Vietnam Reflections and Culinary Aspirations (Hour 3)

Coming to Northeast Wisconsin, live from the Civic Media Studios, this is Mino and the Mayor.

And

here are your hosts, John Mino and Jim Schmidt.

Hey, thank you very much.

Welcome back.

Man, I love having young entrepreneurs on here.

Ethan Wunderlich, select exterior services.

Folks, hire this guy.

Right.

And he, for 21 years old,

he

talks about what's-

So mature.

Right.

Oh my God.

Top priority, customer service, you know, and he cleans out things that other people don't

do.

Everything, clean out the flies and stuff in your,

whatever.

Noticed it from another business he worked at and, yeah, they just-

Yo, entrepreneurs, we will back 100%.

Yeah, just give him a chance, you know?

He did and, you know, he's just got married.

Would you rather hire to clean out your stuff and watch your-

Me or him?

Oh, him.

For him.

Yeah.

All right, Todd, you're a bit a little

snarky.

You'd be like, you'd be the whole morning.

Todd, listen to what you've got to do in this gym.

Let's be honest with something.

Let's be honest.

Which one of us went to a big awards show the other day and came away with some awards and who didn't?

And who's like snarky and kind of condescending?

There's a little bit of a hangover.

You guys won the awards.

I just don't know.

We have no idea what we want if we won anything.

I

looked it up last

night.

Let's go to John Kaylor, great friend of mine, veteran salute.

And John Kaylor was a part of an amazingly wonderful, I don't even know what to call it, John.

exhibit the other day down in Ampliton honoring all of our Vietnam veterans killed in action.

And you being a Vietnam vet, this is our Olsen legal group, LLC.

Mr. Olsen, of course, a Purple Heart recipient from Iraq and John Kaler, a Marine veteran of Vietnam who does so much for veterans.

John, good morning, my friend.

Good morning, John and how are you doing today?

We're doing great John the one thing I wanted to talk to you about I mentioned to you at the at the event the other day You know, I actually had one of my Vietnam vets He said somebody when he came back from Vietnam and he'd been back for a few years and everything He was there in like 70 71 then 75 and then somebody walked up to him and said basically why you can stop the option about Vietnam now.

It's all over And he's like it's all over really

And what I wanted to talk about, John, because you work with so many Vietnam veterans, just because the anniversary of somebody signing some papers in 1975, if you think that war ended for Vietnam veterans, whoa, you're sadly mistaken, wouldn't you agree?

Yes, I would for the most part.

And I'll be speaking here that, you know, this is just my own opinion and my own experience.

I know enough from talking to a lot of different bets that everybody's got their own view, especially on Vietnam.

It was such a controversial war.

But the majority of us, you know, found our way eventually, but it was a bit of a struggle because, you know, to be quite frank, we never had that kind of an ending to any kind of a conflict prior to that, you know, where we just pulled out.

I would agree.

I wish I would have ended better, but whatever.

It ended the way it ended.

And the right word isn't to celebrate, because it wasn't not a celebration, but you really got to honor

and commemorate

honor.

It's like a 9-11.

It's just we

can't

forget stuff, because if we forget about it, we're going to repeat it, you know?

And so, yeah, I think it's that wall Johnny was telling me about that, what you guys did in Appleton.

But you take it a step further, right?

Do you work with veterans or what's your exact role in all this?

Well, I'm mostly a member of the DAV and the BFW and the BBA and those kind of organizations.

But I also do some things kind of freelance on my own, working with doing a round table and counseling and helping best find jobs and that kind of thing.

But veterans have, there's so many different kinds of thoughts and feelings about the war.

I think we have, when we look at it, you mentioned something about things kind of late dormant, and for me, I never talked about my Vietnam service, and I don't know a lot of veterans that did.

You frequently work with vets, and you'd find out that by accident they were a veteran, because you shouldn't talk about it.

It took really the Iraq war.

And I mean, things just exploded for so many of us because we thought that all of this was behind us and we had learned our lesson.

But all of those things came back again.

And just speaking for myself, I mean, I lost my job.

I got into a fist fight and had, you know, ran for some counseling because I just saw again all the guys that were, you know, that never came back home again.

So that was a real trigger for so many of us.

And I know many, many vets got involved in BS.

and things like that again after that.

