WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:04.797 He supported Scottsdale so well and has a very distinguishing long career. 00:00:04.830 --> 00:00:10.797 He enlisted in the army in 1965 and he flew armed helicopter missions in 00:00:10.830 --> 00:00:15.097 Vietnam and then he's also served the folks in Arizona for more than two 00:00:15.130 --> 00:00:19.296 decades. Rising through the ranks of the Arizona National Guard, Become 00:00:19.329 --> 00:00:24.287 the adage in general in 1998. Please welcome our friend, Major General 00:00:24.320 --> 00:00:28.186 David P ratchet. Thank 00:00:28.219 --> 00:00:31.306 you. Thank you. 00:00:31.339 --> 00:00:34.156 Well, you've heard everybody talking about what a special pleasure it is 00:00:34.189 --> 00:00:38.726 to be here today. And it is for me also, you know, I'm not, I'm excited 00:00:38.759 --> 00:00:41.326 about my retirement and congressman, thank you for those kind words and 00:00:41.359 --> 00:00:44.586 and governor, thank you for the opportunity to serve you in this great 00:00:44.619 --> 00:00:48.406 state. But between the mayor and the congressman and the governor and 00:00:48.439 --> 00:00:51.597 senator wearing sitting out here, I can't think of four people who have 00:00:51.630 --> 00:00:57.196 done more for our veterans in this state in the last several years, then 00:00:57.229 --> 00:01:00.326 these four people and it's really an honor for me to be here with all of 00:01:00.359 --> 00:01:03.936 them my last time in one place. And I want to say it all four of you, 00:01:03.969 --> 00:01:10.906 thank you so much. Okay, 00:01:10.939 --> 00:01:15.016 And I think you're all familiar with the Montgomery G. I. Bill and what 00:01:15.049 --> 00:01:18.656 it's done for our veterans over the years and their opportunity for 00:01:18.689 --> 00:01:23.486 education and to help offset the rising cost of education. Congressman 00:01:23.519 --> 00:01:26.206 Mitchell was 00:01:26.239 --> 00:01:29.717 a little meek and he's talking about the G. I. Bill, but it is an 00:01:29.750 --> 00:01:32.986 extraordinary, significant thing and, and I personally think they ought to 00:01:33.019 --> 00:01:37.977 call the new G. I. Bill of the 21st century. The harry Mitchell G. I. Bill 00:01:38.010 --> 00:01:41.156 and honor view because of how you spearhead of this and what it's gonna do 00:01:41.189 --> 00:01:45.197 for this generation of G. I. S into the future and how that's going to 00:01:45.230 --> 00:01:51.576 impact our country as we go on to the next decades with individuals that 00:01:51.609 --> 00:01:53.917 are able to come back from war and get an education that they couldn't 00:01:53.950 --> 00:02:01.406 otherwise afford. Thank you so much for doing that. 00:02:01.439 --> 00:02:05.686 But we do gather today to honor and thank the men and women who have one 00:02:05.719 --> 00:02:09.976 warned this nation's uniform, whether they serve in time of war or peace. 00:02:10.009 --> 00:02:14.247 Americans veterans all share a common bond, their unwavering belief in 00:02:14.280 --> 00:02:18.087 the cause of freedom, a belief so strong they were willing to give their 00:02:18.120 --> 00:02:23.827 lives if need be in his defense. Their stories are the story of our 00:02:23.860 --> 00:02:27.696 history because America rose to greatness on their shoulders, we owe them 00:02:27.729 --> 00:02:32.686 our very way of life our freedom to live, work and raise our families as 00:02:32.719 --> 00:02:37.006 we please. Veterans are this nation's unsung heroes in peacetime. 