COMING UP TONIGHT: WE FOCUS ON OUR VETERANS WITH A SPECIAL SHOW DEVOTED TO THEM .

WE'LL HIGHLIGHT THE WORK THAT SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY'S INSTITUTE FOR VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES IS DOING.

AND WE SPOTLIGHT CLEAR PATH FOR VETERANS - WE'LL SEE HOW THEY'RE BRINGING VETERANS TOGETHER AND ADDRESSING THE ISSUES MANY FACE - ON THE MONEY BEGINS RIGHT NOW.

GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO ON THE MONEY, WCNY'S FINANCIAL AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM - THINK OF IT AS YOUR LOCAL FINANCIAL NEWS PROGRAM FEATURING SOME INTERESTING PEOPLE, BUSINESSES AND HAPPENINGS FROM EVERY CORNER OF CENTRAL NEW YORK.

I'M DANIEL PLUFF.

DURING OUR SEASON WE'LL SEE WHERE MONEY IS BEING MADE, SPENT AND SOMETIMES LOST AND FOCUS ON PROJECTS AND ACTIVITIES AFFECTING US LOCALLY.

OUR FIRST REPORT TAKES US TO SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY CAMPUS.

A VETERAN MAY FACE MANY CHALLENGES WHILE READJUSTING TO CIVILIAN LIFE.

ACCORDING TO THE VETERANS AFFAIRS, SOME OF THESE CHALLENGES INCLUDE REESTABLISHING A ROLE IN THEIR FAMILY, JOINING A COMMUNITY, RETURNING TO A JOB.

SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY'S INSTITUTE FOR VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES IS COMMITTED TO TRANSITIONING VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES BY PROVIDING INNOVATIVE PROGRAMS.

THESE INCLUDE CAREER, VOCATION, AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP EDUCATION AND TRAINING.

WE VISITED THE SU CAMPUS RECENTLY TO SEE HOW THEY'RE DOING.

>> THE NATIONAL VETERANS RESOURCE CENTER IS AN INCREDIBLE AND IDEALISTIC MODEL OF PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP.

THE INSTITUTE'S MISSION IS TO SERVE VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES AND PROVIDE THEM ALL KINDS OF OPPORTUNITIES WITHIN THEIR COMMUNITIES AND IN THEIR CAREERS, WHETHER IT'S THROUGH ENTREPRENEURSHIP OR GETTING A NEW JOB OR PREPARING FOR AN ADVANCE JOB OR GETTING THE CARE THAT THEY NEED AS THEY HAVE LEFT MILITARY SERVICE.

THIS BUILDING IS A $65 MILLION COMMITMENT.

IT STARTED WITH DAN AND GAIL DANIEL OWE AND S.U.

ALUM AND VETERANS AND WAS JOINED BY FUNDER LIKE NEW YORK STATE.

MANY OF OUR OTHER GENEROUS DONORS WHO CONTRIBUTE THROUGH OUR PROGRAM HAVE MADE A COMMITMENT HERE TO CREATE A PLACE WHERE, YES, WE ARE SERVING S.U., BUT WE ARE ALSO REACHING THOSE NATIONALLY.

AND IT'S A FRONT DOOR TO UNIVERSITY WHERE EVERYONE CAN EXPERIENCE AND PARTICIPATE.

LEAVING MILITARY SERVICE IS A HUGE TRANSITION.

AND WE ARE THERE FOR THE VETERAN TO BE AS WELL AS THEIR SPOUSE AND FAMILY THROUGH SEVERAL PROGRAMS, TO HIT THOSE LARGEST CHALLENGES, ONE OF WHICH IS EMPLOYMENT.

WHAT IS A GOOD FIT AFTER LEAVING MILITARY SERVICE.

WE ARE AT 18 INSTALLATIONS WITH ONWARD OPPORTUNITIES, PROGRAMS TO BE THERE WITH PEOPLE TO WALK THEM THROUGH THE OPTIONS AS WELL AS ONLINE SERVICES.

THEY CAN DO THE SAME THING.

SO THAT WE ARE ACCESSIBLE WHEREVER THIS PERSON MIGHT BE.

AND THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO WOULD LIKE TO UPSCALE.

AND GET CERTIFICATIONS OR CREDENTIALS THAT ARE MEANINGFUL AS WE ARE SEEING NEW TRENDS IN EMPLOYMENT.

FOR THOSE WHO DON'T WANT TRADITIONAL EMPLOYMENT, ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND STARTING YOUR OWN BUSINESS IS ANOTHER WAY THAT MANY VETERANS AND MILITARY SPOUSES CONTINUE TO SERVE.