And we've had veterans on here and things that all the work John does, but just talking to each other, I think, is just so critically important in everything, right?

In anything.

You got problems with family, you got problems at work, but you got to talk.

And I think one of the more detrimental things to Vietnam veterans is you didn't talk.

And that's partly our fault, right?

Because you weren't well-received when you came back.

So I'm just glad you're doing these roundtables.

You're meeting with people.

And do you think people

are feeling better?

I mean, I'm just gonna back on a guy I talked to yesterday from Manitowoc went 26 years without telling anybody he worked at Budweiser Manitowoc went 26 years until he found another truck driver who was in Vietnam That's the only person he spoke to in 26 years and one of the reasons John is because one of his buddy his uncle or somebody wanted him to come and join the VFW and First thing they said well, we don't want drugies and we don't want baby killers and we don't want anything

And he's like, okay, you know what?

I'm out.

I'm none.

I'm not going to even mention it.

And I hate to say it, John, but that's a true story about what happened to some of you guys, isn't it?

I've heard so many stories just exactly like that.

We did kind of wander around on our own and did the best we could.

The good news on that is over 90% of us found our way eventually and ended up being very, very productive in our careers, if not even better than our civilian counterparts.

But you got out, the world was very, very unpopular.

There was a stigma about a Vietnam bank.

I'll tell you my situation.

I went to work for the post office.

I scored over 100 points and I talked to the post office.

I'm on the civil service exam.

I talked to the postmaster and he said, well, he says, we're really looking for somebody more stable and you guys need some time to rest and get acclimated.

We're looking for somebody that's married.

Man, if I would have known then what I know now, I would have sued him.

But I just kind of walked off and that's just the way it was.

I

had another guy I hate to bring up Manitowoc for all this, but I didn't I go to I'll tell you two other stories my good buddy Wolfie He was he went to the courthouse pub in Manitowoc in his marine uniform First day he was back.

He was so proud to come back to his hometown.

Basically, he's from White Lai-ish

And, uh, a guy started just giving him crap about, yeah, when I was in World War II, we actually, and just, to the point, and he smashed the guy's face against the window.

in the thing.

And then another one of my guys from Manitowoc.

And again, Manitowoc is, I'm not trying to put down Manitowoc, but another one of my guys, he would have, wonderful gentleman came back and he would apply for these jobs where he'd see help wanted and they'd say, okay, where are you at military wise?

Are you through with your commitment?

Yep.

Just came back from Vietnam and he never got a call back.

From any of those places, John, he had to stop saying he just said, well, I'm done with my military commitment and I'm done.

And, uh, but if he said Vietnam, they didn't get the job.

Did you experience that, John?

Oh yeah.

Yeah.

And there was that, that stigma.

And of course, uh, uh, yeah, there was the only war that, you know, the people that were protesting blatant, the veteran, because in their mind that if he refused to go, the war would stop.

you know, and there wouldn't be anybody to fight it.

Then we had a bunch of things to to overcome.

And like I said, most of us ended up doing it doing it successfully.

But

Yeah, it was very lonely at the time, and of course there weren't counseling services and things like that available.

Not many people that I know considered going to Vietnam for any help at all.

It was essentially useless, and now there are so many more programs and things like that out there to help vets through these tough times.

Kind of a better late than never, but this should have happened.

49 years ago, but we're 50 years,

but we never you know you think about that though John I mean World War two every person that was in the military was like a hero.

Oh my god Thank you for you doing Unfortunately Korea was so similar to Vietnam that people just

kind

of tried to ignore it and didn't you know didn't acknowledge the sacrifice our unbelievable Men and women made and then Vietnam was just like I don't even want to hear about it and the media did a horrific horrific job

in representing you guys.

Wouldn't you say, John?

Yeah, absolutely.

Um, we were looked at as being, uh, you know, uh, you know, not stable and, uh, drug addicts and, you know, in some cases I think that it's probably, uh, it's probably true.

We were, uh, we were, uh, rather, uh, you know, rather troubled and it's just a while to find our way.

Um, the, um, it is certainly the political thing was, uh, uh, it was, it was against us and it's not.

that we did not feel pride in what we did.

I mean, I did.

Nobody is, no person is a prouder murderer than what I am, but I just go around like I do now.

I wear shirts, I wear hats that I, you know, very, very proud of my service and that kind of thing.