00:02:37.039 --> 00:02:41.077 Especially, it is easy to forget that these men and women are on duty and 00:02:41.110 --> 00:02:46.376 lonely outpost around the world. Even today, only seven years removed from 00:02:46.409 --> 00:02:51.327 the brutal attacks of September 11, 2001 many in our community forget the 00:02:51.360 --> 00:02:56.906 wars going on in Afghanistan and Iraq. Our veterans have missed the births 00:02:56.939 --> 00:03:01.786 of their Children wedding anniversaries and graduations. They have spent 00:03:01.819 --> 00:03:06.957 holidays in soggy rice patties in Vietnam amid the stinging sands of the 00:03:06.990 --> 00:03:11.006 Iraqi desert in the cold and rugged mountains of Afghanistan and eastern 00:03:11.039 --> 00:03:14.827 europe. Not every veteran has seen combat of course. But even in peacetime 00:03:14.860 --> 00:03:19.587 , they face dangers that most other americans never know hazardous 00:03:19.620 --> 00:03:23.177 nighttime training missions, rescuing crew members from downed aircraft or 00:03:23.210 --> 00:03:28.876 providing relief supplies after a natural disaster all come with risk what 00:03:28.909 --> 00:03:31.547 they have important jobs to do. And thank goodness. We have always had 00:03:31.580 --> 00:03:36.707 young men and women ready to do them. Our veterans are living examples of 00:03:36.740 --> 00:03:40.647 what it means to be good citizens. They have given us a lifetime of 00:03:40.680 --> 00:03:45.017 service and the country has been enriched by the contributions, both in 00:03:45.050 --> 00:03:48.876 and out of uniform. As general Patton said, wars may be fought by weapons 00:03:48.909 --> 00:03:56.087 , but they are won by men and I would add, today's world women, the legacy 00:03:56.120 --> 00:03:59.656 of americans Veterans is a proud and honorable one. No matter where or 00:03:59.689 --> 00:04:05.807 when they served our nation's armed forces acted honorably and decently 00:04:05.840 --> 00:04:09.376 liberating countries from the hands of brutal dictators. This tradition 00:04:09.409 --> 00:04:13.967 continues in Afghanistan and Iraq. Now our uniformed forces continue to 00:04:14.000 --> 00:04:18.217 help build roads and bridges, utility systems, schools and hospitals so 00:04:18.250 --> 00:04:22.606 these countries can begin to establish their own democratic governments. 00:04:22.639 --> 00:04:25.406 American veterans can look around the globe and proudly survey the 00:04:25.439 --> 00:04:29.656 results of their shared sacrifice. Hundreds of emerging and established 00:04:29.689 --> 00:04:36.007 democracies where the citizens now I live in freedom to all veterans, we 00:04:36.040 --> 00:04:39.687 say, thank you, thanks for your sacrifice for your sense of duty and for 00:04:39.720 --> 00:04:47.207 your service mayor. Thank you so much for the opportunity. Okay, 00:04:47.240 --> 00:04:55.240 thanks. Okay. Yeah, yeah, 00:04:55.540 --> 00:05:00.277 Okay. We have another very interesting individual member of our community 00:05:00.310 --> 00:05:05.197 , a longtime member of Scottsdale's community and I don't know if you all 00:05:05.230 --> 00:05:10.507 know him, but I know many of you probably do know his name is Gil Gifford 00:05:10.540 --> 00:05:14.986 and he kind of affectionately call them our bugler because that's what he 00:05:15.019 --> 00:05:20.366 does in Scottsdale, but And he's been playing the taps for events and a 00:05:20.399 --> 00:05:25.817 lot of locations and a lot of times for the last 60 years actually. Um, 00:05:25.850 --> 00:05:29.217 and always on Memorial Day and veteran's Day and sometimes he has to go 00:05:29.250 --> 00:05:33.746 from one event to another to help folks out. And today we're gonna let Gil 00:05:33.779 --> 00:05:36.926 come up. We've known Gil, I'm so glad that you could be here with us today 00:05:36.959 --> 00:05:42.197 to come up and give us a very short history of taps. Tell us a little bit 00:05:42.230 --> 00:05:45.166 about it, where it came from, why we do it, why it's played at military 00:05:45.199 --> 00:05:49.957 services and later on you'll get to hear him play taps later in the 00:05:49.990 --> 00:05:55.697 program. But before he speaks, I want to just take 90 seconds here because 00:05:55.730 --> 00:06:01.036 this is my opportunity to do something that I think we need to do for Mr 00:06:01.069 --> 00:06:06.387 Gifford And I have a very short proclamation for him. Whereas Gil Gifford 00:06:06.420 --> 00:06:10.827 jr arrived in Scottsdale in 1973 to become the executive director of the 00:06:10.860 --> 00:06:15.567 boys