THEY GO BACK TO THEIR COMMUNITIES CREATING JOBS.

>> INDUSTRY STANDARD USA WAS STARTED IN 2010.

WE STARTED AS A LAWN CARE COMPANY AND WE ARE NOW TRANSFORMED INTO A CONSTRUCTION COMPANY.

WE ARE SERVICE DISABLED SERVICE VETERANS AND WE ARE DBE CERTIFIED.

I WENT INTO THE MARINE CORPS IN 2007.

I WAS A GRUNT INFANTRY, SCOUT, GOT OUT OF SERVICE 2012, I ALWAYS WANTED TO START MY OWN BUSINESS SINCE I WAS A LITTLE KID.

I WAS SELLING LUMBER OUT OF THE DUMBSTERS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ON A CONSTRUCTION SITE TO THE KIDS SO THEY COULD MAKE BIKE RAMPS.

JUST ALWAYS HAD THAT ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT.

I DECIDED I WANTED TO START MY OWN COMPANY, MY OWN LAWN CARE COMPANY.

AND I WANTED TO BE MY OWN BOSS.

I WAS DONE TAKING ORDERS.

ABOUT A YEAR INTO IT, I MET IBMF WITH SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY, SOME OF THEIR PERSONNEL AND THEY SAID YOU GOT A BUSINESS, WHY NOT COME TO SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY AND OUR PROGRAM CALLED EBZ ENTREPRENEURSHIP BOOT CAMP FOR VETS AND LEARN ABOUT GROWING THIS BUSINESS THAT YOU HAVE.

AND I APPLIED AND THEY ACCEPTED ME.

AND IT CHANGED THE TRAJECTORY OF MY COMPANY.

THEY TAUGHT ME EVERYTHING FROM, I KNOW, WHAT A BALANCE SHEET WAS TO T AND L STATEMENTS, MARKING.

NETWORKING.

I LEFT THAT PROGRAM WITH A VERY LARGE ROLE ROLODEX AND A NEW EDUCATION ON BUSINESS AND THAT GOT ME JUMP STARTED IN MY COMPANY.

>> I MET CHRIS YEARS AGO WHETHER HE WAS TOWARD THE BEGINNING OF HIS ENTREPRENEURIAL JOURNEY SO I GOT TO SEE THE CATALYST OF WHAT THE INSTITUTE BROUGHT TO HIM AND ALL THAT HE HAS DONE SINCE.

SO WE WENT FROM MOWING INDIVIDUAL LAWNS TO A MULTIMILLION DOLLAR BUSINESS AND HE ACTUALLY CREATED THE PARADE GROUND THAT IS AT THE CENTER OF THE NATIONAL VETERANS RESOURCE CENTER HERE AT SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY.

I LOVE TO TALK ABOUT THE INSTITUTE'S PROGRAM FOR WOMEN VETERANS, HAVING BEEN ONE MYSELF THAT IS THE VETERAN WOMEN IGNITING THE SPIRIT OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP.

LONG STANDING PROGRAM.

NEXT YEAR WILL BE OUR 25th AND WE'VE GONE ALL AROUND THE COUNTRY, CONNECTING WOMEN WITH RESOURCES AND EACH OTHER TO CREATE AND GROW THEIR BUSINESSES.

THE OUTCOMES FROM THIS PROGRAM ARE THE STRONGEST I'VE SEEN.

AND IT'S A DIFFERENTIATOR FOR THE INSTITUTE, ALL THE SUPPORT WE PROVIDE AFTER AND THE COMMUNITY BUILT AMONG THE WOMEN AS THEY LAUNCH AND GROW.

THE INSTITUTE FEELS STRONGLY THESE PROGRAMS SHOULD ALL BE FREE TO OUR PARTICIPANTS.

AND IT IS AN OBLIGATION THAT WE TAKE SERIOUSLY.

WE ARE SERVING THOSE WHO HAVE SERVED US AND WE DO THAT THROUGH THE GENEROSITY OF PARTNERS LIKE OUR FOUNDING PARTNER.

JP MORGAN CHASE WHO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH US NOT ONLY ON JOBS FOR VETERANS BUT BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES.

OVER 70,000 INDIVIDUALS HAVE TAKEN PART IN OUR ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAMS AND THEY HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL.

IT IS DIFFICULT TO SAY IN BUSINESS AND OVER 92% OF OUR GRADUATES HAVE AND GENERATED OVER $480 MILLION IN REVENUE.

