division but for 13:48.180 --> 13:49.236 Lieutenant Bandy . 13:54.920 --> 13:58.050 And when you're Yeah , Let's see I was 13:58.060 --> 14:01.260 20 four , 14:02.940 --> 14:04.718 those things don't come home to 14:04.718 --> 14:07.460 register When you're 24 years old . 14:09.940 --> 14:12.590 So it took me many years to realize 14:12.600 --> 14:14.100 what a big deal that was . 14:21.140 --> 14:24.220 I was coming under fire almost every 14:24.220 --> 14:26.220 day when I went out to the job site 14:27.340 --> 14:29.340 when it first started happening , I 14:29.340 --> 14:32.150 thought it was just random shots . I'd 14:32.150 --> 14:34.317 be standing around the jeep and all of 14:34.317 --> 14:36.372 a sudden you would hear around go by 14:36.372 --> 14:38.539 and I'm thinking , well who's shooting 14:38.539 --> 14:41.470 at who , what , what's going on ? And 14:41.480 --> 14:44.470 uh sometimes I would have my 14:44.470 --> 14:47.560 counterpart with me and sometimes I 14:47.560 --> 14:50.810 would have I'd be Barmasai . 14:52.340 --> 14:54.550 It took me a while to realize that I 14:54.550 --> 14:56.772 was the one they were shooting at , I'd 14:56.772 --> 14:58.828 be there and be three or four rounds 14:58.828 --> 15:00.994 and then they quit . And this job site 15:00.994 --> 15:03.050 was about , it was about three miles 15:03.050 --> 15:06.390 from our base camp . So I was leaving a 15:06.390 --> 15:10.310 controlled perimeter driving a jeep 15:10.340 --> 15:14.300 by myself to the job site in 15:14.300 --> 15:18.230 a combat zone ah with 15:18.230 --> 15:21.780 no other protection whatsoever looking 15:21.780 --> 15:24.960 in hindsight . It was not very smart . 15:26.340 --> 15:29.250 Um and I think 15:31.940 --> 15:34.660 that's worth it . Ron star came from . 15:39.040 --> 15:42.600 I think the unit commander realized he 15:42.600 --> 15:44.822 had this crazy second lieutenant didn't 15:44.822 --> 15:47.910 have enough sense to two look after 15:47.910 --> 15:51.670 himself . After a 15:51.670 --> 15:54.470 while . Apparently the VC really got 15:54.470 --> 15:56.359 upset about the fact that we were 15:56.359 --> 15:59.420 building housing for the displaced VC 15:59.420 --> 16:01.950 families . So they came up with a plan 16:01.960 --> 16:04.910 that was not a good a good situation . 16:04.910 --> 16:08.840 So what happened is the VC had had set 16:08.840 --> 16:12.220 them up to be a part of this . So 16:13.440 --> 16:16.810 they had come to our location and at 16:16.810 --> 16:20.610 our base camp and uh and I 16:20.610 --> 16:22.666 guess they came in their own vehicle 16:23.450 --> 16:27.450 and sergeant Kennedy and I were ahead 16:27.460 --> 16:30.930 of them going back to the 16:30.930 --> 16:34.330 local community and Ben Cat and we were 16:34.330 --> 16:37.990 going down , I I wanted to say it was 16:37.990 --> 16:39.823 highway one of them , maybe it's 16:39.823 --> 16:41.934 highway 13 main highway running north 16:41.934 --> 16:44.210 and south . We got about two miles down 16:44.210 --> 16:46.690 the road . Sarge Kennedy was driving 16:46.700 --> 16:49.490 and machine guns opened up as we were 16:49.490 --> 16:52.030 going around a curve and they had 16:52.040 --> 16:54.610 definite of fire on us at the beginning . 16:54.610 --> 16:56.721 But when you got in the middle of the 16:56.721 --> 16:58.777 curve , the terrain came up a little 16:58.777 --> 17:00.999 bit so they didn't have a clear shot at 17:00.999 --> 17:03.054 us . But when we came back around on 17:03.054 --> 17:05.166 the other end of the curve they had a 17:05.166 --> 17:07.332 clear shot at us and so they opened up 17:07.332 --> 17:09.443 again and then we looked up and there 17:09.443 --> 17:11.610 were two road graders in the middle of 17:11.610 --> 17:11.330 the road . 17:17.540 --> 17:19.596 So you had a steep embankment on one 17:19.596 --> 17:21.780 side , you had rice paddies on the 17:21.780 --> 17:24.810 other side , you had to road graders 17:25.110 --> 17:27.960 right there in front of us . We were 17:28.100 --> 17:31.550 under machine gun fire and 17:32.840 --> 17:36.530 as we got around the curve I 17:36.540 --> 17:39.550 a a landmine went off 17:40.430 --> 17:43.060 and it went off just a split second 17:43.840 --> 17:46.590 early and instead of blowing the jeep 17:46.590 --> 17:49.820 up it blew the front end of the jeep up 17:50.340 --> 17:52.900 and blew the windshield out and 17:52.900 --> 17:55.570 sergeant Kennedy and I both got a lot 17:55.570 --> 17:56.570 of that shrapnel 18:02.240 --> 18:04.573 and thank the Lord for sergeant Kennedy . 