club of our Great City. Now the boys and girls club, Gil spent more 00:06:15.600 --> 00:06:19.416 than 30 years prior to that managing boys clubs in Massachusetts and in 00:06:19.449 --> 00:06:23.786 Palm Springs in whittier California. And whereas Gil graduated from 00:06:23.819 --> 00:06:27.437 Emerson College in boston with a degree in public speaking and you'll 00:06:27.470 --> 00:06:30.947 understand that in a moment when you hear him speak, He's also been an 00:06:30.980 --> 00:06:35.187 auctioneer at various charitable events over the past 35 years, helping to 00:06:35.220 --> 00:06:39.976 raise many thousands of dollars for local charities. And whereas Gil has 00:06:40.009 --> 00:06:43.257 hurt, you can probably hear his voice and you'll recognize it from 00:06:43.290 --> 00:06:47.236 announcing major league baseball games, golf tournaments, Marathons, 00:06:47.269 --> 00:06:51.957 Special Olympics, the Parada del sole and many other events. And whereas 00:06:51.990 --> 00:06:56.447 Gil was the 2002 recipient of the Scottsdale History Makers Award for 00:06:56.480 --> 00:07:01.877 helping to make our great community what it is today And whereas Gil has 00:07:01.910 --> 00:07:06.517 been playing the military bugle for many years, as I said, 60, including 00:07:06.550 --> 00:07:11.806 the US Army band in Europe, he plays it on memorial Day and veteran's day 00:07:11.839 --> 00:07:16.327 and all over the valley of the Sun. So now, therefore, I Merryman ross, 00:07:16.360 --> 00:07:20.957 mayor of the city of Scottsdale, Arizona do hereby proclaim Gil Gifford as 00:07:20.990 --> 00:07:28.990 Scottsdale's official bugler Bigler B U G L. E. R. 00:07:30.439 --> 00:07:35.616 I'm gonna let him say it On Veterans Day, November 11, 2000 and come on up 00:07:35.649 --> 00:07:39.007 here 00:07:39.040 --> 00:07:45.426 diggler got it, you are so delightful, wow! Well, that's because I just 00:07:45.459 --> 00:07:49.546 gave him a proclamation. That's very nice. Really. Get to toot my own horn 00:07:49.579 --> 00:07:51.806 here too. 00:07:51.839 --> 00:07:56.656 Hey everybody, I never get this thrill. This opportunity usually amount in 00:07:56.689 --> 00:08:01.207 the back 40 out there. You never see me. All you do is hear me play this 00:08:01.240 --> 00:08:05.286 beautiful horn here. This one, by the way, no valves or anything. It was 00:08:05.319 --> 00:08:09.546 designed for use at the Arlington National Cemetery and I came across this 00:08:09.579 --> 00:08:16.406 one many years ago and that's the one you will hear later on today. Yeah, 00:08:16.439 --> 00:08:20.637 I thought what I would do today since I've been playing the bugle for 60 00:08:20.670 --> 00:08:26.666 years is to answer some of the questions that people ask of a bugler, like 00:08:26.699 --> 00:08:32.307 how did tap start, Why do we call it taps? 00:08:32.340 --> 00:08:39.146 Are there words to taps? Yes. So there are first of all how it all began 00:08:39.179 --> 00:08:45.837 going back to the Civil War. A Colonel dan butterfield on the side of the 00:08:45.870 --> 00:08:50.657 north. Now, this is not a very glamorous story by the way, some of you may 00:08:50.690 --> 00:08:56.657 know of some very glamorous stories, but they're wrong. And I will tell 00:08:56.690 --> 00:09:00.886 you why they are wrong in a few moments. But dan butterfield didn't like 00:09:00.919 --> 00:09:04.846 the way taps sounded, It was actually called lights out or extinguish 00:09:04.879 --> 00:09:10.927 lights at that time. And so he rewrote them. He had a few problems. He 00:09:10.960 --> 00:09:14.856 called over the bugler a guy named Oliver Norton and they worked it out 00:09:14.889 --> 00:09:18.657 and that evening it was played as the final call of the evening for that 00:09:18.690 --> 00:09:24.396 particular group. Well it caught on like wildfire and went throughout the 00:09:24.429 --> 00:09:29.396 the armies on both sides. And of course we still play it to this very day 00:09:29.429 --> 00:09:34.577 at that time. It was to say good night. Now of course we use it to say 00:09:34.610 --> 00:09:37.907 goodnight and also goodbye. 