>> YOU PROBABLY HAVE ANYWHERE FROM 15 TO 30 PROJECTS A YEAR.

WE HAVE RIGHT NOW 35 TEAM MEMBERS THAT WORK FOR THE COMPANY, 27 SUBCONTRACTORS,AND WE DO PERFORM WORK IN ABOUT FOUR STATES THANKS TO IVMF AND THE NETWORK PROGRAM THAT I NOW HAVE, THE INTRODUCTIONS THAT THEY HAVE MADE TO SOME LARGE PRIME CONTRACTORS IN SYRACUSE, OUTSIDE OF SYRACUSE, WE ARE GROWING IN NEW YORK CITY AND THE NEW YORK CITY MARKETPLACE, WE ARE GROWING VERY QUICKLY.

IT INCLUDES NEW JERSEY AND UPSTATE NEW YORK.

SO WE ONLY SEE POSITIVE GROWTH IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS FOR THE COMPANY.

>> CHRIS IS PAYING IT FORWARD.

HE IS MAKING A DIFFERENCE AND SEES HIMSELF IN THOSE ENTREPRENEURS WHO ARE JUST GETTING STARTED AND HAS THE CONFIDENCE THAT WITH HIS HELP, AND THE INSTITUTE'S, THEY CAN GO FAR.

IF WE APPROACH VETERANS DAY, IT'S EXON FOR PEOPLE TO SAY THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.

BUT THERE IS SO MANY MORE THAT ARE DOING MORE THAN THAT HERE IN THE CENTRAL NEW YORK AREA.

THROUGH OUR SYRACUSE SERVE NETWORK, CLEAR PATH FOR VETERANS, ONONDAGA COUNTY ARE AMONG THE PARTNERS MAKING THIS SUCCESSFUL WHERE A VETERAN IN OUR AREA CAN COME TO US FOR HOUSING, FOR EMPLOYMENT, FOR GUIDANCE ON FOOD.

WE ARE HERE FOR A VARIETY OF RESOURCES, INCLUDING HEALTHCARE, TOO.

SO WE WANT TO DO MORE THAN THANKING PEOPLE FOR OUR SERVICE, AND WE ARE.

>> FOR OUR COMMON CENTS PIECE TONIGHT WE RETURN TO THE TOPIC OF VETERANS AND LOOKED AT A NUMBER OF STUDIES PUBLISHED RECENTLY ABOUT THE BENEFITS OF HIRING VETERANS.

IF YOU ARE AN EMPLOYER, HERE ARE SOME INTERESTING POINTS YOU MIGHT WANT TO LOOK AT.

THESE ARE ALL FROM SMALL BIZ TRINDZ.COM.

ACCORDING TO THEM AND OTHER REPORTS, THERE ARE BENEFITS IN HIRING VETERANS.

NUMBER ONE, A GREAT WORK ETHIC.

THEY COME PREPARED, OFFER CIVILIAN JOBS GIVEN THE CHALLENGES THEY HAVE FACED IN THE MILITARY.

ALSO THEIR ORGANIZATIONAL SKILLS ARE REALLY QUITE GOOD.

THE REPORTS A NUMBER OF THEM CITED THIS, THE REGIMENTED STRUCTURE OF THE MILITARY REALLY HELPS THEM KEEP AN ORGANIZED FRAME OF MIND, IF YOU WILL, VERY ORGANIZED IN THE WORKPLACE.

ACCOUNTABILITY WAS ALSO A STRONG SUIT.

THEY TAKE THEIR ASSIGNMENTS VERY SERIOUSLY AND THIS COMES FROM A LOT OF TRAINING OBVIOUSLY IN THE MILITARY.

SO THEY CAN BE COUNTED ON TO CARRY OUT A TASK.

ALSO, OF COURSE, THEY WORK WELL IN TEAMS.

THEY'RE TOGETHER IN SO MANY DIFFERENT TYPES OF OPERATIONS IN THE MILITARY, THIS GETS TRANSLATED, OF COURSE, TO THE WORKPLACE AS WELL.

VERY GOOD TEAM PLAYERS WHEN WE FIND WORKING WITH VETERANS.

AND FINALLY, NO SURPRISE HERE, LEADERSHIP.

OBVIOUSLY THAT SCORED VERY HIGH AS WE LOOKED AT ALL THE DIFFERENT SURVEYS TAKEN.

VETERANS TEND TO TAKE ON A LOT OF EXTRA RESPONSIBILITIES IN THE WORKPLACE, SO MUCH OF WHAT THEY HAVE LEARNED IN THEIR TIME IN THE MILITARY LEADERSHIP A BIG QUALITY.