18:04.573 --> 18:06.870 He had the presence of mine as we came 18:06.870 --> 18:09.092 around that curve and all this happened 18:09.092 --> 18:11.990 in just seconds he went to the left and 18:11.990 --> 18:14.710 went up the embankment with the jeep , 18:14.720 --> 18:17.010 went around the road graders came back 18:17.010 --> 18:19.066 down , got on the highway and off we 18:19.066 --> 18:20.954 went and in two minutes , maybe a 18:20.954 --> 18:23.177 minute and a half , all this took place 18:23.177 --> 18:25.510 and we were on the other side of danger . 18:26.640 --> 18:30.550 Mhm . He looked at me and he 18:30.550 --> 18:32.550 said Lieutenant Bendy , are you all 18:32.550 --> 18:35.460 right ? Yeah , I think so . 18:36.640 --> 18:38.650 He looked at me again . I said he's 18:38.650 --> 18:40.872 looking at me funny , something's wrong 18:40.872 --> 18:43.290 and I did like that . There was blood 18:43.290 --> 18:46.280 everywhere . You know when you get when 18:46.280 --> 18:48.690 the adrenaline is running you don't 18:48.690 --> 18:51.240 realize what's happened to you . And 18:51.250 --> 18:53.472 anyway we managed to get back , we went 18:53.472 --> 18:56.640 to the Arvin base camp and then when 18:56.640 --> 19:00.290 the shock are those the adrenaline 19:00.740 --> 19:04.350 begin to died down and the shock came 19:04.350 --> 19:06.950 in and I was I was shaking . 19:12.040 --> 19:15.970 Okay , post traumatic stress 19:15.970 --> 19:18.710 disorder or PTSD can occur when an 19:18.710 --> 19:20.654 individual experiences a traumatic 19:20.654 --> 19:22.990 event like combat , sexual trauma 19:23.000 --> 19:26.270 violence and terrorism . The number of 19:26.270 --> 19:28.740 veterans with PTSD varies by service 19:28.750 --> 19:32.010 era to include Operation Iraqi freedom 19:32.070 --> 19:34.970 and enduring freedom . The gulf war and 19:34.970 --> 19:38.360 the Vietnam war . About 15 out of every 19:38.360 --> 19:40.660 100 Vietnam veterans were currently 19:40.660 --> 19:43.250 diagnosed with PTSD at the time of the 19:43.250 --> 19:45.820 most recent study in the late 1980s . 19:45.960 --> 19:47.627 The National Vietnam Veterans 19:47.627 --> 19:51.410 Readjustment Study . I suffer from PTSD . 19:51.420 --> 19:53.560 I compartmentalize a lot of things 19:53.560 --> 19:55.727 because it's a coping mechanism for me 19:55.727 --> 19:58.250 and it helps me to be able to go on and 19:58.250 --> 20:00.194 do different things in life and be 20:00.194 --> 20:02.528 successful . I have a lot of nightmares . 20:02.528 --> 20:04.472 Some there are some nights I can't 20:04.472 --> 20:06.690 sleep . Yeah . Other factors in a 20:06.690 --> 20:09.020 combat situation can add more stress to 20:09.020 --> 20:11.390 an already stressful situation . This 20:11.390 --> 20:13.750 may contribute to PTSD and other mental 20:13.750 --> 20:16.030 health problems . These factors include 20:16.030 --> 20:18.141 what you do in the war , the politics 20:18.141 --> 20:20.420 around the war where the war is fought 20:20.430 --> 20:24.150 and the type of enemy you face being 20:24.150 --> 20:27.920 able to compartmentalize and not trying 20:27.920 --> 20:30.087 not to think of those things and helps 20:30.087 --> 20:32.198 me move forward . And that's just one 20:32.198 --> 20:34.309 of the coping mechanisms that I use . 20:34.309 --> 20:37.530 Mm hmm . The effects of war are 20:37.530 --> 20:39.770 permanent and long lasting , resulting 20:39.770 --> 20:41.937 in death and destruction that can take 20:41.937 --> 20:44.600 years or decades to overcome . Everyone 20:44.600 --> 20:47.120 experiences war differently , although 20:47.120 --> 20:49.231 there are several programs that exist 20:49.231 --> 20:51.231 to help soldiers cope with PTSD and 20:51.231 --> 20:53.120 trauma . Several new programs are 20:53.120 --> 20:55.231 incorporating the arts , specifically 20:55.231 --> 20:57.287 the works of William Shakespeare for 20:57.287 --> 20:59.231 the purposes of healing to include 20:59.231 --> 21:01.398 Kentucky Shakespeare with veterans and 21:01.398 --> 21:04.380 recruit . Mm hmm Shakespeare with 21:04.380 --> 21:06.602 veterans bring service members together 21:06.602 --> 21:08.713 as a band of brothers and sisters and 21:08.713 --> 21:10.324 provides the opportunity for 21:10.324 --> 21:12.213 camaraderie and a higher sense of 21:12.213 --> 21:14.324 purpose that represents what veterans 