WEBVTT 00:01.730 --> 00:03.841 Good morning , ladies and gentlemen , 00:03.841 --> 00:05.952 distinguished guests on behalf of the 00:05.952 --> 00:08.174 Army and Air Force Exchange service . I 00:08.174 --> 00:10.397 would like to welcome all of you to our 00:10.397 --> 00:10.329 grand opening event for the newest 00:10.340 --> 00:12.630 addition to your Exchange Mall , the 00:12.640 --> 00:14.751 Nebraska Resource Center administered 00:14.751 --> 00:16.918 by the Nebraska Department of Veterans 00:16.918 --> 00:19.149 Affairs . To begin our event , please 00:19.159 --> 00:20.937 join me in welcoming exchange . 00:20.937 --> 00:22.881 Regional Vice President , Mr Scott 00:22.881 --> 00:22.670 Bonner . 00:29.010 --> 00:31.399 Thank you , Justin Low Mike . Here we 00:31.409 --> 00:33.990 go . It's the benefits of being tall . 00:34.340 --> 00:37.099 Uh Governor Pilling uh director Mr 00:37.110 --> 00:40.290 Hilgert , Colonel Howard , uh Mr Mellow , 00:40.299 --> 00:42.509 Mr Baker , Mr Brown . Well , Brown , L 00:42.919 --> 00:45.680 uh senior leaders , dignitaries , 00:45.729 --> 00:47.785 exchange associates and all those in 00:47.785 --> 00:49.709 attendance today . Good morning . 00:51.700 --> 00:53.811 What a great day to celebrate for the 00:53.811 --> 00:55.867 exchange and a collaboration between 00:55.867 --> 00:58.540 the exchange and the ND VA 00:59.790 --> 01:02.389 that will support our mission . We go 01:02.400 --> 01:04.567 where you go to improve the quality of 01:04.567 --> 01:06.344 your life through the goods and 01:06.344 --> 01:08.511 services we provide . My name is Scott 01:08.511 --> 01:10.233 Bonner . I'm the regional Vice 01:10.233 --> 01:12.233 President for the Exchange that has 01:12.233 --> 01:15.580 oversight here at off . It's my 01:15.589 --> 01:18.190 pleasure to be here today . The 01:18.199 --> 01:20.629 exchange first , the opening of a VA 01:20.639 --> 01:22.750 outreach center located in one of our 01:22.750 --> 01:26.019 malls . I come from a family of service 01:26.029 --> 01:28.519 members . Both of my grandparents 01:28.529 --> 01:30.529 served in the Navy in World War Two 01:30.529 --> 01:32.751 over in the Pacific region in vessels . 01:32.751 --> 01:35.180 My father served in the US Navy during 01:35.190 --> 01:37.910 the Vietnam conflict . My cousin and I 01:38.250 --> 01:41.150 both served during Desert , Desert 01:41.160 --> 01:43.160 Shield and Desert Storm and the 01:43.169 --> 01:46.040 European theater . And lastly and most 01:46.050 --> 01:48.161 recently , my daughter and son in law 01:48.161 --> 01:50.328 both serve in the navy or sorry in the 01:50.328 --> 01:52.439 army . Don't tell him . I said that . 01:52.610 --> 01:55.419 So my service did not stop with the air 01:55.430 --> 01:58.949 force . I am a vet for life . My 01:58.959 --> 02:01.181 service continued with the exchange and 02:01.181 --> 02:03.292 I have a combined years of service of 02:03.292 --> 02:05.181 34 years serving our soldiers and 02:05.181 --> 02:07.889 family members around the world . More 02:07.900 --> 02:10.710 than 45% of exchange associates are 02:10.720 --> 02:13.339 veterans , spouses and dependents . 02:13.839 --> 02:16.169 85% of exchange associates are 02:16.179 --> 02:18.779 connected with the military . We also 02:18.789 --> 02:22.550 employ 1400 wounded warriors as we 02:22.559 --> 02:24.615 endeavor to provide a benefit to our 02:24.615 --> 02:26.781 war fighters and their families around 02:26.781 --> 02:28.837 the globe . It has been our honor in 02:28.837 --> 02:30.726 recent years to open up shop , my 02:30.726 --> 02:33.389 exchange website to all vets in 02:33.399 --> 02:35.066 addition to in-store shopping 02:35.066 --> 02:36.899 privileges for all veterans with 02:36.899 --> 02:40.449 service connected disabilities . Again , 02:40.630 --> 02:43.960 continuing their service to our country 02:44.000 --> 02:47.080 and their benefit . The fact is 02:47.860 --> 02:50.520 you are a vet for life . There is no 02:50.529 --> 02:53.210 greater honor than serving you the 02:53.220 --> 02:55.442 exchange . Thank you for your honorable 02:55.442 --> 02:57.664 service and countless sacrifices to our 02:57.664 --> 02:59.831 great nation . Don't forget you say we 02:59.831 --> 03:01.850 give back 100% of our earnings . Go 03:01.860 --> 03:03.693 back to the servicemen and women 03:04.639 --> 03:07.380 serving our heroes . The 6% of the 03:07.389 --> 03:09.889 adult population is a great honor and 03:09.899 --> 03:11.899 one that the exchange does not take 03:11.899 --> 03:14.740 lightly , this partnership with the ND 03:14.750 --> 03:17.669 VA makes that service to those heroes 03:17.679 --> 03:20.619 even better . Thank you for allowing me 03:20.630 --> 03:23.789 to speak today . I appreciate all that 03:23.800 --> 03:25.800 you do to take care of our nation's 03:25.800 --> 03:27.856 heroes . And as our CEO Tom Sul says 03:27.856 --> 03:29.967 there's no greater honor than serving 03:29.967 --> 03:32.320 those who serve and have served vet for 03:32.330 --> 03:33.830 life . Thank you so much . 