From Stripes to Suits: A Leader’s Flight Plan for Success in Life’s Missions

1 00:00:01,150 --> 00:00:03,790 Jesse L Hammonds: Welcome to the Healthy, Wealthy and Wise podcast with Dr. 2 00:00:03,790 --> 00:00:04,399 William T. 3 00:00:04,399 --> 00:00:09,480 Choctaw, MD, JD, where the doctor helps you unlock your full potential by 4 00:00:09,489 --> 00:00:13,800 equipping you with tools and knowledge in the areas of health, wealth, and 5 00:00:13,800 --> 00:00:18,509 wisdom, anchored in his experience as a business executive, a physician 6 00:00:18,519 --> 00:00:23,410 surveyor for the joint commission, a former mayor, and over 50 years 7 00:00:23,410 --> 00:00:25,280 of experience as a general surgeon. 8 00:00:25,790 --> 00:00:27,900 You've got questions, he's got answers. 9 00:00:28,380 --> 00:00:29,270 So let's get started. 10 00:00:29,900 --> 00:00:30,490 Here's Dr. 11 00:00:30,490 --> 00:00:31,080 William T. 12 00:00:31,099 --> 00:00:32,500 Choctaw, MD, 13 00:00:32,810 --> 00:00:33,530 Dr. William T. Choctaw: JD. 14 00:00:34,120 --> 00:00:38,050 Why did, why did you and your wife decide to go? 15 00:00:38,609 --> 00:00:41,219 Were, were there any other reasons or was that the only factor? 16 00:00:41,519 --> 00:00:41,879 Well, we 17 00:00:41,879 --> 00:00:43,109 Jesse L Hammonds: just had a heart for it. 18 00:00:43,214 --> 00:00:43,505 Okay. 19 00:00:43,880 --> 00:00:48,640 I know that, you know, at least in my particular case, although I 20 00:00:48,640 --> 00:00:54,070 didn't have to go through anything like that I think God every day, you 21 00:00:54,070 --> 00:00:58,310 know for my parents, you know, I was adopted I was adopted as an infant. 22 00:00:58,310 --> 00:00:58,340 Okay. 23 00:00:58,440 --> 00:01:01,560 Pretty much around the same age as. 24 00:01:02,070 --> 00:01:05,540 At least the process started around the same age as the one that we 25 00:01:05,540 --> 00:01:07,550 got five days after they were born. 26 00:01:07,720 --> 00:01:11,950 My, my trajectory in life could have been totally different. 27 00:01:11,950 --> 00:01:13,820 I could have been another statistic. 28 00:01:15,125 --> 00:01:17,935 On one end on the negative end, but, 29 00:01:17,965 --> 00:01:20,755 Dr. William T. Choctaw: Your experience was a positive one as a child with 30 00:01:20,755 --> 00:01:21,745 Jesse L Hammonds: adopted parents. 31 00:01:21,815 --> 00:01:24,875 Oh, I, I didn't know that there was any difference. 32 00:01:26,095 --> 00:01:27,135 Dr. William T. Choctaw: Which is the ideal. 33 00:01:27,525 --> 00:01:30,484 Jesse L Hammonds: Yeah, I, I didn't, I didn't know anything about any 34 00:01:30,485 --> 00:01:35,015 of that, you know I can remember there's, there was some person 35 00:01:35,015 --> 00:01:36,965 called a case worker at the time. 36 00:01:37,185 --> 00:01:37,605 Right. 37 00:01:38,520 --> 00:01:41,500 It didn't, it didn't dawn on me what that was all about. 38 00:01:41,660 --> 00:01:46,720 It was just a a white woman that would come and talk 39 00:01:46,720 --> 00:01:49,179 with me and ask if everything 40 00:01:49,179 --> 00:01:49,349 Dr. William T. Choctaw: was 41 00:01:49,349 --> 00:01:54,769 Jesse L Hammonds: okay and things of that nature and I was always determined to show 42 00:01:54,789 --> 00:02:00,120 her that I could read and I could write and I could, you know, set the other. 43 00:02:00,620 --> 00:02:01,190 I didn't think. 44 00:02:01,970 --> 00:02:07,760 You know, anything about it and and that's how Ezell and George Hammond's 45 00:02:07,770 --> 00:02:12,930 were they were, they, they just, you know treated me like I was blood, you 46 00:02:12,930 --> 00:02:17,909 know, and it was just better than some people who are blood treat their kids. 47 00:02:17,949 --> 00:02:18,199 Sure. 48 00:02:18,769 --> 00:02:19,409 Dr. William T. Choctaw: Were you an only 49 00:02:19,409 --> 00:02:19,789 Jesse L Hammonds: child? 50 00:02:19,949 --> 00:02:21,039 No actually not. 51 00:02:21,139 --> 00:02:27,449 I have, well, they had a biological daughter Rosalie, we call her Bootsie. 52 00:02:28,079 --> 00:02:31,439 She's still alive although she Was she older or younger than you? 53 00:02:31,609 --> 00:02:32,909 She's older, she's older. 54 00:02:33,359 --> 00:02:33,689 Okay. 55 00:02:33,799 --> 00:02:41,969 She is, she's 80 and and she's dealing with diabetes and oh, and 56 00:02:41,969 --> 00:02:45,624 she's on dialysis now, it's a matter of So it was just the two of you? 57 00:02:45,874 --> 00:02:47,664 No, it was myself. 58 00:02:48,224 --> 00:02:50,954 You know, she was, you know, out of the home and growing up. 59 00:02:51,344 --> 00:02:51,724 Got it. 60 00:02:52,514 --> 00:02:53,644 But she would always come over. 61 00:02:54,194 --> 00:02:56,424 But I had a sibling Anthony. 62 00:02:56,524 --> 00:02:57,444 He's younger. 63 00:02:57,634 --> 00:03:00,645 And and Myron another sibling. 64 00:03:00,655 --> 00:03:07,134 He's, he was about four or five months older than I was, he, he eventually 65 00:03:07,244 --> 00:03:09,195 was reunited with his mother. 66 00:03:09,364 --> 00:03:09,804 Okay. 67 00:03:10,344 --> 00:03:15,444 Anthony and myself, we were adopted Anthony is the opposite of me. 68 00:03:16,424 --> 00:03:16,824 Okay. 69 00:03:16,914 --> 00:03:17,204 Sure. 70 00:03:17,894 --> 00:03:22,415 Well, whatever, you know, whatever genetics he, he has, he, he's 71 00:03:22,415 --> 00:03:24,405 old, he's the opposite of me. 72 00:03:24,885 --> 00:03:25,855 In, in what way? 73 00:03:26,245 --> 00:03:33,035 Well well, let's let me frame it this way when I joined the Air Force, which 74 00:03:33,065 --> 00:03:39,154 was, you know, a first for anyone, you know, in, in the family to go that way. 75 00:03:39,615 --> 00:03:42,815 And, and there was a lot of reasons why I even went that way. 76 00:03:42,895 --> 00:03:44,074 I'll share that a little bit later. 77 00:03:44,855 --> 00:03:51,215 I, you know, I had to get security clearances and so the government came 78 00:03:51,215 --> 00:03:56,355 out and they were interviewing people in the community and my family and and my, 79 00:03:56,755 --> 00:04:00,574 you know, Anthony he had, he had issues. 80 00:04:00,814 --> 00:04:04,174 And so you know, I got the clearance and everything. 81 00:04:04,704 --> 00:04:08,484 But I couldn't really associate with him because of the people 82 00:04:08,484 --> 00:04:10,514 that he associated with, right. 83 00:04:10,854 --> 00:04:16,795 And so you know, he, that was him, you know, he, he, he chose 84 00:04:17,055 --> 00:04:19,445 a different, you know, lifestyle. 85 00:04:19,635 --> 00:04:20,025 Okay. 86 00:04:20,505 --> 00:04:23,645 And so you know, there was always something. 87 00:04:24,160 --> 00:04:28,960 Up always something going on and it's a negative negative. 88 00:04:29,030 --> 00:04:29,350 Yes. 89 00:04:30,460 --> 00:04:30,700 So 90 00:04:30,940 --> 00:04:32,240 Dr. William T. Choctaw: what did you learn from all that? 91 00:04:32,370 --> 00:04:34,300 I mean, just, just, just that phase of 92 00:04:34,300 --> 00:04:34,700 Jesse L Hammonds: your life. 93 00:04:34,860 --> 00:04:35,510 Hopefully you'll come 94 00:04:35,510 --> 00:04:36,260 Dr. William T. Choctaw: back pretty soon. 95 00:04:36,260 --> 00:04:37,189 There we go. 96 00:04:37,270 --> 00:04:37,910 There you are. 97 00:04:39,500 --> 00:04:40,660 Jesse L Hammonds: But what did you 98 00:04:40,660 --> 00:04:41,530 Dr. William T. Choctaw: learn from all that? 99 00:04:41,540 --> 00:04:43,260 What, what, what was your takeaway? 100 00:04:43,420 --> 00:04:47,130 Jesse L Hammonds: Well, just focus on what I need to do because he's 101 00:04:47,840 --> 00:04:51,620 going to do whatever he's going to do. 102 00:04:52,210 --> 00:04:58,060 And they, my parents didn't want to really show a whole lot of partiality. 