21:14.324 --> 21:16.324 love the most during their military 21:16.324 --> 21:18.491 service , Shakespeare with veterans is 21:18.491 --> 21:20.658 a weekly conversation group and acting 21:20.658 --> 21:23.140 ensemble . The group performed snippets 21:23.140 --> 21:25.029 of Shakespeare text for groups of 21:25.029 --> 21:27.029 veterans and civilians all over the 21:27.029 --> 21:29.196 city during the year and in the summer 21:29.196 --> 21:31.140 they perform a Shakespeare play on 21:31.140 --> 21:33.362 Kentucky Shakespeare's stage in central 21:33.362 --> 21:36.990 Park . The crew , an organization 21:36.990 --> 21:39.670 founded by Stephan Wolfert , a US army 21:39.670 --> 21:41.448 veteran , uses the language and 21:41.448 --> 21:43.559 monologues of Shakespeare in order to 21:43.559 --> 21:45.559 help assist with mental healing and 21:45.559 --> 21:48.500 veterans . His one man show cry havoc 21:48.750 --> 21:50.980 showcases how the military characters 21:50.980 --> 21:53.200 of Shakespeare's plays grappled with 21:53.200 --> 21:55.367 the same horrors and hopes as veterans 21:55.367 --> 21:58.360 do today , each veteran writes his or 21:58.360 --> 22:00.770 her own personal trauma monologue and 22:00.770 --> 22:02.770 then identify the themes from their 22:02.770 --> 22:04.881 narrative from the circled words that 22:04.881 --> 22:06.881 would help them find an appropriate 22:06.881 --> 22:08.881 Shakespeare monologue to eventually 22:08.881 --> 22:11.720 perform . Mm hmm My name is Stephan 22:11.720 --> 22:14.040 Wolfert , I'm an army veteran and the 22:14.040 --> 22:16.550 founder of the program . D crude 22:16.560 --> 22:18.727 treating trauma through Shakespeare in 22:18.727 --> 22:21.240 science for military veterans . The 22:21.250 --> 22:24.210 purpose of the decrypt program as it 22:24.210 --> 22:27.100 relates to veterans is that it was 22:27.110 --> 22:29.880 taught exclusively by and exclusively 22:29.880 --> 22:32.610 for military veterans . They spent two 22:32.610 --> 22:34.499 weeks in the hospital , then they 22:34.499 --> 22:36.721 volunteered to return to the trench out 22:36.721 --> 22:38.943 of a sense of camaraderie when they hit 22:38.943 --> 22:41.110 the trench , it's the beginning of the 22:41.110 --> 22:43.277 all out allied assault to push through 22:43.277 --> 22:45.499 the german resistance towards the Rhine 22:45.499 --> 22:47.610 River . The three 69th never gives up 22:47.610 --> 22:49.554 an inch of ground and they are the 22:49.554 --> 22:51.610 first to reach the Rhine River after 22:51.610 --> 22:53.388 170 straight days and nights of 22:53.388 --> 22:55.332 fighting . Much of it up close and 22:55.332 --> 22:57.388 personal hand to hand combat , first 22:57.388 --> 22:59.443 unit to reach the rhine and for that 22:59.443 --> 23:01.610 they are given the regimental cross of 23:01.610 --> 23:03.777 war for that . They are also given the 23:03.777 --> 23:05.610 moniker the Harlem Hell fighters 23:05.840 --> 23:07.840 working with my fellow brothers and 23:07.840 --> 23:10.007 sisters in arms and healing has caused 23:10.007 --> 23:12.007 the kinds of shifts in me that I've 23:12.007 --> 23:14.062 been seeking my whole life . They've 23:14.062 --> 23:16.540 helped me aimed towards self compassion 23:16.550 --> 23:18.661 because I feel so much compassion for 23:18.661 --> 23:20.883 them . I wonder why don't I have it for 23:20.883 --> 23:22.772 myself ? Why , why this deep self 23:22.772 --> 23:24.883 loathing and then I shift from why to 23:24.883 --> 23:27.050 where did I get the self loathing to ? 23:27.050 --> 23:29.106 What is it to eventually going , I'm 23:29.106 --> 23:31.328 not going to practice it anymore . It's 23:31.328 --> 23:33.383 a neurological habit or neurological 23:33.383 --> 23:35.328 wiring . I'm gonna rewire it . I'm 23:35.328 --> 23:37.439 going to practice self compassion and 23:37.439 --> 23:39.494 the veteran community in the theater 23:39.494 --> 23:41.717 community have helped me do that . They 23:41.717 --> 23:41.560 have helped me go in the room and give 23:41.560 --> 23:43.782 myself as much compassion as I'm giving 23:43.782 --> 23:45.949 to my brothers and sisters in arms and 23:45.949 --> 23:49.080 healing . So when we think of the 23:49.080 --> 23:51.400 connection between Shakespeare's work 23:51.410 --> 23:54.030 and current members of the armed forces , 23:54.050 --> 23:56.161 really all you have to do is speak to 23:56.161 --> 23:58.280 most members of the armed forces and 23:58.280 --> 24:00.391 they're going to know some portions , 24:00.391 --> 24:03.550 some amazing quote or part of a speech 24:03.560 --> 24:05.560 or even a sonnet that just resonate 24:05.560 --> 24:07.710 Shakespeare has it from all levels 24:07.710 --> 24:09.932 through all his works of something that 24:09.932 --> 24:11.821 is really a direct address to the 24:11.821 --> 24:13.766 american soldier or soldier in any 24:13.766 --> 24:17.380 country . So we're all aware , 24:17.390 --> 24:19.560 hopefully the increasing rates of 24:19.560 --> 24:21.990 suicide among veterans among young 24:21.990 --> 24:24.101 people , sometimes among young people 24:24.101 --> 24:26.157 who happen to be veterans and then a 24:26.157 --> 24:29.030 double risk category . How many plays ? 24:29.030 --> 24:31.460 How many novels or movies is suicide 24:31.460 --> 24:34.610 even addressed ? How many times do we 24:34.610 --> 24:37.010 encounter characters who are actually 24:37.200 --> 24:39.960 considering taking their own life ? Can 24:39.960 --> 24:42.760 we think of four or 5 maybe ? 24:43.910 --> 24:45.910 And yet it's in Hamlet's best known 24:45.910 --> 24:48.300 play and compressed into his best known 24:48.300 --> 24:50.460 line . And there's something there 24:50.620 --> 24:54.110 about the strength to keep going and 24:54.110 --> 24:57.110 keep enduring the slings and arrows of 24:57.110 --> 24:59.221 outrageous fortune . There's a reason 24:59.221 --> 25:01.470 why he uses these wartime images . He's 25:01.470 --> 25:03.526 speaking directly to the soldier and 25:03.526 --> 25:04.526 the soldier in us 25:09.740 --> 25:12.440 to be or not to be . That is the 25:12.440 --> 25:15.100 question whether it's his nobler in the 25:15.100 --> 25:17.267 mind to suffer ? The slings and arrows 25:17.267 --> 25:19.320 of outrageous fortune or to take up 25:19.330 --> 25:21.441 arms against a sea of troubles and by 25:21.441 --> 25:25.140 opposing end them to die to sleep no 25:25.140 --> 25:28.240 more and by a sleep to say , we end the 25:28.240 --> 25:30.462 heartache and the 1000 natural shocks . 25:30.462 --> 25:33.690 That flesh is heir to . Tis a 25:33.690 --> 25:35.746 consummation , devoutly to be wished 25:39.240 --> 25:42.710 to die to sleep to sleep , perchance to 25:42.710 --> 25:45.670 dream . Ay ! There's the rub for in 25:45.670 --> 25:47.781 that sleep of death . What dreams may 25:47.781 --> 25:49.781 come when we have shuffled off this 25:49.781 --> 25:51.614 mortal coil must give us pause . 25:52.740 --> 25:54.962 There's the respect that makes calamity 25:54.962 --> 25:57.950 of so long life , for who would bear 25:57.950 --> 25:59.894 the whips and scorns of time , The 25:59.894 --> 26:02.410 oppressors wrong . The proud man's 26:02.410 --> 26:04.960 constantly the pangs of this prized 26:04.990 --> 26:07.410 love . The law's delay , the insolence 26:07.410 --> 26:09.750 of office , and the spurns that patient 26:09.750 --> 26:11.750 merit of the unworthy takes when he 26:11.750 --> 26:13.861 himself might his quietus make with a 26:13.861 --> 26:17.460 bare Bodkin who would far does bear to 26:17.460 --> 26:19.516 grunt and sweat under a weary life , 26:19.516 --> 26:21.627 but that the dread of something after 26:21.627 --> 26:23.940 death , the undiscovered country from 26:23.940 --> 26:26.110 whose born No traveler returns , 26:26.120 --> 26:28.176 puzzles the will and makes us rather 26:28.176 --> 26:30.176 bear those ills we have than fly to 26:30.176 --> 26:31.560 others . We know not of 26:33.640 --> 26:36.400 Hamlet's speech is very relevant , not 26:36.410 --> 26:38.760 just to suicide , but the challenge we 26:38.760 --> 26:42.500 now have with veterans and young people 26:42.500 --> 26:44.389 and young people who are veterans 26:44.389 --> 26:46.830 because he's not only talking to be or 26:46.830 --> 26:49.620 not to be about taking his own life , 26:49.630 --> 26:53.330 but he's using wartime terms slings and 26:53.330 --> 26:55.620 arrows to express it . Now , most of us 26:55.620 --> 26:57.731 civilians wouldn't know a slinger and 26:57.731 --> 27:00.064 arrow , if it like , hit us on the head , 27:00.064 --> 27:02.176 right ? Mostly just and we go running 27:02.176 --> 27:04.342 if it will rain with us . But somebody 27:04.342 --> 27:06.453 who's experienced that he's literally 27:06.453 --> 27:08.398 using military terms to talk about 27:08.398 --> 27:09.953 whether or not he can go on 27:13.010 --> 27:15.460 In Henry 4th scene with Lady Personal 27:15.520 --> 27:19.450 Hotspot as it relates to PTSD . Well , 27:19.560 --> 27:21.720 we're theater people , not medical 27:21.720 --> 27:23.950 experts . You can certainly see another 27:23.950 --> 27:27.670 character saying to someone . I see you , 27:27.680 --> 27:30.530 I see the signs , I see what's going on . 