03:41.350 --> 03:43.461 Bring the mic back down here . It's a 03:43.461 --> 03:45.572 normal height . Thank you , Mr Bonner 03:45.572 --> 03:47.628 for those captivating words . Ladies 03:47.628 --> 03:49.517 and gentlemen , please join me in 03:49.517 --> 03:51.572 welcoming , welcoming our next guest 03:51.572 --> 03:53.794 speaker , Mr John Hilgert , Director of 03:53.794 --> 03:53.729 the Nebraska Department of Veterans 03:53.740 --> 03:55.470 Affairs . Done . 03:59.070 --> 04:01.660 Thank you . And uh this is a great day . 04:01.679 --> 04:03.949 Uh Thank you to everyone that helped us 04:03.960 --> 04:07.259 out . 2015 is frankly , when the , uh 04:07.270 --> 04:09.410 the first idea came to have a state 04:09.419 --> 04:11.586 service officer at a at Air Force Base 04:11.586 --> 04:13.752 to help our military , men and women , 04:13.752 --> 04:15.641 their families , our veterans are 04:15.641 --> 04:19.500 retired . Uh and it spent a few years 04:19.510 --> 04:21.890 incubating and , and what it , what 04:21.899 --> 04:24.760 happened was is that uh uh 04:25.070 --> 04:29.040 Justin mcintyre uh was a great , great 04:29.049 --> 04:31.470 visit came up from Fort Riley . What 04:31.480 --> 04:34.059 you see here today , the Nebraska 04:34.070 --> 04:37.459 Resource Center is , is unique . Um In 04:37.470 --> 04:39.950 fact , yesterday , I spent uh time 04:39.959 --> 04:41.792 presenting to the Association of 04:41.792 --> 04:43.848 Defense communities in San Antonio , 04:43.848 --> 04:46.015 Texas and talking about this unique uh 04:46.015 --> 04:49.309 venture , there was no way to do what 04:49.320 --> 04:52.190 we just did . It was a combination of 04:52.299 --> 04:54.339 willing participants and a few good 04:54.350 --> 04:56.959 friends without , you know , a fees 04:56.970 --> 04:59.081 trying to figure out . OK , how do we 04:59.081 --> 05:01.309 write this contract ? How do we write a 05:01.320 --> 05:03.959 memorandum of understanding with the 05:03.970 --> 05:06.720 VFW , giving us very substantial uh 05:06.730 --> 05:08.950 funds to help outfit this , the 05:08.959 --> 05:11.190 University of Nebraska , lending their 05:11.200 --> 05:13.510 expertise and their resource as well . 05:14.029 --> 05:16.251 And then finally , the Omaha Chamber of 05:16.251 --> 05:18.140 Commerce who's been kind of a , a 05:18.140 --> 05:20.362 common denominator throughout all of my 05:20.362 --> 05:22.769 efforts and our department's efforts to 05:22.779 --> 05:24.869 make this a reality . And then the 05:24.880 --> 05:26.936 welcoming community of off Air Force 05:26.936 --> 05:29.102 Base , the Wing stratcom . It's just , 05:29.102 --> 05:31.570 it's a , it's a great day . You know , 05:31.579 --> 05:34.649 uh Governor Pillin uh likes to say 05:34.660 --> 05:38.079 together we can governor 05:38.239 --> 05:41.369 together . We did . Thank you . 05:49.089 --> 05:51.256 Thank you , Director Hilgert for those 05:51.256 --> 05:53.367 words . Ladies and gentlemen , please 05:53.367 --> 05:55.533 join me in welcoming the honorable Jim 05:55.533 --> 05:58.829 Pillin , Governor of Nebraska . Thank 05:58.839 --> 05:59.839 you very much . 06:03.170 --> 06:05.337 Well , good morning , everybody . It's 06:05.337 --> 06:08.829 every , I would tell you every single 06:08.839 --> 06:11.200 time I have the opportunity to come to 06:11.209 --> 06:14.000 off an air force base . I get , I get 06:14.010 --> 06:17.709 goose bumps . Just can't say thank you 06:17.720 --> 06:19.809 enough for all your extraordinary 06:19.820 --> 06:23.359 service . We are , the country 06:23.369 --> 06:26.160 are because of the servicemen and women , 06:26.269 --> 06:30.019 incredibly grateful . Um I think it's 06:30.029 --> 06:32.480 important . I wasn't planning on doing 06:32.489 --> 06:34.378 this , but I think , I think it's 06:34.378 --> 06:36.600 important . We always share stories and 06:36.600 --> 06:38.600 I think it's important that we have 06:38.600 --> 06:40.878 incredible appreciation for who we are , 06:40.878 --> 06:42.767 where we come from and then maybe 06:42.767 --> 06:45.045 recognize just how things are changing . 