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GI Go Fund executive director Jack Fanous discusses his charity’s mission to aid ailing veterans across the country.
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It director of the GI go fund Jack -- news and talking about guys that are doing things for veterans.
W about about the GI go fund.
Well thanks for having time the general fund is veterans organization that was found at seven years ago to help veterans come back wracked Afghanistan put the lives back together.
We essentially started when one of my buddies was killed in Iraq.
And 2004 lieutenant -- the born I was killed while the -- ID and -- we have civilians me my buddies that put this organization together said.
We haven't paid much attention to our troops that are overseas we were sent a care package costs -- -- -- news clip at night if even watch it.
We said we gotta get involved you gotta do something we started taking guys -- -- baseball games and football games we thought that's what they needed.
Quickly learned about those 900000.
Line backlog at the VA -- Quick studies we found out that that line at the VA's been there since the civil war veterans -- looking for their veterans benefits and veterans' wait online for their benefits.
All the time what's it but what what's the problem here what wired why are we by almost a million -- -- there.
I there's a lot of there's a lot of reasons for I would say that obviously is bureaucracy involved in in the situation there are a lot of actions they are understaffed.
The claims are are sometimes hard to process there was a lot of legal matters going on lawyers get involved we know happens -- -- involved.
-- as you litigated it takes forever for people to get their benefits.
But that's kind of what we've been trying to do over the last seven years is.
Let's create a smarter government let's try to find a way to help the government do their job better.
And rather than as -- -- veterans organizations you know they did try to claim what's wrong with the VA and it's true.
But let's see what we can do in the 21 century to make the VA a better system.
So these guys come home.
They can't get a job.
M it's already is tough to get a job out there.
What do you do how how can you do what can people do do.
Knock on the door of of employers and say hey can you give the veteran.
Benefit here.
-- so that's what we do we do a lot of jobs there's our offices -- City Hall Newark right and we had a lot of -- -- to do things thanks for the support of mayor Booker.
In north to do a lot of things for veterans a lot of that has to do -- outrage.
You know one as one of the statistics we've been here a lot about of the 1% is that -- will the -- of the senators are.
The 1% of the people serving our military 99% of us have no idea what it means to be the military that includes employers HR representatives.
So we have to a lot of advocacy a lot -- -- to those employers to explain to them.
What are veterans go through a lot of these guys don't have -- -- are coming out of the military but that shouldn't matter.
Can it get but the skills -- bit of -- soldier does -- translate into the work absolutely I mean listen winning two wars is no small feat.
Being deployed overseas is no small feat being control of thirty men -- 400 million dollars worth of equipment is no small feat.
The training that the military puts in these men and women to accomplish incredible goals and incredible -- is no small feat it's nothing to come back home.
And work -- a corporation worker job 95 these guys are ready willing and able to do it it's a matter of convincing the employers to HR representatives.
That these guys have the skills it takes.
To do the job current -- -- people find out about your organization you can go on the Internet GI go fund dot org and you can follow us on FaceBook in.
Like it's like us on FaceBook files on -- All right and then again this this is for.
You you're trying to reach out to employ yours or where reach out deplores you know we -- -- engage a civilian population I want the rest of the community.
To get involved like we're doing DO not just the VA is a probably a lot of the civilians are not getting involved -- I think it like you said that -- a lot of people wanna do something but they don't know how they don't know where they read about it nun named it got busy -- exactly volunteered -- organization given given our we've given our month.
-- veterans organization helped put together job fairs help with the help put together care practice for veterans are homeless living on the streets.
You get to a lot of work for -- it doesn't take much time -- big country you had no idea what you were getting -- did Qaeda had no idea whatsoever but it's been it's been a rival lifetime and although it started a tragedy when it comes to America lot of things start with bad news in tragedy but.
Like Americans -- was put back together and what -- always come out stronger and that's what happened here Jack produce GI go fund -- Jack thanks -- I appreciate it thank you.
