San Diego Veterans Magazine (Pre Issue)

VETERANS Resources • Support • Community Transition • Inspiration

SAN DIEGO

Vol. 1 Number 1 • Premier Issue (Nov. 2018) www.SDVetsMagazine.com

PREMIER Veterans Day Issue

San Diego Honor Flight

“It was the best weekend of my life”

Veterans Day: A small gesture can have a big impact

Layers of the Warrior Artist Meet San Diego’s “Chato” Hinojosa

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MAGAZINE

And the winner is...

California Veterans Treatment Court

San Diego Veteran of the Year San Diego Veterans Museum

LAUNCH DATE

Transitioning To Civilian Life

Nov. 9th

Connecting for Success

San Diego Veterans Magazine / November 2018 1

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San Diego Veterans Magazine / November 2018

VETERANS

SAN DIEGO

WEBSITE

RESOURCES - SUPPORT COMMUNITY - TRANSITION EDITORIAL & MORE

VISIT

SDVetsMagazine.com RESOURCES: Veteran & Military Organizations - Programs SUPPORT: Healthcare - Fighting PTSD - Community EDITORIAL: Issues & Topics - Veterans & Military Families SD COMMUNITY: Breaking News - Events TRANSITIONING: Civilian Life - Careers/Education ONLINE MAGAZINE - Current & Past Issues Available

San Diego Veterans Magazine / November 2018 3

EDITOR’S

LETTER

Greetings and a warm welcome to San Diego Veterans Magazine!

Please take some time to get to know the layout of our magazine.

The Magazine focuses on resources, support, community, and inspiration for our veterans and the military families that keep it together.

Our magazine is driven by passion, vision, reflection and the future.

The content is the driving force behind our magazine and the connection it makes with our veterans, service members, military families, and civilians.

The magazine is supported by a distinguishing list of San Diego veteran organizations, resource centers, coalitions, veteran advocates, and more.

We are honored to share the work of so many committed and thoughtful people.

When I tell people that we are launching a magazine for our San Diego community veterans, the response is “It’s about time”!

Contributing Writers CJ Machado Honor Flight Holly Shaffner Vicki Garcia - Enlisted SD Veteran Museum Amber Robinson RanDee McLain, LCSW Vets Community Connections VANC - Lori Boody Shelter to Soldier Eva M. Stimson Kelly Bagla. Esq. VCCSD - Joe Molina Lara Ryan Mark Alberts DAV - Dan Clare Operation Homefront Stephen Thomas WWP - Vesta Anderson Dan Schnock Public Relations CJ Machado Marketing/Sales Mike Miller San Diego Veterans Magazine is published monthly. Submissions of photographs, Illustrations, drawings, and manuscripts are considered unsolicited materials and the publisher assumes no responsibility for the said items. All rights reserved.

San Diego Veterans Magazine 9528 Miramar Road, Suite 41 San Diego, CA 92126

And I couldn’t agree more.

858.275-4281

We appreciate your support and are so happy to have you as a reader of San Diego Veterans Magazine Magazine.

Contact us at:

With warmest thanks,

www.SDVetsMagazine.com

Mike Miller, Publisher 4

Publisher Editor-In-Chief Mike Miller

San Diego Veterans Magazine / November 2018

publisher@SDVetsMagazine.com

INSIDE THIS ISSUE 8 Miramar National Cemetery 10 A Small Gesture Can Have a Big Impact 14 Warrior Artist - Meet “Chato” 20 San Diego Veterans Museum 22 VCC - Connecting for Success 24 Veterans Treatment Court 26 Shelter To Soldier 28 VOY - And the winner is...

32 SD Honor Flight - “The best weekend of my life” 36 Welcome to VANC 39 SDVC - Community Collaboration 40 Enlisted to Entrepreneur 42 The Economic Impact of Veterans 44 Veteran to Business Owner 45 Financial Readiness 47 Saved In America 50 San Diego Prep Acedemy

DIGITAL VERSION AVAILABLE WWW.SDVetsMagazine.com

San Diego Veterans Magazine / November 2018 5

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San Diego Veterans Magazine / November 2018

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San Diego Veterans Magazine / November 20182:577PM 10/25/18

Miramar National Cemetery Support Foundation VETERANS, ACTIVE DUTY MEMBERS, PUBLIC INVITED TO VETERANS’ DAY SERVICE AT MIRAMAR NATIONAL CEMETERY Service will commemorate 1918 WWI Armistice, sacrifices of POWs Veterans, active duty service members, and members of the public are invited to attend a commemorative service at 3:30 p.m., on Veterans’ Day, Sunday, November 11, at Miramar National Cemetery.

Retired Air Force Brig. Gen. Robert L. Cardenas of San Diego will be the guest speaker. The site of the service is adjacent to the Veterans Tribute Tower & Carillon on the north side of the cemetery.

This year’s service will commemorate the 100th anniversary of the signing of the Armistice that ended World War I at 11 a.m. on Nov. 11, 1918. Called “the War to End All Wars”, the conflict resulted in some 37 million civilian and military casualties. More than 7 million military personnel were held as Prisoners of War. The service also will focus on the sacrifices experienced by POWs in wartime. During World War II, Cardenas was leading an air raid on Germany when his bomber was shot down. He was interned in Switzerland, where he was held as a POW until he managed to escape to France.

The Miramar National Cemetery Support Foundation sponsors the Veterans’ Day service, which is coordinated by the cemetery Director and staff.

Catherine Fiorelli, Foundation President and CEO, will offer opening remarks. Cemetery Director Rex Kern will welcome guests to the national cemetery.

Chaplain (Lieut.) Latoya V. Zavala, command chaplain at Naval Base Point Loma, will offer the Invocation and Benediction at the service. The service will include patriotic music played by the Carillon, and will conclude with a rendition of “Taps”.

Miramar National Cemetery is located at 5795 Nobel Drive, San Diego, between Interstate 805 and Miramar Road west of the Marine Corps Air Station. Free public parking will be available on cemetery streets.

For information about the Miramar National Cemetery Support Foundation, go to www.miramarcemetery.org.

For information about Miramar National Cemetery and veterans’ benefits and services, go to www.cem.va.gov/cems/nchp /miramar.asp.

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San Diego Veterans Magazine / November 2018

Veterans, active duty service members, and members of the public are invited to attend a commemorative service at 3:30 p.m., on Veterans’ Day, Sunday, Nov. 11, at Miramar National Cemetery.