103 00:04:58,620 --> 00:04:59,850 Between us two. 104 00:04:59,850 --> 00:05:03,650 So whenever he got involved with something, you know, 105 00:05:03,780 --> 00:05:04,860 it was kind of looked at. 106 00:05:05,080 --> 00:05:07,430 It could have been either one of you that did that. 107 00:05:08,030 --> 00:05:12,580 It probably could have been, but it really was in most cases there. 108 00:05:13,200 --> 00:05:18,820 And so I, I was determined to just focus on what I needed to do 109 00:05:18,830 --> 00:05:21,000 and being the best that I can be. 110 00:05:21,465 --> 00:05:23,005 You know, and whatever that was. 111 00:05:23,005 --> 00:05:29,485 And, and I was quite, I had a very full, you know, childhood, very, very full. 112 00:05:29,635 --> 00:05:30,915 And yeah, I was brought up in the church. 113 00:05:30,935 --> 00:05:33,364 My father was the chairman of the deacon board and. 114 00:05:34,100 --> 00:05:37,880 And and I usually ran in his circles there. 115 00:05:38,140 --> 00:05:43,739 And and that's how I kind of got into a number of different official 116 00:05:43,740 --> 00:05:47,580 and unofficial leadership type of, you know, situations there. 117 00:05:48,280 --> 00:05:49,760 by Running with him. 118 00:05:49,970 --> 00:05:55,790 But and and in one case there I was the what we call the 119 00:05:55,790 --> 00:05:58,160 liaison for the Sunday school. 120 00:05:58,905 --> 00:06:01,115 I've always been involved with the Sunnyschool in one way or the other. 121 00:06:02,295 --> 00:06:09,215 And my my job, and I was, I couldn't have been no more than 11 or 12 or 122 00:06:09,215 --> 00:06:15,624 so I was in charge of collecting all the money from all of the classrooms. 123 00:06:16,014 --> 00:06:16,444 Okay. 124 00:06:16,694 --> 00:06:22,294 As well as making sure that all of the teachers had their, their literature. 125 00:06:22,424 --> 00:06:23,054 And 126 00:06:23,104 --> 00:06:24,934 Dr. William T. Choctaw: so that's quite a bit of responsibility for 127 00:06:24,934 --> 00:06:25,574 Jesse L Hammonds: an 11 year old. 128 00:06:25,584 --> 00:06:26,554 Oh, most definitely. 129 00:06:26,764 --> 00:06:30,794 And, and I really can't recall how I actually got into it. 130 00:06:30,795 --> 00:06:36,064 It was, I think, especially as it relates to, to leadership there. 131 00:06:36,214 --> 00:06:39,384 I find that it kind of starts with a question. 132 00:06:39,744 --> 00:06:46,604 Like what if this was that way, or that was this way, and then you take 133 00:06:46,604 --> 00:06:52,424 the initiative to, to do whatever that is, and someone appreciates 134 00:06:52,944 --> 00:06:57,184 or, or, or likes, whatever that is, and they let you continue. 135 00:06:58,414 --> 00:07:04,264 And so I think I went into the Sunday school office with a sister Ferris, I 136 00:07:04,264 --> 00:07:11,374 still remember like it was yesterday and I just started helping her, we were talking. 137 00:07:12,074 --> 00:07:15,754 And I just started helping her count the money, you know, from the Sunday school. 138 00:07:16,104 --> 00:07:20,114 It was all on her and she seemed like she was just overwhelmed. 139 00:07:20,164 --> 00:07:24,404 You know, she never had, you know, time for anything or whatever, you know, and 140 00:07:24,404 --> 00:07:27,634 so I would has become a famous phrase. 141 00:07:27,774 --> 00:07:28,844 Let me help you with that. 142 00:07:28,845 --> 00:07:32,369 It's so interesting. 143 00:07:32,369 --> 00:07:34,564 Is this a small church, 144 00:07:34,564 --> 00:07:34,654 Dr. William T. Choctaw: a 145 00:07:34,654 --> 00:07:35,374 Jesse L Hammonds: large church? 146 00:07:35,384 --> 00:07:37,394 It was a large church. 147 00:07:37,404 --> 00:07:40,024 It was about, I guess, around the same size as St. 148 00:07:40,034 --> 00:07:40,444 Stephen. 149 00:07:40,544 --> 00:07:40,574 Okay. 150 00:07:41,229 --> 00:07:42,574 That, that, that's pretty large. 151 00:07:42,649 --> 00:07:46,299 But a lot of firsts because this was back in the seventies Okay. 152 00:07:46,849 --> 00:07:52,244 And the church started in a, in a high school, not started, but one of the 153 00:07:52,244 --> 00:07:57,264 locations that we were, that I can recall, you know, actually there's 154 00:07:57,264 --> 00:07:58,984 a lot of parallels with the St. 155 00:07:58,984 --> 00:08:04,574 Stephen because it also was was a product of splitting. 156 00:08:04,724 --> 00:08:05,164 Okay. 157 00:08:05,514 --> 00:08:08,554 It split from Mount Enon in Dayton. 158 00:08:09,224 --> 00:08:10,314 This is all in Dayton. 159 00:08:10,454 --> 00:08:11,494 What city is this? 160 00:08:11,754 --> 00:08:12,574 Dayton, Ohio. 161 00:08:12,894 --> 00:08:13,224 Okay. 162 00:08:13,619 --> 00:08:17,799 Home of the Wright Brothers and University of Dayton Flyers. 163 00:08:18,299 --> 00:08:18,699 Okay. 164 00:08:18,709 --> 00:08:19,389 That's correct, Senator. 165 00:08:19,389 --> 00:08:21,079 And that's where you went into the Air Force. 166 00:08:21,559 --> 00:08:25,749 Yeah, also the home of Wright Patterson Air Force Base. 167 00:08:25,759 --> 00:08:26,479 Right, right. 168 00:08:26,529 --> 00:08:26,969 Dr. William T. Choctaw: Okay, 169 00:08:27,289 --> 00:08:27,839 Jesse L Hammonds: makes sense. 170 00:08:28,419 --> 00:08:30,009 Dr. William T. Choctaw: And how was school for you? 171 00:08:30,559 --> 00:08:32,869 Junior high, high school, elementary, 172 00:08:32,889 --> 00:08:33,609 Jesse L Hammonds: whatever you remember? 173 00:08:33,610 --> 00:08:35,129 It was all wonderful out there. 174 00:08:35,329 --> 00:08:37,109 I think I was going down that path there, too. 175 00:08:37,149 --> 00:08:37,349 Huh. 176 00:08:39,079 --> 00:08:40,669 It was, it was all wonderful. 177 00:08:40,749 --> 00:08:47,419 I I was, you know, probably a BC student and a student, you know, in history. 178 00:08:47,449 --> 00:08:52,129 I know that is that that's something that I embrace that in turn events 179 00:08:52,139 --> 00:08:55,829 and that sort of thing in, in English and, you know, and that sort of thing. 180 00:08:56,329 --> 00:08:57,709 No problems there. 181 00:08:57,709 --> 00:08:59,249 I studied music. 182 00:08:59,390 --> 00:09:03,980 Right, right around 12, you know, I was what they would call a, a classic 183 00:09:04,120 --> 00:09:06,730 trained, a classically trained trombonist. 184 00:09:07,110 --> 00:09:11,380 Well, yeah, because I could play Beethoven and, and, and, no, no, I 185 00:09:11,380 --> 00:09:11,780 Dr. William T. Choctaw: understand. 186 00:09:11,860 --> 00:09:13,820 I just want to make sure I heard you correctly. 187 00:09:13,820 --> 00:09:14,240 Okay. 188 00:09:14,420 --> 00:09:14,570 All 189 00:09:14,590 --> 00:09:14,900 Jesse L Hammonds: right. 190 00:09:15,070 --> 00:09:19,670 I was in the concert concerto band as well as the jazz lab band, 191 00:09:19,680 --> 00:09:21,590 as well as the marching band. 192 00:09:22,070 --> 00:09:22,970 This is at high school. 193 00:09:24,385 --> 00:09:27,235 No, actually, this was prior to high school. 194 00:09:27,815 --> 00:09:29,605 It carried on into high school. 195 00:09:30,075 --> 00:09:35,575 This was when I was, a lot of things happened when I was 12 and 13 years old. 196 00:09:35,955 --> 00:09:42,575 We were kind of me and a partner of mine were the first and the youngest to ever 197 00:09:42,935 --> 00:09:44,935 have a chair, what they call a chair. 198 00:09:45,265 --> 00:09:48,605 In the band of the marching band of the senior high school. 199 00:09:48,985 --> 00:09:50,585 So you were in middle school at the time? 200 00:09:50,735 --> 00:09:51,375 Yes. 201 00:09:51,375 --> 00:09:52,975 We weren't even freshmen. 202 00:09:53,945 --> 00:09:54,405 Okay. 203 00:09:54,735 --> 00:09:59,195 And You know, and we, we played those horns. 