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Philanthropy in Phocus

Friday, June 2, 2023
2
Jun
Facebook Live Video from 2023/06/02 - Changing The Military Mindset and Successfully Navigating The VA

 
Facebook Live Video from 2023/06/02 - Changing The Military Mindset and Successfully Navigating The VA

 

2023/06/02 - Changing The Military Mindset and Successfully Navigating The VA

[NEW EPISODE] Changing The Military Mindset and Successfully Navigating the VA

Fridays 10:00am - 11:00am (EDT)

WHAT WILL THE AUDIENCE LEARN?

They will gain knowledge on how to understand the VA process and how to successfully navigate the system to ensure they maximize their benefits.


EPISODE SUMMARY:

Veteran advocacy 501(c)(3) founded by service connected disabled veterans that offer no cost education and service to active duty, reservist, national guard, veterans and their families.


Veteran Advocacy Nonprofit 501(c)(3) with over 35 years of experience helping veterans navigate the VA process successfully and maximize their benefits. We assist active duty, reservist, guard, veterans and their families.

Name of your organization: Connecting the Dots for Veterans

Website: linktr.ee/connectingthedotsforveterans

Facebook: Connecting the Dots for Veterans

Instagram: connectingthedotsforveterans

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/helen-dottie-adams-928825268/

KEY WORDS:  #veteransawarenessmonth

Tune in for this sensible conversation at TalkRadio.nyc or watch the Facebook Livestream by Clicking Here.


Show Notes

Segment 1

Tommy D welcomes Dottie Adams to the show. She discusses her career journey and how she ended up in the non-profit that she works for now. She joined the military straight out of high school and worked there as a dental technician. She discusses her time after she left the military. 

Segment 2

Dottie starts the segment by discussing mental health triage and what it does to help veterans that need help with their mental health. They both discuss how people need help, especially veterans. The two discuss the discharging process to end the segment.

Segment 3

Dottie begins the segment by discussing some of the success stories through her work from the non-profit. The goal of the non-profit is to help veterans get what they deserve after they are discharged. Her goal is to educate, engage and empower discharged veterans and get the benefits they deserve after they are deployed.

Segment 4

Tommy D and Dottie begin the segment by stressing the goal of helping veterans for free. It is very important to Dottie to give the veterans the help and support they deserve. She shouts out her Linktr.ee and website. Her phone number is 463 CONNECT. She also shouts out some of the events coming up for the organization. Tommy D ends the  show by offering his support to the non-profit.  


Transcript

00:00:22.190 --> 00:00:29.700

Tommy DiMisa: Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, children of all ages. It's your boy time to be the nonprofit sector. Wait for it.

00:00:30.070 --> 00:00:55.310

Tommy DiMisa: Connector the non-profit sector connector coming out, you 2 flights up from the kitchen where my Guy Cheeto, my dog Cheeto, is hanging out. Check him out by the way on the Instagram. My Guy Cheeto, that's what it is, my guys, you know, the show here is philanthropy and focus, and I will tell you that dog is going to be a therapy dog, and he's going to help me so I could use all the help I I can get when it comes to challenges around mental health which will control. Get into mental health conversation today a little bit

00:00:55.310 --> 00:01:01.039

Tommy DiMisa: with my guest, Daddy Adams, Daddy, before I even go into my Rance. Good morning. How are you?

00:01:01.040 --> 00:01:25.100

Tommy DiMisa: Good morning, Tommy. Thank you for having us on the show. I'm glad you here, you know. Listen to be a nonprofit sector connector is all about relationships, and if it wasn't for my Buddy, Mick Collins and his colleague Elizabeth, who work over, paid for processing, I don't get to meet you, Dotty and I do go to the world that I say, hey, listen! If you're connected to, or if you know, nonprofit organizations that are doing great work.

00:01:25.100 --> 00:01:39.619

Tommy DiMisa: Please bring them my way. Make that connection, and somehow we shape or form. Elizabeth said, Hey, you know what my Buddy Mick knows. This guy, Tommy D. And somehow that all happened right. I mean you. You knew Elizabeth. What's the story there before I even go into my other things? I want to say

00:01:39.620 --> 00:02:03.940

Dottie Adams: so because I'm a veteran advocate in our community. Elizabeth reached out for some assistance, understanding her Va. Journey, and so we met, and at the local Vfw. Where I meet a lot of my veterans here in Saint Florida, and next thing she does I knew she was like, Hey, I know this guy at work. He knows this guy named Tommy D. And I was like, I'm all in. I'm always all in to meet

00:02:03.940 --> 00:02:27.649

Dottie Adams: people that want to spread the message and share back help for the veterans. I love it, I love it. We we did something a little unorthodox, that sort of the teaser. That's what the show is going to be about. It's going to be about veterans. We'll get back to that in just a moment. I really just want to make corporal quick! Shout out out, certainly to make an Elizabeth for making the connection. But shout out the New York City. Imagine Awards gang if you are interested in the work that great nonprofits are doing, go to Nyc. Imagine awards.com.

00:02:27.780 --> 00:02:30.940

Tommy DiMisa: I've been involved with the Long Island. Imagine it works for a number of years.

00:02:31.050 --> 00:02:36.389

Tommy DiMisa: Excuse me and the New York City. Imagine awards, since it's in inception. This is the third annual event

00:02:36.530 --> 00:02:57.629

Tommy DiMisa: which will be in October, but the semi-finalists have been announced. So go to Nyc. Imagine awards, check that out. I'll shout out to ken Srini Kelly and Srini and the team over. It's reading associates who founded the Imagine awards, I will talk about that, probably in the coming weeks. But let's get into our conversation today. I mean, it is early June right now. We just came off of Memorial Day weekend.

00:02:58.050 --> 00:03:04.959

Tommy DiMisa: And just think for a moment about those who gave their life the ultimate sacrifice for this country for our liberty, for our freedom.

00:03:05.320 --> 00:03:06.270Tommy DiMisa: And then00:03:06.390 --> 00:03:24.229

Tommy DiMisa: coming up, we have Independence Day. We have July fourth and last year, last summer for July, every episode of philanthropy and focus. I had a different nonprofit working with veterans on the program and I'm excited to start off a little bit of veteran activity here in early June. So, Todd.

00:03:24.230 --> 00:03:47.190

Tommy DiMisa: I I mean veteran coach connecting the dots I gang. If you're only listening right now, you're missing out because the daddy has on this poker dot dress, you know, or at least a shirt. We only see, you know, from the shirt, so I hope I'm getting but it your Betty rubble dress. Is that what you said? Are you? That's what I call it, my Betty rebel dress, and it's this, this dress was granted to me when I started my nonprofit

00:03:47.190 --> 00:04:02.150

Dottie Adams: connecting the dots for veterans at the Vfw. We are all talking, and this lady says, Hey, I got this stress for you. And she and this other lady gave me a scarf, and that's how I became Dotty, my Williams, Helen, but

00:04:02.180 --> 00:04:22.140

Dottie Adams: everybody calls me dotted because I even have dotty poker dot nails, they red, white, and blue. Yes, of course. How cool! Listen! You know what I am all about dressing up and having a good time. So whenever I'm coming to some event down in Florida, we're I'm going to wear popey dots. I gotta figure out this gotta be.