06:45.260 --> 06:47.427 And uh so here's what I want . I wanna 06:47.427 --> 06:49.649 brag about my grandpa for a minute if I 06:49.649 --> 06:52.619 can . My grandpa was a world war one 06:52.630 --> 06:55.549 veteran . My grandpa's story is 06:55.559 --> 06:59.130 extraordinary . His , my , 06:59.589 --> 07:01.850 my great grandpa immigrated here from 07:01.859 --> 07:05.690 Germany homesteaded . Grandpa was 07:05.700 --> 07:09.579 six , sixth grade , lost his mother 07:09.589 --> 07:11.811 and his dad left , went back to Germany 07:11.811 --> 07:13.978 and he was left taking care of his two 07:13.978 --> 07:16.299 sisters . Sixth grade , 07:17.839 --> 07:20.290 grandpa became a World War One veteran 07:21.450 --> 07:23.829 and um never talked about the 07:23.839 --> 07:27.029 experience . But grandpa , 100 years 07:27.040 --> 07:30.279 ago , roughly started farming and he 07:30.290 --> 07:33.519 farmed with a horse and a plow and he 07:33.529 --> 07:36.279 loved , he loved his horses . In fact , 07:36.290 --> 07:39.290 my dad talked about a day when the 07:39.299 --> 07:42.119 first time he played basketball , the 07:42.130 --> 07:44.297 first time he saw a basketball game he 07:44.297 --> 07:47.720 played in it . And then if , if a month 07:47.730 --> 07:50.200 later he and uncle Sparky were going , 07:50.209 --> 07:52.320 gonna get on the horse and go to play 07:52.320 --> 07:54.487 basketball game . Grandpa wouldn't let 07:54.487 --> 07:56.839 him go because it was too cold for the 07:56.850 --> 08:00.809 horses . So grandpa and 08:00.820 --> 08:03.519 think about how things change . So then 08:03.529 --> 08:06.980 he in his time , we started using 08:06.989 --> 08:10.119 engines and grandpa started farming the 08:10.130 --> 08:12.241 first time he farmed with a tractor . 08:12.241 --> 08:14.408 So think about 100 years ago and think 08:14.408 --> 08:16.463 about the change we all go through . 08:16.463 --> 08:18.574 Well , think about what grandpa World 08:18.574 --> 08:21.190 War One veteran when he drove the first 08:21.200 --> 08:23.367 time across the field with his tractor 08:24.209 --> 08:26.579 and he was getting close to the end of 08:26.589 --> 08:29.309 the fence with that tractor . Think 08:29.320 --> 08:33.249 about that experience and all he 08:33.258 --> 08:35.314 could do is get , he got nervous and 08:35.314 --> 08:37.536 all he could say is whoa , you son of a 08:37.536 --> 08:40.778 gun . And he drove right into the fence . 08:42.510 --> 08:44.890 And the point in sharing it is we have 08:44.900 --> 08:46.440 extraordinary challenges , 08:46.450 --> 08:48.117 extraordinary opportunities , 08:48.117 --> 08:50.172 extraordinary change . And there are 08:50.172 --> 08:52.117 gonna be times we're gonna do like 08:52.117 --> 08:54.117 grandpa did driving the fence , but 08:54.117 --> 08:57.940 it's ok , recover and , and move on . 08:58.179 --> 09:01.989 I can't give , uh , say enough about 09:02.000 --> 09:04.179 the exchange and the work for our 09:04.190 --> 09:06.570 veterans . Uh , John , uh , you and 09:06.580 --> 09:09.440 your team , uh , stepping up , uh , the 09:09.450 --> 09:13.150 resource center pretty cool first 09:14.030 --> 09:17.869 in the country here in Nebraska . Um , 09:18.219 --> 09:22.080 I love to ask the question and 09:22.090 --> 09:24.280 Commander Chief Small just verified it 09:24.289 --> 09:26.511 again . Every single time I come to off 09:26.511 --> 09:28.799 Air Force base I'll meet and I'll say , 09:28.809 --> 09:30.587 what do you love the most about 09:30.587 --> 09:33.840 Nebraska ? And it's the people , it's 09:33.849 --> 09:36.599 the people every , every single time . 09:36.809 --> 09:40.679 So I can't , uh , I can't say it enough 09:40.690 --> 09:44.219 how , um , almost everyone 09:44.229 --> 09:47.659 here never ever wanted to be 09:47.669 --> 09:50.710 stationed off it , but once you're on 09:50.719 --> 09:53.609 off it , you don't want to get off it . 09:53.619 --> 09:55.890 Right . So it's , it's , uh , it's 09:55.900 --> 09:58.659 really , really , uh , it's really 09:58.669 --> 10:02.299 special and our hope that 10:02.309 --> 10:06.030 everyone here recognizes how much 10:06.039 --> 10:07.817 we , the people of Nebraska are 10:07.817 --> 10:10.330 grateful for your service , grateful 10:10.340 --> 10:12.510 and that we're working to make sure 10:12.520 --> 10:16.010 your time here is extraordinary . And 10:16.020 --> 10:19.940 then just maybe , uh when you called of 10:19.950 --> 10:21.894 public service ends that you might 10:21.894 --> 10:24.061 consider raising your families here in 10:24.061 --> 10:27.169 Nebraska , remember it's the people and 10:27.179 --> 10:29.346 it is the safest place in the world to 10:29.346 --> 10:31.900 live . Uh And we have the safest 10:31.909 --> 10:34.131 country in the world to live because of 10:34.131 --> 10:36.298 the work here at Offutt Air Force Base 10:36.298 --> 10:39.260 is everybody fully aware . Your work 10:39.270 --> 10:42.659 makes Offutt Air Force Base the most 10:42.669 --> 10:46.070 strategic powerful air force 10:46.080 --> 10:50.080 base on the planet . Man , anybody get 10:50.090 --> 10:52.257 goosebumps when you think about that , 10:52.257 --> 10:54.312 think about the work and the mission 10:54.312 --> 10:56.719 that everybody does here . So I'm 10:56.729 --> 10:58.896 grateful for the State of Nebraska and 10:58.896 --> 11:00.896 our agency , Department of Economic 11:00.896 --> 11:03.719 Development Department of Labor uh of 11:03.729 --> 