Page 4 THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, APRIL 1, 2022 ADVOCATE | FROM PAGE 3 Some highlights of this week’s interview follow. Q: Tell me why you decided to come to Saugus and why this particular job. A: I’ve been in the market for a VSO position for quite some time. As it turned out, Saugus was the one where a position had opened up. What attracted me to this position is being able to help out veterans beyond the scope of their educational benefi ts. From working with veterans at Middlesex Community College, Endicott College and North Shore Community College, I felt I had enough of veterans work in the educational field and [wanted to] do something else. I feel like the VSO position will allow me to make the position what I want it to be – to help veterans get more benefi ts and to be active in local veterans’ events, even if I have to do it on my own time. Q: How did the hiring go? A: I interviewed on March 7, and at about 3 o’clock on March 8, I received the call We Sell Sell Cigars Cigars & AccessoriesAccessories R.YR.Y.O..O. TOBACCOBACCO -------------------TUBESTUBES CIGARCIGAR GIFT P GIFT PACKSACKS UNDER UNDER $50 $50 Celebrating our 50th Year! HUMIDOR SPECIAL!HUMIDOR SPECIAL! $99.95 Complete!$99.95 Complete! Reg. Priced $149.95Reg. Priced $149.95 * Travel Humidors * Desk Top Humidors * Many Types of Lighters * Ash Trays * Juuls * Vapes * Glass Pipes * Rewards Program * CBD Infused Products * GIFTS UNDER $30 - GIFT CERTIFICATES A.B.C. CIGAR 170 REVERE ST., REVERE (781) 289-4959 STORE HOURS: Monday - Saturday: 8:00 AM - 7:00 PM Sunday & Holidays: 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM AN ASPIRING BOOK AUTHOR: New Saugus Veterans Service Offi cer Michael Saunders during an interview this week in a downtown Saugus coff ee shop. He says his second job is freelance writing. He’s hoping to publish a children’s book soon on kids’ expectations of parents returning from the service. (Saugus Advocate photo by Mark E. Vogler) that I would be formally offered the position. Q: How long did your job interview go? A: About an hour. Q: What did they ask you? A: They were trying to impress upon me the amount of paperwork that’s involved in this position. And they were looking to see how I would react – like whether I was going to get up and run from the room! The paperwork is part of the job and doesn’t bother me. Q: What are your early impressions of Saugus? A: I’m not unfamiliar with Saugus. I’ve been up here as a boy. I remember when the Square One Mall was built. I’ve always liked Saugus. We used to come up to the Square One Mall a lot. Some of my buddies were from Saugus. I like it because it’s scenic. It’s kind of the best of both worlds: You’ve got city life here, but you have just enough open space to where you’re in the country sometimes. Q: How has your orientation been going so far? It looks like Jay Pinette will be working with you for close to three weeks, which should make for a smooth transition. A: I’m learning the ropes and learning my boundaries. It’s only my second day, and I still have a lot to learn. I think society as a whole puts veterans’ issues under one umbrella, but the multitude of issues aff ecting veterans aren’t all the same. You might have some veterans dealing with PTSD [Post Traumatic Stress Disorder], and then you might have other veterans living in their cars because they’re homeless. So, you’ve got to prepare yourself for everything. Q: Get any good advice from CigarCigar BundlesBundles starting starting at $49.95 at $49.95 -------------------GIFT CARDSGIFT CARDS AVAILABLEAILABLE BuyBuy Cigars by theCigars by the Box & SA Box & SAVE!VE! CompetitiveCompetitive prices on all prices on all Brands, Great Brands, Great Selection Selection Jay? A: Jay has been very helpful during this transition. I’m kind of learning the tricks of the trade from him. Q: What’s the best advice Jay has given you so far? A: To take every veterans’ claim seriously and to treat all veterans and their families with the dignity that they deserve and to do everything in my power that I can do. Like Jay was saying today – “If you are unable to help them, you can turn them onto somebody who may be able to help them” – and that’s the basic plan I have today. Q: So, what’s your outlook on this job? A: Jay has done a lot of wonderful things for veterans in the town, in helping the veterans who are currently receiving services. He’s done a great job. But I want to try to leave my own legacy one day. I want to make the offi ce more visible to other veterans who may be struggling and who are not aware of what a VSO can do. I want to weave this position into the fabric of the town, building on what’s already been done. My overall goal is to breathe more life into the job. I want every veteran in Saugus to know that my door is always open and we can discuss any personal issues. I’m a very resourceful guy. If I can’t help you, chances are I know somebody who may be able to help. I understand from Jay that the people who look to the offi ce for help are mostly widows and old-timers. But I’m going to try to change that. As veterans, we’ve got to stick together. Q: Do you have any projects in mind? A: One thing I’d like to get out there is about the post9/11 GI Bill vs. the Forever GI Bill. It’s something that’s been brought to my attention, and I’m still trying to figure out all that’s involved. The main thing that aff ects me and anybody discharged before 2013 is that they are limited: They get 15 years to use the GI Bill after they’ve been discharged. The problem with that is that when you’re dealing with before 2013, you’re still dealing with a lot of Iraqi and Afghanistan veterans. And 15 years isn’t a lot of time to allow veterans to go to school if they are dealing with other issues – like PTSD, physical issues or alcohol or substance abuse. I don’t believe they should have a clock ticking on their education. It should be there for them when they are ready to take it. I don’t think the Veterans Administration has taken them into consideration at all. But for anyone who was discharged after 2013, there’s no limit under the Forever GI Bill. There should be no time limit for all veterans when it comes to getting college education or training. Something I plan to do in my spare time is to work on my own to help change that. They ought to roll back the date for the veterans discharged before 2013. Q: So, what best prepares you for this position? A: A lot of the struggles that veterans encounter, I also have encountered, like homelessness and couch surfing. Coach surfing is when you call your buddies up and ask them “Hey, can I sleep on your couch tonight?” Then I ask another friend the next night for the same kind of help. Then, there’s the struggle of not being able to fi nd suitable employment. A lot of places that interviewed me seemed like they were afraid to hire me because I am a veteran and they don’t want to deal with somebody who suff ers from PTSD. Q: What’s your skill set? What are some of the talents you bring to the table? A: My attention to details and the number of contacts I already have in the fi eld. Q: What do you see as your biggest challenge in this position? A: Finding those veterans and widows of veterans that I can’t do anything for because the Veterans AdminisADVOCATE | SEE PAGE 5
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