00:04:22.140 --> 00:04:40.890

Tommy DiMisa: I don't know if there's a poker dot suit out there in the future, so we can figure something out for sure. Yeah, poker dots are in right now, so they're everywhere. Not right? Yes, all right. Poker dots is the new. I don't know that show orange is the new black. Poke it out to the New Orange. I don't know. So let's let's really get into this, not tell me about.

00:04:41.200 --> 00:04:55.829

Tommy DiMisa: There's a journey here. I mean I could you? You know I have a whole bunch of accolades and awards we can really talk about, but changing the military mindset and successfully navigating the Va. Now, as a civilian who did not serve.

00:04:56.200 --> 00:05:00.189

Tommy DiMisa: I am always mindful of the fact of

00:05:00.610 --> 00:05:05.659

Tommy DiMisa: thanking and showing appreciation and support for either our troops, or

00:05:05.830 --> 00:05:26.600

Tommy DiMisa: currently enlisted, or or for our veterans, and I I try to do my best that I can to to shine a light on these conversations. I've had, as I say, several folks involved in this work on the show. But tell me about your kind of your journey. And then, specifically, this this situation about navigating the Va. That sounds like a very important and interesting topic.

00:05:26.770 --> 00:05:54.590

Dottie Adams: Yes, thank you, Tommy. So my journey started. My dad is an army veteran, and has since passed. But he went to Korea, met my mother, and between those 2 I came to the Us. When I was 2, but I always, for I was going to join the army. I was going to go in the military, no matter what I take Jrtc. For 4 years in high school during the army. 3 days after basic after high school graduation, I was in basic training and my dad joined the army to get dentures.

00:05:54.600 --> 00:06:20.359

Dottie Adams: and I'm like, How cool! Right? So I join the army to make dentures. That was not so cool. Time out. No way, Daddy Adams, are we going to just brush over that statement. You can't not show that might work somewhere else, but not here. Hold on so the old man. Your dad joins the army because he needed dentures. You I first of all, I don't even understand that. Does the arm. The army give people dentures if needed.

00:06:20.420 --> 00:06:44.949

Tommy DiMisa: Okay, okay. And you went there, and you were making dentures. Please expand this story. Yeah. So it's very Korean, right? So it's kind of like following in your father's footsteps. And so when I join the army, they said, What do you want to do? And they gave me a couple of choices, and I'm like, No, no, no, no, no! So I I was like, this is like brilliant. I'm going to join the army to make dentures to kind of full circle what my dad doing the army for.

00:06:44.950 --> 00:07:08.710

Dottie Adams: and so I did 4 years in the army as a dental lab tech and a demo assistant. But I get bored really easy, and so I got get in trouble. I was. I was the worst dental lab tech the army produced because I was making fangs and grills and every other thing, and the worst dental lab tack in the history of army dental lab tax. That's like.

00:07:08.710 --> 00:07:18.380

Dottie Adams: I know. I know a little about getting bored easily, you know. I I got an Adhd diagnosis which I shared on the show a lot, and that is a thing where, like.

00:07:18.400 --> 00:07:23.990

Tommy DiMisa: you know, the brain is constantly looking for more good vibes, looking for something different. And you know, that's

00:07:24.050 --> 00:07:53.639

Dottie Adams: we get in trouble sometimes, because but it's fun. It's all a good fun, but so I I did my 4 years, and then got out of the military, and really didn't think that I was deserving of any disability benefits, you know. 4 years demo lab dental assistant So what? And then I started going back to school in Fairbanks, Alaska, and met a service officer for the disabled American veterans. He was a volunteer at the Vet center where I did my work study.

00:07:53.720 --> 00:08:06.659

Dottie Adams: and he's like, let me see your records. I'm like, I don't know you, old man. Get away creepy. And so they became friends, and after a year

00:08:07.100 --> 00:08:09.490Dottie Adams: it's a very freely.00:08:09.670 --> 00:08:36.470

Dottie Adams: So you you looked at my records after a year after I trusted him right, and he helped me get my first Va disability rating, and it was due to army negligence. Basically, it had nothing to do with my job. And that's a really weird mindset to wrap around, because everybody thinks everything has to relate to your job. Well, not necessarily for me. It didn't, and it was. The army didn't treat me, for endometriosis told me. I can never have children.

00:08:36.470 --> 00:08:59.510

Dottie Adams: I have a 32 year old that's in the Air Force now, but 6 months after he was born I have to have a complete hysterectomy because of their negligence. So I was like, huh! There's something to this whole disability understanding the Va. So I told the same old band who I called Creepy a year ago, like ob one Kenobi. Teach me everything.

00:09:01.170 --> 00:09:02.200Dottie Adams: So they00:09:02.210 --> 00:09:08.139

Tommy DiMisa: I want to go back again a second, because I want to dive into this deeply. What I want to understand is.

00:09:08.160 --> 00:09:12.030

Tommy DiMisa: there's this thing that I don't want to get lost here. And again, I'm I'm always very

00:09:12.280 --> 00:09:36.289

Tommy DiMisa: sensitive about how I ask these types of questions, because I don't want to make any assumptions you just said about you didn't feel like you. My words deserve benefits or anything like that. I I is that a common situation where veterans maybe if they weren't in necessarily like in a combat scenario which I learned a bunch of years ago, I a. And again, maybe it was being naive.

00:09:36.940 --> 00:09:59.940

Tommy DiMisa: but you know, I guess I had to assume that the majority of folks are in a combat type of scenario, and I had learned, I think, the numbers, like 15 or fewer of people, are actually who are military, who are listed. Men and women are actually in combat. So I I know I just said a lot. But I'm I guess, is you. You know where I'm going

00:09:59.940 --> 00:10:17.190

Dottie Adams: are peacetime right? And there's pockets of combat. Vietnam Korea, you know, cop pockets Iraq. person golf. I'm a person golf era veteran. I did not go overseas, but that is my error of wartime.

00:10:17.580 --> 00:10:30.039

Dottie Adams: I could have gone After I got out of the active duty I went reserve, and they wanted me to go. So because of my just having given birth to my son. I couldn't go. But

00:10:30.550 --> 00:10:33.589

Dottie Adams: there's so much there, Tommy, that people

00:10:33.630 --> 00:11:03.630

Dottie Adams: truly think they are not deserving that they're taken away from somebody else. I hear that all the time. veterans are a special breed, right? Because we are. We are a band of brothers and sisters that want to take care of each other all the time. We don't want no one to be left behind. And so a lot of times veterans look at themselves and prejudge and say, Hey, I'm okay. I'm walking. I I I work. I'm good. I don't. I don't need va disability.