San Diego Veterans Magazine / November 2018 9

Veterans Day:

A Small Gesture Can Have a Big Impact

By Dan Schnock National Alumni Director, Wounded Warrior Project

I felt a tug on my jacket. It was 2006, I was in Washington, DC, and I was standing in line to order food at a restaurant when a young girl of about 10 tugged at my uniform to get my attention. She said, “Sir, I’d like to pay for your food.”

It was a bold step that I deeply appreciated. I gently thanked her and waved at her parents, accepting their kindness with a humble heart. I still think about them and send them blessings. It was such a kind thing, and it might look like a small gesture, but has had positive ripple effects for years.

That same gentle wave of kindness is what I wish for every Veterans Day. When people say, “thank you for your service,” I feel both humbled and proud. It’s great that people want to express thankfulness. I don’t think the average American has a chance to say thank you to our military service men and women very often.

The beautiful thing is that no matter what political climate we’re in, that thankfulness shows that the American people back every branch of the military including every soldier, sailor, Marine, airman and Coast Guard member who makes our way of life possible.

When you ask why they serve, most members of the military will say they don’t do it for the recognition. Most of us served out of a sense of duty (just doing my job) and selflessness (if not me, then who). But it’s important to recognize the sacrifices service members, and their families, make every day.

On Veterans Day in particular, service members want to feel honored and welcomed into our everyday lives.

Maybe all we do is fly the U.S. flag. A simple tribute.

That’s all it takes to make someone feel appreciated.

Let’s not wait until Memorial Day to remember the fallen heroes. Let’s celebrate the lives of those who are among us and go unnoticed.

The Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP) veterans you’ll read about here come from all walks of life. They have families, send their kids to school, work in our communities, and want to continue contributing – just like the rest of us, but with a perspective that makes them wise, unique, and appreciative of all the things others might take for granted.

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San Diego Veterans Magazine / November 2018

On Veterans Day in particular, service members want to feel honored and welcomed into our everyday lives.

Anthony Villarreal, U.S. Marine Corps

because they want to show thanks for my service and sacrifice. We’re all in this together. It makes me want to help my country even more.

How do you respond when your fellow Americans express gratitude for your military service?

I feel grateful that people want to recognize and help wounded veterans and active service members. It’s good to know people are watching out for those still serving our country. I joined the military because I wanted to give back. What amazes me is how many have given back to me – their time, emotions, and wisdom – all

What would you like people to know about you as a veteran?

I would like people to realize that veterans have goals and dreams like everyone else – some of those dreams can be outside of the military. After my injuries, I wanted to reenlist and keep serving. Later, I remembered I always had an interest in becoming a chef. I worked in the restaurant industry for two to three years before joining the military. The art of preparing dishes continues to intrigue me.

How do you observe Veterans Day? I cherish Veterans Day. It’s not just a day off anymore.

Now I know there are people who sacrifice. I am one of those people, and I was close to guys who didn’t make it back. To my young child, I’d try to explain there are people like Dad who joined the military because they want to make things better. On Veterans Day, we celebrate service members and let them know we’re thinking about them.

Continued on next page >

Anthony Villarreal, U.S. Marine Corps

San Diego Veterans Magazine / November 2018 11

Lisa Crutch, U.S. Army

I observe Veterans Day in respectful ways, and by flying the flag. My neighbors know I’m a veteran because I have a flag that says, “a veteran lives here.”

How do you respond when your fellow Americans express gratitude for your military service?

I feel like I was just doing my job in the Army, and sometimes I feel uncomfortable being thanked. I’ve wondered if they would thank me if they knew the things I had to do. I talk to a lot of groups representing Wounded Warrior Project, so I do have a chance to practice accepting recognition from people.

What would you like people to know about you as a veteran?

There are a few things I would want people to know. For instance, there are women veterans. I feel I constantly have to affirm that fact as a female veteran. Yes, I am a female veteran. Yes, I am a wounded veteran. Yes, I was the .50 cal gunner in the back of a gun truck in Iraq.

Women serve in the military just like men. We serve on the front lines and do the same jobs.

I also want people to know that not all wounds are visible, and just because I look OK, it doesn’t mean that I am.

How do you observe Veterans Day? I observe Veterans Day in respectful ways, and by flying the flag. My neighbors know I’m a veteran because I have a flag that says, “a veteran lives here.”

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San Diego Veterans Magazine / November 2018

I will attend a parade if I have a chance, but I don’t get in line for free food, and I’d rather avoid barbecues. I think many people confuse Memorial Day and Veterans Day and miss the chance to show appreciation for living veterans in appropriate ways.

Every day that I’m doing something for or with veterans is Veterans Day. I think it’s important to educate people on the difference between Memorial Day and Veterans Day. Memorial Day is for those who have passed away.

Veterans Day is for living veterans like myself.

The important thing about educating people is that when you know better, you do better. After my military service, I have a better understanding of many things including Veterans Day. What does Veterans Day mean to your loved ones? (from Donald Crutch, spouse) I am honored that I married a veteran who served our country. I think about what she went through, and I’m here for her. I like to say that I observe and listen like a sponge. I’m here for her to talk to and express how she feels. I know she’s been through a lot, and I like to help her get out, have fun, and stay positive.

What does having veteran parents mean to you? (from Jayden Matthews, son)

Michael Matthews, U.S. Army

It makes me very happy and proud to be their son. My dad doesn’t talk a lot about being in Iraq or getting injured, but he loves sharing stories about serving. My mom now works for Texas Veterans Commission and helps veterans find employment.

As you can see, veterans continue to answer the call to service long after they stop wearing a uniform. WWP is committed to helping wounded veterans keep their sense of purpose. When they’re ready to start their next mission, WWP stands ready to serve.

About Wounded Warrior Project Since 2003, Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP) has been meeting the growing needs of warriors, their families, and caregivers – helping them achieve their highest ambition. WWP is a national, nonpartisan organization accredited with the Better Business Bureau (BBB), top rated by Charity Navigator, and holding a GuideStar Platinum rating. To get involved and learn how WWP connects, serves, and empowers, visit http://newsroom. woundedwarriorproject.org/about-us.

How do you respond when your fellow Americans express gratitude for your military service?

I feel grateful to hear people say, “thank you.” I, myself, feel thankful that I had the opportunity to serve and make a difference. I make the most of exchanges with people who want to say “thank you,” and I share positive stories about my time in active duty service.