SO SOME COMMON CENTS PIECES TONIGHT IF YOU ARE AN EMPLOYER, MAY MAKE SENSE TO LOOK AT VETERANS.

FOR OUR BY THE NUMBERS PIECE TONIGHT, WE LOOK AT THE EMPLOYMENT SITUATION HERE IN CENTRAL NEW YORK AND HOW WAGES HAVE COME UP, YOU KNOW INFLATION HAS BEEN IN THE NEWS LATELY.

PARTLY BECAUSE OF WAGE INFLATION.

HELPING US THROUGH THIS.

KEVIN TAMPONE FROM SYRACUSE.COM AND THE POST STANDARD.

KEVIN, WE ARE SEEING WAGES COME UP PRETTY MUCH ACROSS THE BOARD, AT LEAST THAT'S WHAT YOU FOUND IN YOUR REPORT.

>> YEAH, YEAH, IT'S REALLY PRETTY STRIKING.

IF YOU COMPARE SALARY AT ANY NUMBER OF POSITIONS FROM BEFORE THE PANDEMIC, SO 2019, TO KIND OF WHERE THINGS ARE NOW; OR AT LEAST THE MOST RECENT DATA WE HAVE AVAILABLE, WHICH IS MAY OF 2021, YOU KNOW, PAY IS UP 30% OR MORE AND IN SOME CASES, A LOT MORE.

THERE ARE CERTAIN JOBS IN THE SYRACUSE MARKET WHERE PAY FROM 2019 TO 2021 INCREASED, YOU KNOW, 40, 50, 60%, EVEN 90%, CLOSE TO DOUBLING FROM BEFORE THE PANDEMIC.

AND REALLY, IT'S A VARIETY OF POSITIONS.

I MEAN IT'S EVERYTHING FROM SORT OF INDUSTRIAL JOBS LIKE, YOU KNOW, MAIL WORKERS, CRANE OPERATORS, KIND OF MACHINISTS, THAT KIND OF THING, TO ART DIRECTORS, EDITORS AND THEN ALSO , YOU KNOW, LOWER WAGE JOBS LIKE TRAVEL CLERKS AND SHORT ORDER COOKS HAVE ALL SEEN FAIRLY SUBSTANTIAL SALARY INCREASES FROM BEFORE THE PANDEMIC TO NOW.

>> DID YOU SEE ANYTHING IN THERE ABOUT TV HOSTS?

>> I THINK WE ARE STILL WAITING FOR THAT ONE.

>> BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT TIES INTO THAT, I THINK, YOU KNOW, THIS PUTS EMPLOYEES IN A DIFFERENT POSITION, IF YOU WILL, RIGHT?

IT'S ALMOST LIKE EMPLOYEES NOW HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE EMPOWERMENT BECAUSE THEY CAN DICTATE A LITTLE MORE HOW THEY WANT TO WORK I.E., THE WORK FROM HOME AND THEY'RE DEMANDING MORE MONEY.

THAT'S COMING THROUGH.

>> WE CERTAINLY HAVE HEARD ANECDOTALLY FROM EMPLOYERS, YOU KNOW, THE REASONS SALARIES ARE GOING UP IS BECAUSE EMPLOYERS ARE COMPETING FOR EMPLOYEES.

WE KNOW THAT TALKING TO EMPLOYERS AND TALKING TO BUSINESSES.

WE KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, WORKERS ARE SORT OF IN THE DRIVERS SEAT RIGHT NOW.

THEY OFTEN HAVE THEIR PICK OF MULTIPLE POSITIONS AND YEAH, THAT ABSOLUTELY PUTS THEM IN A POSITION TO, YOU KNOW, BENEFIT FROM BETTER SALARY, BETTER WORKING CONDITIONS.

I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO POINT OUT WHILE WE ARE ON THIS THOUGH THAT YES WE HAVE SEEN SUBSTANTIAL GAINS IN WAGES THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS SINCE THE PANDEMIC STARTED TO EASE, BUT THESE SPIKES THAT WE ARE SEEING NOW FOLLOWS AN EXTENDED STRETCH WHEN WORKERS REALLY DID NOT SEE MUCH IN THE WAY OF STRONG WAGE GAINS.

IF YOU GO BACK FIVE OR 10 YEARS, YOU KNOW, SORT OF DATING FROM THE 2007-2008 RECESSION, WAGE GAINS AFTER THAT WERE FAIRLY MINIMAL FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD.