00:11:03.690 --> 00:11:06.240

Dottie Adams: That is the furthest thing from the truth.

00:11:07.060 --> 00:11:10.630

Dottie Adams: and I'll I'll get into that little bit later. But you know.

00:11:10.840 --> 00:11:34.359

Dottie Adams: changing that that military mindset is number one key in in my world, because when I talk to veterans saying, Hey, I don't want I don't need Others are more deserving combat that have a lot of survivors guilt if they've been in traumatic issues. I don't. You know what man I survived? I'm good. Give it to somebody else. And

00:11:34.430 --> 00:11:45.800

Dottie Adams: after about 5 min talking to me. They changed their mindset real quick, because I put it in a different perspective in civilian world. If you get hurt, what do we use.

00:11:46.540 --> 00:11:58.890

Dottie Adams: Yeah, if you get her to work, use your workers. Comp, right if you get hurt. So in the health insurance, right? Right in the military, do we have workers call? No, we have. Va.

00:11:59.180 --> 00:12:26.570

Dottie Adams: okay. So why is there not a connection there? You have no other recourse but the Va. So if you look at it as kind of workers Comp in a real broad stroke. Kind of sense. You would go after it, you would not say, Hey, Bob, over here deserves this more than me. You got injured. You are not the same person you were when you joined when you got out. Things have happened along the journey of your service

00:12:27.090 --> 00:12:39.050

Tommy DiMisa: just to distill it down for a second if I could. I'm hearing you say you have to educate these folks. I'm hearing. You say that, you know, in order to change the mindset, change the paradigm, change the way they view what

00:12:39.410 --> 00:12:57.510

Tommy DiMisa: is available to them, and whether they're quote unquote. I don't believe this, but the whether they're worthy right, I don't believe that they're not worthy. I'm just saying it sounds like these are some of the the mechanisms in the mind that need to be addressed to realize you. You were involved with something here, you know, and

00:12:57.520 --> 00:13:05.770

Tommy DiMisa: d correct me if I'm wrong before we go to breakdown. But did not the Government make a pact in a contract with you? Isn't there something there?

00:13:06.240 --> 00:13:13.709

Dottie Adams: I'm glad you said that the contract the Government made a contract to take care of you after you got out.

00:13:13.730 --> 00:13:30.700

Dottie Adams: and they have renamed on that contract multiple times, especially with retirees and the current program my son was telling me the other day that they're changing the retire. Me retire re program very differently than what it used to look like, but the the contract that we signed

00:13:30.730 --> 00:13:36.359

Dottie Adams: every single one that serves we sign to include our life.

00:13:36.730 --> 00:13:39.859

Dottie Adams: whether we go to combat or not, we all

00:13:39.910 --> 00:13:46.789

Dottie Adams: universally agreed. If you call on us, we are willing to sacrifice our life for our government.

00:13:46.810 --> 00:13:50.540

Dottie Adams: and I find it at treasure that the Government does not

00:13:50.580 --> 00:14:07.770

Tommy DiMisa: do more for veterans because of that situation. Yeah, I. So so this, so much there, we're gonna do it a quick break. We come back when we dive into that. The thing for me, though, is, yeah, that's what we do here on this program is highlight organizations like yours that are doing the work, because, unfortunately.

00:14:07.770 --> 00:14:20.699

Tommy DiMisa: we have to advocate on behalf of our veterans because it's just not going to be done. And you know we talk about mental health. And when people talk about Ptsd, and and you know, we'll talk about other things. But you know, in the general population

00:14:20.700 --> 00:14:30.510

Tommy DiMisa: there are challenges. But in this population there are even more challenges, I mean, and and when you think of it, you know, trauma is trauma. I had a friend on this show who

00:14:30.700 --> 00:14:36.690

Tommy DiMisa: It is. One of the leaders of an organization called Project Refit out of South Jersey, Philadelphia Area.

00:14:36.860 --> 00:14:59.829

Tommy DiMisa: and you know he enlightened me to the fact that you know what trauma is. Trauma is trauma, and you know what? Because what? Tommy D, the guy who did not experience any military service. I my own stuff, and everybody has their own stuff, and we must continue to have the conversation around mental health. We must be serious about it, and certainly with the tragic situations I think we'll talk about, maybe in a bit 22 a day.

00:14:59.830 --> 00:15:11.510

Tommy DiMisa: veterans taking their own lives because they're not getting the support we need. We must have these conversations. I was just texting with a friend of mine last night, Stefan Hesler, who runs an organization operation vest

00:15:11.510 --> 00:15:34.389

Tommy DiMisa: better in spending suicide together here on Long Island next week, the June tenth. I'll be out there scooping Italian Isis, thanks to my dad, always donating the Isis for the nonprofits. And we're going to take a quick break. But, Daddy, when we come back, I just want to talk about this. This is serious stuff. I mean, you and me having fun with this serious stuff? Right? Absolutely. All right. We'll be right back from after the P. And focus Dddy and Tommy D,

00:17:41.940 --> 00:17:51.479

Tommy DiMisa: and we are back. Daddy, come off for the mute. Tell us some stories, Daddy, please.

00:17:51.940 --> 00:18:07.970

Dottie Adams: Sure. I really really really want to help you with this mental health thing? Because, since I moved to St. Cloud less than 3 years ago, we have a V 8 that I moved here from Honolulu to specifically go to Lake, known as Va.

00:18:08.000 --> 00:18:36.659

Dottie Adams: Amazing, amazing facility. And I noticed that a lot of people don't like talking about mental health. When I start working with them on their claims and helping them understand things, we can talk about everything, everything except mental health. So as I break through their ice and start sharing my story with them, gaining the trust building the relationship. I've taken 21 veterans to mental health triage at Lake Nuna sat with them as they

00:18:36.870 --> 00:18:46.869

Dottie Adams: talk to the providers. A lot of veterans struggle with the mental health care system because it's an unknown for them.

00:18:46.870 --> 00:19:07.120

Dottie Adams: We don't go to mental health when we're in the military, most of us we're we're kind of discouraged to go to mental health right? We're discouraged to go get health care in general, because if you get on profile you're kind of labeled sickly and lazy. You don't get to go to promotion boards. It's it's kind of a punishment to be honest. They they withhold.

00:19:07.120 --> 00:19:08.470Dottie Adams: And00:19:09.030 --> 00:19:37.890

Dottie Adams: I was shocked to learn one. Guy even said, I don't allow my soldiers to go to mental health. I said, me, you and your command are going to have a very serious talk here in about 5 min, because you don't get to dictate that you're not a doctor. What is mental health, triage, mental health, triage is a walk. It Va has it at every facility. The you can go in from 8 to 30'clock any day of the week. They have to see you that day. You just walk in and say, I need to talk to somebody. I I I'm here for triage.