204 00:09:59,625 --> 00:10:04,925 And we actually formed a band, this is the 70s, so and I think I alluded to it. 205 00:10:05,205 --> 00:10:09,235 In another interview with one of our brothers at the church he was talking 206 00:10:09,235 --> 00:10:14,855 about the people in Gary, Indiana, and I share with him, I'm from Dayton, 207 00:10:14,855 --> 00:10:22,435 Ohio, and that's the home of all kinds of bands, you know, from Zap, 208 00:10:22,435 --> 00:10:30,830 Roger New Human Body slave Dayton, platypus, lakeside, all of these group, 209 00:10:31,030 --> 00:10:39,090 you know, lakeside is famous for the fantastic voyage, those guys any who 210 00:10:39,960 --> 00:10:42,280 there was just a lot of music going on. 211 00:10:42,690 --> 00:10:44,860 And so we formed a band ourselves. 212 00:10:45,180 --> 00:10:50,695 And we used to pattern ourselves like Earth, wind and Fire, you know, and, 213 00:10:50,800 --> 00:10:52,960 and brass construction and Mandrill. 214 00:10:54,250 --> 00:10:57,760 We had electric tape, you know, reflective tape on us. 215 00:10:57,760 --> 00:11:01,180 And we'd come in from the back with cowbells and then we'd get on stage 216 00:11:01,185 --> 00:11:05,435 and we'd play and we'd win these talent shows and, and that sort of thing here. 217 00:11:05,585 --> 00:11:09,395 And the fact of the matter is we could actually play and read music 218 00:11:09,425 --> 00:11:12,125 we wrote and, and, and did the music. 219 00:11:12,245 --> 00:11:15,795 And we did that for the, for the marching band as well under the direction of 220 00:11:15,825 --> 00:11:18,375 Clarence Harold Brown out of Grambling. 221 00:11:18,875 --> 00:11:19,275 Okay. 222 00:11:19,515 --> 00:11:24,855 And, and that's, that's actually how we looked, like the Grambling Band and stuff. 223 00:11:25,435 --> 00:11:26,065 So this is, 224 00:11:26,105 --> 00:11:27,375 Dr. William T. Choctaw: okay, high school, okay. 225 00:11:27,635 --> 00:11:28,735 So what happened after 226 00:11:28,735 --> 00:11:29,235 Jesse L Hammonds: high school? 227 00:11:29,445 --> 00:11:36,585 After high school Well, to get through high school, I was working for I, 228 00:11:36,655 --> 00:11:41,805 you know, I really did idolize my, my dad, you know, not before God 229 00:11:41,805 --> 00:11:44,325 or anything, but right up there. 230 00:11:44,515 --> 00:11:46,455 Because he was a true man of God. 231 00:11:46,735 --> 00:11:51,795 And that was in the home at church as well as at work. 232 00:11:52,865 --> 00:11:54,575 And he had a good role model. 233 00:11:54,775 --> 00:11:55,325 Oh, yes. 234 00:11:55,325 --> 00:11:55,735 Yes. 235 00:11:56,130 --> 00:12:00,510 He worked for General Motors, a division called Delco Delco products. 236 00:12:01,490 --> 00:12:07,920 And so I you know, in my last couple of years of school, I went to what 237 00:12:07,920 --> 00:12:12,320 they call a joint vocational school and I studied mechanical drafting. 238 00:12:12,540 --> 00:12:20,090 And so during the summertime I was able to get a job working for General Motors. 239 00:12:20,635 --> 00:12:25,245 In their engineering department and they some kind of way, they 240 00:12:25,245 --> 00:12:26,925 gave me the keys to the office. 241 00:12:28,805 --> 00:12:31,615 I was the person that would go in there. 242 00:12:31,955 --> 00:12:38,485 And turn on all the lights, turn on all the machines and get everything ready for 243 00:12:38,485 --> 00:12:43,845 the engineers when they came in and we did, you know, lots of reproduction where 244 00:12:44,195 --> 00:12:49,485 I was in the reproduction area there and they would give me little, little bitty 245 00:12:49,485 --> 00:12:55,245 products projects and everything to, to change this line or that line or whatever, 246 00:12:55,275 --> 00:12:59,385 you know, mechanical drafting type of thing prior to what I was studying. 247 00:13:01,205 --> 00:13:08,015 You know, and you know, the machines were gigantic and the and the the drawings were 248 00:13:08,015 --> 00:13:13,685 gigantic as well, you know, which later became either automobiles or parts for 249 00:13:13,685 --> 00:13:15,755 automobiles and that sort of thing there. 250 00:13:16,305 --> 00:13:19,765 And so I went through that and. 251 00:13:20,245 --> 00:13:26,775 Fast forward to senior year General Motors were, was offering me you know, a very 252 00:13:26,775 --> 00:13:33,315 nice promotion and an actual position and a, and a job where they're, you know, in 253 00:13:33,325 --> 00:13:37,855 the, well, in the engineering department you know, as a, I guess an apprentice 254 00:13:37,855 --> 00:13:44,525 draftsman and so I, I thought about it because, well, here was the, the dilemma. 255 00:13:45,415 --> 00:13:51,295 At the same time I had been testing and had scored, you know, high enough. 256 00:13:51,725 --> 00:13:55,995 To qualify for the Air Force and so the Air Force, you know, 257 00:13:56,035 --> 00:13:57,665 came calling at the same time. 258 00:13:57,745 --> 00:14:02,945 So I had these two competing things there and I think General Motors, 259 00:14:02,955 --> 00:14:07,885 they had a an education, you know, assistance program as well, but theirs 260 00:14:07,885 --> 00:14:09,715 wasn't as good as the Air Force. 261 00:14:10,295 --> 00:14:10,765 Okay. 262 00:14:10,845 --> 00:14:11,805 What was the difference? 263 00:14:11,865 --> 00:14:13,785 Oh, well the Air Force, they paid 80%. 264 00:14:14,395 --> 00:14:18,535 In General Motors, I'm really not certain, you know, I'm, I'm assuming 265 00:14:18,535 --> 00:14:22,075 that they have one they weren't bringing, bringing everything, the 266 00:14:22,075 --> 00:14:25,405 Air Force was bringing everything, they say, hey, we can do this for you, 267 00:14:25,405 --> 00:14:27,435 that, that, that, that, and that, and 268 00:14:27,435 --> 00:14:29,525 Dr. William T. Choctaw: they would pay 80 percent of your college 269 00:14:29,565 --> 00:14:30,395 Jesse L Hammonds: expenses. 270 00:14:31,185 --> 00:14:31,595 Yes. 271 00:14:31,925 --> 00:14:32,245 Okay. 272 00:14:32,455 --> 00:14:35,235 So, and, you know, you can see the world. 273 00:14:35,355 --> 00:14:35,755 Okay. 274 00:14:35,955 --> 00:14:38,405 And and that was appealing to me. 275 00:14:38,505 --> 00:14:42,625 You know, Dayton was okay, but, and, and I wanted to see the world. 276 00:14:42,975 --> 00:14:44,565 Yeah, I had been a few places. 277 00:14:44,615 --> 00:14:46,095 I had been to, you know, D. 278 00:14:46,105 --> 00:14:46,685 C. 279 00:14:47,135 --> 00:14:50,735 Because in that position as a liaison for the Sunday school 280 00:14:51,085 --> 00:14:52,705 they sent me places sometimes. 281 00:14:52,765 --> 00:14:57,525 You know, I, I remember the first time I was ever homesick was going 282 00:14:57,525 --> 00:14:59,855 to DC and spending the night. 283 00:14:59,860 --> 00:15:04,535 I think we were at the Watergate Hotel from Interesting. 284 00:15:05,140 --> 00:15:08,355 And oh, I got homesick there, you know, but then I got 285 00:15:08,355 --> 00:15:09,825 used to being away from home. 286 00:15:09,975 --> 00:15:12,975 And so, at any rate yeah, I chose the Air Force. 287 00:15:13,500 --> 00:15:16,920 And and it was, I think it was a great choice. 288 00:15:17,600 --> 00:15:20,110 How long were you in there for 12 years, 289 00:15:20,540 --> 00:15:21,150 Dr. William T. Choctaw: 12 years? 290 00:15:22,875 --> 00:15:23,365 What was your 291 00:15:23,365 --> 00:15:24,235 Jesse L Hammonds: rank when you left? 292 00:15:24,455 --> 00:15:25,825 I was a staff sergeant. 293 00:15:25,865 --> 00:15:26,575 Staff sergeant. 294 00:15:27,545 --> 00:15:30,065 Dr. William T. Choctaw: I never served in the military, but I was 295 00:15:30,065 --> 00:15:32,655 always told that the sergeants are the ones that run everything. 