IT'S NOT LIKE PEOPLE ARE SORT OF CASHING IN LOTTERY TIGHTS, DESPITE THE STRONG GROWTH.

>> THAT IN AND OF ITSELF INTERESTING POINT.

NOW ONE QUICK FOLLOW-UP HERE.

YOU KNOW, THE SITUATION PROBABLY DOESN'T IMPROVE FROM AN EMPLOYER'S STANDPOINT WITH THIS MICRON ANNOUNCEMENT.

THOUSANDS OF JOBS NEEDED.

WE DON'T HAVE ALL THE PEOPLE YET SO WE HAVE TO BRING PEOPLE IN.

HAS THAT WORKED INTO YOUR REPORTING?

>> WELL, CERTAINLY FROM THE VERY START ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HEARD FROM LOCAL LEADERS WAS THAT JUST SUPPLYING THESE JOBS TO MICRON IS IS GOING TO BE ONE OF THE BIGGER CHALLENGES THAT WE HAVE HAD AS A REGION IN THE LAST SORT OF MANY DECADES.

BUT WE CERTAINLY HAVE TIME ON THAT FRONT.

I THINK WE HAVE HEARD FROM MICRON AND FROM OTHER COMMUNITIES WHO HAVE BEEN THROUGH THESE SORTS OF PROJECTS THAT AT LEAST INITIALLY A LOT OF FOLKS WILL BE COMING HERE FROM OUTSIDE THE REGION OR AT LEAST SOME FOLKS WILL BE COMING FROM OUTSIDE THE REGION AND THAT MAKES SENSE.

MICRON IS GOING TO WANT EXPERIENCED PEOPLE, WANT THEIR OWN EXPERIENCED PEOPLE HELP STAND THESE PLANTS UP BUT, YEAH, THAT'S GOING TO BE ONE OF THE BIG CHALLENGES LOCAL LEADERS, LOCAL COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES, HIGH SCHOOLS EVEN, THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DEVELOP A PIPELINE.

>> SUCH A BIG ANNOUNCEMENT.

SUCH A BIG DEAL COMING.

LOVE THE REPORTING.

YOU KNOW THAT.

HOPEFULLY WE'LL GET YOU BACK AGAIN WITH SOME MORE UPDATES.

KEVIN TAMPONE, SYRACUSE.COM AND POST STANDARD.

THANKS VERY MUCH FOR JOINING US.

>> THANK YOU >> WE FINISH UP TONIGHT WITH OUR SPOTLIGHT SERIES WHERE WE MEET WITH SOME INTERESTING PEOPLE OR HIGHLIGHT SOMETHING SPECIAL - AND TONIGHT WE CONTINUE WITH A FOCUS ON VETERANS SADLY, MANY VETERANS SUFFER, OFTEN SILENTLY, THROUGH NUMEROUS CHALLENGES THEY FACE.

THOUSANDS OF VETERANS STRUGGLE WITH MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS, WHILE DEALING WITH TRAUMA AND FEELING ALIENATED.

HIGHER RATES OF SUBSTANCE ABUSE, HOMELESSNESS, AND SUICIDE HAVE ALSO BEEN REPORTED.

BUT LOCALLY, THERE'S GOOD NEWS.

CLEAR PATH FOR VETERANS PROVIDES SUPPORT TO VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES, AND OFFERS AN ARRAY OF SERVICES FOR THE VARIOUS CHALLENGES THEY FACE.

AS YOU'LL SEE, CLEARPATH OFFERS VETERANS A PLACE TO FIND HELP IN OVERCOMING OBSTACLES, CAREER ASSISTANCE AND GUIDANCE, OR JUST THE ABILITY TO RE-CONNECT AND ENJOY ONE ANOTHER'S COMPANY.

>> CLEARPATH FOUNDATION STORY STARTED WITH TWO SISTERS HERE IN CHITTENANGO.

HAD NO MILITARY CONNECTION.

ONE OF THEIR INSPIRATIONS WAS WHEN A NATIVE SON OF CLEARPATH WAS KILLED IN AFGHANISTAN DURING THE WAR, ARMY SERGEANT EDDIE BOWEN, THEY TOOK THAT AS A CALL TO ACTION, FEELING THE COMMUNITY'S NEED TO BE DOING MORE TO SERVE VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES.

SO THE TWO SISTERS, ME LINNA AND MELISSA CONNECTED WITH ANOTHER LOCAL VETERAN FROM THE AIR FORCE, Dr. STEVE TINNEY AND THE THREE OF THEM KALE TOGETHER IN THE CONCEPT OF A COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATION AND CLEARPATH WAS BORN.