11:07.229 all working to make sure your time here 11:07.239 --> 11:10.190 is extraordinary and special . So , um 11:10.200 --> 11:13.020 on behalf of uh the State of Nebraska , 11:13.030 --> 11:15.849 I , I can't say thank you . Uh Thank 11:15.859 --> 11:18.081 you enough . And maybe one last thing I 11:18.081 --> 11:20.590 want to share just yesterday . We had 11:20.599 --> 11:22.488 this past week , an extraordinary 11:22.488 --> 11:25.940 moment naming the chief justice , the 11:25.950 --> 11:28.099 chief , a new chief justice of the 11:28.109 --> 11:31.000 Nebraska Supreme Court . And one of the 11:31.010 --> 11:33.169 things that touched me very deeply 11:33.179 --> 11:36.280 through that process is what I'll say 11:36.289 --> 11:39.989 normal . Um Trust 11:40.000 --> 11:42.929 me as your governor , it's not normal . 11:43.719 --> 11:45.941 It is absolutely not normal to have the 11:45.941 --> 11:47.997 privilege to be the public servant . 11:47.997 --> 11:50.950 And I think that that's maybe a call 11:50.960 --> 11:53.419 for all of us in public service . If we 11:53.429 --> 11:56.130 ever wake up and think it's normal , we 11:56.140 --> 11:59.140 probably , we probably ought to think 11:59.150 --> 12:01.200 of something else . You can be rest 12:01.210 --> 12:03.488 assured . As long as I'm your governor , 12:03.488 --> 12:05.543 if uh , I ever wake up normal , uh , 12:05.543 --> 12:07.488 thinking it's normal . I don't , I 12:07.488 --> 12:09.654 don't deserve the privilege to be your 12:09.654 --> 12:11.766 governor . God bless you . Thanks for 12:11.766 --> 12:13.821 all your service . Thanks for making 12:13.821 --> 12:16.340 this happen , John . Um It's uh it's 12:16.349 --> 12:18.516 what we do in Nebraska . God bless you 12:18.516 --> 12:19.516 all . Thank you . 12:27.080 --> 12:28.913 Thank you Governor Pin for those 12:28.913 --> 12:31.080 amazing words . Ladies and gentlemen , 12:31.080 --> 12:33.080 please join me in welcoming Colonel 12:33.080 --> 12:35.080 Mark Howard , Commander 55th Wing . 12:41.039 --> 12:43.095 Well , Governor , I'm gonna continue 12:43.095 --> 12:45.039 along your theme and tell a little 12:45.039 --> 12:47.270 story . Uh I'll tell you some inside 12:47.280 --> 12:49.750 baseball or maybe a little secret about 12:49.760 --> 12:53.210 veterans and uh active duty members 12:53.219 --> 12:56.030 such as myself . Sometimes we get 12:56.039 --> 12:58.760 really focused on the fight and what 12:58.770 --> 13:00.937 we're doing in serving our nation that 13:00.937 --> 13:03.214 we don't really take care of ourselves . 13:03.214 --> 13:05.214 So this sign over here that says we 13:05.214 --> 13:07.549 support you means everything to us 13:07.559 --> 13:10.190 because when times get tough and we're 13:10.200 --> 13:12.311 focused on our adversaries . I mean , 13:12.311 --> 13:14.422 right now , governor , we are focused 13:14.422 --> 13:17.099 on a major exercise on this base to 13:17.109 --> 13:19.349 deter our adversaries and we're getting 13:19.359 --> 13:22.260 ready and sometimes we don't think 13:22.270 --> 13:24.890 about like , what do we need to do to 13:24.900 --> 13:27.122 take care of ourselves in the long term 13:27.122 --> 13:29.400 and , and a quote I got from my friend , 13:29.400 --> 13:31.622 uh , here's Scott Bonner , the regional 13:31.622 --> 13:33.678 VP . Thank you for being here . Is I 13:33.678 --> 13:35.789 stole this from you . Hey , sometimes 13:35.789 --> 13:37.956 when it gets a little too difficult to 13:37.956 --> 13:40.178 figure out as a veteran , we just don't 13:40.178 --> 13:42.960 even bother . So this first of its kind 13:43.140 --> 13:45.307 means everything to us because most of 13:45.309 --> 13:47.365 us here in the room wearing uniforms 13:47.365 --> 13:49.476 and if you've worn a uniform before , 13:49.476 --> 13:51.698 you might just not even worry about the 13:51.698 --> 13:53.587 benefits that you earned that you 13:53.587 --> 13:55.969 deserve . And John Hilgert , our friend 13:55.979 --> 13:58.859 here from uh from the Department of 13:58.869 --> 14:01.280 Veterans Affairs made a lot of pride 14:01.289 --> 14:03.349 happen for our installation in 14:03.359 --> 14:05.581 particular . This is a big deal because 14:05.581 --> 14:08.799 you come here to the BX and bam there , 14:08.809 --> 14:11.031 you got it . You know where to find the 14:11.031 --> 14:13.950 support you need . Heath mellow 14:14.210 --> 14:17.250 CEO and President of the Greater Omaha 14:17.260 --> 14:19.260 Chamber of Commerce had a lot to do 14:19.260 --> 14:21.427 with this and we really appreciate you 14:21.427 --> 14:23.482 being here as well . Ken Young , did 14:23.482 --> 14:25.593 you make it not today ? But he is the 14:25.593 --> 14:27.649 commander of the Veterans of Foreign 14:27.649 --> 14:29.704 Wars Department of Nebraska . And he 14:29.704 --> 14:31.871 would agree with me that the work that 14:31.871 --> 