296 00:15:33,315 --> 00:15:33,335 Is 297 00:15:33,345 --> 00:15:33,445 that 298 00:15:33,445 --> 00:15:33,475 Jesse L Hammonds: true? 299 00:15:34,525 --> 00:15:37,805 Yeah, there are different levels of that. 300 00:15:37,995 --> 00:15:45,865 In the civilian side, I would probably be considered probably a second 301 00:15:45,865 --> 00:15:49,985 level because there was an actual, what they called a buck sergeant. 302 00:15:50,355 --> 00:15:54,305 Which would be more or less the first level there. 303 00:15:54,305 --> 00:15:57,735 The staff sergeant could be that as well, depending on the corporate 304 00:15:57,735 --> 00:15:58,805 The sergeants are basically the 305 00:15:58,805 --> 00:15:59,505 Dr. William T. Choctaw: managers. 306 00:15:59,605 --> 00:15:59,795 They're 307 00:15:59,795 --> 00:16:02,850 Jesse L Hammonds: the ones that They're what's called non commissioned officers. 308 00:16:02,850 --> 00:16:03,660 Right. 309 00:16:03,660 --> 00:16:04,470 NCOs. 310 00:16:04,470 --> 00:16:04,830 Okay. 311 00:16:05,030 --> 00:16:05,390 Yes. 312 00:16:05,850 --> 00:16:08,570 And and I had a, a crew. 313 00:16:08,740 --> 00:16:10,530 And this was initial. 314 00:16:10,680 --> 00:16:12,650 You know, this was just one thing that I did. 315 00:16:12,700 --> 00:16:16,200 That's after I started going up in rank there. 316 00:16:16,310 --> 00:16:19,160 And then other opportunities presented itself. 317 00:16:19,260 --> 00:16:23,230 Because I began to get introduced to technology. 318 00:16:23,390 --> 00:16:23,800 Okay. 319 00:16:23,990 --> 00:16:31,530 In fact I believe, I'm pretty sure that we were pioneers, we being the military 320 00:16:31,530 --> 00:16:33,370 were pioneers of the email system. 321 00:16:33,990 --> 00:16:39,680 And I would say the hospital was right there as well, but we had to have a 322 00:16:39,710 --> 00:16:44,720 good way of communicating between bases, you know, logistic type of things. 323 00:16:45,350 --> 00:16:51,850 And so that system was Was created for us to log into a particular 324 00:16:51,850 --> 00:16:54,280 system and get certain information. 325 00:16:54,500 --> 00:16:54,910 Okay. 326 00:16:55,200 --> 00:17:00,640 And that evolved into just sending that information, you know, in what they 327 00:17:00,640 --> 00:17:02,400 call packets and that sort of thing. 328 00:17:03,280 --> 00:17:09,120 And and then that led on to other, you know, developments in 329 00:17:09,120 --> 00:17:14,820 technology and me getting involved with total quality management. 330 00:17:15,280 --> 00:17:15,690 Okay. 331 00:17:16,745 --> 00:17:18,505 Dr. William T. Choctaw: So, for our viewers, tell them what 332 00:17:18,505 --> 00:17:20,115 Total Quality Management is 333 00:17:20,165 --> 00:17:21,245 Jesse L Hammonds: for the ones who don't know. 334 00:17:21,605 --> 00:17:28,395 Well, Total Quality Management is a a philosophy of, of of how you 335 00:17:28,415 --> 00:17:31,425 approach and And manage quality. 336 00:17:31,985 --> 00:17:37,805 Instead of reinventing the wheel, in all cases there, you would take 337 00:17:37,895 --> 00:17:41,935 what what is working and build upon that and improve on that. 338 00:17:42,345 --> 00:17:44,175 In a continuous way. 339 00:17:44,315 --> 00:17:47,935 Made famous by, you know, a number of different quality 340 00:17:47,935 --> 00:17:50,815 gurus most notably Edward Deming. 341 00:17:52,005 --> 00:17:52,495 Dr. William T. Choctaw: In the U. 342 00:17:52,495 --> 00:17:53,115 Jesse L Hammonds: S., right. 343 00:17:53,475 --> 00:17:56,045 Yes, and in his nemesis Mr. 344 00:17:56,045 --> 00:18:00,725 Crosby who was the zero defect guy and we did more Deming. 345 00:18:00,795 --> 00:18:07,055 And so, and this was, this was a program that was embraced you know, by 346 00:18:07,075 --> 00:18:13,365 the military, you know, the, the, the Congress pass a lot of legislation. 347 00:18:13,810 --> 00:18:18,170 And we were directed to do things more efficiently. 348 00:18:19,065 --> 00:18:22,705 We didn't have to worry about budgets and revenue and things of that nature, 349 00:18:22,715 --> 00:18:28,945 but they didn't want us to waste things time or resources or anything like that. 350 00:18:28,955 --> 00:18:31,155 So there was a big push for that. 351 00:18:31,275 --> 00:18:33,605 And at the time. 352 00:18:34,250 --> 00:18:39,820 I was in the right place at the right time and they offered me the opportunity 353 00:18:40,380 --> 00:18:47,060 to teach and, and well, first to, to learn, you know, TQM and then to 354 00:18:47,060 --> 00:18:48,980 teach the foundation course for it. 355 00:18:49,090 --> 00:18:49,960 So what, what did you 356 00:18:49,970 --> 00:18:50,900 Dr. William T. Choctaw: learn from all of that? 357 00:18:50,900 --> 00:18:53,010 You've sort of risen through the ranks. 358 00:18:53,040 --> 00:18:56,990 You're you know, a higher level sergeant in the military. 359 00:18:57,310 --> 00:18:58,560 in the Air Force. 360 00:18:58,930 --> 00:19:00,980 And you're learning total quality management. 361 00:19:01,190 --> 00:19:05,350 I might add that one of the ways that Jess and I intersect is that 362 00:19:05,370 --> 00:19:09,680 I learned total quality management and Toyota production system 363 00:19:09,960 --> 00:19:10,180 Jesse L Hammonds: and 364 00:19:10,180 --> 00:19:13,030 Dr. William T. Choctaw: those types of issues on the hospital side because the 365 00:19:13,030 --> 00:19:16,330 hospitals wanted to get more efficient. 366 00:19:16,610 --> 00:19:21,145 And a lot of that had to do with Lean Six Sigma, which basically is 367 00:19:21,155 --> 00:19:23,425 having no mistakes and no problems. 368 00:19:23,755 --> 00:19:29,155 And we in the hospital, the hospital management followed, or follows, 369 00:19:29,195 --> 00:19:32,545 or have followed the military in that regard, particularly the Air 370 00:19:32,545 --> 00:19:36,365 Force because they figured out a way to keep the planes in the sky. 371 00:19:36,565 --> 00:19:36,895 Yes. 372 00:19:36,895 --> 00:19:41,155 And and so that was pretty close to what we were trying to do in 373 00:19:41,155 --> 00:19:43,255 hospitals to keep patients alive. 374 00:19:43,770 --> 00:19:46,950 And so the two they had, there's a lot of overlap is what I'm 375 00:19:46,950 --> 00:19:47,460 Jesse L Hammonds: trying to say. 376 00:19:47,490 --> 00:19:47,910 I agree. 377 00:19:47,970 --> 00:19:49,830 I I, I totally agree with that. 378 00:19:49,860 --> 00:19:53,820 And, and, and we'll speak a little bit about a at and t's 379 00:19:54,230 --> 00:19:56,350 and their six Sigma, right? 380 00:19:56,350 --> 00:19:56,470 That 381 00:19:56,950 --> 00:19:59,170 Dr. William T. Choctaw: came into play there, . So, so how, 382 00:19:59,170 --> 00:20:00,760 how did you get to at and t? 383 00:20:00,760 --> 00:20:03,130 Where, where does at and t come into all this? 384 00:20:03,190 --> 00:20:04,770 Jesse L Hammonds: Well after. 385 00:20:05,190 --> 00:20:10,630 After the, the, the, the air force, it, my, my life is just, like I 386 00:20:10,630 --> 00:20:12,430 said, it's just very, very full. 387 00:20:12,890 --> 00:20:17,730 Had I, had I filled out and I will still do that, filled out that That 388 00:20:17,750 --> 00:20:21,950 interview for there, it, it would have been difficult to try to pick and 389 00:20:21,950 --> 00:20:27,050 choose because a lot, there's a lot of intersection and a lot of overlap there, 390 00:20:27,220 --> 00:20:33,040 but you know, after, because we were, I was me and about 40, 000 or so people 391 00:20:33,040 --> 00:20:35,800 were downsized out of the air force. 392 00:20:36,220 --> 00:20:36,920 We you 393 00:20:36,920 --> 00:20:38,190 Dr. William T. Choctaw: can get downsized 394 00:20:38,250 --> 00:20:39,030 Jesse L Hammonds: out of the air force. 