About the author Dan Schnock joined Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP) in 2011 and serves as national alumni director.

He oversees the operation of the Alumni team, which interacts daily with wounded service members, veterans, and their families. The team provides education on WWP programs and facilitates events and opportunities for wounded veterans to connect with each other and build camaraderie.

What would you like people to know about you as a veteran?

That even though I’m not currently on active duty, I’m still finding ways to serve my country and my fellow citizens. I’m still serving – I’m just not in uniform. I’m still dedicated to making my city, state, and country a better place. My wife shares that dedication, and she’s also a veteran.

How do you observe Veterans Day? I participate in activities with the Military Order of the Purple Heart in the Houston area, around Veterans Day, and also year-round. This might be parades, service projects, or feeding homeless veterans in collaboration with other veteran service organizations.

With 22 years of leadership experience in the U.S. Army, Dan brings a wealth of knowledge to the WWP team.

Dan started his career as an Army lieutenant. He held numerous positions including aide-de-camp, military instructor, and operations officer. He has had the honor of commanding and leading from all levels of the Army. He deployed numerous times and culminated his military career as the U.S. military exchange officer in Albury/Wodonga, Australia

I also get to visit schools and talk to students about veterans. I tell them, as I tell my children, that Veterans Day is a time to thank someone for their current service or for having served in the military in the past. It’s good to say “thank you” for taking time out of your life to serve your country. It’s about simply expressing gratitude to someone who has done something that only about 1 percent of our population does.

San Diego Veterans Magazine / November 2018 13

“Layers of the Warrior Artist”

By Holly Shaffner

In this issue of San Diego Veterans Magazine we wanted to introduce you to San Diego Artist Ruben “Chato” Hinojosa Jr. Transitioning from the military to civilian life has its challenges and we wanted to expand on Ruben’s talents and talk about his transition from the U.S. Navy and what advice he gives to other artists leaving active duty.

Being an artist is in Ruben’s DNA – his grandfather and father were both artists. In fact when Ruben was a child, his grandfather gave him his first set of paintbrushes. His grandfather, Neto, was his role model as he was growing up and the lessons he learned from his grandfather some 50 years ago still stick with him today. His grandfather taught him American Indian traditions and also how to be humble and help people.

Military Art

One of Ruben’s favorite quotes is, “Be

a peaceful warrior in the path of life but be a fierce warrior in the path of fight” and his grandfather was the inspiration for that. When Ruben

joined the Navy in 1988, his grandfather told him to “be a warrior” and that is exactly what he did.

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San Diego Veterans Magazine / November 2018

Ruben draws much of his creative inspiration from his heritage including the first of his four series of significant times in his life. His first series is the “Nalwodi” series which in his Apache language means strength or power. You will find many eagles in this series including his first eagle painting called, “Eagle Vision” which reflects a young eagle maturing to an adult eagle. He painted it in 2000 as an art student and in 2020 when it is 20 years old he will sell it as he looks to the future of his family.

Layer One – The Warrior. Petty Officer Hinojosa spent the majority of his career with the special warfare community, first as a Navy SEAL candidate at BUDS and then as an Enlisted Surface Warfare Specialist doing missions and operating around the world. Even though Ruben did not finish the SEAL training due to an injury he sustained, he channeled his love for the water and for serving his country through a U.S. Navy Special Boat unit known as Naval Special Warfare Combatant Crewmen.

Ruben spent 10 years on active duty operating high performance boats until he was medically discharged.

During his time in the special warfare community, he developed bonds and friendships unlike any other.

He continues to stay connected with his brothers by volunteering as the Director of Public Relations for the Combatant Craft Crewman Association (CCCA) and by painting one-of-a kind gifts for retiring members. To give back to his brothers, he donates proceeds of his military art to the CCCA so they can continue to help support their community.

Layer Two – The Sculptor. The eagle sculptures that sit on his counter in his studio are for the upcoming San Diego International Film Festival Arts awards. The Golden Eagle awards are for the “best of” categories including film, director and actor. He hand sculpted them, hand paints each and every one of the 24 eagles for the awards. In previous years, winners of these awards were internationally-recognized actors, so we can say that his work is displayed all over the world.

When organizations commission the Artist Chato to do unique creative works of art or he designs art for a charitable cause, he draws the inspiration for each piece through nature, wildlife and the power of the universe. When he was in college his sculptures won several first place awards in competitions and exhibitions.

San Diego Veterans Magazine / November 2018 15

Layer Three – The Actor. You may have seen the

actor in television and film. He has been a member of the Screen Actors Guild since 2001. His favorite acting jobs were “The Invisible Man” where he fought against himself and his favorite film was “Sierra Nevada Gunfight”.

Layer Four – The Painter. On September 26, 2018

a collection of Ruben’s creations was unveiled at the California State Capitol for the celebration of Native American Day. The day is to honor the tribal men and women from California who served in the Armed Forces.

The artistic masterpiece is constructed of three wood panels and there are hundreds of details in this painting.

There’s the American Flag, California State Flag, a bald eagle that touches all three panels and service medals – the Purple Heart, World War I, World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, and Southwest Asia medal which was the last service medal awarded during wartime. All five branches of the military are represented.

The most striking part of the painting is how he captured the American Indian traditions of youths becoming adults with a boy gourd dancing before joining the military and a young Indian girl in her regalia while proudly carrying a basket on her head. The painting will be on exhibit at the capitol before it tours to several universities and makes it last stop at the Rincon Indian Reservation.

Layer Five – The Writer. It has taken 18 years to

create and it is almost complete. It is his first novel, an action/adventure novel about two American Indian youths who become superheroes. Not like Batman or Superman but as Special Forces brothers who return after losing their lives in war. The novel will be grounded in camaraderie, diversity, brotherhood and sisterhood (there’s a female character too!) and in the end, man’s best friend saves the day. His inspiration in writing this novel came from the growing up as an American Indian and wanting to give today’s youth a superhero of their own. He hopes for this literary work to be published later this year.

Layer Six – The Donor. “You have one shot at

life; how will you be remembered?” says Ruben. Ruben would like to be remembered for his passion, creative soul, his humility, and most of all for his giving heart.

This accomplished artist gives back to his community in so many ways. His most recent donation is to the San Dieguito American Legion – Post 416. Ruben designed a special, unique painting to be auctioned in order to raise money to help the Legion build a new Veterans Center.

