Veterans Cannabis Group is an advocacy group of Veterans for Veterans who use medical cannabis that provides education, safe access, information on VA resources and benefits. Warriors Road is a nonprofit organization that provides equine therapy to veterans and first responders. Equine therapy offers a range of treatments using horses to promote physical and mental health. The Helmand Valley Growers/Battle Brothers Foundation empowers veterans through community-based personal development, economic upward mobility, and progressive medical treatments to better their lives and the lives of their families.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:03):
It's now time for Cannabis Talk one oh one with Blue,
Joe Grande, and Mark and Craig Wasserman, the Pot Brothers
at Law. We're the world's number one podcast for everything cannabis.
Hello and welcome to Cannabis Talk one oh one, the
world's number one source for everything cannabis. My name is Blue.
Alongside me is the world famous Joe Grande and normally
the Pot Brothers at Law, but Mr Mark Wasserman Lotty
(00:25):
herself in the party. It's a potty the potty party pot.
He's probably walking around over here in Long Beach. He's
going crazier and he's over there. He might even be
at a bar having a shot. Knowing him, I wouldn't
blame him, Yeah, exactly. The Thank you guys for listening
to the podcast Cannabis Talk one oh one all around
the world. If you ever want to give us a call,
(00:45):
and make sure you check out our Instagram pages for
daily news, learned the script and so much more at
Cannabis Talk one oh one, at Pot Underscore Brothers Underscore
at Underscore, law Mark is at wash Law, Craig is
that wash Law. Dog Blue is that one. Christopher writes
I am at Joe Grand fifty two and as we said,
we're all the way live in Long Beach. We have
some very special guests joining us on the show set
(01:06):
right now. They are from Veterans Cannabis Group, Aaron and Jonathan.
Thank you guys so much for sitting down with us,
and thank you for your service as well. I'm gonna
start off with that and let us know what you
guys did in the military. First off, awesome, Well, thank
you guys for having us um. I was in the Army.
I was a combat engineer five and a half year's
active duty and thank you, thank you for your service. Guys.
(01:30):
Let's give him around him. Applause. Vetro now here, guys,
thank you so much and yourself. Yeah, same army. Uh
infantry guy. Uh, since I was a machine gunner, went
over and oh six with the surge. Uh, spend fifteen
months over there, lost sixteen of our guys and in
those fifteen months right here that mon but lost almost
(01:50):
ten times more. Once we've got back to suicide, drug
overdose and things like that, did you guys see a
lot of that? I mean, especially with you saying that
right now, I mean losing them there in combat is
one thing? Is it feel any different when you come
back and lose them a different way due to overdose?
Our suicide? Okay? Um, I think so because we had
(02:12):
a little bit more time to do something to intervene
before that happened. And as you say time to do something,
what do you think could have been done well? Now,
like most of the veteran nonprofit organizations in the cannabis
industry out here, UM have educational programs and programs that
you can get into UM. Instead of a lot of
(02:35):
people when they go to the v A, you're prescribed
pharmaceuticals and that's all they know. And you think those
pharmaceuticals are pushing more towards the suicide rate that we
heard earlier. That's ridiculous amongst veterans. The problem is when
you get out of the military, nobody is helping you out.
Nobody's telling you what to do anymore. There's no mandatory
(02:56):
check in with the v A. So if you're a veteran,
you're a combat veteran, you have some mental health issues
that you're dealing with. From that, you're gonna struggle just
trying to get into to find the help. Right. So, well,
someone don't know they need help. Some of them don't,
you know. And then trying to get into the v
A system can be a little daunting as well. Trying
to get your service connected disability rating, which gets you
(03:17):
all the VA benefits. You know, you've got to go online,
you've got to do some paperwork, you've got to meet
with the Veteran Service officer, UH and try to get
that done. And if you have problems, and if you're
dealing with mental health issues or UM, you know, you
just can't figure it out. It's it can be daunting.
So I think you know, see if getting injured or
or being killed in combat UM is different than obviously
(03:39):
coming back where it's a lot more preventable. You know,
we have we have systems. There are systems in place. Uh.
The v A is a two fifty billion dollar annual budget.
You know, we shouldn't be doing this on our own.
The v A should be here right here with us
educating the veterans about cannabis. But they're not because it's
a the v as a federal entity. UH. Schedule cannabis
(04:01):
is a Schedule one and it's it's against the law
for them to deal with it. Right, So we have
to do it ourselves. We have to take it upon ourselves,
privatize it with the help of you, with the community,
to get the outreach out there. And I think the
biggest thing to answer your question is it's preventable, you know,
And that's the best. That's the heartbreak about the heartbreak.
(04:23):
It's sad and it's to even think that so many
people are constantly not being able to even get it
or even understand about it. Like you said, too late,
because some people may not have realized maybe I should
try to pick up some product from this plant that
may be able to help me deal with the issues
that I'm having mentally, because if I mentally think suicide
is the answer, that's a permanent solution for a temporary
(04:44):
problem that a lot of these people in life have
where it's like, no, there are some solutions out there.
As you think of these solutions. And you guys started
your group Veterans Cannabis Group, and you guys have a
big thing going on in San Diego. Is it are
seeing something in January? You guys are going on the
right now. We have we have an event going on
in Arizona, Arizona on January at the VFW post on
(05:07):
Thomas Street. We're working with some veterans out there and
some the Earl Cup is also helping us and getting
involved in that. UM so we also have a study
going on where we're doing a study for veterans. We're
partnered with a company called Level Up in San Francisco
Bay Area. This is this is for veterans who are
having trouble sleeping. We're gonna get him a fitbit, We're
gonna get him some CBG product. Uh. You have to
(05:29):
be in the state of California to to qualify, and
you also have to have some sleep issues and be
a veteran UM. But you know, we're trying to do
we're trying to privatize these these research um uh clinical research,
you know, type of of events here to try to
prove and you know, continue to advocate, continue to collect
the data and show the government you know what is
(05:52):
going on, that there's proof. You know, I appreciate you
doing that because we do need more data. Right So
when we have that conversation and everybody starts talking about well,
it helps me, it helps me. But when we don't
have the data, it's hard to prove how it helps,
why it helps, and so Joe and I are big
advocates about making sure that you know, we get as
much data as possible so that we can one day,
(06:15):
you know, one day walk into a room and go
your two pounds. You have this symptom, you need this,
this is what you need basis, and this is what
normally works for you. Give it a shot, which is
in my opinion, the next level of actually delivering it
on massive pharmaceutical it's what it what it comes down to,
(06:37):
and what's been massively produced and pushed down our system.
We know and and because it's a you know, an
epidemic is pills and oxycodons and all these other things
that are prescribed and we know that they're so you know,
habit for me, although they do help you in in
in massive pain and whatever else I want them if
(06:59):
if I'm if I'm laying their hurt, I need something,
But there is a better way and knowing exactly that
that data is going to be the key to get
in there. So thank you guys for doing especially people
that don't understand it at all and never even tried it.
Having that data provided it helps him understand a little
bit more for sure what we're trying to do. Sure,
and and they can, they can, they can get real
(07:20):
real information and and so you know what, what's that
battle like? You know, because it's such a new, you
know battle for for a lot of people. And I
look at this beautiful Corroald and all these veterans walking
around and all these people that are supporting the veterans today,
and you know, shout out to Immercia blacklist um um
cattle lists for for putting this thing together. Um, you know,
(07:44):
it takes the the village to make it happen. So
and then when it when it comes down to the
cannabis lobby, like you're looking at it right now. You know,
there there's no suits out here. This is everybody that
everybody that supports these events. Everybody that comes out it
has a booth. Everybody that sponsors all the all the
all the veteran stuff that's going on. This is the
lobby right here. Yes. Yeah, And there's so many great
(08:05):
companies that are out here sponsoring and doing so many
things that helped create this. I want you guys to
explain how cannabis has helped you with your military experience
and what you've gone through that made cannabis such a
big asset and made you lean towards it to doing
everything that you're doing for this beautiful plant. Well, for
me personally, I went to Iraq in two thousand three.
(08:25):
I was just a couple of weeks behind the initial
invasion into Most Sul Iraq, and as a combat MS
we experienced different things, um that were life threatening on
a daily basis. So when I came back, you gotta
imagine I was twenty three years old. I mean, you're
a kid, a thing about one of your twenty three
years old? What do you know? Nothing? Right? And I
was a sergeant in the in the military with a
(08:47):
combat deployment UM. So when I got back, I didn't
even understand that I had PTSD. I didn't really even
I It took me, uh several several years just to
process what I had gone through. And I didn't go
back to the v A until about a years after
I got out of the military and started to talk
about it. So for me, when I first got back,
if I didn't use cannabis by a certain time in
(09:09):
the morning, you know, you get up in the morning,
you're having your coffee, your brain starts thinking all of
a sudden, you know, as as like clarity of the day,
I'm starting to process like what I was doing. I
was playing with explosives, there was rounds coming in, etcetera, etcetera.
And then you just start to process that because when
you're over in that situation, you don't have time. You're
in your leadership position. You can't be weak. You know,
(09:32):
you have to lead by example. You have you know,
massive weapon capability, No mercy, just let's go. You gotta
you gotta be. You have to do your job because
if you don't do your job, either you're gonna die
or your body's gonna die. You know, That's just that's
how war is. So it's it was. It helped me
calm down. And actually, you know some people think cannabis, oh,
(09:54):
it's trying to get an old stone or high. Well,
for me, it actually calmed me down and brought me
to the present because I would start thinking about things
and I wasn't present when I when I wasn't using
the cannabis. You know, I'm like, holesh, what did I
do over there? I can't believe. You know, it was crazy.
All these feelings and emotions would just kind of tide
a way of over and and I couldn't really uh
you know, function. So the cannabis helped just mellow me
(10:16):
out and calm me down. Gave you it gave you
another another level that you needed to to understand where
you're at. Yeah, it helps you kind of also forget
about and let go of some really intense with your
family and friends, know the difference where they'll be like,
oh my god, you're so much better another you're on cannabis. Well,
luckily I was from northern California, so and I had
(10:37):
older brothers and I had you know, access to a
really good green bud we called it back then. Yeah,
I had the gap. We all did we all? Did
you know that we had that? We had a full
show just recently about like how much of the bammer
cannabis was flooded in our country for so many years
(11:00):
and then fight and the fight yeah yes, and the
fight for the cannabis industry sending it from Northern California
and Canada to create even different, you know, better quality. Right.
Um so so listen, I mean, you know, for me,
you know, it's it's funny because I can you know,
I was having a conversation with my mother and and um,
you know, she's like, I don't know why. You know, uh,
(11:22):
my brother, you know, Joe is locks the windows and
he nails his windows shut. He you know, nails the
screen shut, and he's you know, always locking the doors
behind him. He's super paranoid up all this stuff. And
I'm like, Mom, he's a Vietnam veteran. He probably has PTSD.