395 00:20:39,675 --> 00:20:43,255 Yes as a matter of fact, I believe the name of the bill was Graham 396 00:20:43,325 --> 00:20:45,765 Rudman that they were the ground. 397 00:20:46,765 --> 00:20:53,625 Yeah, and so they, that bill, I believe, dictated specifically to the 398 00:20:53,635 --> 00:20:59,615 military that I mean, we were already trying to be as efficient as possible. 399 00:20:59,625 --> 00:21:01,515 They wanted us to be even more efficient. 400 00:21:02,055 --> 00:21:08,925 To the point that they started closing bases in reducing the workforce. 401 00:21:09,565 --> 00:21:13,225 We're, I don't think we're any, well, we were. 402 00:21:13,700 --> 00:21:18,360 Getting ready to get into the first desert storm and all of that, but that 403 00:21:18,530 --> 00:21:25,300 it didn't seem to matter to them and so they just started, you know, forcing 404 00:21:25,330 --> 00:21:34,150 people to do things there and I and my particular what they call a FSC got 405 00:21:34,190 --> 00:21:39,070 called up in that and You know, so I was, you know, I've been a technician, 406 00:21:39,170 --> 00:21:42,090 I've been a training instructor. 407 00:21:42,455 --> 00:21:49,675 I've been a teacher, and my last position was that of a structural systems designer. 408 00:21:49,675 --> 00:21:54,795 And I'm getting to the AT& T part of it. 409 00:21:55,935 --> 00:21:57,045 Structural systems designer 410 00:21:57,055 --> 00:21:58,245 Dr. William T. Choctaw: sounds like engineering 411 00:21:58,245 --> 00:21:58,495 Jesse L Hammonds: to me. 412 00:21:58,735 --> 00:22:01,985 It, it, it really isn't. 413 00:22:02,755 --> 00:22:06,895 But I guess it could be, but it really isn't because basically 414 00:22:06,955 --> 00:22:09,695 what it was, we would get projects. 415 00:22:09,745 --> 00:22:11,675 It was a very small group of us. 416 00:22:12,185 --> 00:22:13,565 We would get projects. 417 00:22:13,565 --> 00:22:17,785 In fact, the building is still out there at Norco. 418 00:22:17,825 --> 00:22:20,955 What used to be Norton Air Force Base in San Bernardino. 419 00:22:22,155 --> 00:22:26,435 Which is now, you know, Amazon and the Stater brothers distribution 420 00:22:26,445 --> 00:22:30,125 centers and stuff like that, that building is still there. 421 00:22:30,125 --> 00:22:34,415 You know, I still see it, you know, regularly, but any who we would get 422 00:22:34,455 --> 00:22:38,135 projects from various organizations, mostly maintenance organizations, 423 00:22:38,335 --> 00:22:41,375 and this goes to what you were talking about as far as efficiency. 424 00:22:41,645 --> 00:22:47,175 And we, we were tasked with developing training plans for recertification and 425 00:22:47,175 --> 00:22:54,898 certification of Of Air Force personnel, maintenance personnel, and so we were 426 00:22:54,908 --> 00:23:00,338 given, you know, different assignments there, and we would develop a, a teaching 427 00:23:00,338 --> 00:23:06,748 outline and from that teaching outline, we would develop a, a a shot list we 428 00:23:06,748 --> 00:23:12,998 would do both stills and video, and we would go out, whatever the subject matter 429 00:23:12,998 --> 00:23:15,098 was, we would go out and film more. 430 00:23:15,528 --> 00:23:22,108 You know, film clips images that would, would that would go with the teaching 431 00:23:22,118 --> 00:23:27,848 outline there and then we would develop a script and then we would voice the script. 432 00:23:27,908 --> 00:23:30,388 We would go into a studio and we would. 433 00:23:30,813 --> 00:23:35,933 Voice the script, the, the video and, you know, the regular still 434 00:23:35,933 --> 00:23:38,093 photos we developed ourselves. 435 00:23:38,143 --> 00:23:41,473 This was, we would go into an actual dark room. 436 00:23:41,663 --> 00:23:44,683 I was trained to do that, go into a dark room and actually, you know. 437 00:23:44,683 --> 00:23:45,113 So, so this 438 00:23:45,113 --> 00:23:46,583 Dr. William T. Choctaw: was military still? 439 00:23:46,913 --> 00:23:47,673 Jesse L Hammonds: Yeah, yeah. 440 00:23:48,873 --> 00:23:53,593 This is all in the, in the Air Force there, and then we would put that together 441 00:23:53,593 --> 00:23:59,623 in a package, and then we would then we had to validate that training program, 442 00:24:00,083 --> 00:24:06,043 and so we would bring in a study group this usually took, you know, anywhere 443 00:24:06,043 --> 00:24:11,693 from 60, sometimes 90 days, depending on the complexity, and we would test, 444 00:24:11,713 --> 00:24:13,993 test, test, test, test until you. 445 00:24:13,993 --> 00:24:14,007 So, yeah. 446 00:24:14,208 --> 00:24:19,668 We got a particular pass rate based on, you know, the the, 447 00:24:19,678 --> 00:24:21,448 the slide tape or the video 448 00:24:21,448 --> 00:24:22,528 Dr. William T. Choctaw: that we produced. 449 00:24:22,608 --> 00:24:23,028 Okay. 450 00:24:23,368 --> 00:24:24,468 And from that, 451 00:24:24,878 --> 00:24:28,078 Jesse L Hammonds: it was packaged and then, you know, sent out to 452 00:24:28,078 --> 00:24:31,498 the organizations, you know, for, you know, for their training. 453 00:24:31,648 --> 00:24:32,728 And, so 454 00:24:32,908 --> 00:24:35,618 Dr. William T. Choctaw: how did all of that get to AT& T? 455 00:24:36,148 --> 00:24:40,308 Because you had said that you've been, you've been 25 years at AT& T. 456 00:24:40,338 --> 00:24:40,588 Jesse L Hammonds: That's. 457 00:24:41,153 --> 00:24:41,673 Yeah. 458 00:24:41,823 --> 00:24:46,563 And and that also that's a glimpse into the origins of the 459 00:24:46,563 --> 00:24:47,893 production skills, by the way. 460 00:24:49,273 --> 00:24:54,233 So after, you know, being honorably discharged from the from the air 461 00:24:54,233 --> 00:25:01,993 force I had some time on my hands and so I had did some well not did 462 00:25:01,993 --> 00:25:09,533 some, I did a lot of studio work as a on air personality and DJ at a radio 463 00:25:09,533 --> 00:25:12,533 station while stationed in Texas. 464 00:25:13,868 --> 00:25:20,208 K A Z I and in fact, we were instrumental in changing the sound of 465 00:25:20,208 --> 00:25:26,908 that, of the Of the city of the top 40 radio stations at the shift, because 466 00:25:27,348 --> 00:25:28,858 Dr. William T. Choctaw: we were, we were 467 00:25:28,958 --> 00:25:32,608 Jesse L Hammonds: we were moving the crowd as they say, and I had a, you 468 00:25:32,608 --> 00:25:37,748 know, a show from, you know, started at like three to 6am in the morning. 469 00:25:37,758 --> 00:25:40,208 And then I got to prime time, 12 to three. 470 00:25:40,328 --> 00:25:42,678 And so at any rate, 471 00:25:43,038 --> 00:25:44,608 Dr. William T. Choctaw: I did that without really 472 00:25:44,618 --> 00:25:45,248 Jesse L Hammonds: any. 473 00:25:45,683 --> 00:25:48,113 Training not, not formal training. 474 00:25:48,613 --> 00:25:48,713 Huh. 475 00:25:48,723 --> 00:25:53,343 And so, after I got out of the Air Force, I said, you know, I I want 476 00:25:53,343 --> 00:25:55,073 to try going to broadcasting school. 477 00:25:56,073 --> 00:25:58,903 You know, kind of the, and so that's what I did. 478 00:25:59,023 --> 00:25:59,823 And, 479 00:25:59,823 --> 00:26:00,243 Dr. William T. Choctaw: It was a school. 480 00:26:00,243 --> 00:26:00,633 You went to 481 00:26:00,633 --> 00:26:01,723 Jesse L Hammonds: broadcasting school? 482 00:26:02,033 --> 00:26:02,463 Yes. 483 00:26:02,983 --> 00:26:03,223 Okay. 484 00:26:03,473 --> 00:26:04,433 On Huntington Beach. 485 00:26:04,583 --> 00:26:09,843 And after well, after I graduated, that, you know, that's another story there. 