00:19:37.890 --> 00:20:00.149

Dottie Adams: and then they get you stabilized that day. Now, some people, if they are, you know, homicidal, suicidal. Of course they will put them in safety and and have them admit it. But most of my guys are not that way. I've had a few. And that's okay. They really appreciated us, making sure they were safe for themselves and their family members.

00:20:00.150 --> 00:20:12.219

Dottie Adams: but the ones that just go in. They get medication, or they get signed up to see a therapist to do talk therapy, which is fantastic. I've done it myself. I've gone through just a

00:20:12.650 --> 00:20:32.779

Dottie Adams: what is it? Dialectical behavior? Therapy? Dbt, I just did PE, which is prolonged exposure, for I would never do it, because it's so painful. But with the right support. It was phenomenal. So it's just finding your path in the mental health, but walking away and not doing it and ignoring it.

00:20:32.780 --> 00:20:55.309

Dottie Adams: It should not be an option in your mind when you're a veteran we all have issues right. And so even just talking, they have, vet centers that deal with combat, that and military sexual trauma they do family counseling. There's so much out there that you can utilize. They have programs on. You know you can download apps from Va.

00:20:55.310 --> 00:20:58.619

Dottie Adams: Ptsd coach is phenomenal. I use it.

00:20:58.620 --> 00:21:24.729

Dottie Adams: The crisis line 908 option. One is fantastic and people go, man, I can't call crisis line. I'm not suicide or homicide on my dude. I call them from the Walmart parking lot because I was so stressed out because they didn't have a regular check check out Lady or Guy. They had the scanners, and I'm like, I freak over those scalars. I don't do well at all, and so I had a basket of groceries, and I'm like

00:21:24.730 --> 00:21:31.930

Dottie Adams: I just got to walk away. But I left my groceries and went to my car freaking out. And I called Crisis Line, and they helped me calm down.

00:21:32.480 --> 00:21:46.410

Tommy DiMisa: you know. Yeah. So just to interrupt 1 s, I think this is what we we talk about support a lot, you know, when we talk about everybody needs support. And I often reference the second episode of this show, which is all you know, over a hundred episodes ago.

00:21:46.620 --> 00:21:56.169

Tommy DiMisa: But my friend, Dr. Larry Grubler, who runs transitional services for New York, would search 4,000 individuals with mental health challenges here in the 5 parts of New York City.

00:21:56.550 --> 00:21:57.640Tommy DiMisa: said Tommy.00:21:58.930 --> 00:22:00.239

Tommy DiMisa: We all need support.

00:22:00.370 --> 00:22:06.369

Tommy DiMisa: We all need support at different times. I mean, I think it's critically important. I mean, you know

00:22:06.740 --> 00:22:18.839

Tommy DiMisa: you. You were upset. You were bothered. You were shook up in the Walmart parking lot, and you had a number that you could call, so it didn't escalate into whatever escalation might have meant. You know it. But it didn't go any further. So

00:22:20.320 --> 00:22:29.860

Tommy DiMisa: isn't that what we're talking about. You know. How many? How have you seen? I was looking at the notes that you know you would send over to us it 40,000

00:22:30.020 --> 00:22:39.369

Tommy DiMisa: veterans in 32 years. What does that exactly mean? So I started helping veterans at a very young age.

00:22:39.420 --> 00:23:02.690

Dottie Adams: years I was helping my dad and his friends get jobs civil service jobs after they got out of the military. So I was helping them with paperwork and navigating all that for them, and then, when I became a disabled vet myself, at the age of 24, I started learning how to do service work through the disabled American veterans, and they train, and then you go out and help in your local grassroots. Level chapters.

00:23:02.750 --> 00:23:09.840

Dottie Adams: there's a lot of organizations out there that do that free service. it's on

00:23:10.260 --> 00:23:24.910

Dottie Adams: unreal. How much support there is out there, what? What the problem is for a lot of veterans. They just don't know where to store. I I get that a lot. What happens when they leave. So so what happens when you, when you retire?

00:23:24.910 --> 00:23:47.989

Tommy DiMisa: you discharge whatever that terminology is for that individual, and it'd be silly for a second. Do you receive a folder with all the information or an email, with all the information, and say, you can go here. Do you have somebody? I I see your face already, so I and I kind of feel like I'm setting this up. But is there somebody that you're going to check in with on a weekly basis for the first 6 months? It's looking out. What are you saying? No.

00:23:47.990 --> 00:23:54.990

Dottie Adams: it's it's it's thank you for your service. Goodbye. No. They have tap programs, transitional assistance programs.

00:23:54.990 --> 00:24:03.369

Dottie Adams: The Va. I just downloaded a a great resource for that. But a lot of times. It's it's thanks and out.

00:24:03.370 --> 00:24:27.250

Dottie Adams: And or let me give you 4 days of the okay, and you are blazed over because all you really care about at the end of the day. What's my next job? How am I going to support my family? Especially if you didn't retire from the military. You have no income right? You went from whatever income level to nothing. What's my next job? What am I going to do to take care of my family period, health care. And

00:24:27.250 --> 00:24:34.620

Tommy DiMisa: yeah, see, I didn't even know that once somebody leaves that, I thought you have some kind of income like if you've

00:24:34.750 --> 00:24:58.620

Dottie Adams: no, only if you retire 20 years or more you get pension retirement pay right? And so that's it. But if I did 4 years some people get severance pay. But the problem with severance pay is, if you get va disability down the road, guess what happens. Va says we're not going to pay you until that severance pay is paid back.

00:24:59.280 --> 00:25:13.490

Dottie Adams: Nobody tells you that when you accept that that severance pay package, and I'm still kind of yeah, it's it's weird. And I'm like, How is this double dipping? This? I don't understand. So I get really nosy. That's my biggest

00:25:13.490 --> 00:25:32.709

Dottie Adams: talent and gift, I guess. But I I I like to go on committees and serve and get those answers for us veterans, because I know I'm asking it. They certainly are trying to figure this out, and there's there's nobody they can answer that question for me yet. But luckily I'm serving on some high level committees that hopefully I can get some answers.

00:25:32.710 --> 00:25:52.649

Tommy DiMisa: Well, I see some of that stuff, I mean, you know. I'll just kinda read off the Oscela. I I probably. How do you say that county and Osceola County Sheriff Victor Board appointee, Congressman Darren Soto, Veteran Advisory Board 2,023? We're what we're talking about today. Founder and president connecting the dots for veterans.

00:25:52.650 --> 00:26:12.989

Tommy DiMisa: workshop, presenter, trainer, State Board of Veterans, Affairs for Alabama. From the years 2,010 to 2,012 Congressional advisor for Congresswoman, Martha Robe, as well as Congressman Mike Rogers, and the list goes on and on. I mean, you really get in there and do the work. So I want to hear, if you can. But if we can, about

00:26:13.030 --> 00:26:28.659

Dottie Adams: veteran coach, what that actually looks like, and then how that comes into connecting the dots for veterans, the nonprofit. Let's play there for a while. So the veteran coach people remember me as dotty. But this isn't about Dotty

00:26:28.660 --> 00:26:53.589

Dottie Adams: and I. We, my husband and I really sat down and talked this out, and I said, We won't. We don't want them to just think Dotty, all the time with connecting the dots for veterans. We want them to think veteran coach, that's what we are. We don't file your paperwork. We are not accredited service officers, but what we do is we break the Va down into more simplistic understanding.