27:30.530 --> 27:32.600 Can we talk about what's happening 27:32.610 --> 27:34.630 inside you and stop this chain of 27:34.630 --> 27:38.610 action . In thy 27:38.610 --> 27:41.180 faint slumbers I by thee have watched 27:41.190 --> 27:43.510 and heard thee murmur Tales of iron 27:43.510 --> 27:46.410 wars . Speak terms of manage to thy 27:46.410 --> 27:48.730 bounding steed cry , courage to the 27:48.740 --> 27:51.670 field and thou hast talked of sallies 27:52.140 --> 27:55.730 and retires of trenches , tents of 27:55.740 --> 27:58.730 cannon and covert of prisoners , ransom 27:58.730 --> 28:01.040 and soldiers slave thy spirit within 28:01.040 --> 28:04.820 the husband . So at In 28:04.820 --> 28:07.270 Henry IV Part one with Lady Persie 28:07.270 --> 28:10.290 scene with Hotspur , we see a situation 28:10.290 --> 28:12.457 that's familiar to all of us , whether 28:12.457 --> 28:14.620 we're in the armed forces or not of 28:14.620 --> 28:17.350 someone who is bent on a decision 28:17.360 --> 28:19.980 hellbent on a decision and they're just 28:20.150 --> 28:23.860 not willing to listen to reason . Yeah , 28:24.740 --> 28:26.851 so in Henry fifth , the Crispin's Day 28:26.851 --> 28:30.260 speech is a little bit scene as the 28:30.260 --> 28:33.060 stairway to heaven of war monologues 28:33.060 --> 28:35.116 and its popularity and how much it's 28:35.116 --> 28:37.540 often quoted and how it just connects 28:37.540 --> 28:40.590 with this feeling that I may lose my 28:40.590 --> 28:43.580 life today , but that's better than 28:43.590 --> 28:46.500 living in shame for the rest of my life 28:46.500 --> 28:50.050 and regretting not having this moment . 28:50.540 --> 28:52.530 This day is called the Feast of 28:52.530 --> 28:55.620 Crispian . He that outlives this day 28:55.620 --> 28:57.676 and comes safe home will stand a tip 28:57.676 --> 28:59.731 toe when this day is named and rouse 28:59.731 --> 29:03.330 him at the name of christian . He that 29:03.330 --> 29:05.380 shall live this day and see old age 29:05.380 --> 29:07.324 will yearly on the vigil feast his 29:07.324 --> 29:11.320 neighbors and say tomorrow is ST 29:11.330 --> 29:13.930 Crispian then will he strip his sleeve 29:13.930 --> 29:16.980 and show his scars and say these wounds 29:16.980 --> 29:20.050 I had on Crispin's day . Old men forget 29:20.630 --> 29:22.560 it all should be forgotten but he 29:22.560 --> 29:24.727 remember with advantages what feats he 29:24.727 --> 29:26.730 did that day , this story shall the 29:26.730 --> 29:29.110 Good Man teach his son but we in it 29:29.110 --> 29:32.990 shall be remembered we few we happy few , 29:33.120 --> 29:34.950 we band of brothers . 29:37.210 --> 29:39.154 It's one of those situations where 29:39.154 --> 29:41.030 Shakespeare just starts talking 29:41.030 --> 29:44.450 directly to anyone who's a soldier and 29:44.450 --> 29:47.110 it's no longer even about a play or a 29:47.110 --> 29:49.221 character . Then it's really just the 29:49.221 --> 29:52.390 writer Speaking to someone who's about 29:52.390 --> 29:54.390 to go into battle , which is why it 29:54.390 --> 29:56.570 lasts for 600 years and another 600 29:56.570 --> 30:00.540 more with the increase 30:00.540 --> 30:02.920 in awareness of PTSD and trauma . A 30:02.920 --> 30:04.753 number of programs work with the 30:04.753 --> 30:06.642 Veterans administration to ensure 30:06.642 --> 30:08.864 veterans are getting the care they need 30:08.864 --> 30:11.170 such as the National Center for PTSD 30:11.210 --> 30:13.260 and the National Alliance on mental 30:13.270 --> 30:16.990 illness as part of the U . S . 30:16.990 --> 30:19.130 Department of Veterans Affairs . The 30:19.130 --> 30:21.350 National Center for PTSD provides 30:21.350 --> 30:23.860 resources and information to improve 30:23.860 --> 30:25.638 patient care through research , 30:25.638 --> 30:28.220 education and training in the diagnosis 30:28.220 --> 30:31.190 of PTSD . The National Alliance on 30:31.190 --> 30:33.301 Mental Health is the nation's largest 30:33.301 --> 30:35.523 grassroots mental health organization . 