Replies

From the transcript:

“THE PEOPLE WE ARE TALKING ABOUT TODAY ARE VETERANS IN EVERY SENSE OF THE WORD, EXCEPT THE LEGAL SENSE. THEY SUPPORTED U.S. FORCES AND PARTICIPATED.”

The Charity CEO (1 hour 5 minutes in):

“WE STARTED PUTTING A TEAM TOGETHER AND FOUR YEARS LATER WE ARE IN EIGHT CITIES AND WE HAVE HELPED RESETTLE 4000 PEOPLE. THAT IS JUST A DROP IN THE BUCKET. THERE ARE STILL TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE LEFT BEHIND.

WE WANT TO GET THEM ALL THEIR VISAS. WE WANT TO GET THEM AND HONOR FLIGHT WELCOME AT THE AIRPORT, PRESENT THEM WITH AN AMERICAN FLAG, PROVIDE THEM A PLACE TO LIVE, FURNISH IT AT NO COST TO LIVE, BUY THEM A CAR BECAUSE A CAR IS ULTIMATELY THE MOST TRANSFORMATIVE THING WE CAN DO. IT OPENS UP A WORLD OF EMPLOYMENT. AND FIND THEM A FIRST FRIEND, AN AMERICAN TO HELP MENTOR AND GUIDE THEM.

AFTER WE HAVE DONE THIS FOR ALL THE PEOPLE WE MADE THIS PROMISE TO WE DON’T WANT TO BE IN BUSINESS. HOW MANY ORGANIZATIONS SAY THEY DON’T WANT TO EXIST? IF ANYTHING, WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE DOD TAKE ON THIS RESPONSIBILITY BECAUSE FRANKLY, THE SOLUTION SHOULD NOT BE A 35-YEAR-OLD WITH A NONPROFIT AND A STARTUP. BUT THAT IS WHAT IT HAS BECOME. I THINK THAT IF WE UNIFY AS A COUNTRY AND THROW SOME RESOURCES BEHIND THIS WE REALLY COULD SOLVE THIS PROBLEM. “

“FINALLY, WE BELIEVE THAT THEY OUGHT TO BE CALLED VETERANS. THEY DON’T HAVE TO GET V.A. BENEFITS BUT SHOULDN’T WE GIVE THEM AN HONORARY DESIGNATION AS VETERANS? THIS IS NOT A BRIDGE TOO FAR. IN WORLD WAR II, THE QUARTER MILLION FILIPINOS WHO FOUGHT WITH ARMED FORCES IN THE SOUTH PACIFIC WERE DECLARED AS HONORARY VETERANS. WE ACTUALLY GAVE THEM THE A BENEFITS AND BUILT A HOSPITAL IN MANILA FOR THEM. WE HAVE DONE THIS BEFORE AND IN DESIGNATING THEM AS VETERANS NOT ONLY WOULD THE WORLD OF PHILANTHROPY FINALLY OPEN UP TO SUPPORT THEM GETTING BACK TO THE QUESTION YOU ASKED THE GENERAL BEFORE, BUT IN ADDITION, THINK OF ALL THE LAWYERS WHO LIKE TO PRIDE THEMSELVES ON HIRING A VETERAN.”