14:34.679 we did to make this work Joe Brownell 14:34.690 --> 14:36.634 from the University of Nebraska at 14:36.634 --> 14:38.634 Lincoln , right ? And that Veterans 14:38.634 --> 14:40.634 Success Center , you're gonna point 14:40.634 --> 14:42.801 your folks here as well to say , hey , 14:42.801 --> 14:44.857 there's a place for you at office to 14:44.857 --> 14:46.968 find out what benefits you've got and 14:46.968 --> 14:49.079 that's a reason to join . Oh , by the 14:49.079 --> 14:51.246 way , you're gonna go through our RT C 14:51.246 --> 14:50.940 program . But in the long term , you 14:50.950 --> 14:53.369 have something foundational that you 14:53.380 --> 14:55.547 can't just get anywhere else . So this 14:55.547 --> 14:57.658 is a big deal . And I wanna thank you 14:57.658 --> 14:59.602 in particular for making sure this 14:59.602 --> 15:01.491 happened in this area because you 15:01.491 --> 15:03.602 didn't have to say yes , but it's the 15:03.602 --> 15:06.309 right thing to do . And what we're 15:06.320 --> 15:09.250 collectively doing is in investing in 15:09.260 --> 15:12.320 the extraordinary people who serve this 15:12.330 --> 15:14.441 nation in the Department of Defense . 15:14.441 --> 15:16.570 That's our most valuable resource is 15:16.580 --> 15:19.780 the people that serve . So , like I 15:19.789 --> 15:21.956 said , in the past , we'd have limited 15:21.956 --> 15:23.733 opportunities to hear about the 15:23.733 --> 15:25.900 benefits . And now you come right here 15:25.900 --> 15:27.956 to this location and you can find it 15:27.956 --> 15:30.178 all and they're serving you because you 15:30.178 --> 15:32.609 earned it an accessible location for 15:32.619 --> 15:34.799 our service members to have a detailed 15:34.809 --> 15:37.450 discussion , right ? This is a 15:37.460 --> 15:40.460 fantastic opportunity . What resources 15:40.469 --> 15:42.413 are we talking about ? You may ask 15:42.413 --> 15:44.710 veterans , employment opportunities , 15:44.719 --> 15:46.549 transitional permanent housing 15:46.760 --> 15:49.760 opportunities also for your spouses and 15:49.770 --> 15:53.239 your dependents . It's a big deal , the 15:53.250 --> 15:55.472 state agencies , the community partners 15:55.472 --> 15:57.760 and a PS veterans service organizations 15:57.770 --> 16:00.690 all deserve a big thanks for everything 16:00.700 --> 16:02.867 we put together here . And I would say 16:02.867 --> 16:04.922 on behalf of the airmen , soldiers , 16:04.922 --> 16:07.109 sailors , Marine Guardians of a air 16:07.119 --> 16:09.175 force base , we are grateful for the 16:09.175 --> 16:11.890 overwhelmingly supportive community 16:11.900 --> 16:14.799 that we have governor . You are 100% 16:14.809 --> 16:16.976 right . It's the people that make this 16:16.976 --> 16:19.087 place run and it's worth being here . 16:19.087 --> 16:21.253 Thank you very much , appreciate you . 16:30.789 --> 16:32.845 Thank you , Colonel Howard for those 16:32.845 --> 16:34.789 inspiring words . Now , ladies and 16:34.789 --> 16:37.011 gentlemen , please join me in welcoming 16:37.011 --> 16:39.530 Mr Heath Mellow CEO and President of 16:39.539 --> 16:41.095 the Greater Omaha Chamber . 16:46.789 --> 16:49.570 Thank you . And it's an honor to be 16:49.580 --> 16:51.580 with you today to share some very , 16:51.580 --> 16:55.000 very brief remarks . Um We're here 16:55.010 --> 16:57.880 today because some very good people 16:58.130 --> 17:01.969 had some very good intentions and 17:01.979 --> 17:04.146 those good intentions led to some good 17:04.146 --> 17:06.449 ideas for the off Air Force base 17:06.459 --> 17:08.459 community . And they saw those good 17:08.459 --> 17:10.689 ideas through to the very end . And as 17:10.699 --> 17:12.755 someone who spent some time in state 17:12.755 --> 17:14.866 government and spent some time at the 17:14.866 --> 17:16.866 university , I think we can all can 17:16.866 --> 17:18.810 attest that sometimes seeing those 17:18.810 --> 17:21.032 ideas through , take sometimes a lot of 17:21.032 --> 17:22.866 time and energy and effort . And 17:22.866 --> 17:24.977 ironically , to see this idea through 17:24.977 --> 17:27.032 in my short time with the Great Oral 17:27.032 --> 17:29.143 Chamber was relatively short . Um The 17:29.143 --> 17:31.739 energy , the advocacy and the support 17:31.800 --> 17:33.967 from all of the partners that are here 17:33.967 --> 17:36.189 today to see this through was amazing . 