486 00:26:09,843 --> 00:26:10,143 But. 487 00:26:10,623 --> 00:26:16,193 While in fact, after I graduated They hired me on as a guidance counselor, 488 00:26:16,563 --> 00:26:23,713 and so so I stayed at the school, and counseled students, and there was this 489 00:26:23,723 --> 00:26:29,093 one gentleman that seemed to always have, was challenged with getting to 490 00:26:29,103 --> 00:26:33,943 class on time and he came to class at night, and so, you know, I brought 491 00:26:33,943 --> 00:26:38,138 him into the office and asked him, you know, so you know, How are you doing? 492 00:26:38,138 --> 00:26:42,058 And, you know, how's everything in your, your, your life and family? 493 00:26:42,058 --> 00:26:45,268 Is there any other blah, blah, blah, and and I've noticed that, you know, 494 00:26:45,498 --> 00:26:49,328 you're always walking in the, you know, the door a little bit late there, 495 00:26:49,358 --> 00:26:50,948 you know, what's going on with you? 496 00:26:51,038 --> 00:26:54,852 He says, well it's kind of hard for me to get off from my feet. 497 00:26:55,333 --> 00:26:56,733 you know, from my job. 498 00:26:56,743 --> 00:26:58,053 I said, Oh, okay. 499 00:26:58,523 --> 00:26:59,883 What type of job it is. 500 00:26:59,883 --> 00:27:01,393 And he explained what it was. 501 00:27:01,783 --> 00:27:03,403 And I said, well, where do you work? 502 00:27:03,483 --> 00:27:05,623 He said, well I work for Pacific Bell. 503 00:27:05,773 --> 00:27:08,153 And I said, Oh, Pacific Bell. 504 00:27:08,193 --> 00:27:09,133 I said, all right. 505 00:27:09,283 --> 00:27:09,693 All right. 506 00:27:09,693 --> 00:27:13,883 Well, and so I gave him some, you know, some options and, you 507 00:27:13,883 --> 00:27:16,463 know, to try to help him, him out. 508 00:27:16,963 --> 00:27:21,333 And, you know, I let the instructors know, you know, what was going on and, you know, 509 00:27:21,343 --> 00:27:26,123 everything, you know, was fine after that, but they kind of stuck in my head that, 510 00:27:26,263 --> 00:27:29,943 okay, you know, this job is rewarding. 511 00:27:30,438 --> 00:27:36,748 You know, but it's not necessarily making the ends meet it stuck in my head that he 512 00:27:36,748 --> 00:27:41,738 worked for, you know, a very large company with a chain of command, a little bit 513 00:27:41,738 --> 00:27:43,838 of a bureaucracy and that sort of thing. 514 00:27:43,838 --> 00:27:45,838 I said, that's similar to the military. 515 00:27:46,678 --> 00:27:52,408 And, and I knew that I had had some skills, education and. 516 00:27:52,898 --> 00:27:58,798 And a desire to do more than what I was doing, which was rewarding. 517 00:27:59,048 --> 00:28:02,213 But again, I felt like I could do more. 518 00:28:02,373 --> 00:28:07,763 And so I looked them up, seen where their employment office was. 519 00:28:07,883 --> 00:28:10,633 And before they opened up, I 520 00:28:10,633 --> 00:28:11,613 Dr. William T. Choctaw: was already 521 00:28:11,613 --> 00:28:12,153 Jesse L Hammonds: at the door. 522 00:28:14,103 --> 00:28:17,223 I'm that guy, you know I'm usually 523 00:28:17,373 --> 00:28:17,833 Dr. William T. Choctaw: early 524 00:28:18,473 --> 00:28:18,903 Jesse L Hammonds: to play. 525 00:28:19,263 --> 00:28:21,813 That's when I'm most comfortable and feeling most confident. 526 00:28:22,023 --> 00:28:25,663 And so they hired me on As an operator. 527 00:28:25,963 --> 00:28:31,263 Now, I, I, I think that they had some sort of veterans program as well. 528 00:28:31,323 --> 00:28:31,703 Okay. 529 00:28:31,933 --> 00:28:36,643 I'm, and I may have benefited from that, but I, I, I, I'm not certain. 530 00:28:37,093 --> 00:28:38,983 Dr. William T. Choctaw: But did you feel that your time in the 531 00:28:38,983 --> 00:28:42,613 military helped you educationally in terms of opening doors to? 532 00:28:43,143 --> 00:28:43,743 Oh, most 533 00:28:43,803 --> 00:28:46,763 Jesse L Hammonds: career opportunities and that's most definitely most 534 00:28:46,763 --> 00:28:50,033 definitely however, you get it. 535 00:28:50,123 --> 00:28:52,853 Preparation is, is proper. 536 00:28:53,103 --> 00:28:59,563 You know, you have to get some sort of preparation formally, formally. 537 00:28:59,563 --> 00:29:06,203 And in fact as it relates to, you know, TQM, everything is, is 538 00:29:06,233 --> 00:29:09,193 continuous, you know, you know, as far as learning and everything 539 00:29:09,203 --> 00:29:10,823 goes, you don't ever stop learning. 540 00:29:10,823 --> 00:29:11,753 At least I don't. 541 00:29:13,353 --> 00:29:18,003 But just to wrap up that the transition from the military to. 542 00:29:18,728 --> 00:29:24,628 thEn Pacific Bell was, was as a result of that student and he, you know, he 543 00:29:24,628 --> 00:29:31,398 preached my, my, my entrance, my interest and and even at that time, Pacific 544 00:29:31,398 --> 00:29:36,248 Bell was known as a technology type of company, although the quote unquote phone 545 00:29:36,248 --> 00:29:44,188 company and I knew that or felt that, You get in there, something that, excuse 546 00:29:44,188 --> 00:29:47,618 me, many people, including Reverend Collins and others have said, you just 547 00:29:47,668 --> 00:29:48,908 Dr. William T. Choctaw: get your foot in the door. 548 00:29:49,448 --> 00:29:52,578 And then you know, you can make a difference. 549 00:29:52,958 --> 00:29:53,528 I always 550 00:29:53,528 --> 00:29:55,398 Jesse L Hammonds: felt that I can do things. 551 00:29:55,873 --> 00:29:59,103 Even before I knew how to do things, I would just, 552 00:29:59,133 --> 00:30:00,093 Dr. William T. Choctaw: I would just do it. 553 00:30:00,103 --> 00:30:01,373 I would just, like I said, 554 00:30:01,583 --> 00:30:05,053 Jesse L Hammonds: start with that question of what if this or 555 00:30:05,053 --> 00:30:07,473 that was this way or that way? 556 00:30:07,593 --> 00:30:11,613 And then I took the initiative to try to, you know, make that 557 00:30:11,643 --> 00:30:12,613 Dr. William T. Choctaw: a reality. 558 00:30:12,743 --> 00:30:14,093 And you're willing to take a risk. 559 00:30:14,613 --> 00:30:15,213 Jesse L Hammonds: Yes. 560 00:30:15,213 --> 00:30:15,563 Yeah. 561 00:30:15,563 --> 00:30:15,912 Yeah. 562 00:30:15,913 --> 00:30:23,223 I mean, you know, sometimes calculated many times, just a stepping out on 563 00:30:23,223 --> 00:30:24,923 faith, not necessarily leap of faith. 564 00:30:26,213 --> 00:30:31,873 Because that's perhaps foolhardy but actually, you know, being prepared 565 00:30:31,883 --> 00:30:35,583 in some way in other ways, just having, you know you know, pure 566 00:30:35,583 --> 00:30:38,033 desire, you know, to do something. 567 00:30:38,383 --> 00:30:40,163 Dr. William T. Choctaw: Well, oftentimes that's the quality 568 00:30:40,163 --> 00:30:42,302 of leadership that you have to. 569 00:30:42,693 --> 00:30:46,283 That everybody wants to do it, and many may want to do it, but many 570 00:30:46,283 --> 00:30:48,123 times only the leaders will try. 571 00:30:48,573 --> 00:30:51,703 Because there's always the risk of failure, there's always the risk of 572 00:30:52,183 --> 00:30:56,663 looking bad or whatever, whatever that fear is that one may individually have. 573 00:30:57,133 --> 00:31:00,983 But it sounds like that throughout your life you've taken a lot of those 574 00:31:00,983 --> 00:31:03,353 risks, or at least asked the question. 575 00:31:03,943 --> 00:31:05,043 I have, I have. 576 00:31:05,043 --> 00:31:06,353 What if this and what if that 577 00:31:06,563 --> 00:31:07,183 Jesse L Hammonds: type thing. 