00:26:53.590 --> 00:27:18.590

Dottie Adams: we do briefings, we do outreach. We. We go to people's homes, we help widows. So we are coaching them to get them ready to go see a service officer. And we we really really really try to work as community partners with service office organizations, veterans. So they're called veteran Service office offices, and the people that work in them are Vs

00:27:18.590 --> 00:27:41.509

Dottie Adams: veteran service officers. So there's disabled American veterans, American Legion, here locally when I'm around here, Florida Department of Veterans affairs because I pick that organization specifically because they not only do the Federal side with the Va, they do the State Florida side. So you get kind of double the information from one source.

00:27:41.510 --> 00:27:46.159

Dottie Adams: Yeah, that is great.

00:27:46.440 --> 00:27:59.139

Tommy DiMisa: It's a coach. It's an advocated somebody. It's a navigator. You're helping them navigate. What is what is super challenging? How do you happen to know how many veterans Retire, or

00:27:59.520 --> 00:28:29.279

Dottie Adams: or what? What else? Just I just try. Is it discharged when you, when you don't retire? But you're finished working with your everybody gets discharged. It's just a matter of how much time you have of active duty. Time. So 20 years is a retiree. Everybody else is just your Etsing, or some people get medically boarded out because they're they're at a position where they can't continue to serve active duty. So they get medically boarded. The cool thing I wanted to share with you about that. The Va. Has a program

00:28:29.310 --> 00:28:50.680

Dottie Adams: 6 months out from your retirement date, or your etc. What is that? And of service like? It's like the end of service date, right? So my my mine was like June seventh. I knew ahead of time that I'm getting out on June seventh period. Your Etsing

00:28:50.750 --> 00:28:52.459Dottie Adams: and so00:28:52.540 --> 00:29:13.190

Dottie Adams: end of time and service. I think that's what it stands for I'm almost here and end of time of service. So anyway, when you get done prior, 6 months prior, you can file your paperwork with the Va. It's called a Bdd. Claim benefits deliverable upon discharge.

00:29:13.190 --> 00:29:31.429

Dottie Adams: So that is fantastic. No matter whether you're retiring or getting out, or whatever you have. 6 months prior, you have the opportunity to drop your papers at a service officer. So what I tell people with their active duty reserve guard whatever that, hey? If you know, 2 years out, you need to start

00:29:31.430 --> 00:29:45.029

Dottie Adams: not 6 months out, 2 years out with us, because we need to review your medical records. We need to make sure that you get the current diagnosis in there. There. Your records. You don't know how many times I've gone through records going

00:29:45.330 --> 00:30:02.749

Dottie Adams: your son's records in here, hey? Somebody else's records are in here. It happened to me personally. I had a a major was getting out the same time I was a male, and he half of his records were in mine, and half of my records were in his

00:30:02.750 --> 00:30:18.220

Tommy DiMisa: all right. And and again, you know, for that to happen in a very emotional time. It's even more challenging. So you know, you're able to come in and be that navigate we're talk about navigating. I got to navigate us to a quick break when we come back. I want to hear about some of you

00:30:18.330 --> 00:30:39.710

Tommy DiMisa: the success stories I want to hear about what you've done for folks, obviously what the names are left out to protect the innocent like they used to say on dragnet. I think it was dragged it. but we're gonna take a quick break and we'll be right back, Daddy Adams, connecting the dots. I love that connecting the dots. I I'm all about. I'm the nonprofit sector connector. I know a bit about connecting the dots. We'll be right back. Philanthropy and focus

00:32:33.820 --> 00:32:57.930

Tommy DiMisa: do that. That's what you're supposed to do. Join me in the expiration term of service, expiration, term of service, service vendors separating from the normal term of service. There it is. and then there's e aos end of active duty, obligated service. That's something different. Don't know what it is. We we don't have to go there. I'm just reading off of the Internet. so

00:32:59.320 --> 00:33:27.950

Tommy DiMisa: I want to know this. First of all, I I always wondered what like when you watch a talk show, and you, you know, like they go to break. And then, you see, like you know, the guy, the host lean in and like chat to the guest. I'm always wondering what's going on in that conversation. Well, Daddy Adams and I are chatting in the chat here on the zoom while that's cool. So now I know it's going on, people being funny and having laughs. All right. So let's let's get into this. I, you know, give me some of the big wins for you, for the organization, for the veterans, and and just

00:33:27.950 --> 00:33:43.280

Dottie Adams: how things are improved in people's lives, and changing in the trajectory of their lives. Please. Sure, one of my most favorite wins. All the years I've done this was with a World War Ii veteran. He was shot in the head in Iwo Jima

00:33:43.380 --> 00:33:46.949

Dottie Adams: in 1,985. He filed for disability.

00:33:47.020 --> 00:33:51.750

Dottie Adams:  Somehow the organization. He fell through the cracks.

00:33:51.820 --> 00:34:06.409

Dottie Adams: and in 2,000, when I was the first woman commander in the disabled American veterans in Alaska. We were fortunate enough to have one of the Va. Secretaries come to our State, so I met him, and I walked up to him, and I said, I need your help.

00:34:06.500 --> 00:34:09.639

Dottie Adams: And he looked at this case, and in 2 weeks

00:34:09.699 --> 00:34:17.450

Dottie Adams: he adjudicated it, which was a grant of a hundred percent, and the veteran got back, paid from 2,000 to 1,985.

00:34:18.190 --> 00:34:24.860

Dottie Adams: The gentleman was half nest, pierce Indian. He paid off his apple orchard bought his first color Tb.

00:34:25.179 --> 00:34:27.609

Dottie Adams: And shortly after passed away.

00:34:27.810 --> 00:34:30.989

Dottie Adams: I, the widow, got benefits.

00:34:31.030 --> 00:34:37.640

Dottie Adams: That was one of my most proudest achievements, because, in the regard of this.

00:34:37.679 --> 00:34:56.949

Dottie Adams: I'm I'm fearless. I will talk to anybody. I will go to the Secretary of the V on your behalf, if I have to. I will do whatever it takes to make sure that you are taking care of, and you are awarded the deserving benefits that you already earned, and that's really important to understand.