And my mom just was like huh. And I'm like,
(11:43):
you know, I didn't think about it. What do you mean, Yeah,
until the conversation it was called but but was she was.
She was shocked and she was like, you know what,
I never thought of that, you know. And then you know,
me being a part of the cannabis industry, I'm like,
you know, we should actually, you know, try and see
if he's willing to because he's he's an older general gentleman,
and he just it was in Vietnam, so his mindset
(12:07):
is still on the oh, it's a drug, it's bad,
not that it's a it's a medical People that come
back from the military still think that same way. That's
what we're trying to do right now. That's what we're
trying to do so stigmatized when you're in the military.
Right when I got back from Iraq, I served fifteen
months in Iraq as a machine gunner. My last year
(12:29):
I basically trained hand to hand combat for thousands of
people that would come through our academy before they went
to Iraq. The last two months, I was like in
a fight short you know, fight shirt and hoodie. Every
single day. Come back to my unit. They're like, hey,
what's cheat up to? You know, let's piss test them.
Piss tested me within sixty days of me getting out
of the military, den my contract. Tried to kick me
(12:50):
out of the military and not give me my college
education and not give me my benefits. Really they tried.
Did they succeed? No? I I lawyered up real quick.
Good for you. And did you use medical as your
is your defense? No? Not at all. No, I didn't
even have that defense because you don't have it. You
(13:10):
sign a contract when you don't know the kind of
but you know you you you would you would think
that you know, you, you're so well spoken, articulate that
you could sit there and kind of, you know, try
and get into that conversation and hope that someone would listen.
When I was in it was so stigmatized that literally,
if you were the one that got busted smoking weed,
you turned into a ship bag and you would get out,
you know, outra size from the rest of the unit.
(13:33):
And if people whore people who are working with you,
they would get drooped into that same category. Well, well,
there's forty seven states now that are that are you know,
either medical or recreation or adult use right now? And
and the way I'm starting to I guess look at
the big picture is the NFL, uh, the n b A,
the soccer colleagues, the not yet the Olympics. But they're
(13:57):
starting to make changes. And I'm assuming and hoping that
the military, um, for our veterans and for everybody involved
in in in this cannabis uh you know fight that
they start to make a change too. And that just
one voice and and us being heard. If you're hearing
us now, you know, maybe help that stigma change. And
(14:19):
and that's what we're here for, is is es similar
what's your fight is for? I mean, is that what
you guys are fighting for as well? Absolutely? Um, we
have to be the voice so we're not a bunch
of stoners, you know, the typical with TYED. I have
nothing against that type of but if you look at us,
you know, we're we served in the military. We're talking
(14:39):
about service connected disabilities symptoms of PTSD for example, because
because Congress enacted a war and we went to war,
so we came back and we said, hey, I got PTSD.
And you know, going back to our population, the veterans
are usually the military is always trying different technologies, trying
(14:59):
different medical treatments at the v A. So we're a
population of people that are willing. We've already volunteered once
when we signed up for the military, and we're we've
already been on the front lines, giving our our commanders
intelligence to get the job done, and they trusted us then.
So now there's another war, right there's a war against opioids.
(15:20):
There's a there's a veteran suicide rate that's out of control,
and we're again on the front lines of this battle,
and we have we've identified something a solution, and we're
trying to speak up and show the government we want
to work with the government. We have already worked with
the government. You know, we we don't we we are
part of that population here, we're united States American citizens,
(15:42):
And so the point is is that we volunteered once
you know, we were on the front lines. We've seen
what can work, and we're trying to educate and voice
that opinion for real problems that are are connected to
our military service. You know, we're not making these things up, um,
and we're not you know, just trying to be recreational
(16:04):
users here, not at all. And how can people get
in contact with you guys if they want to help
out or do something with you? On our website Veterans
Cannabis Group dot com. We also have a Facebook page
and we also have Instagram. You can fill out, you know,
the contact us form on there. Um. Like again, if
you're a veteran who has sleep issues, there's a pop
(16:25):
up on the website that talks about the study. Um,
you just get in contact with us, you email us,
and we have an email blast that we send out
for upcoming events and things like that. You know, we
are a five oh one C three So we are
a five O one C three nonprofit, which means we
can receive tax deductible donations, which is very important. Again,
we're trying to legitimatize the movement and the voice of
(16:48):
what we're doing. There's twenty two million veterans in the
United States. There's almost two million in California alone, sure,
you know, and from the Veteran Cannabis Group position, like
a lot of people have starting to come into us
as sort of the go to guys to bring on
a lot of the other better and nonprofits and and
and also the for profit companies and so um with
(17:10):
wuld that being with that being said, um should I forgot?
We want to help organize and kind of quarterback all
the different veterans. We want the point that one of
the goals from the Veterans Cannable Leadership is to be
a leader to enable other veterans to do the advocacy
work right. So provide the resources, provide the five oh
one C three UM foundation to to to receive those
(17:33):
taxes uh uh, you know, donations, to organize, put to
contact connect us with you know, cannabis talk here one
on one, UM and just try to help organize us
because there's a lot of different veteran advocacy groups out
there and I find that, um, we just need to
try to help organize a little bit better all of them. Yeah,
(17:55):
and now we're network with all of them, uh, and
invite them in and bring them to the table and
try to work together as a team to get this done.
You know, it's a It's the way you articulated everything
that you were saying when you said, look, we went
out on the field and fought for our country. They
trusted us to go to war to create you know,
(18:17):
calculated decisions on the field to protect our country. And
now you're sitting sitting here and saying, listen, I have
that same ability. Our team has that same ability to
do it for cannabis and help make a change in
this in this industry. You know, my hats off to
you guys. You know I respect that and and and
(18:37):
actions like this, because this is an action showing up here,
putting out your time. You know, you didn't get paid
to be on our show. We didn't you know, get
paid for you to be here. The you're spending your
time to to you know, give one person that change,
and that change is a ripple effect that will help
change everything in our country. And and I think it's
(18:59):
seriously it's dear and near to my heart. So thank you, gentlemen,
Thank you. And and six years ago when I started lobbying. Um,
if you went into the v A and you got
hurt and they gave you a PISTE tess, just like
I thought I had coronavirus and I went into the VA,
they give you a PISTE test right away. Six years ago,
they would have took away all of your benefits just
for the cannabis for pissing hot after you can really
(19:21):
as a veteran as going at the v A, not
as not as an active member in the military, as
a veteran, just as the military legally allowed to smoke it. Wow,
And so that that's only changed six years now, it's
only been six years a little longer, but you're there's
new VA policies in place, there's new VIA policies in
(19:43):
place that, uh, if you're using cannabis, or do you
tell the medical professional at the v A they're using cannabis,
they're not allowed to take away your VA benefits or
your medical benefits or whatever type of pain treatment you're in.
But that's what he's talking about, if you had cannabis
in your system. And really it's almost um interdependent on
each VA system and who the director of the hospital
(20:05):
is for that VA. VA in Texas might be way
different than in San Francisco. Right, So you guys mostly
in the Bay Area in California. Yeah, I'm in northern California.
He's doing in southern California. The Veterans Cannabis Group is
a five and one c three nonprofit in the state
in California, and we have our board is made up
of veterans all throughout the state and also we have
other board members throughout the country. Again, we have twenty
(20:28):
two million veterans, so we have veterans reaching out to
us all the time. So when people ask how many
people were in your group, they say, well about right,
I mean, you know, if you think the population right,
I mean, you know, but you want to be in
our group, you want to come get a couple of
thousand dollars with the cannabis from Catalyst. Yeah, they're doing
(20:48):
it the real you know, they're doing We can't do
this on our own. So you guys are very important.
The community is very important. Just like in the certain
when we were active duty. We need help from our
family and our friends, right, our community the same thing now.
So if you guys give up on us, we're not
gonna be able to do it right. So we need
(21:08):
to work together until this is fully legal and the
veterans can go and get cannabis and still need help.
Once it it's even fully legal, they're still gonna need
some extra help. Yeah, and they're still here. Here's where
you know. People ask me what's the ultimate goal of
I say, well, if the v A was prescribing and
educating cannabis, then I wouldn't have to Yeah, exactly. We
don't have a two dollar budget. Well you need one check.
(21:34):
We get it out there. We appreciate your time. Once again,
it's Aaron and Jonathan Veterans Cannabis Group. It's Cannabis Talk
one oh one. We greatly appreciate everything that you guys
are doing. I want to give out the website so
people can contact you guys again Veterans Cannabis Group dot com.
There it is, folks, It's Cannabis Talk one on one.
We'll be right back peace. We'll be right back with
(21:55):
Cannabis Talk one oh one. Welcome back to Cannabis Talk
one oh one. Welcome back to Cannabis Talk one on one,
all the way live in Long Beach, California. Let me
(22:15):
tell you this. IMMERCIA Blacklist catalysts. You know, everybody that's
involved in this, all the sponsors, all the Rockets Seed
Rocket Seeds, all the beautiful people that are here that
are actually putting in this effort to support our veterans
right here, this is unbelievable. Guys, sincerely, I want to
(22:36):
thank you guys, Yes, definitely want to thank them all.
And I want to thank these other guests that just
come to join us. They've been waiting around and I
love reading everything about him Arnold Strong Army Colonel Ranger,
as well as Andre Andrews Jr. Of just reading the
stuff on you and you right here from your whole
(22:58):
life of growing up in New Jersey. Is he uh
meeting your wife, going to film school in Los Angeles,
to being a nerd and working of Godzilla to teenage
mutant Ninja Turtles? Who knew this brother had all that
in this country boy right here? Yeah, from your Jersey
And I'm like reading that, going, Okay, I didn't expect
to read what I see. You know what I'm saying,
(23:19):
And I'm like, wow, that's beautiful. On top of the
fact that you guys are veterans, On top of the
fact that you guys are soldiers. Thank you so much
for doing what you've done. And and then you guys
start warriors road. I mean, you guys are just doing things.
How did you two come to meet each other, Arnold, Well,
I'll tell you. Andre and I first met about ten
(23:40):
years ago. Um I had come back to Los Angeles
where I'm from. I'm a native Los Angeleo wan't a
graduate of b c l A congratulations, yeah, um. I
was a regular army officer for a decade, got out,
came back in after nine eleven. Was initially in the
Guard and then the Reserve. I stood up basically like
an army startup. Was a public affairs unit that was
(24:01):
brand new. When I stood it up, it was just me.