But back then you just, you really just didn't do it.

But it just wasn't very popular to be a Vietnam veteran.

And the truth, we were almost like a diamond.

So many of us had served compared to the number of veterans that we have right now.

Yeah, there was a lot wrong at that time with this country.

And it's better.

We still had a lot of work to do but like we're just saying there's two things that were kind of against you guys and it was the media and our federal government.

It's just they didn't Yeah, it almost like it was your fault.

You guys

just doing whatever you're told to do.

I mean my three brothers were all in the army.

It's crazy.

They didn't have any choice.

I mean they just did what you had to do right

John?

Yeah, and that's a good way to put it, John.

We did what we everybody did, what they had to do, including the protesters.

And, you know, it was it was a dark.

time and when I go into schools and try to explain this to the students and things like that, you've got an hour or two to kind of fill up.

I mean, it's good days to go through all of the motions that Vietnam veterans felt they had to go, it was their duty to go and they went, they came back and they were scorned and ridiculed.

A lot of them came back, messed up and had mental problems and drank and never did find their way again.

So just

when, I mean, the choppers left the embassy in Saigon.

It, uh, it wasn't over for a lot of people.

Um, and, uh, and I think that still is on, uh, on now.

I mean, there's still some people that, you know, suffer flashbacks and that kind of thing from it.

Well, that's the thing, John.

We just got two minutes left and I'll let you go, buddy.

I appreciate this so much.

John Koehler, who does so much for veterans and veteran organizations in the, in the, in a whole, what would your county be?

Win a game with a gummy?

Calumet, out of gamey.

I mean, you, that whole area you reach out to people,

right, John?

We have, I'm just so happy the way this round table turned out.

We're in our eighth year.

We, people coming from Milwaukee or clay or wass off, managed to walk kind of all over the state.

And typically we get like 80 to 100 people in the meeting and we have it at different venues.

And it's essentially, like you said, it's an opportunity to connect.

and share experiences, ideas, and network and reduce redundancy and just do the best things that we possibly can for veterans.

And it really seems to work well.

And

it's not just out

of gamey.

And the number one thing, John, I want to reach out to you about, and I met the gentleman again the other day at the Vietnam event, the monks.

You give them such

high

esteem.

Yeah.

They are just fantastic people.

And if you ever think you're having a bad day, talk to one of those guys, my buddy, who is showing the commander.

He was given an M1 that was bigger than he was when he was 15 years old and told to go out and kill communists.

And he lost so many members of his family.

And that story is just so common among all of those guys.

And they're the most humble.

wonderful, brave, kind people that I've ever met.

We've got them going to the Algorand flight and a number of other programs.

So we set up for them.

Thanks for what you do, my friend.

Thank you,

John.

Thank you.

You're the

best.

John

Koehler, Veteran Salute Olsen Legal Group.

Back after

this.

Who'd you say

was the guest who at first but this was Lenny Kravitz.

That's

correct.

Yeah.

Yeah with what's her name?

Who was in boogie nights and she was becoming a big huge star and then her career just kind of like Ended

was she was he with her at some time?

She was

she's the woman where says American woman in this video.

She was the woman

in the video.

Okay,

Hannah Heather Something something

She was on the verge of being this huge movie star and then just like plateaued Do you got her

Heather Graham?

Yes.

All right,

whatever happened to Heather Graham.

That's a let me check on that

I'm not sure they

plateaued usually go one way or the other

down

Just some of that

she was on she was like she was in boogie nights

the spy who shagged me.

She was

in the fight who shagged

me

I mean, really, really, really popular, these really popular movies, and then just nothing.

What's your gretat?

I mean, I don't even know her from those things.

That's what I mean.

I think she's, I mean, she looks pretty, uh, she was in the hangover.

Oh, the

hangover?

Yep.

Uh...

Yeah, she played the mom in the hangover.

She read the little kid.

Yep.

You

know, when John was talking about coming back, did that make you think of that song, Signs?

Remember, come on, get a

job.

Absolutely.

The way

we were saying that, because that was a, you know, I had a long one, but I was like, that poor guy, you know, he's 20 years old.

They just

lied.

They just said to him, no, that's unbelievable.

They

could get away with that.

I mean, he could never do that today.

No, and here's, he listened to this guy, right?