578 00:31:07,473 --> 00:31:11,323 And then on the flip side of that, I believe that. 579 00:31:11,768 --> 00:31:16,508 Other people ask that same question and then they have this part two of that 580 00:31:16,508 --> 00:31:18,618 question, who could we get to do that? 581 00:31:19,868 --> 00:31:25,768 And depending on how you've positioned yourself either intentionally or 582 00:31:25,768 --> 00:31:29,388 unintentionally in the circles that you run in or people that you 583 00:31:29,388 --> 00:31:35,188 associate with you know, you become known your, your, your, your product 584 00:31:35,568 --> 00:31:37,658 character and all of that precedes you. 585 00:31:38,043 --> 00:31:38,433 Right. 586 00:31:38,693 --> 00:31:43,343 When something comes up available, you know, you're one of the first people 587 00:31:43,343 --> 00:31:47,633 that they think of, at least in my mind, I'm thinking that's how it goes. 588 00:31:47,773 --> 00:31:48,703 Dr. William T. Choctaw: No, that makes sense. 589 00:31:48,703 --> 00:31:50,073 That's called networking. 590 00:31:50,173 --> 00:31:50,463 Jesse L Hammonds: Yeah. 591 00:31:50,853 --> 00:31:56,422 Because when I, when when AT& T eventually purchased, well, 592 00:31:56,422 --> 00:31:58,742 we went through SBC and then, 593 00:31:58,812 --> 00:31:59,092 Dr. William T. Choctaw: you know. 594 00:31:59,102 --> 00:32:03,902 Yeah, when they broke up the, the big telecommunications systems. 595 00:32:04,102 --> 00:32:06,122 Jesse L Hammonds: And started bringing the bills back together 596 00:32:06,122 --> 00:32:07,432 again, under AT& T again. 597 00:32:08,552 --> 00:32:08,882 Right. 598 00:32:08,883 --> 00:32:10,578 And and I was. 599 00:32:10,968 --> 00:32:12,718 Promoted into management there. 600 00:32:12,858 --> 00:32:18,648 I managed, you know, in a number of different capacities and looking back 601 00:32:18,648 --> 00:32:23,608 on some of that, you know, I know I had, you know, you know, some education and 602 00:32:23,608 --> 00:32:27,698 some qualifications and that sort of thing there, but some of the positions 603 00:32:27,698 --> 00:32:32,618 I'm like, I don't know how it, how it got in there, you know, but I had a 604 00:32:32,618 --> 00:32:37,068 number of mentors as well that that saw some things in me, apparently. 605 00:32:37,483 --> 00:32:40,293 Because they were the ones that were tapping me on the shoulder 606 00:32:40,293 --> 00:32:44,863 saying, Hey, I think you would be good in this position here. 607 00:32:45,363 --> 00:32:47,373 And and I'm like, okay. 608 00:32:48,173 --> 00:32:50,913 Dr. William T. Choctaw: And that's another requisite that you need 609 00:32:51,063 --> 00:32:52,713 regardless of who you are or what area. 610 00:32:52,923 --> 00:32:53,613 You need help. 611 00:32:53,813 --> 00:32:54,893 We all need help. 612 00:32:54,893 --> 00:33:00,263 I clearly had a lot of people who helped me that I didn't know why or whatever. 613 00:33:00,493 --> 00:33:03,963 And I think it's good to recognize that, that, that. 614 00:33:04,488 --> 00:33:08,438 However good you are or good you think you are, whatever you, we all need help. 615 00:33:09,053 --> 00:33:09,333 Jesse L Hammonds: Yes. 616 00:33:10,243 --> 00:33:10,623 And that 617 00:33:10,633 --> 00:33:13,933 Dr. William T. Choctaw: that's what gets us to that next level or they write that 618 00:33:13,933 --> 00:33:18,873 good letter or they give that good word of recommendation, et cetera, et cetera, that 619 00:33:18,873 --> 00:33:21,383 that we're connected in multiple ways. 620 00:33:21,603 --> 00:33:25,573 Well, what would you say would be the, the top two or three things that 621 00:33:25,583 --> 00:33:30,283 you've learned, you know, today going through all of that through the, you 622 00:33:30,283 --> 00:33:35,173 know, your upbringing at home and you know, high school, the things 623 00:33:35,173 --> 00:33:36,983 that you did through the military. 624 00:33:37,308 --> 00:33:39,738 What, what, what, what are the top two or three things that 625 00:33:39,758 --> 00:33:44,518 stick out that that, that you've learned that sort of guides you now 626 00:33:44,728 --> 00:33:45,148 Jesse L Hammonds: to date? 627 00:33:45,468 --> 00:33:51,188 Top two or three things would be just to, you know, never, never, never 628 00:33:51,188 --> 00:33:53,508 give up, you know, to stay safe. 629 00:33:54,528 --> 00:33:55,628 Stay, stay focused. 630 00:33:55,628 --> 00:33:58,628 You know that you have God on your side. 631 00:33:58,648 --> 00:34:00,418 I was all, I was raised that 632 00:34:00,428 --> 00:34:00,768 Dr. William T. Choctaw: way. 633 00:34:01,048 --> 00:34:02,388 You know that 634 00:34:02,778 --> 00:34:06,748 Jesse L Hammonds: when things get tough, you just start praying, you know, you 635 00:34:07,608 --> 00:34:13,208 continue praying, you know, you, you try to always as the saying goes, if you 636 00:34:13,208 --> 00:34:14,858 stay ready, you don't have to get ready. 637 00:34:15,338 --> 00:34:16,058 If you stay 638 00:34:16,098 --> 00:34:19,238 Dr. William T. Choctaw: prayed up, then you're always in that frame of mind. 639 00:34:19,238 --> 00:34:20,833 Right. 640 00:34:21,133 --> 00:34:23,893 Jesse L Hammonds: With, you know, the, the teaching of the Bible to 641 00:34:24,373 --> 00:34:27,043 Dr. William T. Choctaw: always be in, in a prayerful, you know, 642 00:34:27,193 --> 00:34:28,693 always have the prayerful attitude. 643 00:34:28,708 --> 00:34:28,998 Okay. 644 00:34:28,998 --> 00:34:30,158 Pray without cing. 645 00:34:30,728 --> 00:34:31,018 Okay. 646 00:34:32,153 --> 00:34:33,803 Jesse L Hammonds: It's also translated to be. 647 00:34:34,423 --> 00:34:39,403 And so that as well as , another scripture and I've had it 648 00:34:39,403 --> 00:34:41,833 throughout my whole life Roman 28. 649 00:34:42,163 --> 00:34:47,483 And that is that all things work together, you know, for good, for those 650 00:34:47,483 --> 00:34:47,668 Dr. William T. Choctaw: who love. 651 00:34:48,478 --> 00:34:48,888 God. 652 00:34:49,418 --> 00:34:49,848 Jesse L Hammonds: Okay. 653 00:34:50,068 --> 00:34:56,898 According to, according to your calling, you know, due to, to his 654 00:34:56,898 --> 00:34:58,688 purpose, which becomes your purpose. 655 00:34:59,088 --> 00:34:59,998 And, 656 00:35:00,458 --> 00:35:00,838 Dr. William T. Choctaw: and I've 657 00:35:00,848 --> 00:35:01,608 Jesse L Hammonds: always been 658 00:35:01,618 --> 00:35:03,808 Dr. William T. Choctaw: about helping others. 659 00:35:04,418 --> 00:35:07,548 I've always used that phrase. 660 00:35:07,708 --> 00:35:10,048 Jesse L Hammonds: I can help you with that, or I can 661 00:35:10,048 --> 00:35:10,878 Dr. William T. Choctaw: help with that. 662 00:35:11,108 --> 00:35:13,758 Because it's always been 663 00:35:13,778 --> 00:35:14,048 Jesse L Hammonds: in 664 00:35:14,048 --> 00:35:16,318 Dr. William T. Choctaw: me and I believe 665 00:35:16,328 --> 00:35:20,058 Jesse L Hammonds: that is a result of, you know, the leadership of 666 00:35:20,078 --> 00:35:25,608 my, my mother and my father, you know, you know, they always, you 667 00:35:25,608 --> 00:35:28,268 know, helped others and others. 668 00:35:28,338 --> 00:35:33,748 And a lot of people came to them, you know, I, that's what I saw a whole lot 669 00:35:33,748 --> 00:35:37,488 to my, my guy, my father was a wise guy. 670 00:35:38,013 --> 00:35:41,793 You know and people would always come to him and he only 671 00:35:41,793 --> 00:35:43,313 had a seventh grade education. 672 00:35:44,318 --> 00:35:46,728 Dr. William T. Choctaw: But he knew that Bible backwards 673 00:35:46,728 --> 00:35:47,568 Jesse L Hammonds: and forwards. 674 00:35:47,568 --> 00:35:52,188 He was the director, what we call a training for service, which 675 00:35:52,408 --> 00:35:56,128 also called BTU back in the day. 676 00:35:56,178 --> 00:35:58,248 And my mother, she was on the usher board. 677 00:35:58,468 --> 00:36:02,368 But my dad, he was, he was renowned and, and, and revered, 678 00:36:02,528 --> 00:36:04,028 Dr. William T. Choctaw: you know everywhere. 