It was like an army startup. I came to Los
Angeles Film School where Andrea was a student, and Los
angele Film School u c L A Film School USC
because I was recruiting media people, you know, writers, producers, directors,
camera operators. And Andrea wasn't interested, but he was interested
in being a friend. He was like, man, you're cool, sir,
or let's like let's like hanging. That was like we
(24:22):
known each other for like a decade. Yeah. You know
what's cool is that the way you expressed it, Like
he wasn't interested, but he was interested in being a friend. Yeah, definitely,
that dude. Like it was the community. Um, the American
Legion really brought us together, totally. American Legion kind of
like saved my life. It was just like one of
the largest UM veteran VSO organizations in the country. It's
(24:45):
like a hundred and five years old. Oh yeah, we
know the my next door, my next door neighbors and
the Legions and yeah, so I'm very aware. Are your
parents and grandparents and military? Yes, my my dad was
in the Navy, you should be too. So when you
want to spot, now what post you're gonna join next?
Join points three? Okay, you up next week. What were
(25:08):
you at the military? What do you do? Um? I was.
I went to the Navy in two thousand one. I
went in as a supply clerk and Bahrain, I went
I wasn't wasn't supposed to go overseas, but the towers
fell when I graduated high school. So I graduate high
school and made two thousand one. I went to the
Navy in August and then um towers fell in September,
(25:29):
so they sent me to Bay Rain. When I went
to by Rain for two years, it was just phenomenal
experiences travel in the world and just seeing new parts
of the country. And then I went to my second
ship was a destroyer and Mayport, Florida right after that,
so I tried. I've seen like twenty three countries total,
and just seeing a new country just gave a new
perspective on on life. Come back to America, understanding what
we was fighting for. It just made me want to grow.
(25:50):
And that's why I'm canteeing my service awards road. Thank you.
And now you guys are doing the healing our heroes.
You guys are what what is that exactly? So Warriors
Old is a five oh one c free nonprofit um
founded by Andre I mean, he's got me on his board,
but really what what our entire sort of realization is
(26:11):
is that, you know, we talked a lot about postra
medic stress. We talked a lot about the reintegration challenges
of veterans. We talked about the fact that first responders,
you know, be the police, fire, paramedic, or military veteran.
For the last twenty years that we've off like faced
through nice through all that is, uh, we also deal
with horses that I got similar issues. So uh, Andre,
(26:35):
who really discovered equine only in the last decade less
than that, realized this is what I really want to do.
And he called me up and just said, Colonel Strong,
you ever been around horses? And I'm like, oh, man,
I used to ride all the time out there in
the Bellasys when I needed to come out and check
something that and not like i'll you should. My family's
organization and my family was into horses to my grandfather.
(26:56):
My great grandfather had horses, but I didn't really get
it opportunity to and the rack with horses like I
wanted to in North Carolina. So when I came out
head of California and with this other lady who's on
my board to her name is Ashes, she gotta ranch
and terra bella um. When I'm at her, it was
a phenomenal opportunity and she kind of got reintroduced me
to equestrian lifestyle and it was something I never forget.
(27:20):
So having that opportunity, being able to bond with horses,
it's something I can't really describe to you until you
get opportunity to do it yourself. You know, you meet
fifteen hundred pounds of flesh. That's give you the ability
to work with it and dance with it and and
control it in its own lifestyle. Um, it's life changing.
So being a part of Warriors Roll and starting words
(27:42):
and it would help out the world of this country
for good's sake, you know, I mean people on horseback.
You gotta think about it and think about what those
horses literally did from their backs. He was doing that
for thousands of years before a hundred years ago, you
was riding horses for you know that when you invite us. Yeah, well,
I know you go out immediately. Is out there on
the ranch daily. But I will tell you though, the
(28:04):
thing that Andrea advocates for the most that really I
had to learn into lean back towards was, Yeah, we
talked about our needs to reintegrate and to be healed.
But these horss got stuff too. I mean a lot
of these horses a lot like veterans. You know, we
come in we're like, hey, I used to be a
you know, shopkeeper on a destroyer. I went to seven
thirty seven countries. It's like, hey, I was an airborne ranger.
(28:26):
I was an infantry guy. These horses are like, hey,
I used to be a race horse. Yeah, Hey, I
used to be a show horse. Hey I used to
be a polar We got a couple of We got
a couple of horses with a few horses with some
unique backgrounds. We got a draft horse that's come from
Texas that was a driving horse and now service veterans
on on the front line. We got a previous polo
(28:46):
pony come from Santa Barbara Polo Club and she was
she's been a phenomenal horse within our program. So we
got some incredible horses that have unique stories behind themselves
as well that help veterans because we all got unique
stories ourselves. You know, you know when when you say that,
you know, like I look at you know, veterans that
have a horse as their pet, like their dog, like
(29:08):
their brother, like their sister, like their family opinion. It's
not just a pet, it's a family member. It's all
those things. And so you know, let me ask you
a deep question. Do you give any of these pets CBD,
th HC or any of these family members for any
pains or illnesses that they might occur. We do. We
(29:29):
got a couple of horses that's getting kind of up
their age. So we have been like dabbling in an
opportunity and like CBD products for like a questry in
their horses and stuff like that, and then trying to
feed him in and it's been seemed like it's been
helping a lot of their bones and to keep them
going too. So we do it as well. But after
we smoke a group of veterans, we kind of do
the same thing to smoke and reflect on the opportunity
(29:50):
what we just had with these, with these with these
phenomenal animals. Now, as a five oh one three c
and and a company that's you know, not for profit,
I appreciate that and just just having that, you know,
that infrastructure of a of a company's a as a
job in itself, right because obviously you know, you don't
necessarily own it. It's owned by the world if you will,
or whomever. What is your guys number one mission right now?
(30:15):
Our number one mission is to change a veteran in
the first responders life one horseback ride at the time. Man,
you come out here, there's no other opportunity to kind
of get this a question and experience. There's no other
place to get this horse to human experience at all.
So we want you to invite you out the Three
Kings Ranch and come out here and where Warriors rode
and take partners program and see what these horses can
(30:37):
and how these horse can change your life. Where is
Warrior's Road? How can people get in touch with you guys?
Right now? We are on Facebook, We at Warriors Roa USA, Instagram,
we at Warriors Row USA. UM exactly and if you
want to go out there to the camp where we're
is exactly located right now, we're located, and we just
moved to a two hundred acre ranch in Fraser Park.
(30:58):
So we got some phenomenal you know, landscape scenery that
should come out there and walk with us. We got
a you know, a two hour trail rode to some waterfalls.
If that's what your interest in too, so yeah, hang
out with it. Yeah, it's it's I mean, it's so
funny because the first time we went out there, we
only moved to that property, that extraordinary property, you know,
two months ago, and went out there and I told him,
I remember I was passing Magic Mountain. I'm like, bro,
(31:20):
I'm seeing like, I got another forty five minutes and
I know, sir, I know, I know, I know. As
soon as I made that exit, it's like, oh my god,
this is what. Well, whereas we're we're abudding the Los
Padres National Forest, can I camp there too? Totally? We
were doing so That's why I'm matches. So now I'm thinking,
like I'm bringing my motor home out first. But that's
where I'm feeling back camp out and we do adorn
(31:42):
ride in the morning and after we brought out the telescope.
You know, we do like Star Tour and stuff like that.
I mean, it's all about being in that healing space,
you know. I I love it. I love that actually,
you know, it's something that I'd love to to explore
and I'm down to take a trip on. We was
thinking about even having y'all come out and maybe shoot
episode of y'all show out there with us at the
you know you come set up Warriors Road USA. We
(32:02):
are on our way player, come on home. Know it's
gonna happen. It's gonna happen, No, sincerely, Like like I'm
looking to bring like my whole staff, all our employees
are team that people that really care about. Are are
rounding our existence. Bring them out there to enjoy your
(32:23):
guys facility, bring out some motor homes and trailers and
just spend a weekend getaway. You know, we like a
one hour l A rod out. If I'm gonna live
in the valley, to take me one hour to go
from the valley to say, oh, it's nothing, so to
take your hour to get to us. But at the
same time, you're getting outside of l A. And which
you're going to experience is something you experience in Montana, Utah, Colorado,
(32:45):
and it's funny to think that California has that and
people don't realize that to get out of l A.
That's the thing and it's not that far, which is funny.
So people are out there and you want to find
it once again, you can find them on Instagram and
Facebook and the webs. Side again is Warriors Warriors Road
Us say, you guys are doing your thing. I appreciate
you there anything else do you guys want to talk about?
(33:07):
I would tell you that it's It's what makes it
such an honor for Andrea and I to like, ultimately
wrap your show is to realize this is ultimately in
sync with you know, the veteran cannabis group, you know,
and so you guys are veterans, like it's it's it's
Veterans Day. We promote TC instead of opioids. You know
what that's tearing. So let's promote Yeah, thank you so much.
(33:29):
It's a great way to close up the shop. I
appreciate you guys. Thank you guys again for your service. Guys,
and remember this it's Cannabis Talk one on one and
if no one else loves you, I'll be right back
after this, we'll be right back with Cannabis Talk one
oh one. Welcome back to Cannabis Talk one oh one.
(33:56):
Take a hit, get lit, sit back, and enjoy cannabis
to one on one live right here on Pine Street
in Long Beach, Beau Veterans all day for the veterans.
You guys. If you're looking out there and you want
to grow your own well, head over the Rocket Seeds
you guys. Rocket seeds dot Com on Instagram. It's at
Rocket Underscore Seeds for trusted cannabis seeds. Rocket Seeds is
(34:18):
a trusted source for thousands of quality seeds at a
fair price. Head the rockets Seeds dot com and I
also got to give a big shout out to Viscus
Baby born and raised right down the street in Venice Beach,
delivering the maximum potency you can expect from the Viscus brand.
Check them out online at Viscus dot life. All that
being said, we also want to give a shout out
(34:39):
to everybody out here that's made this happen. G four Live.
If you don't go, you don't grow, going down in
May all the way live in Las Vegas, of course,
Snoop Dogg performing with Travis Barker. G four Lives gonna
be a great bat Kelly Effects Connector and I just said, Viscous,
Chronic expos out there, White Label Farms, I'm Mercia, Catalysts, Easy,
(35:02):
the Blacklist, Veterans, Cannabis Group, Humanity Heroes, Left Coast Extracts,
the Roll Up Show, Loomis, Smoke Deville, and Mobile Media
Kings all out here making this beautiful event as beautiful
as it can be. And as we talk about this event,
you guys who have another special guest joining us with
us on the last part of this show and Blue.
You didn't get a chance to meet this dude, but
(35:24):
he is just everything I mean, Brian, when I talk
about you, I talk about you with the most up
respect because I call you the literally a term that
we use when like, what was his name again? What
was his name again? I texted my phone you ready
for this? Yeah? Badass? So let me tell you. Brian
(35:47):
Buckley comes up. That's how I have you in my
phone and we're like, what's his name? Oh my god, badass.