00:09:37.940 --> 00:09:44.116 Now, how do I know this was the story? How do I know that? While I checked 00:09:44.149 --> 00:09:48.526 with a couple of big sources, one Arlington National Cemetery and they 00:09:48.559 --> 00:09:54.386 said the story I just told you is the way it was. 00:09:54.419 --> 00:09:59.707 I also checked with the U. S. Marines. 00:09:59.740 --> 00:10:05.077 And if the marines say this is the story and I have learned by being a 00:10:05.110 --> 00:10:09.967 member of the U. S. Army for many years. Sometimes making some serious 00:10:10.000 --> 00:10:13.307 mistakes of doubting a marine 00:10:13.340 --> 00:10:21.340 that if they say this is the gospel, this is the gospel. 00:10:21.539 --> 00:10:28.307 Mhm. Thank you dad. I didn't know you were with us today. Mhm. So why do 00:10:28.340 --> 00:10:34.506 we call the taps and not lights out a good night? Well back in those days 00:10:34.539 --> 00:10:39.236 a drummer would go down or up the street throughout the area and tap the 00:10:39.269 --> 00:10:47.269 drum tap, tap tap tap, tap tap tap. This was the signal to go to bed. But 00:10:48.759 --> 00:10:54.687 there was another tapping that I liked even better the bartenders, those 00:10:54.720 --> 00:11:00.087 wonderful people, you're looking at me with a puzzled look there, how 00:11:00.120 --> 00:11:06.407 could a bartender have anything to do with taps? You wonder you ask? 00:11:06.440 --> 00:11:11.346 Here's the skinny, the bartenders when it was time for the troops to leave 00:11:11.379 --> 00:11:16.636 the bars and go back to their, wherever they were staying would tap the 00:11:16.669 --> 00:11:24.669 beer kegs. Oh no, no beer, no party, no fun. Let's go back to bed. Oh 00:11:27.240 --> 00:11:33.006 now marines didn't tell me that story, but I figure that one out myself. 00:11:33.039 --> 00:11:38.437 The next area. Are there words to taps? Yes, there are very beautiful 00:11:38.470 --> 00:11:42.096 words. And for those of you who have been in summer calves, you may 00:11:42.129 --> 00:11:47.797 remember gathering around the campfire as a group holding hands and 00:11:47.830 --> 00:11:53.486 singing the words to taps and off the bed. You would go and taps would be 00:11:53.519 --> 00:11:56.217 played on the bugle. 00:11:56.250 --> 00:11:59.707 The words have so much meeting. I don't know where they came from, but 00:11:59.740 --> 00:12:03.526 they are beautiful. So what I would like to do here, I'm going to have 00:12:03.559 --> 00:12:08.307 sing those words and for those of you can remember your last military 00:12:08.340 --> 00:12:13.486 funeral you went to and taps was played. Think about what you were 00:12:13.519 --> 00:12:20.736 thinking. It sends chills from one end of your body to the other. Here are 00:12:20.769 --> 00:12:28.769 the words day is done, gone, the sun from the hills from the lakes and 00:12:30.850 --> 00:12:38.850 from the sky all is well now safely rest God's night. Thank you veterans. 00:12:40.399 --> 00:12:47.307 You are the greatest. 00:12:47.340 --> 00:12:54.707 That's right 00:12:54.740 --> 00:12:59.226 now. You know why I gave him that proclamation. That's terrific. Thank you 00:12:59.259 --> 00:13:03.717 so much gil. It's really great to have you on our program this year. Now 00:13:03.750 --> 00:13:06.917 we have another wonderful person that's with us today for the first time. 00:13:06.950 --> 00:13:11.557 I believe that since we've been doing this program and its commander fred 00:13:11.590 --> 00:13:17.697 marble, he is with the buffalo soldiers and commander Marable and his wife 00:13:17.730 --> 00:13:23.096 , Private Michelle London Maribel. In 2007 they founded the buffalo 00:13:23.129 --> 00:13:26.886 soldiers of the Arizona territory. The ladies and gentlemen of the 00:13:26.919 --> 00:13:32.157 regiment headquarters in Mesa Arizona and the commander. It's so great 00:13:32.190 --> 00:13:35.736 that he can be with us today because he's gonna share us with us. A little 00:13:35.769 --> 00:13:40.486 brief history of buffalo soldiers and the influence and the impact of the 00:13:40.519 --> 00:13:48.519 afro american community um, on our country. Please come back. Thank you 00:13:55.539 --> 00:14:02.707 Buffalo soldiers up to it. Yeah, Yeah. 00:14:02.740 --> 00:14:06.907 So 00:14:06.940 --> 00:14:12.437 ladies and gentlemen, it is an honor and it is a privilege to be here in 00:14:12.470 --> 00:14:19.976 your presence today to represent people. They come out of attorney out of 00:14:20.009 --> 00:14:22.707 a pass 00:14:22.740 --> 00:14:27.207 to be known as buffalo soldiers. 