Steve Hanson: Helping vets, community

Steve Hanson was elected Commander of American Legion Post 143 this past January. A veteran of three tours in Iraq, he is currently a supply sergeant in the National Guard. Born in Oregon, he was raised in Montana, North Dakota and Idaho. He currently heads up the largest American Legion post in the state.

This interview was done at Steven H. Nipp Post 143 in Post Falls.

Why did you return to Iraq for a third tour?

On my first tour, I was an ordnance specialist - ran ammunition from the rear to the front lines and drove all over Iraq. On the second tour, I was a combat engineer - I knew how to blow things up - and we kicked down doors, took down targets and did whatever was asked of us, even if we didn't like it.

So, as a seasoned combat vet, you feel obligated then to bring the young guys home. Like it's his first time over there, he's scared out of his mind - just married, got a brand new baby - and you feel an obligation. I took care of it the best I could.

What about PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder)?

I've got PTSD. It's gotten better over the years, though certain things set me off. PTSD for my generation is bad - there are so many soldiers committing suicide. There's so much concentration on the wounds we can see. The attitude is: "Suck it up and drive on."

The way I saw it, I didn't have problem, the rest of the world had a problem.

Certain things will set you off - smells will set you off. I was driving in Williston, North Dakota, one day and the traffic was so bad out there it started reminding me of Kirkuk, Iraq. I felt like my head was on a swivel and I got real agitated. All the oil trucks I was seeing reminded me of the oil trucks out there.

Over the years I've gone to the VA and I've gone to counselors here and there. The best counseling is a buddy who's been over there with you - someone you can sit down and talk to. What's also good is talking to some of the old-time war vets around here.

What was it about that war that produced so much PTSD?

This is Corporate America. You dang near had to be shot before you shot back. America is too worried about appeasing other countries, so we'll let you shoot at our troops, but we won't shoot you back. Because of that mentality, I've lost several good friends.

What do you, as a soldier, think about the presence of contractors in Iraq?

Way back in the day, the Army used to be able to sustain itself. Today we hire contractors to do everything. The last time I was in Iraq, I had to ask a contractor when I wanted to move, say, a shipping container. I wasn't allowed to do it myself. My attitude about contractors is, "Don't be telling me what to do until you take your own ass out there and put it on the line."

You know, it's not like I pictured it would be growing up in the wheat fields of North Dakota and listening to my grandfather's stories from Korea.

After three tours of Iraq, how do you feel about the war?

The war in Iraq was over when they got Saddam - or it should have been over. Every war we've been in we've rebuilt their country. We gave them tanks, Humvees and all kinds of stuff. What did they give us in return?

What are we doing there? We're wasting our money. I could think of 900 better things to do with our money than sitting in a foreign country doing not a danged thing.

We stood up for ourselves, so why can't the rest of the world stand up for themselves and become a great nation the way America did?

What made you join the American Legion?

My grandfather's been in - his card says 47 years. He's done it 47 years and got me the rights I have today, so I figure I should give them back in turn.

You know, when I joined the service, my grandfather signed me up for the American Legion - my card has 13 years on it.

The first American Legion post was formed in France in 1919. The concept was Americans coming together for one united front to help other Americans.

Things like the post-9-11 GI Bill, the government didn't give us that. It's the American Legion that fought for those bills - for the college benefits and the housing benefits.

The American Legion is one of the veterans' organizations that actually has a voice in Congress.

Why did you run for Post 143 Commander this year?

This place was in turmoil and they needed someone who knew how the Legion worked. I wanted to help the community more than I was doing in the National Guard.

You know, I joined the service and fought for my country and then I joined the National Guard, who told me it was about the community. We got sent to war over in Iraq and then we're helping the nation.

We come back from Iraq, try to do stuff for the community through the National Guard and everything's got to be PC - jump through some hoops just to be able to walk through the streets in your uniform.

On Jan. 5, I became Commander here. We've got 630 members from Coeur d'Alene, Post Falls, Hayden, Sandpoint and Spokane Valley.

So what are you doing for the vets these days?

We've recently done Stand Down, which helps homeless vets and local vets with things like clothing and food. And right now we're working with Mayor Larkin on pushing to get an 88-bed VA home in the area. The money's there, they've just got to do the research and everything else. We've helped to move the process along - we did a big petition drive and got signatures.

Our motto is "Veterans helping veterans helping the community."

With new vets, we explain the benefits they have - there are vets out there who don't realize they have benefits. We also have a service officer who'll visit the vet at their house and find out if there's something they need to get taken care of.

A lot of fraternal organizations today are dealing with an aging membership and a decline in new recruits. Is the American Legion any different?

"We're in the same boat. For us, we've got the World War II and Korea vets - the Vietnam guys are a little harder to get, after the way they were treated. Right now we're recruiting the Desert Storm, Operation Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom vets. We've already gotten some of the younger National Guard guys.

If we don't join this organization - this organization that fought for the rights we have today - it's going to go away.

Who's going to fight for our rights, then?

What is there for vets to do at the American Legion?

In the summer we've got horseshoe tournaments. In the fall we'll have pool leagues and a darts league. Members can always come and just hang out and go to the lounge - we're serving burgers and fries every day of the week. Basically we've got a list of events going on that are listed on our website. Our facilities are open seven days a week.

Sunday breakfast is always open to the public and our Saturday dinners will be cranking up again next month. We also rent out the facility for things like weddings.

How has being Commander changed you?

I've become more humble doing this job. You've got to listen to everybody's problems whether you have an opinion or not and then you have to make the best choice. I've been able to bring people together that, in the past, would have always argued and to make them see a different point of view.

What are your thoughts about the way America is headed today?

I think that after Korea, patriotism died here. Why do people join the military nowadays? To get health care and college money.

Do they love their country? Are they willing to die for it? I was.

They think that after they've served, they've done their part. I say to them, "How about your community, not just your nation?"

For information on Post 143: www.postfallspost143.org