17:36.189 --> 17:37.745 Um A couple of folks that I 17:37.745 --> 17:39.967 specifically just wanna highlight rainy 17:39.967 --> 17:41.856 Norwood , who's on our team , who 17:41.856 --> 17:44.569 really was an advocate on behalf of all 17:44.579 --> 17:46.579 the service members here today . Um 17:46.579 --> 17:49.550 consistently made sure that our team 17:49.560 --> 17:52.099 was always advocating to make sure that 17:52.109 --> 17:54.109 the Greater Omma Chamber was at the 17:54.109 --> 17:55.998 forefront of being an advocate in 17:55.998 --> 17:58.165 support of the state government of off 17:58.260 --> 18:00.260 Air Force base of the University of 18:00.260 --> 18:02.890 Nebraska Lincoln and the VFW to make 18:02.900 --> 18:05.069 sure that we were doing the best we 18:05.079 --> 18:06.801 could to be supportive of this 18:06.801 --> 18:08.968 partnership at the end of the day also 18:08.968 --> 18:10.968 are friends with the often advisory 18:10.968 --> 18:13.079 council who this wouldn't happen with 18:13.079 --> 18:15.135 us without them . And I know there's 18:15.135 --> 18:17.301 some of them with us today as well . I 18:17.301 --> 18:19.023 want to make sure that they're 18:19.023 --> 18:21.135 recognized as well . This past year , 18:21.135 --> 18:23.500 there was 873 service members from 18:23.510 --> 18:27.229 Offutt Air Force Base who left the base 18:27.239 --> 18:29.729 in some capacity or another , they 18:29.739 --> 18:32.449 separated or they were tired . Part of 18:32.459 --> 18:35.040 our job at the Greater Omaha Chamber is 18:35.050 --> 18:38.819 to try to do everything we can to make 18:38.829 --> 18:41.520 sure you don't leave the Greater Omaha 18:41.530 --> 18:44.810 area to make sure you don't 18:44.819 --> 18:48.180 leave this community . And 18:48.640 --> 18:51.079 we believe that the Nebraska Resource 18:51.089 --> 18:53.000 Center with everything that these 18:53.010 --> 18:55.177 amazing partners are going to do for , 18:55.177 --> 18:57.680 for , for everybody here that we're 18:57.689 --> 19:00.239 excited about what we'll be able to do 19:00.250 --> 19:02.920 for the next 873 people who will leave 19:02.930 --> 19:04.986 next year and the year after and the 19:04.986 --> 19:07.319 year after and the work that Randy and 19:07.329 --> 19:09.496 our other teammates will be able to do 19:09.496 --> 19:11.496 here in partnership with all of the 19:11.496 --> 19:13.569 other partners because we know our 19:13.579 --> 19:15.819 community is stronger when service 19:15.829 --> 19:18.760 members , when they leave off in the 19:18.770 --> 19:20.937 and then they leave the office space , 19:20.937 --> 19:23.048 they really don't leave our community 19:23.048 --> 19:25.048 and we will do everything we can to 19:25.048 --> 19:26.937 keep you here . That being said , 19:26.937 --> 19:29.103 Governor . Thank you , Colonel . Thank 19:29.103 --> 19:30.937 you . Thank you again , Director 19:30.937 --> 19:33.159 Hilbert for having us be a part of this 19:33.159 --> 19:35.437 amazing partnership . Um We simply are , 19:35.437 --> 19:37.437 are astonished in terms of how this 19:37.437 --> 19:39.603 partnership came together so fast , so 19:39.603 --> 19:41.826 quick and we're excited to , to roll up 19:41.826 --> 19:43.992 our sleeves and make sure that we keep 19:43.992 --> 19:46.159 as many , many service members here in 19:46.159 --> 19:45.729 Omaha as we can . Thank you again . 19:54.459 --> 19:56.459 Thank you , Mister Mellow for those 19:56.459 --> 19:58.626 rousing words . Ladies and gentlemen , 19:58.626 --> 20:00.681 please join me in welcoming our next 20:00.681 --> 20:02.515 speaker , Mister Jeffrey Baker , 20:02.515 --> 20:04.737 Adjutant Quartermaster for the Veterans 20:04.737 --> 20:07.015 of Foreign Wars Department of Nebraska . 20:09.910 --> 20:12.380 Good morning . I was told I have one 20:12.390 --> 20:14.612 minute so I have been practicing this , 20:14.612 --> 20:16.723 uh , very much because I have , I , I 20:16.723 --> 20:19.989 like to talk . So , uh , Mr Bonner , 20:20.000 --> 20:22.167 Director Hilgert , Governor Pin , uh , 20:22.167 --> 20:24.780 Colonel Howard , uh , Mr Senator Mellow , 20:24.969 --> 20:27.130 uh , Joe Brunell , uh , very much 20:27.140 --> 20:29.339 appreciate everyone being here . Uh , 20:29.349 --> 20:31.238 when I got the call from Director 20:31.238 --> 20:34.020 Hilgert , he asked me , he said , would 20:34.030 --> 20:36.300 you be willing as the VFW to partner ? 20:36.310 --> 20:38.477 And I said , well , the VFW is here to 20:38.477 --> 20:40.532 serve veterans . We're here to serve 20:40.532 --> 20:42.643 those who are still serving and we're 20:42.643 --> 20:45.000 here to serve their families . Now , 20:45.010 --> 20:47.121 I'm going to go to the sign as well , 20:47.121 --> 20:49.343 serving military members , veterans and 20:49.343 --> 20:51.459 their families . It is a lockstep our 20:51.469 --> 20:54.459 mission of what we do as the VFW . And 20:54.469 --> 20:56.469 our goal is to ensure that veterans 20:56.469 --> 20:58.413 receive the benefits that they are 20:58.413 --> 21:00.469 entitled to , that the services that 21:00.469 --> 21:02.760 they receive as serving members of the 21:02.770 --> 21:05.130 military are better than what we 21:05.140 --> 21:07.430 received when we were in . Uh We want 21:07.439 --> 21:10.349 to go forward not backwards . And so we 21:10.359 --> 21:12.581 very much appreciate the opportunity to 21:12.581 --> 21:14.470 partner . We very much appreciate 21:14.470 --> 21:16.581 Director Hilbert's vision uh over the 21:16.581 --> 21:18.692 course of the last 20 years . This is 21:18.692 --> 21:20.692 just one example of the many things 21:20.692 --> 21:22.748 that you've accomplished and we very 21:22.748 --> 21:22.719 much appreciate all that you do . So , 21:22.729 --> 21:24.951 thank you again and thank you for being 21:24.951 --> 21:24.719 here today . 