Update from the BWN National Commander

Most of this is being written on the plane.

I flew into Washington DC on Monday night. While I was checking in I ran into CDR Wells, so we decided to meet on he would brief me on Mondays meeting.

We started Tuesday morning meeting in the lobby to go over to the Metro to ride to Capitol Hill. Now you must know I am in a Wheelchair that I'm using the first time. It only took a few minutes before I tried to take someone out.

Below is something I have learned and my feeling:

1. We already have the support of Congress no matter how some of our members feel. When these bills go to the floor for a vote, it will pass with little to no problem.
2. There are different things happening. Members of Congress are receiving request from other Members of Congress to write letters to the President, to Speaker Ryan, and to Director Mick Mulvaney to request a way for funding for these bills.
3. Despite what some people think, the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act is NOT dead. We have it straight from Chairman Roe, he is committed to getting it passed. We were told the same thing by various Members of Congress and their Staffers the same thing. Now if you have been to Washington DC you know the staffers are in the know and will tell you the true.
4. In my opinion we were there at a good time and a bad time. Both for the same reason that we couldn't plan for. They were focused on the budget (that the reason for the bad timing). It was good timing for the same reason, it gave them time to think about something else. And they listened. In all around 20 meeting all but two paid attention. One had his eyes glazed over and may not have understood but did take notes and promised he would read over the packet. The second just seem not to care but his boss did since he was a Co-Sponsor.
5. While waiting for our meeting we would sit there, and I was listening to them answer the phones. These staffers would take detailed notes if the calls. I jokingly ask if their boss read them and they all told me YES. Plus, they will provide a summary of the calls each day to their boss.
6. It was amazing the way we were treated. The last time I was there, two years ago I felt that they didn't want to be bothered by us, not in meeting but in the hallways and while seeing them while eating but this time they were truly interested in us. They would ask questions and not running off. Chairman Roe was the best. He talked to us as was interested.
7. One of the best meeting we had was with Congressman Gohmert. This meeting was interesting. We talked to him and he was very interested. He couldn’t stay because he had to go to a vote. He asked that we walk with him. We did go with him and had to bypass security and when we got to the chamber he asked us to wait while he goes vote and he would be right back. He came back, and we talked some more before he left to go back to the chamber. Now that impressed me.
8. We had another Congressman that left a hearing that we were watching while waiting, he left the hearing and to meet with us for about 5 minutes (while out of the corner of his eyes watching the hearing). He apologized and had to leave to go back to the hearing.
9. While the focus of these meetings we covered other areas such as Guam (HR809) and other toxic exposure site), it may of seem unrelated but let me tell you it isn't. They are all related and we need to work on them all. Yes, we are Blue Water Navy and we have a total of about 6000 members between the two Blue Water Navy sites. Can you imagine how much help we can get if we all start working together? So, you are going to start see more information about other subjects. Our focus is still the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act but if we started working on other areas we can get more done. They are all related. If one gets passed, it's going to make it easier for the rest to get passed.
10. As CDR Wells told me a few times, we are past the teaching phase, now we need to work on the funding phase. Yes, it is not up to us to find the funding, but if work as hard letting them know we are aware that the problem is funding as we did for the teaching, they are going to know we aren't giving up. Let's provide suggestions, who know someone may have a good suggestion.
11. When we are going into these meetings we have our briefing packet with a lot of information in it. These are great to have. But when CDR Wells and Michael Little have “props” it makes a big impact. The prop this time was me, and it made. it even better that I was in a Wheelchair. Some of the people we met remember me from two years ago and was surprised that I was in a Wheelchair. But what really had an effect was I brought a list of my medications. We would explain that a lot of Veterans were like me, should be retired but had to back to work just to pay my medical co-pays. Then to enforce the fact I would show them my list of medications. I think all of them wrote notes to check that fact.
12. I have to say at time we all get discouraged, I know I do. I'm sure CDR Wells and Michael Little does when an office just acts like they care but you can tell they don't. Myself I just wait until the next meeting and write the last one off. Where I really get discouraged is when I see my members saying, “Thanks for all you do” and I get the feeling all they are doing is maybe writing a letter or making a call and leaving it up to the rest of us. I don't mind working as hard as I do and I'm sure both John and Michael don't mind. But if we get more people to help write letters, make call, get others to join us it would make our job easier. It not only us that make these trips but our families. It's a real hardship on my wife when I'm gone. But she will let me go so we can get this passed. We need your help in doing things. Do what you can to help us group Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Association, so we can spread the load.
13. One thing that really seemed to help us, and this was done after the meeting was this. When I shook their hand, I passed them a Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Association challenge coins. A simple little gift to them that seem to bring them more to our side. At first, I thought it was a waste of time and money, and then I saw the effect. Two years ago, when I was here some of the staffers would say “I email that out to you soon”. Well I'm still waiting. This time when they said that within the hour we had the email. The cost if giving these small coins are well worth it. From my understanding the coins will be up on the website soon so you can buy one.
14. Some people may get upset about the membership dues. Remember these dues can help pay for these trips and other things that needs to be done. Again, another reason to get your friends to join. We cut cost as much as we can. We would walk (in my case wheel) the half a mile to the Metro. May not seem that far, try doing with a wind chill of 9 degrees. Now you must remember I live in Las Vegas and I only have a jacket that I normally wear. So, like I said we do our part to cut cost.
15. In the meeting we did let them know that because of the lawsuit that was just dismissed we are having John Wells files a request for a hearing with the all the judge instead of just three and if we don’t win that one we will be taken it to the Supreme Court. If that happen we will need to be doing some major fundraising.