I looked up badass and Brian shows up. Doc. That's
how I have you from your story. But you've shared
with us and of course everything you're you're a veteran,
you've done so much, of course with your brand which
(36:09):
is Hellman Valley Growers and your product that's out here
that you're doing for the community. How great is it
to come out here and see Long Beach do this
for the veterans and this is incredible. I mean literally,
it was like a last minute thing where I had
an opportunity to come to hang out with you guys,
and I always however one Cannabis talk whatever one is like,
my grace Land, thank you, this is great. I'm just
(36:30):
humbled to be here. Let's get at it. You know, really,
I want to thank Immercia Blacklist, catalyst for for making
this happen for our veterans here in Long Beach. It's
such a beautiful thing. Like you know, I've sat with
John Reese and been able to really sit like break
down in tears because it's near and geared to my
heart and and and I can only explain it from
(36:52):
the sense that my my uncle was a veteran that
lived down here and went through um the Vietnam and
blew off his stomach and literally was homeless here my choice,
because we all offered him homes and whatnot. And it
was such a dear moment for my to sit here
in the streets of Long Beach on Pine for five
(37:13):
and six because I used to search these streets right
here for my uncle just to hang out with them
through the holidays and give him money because he would
not come home, he would not do it. He lived
here and and got him, and it got him. It
got him, and you know, we got rest his soul.
Jose Negron, I appreciate you, I love you, I miss you.
And uh wow, Brian, you know Joe has spoke so
(37:37):
highly about the stories and the things that you've done
and the things that you're doing for for veterans and
the community. Let's dive into some of them, share with us. Yeah, no,
that's a a little bit of touch, share just here
in your story. I mean, that's what that kind of
drives me every day is you know, before I go
to bed every night, I think about what have I
done for a veteran today? And it just it just
(38:00):
blows my mind where you have men and women who
raise their right hand, willing to go sign a blank
check for their nation's uh for the country payable on
their death, and we're not doing everything possible to help
them live the American dream they fought so hard to defend.
Payable under death, what a great term, parable under death?
(38:22):
And then we don't give them the proper tools. And
this is that there's some people once again that do
choose to be like your uncle Blue. What's a prime example.
And we all know that and that's be true, but
we should be trying to do everything possible to help
these veterans out there. And Brian, please share with Blue
how your whole team. What happened to you guys which
(38:44):
meant would like Mr Love, I mean when you said popcorn,
when you guys got blown upstand so we were Um,
what I did in afghan Stand was I had an
amazing opportunity in my life and I thank God all
the time for this, because not everyone gets to serve
with their heroes, and I did. And you know, not
(39:07):
only did I become a marine and I got to
serve in the Marine corps um that was rad and um,
you know things where I look at the Marines as
being an elite fighting force. But then we got into
the special operations game and I was able to make
a marine special operations as a marine raider. So what
we did in Afghanistan was what we called the commando mission.
(39:30):
So we would take the Afghan Special Forces or commandos.
We get on black helicopters in the middle of the
night and we would go, uh eliminate high value individuals
who worked for the Taliban. And I'll never forget the
time we were flying into an area that we thought
was called Northern shake But this is where the elderly
American comes up, where we make lines on the map,
(39:51):
and the actual people who lived there were like, I've
never heard of a place called Northern Suri. You're in
a spot called Kaligas, which was literally the capital of
the Taliban in the Hellman Province. So we flew in
there and we came in under fire. I remember, I'm
stick on the back of the ramp and I'm just
seeing RPGs rip up at me and people are like, well,
what were you thinking at that point? I'm like, I
(40:14):
was hoping my hair looked good. There's that point, and
I was like, I don't know, I'm just riding it out.
And we came in and as the ramp dropped, I'm
the first guy off the helicopter since I was a
ground force commander, so soon as my foot hit the deck,
I'll tell the pilots you know, I'm on the deck,
and then they would say, hey, transfer power over the
(40:34):
ground first commander, because the air combat element had commanded
while we're flying. And I tripped and fell on my ass,
and next you know, you hear rounds going over my
head and I looked down at this black Chinook helicopter
and he had a guy on his mini wheel basically
a machine gun, just ripping right into a tree line.
(40:55):
And literally one of the pilots pulled out his weapon
and started shooting in the air, and he didn't have
it against his shoulder, so his his bulls were going everywhere.
But he knew how bad and fight we're in. And
we had the little birds. If you saw a black
hawk down, the little things that put their asses up
and he shoot rockets and guns. They called me up
and my my call sign was copper head. There a
(41:16):
copper head. You got shipped all over you. And I'm like,
head clear him hot And they came in and ripped
apart everything. And I remember just getting on the radio
with the boys and I'm like, hey, boys were earning
our stories on this one, and we were trading fight.
Uh you know, casually is back and forth for about
forty eight hours. And we got into a spot where, um,
you know, next you know, I knew, uh what they
(41:38):
call underbowl grenade launcher flew over my head. Sounds like
a baseball flying Vyou knew they had me. I went
fuck and uh cranked off shrapnel throughout my body and
to my teammates. Went down. One of my teammates he
took it in his stomach that we had to grab
him get on her fire. But at that point we
were in such a heavy tree line that looked like
giants were shaking the trees and the amount of Robert
(42:01):
propelled grenades and small arm fire that was coming out.
I literally felt like I was in a popcorn machine
because everything Undeathan me was just popping and exploding. And
we got in there, took a couple of deep breaths.
We were about to be overran. I told by higher
command about that. They provide the support they had to
with aircraft, and we took the fight to the enemy,
(42:21):
and the people who started to fight no longer live
on this earth, and we won. And that was it.
So you know what a story I mean. First of all, again,
I can't thank you enough um for your service. Now,
thank you like for letting me serve. I honestly believe that.
Like every time someone comes up to me and says
thank you for your service, I'm like, you gotta be
(42:42):
kidding me. Do you know what I was able to do.
I was able to fight for a country I love
and believe in so much in and I got to
serve as such a high level with amazing Americans. Thank
you for paying your taxes. That's how I got paid.
And now you're out here with Hellman Valley Growers. You
have your brand? Is it going for you. Where's it going.
(43:02):
What's the latest and greatest with the brand? You know,
it's been great. Uh. We got amazing partners, you know,
guys who really took us under their wing for a
long time. And you know, you know, it's just very
hard to get into this industry. And we met two
gentlemen named George and Cody Sadler, and they brought us in.
They recently just sold a company called Platinum Vapes, and um,
(43:23):
they took care of us, gave us their shot. I
didn't know if people are gonna believe in the brand. Um,
it was a little bit touch and go for a while.
But I think after we got that Institutional Review Board
to say we are going to do medical cannabis research
with veterans. We've been approved by the federal government. This
is the real deal. It took on and it's just
been a blessing. Where one thing I love about the
(43:45):
cannabis community. You know, me being with my background of
athletics and military, you think competition in terms of like
I got to destroy my opponent. Well, what I love
about the candabis community, if you're doing the right thing
for the right reason, they will embrace you and they'll
bring you in. If you're a bad actor, you're gonna
get called out. So the entire cannabis community has been
(44:06):
tremendous towards us. It's helping us succeed to our goal
to prove the medical benefits of cannabis and to show
that it can reduced simples, to push max stress and
my ultimate goals one day is you go into a
v A, you go into a pharmacy, You're gonna see
Humming Valley Grower's product, and that's what bets are going
to be prescribed. And you're pushing to on a bigger level.
(44:27):
You're sitting there going to Congress. You're sitting there trying
to fight the fight on the biggest level for the
federal level. How is that fight going for you? You
know it's been going well, it's slow. I mean obviously
the government moves at a molasses pace. I I have
a great opportunity. Um I'm you know, people ask me
are you a Republican or you a Democrat. I just
(44:48):
tell him I'm an American and it blows her mind.
I'm like, I don't care if you have a D
or in R. I have a Yeah, I have a mission.
To accomplish. So I have a great opportunity. I sit
on a veteran advisor board for a representative about Pennsylvania
named Madeline Dean. I talked to her a lot. I've
We've worked with people like Senator Schultz off Hawaii. We're
(45:09):
working with senators in Arizona. And again I don't care
if you have a Republican Democrat. There is a problem
here with our veterans. Again, they raised their right hand.
They said, I will go forward, I will die for you.
Why are we not doing everything possible to let them
live that dream. So it's been a lot of um,
you know, some headaches, but again very positive momentum. And
(45:33):
again I'm not gonna wig in the government. That's why
we want to prove the facts ourselves and to show
them the numbers and numbers don't lie, numbers never lieing.
What you're doing, in my opinion, has been the most
positive effect as far as going about it from a
logistics standpoint of a strategic way, which is going after
these congressmen, convincing the people that make the change. And
(45:53):
that's one thing I loved about you that I was
even telling Blue after the time we talked to go, dude,
This dude has a protocol that to me is on
point to making change. There's so many people that are
doing so many great things, and there's a lot of
different ways to go about it. And of course, just
dealing with helping the veteran community itself is one thing,
but going at it from a Congress level is another way.
(46:15):
And that's one thing that you're doing. And what him
we're uh him were what is it again? Hell made Valley? Well,
it helps record, read and talk. That's what you guys
are doing. And that's what I commend you for because
that approach, in my opinion, is a very strategic and
smart approach, you know, and I really appreciate that. And
that was a big thing when I sat down with
Congress in sixteen, saying what do you need me to do?
(46:37):
Bottom line, I don't want to hear the bullshit anymore,
Just what do you need? And they're like, all right,
we need data, we need American doctors. So we brought
in Nyamedic Healthcare and research services at Israel. We all
know how far ahead they are on research, and then
we were able to bring in U c Irvine Health.
Now I got my American doctors. So there's gonna be
no if and or, But we know it works. Nimica
(46:59):
has already proving it. Now I just need to put
an American face on it and let's get on with
it and let's help our veterans. Wow, you know it's
it's so important again. You know, like Joe and I
are super big on data, making sure that you know,
we get the research, the proper research, and it goes,
you know, through the process so that we can really
make a change. You know, it doesn't you know, it's antaldot.
(47:20):
We all have ancdotal proof that this works, that it
helps people, that it's something that's near and dear to
our heartspit when you have that data, that actually the
research from the professionals and you have that those numbers
and everything starts making sense. Is when the curve you know,
becomes aligne and everybody aligns what we're doing in this
industry and it's super important to us. So thank you
(47:43):
for for that fight and everything else. Is there anything
that we missed that you want to you know, shout
out there for us. No, I mean, I just want
to appreciate everyone for supporting at Howmboie Growers company. We
do have a nonprofit called Batter Brothers Foundation, which our
Institutional Review Review Board falls under. So lease look it
up battle Barters Foundation dot org. Please donate, help us out.
(48:04):
We're all in this fight together and we're gonna make
this happen. Appreciate you, brother, always keep fighting the fight
at this something we can do for you. Know We're
always here for you. You know it. Well, there it is, guys,
Cannabis Talk one oh one, and remember this. If no
one else loves you, we do. Thank you for listening
to Cannabis Talk one on one on the I Heart
Radio app, Apple podcast, or wherever you get your podcasts.