30:35.720 --> 30:37.820 An alliance of more than 600 local 30:37.820 --> 30:40.450 affiliates and 48 state organizations 30:40.450 --> 30:43.010 working communities to raise awareness 30:43.070 --> 30:45.237 and provide support and education that 30:45.237 --> 30:47.348 was not previously available to those 30:47.348 --> 30:50.850 in need . The more I guess you get out 30:50.850 --> 30:54.050 of it and talk about it . It helps . 30:55.040 --> 30:57.960 I didn't know that though for 50 years 31:00.040 --> 31:02.096 and there's a lot of guys that way . 31:02.096 --> 31:04.096 Same the group that I meet with the 31:04.096 --> 31:06.890 same way they were the same way and 31:06.890 --> 31:08.990 some of them still won't talk to 31:08.990 --> 31:11.410 anybody about it . Okay , mm hmm . 31:12.640 --> 31:15.600 Right . And I can understand why 31:16.240 --> 31:18.790 because I did it and then I cannot 31:18.800 --> 31:21.080 understand why they don't because it 31:21.080 --> 31:21.600 helps 31:25.240 --> 31:27.510 for growth purposes and career 31:27.510 --> 31:30.870 advancement . It's very hard to 31:30.880 --> 31:33.110 admit that you're struggling in a 31:33.110 --> 31:36.600 specific area , especially emotionally 31:36.600 --> 31:39.490 because I'm a leader . I'm a sergeant 31:39.490 --> 31:41.601 first class and my soldiers looked to 31:41.601 --> 31:43.950 me to be strong and to be available . 31:43.960 --> 31:46.470 And having that on my record almost 31:46.470 --> 31:48.637 looks like a stain and it almost makes 31:48.637 --> 31:50.810 me feel weak in the last two years . I 31:50.810 --> 31:54.290 have been in counseling and using the V . 31:54.290 --> 31:55.560 A . Resources 31:58.840 --> 32:00.951 peer support groups are a place where 32:00.951 --> 32:02.951 you can discuss day to day problems 32:02.951 --> 32:05.173 with other people who have been through 32:05.173 --> 32:07.284 trauma . Support groups have not been 32:07.284 --> 32:09.451 shown to reduce PTSD symptoms but they 32:09.451 --> 32:11.618 can help you feel better in other ways 32:11.618 --> 32:13.673 because they can give you a sense of 32:13.673 --> 32:15.673 connection to other people appear . 32:15.673 --> 32:17.896 Support group could be a great addition 32:17.896 --> 32:20.062 to your treatment . Support groups can 32:20.062 --> 32:22.284 also help family members or friends who 32:22.284 --> 32:24.118 are caring for someone with PTSD 32:28.640 --> 32:30.640 at a time in my life where I'm just 32:30.640 --> 32:32.790 getting over all this stuff now . 32:32.790 --> 32:34.568 You're looking at me and you're 32:34.568 --> 32:36.734 thinking what's wrong with you to take 32:36.734 --> 32:39.030 all those years to to get over it and 32:39.040 --> 32:41.260 and to be scared to talk to people 32:41.260 --> 32:43.590 about it and all that but but you just 32:43.590 --> 32:46.030 have to be there to understand it . So 32:46.030 --> 32:48.086 then when I went into the group it's 32:48.086 --> 32:52.080 like huh these people are just like 32:52.080 --> 32:54.620 me . They've been through this stuff 32:54.620 --> 32:57.480 and you know we've got Navy Air Force 32:57.490 --> 33:01.020 Army marines mixture of people in it 33:01.240 --> 33:03.462 and then you get to talking to them and 33:03.462 --> 33:05.760 every one of them is I had the same 33:05.760 --> 33:07.871 struggles you know that are basically 33:07.871 --> 33:09.982 the same struggles . Some of them are 33:09.982 --> 33:12.210 differently . But here's the thing 33:12.210 --> 33:15.980 about that one of these guys over there 33:15.980 --> 33:17.980 may have been through something and 33:17.980 --> 33:20.370 talking about it and light comes on to 33:20.370 --> 33:24.190 me wow I'm glad he said 33:24.190 --> 33:26.412 that I'm glad he told me what he'd been 33:26.412 --> 33:28.412 because it helped me and that's the 33:28.412 --> 33:30.468 kind of things that go on . So these 33:30.468 --> 33:32.579 guys that are having struggles in the 33:32.579 --> 33:35.450 military guys they need to get in help . 33:37.340 --> 33:40.000 I'm registered at the V . A . In D . C . 33:40.010 --> 33:42.470 L . A . And here in Atlanta and I think 33:42.470 --> 33:44.470 it's important because whenever I'm 33:44.470 --> 33:46.470 going through something I'm able to 33:46.470 --> 33:48.526 reach out and right now during covid 33:48.526 --> 33:50.526 they have it to where everything is 33:50.526 --> 33:52.526 online . So you don't have to go in 33:52.526 --> 33:54.748 person and see your counselor . You can 33:54.748 --> 33:56.748 call over the phone and you can and 33:56.748 --> 33:58.859 they can address the situations right 33:58.859 --> 34:00.914 then and there . I've never used the 34:00.914 --> 34:03.137 Veterans Crisis hotline but I know that 34:03.137 --> 34:05.359 it is there and it is a resource that's 34:05.359 --> 34:07.359 available to me as well . Yeah . In 34:07.359 --> 34:09.359 addition leaders across the U . S . 