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San Diego Veterans Magazine / November 2018

The Legion was established in WWI and continues to serve our active duty, veterans and their families. Their current building is deteriorating and without a physical location to provide services, they are not able to service the North County military population.

that you love to do. Leaving the military whether it is two, twelve or twenty years is hard. Most young service men and women join straight out of high school and the military is the only life they know. Every day there is structure, routine, camaraderie with your military family and security for life’s essential needs. When you leave the military this is gone and some members find themselves in dark places – all the more reason to involved and surround yourself with people who support you. He says, “You are the happiness” and you have to create your own.

Over the past few years, Ruben has donated his amazing works of art to San Diego Humane Society, Alzheimer’s Foundation, Autism Foundation, Make-A-Wish Foundation and so many more. In the past five years the Artist Chato has created paintings and sculptures for charitable causes and donated close to $40,000 of appraised pieces. That’s how he will be remembered, for being altruistic and showing the world how he loved life and existed.

For the artists, he has a few pieces of advice – do your research on patents, non-disclosure agreements, hire a business attorney for contracts and most importantly, surround yourself with people you trust.

There are many layers to this Warrior Artist. For him, art is his life, it is healing, keeps him grounded and gets him excited about he is going to create next. His work is reflected in the four directions of Mother Earth to provide him four series of art. The first two series have been about strength and happiness - he is looking forward to finding the last two series in the pages of his life.

In future years, Ruben will make 111 limited edition prints of his most prized art. The 111 is significant to him as that is the numbers in his birthday. (11/1) To learn more about Ruben and his artistic talents or to request a donation for an upcoming fundraiser, go to: www.chato.com.

All of these layers led to his transition from warrior to accomplished artist. Ruben would find great pride in helping today’s active duty transition to civilian life. His biggest pieces of advice are to find a mentor, surround yourself with inspirational people and find something

To learn more about the Combatant Craft Crewman Association (CCCA), go to: www.combatantcraftcrewman.org.

San Diego Veterans Magazine / November 2018 17

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San Diego Veterans Magazine / November 2018 19

The Veterans Museum at Balboa Park: A legacy of community, honor and courage

By Amber Robinson When you walk into the Veterans Museum at Balboa Park, you know right away that you have stepped into a place that is special. Formerly the chapel for the Naval Hospital on Inspiration Way, the first thing one notices upon entering is the vaulted ceilings and stained glass, then our nation’s many flags, extensive war murals from World War II and Vietnam, signed by many heroes now gone. Although, the most amazing feature of this sacred site are the stories of our nation’s heroes living in our display cases and hanging on our walls. You can almost hear their voices drifting up to the rafters through their mementos.

Built in 1945, the chapel served as a hub for many veterans for decades. Built with diversity in mind, the museum’s stage houses a rotating pulpit representing Judaism, Catholicism and Christian. Many World War II veterans found redemption and peace beneath the museum’s lofty rafters. They also married their sweethearts and brought their children to attend church there.

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San Diego Veterans Magazine / November 2018

Eventually left abandoned, the city planned to destroy the old chapel. But the veterans of the community were not going to let that happen. In 1989, The Veterans Museum and Memorial Center became a reality. Their mission was simple; to create, maintain and operate an institution to honor and perpetuate the memories of all men and women who have served in the United States Armed Forces and Wartime Merchant Marine. In 2015, to better align with the museum’s location and mission, the museum changed to its current name, The Veterans Museum at Balboa Park.

Today, this historical building boasts a unique collection of artifacts, memorabilia, artwork and papers, as well as a Military History Reference Library holding more than eleven thousand volumes. Dedicated to veterans of all conflicts, the Museum’s exhibits feature World War I, World War II, Pearl Harbor, the Korean War, Vietnam, Desert Storm, Women in the Military, and paintings by local artists of military subjects. First and foremost, the museum’s mission is to house and honor the legacy of America’s heroes.

But, you may not know the museum is more than just a beautiful old treasure chest. They are also a busy hub for the San Diego active duty and veteran community.

The museum proudly serves as a meeting place for organizations such as The San Diego Vietnam Veterans of America Tuskegee Airmen and the Buffalo Soldiers.

We are also proud to serve as a hub for many of our veteran-focused community events, such as the annual San Diego GI Film Festival hosted by KPBS or Operation Dress Code, hosted by the non-profit Courage to Call.

Ultimately, though, the Veterans Museum at Balboa Park is all about patriotism, honor and service, which they celebrate annually with some of the most wellknown events in San Diego. Each year, on the second Sunday of August, they host a Spirit of ’45, Day, a nationally recognized day of remembrance to celebrate the end of World War II. What makes this particular event so special is that it celebrates our living World War II veterans and members of the Greatest Generation.

Each year the museum proudly hosts these men and women, making sure they are well- treated while the museum provides a program, big band music from the era, WWII historical re-enactors and lunch, just to name a few of the attractions.

The museum also functions as a unique and beautiful San Diego events venue. VMBP caters strongly to San Diego’s active duty community, serving as a perfect location to book military promotions, retirements and memorials. It is also available for weddings, fundraisers and seminars.

The museum also hosts San Diego County’s Veteran of the Year program. Annually a panel of judges pick a deserving veteran within the San Diego network who goes above and beyond in their service to the community after military service. Each year nominations are sent in from veterans across San Diego County.

There are three other categories to nominate in, with all winners revealed each year at the famous Veteran of the Year Luncheon. It’s an exciting event which encourages reflection on how valuable veterans are in their service after service.

In the years to come, the museum hopes to continue to evolve in their relationship with the people of San Diego. With the end of the Iraq war, and the continuing mission in Afghanistan, the nation’s Veterans Assistance programs are overloaded with battle-weary service members. The museum seeks to be a light for these men and women, and for all veterans.

“We want to be more than just a museum,” said Navy Capt. (RET) Sheldon Margolis, current President and CEO for VMBP. “We want it to be a living center, full of activity and life.”

More recently the museum has taken a deep step into the San Diego Arts community, serving as a venue for art shows, concerts and theater. The museum has partnered with many San Diego artists, arts education organizations such as La Jolla Playhouse, and The American History Theater

The museum is open to the public Tuesday through Sunday from 9 am to 4 pm and is located at 2115 Park Boulevard. For more information about the Veterans Museum at Balboa Park or to book an event, go to: www.veteranmuseum.org or call (619) 239-2300.