THEY BOUGHT THIS BEAUTIFUL PROPERTY AND SEPTEMBER 2011 CUT THE RIBBON ON THIS FACILITY AND THE REST IS SOMEWHAT HISTORY.

>> SAFE TO SAY ALL BRANCHES OF MILITARY ARE WELCOME HERE.

WE ARE NOT JUST FOCUSED ON ONE ENTITY OR ANOTHER?

>> ALL BRANCHES, ALL ERAS, WHETHER IT'S ACTIVE DUTY OR RESERVES, OR BEING A VETERAN, YES, EVERYBODY IS WELCOME.

>> ACT ITCH DUTY AS WELL.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

>> I WANT TO THINK AND HOPE THAT THE PERCENTAGE OF VETERANS THAT MIGHT NEED SERVICES, MIGHT NEED HELP, IS SMALL AND YET YOU PROBABLY HAVE SEEN QUITE AN INFLUX OF PEOPLE HERE, CORRECT?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

AND I THINK-- BUT THE OTHER THING ABOUT CLEARPATH IS THAT WE SERVE ALL VETERANS, PERIOD.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO COME HERE WITH A NEED OR A SERVICE.

YOU JUST-- WE WANT A WELCOMING FEEL, A CONNECTION.

A COMMUNITY-BASED APPROACH.

AND THEN FROM THERE WE WILL SEE WHERE LIFE TAKES US.

THAT'S THE POWER.

>> AND AS WE LOOK AT, YOU KNOW,-- FOR LACK OF A BETTER PHRASE, SOME OF THE ISSUES YOU ARE SEEING WITH VETERANS THAT COME HERE, ONE OF THE MORE PREDOMINANT ISSUES MIGHT BE SOME SENSE OF DEPRESSION THAT THESE MEN AND WOMEN ARE FEELING.

WOULD YOU AGREE WITH THAT?

>> IT CERTAINLY IS ONE OF MANY IN OUR K-9 SERVICE DOG TRAINING PROGRAM VETERANS WITH PTSD OFTEN ACCOMPANIED BY A TBI BUT IT'S A FULL SPECTRUM.

>> TBI?

>> TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY.

SO THERE IS A FULL SPECTRUM OF NEED.

WE ARE JUST HERE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN MEET THE VETERAN WHERE THEY'RE AT TO ADDRESS THOSE NEEDS.

>> IF YOU REALLY GET TO THE ROOT CAUSE, IT'S LOSS OF CONNECTION.

AND THAT'S WHAT VETERANS FEEL, WHETHER THEY SERVED FOUR YEARS AND ARE JUST GETTING OUT NOW OR THEY SERVED 40 YEARS AGO AND ARE GETTING OUT, IT'S THAT LOSS OF CONNECTION, WHICH SEEMS TO BE THE ROOT CAUSE.

AND THAT SPECIFICALLY IS SOMETHING THAT WE HERE AT CLEAR THERE THE PATH TRY TO ADDRESS.

>> I SAW A STATISTIC.

I READ THIS THING THAT THE VETERANS ADMINISTRATION PUT OUT A REPORT IN MAYBE 2019, AND THEY LOOKED AT SUICIDE RATES FOR VETERANS.

AND IT'S REMARKABLY HIGHER, NOTICEABLY HIGHER.

ONE AND A HALF TIMES HIGHER THAN THE GENERAL POPULATION.

THAT'S SAD.

CAN YOU ADDRESS THAT IN ANY WAY?

HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH THAT?

>> WE ABSOLUTELY DO.

AND I WOULD ARGUE THAT WOULD PROBABLY BE ONE OF OUR DRIVING FORCES.

WE ARE WELL AWARE OF THAT AND JUST SIMILAR TO WHAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT HOMELESSNESS, YOU DON'T WANT TO GET TO THAT FAR OF AN EXTREME.

SO WHAT CLEAR PATH DOES IS-- AND AGAIN, SOMEBODY MAY COME HERE ALREADY IN CRISIS.

SO WE WILL SERVE THEM.

BUT WHAT WE WANT TO DO AND WHAT WE'RE SEEKING TO DO EVERY SINGLE DAY IS TO TRY TO SERVE SOMEBODY BEFORE THEY GET TO THAT LEVEL OF CRISIS.

SO EVEN IF THEY'RE STRUGGLING, WE CAN FOES US ON THEM AND HELP MOVE THEM... >> YOU ARE BOTH PROBABLY AT THE POINT WHERE YOU CAN SPOT THINGS, TOO, I WOULD GUESS.