00:34:56.949 --> 00:35:10.610

Dottie Adams: All these entitlements are earned previously. All we're doing is connecting the dots to the Va's law to make sure everything works. So if they have evidence which this gentleman had tons of

00:35:10.730 --> 00:35:39.259

Dottie Adams: it, it's got it back. Everything up right to be able. Just not take your word individually. So you have to have medical evidence. There's a there's a slew of things that have to happen to get the grant, but I will take it to the hills, at whatever cost it is to me personally, and it cost me dearly. But I don't care. The right thing to do is to take care of our veterans. And I'm very serious about that. And people go, man, you you! You gave up this opportunity. They could have been really amazing. And I'm like

00:35:40.000 --> 00:35:50.440

Dottie Adams: I did the right thing. This. It's an integrity thing for me. It's paying it forward.

00:35:52.000 --> 00:36:13.520

Tommy DiMisa: You are not doing this to get something for somebody who doesn't deserve this. What you're doing is you're getting resources and support to people who have earned these resources and support and just don't have been unable or unaware of how to access them, or just didn't first, maybe didn't know they were deserve it of these.

00:36:13.520 --> 00:36:29.500

Dottie Adams: right? I mean what you're on going and asking for things that people don't deserve. No, no, no way, and I can pretty! Sniffed out everybody. Everybody's like, I want 100. That's that's the mantra. I want 100, and I'm like, well, let's see what your record ship.

00:36:29.500 --> 00:36:48.709

Dottie Adams: What does that mean? Let's let's let's just think in terms of I don't understand what you mean. They want a hundred percent. So 100 is the Max via disability conversation you can get from the Va. So a lot of people want that because it comes with a lot of things. State benefits for education, for your family. It comes with

00:36:48.710 --> 00:37:02.799

Dottie Adams: Federal benefits for your family. It comes with health care. property tax attempt to. There's a slew of things, and people always are trying to get that 100, you know, and I'm like you may not warrant a hundred percent.

00:37:02.800 --> 00:37:31.610

Dottie Adams: Okay, I'm sorry, but unless I see your records and really have a deep conversation with you, we cannot determine if that is even a possibility for you. And so I screened really quick. My husband and I both screen very quickly, and we determined. Hey, have you thought about this, or what about that? But we can't guarantee what the Va is going to rate you. What we can do is through our program of using the 3 E's. This is the fun part, Tommy.

00:37:31.610 --> 00:37:51.600

Dottie Adams: We're gonna educate you. We're gonna keep you engaged. And we're gonna empower you. And by doing that you stay really on top of your own claim. Veterans have to have

00:37:51.710 --> 00:37:55.600

Dottie Adams: buy in to this program. And this is why it's your claim.

00:37:55.960 --> 00:38:10.529

Tommy DiMisa: You know your story. You're you're right. You're going to teach you how to tell your story, but it is a story. You know the nuance, so do it again. It's educate

00:38:10.590 --> 00:38:33.680

Tommy DiMisa: and empower. I love it. I love that make videos of that. So so that's an incredible story. You know. I think it's a it's a bittersweet story, because the man that man he should have gotten it from when he got out did it take to 1,985 to file that claim right, and it just both my and I run across

00:38:33.710 --> 00:38:49.609

Dottie Adams: Vietnam. That's Korean. War vets are very, very near dear to my heart, because they liberated my mother's country, and I'm always all about them especially. But we're losing these veterans. I have a dear friend that lives down the road. Pat Red, who oops name?

00:38:49.610 --> 00:39:14.609

Dottie Adams: Sorry Pat, she'll love it, and so she's a hundred one, and she's a World War, 2 veteran. She's a hundred one, and she was a wave before the navy enacted the 2 years for the waves to become active duty and helping the war effort. She was one of the first 200 that went to Pearl Harbor and her base like. Oh, she was a nurse, I'm like. No, she was an educator.

00:39:14.610 --> 00:39:19.200

Dottie Adams: helping illiterate soldiers and sailors

00:39:19.200 --> 00:39:28.589

Dottie Adams: right to their families, and and get better jobs and doing all kinds of cool stuff. But she would. She served for 2 years in Pearl Harbor, but she's a hundred one

00:39:29.410 --> 00:39:35.710

Tommy DiMisa: now. So first of all, that's awesome that she's 101, and it's

00:39:36.500 --> 00:39:41.449

Tommy DiMisa: I what I'm thinking, pulling out from what you're saying, too, is these veterans who served.

00:39:42.090 --> 00:39:43.950

Tommy DiMisa: you know, decades ago

00:39:45.070 --> 00:39:47.560

Tommy DiMisa: still are waiting for their benefits.

00:39:47.670 --> 00:40:03.430

Dottie Adams: or or or have walked away. They? They've walked away from the Va Vietnam veterans, especially. My uncle, was a tunnel R. In Vietnam, so I get it. I I I remember him as a child, and the struggles that he's at. But

00:40:03.950 --> 00:40:09.909

Dottie Adams: Vietnam veterans at the time when they came back from Vietnam the public was

00:40:10.340 --> 00:40:11.700

Dottie Adams: horrendous to them.

00:40:11.960 --> 00:40:35.480

Dottie Adams: They did not get a lot of health care benefits at the Va. They just don't trust. Okay, and I don't blame them for what they've gone. But I'm I'm here to tell them. Please reach out to us because the Va. Has changed. It is a whole different Va. Than what it used to be. Number one, and going through our program of the 3 E's. You are going to know more than the employee that's sitting across from you.

00:40:35.760 --> 00:40:44.919

Dottie Adams: and you will be able to self. Advocate for yourself in a way that is very constructive, and get those earned benefits that you already have.

00:40:45.160 --> 00:40:50.900

Dottie Adams: Can I touch on one thing about the Vietnam veterans real quick.

00:40:50.990 --> 00:41:09.070

Dottie Adams: So there's been a change, and a lot of Vietnam veterans are getting letters from the Va. Saying, Hey, There's been a change in the law. The packed act act so a lot of veterans that have hypertension where they filed before or they never file for cannot. Now file.

00:41:09.690 --> 00:41:17.370

Dottie Adams: That's huge. They added a bunch more issues for Vietnam veterans, exposure to age and orange.

00:41:17.370 --> 00:41:23.810

Dottie Adams: my husband. Personally, my husband benefited from the pact. He's not a Vietnam veteran.

00:41:23.810 --> 00:41:48.810

Dottie Adams: he is. He served in predominantly peacetime. He got out in 2,001 right before 9 11, but he served on Johnson a toll which is a little island off of Hawaii way off, but that was a chemical dump site for Agent Orange in the Seventys. So now, because he's diabetic. He can get va disability for diabetes. It's automatically presumed he got it when he served in the

00:41:48.810 --> 00:42:01.620

Tommy DiMisa: is that crazy? But there's a lot of yeah, I I mean. But again, who would know? You know the pack, that? And and who would know that these things have changed? That's why you need an organization like yours, I can advocate and

00:42:01.680 --> 00:42:11.860

Tommy DiMisa: and certainly be able to tell these stories and and share this messaging. I mean, you know this one we keep hearing about right now. And I say, hearing about it, I think it's because it's on

00:42:12.130 --> 00:42:35.640

Tommy DiMisa: This commercials out for Camp Lu June, where, you know we're in North Carolina. I believe it was right. Yeah. And I had. They drank the water, these folks, or, I imagine, showered in the water or ate food from the water, and all that are very are having a lot of illness from that so and again, I don't know if that's I'm not hearing it, probably from an educational perspective. I'm hearing it from attorneys advertising on the radio.