It's now time for Cannabis Talk one oh one with Blue,
Joe Grande, and Mark and Craig Wasserman, the Pot Brothers
at Law. We're the world's number one podcast for everything cannabis.
Hello and welcome to Cannabis Talk one oh one, the
world's number one source for everything cannabis. My name is Blue.
Alongside me is the world famous Joe Grande and normally
the Pot Brothers at Law, but Mr Mark Wasserman Lotty
(00:25):
herself in the party. It's a potty the potty party pot.
He's probably walking around over here in Long Beach. He's
going crazier and he's over there. He might even be
at a bar having a shot. Knowing him, I wouldn't
blame him, Yeah, exactly. The Thank you guys for listening
to the podcast Cannabis Talk one oh one all around
the world. If you ever want to give us a call,
(00:45):
and make sure you check out our Instagram pages for
daily news, learned the script and so much more at
Cannabis Talk one oh one, at Pot Underscore Brothers Underscore
at Underscore, law Mark is at wash Law, Craig is
that wash Law. Dog Blue is that one. Christopher writes
I am at Joe Grand fifty two and as we said,
we're all the way live in Long Beach. We have
some very special guests joining us on the show set
(01:06):
right now. They are from Veterans Cannabis Group, Aaron and Jonathan.
Thank you guys so much for sitting down with us,
and thank you for your service as well. I'm gonna
start off with that and let us know what you
guys did in the military. First off, awesome, Well, thank
you guys for having us um. I was in the Army.
I was a combat engineer five and a half year's
active duty and thank you, thank you for your service. Guys.
(01:30):
Let's give him around him. Applause. Vetro now here, guys,
thank you so much and yourself. Yeah, same army. Uh
infantry guy. Uh, since I was a machine gunner, went
over and oh six with the surge. Uh, spend fifteen
months over there, lost sixteen of our guys and in
those fifteen months right here that mon but lost almost
(01:50):
ten times more. Once we've got back to suicide, drug
overdose and things like that, did you guys see a
lot of that? I mean, especially with you saying that
right now, I mean losing them there in combat is
one thing? Is it feel any different when you come
back and lose them a different way due to overdose?
Our suicide? Okay? Um, I think so because we had
(02:12):
a little bit more time to do something to intervene
before that happened. And as you say time to do something,
what do you think could have been done well? Now,
like most of the veteran nonprofit organizations in the cannabis
industry out here, UM have educational programs and programs that
you can get into UM. Instead of a lot of
(02:35):
people when they go to the v A, you're prescribed
pharmaceuticals and that's all they know. And you think those
pharmaceuticals are pushing more towards the suicide rate that we
heard earlier. That's ridiculous amongst veterans. The problem is when
you get out of the military, nobody is helping you out.
Nobody's telling you what to do anymore. There's no mandatory
(02:56):
check in with the v A. So if you're a veteran,
you're a combat veteran, you have some mental health issues
that you're dealing with. From that, you're gonna struggle just
trying to get into to find the help. Right. So, well,
someone don't know they need help. Some of them don't,
you know. And then trying to get into the v
A system can be a little daunting as well. Trying
to get your service connected disability rating, which gets you
(03:17):
all the VA benefits. You know, you've got to go online,
you've got to do some paperwork, you've got to meet
with the Veteran Service officer, UH and try to get
that done. And if you have problems, and if you're
dealing with mental health issues or UM, you know, you
just can't figure it out. It's it can be daunting.
So I think you know, see if getting injured or
or being killed in combat UM is different than obviously
(03:39):
coming back where it's a lot more preventable. You know,
we have we have systems. There are systems in place. Uh.
The v A is a two fifty billion dollar annual budget.
You know, we shouldn't be doing this on our own.
The v A should be here right here with us
educating the veterans about cannabis. But they're not because it's
a the v as a federal entity. UH. Schedule cannabis
(04:01):
is a Schedule one and it's it's against the law
for them to deal with it. Right, So we have
to do it ourselves. We have to take it upon ourselves,
privatize it with the help of you, with the community,
to get the outreach out there. And I think the
biggest thing to answer your question is it's preventable, you know,
And that's the best. That's the heartbreak about the heartbreak.
(04:23):
It's sad and it's to even think that so many
people are constantly not being able to even get it
or even understand about it. Like you said, too late,
because some people may not have realized maybe I should
try to pick up some product from this plant that
may be able to help me deal with the issues
that I'm having mentally, because if I mentally think suicide
is the answer, that's a permanent solution for a temporary
(04:44):
problem that a lot of these people in life have
where it's like, no, there are some solutions out there.
As you think of these solutions. And you guys started
your group Veterans Cannabis Group, and you guys have a
big thing going on in San Diego. Is it are
seeing something in January? You guys are going on the
right now. We have we have an event going on
in Arizona, Arizona on January at the VFW post on
(05:07):
Thomas Street. We're working with some veterans out there and
some the Earl Cup is also helping us and getting
involved in that. UM so we also have a study
going on where we're doing a study for veterans. We're
partnered with a company called Level Up in San Francisco
Bay Area. This is this is for veterans who are
having trouble sleeping. We're gonna get him a fitbit, We're
gonna get him some CBG product. Uh. You have to
(05:29):
be in the state of California to to qualify, and
you also have to have some sleep issues and be
a veteran UM. But you know, we're trying to do
we're trying to privatize these these research um uh clinical research,
you know, type of of events here to try to
prove and you know, continue to advocate, continue to collect
the data and show the government you know what is
(05:52):
going on, that there's proof. You know, I appreciate you
doing that because we do need more data. Right So
when we have that conversation and everybody starts talking about well,
it helps me, it helps me. But when we don't
have the data, it's hard to prove how it helps,
why it helps, and so Joe and I are big
advocates about making sure that you know, we get as
much data as possible so that we can one day,
(06:15):
you know, one day walk into a room and go
your two pounds. You have this symptom, you need this,
this is what you need basis, and this is what
normally works for you. Give it a shot, which is
in my opinion, the next level of actually delivering it
on massive pharmaceutical it's what it what it comes down to,
(06:37):
and what's been massively produced and pushed down our system.
We know and and because it's a you know, an
epidemic is pills and oxycodons and all these other things
that are prescribed and we know that they're so you know,
habit for me, although they do help you in in
in massive pain and whatever else I want them if
(06:59):
if I'm if I'm laying their hurt, I need something,
But there is a better way and knowing exactly that
that data is going to be the key to get
in there. So thank you guys for doing especially people
that don't understand it at all and never even tried it.
Having that data provided it helps him understand a little
bit more for sure what we're trying to do. Sure,
and and they can, they can, they can get real
(07:20):
real information and and so you know what, what's that
battle like? You know, because it's such a new, you
know battle for for a lot of people. And I
look at this beautiful Corroald and all these veterans walking
around and all these people that are supporting the veterans today,
and you know, shout out to Immercia blacklist um um
cattle lists for for putting this thing together. Um, you know,
(07:44):
it takes the the village to make it happen. So
and then when it when it comes down to the
cannabis lobby, like you're looking at it right now. You know,
there there's no suits out here. This is everybody that
everybody that supports these events. Everybody that comes out it
has a booth. Everybody that sponsors all the all the
all the veteran stuff that's going on. This is the
lobby right here. Yes. Yeah, And there's so many great
(08:05):
companies that are out here sponsoring and doing so many
things that helped create this. I want you guys to
explain how cannabis has helped you with your military experience
and what you've gone through that made cannabis such a
big asset and made you lean towards it to doing
everything that you're doing for this beautiful plant. Well, for
me personally, I went to Iraq in two thousand three.
(08:25):
I was just a couple of weeks behind the initial
invasion into Most Sul Iraq, and as a combat MS
we experienced different things, um that were life threatening on
a daily basis. So when I came back, you gotta
imagine I was twenty three years old. I mean, you're
a kid, a thing about one of your twenty three
years old? What do you know? Nothing? Right? And I
was a sergeant in the in the military with a
(08:47):
combat deployment UM. So when I got back, I didn't
even understand that I had PTSD. I didn't really even
I It took me, uh several several years just to
process what I had gone through. And I didn't go
back to the v A until about a years after
I got out of the military and started to talk
about it. So for me, when I first got back,
if I didn't use cannabis by a certain time in
(09:09):
the morning, you know, you get up in the morning,
you're having your coffee, your brain starts thinking all of
a sudden, you know, as as like clarity of the day,
I'm starting to process like what I was doing. I
was playing with explosives, there was rounds coming in, etcetera, etcetera.
And then you just start to process that because when
you're over in that situation, you don't have time. You're
in your leadership position. You can't be weak. You know,
(09:32):
you have to lead by example. You have you know,
massive weapon capability, No mercy, just let's go. You gotta
you gotta be. You have to do your job because
if you don't do your job, either you're gonna die
or your body's gonna die. You know, That's just that's
how war is. So it's it was. It helped me
calm down. And actually, you know some people think cannabis, oh,
(09:54):
it's trying to get an old stone or high. Well,
for me, it actually calmed me down and brought me
to the present because I would start thinking about things
and I wasn't present when I when I wasn't using
the cannabis. You know, I'm like, holesh, what did I
do over there? I can't believe. You know, it was crazy.
All these feelings and emotions would just kind of tide
a way of over and and I couldn't really uh
you know, function. So the cannabis helped just mellow me
(10:16):
out and calm me down. Gave you it gave you
another another level that you needed to to understand where
you're at. Yeah, it helps you kind of also forget
about and let go of some really intense with your
family and friends, know the difference where they'll be like,
oh my god, you're so much better another you're on cannabis. Well,
luckily I was from northern California, so and I had
(10:37):
older brothers and I had you know, access to a
really good green bud we called it back then. Yeah,
I had the gap. We all did we all? Did
you know that we had that? We had a full
show just recently about like how much of the bammer
cannabis was flooded in our country for so many years
(11:00):
and then fight and the fight yeah yes, and the
fight for the cannabis industry sending it from Northern California
and Canada to create even different, you know, better quality. Right.
Um so so listen, I mean, you know, for me,
you know, it's it's funny because I can you know,
I was having a conversation with my mother and and um,
you know, she's like, I don't know why. You know, uh,
(11:22):
my brother, you know, Joe is locks the windows and
he nails his windows shut. He you know, nails the
screen shut, and he's you know, always locking the doors
behind him. He's super paranoid up all this stuff. And
I'm like, Mom, he's a Vietnam veteran. He probably has PTSD.
And my mom just was like huh. And I'm like,
(11:43):
you know, I didn't think about it. What do you mean, Yeah,
until the conversation it was called but but was she was.