MAYBE IT GETS A JUMP START ON IT, I WOULD THINK?

>> I THINK THAT'S A FUNDAMENTAL KEY AND THAT'S WHY A LARGE PART OF OUR STAFF ARE VETERANS OURSELVES.

ALICE AND I ARE BOTH VETERANS.

OVER HALF THE STAFF HERE IN NEW YORK ARE VETERANS.

AND I THINK THAT'S-- YOU ARE RIGHT.

NOT ONLY THE INSTANT CREDIBILITY, YOU GO TALK TO ANOTHER VETERAN AND YOU HAVE THAT-- YOU HAVE A SOURCE OF CONVERSATION TO START ON THE VERY BEGINNING.

>> I'M OLDER THAN YOU ARE.

[LAUGHTER] EXPL MY GRANDFATHER, HE DIED... >> LET'S GET INTO THE SERVICES AND HOW YOU ARE HELPING.

YOU MADE IT VERY CLEAR THAT YOU ARE WELCOMING AND SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY.

YOU FOLKS HAVE A K-9 SERVICE HERE, IF YOU WILL AND I THOUGHT THAT'S NEAT BUT CAN A DOG DO THAT MUCH?

>> YES, IT ABSOLUTELY-- TO WATCH THE TRANSFORMATIVE POWER OF A SERVICE DOG IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THEIR VETERAN, AND THEN ULTIMATELY BY EXTENSION, THE VETERANS' FAMILIES, YOU JUST HAVE TO WITNESS IT.

ILL REALLYINGS PROVEN BY SCIENCE AND EVERYTHING, BUT REALLY TO EXPERIENCE IT, YOU HAVE TO SEE IT.

AND WE HAVE THE PRIVILEGE TO SEE IT EVERY DAY, BOTH FROM WATCHING THE SERVICE DOG TRANSFORM... YOU KNOW, WE USE PURPOSE BRED PUPPIES AND OVER 18 MONTHS TRAIN THEM TO BECOME A SERVICE DOG AND TO WATCH THE CONNECTION THAT FORMS BETWEEN THE VETERAN AND THE SERVICE DOG IS VERY, VERY SPECIAL.

>> VERY COOL.

I'M VERY INTERESTED TO, YOU KNOW, ON HOW YOU TAKE SOMEBODY WHO, AGAIN, SERVING COUNTRY IN THE MILITARY, YOU KNOW, TALK ABOUT MAKING A CONTRIBUTION WHAT IS ABOVE THAT, I DON'T KNOW AND FALLING OUT AND A TERRIBLE THING TO TO SAY AND BOTH YOU GENTLEMEN ARE GOING TO HIT ME BUT ALMOST BECOMING A DRAIN ON SOCIETY.

NOW WE WORK TO GET THEM BACK INTO THE WORKFORCE.

YOU HAVE SERVICES FOR THAT, CORRECT?

>> CORRECT.

>> TELL ME HOW THAT WORKS.

>> SO AGAIN, IT'S ABOUT THAT SENSE OF FULFILLMENT.

WE WANT-- WE ARE HERE NOT TO JUST PLACE A VETERAN INTO A JOB.

WE WANT THEM TO BE-- WE WANT TO PLACE THEM INTO A CAREER, HAVE FULFILLMENT... >> DO YOU WORK AND TALK WITH EMPLOYERS.

>> VERY MUCH SO.

>> BOTH HERE AND ACROSS CENTRAL NEW YORK AND NEW YORK STATE AND ACROSS THE CLEAR PATH ENTERPRISE.

AND BROADLY NATIONAL BUSINESSES BECAUSE WE FEEL IT'S A VALUE PROPOSITION, RIGHT?

BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY THE VETERAN IS GOING TO BENEFIT FROM A FULFILLING CAREER.

BUT MOST ASSUREDLY THE COMPANY IS TOO.

>> LAST ONE WHICH WAS INTERESTING.

LIKE A CANTEEN SERVICE ALMOST, RIGHT?

YOU TOLD ME YOU HAVE A DA ILY LUNCH HERE WHERE YOU ARE NOT TALKING 10 OR 12 PEOPLE COMING IN.

IT'S A FULL ROOM KIND OF NEAT.

>> WE DO.

OUR CANTEEN IS SERVED EVERY WEDNESDAY FROM 11 TO NOON.

>> IS IT JUST A SOCIAL GATHERING OR IS THERE SOMETHING MORE TO IT?

>> IT IS MORE BE THAT.