Now I must mention Jordan, CDR Wells granddaughter who is an inter for Military Veterans Advocacy. She was so much help. I carried my cane and it was always falling. She would pick it up. Plus, she had to keep jumping out of the way, so I wouldn't run over he feet, which I did a few times. And she keeps us going in the correct direction. Thank you, Jordan.

Now for some of the lighter side of the trip.

1. As I said I was in a Wheelchair, now I am using to using a normal electric Wheelchair but his was one that folds up and was new, so I wasn’t used to it. Now another thing you need to know is that most elevators in Washington DC aren’t made to move around in, so I would pull in frontwards and then back out. Well I don’t have eyes in the back of my head and I have no mirrors, so I would be told to back up, well a few times I would almost run into someone feet or run over a few.
2. Now if you ever been to Washington DC you know that most of the offices are either very small, very crowded, or both. Now I am trying to get out of the office and hit a table leg, and it broke. They were nice about it, but I have a feeling they would rather not have me there or at least walk in.
3. Now you must picture this, we are walking on the sidewalk and coming on down the road we are crossing is a group of Protesters chanting something in Spanish. Now we keep going and the Protester decide to walk past us, now I won’t say who, but they started chanting also but I guess the protester didn’t like it and I guess the spit in front of us. I guess they didn’t like what was said.
4. We were sitting in an office and here I am sitting in front of some glass doors. I hear some protester outside and decide I would back out and see what’s going on, right into the glass door. Lucky no damage.
5. As I said these offices are crowded. Now at a table is me at the end of the table, to my right is a Congressman and his staffer. To my left away from me is Michael Little and closer to me is John Wells. Now behind CDR Wells is a bookcase. Well CDR Wells sits back in his chair and almost knocks the bookcase over. The Congressman isn’t happy and states that the bookcase should be tied down, no sooner is that said it happens again. We did end up having a laugh over it.

I think that is about it. I am sure that John or Michael may remember some other problem I cause.  

I am going to try to reinforce a few things;

1. We need to keep the respect we have going. We all need to watch how we act. If you think I was hard before, you haven’t seen anything yet. Talking to a few of the staffers I know they watch us. A few others I suggested that if they want to join us to get a feeling on how Blue Water Navy Veterans feel please join us. I also told them that if I did recognize one of their names I would not say a word and unless they said where they work I wouldn’t. So, like I said they have shown us respect and now we will make sure that our groups show them respect. If you can live with that then it has been having in the group now leave.
2. You may see us talking more about Toxic exposure. This is all related and will help us in the long run so don’t feel we are giving up. This is going to help.
3. After the first of the year the Board of Director are going to have a meeting. I am sure after the that we are going to have a membership drive and donation drive. Michael Little and I talked about a few things that should start happening after the first of the year and I think everyone will like it. After the Board meeting we will have a meeting of the Officers to explain everything. We will provide a report to the membership after that.
4. If you only belong to Blue Water Navy Awareness I am asking you to join Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Association. We need to become a larger official group. The dues will be $20 a year. No one is going to force you, but you can bet we are going to keep asking.
5. After the first of the year we all need to help grow the membership of Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Association. We need to grow. We need to keep setting an example on how to do things right.

​Mike Yates
National Commander
Blue Water Navy Association