34:09.359 --> 34:11.470 Army teach their soldiers about other 34:11.470 --> 34:14.650 programs and resources that exist . We 34:14.650 --> 34:16.650 teach them about the military . One 34:16.650 --> 34:18.483 source . We teach them about the 34:18.483 --> 34:20.650 veteran crisis hotline . We teach them 34:20.650 --> 34:22.872 about the V . A . And their educational 34:22.872 --> 34:25.430 benefits . Trust in the U . S . 34:25.430 --> 34:27.720 Military has decreased significantly in 34:27.720 --> 34:30.170 recent years . But the armed forces 34:30.170 --> 34:32.281 still remain among the most respected 34:32.281 --> 34:34.503 institutions in the country . According 34:34.503 --> 34:36.281 to a recent public opinion poll 34:36.281 --> 34:38.003 conducted by the Ronald Reagan 34:38.003 --> 34:39.614 Institute . When you look at 34:39.670 --> 34:41.860 Afghanistan , how those troops are 34:41.860 --> 34:44.750 being treated coming back home . It's a 34:44.750 --> 34:46.917 lot different than what it was when we 34:46.917 --> 34:49.070 came home . And that's the biggest 34:49.070 --> 34:50.903 thing that made you feel kind of 34:50.903 --> 34:52.903 ashamed of being over there because 34:53.280 --> 34:56.210 it's like you know you don't want to be 34:56.210 --> 34:58.210 treated like a hero which you would 34:58.210 --> 35:00.266 like to have been you know thank you 35:00.266 --> 35:03.290 for your service sir or wow you were 35:03.290 --> 35:06.660 there . No , it wasn't that way . 35:07.140 --> 35:11.110 Pelley its went that way and I'd say 35:11.110 --> 35:14.310 that a lot of places probably didn't , 35:14.310 --> 35:17.470 but you know , I talked to a lot of 35:18.140 --> 35:20.084 bets that were the same way in the 35:20.084 --> 35:23.970 workplace in the 70s and Mainly in the 35:23.970 --> 35:27.720 70s , it was watch out for those guys , 35:28.540 --> 35:30.484 you know , they're crazy , they're 35:30.484 --> 35:33.110 liable to do anything . Although we 35:33.110 --> 35:35.110 were guaranteed our jobs back . You 35:35.110 --> 35:37.221 know , I went right back to the job I 35:37.221 --> 35:39.332 was in when I came back , the company 35:39.332 --> 35:41.499 took me back of course , I transferred 35:41.499 --> 35:44.060 different jobs over the years , but but 35:44.520 --> 35:46.576 still , yet you were still looked at 35:46.576 --> 35:49.620 differently and you felt differently 35:49.620 --> 35:52.480 when people looked at you now , if you 35:52.490 --> 35:54.323 you notice something coming back 35:57.340 --> 36:00.310 afghan guys don't have anything to be 36:00.310 --> 36:04.000 ashamed of . And the 36:04.000 --> 36:06.222 shameful part of it was the way we were 36:06.222 --> 36:09.740 treated , you know , for a lot of years , 36:12.530 --> 36:14.474 how public opinion affects foreign 36:14.474 --> 36:16.530 policy in the United States has been 36:16.530 --> 36:18.863 the subject of longstanding controversy . 36:18.863 --> 36:20.919 While some argue that it has no real 36:20.919 --> 36:22.919 impact on how business is conducted 36:22.919 --> 36:24.808 overseas , others maintained that 36:24.808 --> 36:26.919 public perception shapes our policies 36:26.919 --> 36:29.400 abroad by affecting who wins elections 36:29.510 --> 36:31.677 and constraining what leaders do after 36:31.677 --> 36:35.570 taking office . One thing that I 36:35.570 --> 36:37.570 would love the public to understand 36:37.570 --> 36:40.920 about veterans is that we're civilians 36:40.920 --> 36:44.230 as well . We just chose to make this 36:44.230 --> 36:47.650 sacrifice and to do a bit more for the 36:47.650 --> 36:49.761 country . But we're civilians as well 36:49.761 --> 36:52.390 and we would like to be accepted as 36:52.390 --> 36:54.930 such . We appreciate the support , we 36:54.930 --> 36:57.620 appreciate the love and we enjoy giving 36:57.620 --> 37:01.560 back the american 37:01.560 --> 37:03.720 public , the american government , 37:03.730 --> 37:06.800 civil society , my neighbors , my 37:06.800 --> 37:08.744 communities , the schools where my 37:08.744 --> 37:10.830 Children were raised have been 37:10.840 --> 37:12.618 