00:42:35.640 --> 00:43:09.379

Tommy DiMisa: you know, trying to work on behalf of these these these men and women who do have rights. I I want to talk. We. We're gonna take a quick break. I want to talk about what the how does somebody engage with the organization and connect with you? And then also, how can we help? But the thing we did was we we'll share later on on. Social media is your link tree is really where you want it to drive people to. So it's linktree connecting the dots for veterans. let's talk about that, and what it feels like to connect with the organization in the Last Segment, and how we could help. How's that sound sounds great. I will be right back.

00:45:07.810 --> 00:45:24.709

Tommy DiMisa: we are back to me in the added cut through the static man, my hair driving me crazy. So during the break I went to put some gel in it. It was kind of like frizzing out on me, Daddy, so talk about vanity! Oh, my God! I take a break in the middle of the show to put gel in my hair.

00:45:25.200 --> 00:45:51.149

Tommy DiMisa: You are the network sector, Connector, King. You need a crown, I need a crown. I do need a crown. Oh, my God, you you're feeding my ego! It's funny about a bunch of years ago. Christmas Eve at my mom's house. This is probably 20 years ago. We the the theme was candyland like the game candyland, and I got this robe like a king robe and a king crown, and I was like King Candy at the show. This is

00:45:51.150 --> 00:46:20.840

Dottie Adams: this is what we'd be talking about over a couple of coffee that just happens to be people that are. Gonna pay attention to listen to us. Talk about this. Show me that mug again. Talking about coffee. Show me what you got. Yes, a fellow female veteran design this mug for me with my logo, and she customized it for me, put my link tree link on it. She did fabulous work for me, and she was just like, I really want to give this to you, you know, being a fellow female veteran, and I was just like I almost cried because I just keep getting such

00:46:21.050 --> 00:46:30.590

Dottie Adams: wonderful gifts from people that they truly appreciate what we're trying to do. for 34 years, and and I will, till I die.

00:46:30.590 --> 00:46:55.880

Dottie Adams: Never take a dime from a veteran alone. Our services are always free. you know, we we just want to help out, and we want to educate especially, and it's your choice as a veteran whether you file for a claim or not. I have veterans that I've talked to. I'm blue in the face, and they're like, Nope, Nope, Nope, and that's that's that's okay. They are not right? Right? And so it's it's like voting you do. You don't. That's your choice.

00:46:55.880 --> 00:47:23.409

Tommy DiMisa: But at least they are getting educated to know that what they're giving up. If they don't, that's what you can do. You can educate people. You could teach them what it is that the opportunities in front of them, and then they have to make their decision. That's that's important to really to just thinking in those terms as well. So I want to make a couple of shout outs real quick before we jump in a little deeper into how we can help the organization. you know. I don't know. If that woman is she going to make you more of those mugs, or what?

00:47:23.440 --> 00:47:35.190

Tommy DiMisa: I don't know. I I haven't talked about that. I could connect her with somebody. We got friend of ours, Fred Tapper, who runs a company tombo visual promotions. Maybe they can collaborate on those mugs, and

00:47:35.190 --> 00:47:56.990

Dottie Adams: you know he does promotional items. And you know, maybe we could make some money because I paid 25 bucks for that mug right now. Not yours. I want my own one, you know, because I don't. They can customize it like, instead of dotting right. They could put your name. I think it's great. We'll talk about that And I can shout out to you.

00:47:56.990 --> 00:48:08.339

Tommy DiMisa: Elizabeth, and And then my buddy make Collins over at pay for processing. All right. So how can we help? What do you need? Shout out the website, shout out how they call? You should do all that.

00:48:08.540 --> 00:48:34.840

Dottie Adams: Sure. our website is my Vet coach. But I really want you to come to my link tree, because there, there, you can see videos. We just started doing a show again based out of Hawaii. But they're global. And it's going to be the voice of the veteran. Because I want veterans to have a forum. If they have gripes, if they have constructive criticism, it is their story. I want them to be able to.

00:48:34.840 --> 00:48:46.360

Dottie Adams: Truly. yes, that's my entry. Yes, thank you, Tommy, but I really want them to reach out to that link tree site to see everything that we're doing all at once. Because if you go to my website, you see.

00:48:46.530 --> 00:48:55.240

Dottie Adams: But this is the landing site. I truly want everybody to reach out to you.

00:48:55.390 --> 00:49:24.760

Tommy DiMisa: Forward slash connecting the dots for veterans and linktree. It'll start to come up as you type it in. But basically link tree is link tr, dot, e, and then forward slash connecting the dots for veterans. But we'll make sure we get all that out. And again, if you need to connect with Daddy, and you're unable to find her. Send me an email, Tommy D at philanthropy and focus.com, and you know, focus by now, spell with a Ph in front. Not enough. And the other way to reach me, Tommy is really easy is 463 connect.

00:49:25.620 --> 00:49:40.200

Dottie Adams: That's my number. That's your phone number. Yeah, that's my phone number 463 connect spell out. It sounds like you stole my phone number 463. Connect that. I love that. Oh, my God, I I got to get 5, 1, 6 connect and see if that's out there. See if you can make that out.

00:49:40.360 --> 00:50:06.380

Dottie Adams: Yeah, people reach me all the time, and I I zoom I like to zoom with everybody. If if you're local and you want to meet me, I will meet you at the Vfw. Whatever it takes to take care of you zooming is the easiest, quickest method. but yeah, I and the other thing that I really want to encourage is talk to me about partnering up. If you have a nonprofit or a business that, you want to become

00:50:06.380 --> 00:50:10.529

Dottie Adams: more involved in what we do. We have a program called Hero Dots.

00:50:10.860 --> 00:50:28.339

Dottie Adams: So the other program that we established because we do not take a dime from a veteran. we have a pay it forward program. I love this new program.

00:50:28.390 --> 00:50:34.979

Dottie Adams: I won't take a dime from a veteran, but sometimes veterans are very gracious and want to

00:50:34.980 --> 00:50:51.320

Dottie Adams: give to the nonprofit, which is fantastic. But me personally, I will not. And so I tell them, okay, you can pay it forward. Under this program. Monetary donations are always greatly appreciated. But the second one, I think, is more important, because time.

00:50:51.320 --> 00:51:08.650

Dottie Adams: your gift of time and talent, is so much more than any money that you could ever give us.

00:51:08.670 --> 00:51:29.130

Dottie Adams: I am not tech savvy at all, and so I have people that have volunteered to sit down and do my web page and do the link tree and Linkedin and everything else social media. I have tons of people that want to get involved in that, and people that take my pictures and post, and just the the talent that they have.