00:14:27.240 --> 00:14:34.827 I have the privilege to represent two of amazing black gentlemen. First 00:14:34.860 --> 00:14:39.807 Lieutenant john hancock alexander. He was the 1st, 2nd black lieutenant to 00:14:39.840 --> 00:14:43.787 graduate from West Point. And the third gentleman to graduate from West 00:14:43.820 --> 00:14:50.896 Point was Charles young Colonel Charles young and we as representing the 00:14:50.929 --> 00:14:55.276 buffalo soldiers today would like to salute you each and every one of you 00:14:55.309 --> 00:15:01.957 , From the veterans to the citizens to the councilman, to the governor, to 00:15:01.990 --> 00:15:09.990 the mayor to the gentleman. We salute you Buffalo soldiers 00:15:10.539 --> 00:15:16.707 fritz. Said who 00:15:16.740 --> 00:15:24.106 hold up here 00:15:24.139 --> 00:15:27.856 to give you a little brief history. I'm not going to take up a lot of time 00:15:27.889 --> 00:15:30.856 because I know you're tired of sitting in those hard seats because my 00:15:30.889 --> 00:15:34.126 seats began to get hard 00:15:34.159 --> 00:15:36.876 and the gentleman there with the trump and he said, well it's your turn. I 00:15:36.909 --> 00:15:41.116 said well if I can get up out of their kind of glued a little bit. But 00:15:41.149 --> 00:15:44.476 ladies and gentlemen, I just want to take you just a little taste back 00:15:44.509 --> 00:15:47.207 through time about the buffalo soldiers. I'm not gonna go into the dates 00:15:47.240 --> 00:15:53.106 or anything. I'm just gonna tell you about what took place a little bit. 00:15:53.139 --> 00:15:58.146 If you go back into time, let's go back back to when the black man was in 00:15:58.179 --> 00:16:06.179 slavery and the civil war was going on and he asked, I need to be free, 00:16:06.539 --> 00:16:11.327 how can I get free? The old master told him and said, well you go and you 00:16:11.360 --> 00:16:17.687 go into the military will set you free. Okay? But at the same time we had 00:16:17.720 --> 00:16:22.537 ladies, they were there and some of the things what they did also there 00:16:22.570 --> 00:16:28.256 were there were slaves during the time of the Civil War period. If you 00:16:28.289 --> 00:16:32.437 didn't know, they said the C. I. A. Just just started only a few years 00:16:32.470 --> 00:16:37.327 back. No, it didn't, it started way back. These slaves went back into 00:16:37.360 --> 00:16:44.407 slavery, enter tyranny back into the old masters whip, Being beaten down, 00:16:44.440 --> 00:16:49.346 down to the ground, taking all the garbage that was thrown down to them to 00:16:49.379 --> 00:16:53.797 bring back to the north a message of what was going on. The old slave 00:16:53.830 --> 00:16:57.006 master thought because the black man in the black lady stood around the 00:16:57.039 --> 00:16:59.976 dinner table and didn't know anything what they were talking about. When 00:17:00.009 --> 00:17:02.907 they brought the old maps out in the south and said, well we're going to 00:17:02.940 --> 00:17:06.867 engage on the north here, we're going to engage in the north there. They 00:17:06.900 --> 00:17:11.417 took these messages back to the north and today. This is why we are 00:17:11.450 --> 00:17:16.147 sitting here free people and being able to do what we're doing right here 00:17:16.180 --> 00:17:20.367 and now these slaves took on a lot upon their shoulders and upon their 00:17:20.400 --> 00:17:22.407 backs 00:17:22.440 --> 00:17:27.217 they looked forward to the future, but there was no future that they could 00:17:27.250 --> 00:17:31.766 look forward to. So they were inducted into the military and when they 00:17:31.799 --> 00:17:36.157 were inducted until the military, they found out they had something very 00:17:36.190 --> 00:17:38.806 extraordinary. 