exceptionally supportive of the 37:12.618 --> 37:14.618 military community of veterans writ 37:14.618 --> 37:16.840 large , those who are past their active 37:16.840 --> 37:18.951 service , those currently serving the 37:18.951 --> 37:21.450 family members of those who serve . I 37:21.450 --> 37:23.450 can't say enough about the positive 37:23.450 --> 37:26.340 outpouring of support . Certainly since 37:26.340 --> 37:29.880 9 11 I 37:29.880 --> 37:32.220 am a service disabled veteran owned 37:32.230 --> 37:34.452 small business . So the country does do 37:34.452 --> 37:36.619 things for veterans , especially those 37:36.619 --> 37:39.330 that have been impacted by their 37:39.330 --> 37:42.850 service regardless of the 37:42.850 --> 37:44.940 pulse and politics of the nation and 37:44.940 --> 37:47.162 fluctuations in public opinion over the 37:47.162 --> 37:49.760 years , Volunteers of the US Armed 37:49.760 --> 37:52.430 Services continue to serve for several 37:52.430 --> 37:54.763 reasons that are in line with the U . S . 37:54.763 --> 37:57.250 Constitution's vision and values . 38:02.220 --> 38:04.331 We fight differently now and I really 38:04.331 --> 38:06.442 appreciated that we're allowed to use 38:06.442 --> 38:09.170 our brains now versus just our bodies 38:09.180 --> 38:10.902 And so as a result of that , I 38:10.902 --> 38:13.580 appreciate everyone . Every veteran 38:13.580 --> 38:15.747 that came before me and I wish I could 38:15.747 --> 38:17.969 tell each and every one of them . Thank 38:17.969 --> 38:21.760 you . Thank you and thank you . The U . 38:21.760 --> 38:24.170 S . Armed Forces is an all volunteer 38:24.170 --> 38:26.670 force as important as it is . To 38:26.670 --> 38:28.281 understand the structure and 38:28.281 --> 38:30.392 organization of the armed forces . It 38:30.392 --> 38:32.503 is important to understand the people 38:32.503 --> 38:36.310 who make up the military mm The 38:36.310 --> 38:38.421 members of the military come from all 38:38.421 --> 38:40.421 different walks of life and share a 38:40.421 --> 38:42.532 common set of values and beliefs that 38:42.532 --> 38:44.421 today underscored their voluntary 38:44.421 --> 38:48.420 service to the nation . The things 38:48.420 --> 38:51.130 that the Vietnam helicopter pilots did 38:51.140 --> 38:53.480 just flying straight into direct heavy 38:53.480 --> 38:55.810 machine gun fire and the tactics they 38:55.810 --> 38:57.977 developed . The crazy things that they 38:57.977 --> 39:00.380 said , let's try this . In the middle 39:00.380 --> 39:03.320 of a war , those aviators , they 39:03.320 --> 39:06.200 pressed the boundaries of human courage , 39:06.400 --> 39:10.250 of risk of physics . They got us 39:10.250 --> 39:12.472 where we are today . They got us on the 39:12.472 --> 39:14.472 cusp of everything we're doing with 39:14.472 --> 39:16.528 with drones and with vertical lift . 39:16.528 --> 39:18.639 The places we've gone in the field of 39:18.639 --> 39:20.250 aviation , military aviation 39:20.250 --> 39:22.361 specifically . But those those pilots 39:22.361 --> 39:24.870 were crazy in a good way . I can't say 39:24.870 --> 39:27.390 enough about the things they tried we 39:27.390 --> 39:29.334 stop ourselves from pressing those 39:29.334 --> 39:31.223 boundaries now because things are 39:31.223 --> 39:33.390 expensive when they break and we don't 39:33.390 --> 39:35.557 want to hurt people . But back then it 39:35.557 --> 39:37.668 was the wild wild west in the air . I 39:37.668 --> 39:39.779 can't thank those veterans enough for 39:39.779 --> 39:41.834 just being their best selves , their 39:41.834 --> 39:43.520 most human and their most 39:43.530 --> 39:47.500 transcendently human . I appreciate 39:47.500 --> 39:50.040 what all of the people that I was in 39:50.040 --> 39:52.096 the service with and those that were 39:52.220 --> 39:54.276 before and after me and what they've 39:54.276 --> 39:56.140 done for the country without our 39:56.150 --> 39:58.650 standing forces , all the branches this 39:58.650 --> 40:00.706 country wouldn't be what it is today 40:01.310 --> 40:03.421 today . The U . S . Military has been 40:03.421 --> 40:05.532 able to maintain a standing and ready 40:05.532 --> 40:08.020 volunteer force . This would not exist 40:08.020 --> 40:10.240 without the sacrifices those in the 40:10.240 --> 40:13.030 past made for the lives we live today . 40:47.510 --> 40:48.440 Mhm . Mhm , 40:52.910 --> 40:56.820 mm hmm , mm hmm . Mhm . 40:58.110 --> 40:58.500 Um .