“Our mission to engage the arts community is simple,” said, Margolis, “It is to bring the healing world of art to our community of veterans.”

San Diego Veterans Magazine / November 2018 21

Connecting For Success After 14 years serving in both the Navy and Coast Guard, Bill Glenn was excited to start a whole new career building his own business in San Diego. With his MBA in tow he had a product and a business plan, but realized that wasn’t going to be enough. “While I had studied business design I lacked the local connections to answer questions in the day-to-day development. I knew there must be start up resources out there but didn’t know where to look.” said Glenn.

“I had the energy, the skills, the framework, but I was missing connections to real people who could offer me advice.”

While there has been significant work in the past decade supporting transitioning military members related to life pillars of employment, housing and health, there’s one pillar that has gotten insufficient attention and support: connections into the community. According to a recent study the majority of military families do not feel a sense of belonging within their local civilian community. The same study concludes that a majority also want greater opportunities to meet people, make friends, or expand professional networks in the civilian community.

That’s the work of Vets’ Community Connections (VCC), a community based organization working here in San Diego.

Vets’ Community Connections provides individuals who want to do more than say “thanks for your service” the channel to use their own professional experience and expertise to respond to veteran and military family relocation and reintegration questions in a wide variety of fields: education, health, business, recreation, arts, community service and a host of other areas which collectively make up the communities in which we live.

Participants do so based on their own scheduling and time limitations. San Diegans are encouraged to sign up as information volunteers through the VCC website.

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San Diego Veterans Magazine / November 2018

Here’s how it works: Veterans, active duty military, and spouses call a central number (2-1-1 option 7 or 1-844-VET CONX) to be linked with a “Vet Connector,” a fellow veteran who will listen to the caller’s question and then connect the caller with an appropriate community member via email or phone. Those community members have already agreed to answer a call or an email from a veteran, active duty service member or spouse when their expertise matches a caller’s need.

“Our local veterans and their families aren’t looking for more websites – they’re looking for personal connections to their fellow citizens and businesses who can provide them with community-relevant answers to their questions and information they can trust. Each and every one of us can do that,” said Jerry Sanders, president of the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce, which played a leadership role in the development of this initiative. Sanders and the Chamber spearheaded a different survey of area veterans and family members that also showed that those in transition to civilian life valued human connection and new networks into the community far more than additional web-based resources.

By contacting VCC, Mr Glenn was connected to other entrepreneurs who offered their experiences and lessons learned. He also connected to organizations such as the Rosie Network which provided additional knowledge experts.

Fast forward a year later and Bill’s start up, Pursetto, is thru the incubation stage and growing quickly. “I can’t think of any other career path for me that could be this exciting—and the stressful parts have been made less so because I now have the connections in my community for the networks I need to grow.”

VCC connected her to a mom in their San Diego database who could share her experience and through that connection, the transitioning family has found a psychologist in town that they are very happy with.

The desire for connections in community isn’t limited to veterans, it rings true for spouses and active duty as well. More often the challenging things for these families can be those that local residents take for granted-- like knowing a good car mechanic, or handyman.

A Marine spouse recently reported to VCC: “It’s been hard to know where to start for information off base.

The internet just gets overwhelming and I don’t know what to trust. VCC was able to simplify my search by getting me connected with a handyman for a repair who gave me an honest quote and it was so nice to get the VCC discount.”

Another story of needing that trusted human connection came when a transitioning family who stayed in San Diego was in need of a referral to a new child psychologist for their three special needs children. The mom wanted to speak with another mom in a similar situation who was happy with her children’s care, not just get a referral through insurance.

Connections make the difference. This Veteran’s Day, you can be part of that success: Be a part of our San Diego resource database by taking a minute to sign up at www.vetscommunityconnections.org.

“Careers in the Community”

• A meet and greet with an HR professional who provides an overview of organization careers, how to apply, and what makes a strong application

VCC’s “Careers in the Community” was designed with the input of leading local veteran organizations that identified a gap in current career education for veterans, military, spouses: While job fairs give them access to organizations that may/may not be hiring, and job training programs give them access to specific skill sets, there are few opportunities to explore upclose and personal what career tracks are available in local organizations.

• A networking coffee, breakfast, or lunch (optional) • Follow-up with VCC to evaluate the program

For further information please contact: Shya Ellis-Flint, VCC Program Manager, Shya@VCCSanDiego.org

“Careers in the Community” is looking for organizations to participate in the upcoming year.

Participating organizations are asked to host a 1 ½ - 3 hour program on-site for 8-15 participants to include: • A small panel of employees (preferably including some veterans) from various areas of your company to engage in a question and answer session

San Diego Veterans Magazine / November 2018 23

One of only a few in the country- Southern District of California Veterans Treatment Court

By RanDee McLain, LCSW In 2008, the first Veteran’s Treatment Court was started in Buffalo, New York, by the Honorable Judge Robert Russell. Since that first court started, there are now over 350 courts of this type in the United States.

Veterans Treatment Courts (VTC) are a unique type of diversion court that offers treatment in lieu of incarceration. The “veteran’s only” docket is designed to serve veterans whose involvement with the justice system stemmed from a mental health disorder or substance use disorder and many times they have both.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration estimates 1 in 15 veterans had a substance use disorder in 2014. The RAND center estimates that about 1 in 5 veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars experiences Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) or other significant mental health needs.

According to the San Diego Regional Veterans Administration office, there are over 230,000 veterans who call San Diego home. There are more separating from Active Duty each day. With such a large population of veterans and the increased need for support, it made sense for San Diego to have a VTC. There are only a handful of Federal VTCs in the country and San Diego is unique to have one of the few.

In 2015, the Honorable Judge William Gallo and his team saw the need for this type of court in San Diego. The San Diego Superior Court has operated a Veteran Treatment Court since 2011. It became apparent there was a need for this type of court on the federal side.

It seemed only natural that Judge Gallo would be chosen to start and lead this new diversion court. While in law school, Judge Gallo earned a commission as a Second Lieutenant and served in the United States Marine Corps and Marine Corps Reserve from 1978 to 2005 retiring at the rank of Colonel.

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San Diego Veterans Magazine / November 2018

Judge Gallo’s experience as a Marine gave him a unique perspective and understanding of the struggles the veterans in his court face.