00:17:38.839 --> 00:17:42.467 And after they got out of the military, they formed these units. The ninth 00:17:42.500 --> 00:17:50.097 , 10th, 24th and 25th, the ninth and the 10th Cavalry, 24th and 25th 00:17:50.130 --> 00:17:56.246 Infantry. They set them out on a journey and this journey was basically 00:17:56.279 --> 00:18:02.006 for no return. Well, once they got out there, they found out that this man 00:18:02.039 --> 00:18:06.447 was a fighting man. He was a fighting machine. He fought off the Indians. 00:18:06.480 --> 00:18:10.796 The Indians said, Oh my God, what did you find this man that he stepped 00:18:10.829 --> 00:18:14.867 down off his horse and fought them toe to toe. This was the 10th cavalry. 00:18:14.900 --> 00:18:17.937 This is where they got their name. The Buffalo soldiers from. Because 00:18:17.970 --> 00:18:22.086 they fought so hard and so diligently against the Indians to protect the 00:18:22.119 --> 00:18:26.367 settlers. They came from the, from the, from the east to the west. They 00:18:26.400 --> 00:18:30.467 protected the gold mines. They protected telegraph lines, they protected 00:18:30.500 --> 00:18:34.756 all that were out here in the west. They protected the settlers as they 00:18:34.789 --> 00:18:38.736 built their settlements around. They, they build outpost which became 00:18:38.769 --> 00:18:45.147 small towns later on. But still one thing that they still suffered and 00:18:45.180 --> 00:18:50.897 today is getting better. They still suffered segregation. They weren't 00:18:50.930 --> 00:18:53.976 allowed to come into the towns, They weren't allowed to celebrate. They 00:18:54.009 --> 00:18:58.407 had to just sing among themselves outside of the towns. But these 00:18:58.440 --> 00:19:02.217 gentlemen and ladies that you see stand over before you now they represent 00:19:02.250 --> 00:19:06.407 those folks. If you get a chance, please go by and talk with them, find 00:19:06.440 --> 00:19:10.766 out who they represent. They represent some of the finest black ladies. 00:19:10.799 --> 00:19:14.177 There's one over there stands was the first black lady that was in the 00:19:14.210 --> 00:19:18.796 military. They didn't even know that she was a lady. Her name was Kathy 00:19:18.829 --> 00:19:23.667 Williams and there are many more. The first black school teacher, the 00:19:23.700 --> 00:19:28.667 first black uh doctor that stands the front part of the first nursed. It 00:19:28.700 --> 00:19:34.717 stands over there. There's so much that we've done for this country that 00:19:34.750 --> 00:19:40.107 the buffalo soldiers fought and dead. He shed his blood upon this earth. 00:19:40.140 --> 00:19:44.377 And just to give you a last point of view in this great state of Arizona 00:19:44.410 --> 00:19:48.627 that we stand up on today, that our feet set up on this ground. The 00:19:48.660 --> 00:19:54.177 buffalo soldier came out of new Orleans, Louisiana and he went around the 00:19:54.210 --> 00:20:00.437 rim and come into Arizona a 500 mile tour, a tour that he mapped out these 00:20:00.470 --> 00:20:05.657 roles that you ride upon today and all the things that he did to sweat and 00:20:05.690 --> 00:20:11.147 tears and the pain that he went through. Mhm. He shed his blood for a 00:20:11.180 --> 00:20:16.967 country that he believes in. He gave everything for a country that he 00:20:17.000 --> 00:20:23.246 believes in today. He still believes in that as the spirit carries on and 00:20:23.279 --> 00:20:27.546 we're gonna take the spirit as high and as far as we can take it. And as I 00:20:27.579 --> 00:20:34.806 served in Vietnam, I gave my all in all and I'll always respect the flag 00:20:34.839 --> 00:20:40.306 that flies above our country. Oh my God, bless America and all of you. Mhm. 