She was shocked and she was like, you know what,
I never thought of that, you know. And then you know,
me being a part of the cannabis industry, I'm like,
you know, we should actually, you know, try and see
if he's willing to because he's he's an older general gentleman,
and he just it was in Vietnam, so his mindset
(12:07):
is still on the oh, it's a drug, it's bad,
not that it's a it's a medical People that come
back from the military still think that same way. That's
what we're trying to do right now. That's what we're
trying to do so stigmatized when you're in the military.
Right when I got back from Iraq, I served fifteen
months in Iraq as a machine gunner. My last year
(12:29):
I basically trained hand to hand combat for thousands of
people that would come through our academy before they went
to Iraq. The last two months, I was like in
a fight short you know, fight shirt and hoodie. Every
single day. Come back to my unit. They're like, hey,
what's cheat up to? You know, let's piss test them.
Piss tested me within sixty days of me getting out
of the military, den my contract. Tried to kick me
(12:50):
out of the military and not give me my college
education and not give me my benefits. Really they tried.
Did they succeed? No? I I lawyered up real quick.
Good for you. And did you use medical as your
is your defense? No? Not at all. No, I didn't
even have that defense because you don't have it. You
(13:10):
sign a contract when you don't know the kind of
but you know you you you would you would think
that you know, you, you're so well spoken, articulate that
you could sit there and kind of, you know, try
and get into that conversation and hope that someone would listen.
When I was in it was so stigmatized that literally,
if you were the one that got busted smoking weed,
you turned into a ship bag and you would get out,
you know, outra size from the rest of the unit.
(13:33):
And if people whore people who are working with you,
they would get drooped into that same category. Well, well,
there's forty seven states now that are that are you know,
either medical or recreation or adult use right now? And
and the way I'm starting to I guess look at
the big picture is the NFL, uh, the n b A,
the soccer colleagues, the not yet the Olympics. But they're
(13:57):
starting to make changes. And I'm assuming and hoping that
the military, um, for our veterans and for everybody involved
in in in this cannabis uh you know fight that
they start to make a change too. And that just
one voice and and us being heard. If you're hearing
us now, you know, maybe help that stigma change. And
(14:19):
and that's what we're here for, is is es similar
what's your fight is for? I mean, is that what
you guys are fighting for as well? Absolutely? Um, we
have to be the voice so we're not a bunch
of stoners, you know, the typical with TYED. I have
nothing against that type of but if you look at us,
you know, we're we served in the military. We're talking
(14:39):
about service connected disabilities symptoms of PTSD for example, because
because Congress enacted a war and we went to war,
so we came back and we said, hey, I got PTSD.
And you know, going back to our population, the veterans
are usually the military is always trying different technologies, trying
(14:59):
different medical treatments at the v A. So we're a
population of people that are willing. We've already volunteered once
when we signed up for the military, and we're we've
already been on the front lines, giving our our commanders
intelligence to get the job done, and they trusted us then.
So now there's another war, right there's a war against opioids.
(15:20):
There's a there's a veteran suicide rate that's out of control,
and we're again on the front lines of this battle,
and we have we've identified something a solution, and we're
trying to speak up and show the government we want
to work with the government. We have already worked with
the government. You know, we we don't we we are
part of that population here, we're united States American citizens,
(15:42):
And so the point is is that we volunteered once
you know, we were on the front lines. We've seen
what can work, and we're trying to educate and voice
that opinion for real problems that are are connected to
our military service. You know, we're not making these things up, um,
and we're not you know, just trying to be recreational
(16:04):
users here, not at all. And how can people get
in contact with you guys if they want to help
out or do something with you? On our website Veterans
Cannabis Group dot com. We also have a Facebook page
and we also have Instagram. You can fill out, you know,
the contact us form on there. Um. Like again, if
you're a veteran who has sleep issues, there's a pop
(16:25):
up on the website that talks about the study. Um,
you just get in contact with us, you email us,
and we have an email blast that we send out
for upcoming events and things like that. You know, we
are a five oh one C three So we are
a five O one C three nonprofit, which means we
can receive tax deductible donations, which is very important. Again,
we're trying to legitimatize the movement and the voice of
(16:48):
what we're doing. There's twenty two million veterans in the
United States. There's almost two million in California alone, sure,
you know, and from the Veteran Cannabis Group position, like
a lot of people have starting to come into us
as sort of the go to guys to bring on
a lot of the other better and nonprofits and and
and also the for profit companies and so um with
(17:10):
wuld that being with that being said, um should I forgot?
We want to help organize and kind of quarterback all
the different veterans. We want the point that one of
the goals from the Veterans Cannable Leadership is to be
a leader to enable other veterans to do the advocacy
work right. So provide the resources, provide the five oh
one C three UM foundation to to to receive those
(17:33):
taxes uh uh, you know, donations, to organize, put to
contact connect us with you know, cannabis talk here one
on one, UM and just try to help organize us
because there's a lot of different veteran advocacy groups out
there and I find that, um, we just need to
try to help organize a little bit better all of them. Yeah,
(17:55):
and now we're network with all of them, uh, and
invite them in and bring them to the table and
try to work together as a team to get this done.
You know, it's a It's the way you articulated everything
that you were saying when you said, look, we went
out on the field and fought for our country. They
trusted us to go to war to create you know,
(18:17):
calculated decisions on the field to protect our country. And
now you're sitting sitting here and saying, listen, I have
that same ability. Our team has that same ability to
do it for cannabis and help make a change in
this in this industry. You know, my hats off to
you guys. You know I respect that and and and
(18:37):
actions like this, because this is an action showing up here,
putting out your time. You know, you didn't get paid
to be on our show. We didn't you know, get
paid for you to be here. The you're spending your
time to to you know, give one person that change,
and that change is a ripple effect that will help
change everything in our country. And and I think it's
(18:59):
seriously it's dear and near to my heart. So thank you, gentlemen,
Thank you. And and six years ago when I started lobbying. Um,
if you went into the v A and you got
hurt and they gave you a PISTE tess, just like
I thought I had coronavirus and I went into the VA,
they give you a PISTE test right away. Six years ago,
they would have took away all of your benefits just
for the cannabis for pissing hot after you can really
(19:21):
as a veteran as going at the v A, not
as not as an active member in the military, as
a veteran, just as the military legally allowed to smoke it. Wow,
And so that that's only changed six years now, it's
only been six years a little longer, but you're there's
new VA policies in place, there's new VIA policies in
(19:43):
place that, uh, if you're using cannabis, or do you
tell the medical professional at the v A they're using cannabis,
they're not allowed to take away your VA benefits or
your medical benefits or whatever type of pain treatment you're in.
But that's what he's talking about, if you had cannabis
in your system. And really it's almost um interdependent on
each VA system and who the director of the hospital
(20:05):
is for that VA. VA in Texas might be way
different than in San Francisco. Right, So you guys mostly
in the Bay Area in California. Yeah, I'm in northern California.
He's doing in southern California. The Veterans Cannabis Group is
a five and one c three nonprofit in the state
in California, and we have our board is made up
of veterans all throughout the state and also we have
other board members throughout the country. Again, we have twenty
(20:28):
two million veterans, so we have veterans reaching out to
us all the time. So when people ask how many
people were in your group, they say, well about right,
I mean, you know, if you think the population right,
I mean, you know, but you want to be in
our group, you want to come get a couple of
thousand dollars with the cannabis from Catalyst. Yeah, they're doing
(20:48):
it the real you know, they're doing We can't do
this on our own. So you guys are very important.
The community is very important. Just like in the certain
when we were active duty. We need help from our
family and our friends, right, our community the same thing now.
So if you guys give up on us, we're not
gonna be able to do it right. So we need
(21:08):
to work together until this is fully legal and the
veterans can go and get cannabis and still need help.
Once it it's even fully legal, they're still gonna need
some extra help. Yeah, and they're still here. Here's where
you know. People ask me what's the ultimate goal of
I say, well, if the v A was prescribing and
educating cannabis, then I wouldn't have to Yeah, exactly. We
don't have a two dollar budget. Well you need one check.
(21:34):
We get it out there. We appreciate your time. Once again,
it's Aaron and Jonathan Veterans Cannabis Group. It's Cannabis Talk
one oh one. We greatly appreciate everything that you guys
are doing. I want to give out the website so
people can contact you guys again Veterans Cannabis Group dot com.
There it is, folks, It's Cannabis Talk one on one.
We'll be right back peace. We'll be right back with
(21:55):
Cannabis Talk one oh one. Welcome back to Cannabis Talk
one oh one. Welcome back to Cannabis Talk one on one,
all the way live in Long Beach, California. Let me
(22:15):
tell you this. IMMERCIA Blacklist catalysts. You know, everybody that's
involved in this, all the sponsors, all the Rockets Seed
Rocket Seeds, all the beautiful people that are here that
are actually putting in this effort to support our veterans
right here, this is unbelievable. Guys, sincerely, I want to
(22:36):
thank you guys, Yes, definitely want to thank them all.
And I want to thank these other guests that just
come to join us. They've been waiting around and I
love reading everything about him Arnold Strong Army Colonel Ranger,
as well as Andre Andrews Jr. Of just reading the
stuff on you and you right here from your whole
(22:58):
life of growing up in New Jersey. Is he uh
meeting your wife, going to film school in Los Angeles,
to being a nerd and working of Godzilla to teenage
mutant Ninja Turtles? Who knew this brother had all that
in this country boy right here? Yeah, from your Jersey
And I'm like reading that, going, Okay, I didn't expect
to read what I see. You know what I'm saying,
(23:19):
And I'm like, wow, that's beautiful. On top of the
fact that you guys are veterans, On top of the
fact that you guys are soldiers. Thank you so much
for doing what you've done. And and then you guys
start warriors road. I mean, you guys are just doing things.
How did you two come to meet each other, Arnold, Well,
I'll tell you. Andre and I first met about ten
(23:40):
years ago. Um I had come back to Los Angeles
where I'm from. I'm a native Los Angeleo wan't a
graduate of b c l A congratulations, yeah, um. I
was a regular army officer for a decade, got out,
came back in after nine eleven. Was initially in the
Guard and then the Reserve. I stood up basically like
an army startup. Was a public affairs unit that was
(24:01):
brand new. When I stood it up, it was just me.
It was like an army startup. I came to Los
Angeles Film School where Andrea was a student, and Los
angele Film School u c L A Film School USC
because I was recruiting media people, you know, writers, producers, directors,
camera operators. And Andrea wasn't interested, but he was interested
in being a friend. He was like, man, you're cool, sir,
or let's like let's like hanging. That was like we
(24:22):
known each other for like a decade. Yeah. You know
what's cool is that the way you expressed it, Like
he wasn't interested, but he was interested in being a friend. Yeah, definitely,
that dude. Like it was the community. Um, the American
Legion really brought us together, totally. American Legion kind of
like saved my life. It was just like one of
the largest UM veteran VSO organizations in the country. It's
(24:45):
like a hundred and five years old. Oh yeah, we
know the my next door, my next door neighbors and
the Legions and yeah, so I'm very aware. Are your
parents and grandparents and military? Yes, my my dad was
in the Navy, you should be too. So when you
want to spot, now what post you're gonna join next?