And he's just so, he's almost like over-understanding, like he's forgiving.

He is, he's forgiving.

Yeah.

That's a good word for it.

That's got to be tough, because I don't know that I could forgive being treated that way.

I would have.

Goin' into it,

John, you.

Can

I borrow your glasses?

So I have my glasses.

I want to read.

The guy just told you about one of the other guys.

I just want to read a quick little excerpt.

But I think yours are really strong,

aren't they?

Your glasses.

Yeah, you can use

mine.

What?

Like I'm going to get cooties?

You're going to give me cooties?

No, I'm

just saying that my glasses are foreseen far away.

They're not for reading.

That's why I said that.

Okay, well, I might need you to read something.

Okay.

This a guy in Vietnam Okay, oh Thank you.

I still want you to read this Okay from right there read that okay

coming home from the war was very strange you think Okay, what should I do today?

Do I look for a job?

What am I supposed to do?

I mean, one day you're on a river in Vietnam fighting for your life.

The next day you're walking the streets of your hometown looking for a job, which as it turned out was very difficult.

You'd hear about a place that was hiring and you would go in and talk to them.

And then it got around to the fact that you just came back from Vietnam and it was like, thanks, but we don't need anybody right now.

I mean, that's awful.

Is that something?

That's awful.

You served your country, you just come back and nobody will hire you in your own hometown.

Yeah, so that's almost like the quiet side of the Vietnam vets that wasn't publicized.

You know the media and I'll tell you something I've been in the media for a hundred years We love low-hanging fruit.

We love a story that sells itself You know tells itself so the crazed a Vietnam vet headline was so easy But why didn't they push back

and say wait a minute what?

What do you mean?

I went server.

I mean, why didn't they push back this guy?

So you just walked out?

Yeah

I don't know

I

can't

I

can't see you just walking out me or me.

I can't see them hiring me No, that's true.

You

okay,

but you know what I mean like that's too bad.

I do

But it's just, it's one of the, but that's, like I said, the media loves talking about the crazy Vietnam vet who did whatever, but they don't see these wonderful guys who went to a great high school and got great grades and they did what their country told them they had to do and they come back and somehow they're penalized for doing all what they had been told are the right things to do.

In

their hometown.

In their hometown.

That's

what really hurts.

Yeah.

You know, I mean yeah, I do so then when we talk about and I know it's a couple days late But when the anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War, you know legally the other day in 1975 it didn't end for these guys You know and that and that's the thing we look at World War two about the ticker tape parades and the World War one I mean, I mean I could have asked John this I could ask almost any Vietnam bet if you're in a bar and you're you know looking to you know get a little something something

Would you say you just came back from Vietnam?

None.

If they did, you got nothing working.

Yeah.

Is that something?

I'm afraid that, you know, we always say you learn from the past, right?

Yeah.

I'm afraid we're going to get so far away from this story that people will forget what that's like and we're going to repeat ourselves because it seems like we're doing that an awful lot lately in an awful lot of ways.

Totally

agree, Todd.

We got to keep telling these stories.

Yeah.

We've

just seen at the break that

We just hope that doesn't repeat with

absolutely absolutely no question about it.

But I agree 100% honest.

I think the media did a very big disservice to them because they can the media can twist or weave whatever you want to call it their own story, you know, and then just build upon

that silk in the White House.

I totally

agree, but let's I just could I never bring up your politics, but let's be honest I bet you've seen it in the media where they take something and you're saying yourself Seriously, that's and they just true or false.

Yeah, absolutely 100% true.

Yeah, it's like wait.

I was there.

Yes,

they ain't that is not what happened

exactly and that's what they did to the Vietnam that I know because there's an easy easy story to do

and like you said

Yeah more sensational to

absolutely that gets the notice It's that shiny thing.

Yeah, and these poor guys would think I mean like my buddy there that you just read the excerpts for I mean, that's what it was like.

So yeah, there's a terrible thing So again, I just wanted I don't want to let that die the end of the Vietnam War was the other day 50th anniversary hard to believe but commemorate not celebrate but commemorate right the Vietnam vets of that area.

All right, we got a phenomenal person coming up

One of the most talented people outside of me in Green Pay, ace champion.

Coming

up.

And the signs said long hair,

freaky people need not apply.

So I took my hair up under my hat and

I went in to ask him

why.