“Many of our veterans in the

VTC program have given more of themselves in defense of this nation than any one citizen has a right to expect or demand. But they did so unselfishly and with no expectation of anything in return.

They have made mistakes which they individually have acknowledged. The VTC program is our opportunity to show our veterans that this country still believes in them and that with some help, they can right the ship and have a very bright future.”

- Judge William Gallo.

After many months of research and lengthy planning meetings the Southern District of California Veterans Treatment Court saw its first participant in August of 2016.

This is not a get out of jail free card. Treatment is hard and intensive. Participants are forced to deal with issues they have been suppressing for many years. Many of the participants of VTC have experienced multiple deployments and a variety of trauma.

A large part of what makes VTCs successful is the mentor component. Each veteran participant is matched with a veteran mentor to be a battle buddy throughout their time in the program. Mentors meet with their mentees weekly and are a peer support to them as they face the challenges of treatment. This is a relationship that is vital to the success of the participants and many times the bond last long past their time in the program.

Veterans in the program receive structure, supervision, mentoring and treatment surrounded by other veterans and connected to much need resources and benefits they have earned.

RanDee is a part of Mental Health Systems, Courage to Call, which is a veteran serving veterans program in San Diego. Courage to Call specifically, handles all the case management for the participants in the VTC and connects them to much needed resources such as food, shelter, utilities, GI Bill inquiries and much more.

Another key component to the success of the VTC is the community partnerships. When the Southern District of California Veteran Treatment Court was started Judge Gallo’s team sought out two established community partners with experience in VTCs. The first was our local Veterans Justice Outreach (VJO) specialist with the Veterans Health Administration.

Joy Villavicencio, LCSW, has been a VJO in San Diego for the last 7 years and supported the San Diego County Superior Court Veteran Treatment Court since 2011. The VJO does all clinical assessments on each participant to deem their appropriateness for the court as well as devise a treatment plan specific to each veteran.

In the short time that the Southern District of California Veterans Treatment Court has been active they have connected 90% of the participants to their VA benefits, 70% received housing support and all received mental health and substance use treatment.

Veterans Treatment Courts save lives and reduce recidivism by addressing the underlying issues that led to justice involvement.

The second community partner was RanDee McLain, LCSW. RanDee has been a part of the Justice for Vets faculty for 5 years and trains VTCs throughout the country.

To learn more about Veteran’s Treatment Courts and to help support their expansion, please visit: www.justiceforvets.org

San Diego Veterans Magazine / November 2018 25

Two Veteran-Graduates from the Shelter to Soldier Service Dog Program Progress to Vital Roles Within the Non-Profit Organization

by Eva M. Stimson

Without the aid of San Diego-based non-profit organization, Shelter to Soldier, combat veterans Ben Kilhefner (US Navy ret.) and Jonathon Marroquin (US Army ret.) would not be as well-equipped to manage the wounds of war while trying to re-enter civilian life. Shelter to Soldier helped these heroes alleviate symptoms related to mental health diagnoses they suffered from combat, by pairing them with homeless shelter dogs to form a unique and lasting partnership. Shelter to Soldier adopts dogs from local shelters and trains them to become psychiatric service dogs for post-9/11 combat veterans suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress (PTS), Traumatic Brain (TBI) and/or other afflictions associated with traumatic combat experiences.

Ben and Jonathon graduated from the Shelter to Soldier service dog training program and have since progressed to lead meaningful, productive lives with their dogs by their side. Both of these men now contribute largely to the Department of Veteran Services for Shelter to Soldier and are sharing their expertise with their military brothers and sisters. Peer support is now available at no cost to approved veteran applicants and recipients thanks to the volunteer support of Ben Kilhefner, a Certified Peer Support Specialist. Jonathon Marroquin assists veterans through the initial application process and provides support to veterans throughout the program to final graduation and beyond, and is now a part-time employee for the organization.

Every day on average, twenty (20) U.S. veterans and one (1) active duty service member commit suicide (Department of Veteran Affairs) and every day, 3200 dogs are euthanized in the U.S. Shelter to Soldier provides hope for both veterans and dogs facing life-threatening challenges and offers its services for free to veterans upon completion of a screening process.

As a Corpsman in the United States Navy, Ben treated almost 1,000 casualties on his first deployment to Afghanistan. For his second deployment, he was with the Marines as a Fleet Marine Force patrolling hundreds of miles with Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) and shots being fired. He lost many fellow soldiers in his first deployment and a few friends of sister companies.

After being medically retired, Ben had a very difficult time transitioning on the home front, largely due to the trauma he faced while deployed. Additionally, Ben lost 15 members from his company to suicide within the last four years.

Ben applied to the Shelter to Soldier program in the spring of 2015, and was perhaps one of the most driven 26

San Diego Veterans Magazine / November 2018

Ben, Tank and wife Jordan applicants. When he met with the training team to interact with all of their service dogs in training, he knew that Tank was the one for him. Ben explains, “Since graduating with Tank a little over three years ago, it has been amazing. Before, I couldn’t be the father or husband I should’ve been, and I wouldn’t go out of the house for months at a time.

Tank has shown so much love being a part of the family, it’s almost like I have had him forever. Tank has given me so much through our years together as a team, and without him, I would be another statistic to suicide. I couldn’t be more thankful to Shelter to Soldier for everything they have done for me and my family and I’m grateful to continue to be the light for other veterans that are in the dark”.

When Joey was alive, I wasn’t able to be a father to Joey and when I graduated from Shelter to Soldier with Berkeley, she supported me to be the father my son needed for the last 8 months of his life.

Since Joey’s death, Berkeley has continued to make me feel empowered and safe.”

Jonathon served a tour of duty in 2006 and 2007 in Hawijah, Iraq, where his unit lost 18 soldiers. He suffers from PTS and Major Depressive Disorder as a result of his combat experience, with much difficulty in social situations. Today, with his dog Berkeley by his side, he is making steps toward living a more comfortable life and completing his education.

Upon qualified match, veteran-handlers train for an average of four to six months depending upon handling abilities and how well the team picks up on training.Handlers learn to communicate effectively with their dog to create a loving bond while learning all commands and service dog laws/ regulations to prepare them for a life with a service animal.

According to Jonathon, “Shelter to Soldier has helped not only myself with my service dog Berkeley, but the organization continues to be a household name in my home. Having Berkeley (besides the very personal ways she helps me) has also allowed me to become an engaging father --- focused and driven --- and helped me complete school (Dec 2018). Before all of this success, though, Berkeley assisted not only me but also my son Joey, who died at the age of 4 on October 27, 2017.