Join points three? Okay, you up next week. What were
(25:08):
you at the military? What do you do? Um? I was.
I went to the Navy in two thousand one. I
went in as a supply clerk and Bahrain, I went
I wasn't wasn't supposed to go overseas, but the towers
fell when I graduated high school. So I graduate high
school and made two thousand one. I went to the
Navy in August and then um towers fell in September,
(25:29):
so they sent me to Bay Rain. When I went
to by Rain for two years, it was just phenomenal
experiences travel in the world and just seeing new parts
of the country. And then I went to my second
ship was a destroyer and Mayport, Florida right after that,
so I tried. I've seen like twenty three countries total,
and just seeing a new country just gave a new
perspective on on life. Come back to America, understanding what
we was fighting for. It just made me want to grow.
(25:50):
And that's why I'm canteeing my service awards road. Thank you.
And now you guys are doing the healing our heroes.
You guys are what what is that exactly? So Warriors
Old is a five oh one c free nonprofit um
founded by Andre I mean, he's got me on his board,
but really what what our entire sort of realization is
(26:11):
is that, you know, we talked a lot about postra
medic stress. We talked a lot about the reintegration challenges
of veterans. We talked about the fact that first responders,
you know, be the police, fire, paramedic, or military veteran.
For the last twenty years that we've off like faced
through nice through all that is, uh, we also deal
with horses that I got similar issues. So uh, Andre,
(26:35):
who really discovered equine only in the last decade less
than that, realized this is what I really want to do.
And he called me up and just said, Colonel Strong,
you ever been around horses? And I'm like, oh, man,
I used to ride all the time out there in
the Bellasys when I needed to come out and check
something that and not like i'll you should. My family's
organization and my family was into horses to my grandfather.
(26:56):
My great grandfather had horses, but I didn't really get
it opportunity to and the rack with horses like I
wanted to in North Carolina. So when I came out
head of California and with this other lady who's on
my board to her name is Ashes, she gotta ranch
and terra bella um. When I'm at her, it was
a phenomenal opportunity and she kind of got reintroduced me
to equestrian lifestyle and it was something I never forget.
(27:20):
So having that opportunity, being able to bond with horses,
it's something I can't really describe to you until you
get opportunity to do it yourself. You know, you meet
fifteen hundred pounds of flesh. That's give you the ability
to work with it and dance with it and and
control it in its own lifestyle. Um, it's life changing.
So being a part of Warriors Roll and starting words
(27:42):
and it would help out the world of this country
for good's sake, you know, I mean people on horseback.
You gotta think about it and think about what those
horses literally did from their backs. He was doing that
for thousands of years before a hundred years ago, you
was riding horses for you know that when you invite us. Yeah, well,
I know you go out immediately. Is out there on
the ranch daily. But I will tell you though, the
(28:04):
thing that Andrea advocates for the most that really I
had to learn into lean back towards was, Yeah, we
talked about our needs to reintegrate and to be healed.
But these horss got stuff too. I mean a lot
of these horses a lot like veterans. You know, we
come in we're like, hey, I used to be a
you know, shopkeeper on a destroyer. I went to seven
thirty seven countries. It's like, hey, I was an airborne ranger.
(28:26):
I was an infantry guy. These horses are like, hey,
I used to be a race horse. Yeah, Hey, I
used to be a show horse. Hey I used to
be a polar We got a couple of We got
a couple of horses with a few horses with some
unique backgrounds. We got a draft horse that's come from
Texas that was a driving horse and now service veterans
on on the front line. We got a previous polo
(28:46):
pony come from Santa Barbara Polo Club and she was
she's been a phenomenal horse within our program. So we
got some incredible horses that have unique stories behind themselves
as well that help veterans because we all got unique
stories ourselves. You know, you know when when you say that,
you know, like I look at you know, veterans that
have a horse as their pet, like their dog, like
(29:08):
their brother, like their sister, like their family opinion. It's
not just a pet, it's a family member. It's all
those things. And so you know, let me ask you
a deep question. Do you give any of these pets CBD,
th HC or any of these family members for any
pains or illnesses that they might occur. We do. We
(29:29):
got a couple of horses that's getting kind of up
their age. So we have been like dabbling in an
opportunity and like CBD products for like a questry in
their horses and stuff like that, and then trying to
feed him in and it's been seemed like it's been
helping a lot of their bones and to keep them
going too. So we do it as well. But after
we smoke a group of veterans, we kind of do
the same thing to smoke and reflect on the opportunity
(29:50):
what we just had with these, with these with these
phenomenal animals. Now, as a five oh one three c
and and a company that's you know, not for profit,
I appreciate that and just just having that, you know,
that infrastructure of a of a company's a as a
job in itself, right because obviously you know, you don't
necessarily own it. It's owned by the world if you will,
or whomever. What is your guys number one mission right now?
(30:15):
Our number one mission is to change a veteran in
the first responders life one horseback ride at the time. Man,
you come out here, there's no other opportunity to kind
of get this a question and experience. There's no other
place to get this horse to human experience at all.
So we want you to invite you out the Three
Kings Ranch and come out here and where Warriors rode
and take partners program and see what these horses can
(30:37):
and how these horse can change your life. Where is
Warrior's Road? How can people get in touch with you guys?
Right now? We are on Facebook, We at Warriors Roa USA, Instagram,
we at Warriors Row USA. UM exactly and if you
want to go out there to the camp where we're
is exactly located right now, we're located, and we just
moved to a two hundred acre ranch in Fraser Park.
(30:58):
So we got some phenomenal you know, landscape scenery that
should come out there and walk with us. We got
a you know, a two hour trail rode to some waterfalls.
If that's what your interest in too, so yeah, hang
out with it. Yeah, it's it's I mean, it's so
funny because the first time we went out there, we
only moved to that property, that extraordinary property, you know,
two months ago, and went out there and I told him,
I remember I was passing Magic Mountain. I'm like, bro,
(31:20):
I'm seeing like, I got another forty five minutes and
I know, sir, I know, I know, I know. As
soon as I made that exit, it's like, oh my god,
this is what. Well, whereas we're we're abudding the Los
Padres National Forest, can I camp there too? Totally? We
were doing so That's why I'm matches. So now I'm thinking,
like I'm bringing my motor home out first. But that's
where I'm feeling back camp out and we do adorn
(31:42):
ride in the morning and after we brought out the telescope.
You know, we do like Star Tour and stuff like that.
I mean, it's all about being in that healing space,
you know. I I love it. I love that actually,
you know, it's something that I'd love to to explore
and I'm down to take a trip on. We was
thinking about even having y'all come out and maybe shoot
episode of y'all show out there with us at the
you know you come set up Warriors Road USA. We
(32:02):
are on our way player, come on home. Know it's
gonna happen. It's gonna happen, No, sincerely, Like like I'm
looking to bring like my whole staff, all our employees
are team that people that really care about. Are are
rounding our existence. Bring them out there to enjoy your
(32:23):
guys facility, bring out some motor homes and trailers and
just spend a weekend getaway. You know, we like a
one hour l A rod out. If I'm gonna live
in the valley, to take me one hour to go
from the valley to say, oh, it's nothing, so to
take your hour to get to us. But at the
same time, you're getting outside of l A. And which
you're going to experience is something you experience in Montana, Utah, Colorado,
(32:45):
and it's funny to think that California has that and
people don't realize that to get out of l A.
That's the thing and it's not that far, which is funny.
So people are out there and you want to find
it once again, you can find them on Instagram and
Facebook and the webs. Side again is Warriors Warriors Road
Us say, you guys are doing your thing. I appreciate
you there anything else do you guys want to talk about?
(33:07):
I would tell you that it's It's what makes it
such an honor for Andrea and I to like, ultimately
wrap your show is to realize this is ultimately in
sync with you know, the veteran cannabis group, you know,
and so you guys are veterans, like it's it's it's
Veterans Day. We promote TC instead of opioids. You know
what that's tearing. So let's promote Yeah, thank you so much.
(33:29):
It's a great way to close up the shop. I
appreciate you guys. Thank you guys again for your service. Guys,
and remember this it's Cannabis Talk one on one and
if no one else loves you, I'll be right back
after this, we'll be right back with Cannabis Talk one
oh one. Welcome back to Cannabis Talk one oh one.
(33:56):
Take a hit, get lit, sit back, and enjoy cannabis
to one on one live right here on Pine Street
in Long Beach, Beau Veterans all day for the veterans.
You guys. If you're looking out there and you want
to grow your own well, head over the Rocket Seeds
you guys. Rocket seeds dot Com on Instagram. It's at
Rocket Underscore Seeds for trusted cannabis seeds. Rocket Seeds is
(34:18):
a trusted source for thousands of quality seeds at a
fair price. Head the rockets Seeds dot com and I
also got to give a big shout out to Viscus
Baby born and raised right down the street in Venice Beach,
delivering the maximum potency you can expect from the Viscus brand.
Check them out online at Viscus dot life. All that
being said, we also want to give a shout out
(34:39):
to everybody out here that's made this happen. G four Live.
If you don't go, you don't grow, going down in
May all the way live in Las Vegas, of course,
Snoop Dogg performing with Travis Barker. G four Lives gonna
be a great bat Kelly Effects Connector and I just said, Viscous,
Chronic expos out there, White Label Farms, I'm Mercia, Catalysts, Easy,
(35:02):
the Blacklist, Veterans, Cannabis Group, Humanity Heroes, Left Coast Extracts,
the Roll Up Show, Loomis, Smoke Deville, and Mobile Media
Kings all out here making this beautiful event as beautiful
as it can be. And as we talk about this event,
you guys who have another special guest joining us with
us on the last part of this show and Blue.
You didn't get a chance to meet this dude, but
(35:24):
he is just everything I mean, Brian, when I talk
about you, I talk about you with the most up
respect because I call you the literally a term that
we use when like, what was his name again? What
was his name again? I texted my phone you ready
for this? Yeah? Badass? So let me tell you. Brian
(35:47):
Buckley comes up. That's how I have you in my
phone and we're like, what's his name? Oh my god, badass.