21:36.339 --> 21:38.339 Thank you , Mr Baker for those very 21:38.339 --> 21:40.617 moving words . Uh Ladies and gentlemen , 21:40.617 --> 21:42.839 uh will you please join me in welcoming 21:42.839 --> 21:44.950 our final speaker , Mr Joe Brownell , 21:44.950 --> 21:46.672 executive Director of Military 21:46.672 --> 21:48.561 Relations , Military and Veterans 21:48.561 --> 21:50.895 Success Center , University of Nebraska , 21:50.895 --> 21:50.130 Lincoln . 21:56.790 --> 21:58.957 Well , good morning . It's an honor to 21:58.957 --> 22:01.068 be here and I know that as you said , 22:01.068 --> 22:03.290 the final speaker . So I will try to be 22:03.290 --> 22:05.179 brief here . Um I do wanna tell a 22:05.179 --> 22:07.179 little stor a couple little stories 22:07.179 --> 22:09.123 first of all , 28 years in the Air 22:09.123 --> 22:11.179 Force moved back to Nebraska and now 22:11.179 --> 22:13.234 I've been back in Nebraska six years 22:13.234 --> 22:15.640 and now I have the pleasure to serve at 22:15.650 --> 22:17.706 the University of Nebraska , Lincoln 22:17.706 --> 22:20.380 supporting 1600 military connected 22:20.390 --> 22:23.520 students that are attending UN L now , 22:23.530 --> 22:25.910 those 1600 students , there are all 22:25.920 --> 22:28.130 kinds of stories from . How did they 22:28.140 --> 22:30.251 come to Nebraska ? I'm gonna tell you 22:30.251 --> 22:32.473 three real quickly . All right . So the 22:32.473 --> 22:35.770 first one is Emily and her fiance John . 22:36.000 --> 22:38.500 So Emily is from the east coast , is in 22:38.510 --> 22:40.719 the intel world is brought off at air 22:40.729 --> 22:43.750 Force base and after six years decides 22:43.760 --> 22:46.040 that she wants to become a civilian 22:46.050 --> 22:48.810 again and wants to be as a veteran . So 22:48.819 --> 22:50.930 she looks around and she decides that 22:50.930 --> 22:52.986 she's gonna attend the University of 22:52.986 --> 22:55.097 Nebraska Lincoln and guess what ? She 22:55.097 --> 22:57.097 convinces her fiance who's actually 22:57.097 --> 22:59.152 stationed in another base to come to 22:59.152 --> 23:01.263 the University of Nebraska Lincoln as 23:01.263 --> 23:03.319 well . Now , what's Emily wanna do ? 23:03.319 --> 23:05.319 Now , Emily wants to be help in the 23:05.319 --> 23:07.541 medical career field and help in mental 23:07.541 --> 23:09.486 health . Her husband wants to be a 23:09.486 --> 23:11.708 small , small business owner right here 23:11.708 --> 23:15.199 in Nebraska . All right . So that's one 23:15.209 --> 23:17.810 story . The second story , there's a uh 23:17.819 --> 23:21.369 another individual whose parents are 23:21.380 --> 23:24.709 not from Nebraska , come to off it and 23:24.719 --> 23:26.608 guess what ? They decide that the 23:26.608 --> 23:28.770 school system is here is super . So 23:28.780 --> 23:31.002 what do they want to do ? They're gonna 23:31.002 --> 23:33.002 stay right here in Nebraska . Now , 23:33.002 --> 23:35.224 that young man , their son , John , who 23:35.224 --> 23:37.336 I'm gonna talk about when they , when 23:37.336 --> 23:39.502 his parents decided to , to be in here 23:39.502 --> 23:41.447 in Nebraska , he was in elementary 23:41.447 --> 23:43.669 school . So John now is a Nebraskan and 23:43.669 --> 23:45.836 he decides to attend the University of 23:45.836 --> 23:47.947 Nebraska , Lincoln . Not sure what he 23:47.947 --> 23:51.180 wants to do . Very smart engineer . And 23:51.189 --> 23:53.356 so uh he walks into my office a couple 23:53.356 --> 23:55.578 uh uh last semester and says , you know 23:55.578 --> 23:57.578 what this military service thing is 23:57.578 --> 23:59.911 pretty cool . What , uh , what can I do ? 24:00.319 --> 24:02.760 So , we have World Class ROTC 24:02.770 --> 24:04.714 organizations in the University of 24:04.714 --> 24:06.937 Nebraska Lincoln and he joins Air Force 24:06.937 --> 24:10.729 ROTC . And now he , in the , in 24:10.739 --> 24:12.850 two years will be a lieutenant in the 24:12.850 --> 24:15.469 United States Air Force . He will serve 24:15.790 --> 24:17.901 and because his family came here , he 24:17.901 --> 24:19.939 stayed here and now he's always a 24:19.949 --> 24:23.060 Husker . And the last individual I 24:23.069 --> 24:25.180 wanted to tell you about is Kaitlin . 