00:51:29.130 --> 00:51:51.270

Dottie Adams: Couple of them want to do what I do, and I'm like. I will love to multiply my knowledge, base of 37 years to anybody that wants it. This is not a great thing. This is a shared thing, because the more people that do what I do, the more veterans get helped. There's there's plenty of opportunity. There's plenty of veterans that need the services right? I mean that that needs education and disempowerment.

00:51:51.270 --> 00:52:09.430

Tommy DiMisa: you know. And then the engagement, obviously with the engagement ring Shout out to my friend Kathy Smith, who's checking in on Linkedin and Kathy. I appreciate you. Kathy does a lot of the behind the scenes for the networking group which I'm the National director of Tng, the networking group shout out to Kathy, checking out on Linkedin, that's the thing, gang. You could be watching us anywhere.

00:52:09.430 --> 00:52:30.549

Dottie Adams: you know. We're all over the place. So how about what's upcoming? Is there any upcoming event, or anything like that? Yes, so tonight and tomorrow night we'll be at the Silver Spurs rodeo. We have a table set up. Come, check us out I have a cowboy hat on, of course, and cowboy boots, but I have a poker dot scar, so you can't.

00:52:30.710 --> 00:52:54.440

Dottie Adams: and what I'm a little like I'm I'm not angry, but I'm a little disappointed because I am not in Florida, and I would like to be at the rodeo with you tonight, and I just can't get there fast enough. And the second thing that's coming up there is a warrior program. A warrior renewal coalition down in Jack. What is it? Oh, it's just on top my tongue.

00:52:54.440 --> 00:53:14.029

Dottie Adams: Jupiter, Florida! We went as ambassadors to learn about their program last month, and this month I'm going down from the 11 to the fifteenth, and they host this month. It's going to be couples on Post 9, 11 couples. There's 8 of the 8 people coming. But this organization.

00:53:14.170 --> 00:53:25.350

Dottie Adams: it's fantastic. So we're partnering up with them. And I'm actually kicking a full blood. Korean dinner in what? What is that? Come on before we have to leave?

00:53:25.440 --> 00:53:32.839

Dottie Adams: That's in Florida on the thirteenth. I'm trying to figure out.

00:53:32.930 --> 00:53:44.759

Dottie Adams: I gotta go down to Atlanta on the fourteenth, fifteenth. So yeah. So I'm partnering up with a lot of organizations. And before we leave I just wanted to share one last thing, especially about mental health.

00:53:44.760 --> 00:54:08.819

Dottie Adams: one of the organizations that we're working closely with is the Steven Cohen Foundation, owner of the mets. New York. We call him Uncle Steve up here. Yeah. Okay. So Uncle Steve's son is a army veteran that served overseas a lot, and he helped Steven understand the needs of mental health for his fellow soldiers, so he has opened up all these clinics around the nation.

00:54:08.820 --> 00:54:31.760

Dottie Adams: Well, the nearest one to me is in Tampa, and so I go out there and work with them in Tampa, and there's a a veteran business expo coming up the ninth and tenth, and I'm sure Stephen Cohen Foundation will be there. But Rocky Rivera is lives in the same cloud, but works for Steven Cohen and mental health. They will zoom anybody that needs to help. Post 9, 11.

00:54:32.230 --> 00:54:56.780

Dottie Adams: What are phenomena? But these programs are next time. There's never enough time on this show. So go ahead, keep going. And so the one new law. I want everybody to know. If you are a veteran in crisis, you are suicidal or homicidal. You can now do this new law called the Compact Act Comp Compact. You can go to any er anywhere in the Us. Va. Will pay.

00:54:57.040 --> 00:55:18.249

Dottie Adams: and if you have to do inpatient. They'll pay up to 30 days, and if you have to do outpatient up to 90 days, check out these new laws packed, act P act and compact act. They are amazing for us veterans. I love that. And we see this is what it's about. It's about. We must be educating people. That's what this show really started to to do was to shine a light on organizations.

00:55:18.250 --> 00:55:32.570

Tommy DiMisa: And it's really continued to be a thing where. Well, now, I know all this information. How do we share it? So, Donny, I'm going to ask you a favor. I'm going to ask you to stay in touch with me. Let's become closer in friendship and leverage me, you might say, Hey, Tommy? D there some new

00:55:32.570 --> 00:55:45.160

Tommy DiMisa: nuance about the compact act, can I come on? And I'll say, let's make a 15 min Facebook live and just go tell the story, you know, like I want to be that liaison for you to help support that, you know. You want to talk about time, treasure, and talent.

00:55:45.260 --> 00:55:47.930

Tommy DiMisa: I got a big mouth that's part of my talent.

00:55:48.050 --> 00:56:06.100

Tommy DiMisa: I used to be called the biggest mouth in the South when I lived in Alabama. There you go. So we got that in common. I'm not from the south, I'm from strong island. But that's you know it's that's what I want to do. I want to be part of the solution. Want to be part of the education. I mean, I'm even considering I'm trying to think like in terms of

00:56:06.100 --> 00:56:28.080

Tommy DiMisa: you know, I'm going to be doing. The Italian is is at this event next week, and I'm wondering if there's a I mean, it's short notice. It's a week from tomorrow. But if there's resources like, if there's certain things that I can bring to an event like that. I won't be able to man the table, because I'll be certain Italian Isis. But like this, even if if not that event, we need to make these connections because it's it's a consistent. You use the word coalition

00:56:28.080 --> 00:56:30.260

Tommy DiMisa: when you were talking about another organization.

00:56:30.330 --> 00:56:59.039

Dottie Adams: but it has to be a coalition. It has to be all of us working together to to make the world a better place. Right? Yes, and not. This is not just veteran information. I envision community involvement. You might have a relative or a neighbor. Everybody needs to know this, not just the veteran community, right? So that we can all be one family and protect these veterans that served and are serving and their families as they travel through this journey. But yes, I think this is a

00:56:59.040 --> 00:57:05.670

Tommy DiMisa: this is, everybody needs to know this information.

00:57:05.670 --> 00:57:22.239

Tommy DiMisa: and K. T. R. Dot, E. Forward slash connecting the dots for veterans will reach out to Tommy D, your boy, the nonprofit sector Connector, Daddy Adams. I am so happy I met you. I look forward to connecting in real life soon, and I want to be helpful. I want to be part of the solution. Anything you got to leave him with before we go.

00:57:22.240 --> 00:57:48.339

Dottie Adams: No, I appreciate you and thank you again, Elizabeth. you're such a jewel for hooking us up, and people don't meet by accident. Truly. So, Tommy D. Thank you so much from the bottom of our hearts, and we are going to definitely be friends. Buddy. Yeah, I listen. I'm only as strong as my social capital. I'm only in strong. It's my network, and I appreciate my network. Make it a great day. Everybody stay tuned. Steve Fry, the Smb. Guy coming up here on talk, ready to that in want to see later.


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