PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Gene De Francis on Veteran Culture and Issues
2:18:14
·
4 min
Gene De Francis, a member of the public and artist, testified about the unique culture of veterans and the challenges they face. He emphasized the importance of understanding veteran culture in addressing their needs, particularly in areas such as housing, street vending, and arts programs.
- He highlighted the frustration in the veteran community due to non-veterans speaking for them and not listening to their needs.
- De Francis discussed the need for better communication with veterans, especially in situations involving law enforcement and housing facilities.
- He emphasized the importance of task-focused activities for veterans, including arts programs, noting that while art can be chaotic, it provides a sense of accomplishment for veterans.
Gene De Francis
2:18:14
Begin?
2:18:15
Yep.
2:18:15
I wanna thank you for your, patience in this committee.
2:18:18
I know your intentions are, extremely positive and well meaning based on our, our discussions through the past months.
2:18:25
The, the veteran community is just extremely frustrated.
2:18:30
You you speak of the migrants and the the money that was spent and the hotels, and then you speak of the, the crises at at boarding houses.
2:18:40
I want to just because there are so many topics to go into, but I just want to ultimately speak on the, the root of the problem and that's the veteran culture.
2:18:49
It's, you wouldn't have, an Asian American speaking on Latino issues.
2:18:54
You wouldn't
Robert Holden
2:18:55
One second.
2:18:56
Just pause.
2:18:56
Sure.
2:19:06
Sure.
2:19:07
You could stop the clock or it start all over.
2:19:09
Okay.
Gene De Francis
2:19:10
Just forget about the clock.
Robert Holden
2:19:11
For
Gene De Francis
2:19:11
sure.
2:19:14
But, it's very important.
2:19:15
So I wanna I wanna start again.
2:19:17
The veteran culture is extremely unique.
2:19:20
No matter what culture or what background we come from, once we swear that oath and once we graduate boot camp, we become a fraternity, a siblinghood of of like minded people, whether we're from Alaska, Florida, Hawaii, or New York.
2:19:33
And and continually everywhere our members look, there are non veterans speaking for us, not listening to us, unlike unlike this committee, which we do appreciate.
2:19:43
But they're either totally ignoring our needs and our request or they're they're wanting to give us the the sun and the moon.
2:19:51
And we're a a specifically unique culture where we weren't we weren't giving the the flight mechanism.
2:20:00
When it came down to fight or flight and I wanna I'm specifically referring to our veteran vendors and those in the shelters that are extremely frustrated, they are encountered by the police officers getting into trouble because they don't run away.
2:20:16
And when we can have that dialogue of how to communicate with the veterans and the veteran community at large and for boarding housing to allowing the VSOs in their facilities or any VA hospital that doesn't allow a VSO.
2:20:30
There's a stark difference between the Bronx VA that does allow the VSOs and works very well with those that speak the the veteran language.
2:20:39
And then we can move some of these, programs, forward.
2:20:43
Also, in the Bronx, we have the HAC housing, coming through where those either pretrial detainees are getting housing and resources before the the veterans as well.
2:20:58
I also want to, I'm happy to answer any questions regarding the, American Legion facility being not operated, and how to access because there is a structure as far as the county can then, rebuild because there's a much larger and in-depth situation going on with why these VSOs, especially, some post, are not recruiting.
2:21:23
But it's too much to go into detail here.
2:21:25
And, I wanna share that as far as culture and sticking with that theme, when you tell a veteran to focus on a specific task, if you tell them to focus on PTSD and veteran suicide, they're going to drill that day in and day out.
2:21:42
Whereas, the reason why all these programs are and art is chaotic.
2:21:45
I'm an I'm an artist by trade.
2:21:46
I am a SAG AFTRA member.
2:21:48
I made a career, in the performing arts, successfully.
2:21:53
And when you spoke and art is chaotic.
2:21:55
Art is not calming every single, day and night.
2:21:59
It can be.
2:22:01
But when you challenge yourself and and especially if you're on stage, that those moments before but the veterans thrive in it because it's a task and it's a mission.
2:22:09
And if you have them focus on that task, if you have them focus on the horse, if you have them focus on any kind of therapy, they'll they'll thrive.
Robert Holden
2:22:17
Yeah.
2:22:18
It can be intense.
2:22:18
It's it's sure.
2:22:19
There's all different emotions.
2:22:20
But if there's there's a result wherein it there's a satisfaction
Gene De Francis
2:22:24
There's an accomplishment.
2:22:25
After the fact.
2:22:26
That's undeniable.
2:22:27
Correct.