00:20:40.339 --> 00:20:48.339 Yes. 00:20:54.140 --> 00:21:00.306 Mhm. Okay. Thank you commander. Wasn't that a treat? It's just such a 00:21:00.339 --> 00:21:08.339 wonderful day. Yes. Okay. We have 00:21:08.539 --> 00:21:13.246 another really important individual that we'd like you to hear from today 00:21:13.279 --> 00:21:17.847 who is a really relatively new friend of mine. I've only known him for a 00:21:17.880 --> 00:21:24.107 couple of years now and his name's Howard lian and Howard is the founder 00:21:24.140 --> 00:21:27.766 of the Arizona division of sentinels of freedom. It's an organization 00:21:27.799 --> 00:21:32.647 called sentinels of Freedom. Don't forget that name. Private nonprofit 00:21:32.680 --> 00:21:37.546 foundation and it provides scholarships and support an enormous amount of 00:21:37.579 --> 00:21:41.847 support to members of the armed services who have been seriously injured 00:21:41.880 --> 00:21:48.066 in the line of duty. They include things such as rent free housing, 00:21:48.099 --> 00:21:51.417 medical assistance and that can be very, very significant. As you can 00:21:51.450 --> 00:21:57.347 imagine, educational opportunities, financial, personal mentoring, career 00:21:57.380 --> 00:22:02.036 placement assistance and training for whatever career that those soldiers 00:22:02.069 --> 00:22:07.377 would like to pursue. Mr Lian said that he was prompted at least partially 00:22:07.410 --> 00:22:13.147 by remembering what happened after Vietnam. A lot of us recall how are 00:22:13.180 --> 00:22:18.486 soldiers were treated when they came back to America and he wanted to help 00:22:18.519 --> 00:22:22.486 support those that we all see coming back now from the wars that were 00:22:22.519 --> 00:22:26.417 involved with around the world and as a congressman said, and so many 00:22:26.450 --> 00:22:31.996 others said we need to be there for them. I mean, we need to be there and 00:22:32.029 --> 00:22:36.496 give them our very, very best. Um and that's why we're so grateful for 00:22:36.529 --> 00:22:40.107 folks like Howard. So I thought it would be great to have him come and 00:22:40.140 --> 00:22:43.076 share with you about sending us to freedom and why I think it's so 00:22:43.109 --> 00:22:51.109 important for all of us. Thank you. Yeah, thank you. 00:22:54.339 --> 00:22:59.397 Yeah, 00:22:59.430 --> 00:23:03.486 thank you very much. And thank you mary mayor man Ross and MS Cutler and 00:23:03.519 --> 00:23:10.137 Governor napolitano congressman Mitchell, Major General Riad, a chair, Mr 00:23:10.170 --> 00:23:17.607 Clifford Commander marble City council members 00:23:17.640 --> 00:23:22.707 now. It's an honor to be here today and be able to visit to you with you a 00:23:22.740 --> 00:23:28.306 day of recognition of our millions of military veterans 00:23:28.339 --> 00:23:32.177 as we all know. None of us would be here sitting today, were it not for 00:23:32.210 --> 00:23:37.347 the sacrifices made by our veterans over the years? It's even more notable 00:23:37.380 --> 00:23:43.336 to recognize the incredible weeks that have preceded this presentation 00:23:43.369 --> 00:23:47.326 today. I think you all agree that the things that have gone on 00:23:47.359 --> 00:23:52.516 economically and in our elections have been absolutely remarkable. Our 00:23:52.549 --> 00:23:57.397 country continues to be a free country because of the dedication of our 00:23:57.430 --> 00:24:02.076 volunteers. By the way, I've got a special thanks for congressman Mitchell 00:24:02.109 --> 00:24:06.796 when it was announced that congress would be receiving a pay raise. 00:24:06.829 --> 00:24:11.796 Congressman Mitchell was the first raised his hand and object to the rays 00:24:11.829 --> 00:24:17.286 and decided to send a donation each month to military related 00:24:17.319 --> 00:24:22.097 organizations. Each month, sentinels of freedom receives a check from 00:24:22.130 --> 00:24:30.130 congressman Mitchell and it's very much appreciated. 