679 00:36:04,198 --> 00:36:07,628 Jesse L Hammonds: And it used to tickle him as to. 680 00:36:08,163 --> 00:36:12,453 the heights that he's he was able to attain and he you know 681 00:36:12,553 --> 00:36:14,193 he gives it all to the Lord. 682 00:36:14,223 --> 00:36:16,333 And I, and that was my example. 683 00:36:16,873 --> 00:36:21,873 And I've used that, you know, throughout my life it has, it has helped me cause 684 00:36:21,873 --> 00:36:27,663 I've, you know, I've been through some, some valleys and and, and I feel 685 00:36:27,663 --> 00:36:29,693 sorry for those that don't have hope. 686 00:36:29,743 --> 00:36:29,993 I, 687 00:36:30,033 --> 00:36:33,553 Dr. William T. Choctaw: I always have hope and it's based 688 00:36:33,563 --> 00:36:37,173 in, you know, scripture and, 689 00:36:37,213 --> 00:36:40,053 Jesse L Hammonds: and it has proven to be real for me. 690 00:36:41,073 --> 00:36:42,683 Dr. William T. Choctaw: Had to test it 691 00:36:42,733 --> 00:36:43,993 Jesse L Hammonds: in a number of cases 692 00:36:44,123 --> 00:36:44,363 Dr. William T. Choctaw: there. 693 00:36:44,823 --> 00:36:47,053 And it's like, Lord, 694 00:36:47,053 --> 00:36:48,903 Jesse L Hammonds: if you're not for real, I'm not 695 00:36:48,903 --> 00:36:49,333 Dr. William T. Choctaw: here. 696 00:36:51,203 --> 00:36:54,853 Well, there's no question that I think your hope and your faith. 697 00:36:55,323 --> 00:37:00,003 Which was established for you by your parents very, very early and certainly 698 00:37:00,013 --> 00:37:07,253 have sustained you throughout your life in terms of being selected to be leaders or a 699 00:37:07,263 --> 00:37:12,623 leadership roles very, very young, whether in church or other types of place all the 700 00:37:12,623 --> 00:37:15,039 way through the Air Force through AT& T. 701 00:37:15,039 --> 00:37:20,723 And I, I can honestly say that would be no Healthy, Wealthy and Wise podcast. 702 00:37:21,153 --> 00:37:26,243 But, but for your involvement, because you had the idea and it's those ideas 703 00:37:26,243 --> 00:37:29,033 that basically take us to the next level. 704 00:37:29,833 --> 00:37:31,953 I, I know that you are a very, very busy person. 705 00:37:32,003 --> 00:37:33,863 I want to be respectful of your time. 706 00:37:34,103 --> 00:37:39,183 Are there any parting thoughts that you would like to leave with us before we 707 00:37:39,183 --> 00:37:39,813 Jesse L Hammonds: let you go? 708 00:37:40,013 --> 00:37:41,523 Stay tuned for part two. 709 00:37:41,678 --> 00:37:44,882 Dr. William T. Choctaw: I'm 710 00:37:44,882 --> 00:37:48,085 Jesse L Hammonds: looking, 711 00:37:48,085 --> 00:37:51,288 Dr. William T. Choctaw: I'm 712 00:37:51,288 --> 00:37:53,828 Jesse L Hammonds: looking down because I had jotted down a few 713 00:37:53,828 --> 00:37:59,258 things there and cause as you might imagine over a 25 year period career 714 00:37:59,258 --> 00:38:01,338 at AT& T and lots of stuff happened. 715 00:38:01,498 --> 00:38:01,788 No, 716 00:38:01,798 --> 00:38:02,878 Dr. William T. Choctaw: no, no, that's fine. 717 00:38:03,098 --> 00:38:03,278 I 718 00:38:03,318 --> 00:38:06,538 Jesse L Hammonds: office, and this is along the lines of leadership as well. 719 00:38:06,568 --> 00:38:13,098 I, I was leading a, a group of what they called RAs or, or which were 720 00:38:13,098 --> 00:38:20,268 basically people that received orders and they redid the order in the system. 721 00:38:20,618 --> 00:38:22,778 They systems work, 722 00:38:24,238 --> 00:38:25,428 Dr. William T. Choctaw: but the, the recent 723 00:38:25,438 --> 00:38:28,108 Jesse L Hammonds: chain management or maintenance area. 724 00:38:28,888 --> 00:38:33,298 At any rate we received a call, it was urgent, President Reagan 725 00:38:33,298 --> 00:38:38,258 had died, and so they had to put together teams, you know, to get 726 00:38:38,418 --> 00:38:39,968 Dr. William T. Choctaw: things ready up there 727 00:38:40,108 --> 00:38:41,608 Jesse L Hammonds: Where where's the library at? 728 00:38:41,918 --> 00:38:45,728 I forget, wherever the library was, or eventually was. 729 00:38:46,253 --> 00:38:46,673 Okay. 730 00:38:46,923 --> 00:38:47,493 So we, 731 00:38:47,913 --> 00:38:48,303 Dr. William T. Choctaw: there was a 732 00:38:48,303 --> 00:38:52,563 Jesse L Hammonds: lot of orders in, and the orders were just packets 733 00:38:52,563 --> 00:38:56,823 of, of information that, that you had to build phone lines, you had to 734 00:38:56,828 --> 00:39:02,203 build conduits and all that, all, all electronically to send out to the field 735 00:39:02,203 --> 00:39:06,793 for the, the men and women to go out and, and do the construction part of it 736 00:39:06,793 --> 00:39:08,473 Dr. William T. Choctaw: to set up for this funeral. 737 00:39:08,743 --> 00:39:10,713 And we had to done stack. 738 00:39:11,133 --> 00:39:13,983 Well, I think that that's a, that's an excellent cliff anger. 739 00:39:14,983 --> 00:39:15,653 To, to leave 740 00:39:15,653 --> 00:39:16,130 Jesse L Hammonds: it. 741 00:39:16,130 --> 00:39:18,703 Like I said, it can go 742 00:39:18,703 --> 00:39:20,370 Dr. William T. Choctaw: wherever. 743 00:39:20,370 --> 00:39:29,133 What happened with within and outside of AT& T when the President 744 00:39:29,223 --> 00:39:30,953 of the United States died? 745 00:39:31,333 --> 00:39:31,613 Yes. 746 00:39:31,823 --> 00:39:33,423 And what, what was involved? 747 00:39:33,683 --> 00:39:34,843 And, and clearly. 748 00:39:35,313 --> 00:39:37,453 I'm sure you would have some insights that most of us would 749 00:39:37,453 --> 00:39:39,033 never know or would never have. 750 00:39:39,323 --> 00:39:42,563 But we want to thank you for your, your very precious time and 751 00:39:42,563 --> 00:39:45,103 thank you for being with us today. 752 00:39:45,563 --> 00:39:51,693 And we will be in touch and to, to develop part two. 753 00:39:52,123 --> 00:39:52,393 Yes. 754 00:39:52,393 --> 00:39:53,913 Of our interview with Jesse L. 755 00:39:53,913 --> 00:39:54,353 Hammonds. 756 00:39:54,983 --> 00:39:57,393 For those of you who are watching please remember. 757 00:39:57,783 --> 00:40:03,393 That this is one of our many podcasts that we do approximately one podcast per week. 758 00:40:03,833 --> 00:40:08,143 And we ask that you continue to follow us and become patrons. 759 00:40:08,493 --> 00:40:12,923 And we'll, as we always like to say, be the change. 760 00:40:13,398 --> 00:40:15,188 that you want to see in the world. 761 00:40:15,418 --> 00:40:16,888 Thank you very, very much. 762 00:40:17,428 --> 00:40:17,998 Have a great 763 00:40:17,998 --> 00:40:18,148 Jesse L Hammonds: evening. 764 00:40:18,848 --> 00:40:21,518 Thank you for listening to this episode of the Healthy, Wealthy, 765 00:40:21,518 --> 00:40:23,588 and Wise podcast with Dr. 766 00:40:23,588 --> 00:40:24,068 William T. 767 00:40:24,068 --> 00:40:26,808 Choctaw, MD, JD. 768 00:40:26,808 --> 00:40:30,338 Be sure to check out other great episodes covering areas of health, 769 00:40:30,598 --> 00:40:34,878 wealth, and wisdom at thwwp. 770 00:40:34,898 --> 00:40:35,358 com. 771 00:40:35,678 --> 00:40:39,288 And while you're there, be sure to check out the books, blogs, and other 772 00:40:39,288 --> 00:40:41,438 literature in your preferred format. 773 00:40:41,838 --> 00:40:43,168 And don't forget to leave a review. 774 00:40:43,658 --> 00:40:47,048 Subscribe, share and support the podcast. 775 00:40:47,288 --> 00:40:48,128 Dr. William T. Choctaw: That's at t 776 00:40:49,383 --> 00:40:50,828 Jesse L Hammonds: wwp.com. 777 00:40:51,098 --> 00:40:54,998 You've been listening to the Healthy, wealthy and Wise Podcast with Dr. 778 00:40:54,998 --> 00:40:56,108 William t Choctaw. 779 00:40:56,528 --> 00:40:57,818 MDJD.