I looked up badass and Brian shows up. Doc. That's
how I have you from your story. But you've shared
with us and of course everything you're you're a veteran,
you've done so much, of course with your brand which
(36:09):
is Hellman Valley Growers and your product that's out here
that you're doing for the community. How great is it
to come out here and see Long Beach do this
for the veterans and this is incredible. I mean literally,
it was like a last minute thing where I had
an opportunity to come to hang out with you guys,
and I always however one Cannabis talk whatever one is like,
my grace Land, thank you, this is great. I'm just
(36:30):
humbled to be here. Let's get at it. You know, really,
I want to thank Immercia Blacklist, catalyst for for making
this happen for our veterans here in Long Beach. It's
such a beautiful thing. Like you know, I've sat with
John Reese and been able to really sit like break
down in tears because it's near and geared to my
heart and and and I can only explain it from
(36:52):
the sense that my my uncle was a veteran that
lived down here and went through um the Vietnam and
blew off his stomach and literally was homeless here my choice,
because we all offered him homes and whatnot. And it
was such a dear moment for my to sit here
in the streets of Long Beach on Pine for five
(37:13):
and six because I used to search these streets right
here for my uncle just to hang out with them
through the holidays and give him money because he would
not come home, he would not do it. He lived
here and and got him, and it got him. It
got him, and you know, we got rest his soul.
Jose Negron, I appreciate you, I love you, I miss you.
And uh wow, Brian, you know Joe has spoke so
(37:37):
highly about the stories and the things that you've done
and the things that you're doing for for veterans and
the community. Let's dive into some of them, share with us. Yeah, no,
that's a a little bit of touch, share just here
in your story. I mean, that's what that kind of
drives me every day is you know, before I go
to bed every night, I think about what have I
done for a veteran today? And it just it just
(38:00):
blows my mind where you have men and women who
raise their right hand, willing to go sign a blank
check for their nation's uh for the country payable on
their death, and we're not doing everything possible to help
them live the American dream they fought so hard to defend.
Payable under death, what a great term, parable under death?
(38:22):
And then we don't give them the proper tools. And
this is that there's some people once again that do
choose to be like your uncle Blue. What's a prime example.
And we all know that and that's be true, but
we should be trying to do everything possible to help
these veterans out there. And Brian, please share with Blue
how your whole team. What happened to you guys which
(38:44):
meant would like Mr Love, I mean when you said popcorn,
when you guys got blown upstand so we were Um,
what I did in afghan Stand was I had an
amazing opportunity in my life and I thank God all
the time for this, because not everyone gets to serve
with their heroes, and I did. And you know, not
(39:07):
only did I become a marine and I got to
serve in the Marine corps um that was rad and um,
you know things where I look at the Marines as
being an elite fighting force. But then we got into
the special operations game and I was able to make
a marine special operations as a marine raider. So what
we did in Afghanistan was what we called the commando mission.
(39:30):
So we would take the Afghan Special Forces or commandos.
We get on black helicopters in the middle of the
night and we would go, uh eliminate high value individuals
who worked for the Taliban. And I'll never forget the
time we were flying into an area that we thought
was called Northern shake But this is where the elderly
American comes up, where we make lines on the map,
(39:51):
and the actual people who lived there were like, I've
never heard of a place called Northern Suri. You're in
a spot called Kaligas, which was literally the capital of
the Taliban in the Hellman Province. So we flew in
there and we came in under fire. I remember, I'm
stick on the back of the ramp and I'm just
seeing RPGs rip up at me and people are like, well,
what were you thinking at that point? I'm like, I
(40:14):
was hoping my hair looked good. There's that point, and
I was like, I don't know, I'm just riding it out.
And we came in and as the ramp dropped, I'm
the first guy off the helicopter since I was a
ground force commander, so soon as my foot hit the deck,
I'll tell the pilots you know, I'm on the deck,
and then they would say, hey, transfer power over the
(40:34):
ground first commander, because the air combat element had commanded
while we're flying. And I tripped and fell on my ass,
and next you know, you hear rounds going over my
head and I looked down at this black Chinook helicopter
and he had a guy on his mini wheel basically
a machine gun, just ripping right into a tree line.
(40:55):
And literally one of the pilots pulled out his weapon
and started shooting in the air, and he didn't have
it against his shoulder, so his his bulls were going everywhere.
But he knew how bad and fight we're in. And
we had the little birds. If you saw a black
hawk down, the little things that put their asses up
and he shoot rockets and guns. They called me up
and my my call sign was copper head. There a
(41:16):
copper head. You got shipped all over you. And I'm like,
head clear him hot And they came in and ripped
apart everything. And I remember just getting on the radio
with the boys and I'm like, hey, boys were earning
our stories on this one, and we were trading fight.
Uh you know, casually is back and forth for about
forty eight hours. And we got into a spot where, um,
you know, next you know, I knew, uh what they
(41:38):
call underbowl grenade launcher flew over my head. Sounds like
a baseball flying Vyou knew they had me. I went
fuck and uh cranked off shrapnel throughout my body and
to my teammates. Went down. One of my teammates he
took it in his stomach that we had to grab
him get on her fire. But at that point we
were in such a heavy tree line that looked like
giants were shaking the trees and the amount of Robert
(42:01):
propelled grenades and small arm fire that was coming out.
I literally felt like I was in a popcorn machine
because everything Undeathan me was just popping and exploding. And
we got in there, took a couple of deep breaths.
We were about to be overran. I told by higher
command about that. They provide the support they had to
with aircraft, and we took the fight to the enemy,
(42:21):
and the people who started to fight no longer live
on this earth, and we won. And that was it.
So you know what a story I mean. First of all, again,
I can't thank you enough um for your service. Now,
thank you like for letting me serve. I honestly believe that.
Like every time someone comes up to me and says
thank you for your service, I'm like, you gotta be
(42:42):
kidding me. Do you know what I was able to do.
I was able to fight for a country I love
and believe in so much in and I got to
serve as such a high level with amazing Americans. Thank
you for paying your taxes. That's how I got paid.
And now you're out here with Hellman Valley Growers. You
have your brand? Is it going for you. Where's it going.
(43:02):
What's the latest and greatest with the brand? You know,
it's been great. Uh. We got amazing partners, you know,
guys who really took us under their wing for a
long time. And you know, you know, it's just very
hard to get into this industry. And we met two
gentlemen named George and Cody Sadler, and they brought us in.
They recently just sold a company called Platinum Vapes, and um,
(43:23):
they took care of us, gave us their shot. I
didn't know if people are gonna believe in the brand. Um,
it was a little bit touch and go for a while.
But I think after we got that Institutional Review Board
to say we are going to do medical cannabis research
with veterans. We've been approved by the federal government. This
is the real deal. It took on and it's just
been a blessing. Where one thing I love about the
(43:45):
cannabis community. You know, me being with my background of
athletics and military, you think competition in terms of like
I got to destroy my opponent. Well, what I love
about the candabis community, if you're doing the right thing
for the right reason, they will embrace you and they'll
bring you in. If you're a bad actor, you're gonna
get called out. So the entire cannabis community has been
(44:06):
tremendous towards us. It's helping us succeed to our goal
to prove the medical benefits of cannabis and to show
that it can reduced simples, to push max stress and
my ultimate goals one day is you go into a
v A, you go into a pharmacy, You're gonna see
Humming Valley Grower's product, and that's what bets are going
to be prescribed. And you're pushing to on a bigger level.
(44:27):
You're sitting there going to Congress. You're sitting there trying
to fight the fight on the biggest level for the
federal level. How is that fight going for you? You
know it's been going well, it's slow. I mean obviously
the government moves at a molasses pace. I I have
a great opportunity. Um I'm you know, people ask me
are you a Republican or you a Democrat. I just
(44:48):
tell him I'm an American and it blows her mind.
I'm like, I don't care if you have a D
or in R. I have a Yeah, I have a mission.
To accomplish. So I have a great opportunity. I sit
on a veteran advisor board for a representative about Pennsylvania
named Madeline Dean. I talked to her a lot. I've
We've worked with people like Senator Schultz off Hawaii. We're
(45:09):
working with senators in Arizona. And again I don't care
if you have a Republican Democrat. There is a problem
here with our veterans. Again, they raised their right hand.
They said, I will go forward, I will die for you.
Why are we not doing everything possible to let them
live that dream. So it's been a lot of um,
you know, some headaches, but again very positive momentum. And
(45:33):
again I'm not gonna wig in the government. That's why
we want to prove the facts ourselves and to show
them the numbers and numbers don't lie, numbers never lieing.
What you're doing, in my opinion, has been the most
positive effect as far as going about it from a
logistics standpoint of a strategic way, which is going after
these congressmen, convincing the people that make the change. And
(45:53):
that's one thing I loved about you that I was
even telling Blue after the time we talked to go, dude,
This dude has a protocol that to me is on
point to making change. There's so many people that are
doing so many great things, and there's a lot of
different ways to go about it. And of course, just
dealing with helping the veteran community itself is one thing,
but going at it from a Congress level is another way.
(46:15):
And that's one thing that you're doing. And what him
we're uh him were what is it again? Hell made Valley? Well,
it helps record, read and talk. That's what you guys
are doing. And that's what I commend you for because
that approach, in my opinion, is a very strategic and
smart approach, you know, and I really appreciate that. And
that was a big thing when I sat down with
Congress in sixteen, saying what do you need me to do?
(46:37):
Bottom line, I don't want to hear the bullshit anymore,
Just what do you need? And they're like, all right,
we need data, we need American doctors. So we brought
in Nyamedic Healthcare and research services at Israel. We all
know how far ahead they are on research, and then
we were able to bring in U c Irvine Health.
Now I got my American doctors. So there's gonna be
no if and or, But we know it works. Nimica
(46:59):
has already proving it. Now I just need to put
an American face on it and let's get on with
it and let's help our veterans. Wow, you know it's
it's so important again. You know, like Joe and I
are super big on data, making sure that you know,
we get the research, the proper research, and it goes,
you know, through the process so that we can really
make a change. You know, it doesn't you know, it's antaldot.
(47:20):
We all have ancdotal proof that this works, that it
helps people, that it's something that's near and dear to
our heartspit when you have that data, that actually the
research from the professionals and you have that those numbers
and everything starts making sense. Is when the curve you know,
becomes aligne and everybody aligns what we're doing in this
industry and it's super important to us. So thank you
(47:43):
for for that fight and everything else. Is there anything
that we missed that you want to you know, shout
out there for us. No, I mean, I just want
to appreciate everyone for supporting at Howmboie Growers company. We
do have a nonprofit called Batter Brothers Foundation, which our
Institutional Review Review Board falls under. So lease look it
up battle Barters Foundation dot org. Please donate, help us out.
(48:04):
We're all in this fight together and we're gonna make
this happen. Appreciate you, brother, always keep fighting the fight
at this something we can do for you. Know We're
always here for you. You know it. Well, there it is, guys,
Cannabis Talk one oh one, and remember this. If no
one else loves you, we do. Thank you for listening
to Cannabis Talk one on one on the I Heart
Radio app, Apple podcast, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Hosts And Creators
Joe Grande
Marc Wasserman
Craig Wasserman
Christopher Wright (Blue)
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