00:24:31.940 --> 00:24:35.586 Thank you to Mary Mayor Man Ross for helping bring the efforts of 00:24:35.619 --> 00:24:39.836 sentinels for freedom to the attention of our Scottsdale residents today. 00:24:39.869 --> 00:24:43.806 It's estimated that there are close to 500 00:24:43.839 --> 00:24:48.756 volunteer organizations that have been formed to assist our veterans in a 00:24:48.789 --> 00:24:53.867 variety of ways. I have to believe that all of the organizations have been 00:24:53.900 --> 00:24:57.847 formed with the absolute best intentions in mind. It's an example of how 00:24:57.880 --> 00:25:02.347 we as a community can come together and assist our heroes after all, isn't 00:25:02.380 --> 00:25:06.957 it really the obligation of the community to take care of the people who 00:25:06.990 --> 00:25:11.546 have given their time and they're all in their lives to protect us. I 00:25:11.579 --> 00:25:15.697 represent a grassroots organization named Sentinels of Freedom. We're a 00:25:15.730 --> 00:25:21.127 national organization headquartered in san Ramon California, formed in 00:25:21.160 --> 00:25:26.046 2000 and four as a scholarship organization to assist the most permanently 00:25:26.079 --> 00:25:30.717 wounded soldiers were now a national organization With almost two dozen 00:25:30.750 --> 00:25:35.427 established chapters. Sentinels of Freedom was formed when a gentleman 00:25:35.460 --> 00:25:40.496 named Mike Conklin, our president had served, had three sons serving in 00:25:40.529 --> 00:25:46.107 Iraq as our army rangers. one of the sons was wounded in battle and had to 00:25:46.140 --> 00:25:54.140 come home for recovery and rehabilitation. His father Mike recognize the 00:25:54.240 --> 00:26:00.316 needs that confronted his son and felt that the community of SAn Ramon 00:26:00.349 --> 00:26:05.437 could step up and do a lot more to help there daughters and sons that were 00:26:05.470 --> 00:26:10.877 coming back from Iraq in similar situations from that concept, sentinels 00:26:10.910 --> 00:26:15.687 of Freedom was formed where a life scholarship organization providing 00:26:15.720 --> 00:26:20.536 housing furnishings, a vehicle when necessary and mentoring to our 00:26:20.569 --> 00:26:26.127 selected soldiers. The cause is designed designed to give a hand up, not a 00:26:26.160 --> 00:26:33.026 handout two Deserving Selected Men & Women. Our local team is made up of 00:26:33.059 --> 00:26:37.927 all walks of life. I've got attorneys, doctors, accountants, financial 00:26:37.960 --> 00:26:42.726 planners, realtors, men and women from my office that are doing their very 00:26:42.759 --> 00:26:46.566 best to help our selected soldiers. Our mission is to help our soldiers 00:26:46.599 --> 00:26:51.127 achieve the education and rehabilitation goals that are their dreams. We 00:26:51.160 --> 00:26:55.857 work with them and that we work with the appropriate organizations such as 00:26:55.890 --> 00:26:59.496 the veteran's administration so that our candidates can achieve the 00:26:59.529 --> 00:27:03.457 maximum benefits that they're entitled to. With that said, we're not a 00:27:03.490 --> 00:27:07.236 political organization, We're not pro war, We're not against war. We're 00:27:07.269 --> 00:27:10.516 not critical of the organizations that were formed to assist our wounded 00:27:10.549 --> 00:27:15.826 soldiers were here to deal with the results and help our soldiers as much 00:27:15.859 --> 00:27:19.657 as possible for further information on how you can help. I've provided a 00:27:19.690 --> 00:27:25.546 hand out to you. There's uh brochures similar to this that you've got on 00:27:25.579 --> 00:27:29.367 your seat. We've got more up here for your review. We've got a website 00:27:29.400 --> 00:27:36.867 called www. Sentinels of Freedom Az dot org. Thank you for all the support 00:27:36.900 --> 00:27:41.677 you have demonstrated today for our veterans. America is the greatest 00:27:41.710 --> 00:27:46.276 country on earth because of their sacrifices. God bless them. And God 00:27:46.309 --> 00:27:54.309 bless America. Thank you. 00:27:57.140 --> 00:27:59.140 Mhm.Thanks