IT'S A PLATFORM WHERE AS CHRIS SAID EARLIER, YOU CAN LOOK IN THIS ROOM, SEE 200 PEOPLE BREAKING BREAD, SHARING A MEAL, BUT ALSO SIT AT A TABLE WITH A WORLD WAR II VETERAN AND A POST 9/11 VETERAN, HAVING A CONVERSATION.

AND THAT'S A POWERFUL THING TO SEE.

>> WHERE DOES THE FUNDING COME FROM?

HOW DO YOU PAY FOR ALL THIS?

>> WELL, CLEAR PATH IS, WE RECEIVE GRANT MONEY ABOUT 60% GRANT MONEY VIA LOCAL, STATE AND FEDERAL MONEY AS WELL AS THE REMAINING 40% PRIVATE DONATIONS, CORPORATE DONATIONS, FOUNDATIONS.

SO THAT IS A CONSTANT, YOU KNOW, FOCUS BUT WE WANT, BECAUSE THE OLD ADAGE MORE MONEY, MORE MISSION IS SOMETHING WE ARE MINDFUL OF, OUR SINGULAR PURPOSE IS TO SERVE AS MANY VETERAN FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES AS POSSIBLE.

YES, IT TAKES MONEY TO DO SO SO THAT'S A ROLE THAT ALEX AND I ASSUME WITH OUR DEVELOPMENT STAFF SO THAT THE REST OF THE TEAM CAN FOCUS ON THE MISSION ACCOMPLISHMENT.

>> ARE YOU COMFORTABLE, CHRIS, THOUGH, WITH HOW YOU ARE SERVING VETS THUS FAR.

MORE IS BETTER BUT ARE YOU AT A LEVEL WHERE YOU FEEL PRETTY GOOD ABOUT WHAT YOU ARE DOING?

>> I THINK I'M-- WE HAVE INVESTED OVERTHE FIRST 11 YEARS, ARE PUTTING TOGETHER WORLD CLASSROOMS.

SO I THINK PROGRAMMATICALLY, I'M VERY HAPPY WITH WHERE WE ARE AND WILL CONTINUE TO BUILD UPON THE SUCCESS WE CURRENTLY HAVE.

NOW SHIFTING OUR FOCUS IS TO HOW TO BRING MORE VETERANS FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES TO THOSE SERVICES OR MORE IMPORTANTLY, AS ALEX KNOWS VERY WELL SERVING 33 COUNTIES, HOW TO WE BRING MORE PROGRAMS TO THE VETERANS WHEREVER THEY ARE.

>> GIVEN ALL THAT YOU SEE AT THIS PLACE HARDSHIP, HAPPINESS, ET CETERA, DO YOU HAVE MORE GOOD DAYS OR BAD.

>> HANDS DOWN GOOD DAYS.

EVERY DAY IS A GOOD DAY HERE >> OUR THANKS AGAIN TO THE IVMF, CLEAR PATH, AND FOR THAT MATTER - ALL OTHER ORGANIZATIONS IN OUR REGION PROVIDING SUPPORT TO VETERANS.

THAT'S OUR PROGRAM FOR TONIGHT - NEXT WEEK, WE'LL LEARN HOW A NONPROFIT IN ONEIDA IS ABLE TO GENERATE CAPITAL TO ADDRESS THE DIRE HEALTHCARE NEEDS OF ITS RURAL COMMUNITY.

THEN WE MEET THE AIRIAL ROBOTICS TEAM AT THE TECH GARDEN TO EXPLORE A NEW COMBINATION TECHNOLOGY.. AND OUR SPOTLIGHT SERIES BRINGS US TO POMPEY FOR A VISIT WITH THIRD-GENERATION SUSTAINABLE FARM AND BREWERY HERITAGE HILL.

WE'LL SEE HOW THEIR BUSINESS HAS EXPANDED BEYOND THE FARM.

LISTEN, THERE'S STILL MORE COMING THIS SEASON SO IF YOU HAVE AN IDEA FOR A BUSINESS, PERSON OR JUST SOMETHING SPECIAL HAPPENING IN CENTRAL NEW YORK, WHY KEEP IT A SECRET?

CONTACT US BY EMAILING NEWS AT WCNY.ORG.

TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE PROGRAM, PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT WCNY.ORG/ONTHEMONEY.

YOU CAN ALSO VIEW OUR PREVIOUS EPISODES THERE TOO.

AND YOU CAN FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER AS WELL.

I'M DANIEL PLUFF, THANKS AGAIN FOR WATCHING.