Shelter to Soldier dogs are trained over 12 to 18 months to be highly obedient and handlerfocused in all environments, to ignore distractions, and to mitigate symptoms of stress, anxiety, hypervigilance, insomnia, fear, over stimulation, and depression through task-related work.

Both Ben and Jonathon are now critical to the process of ensuring that as many qualified U.S. veterans as possible have a chance to progress through the Shelter to Soldier program and move on to lead happier, healthier lives. According to Shelter to Soldier Cofounder, Kyrié Bloem, “We’re so proud to be expanding our Department of Veteran Services, under the expert direction of Vic Martin, (US Navy Ret.) along with the immeasurable support of Ben and Jonathon’s new roles within the department. Not only are we able to expand our services to more veterans with their assistance, the veteran experience through our program has far exceeded our expectations by their meaningful contributions.”

Shelter to Soldier is located at the Pacific Pet Resort and Dog Training Center located at 2909 San Luis Rey Road in Oceanside, CA, www.pacificpetresort.com.

The non-profit organization is a gold participant of GuideStar and accredited by the Patriot’s Initiative.

For additional information, or to make a donation for as little as $10 per month, visit www.sheltertosoldier.org.

To learn more about veteran-support services provided by STS, call (855) 287-8659 for a confidential interview regarding eligibility.

Jonathon, Cris and Berkeley

San Diego Veterans Magazine / November 2018 27

AND THE WINNER IS.........

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San Diego Veterans Magazine / November 2018

Article will be available in the Nov 9th PREMIER EDITION.

- And online Nov 10th at

WWW.

SanDiegoVeteransMagazine.com

Continued on next page >

San Diego Veterans Magazine / November 2018 29

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San Diego Veterans Magazine / November 2018

Article will be available in the Nov 9th PREMIER EDITION.

- And online Nov 10th at

www.

SanDiegoVeteransMagazine.com

San Diego Veterans Magazine / November 2018 31

“It was the best weekend of my life!”

By Holly Shaffner

Our nation’s World War II veterans served between 1939 and 1945. If they enlisted at 17 years old, that makes our youngest WWII veterans around the age of 90. So when a WWII veteran returns from their “Tour of Honor” and tells a reporter that his/her trip was the best weekend of their life…that is HUGE! The “Tour of Honor” trip is provided by Honor Flight San Diego, a local non-profit organization that takes the most senior veterans and veterans who have terminal illnesses to Washington, D.C. to visit the memorials dedicated to their service and sacrifice.

The trip is more than just visiting memorials - it is also a time for these veterans to make new friends, share their stories and build that military camaraderie they may have missed for the last 70+ years. For three straight days, they are honored, thanked and appreciated for their military service and for some it is emotional. For the majority of the WWII veterans, they answered the call of duty and did what our nation asked of them. After war there was no celebration, no homecoming when they returned from war and the majority of them went back to work in the civilian job they had left behind.

One of the biggest challenges for Honor Flight San Diego is locating the remaining Southern California WWII veterans. According to census results, there are about 240,000 military veterans living in San Diego County. David Smith is the founder of Honor Flight San Diego and said, “Finding those remaining WWII veterans and getting them on their “Tour of Honor” before it is too late is one of our greatest challenges.”

Honor Flight San Diego has been flying veterans since 2010 and after this past September trip, the organization has taken over 1,300 veterans – the vast majority being WWII veterans. The trip is at no cost to the veteran and is 100% funded through donations.

That is the next biggest challenge. Each flight costs about $240,000 and they do as many as they can fund, usually two flights per year. Julie Brightwell took over as chairman in January 2017 and had to make the heart-wrenching decision to cancel their spring 2017 flight due to lack of funding. Ms. Brightwell said, “If funding were not an issue, we could take two to four trips a year, including a special flight such as an all-woman veteran flight and we could get to the Vietnam era veterans sooner.”

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San Diego Veterans Magazine / November 2018

Every flight is unique with the veteran’s stories, backgrounds and military service. What remains the same is that each flight is comprised of 80 veterans from either WWII or Korea era and each veteran has a guardian - someone who is their “battle buddy” for the weekend. Even though these veterans do not consider themselves heroes, the organization calls them heroes and a typical flight could have men or women from any of the five armed services, former Prisoners of War, Purple Heart and Bronze Star recipients, veterans over the age of 100 and veterans who served in every battle during WWII or Korea. Some of those heroes over the years have been men who saw the flag being raised on Iwo Jima, men who parachuted into Normandy on D-Day, Pearl Harbor Survivors, Bullfrog 1, Chosin Reservoir Survivors, and military women supporting those efforts.

Each trip is filled with unique stories - one of the Navy’s first black Chief Petty Officers who recently had a building named for him at Naval Air Station North Island, brothers who served together, a veteran who was a child and survived the Holocaust to become a U.S. military member, and a Korea era veteran who was just eight years old when he and his family were taken as prisoners in WWII – he and one of the camp’s liberators who freed him were together on the trip.

The veterans are flown by charter aircraft to BWI airport and it is on this leg of the trip they receive a big surprise – Mail Call. They are given letters, cards and pictures made by local scout troops, elementary schools and organizations. But the ones that are most special are those from their family. Each veteran receives a package of mail and they open every envelope and handle every letter and picture with great care.

A typical flight starts with the Honor Flight San Diego volunteer team leaders arriving at the airport at 0400 on the Friday they fly out. They set up and are ready for when the first veteran arrives to check-in.

The veterans are told to be there by 0600 but many are so excited that many can’t sleep the night before and arrive to airport as the team is setting up.

On Friday night they get checked into their rooms, have a group dinner and then retire for the night.

On Saturday they board charter buses and head to Washington, D.C. Their first stop is the National WWII Memorial, followed by the Korean War Veterans Memorial, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, the U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial, the U.S. Air Force Memorial and the U.S. Navy Yard Museum. One of the most impactful stops is at Arlington National Cemetery where they witness the Changing of the Guard ceremony. The women veterans stop at the Women in Military Service for America Memorial where they are greeted by retired Air Force Brigadier General Wilma L. Vaught and are presented with certificates and entered into the memorial’s database.