24:25.239 --> 24:27.650 So Caitlin again , her family , uh , 24:27.719 --> 24:29.941 now her family has been in the military 24:29.941 --> 24:32.209 for almost 20 years . Her father gets 24:32.219 --> 24:35.469 stationed here . And uh , so she does 24:35.479 --> 24:37.590 four years of school here . But guess 24:37.590 --> 24:39.812 what ? As we all know in the military , 24:39.812 --> 24:41.868 she has to leave at the start of her 24:41.868 --> 24:44.090 junior year and where they go , they go 24:44.090 --> 24:47.839 overseas , they go to Japan , but 24:47.849 --> 24:50.329 she's a Nebraskan at heart . And here 24:50.339 --> 24:52.510 she comes back to the University of 24:52.520 --> 24:54.750 Nebraska Lincoln . So her family is 24:54.760 --> 24:57.300 still in Japan and she's a freshman 24:57.310 --> 24:59.532 this year at the University of Nebraska 24:59.532 --> 25:01.810 Lincoln . And what does she want to do ? 25:01.810 --> 25:03.921 She wants to be a nurse and she wants 25:03.921 --> 25:07.109 to be a nurse here in Nebraska . So a 25:07.119 --> 25:09.319 center like this when John came to me 25:09.329 --> 25:11.551 and said , hey , we're gonna do this in 25:11.551 --> 25:13.780 a BX . Well , for those of you that 25:13.790 --> 25:15.734 have been in the military , you've 25:15.734 --> 25:17.846 probably been more basic changes than 25:17.846 --> 25:19.901 you've been in a Walmart Costco . If 25:19.901 --> 25:21.790 you think about all the different 25:21.790 --> 25:23.957 places you've been , what better place 25:23.957 --> 25:26.609 to service our military people and 25:26.619 --> 25:28.675 their families . Just remember their 25:28.675 --> 25:30.897 families is right here at off Air Force 25:30.897 --> 25:33.069 Base . So again , John , great 25:33.079 --> 25:35.650 initiative . This is gonna continue to 25:35.660 --> 25:38.540 carry not for people today , but this 25:38.550 --> 25:40.661 is into the future of how we're gonna 25:40.661 --> 25:42.994 touch military members and their family , 25:42.994 --> 25:45.217 families . And it's strictly because of 25:45.217 --> 25:47.439 you and your team and I can't thank you 25:47.439 --> 25:49.494 all for being a part of it . I would 25:49.494 --> 25:51.606 like to conclude with governor . It's 25:51.606 --> 25:53.606 an honor to be here with you . As I 25:53.606 --> 25:55.828 said , Chancellor Bennett would love to 25:55.828 --> 25:55.520 have been here and it's , it's a 25:55.530 --> 25:57.560 privilege . He enjoys being the 25:57.569 --> 26:00.239 chancellor of uh your land grant 26:00.250 --> 26:02.306 University . And thank you very much 26:02.306 --> 26:04.417 and thank you for the privilege to be 26:04.417 --> 26:06.583 part of this partnership . Thank you . 26:06.583 --> 26:06.069 No place like Nebraska . 26:13.489 --> 26:15.656 All right . Thank you , Mr Brown . Now 26:15.656 --> 26:17.979 for those stirring words , ladies and 26:17.989 --> 26:20.045 gentlemen , if I may now direct your 26:20.045 --> 26:22.267 attention to the entrance of the new of 26:22.267 --> 26:24.489 your new resource center for the ribbon 26:24.489 --> 26:26.656 cutting ceremony at this time with the 26:26.656 --> 26:28.822 following people , please come forward 26:28.822 --> 26:28.650 to conduct the ribbon cutting and 26:28.660 --> 26:31.010 please pause for a brief photo . Uh Mr 26:31.020 --> 26:33.131 Bonner , Mr Hilgert , Governor Pillin 26:33.170 --> 26:35.430 and Carl Howard . Please come right 26:35.439 --> 26:38.479 around the mansion . Ok . 26:54.439 --> 26:56.430 You see . Yeah . No , 26:57.849 --> 26:59.660 321 , 27:16.510 --> 27:17.510 I'm with you . 27:23.349 --> 27:25.469 So , ladies and gentlemen , thank you 27:25.479 --> 27:27.349 for joining us today . I really 27:27.359 --> 27:29.581 appreciate the , the turnout . This has 27:29.581 --> 27:31.581 been a wonderful event , some great 27:31.581 --> 27:33.637 stories . And at this time , I would 27:33.637 --> 27:35.637 like to thank all of our speakers , 27:35.637 --> 27:37.637 distinguished guests for joining us 27:37.637 --> 27:39.637 today . And the exchange would also 27:39.637 --> 27:41.692 like to offer a very special . Thank 27:41.692 --> 27:43.581 you to the Nebraska Department of 27:43.581 --> 27:45.581 Veterans Affairs Staff , as well as 27:45.581 --> 27:45.489 exchange service , business manager , 27:45.500 --> 27:47.500 Julie Gregory for all of their hard 27:47.500 --> 27:49.444 work over many months to make this 27:49.444 --> 27:51.839 event happen . Thank you all . We are 27:51.849 --> 27:54.020 incredibly grateful for all of you who 27:54.030 --> 27:55.849 have attended today . We invite 27:55.859 --> 27:57.915 everyone to join us for refreshments 27:57.915 --> 27:59.859 just around the corner in our food 27:59.859 --> 28:02.192 court . This concludes today's ceremony . 28:02.192 --> 28:04.415 Thank you for attending and we wish you 28:04.415 --> 28:04.270 a pleasant day 28:12.810 --> 28:12.839 one .