Continued on next page >

San Diego Veterans Magazine / November 2018 33

TOUR OF HONOR Since 2010, Honor Flight San Diego has flown more than 1,300 veterans on their “Tour of Honor�

Do you know a WWII or Korea War veteran who has never flown on Honor Flight and would like to go on the next trip?

Please complete the Veteran Application at:

www

. honorflightsandiego.org For more information, email us at:

information@honorflightsandiego.org

The Next Trip to Washington, D.C. is May 3-5, 2019 34

San Diego Veterans Magazine / November 2018

The final surprise of the trip is the San Diego homecoming. The doors open to the plane and they can already hear the crowd cheering for them – but they don’t know it is for them. They get to the top of the escalator or the elevator and it is a sea of red, white and blue, American flags and 800-1000 people chanting – USA! USA! USA! When they realize this is THEIR homecoming, it is hard to control the emotions, even for the most hardened of the military men and women.

That is the homecoming they deserve, because after all, they are our HEROES!

Honor Flight San Diego’s next trip will be in May 2019.

If you know a WWII or Korea era veteran who wants to go on Tour of Honor, or to learn more about the organization, or donate to the non-profit, please go to: www.honorflightsandiego.org. You can also follow them on Facebook@HonorFlightSanDiego.

Photo Credits: Zach Coco, Dian Self, Heather Shough, Holly Shaffner, Dave Ballek

San Diego Veterans Magazine / November 2018 35

“The men and women who serve our Nation deserve our support — Today, Tomorrow, Always —” www.vancnorthcounty.org

Welcome to VANC, How can we help?

If you have ever visited the Veterans Association of North County, in Oceanside, this may have been the first thing you would have heard from our volunteers at the front desk.

If you have not been to “VANC” perhaps it is because you are not aware of the depth of offerings and resources that VANC has to offer. So what is VANC? VANC is a non-profit resource center for our military families, and our veterans. It is a place for military and non-military to build relationships, and provide solutions, not only for our military members, but solutions to the community as well.

Employers are well served to hire our transitioning military members especially since they have had the opportunity to interact with them through our relationship with the Oceanside Chamber of Commerce.

Our military family members have the opportunity to meet with seasoned experts who teach our Military Transition Services program. This unique program provides employment assessments and specific training in speaking skills, networking techniques as well as the traditional resume preparations.

Our instructors are professionals in these areas and yet the program is free to all military members regardless of age or rank and their families. We even can connect our military families looking to start their own businesses with a mentor program combining experienced entrepreneurs from the community through the Veterans Chamber of Commerce.

We have case management councillors to help navigate the labyrinth of regulations when requesting services from the VA. Our team partners with 211/Courage to Call to ensure that information is shared with every participant in the veteran support organization. So housing, medical, and legal resources can be brought to bear in support of our veteran community.

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San Diego Veterans Magazine / November 2018

We are constantly adding classes and programs to prepare workers in a number of industries. We have offered and continue to offer classes in cyber security, fiber optics, and culinary skills. You can drop in to a yoga class or meet with the local membership of a variety of military and non-military groups meeting in our meeting rooms.

We provide opportunities to celebrate our military through social events, with our Ball room that can seat around 250 with tables and over 300 without tables.

Veterans Day, Memorial Day, VANC is the place to be.

In March of 2018, in cooperation with Hospice of the North Coast, VANC hosted the Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Event, partnering members of the veteran services community with the veterans we owed a welcome home for over 50 years! Well over 350 attended the event, enjoyed the food prepared in our amazing kitchen and listened to the band while sipping some great local beer from a veteran owned brewery!

On Monday November 12th one of most honored traditions will take place. The Veterans Day Ceremony honoring all who served. Join us and the VANC choir, gold star wives and guest speaker Col Philip G. Antekeier, Commanding Officer, Headquarters and Support Battalion MCIWEST - MCB Camp Pendleton for a morning of celebration to honor our American heroes. The ceremony is from 10 am to 12 noon followed by lunch. If you would like more information you can go to www.vanc.me or follow us on facebook at VANC. So in short, if you are a veteran or an active duty military family member, there is a lot of things we can do for you at VANC. If you live in our community, we would love to see you at VANC. You can volunteer, you can donate, or just come and enjoy our events. If you are a member of the veteran service community, join us on the first Monday of each month at noon for an opportunity to network with others serving our veterans. And when you walk in the door, sign in to our guest book.

Welcome to Veterans Association of North County.

H

RIN O N O

G

ALL

WHO

SERV

ED

Veterans Day Ceremony

NOVEMBER 12, 2018 @ 10:00 AM 1617 Mission Avenue, Oceanside, CA | Call 760.722.1277 for details

Lunch and refreshments will be served after the ceremony www.vanc.me |

VANC San Diego Veterans Magazine / November 2018 37

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San Diego Veterans Magazine / November 2018

The Coalition is comprised of a wide variety of non-profit and for-profit organizations, as well as governmental agencies and civic minded individuals.

The vision of the SDVC is to honor and care for U.S. Veterans, their families and significant others by integrating all available services.

“Community Collaboration is the Key”

The mission of the SDVC is to improve the support of our Veterans in the San Diego Region by inspiring and encouraging collaboration and cooperation among service providers and Veteran service organizations, advocating on behalf of Veterans, their families and significant others for better integration of services, improving communication between Veterans and providers to disseminate information and determine needs, providing guidance and leadership which would affect local changes and serve as a model for other communities to emulate.

America’s Finest City is well known for its many attractions, amusement parks, nearby beaches and “perfect” weather. Located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, San Diego is home to the largest naval fleet in the world. With over 3 million residents, county wide, San Diego is the second largest city in California and the second largest military town in the United States.

When it comes to providing veteran support services, San Diego is the most innovative and resourceful city in the nation. The San Diego Veterans Coalition (SDVC) is mainly responsible for those accolades. The San Diego Veterans Coalition was organized in 2012 using the Collective Impact Model, and is a premier San Diego Countywide monthly convener of over 150 unique member and participating organizations, businesses, and agencies, as well as convening many of that body in our four action groups, and other activities and events.

At SDVC, they have found that collaboration is the key to addressing the needs of San Diego regional Veterans, their families and significant others.

To ensure all the needs are met, they have developed four Action Groups to organize the work of the Coalition and have patterned these Action Groups Groups off the successful Live Well model: 1. Physical and Emotional Health Action Group 2. Family Life Action Group

It is one of the largest collaborative veteran service organization in the country and is a national role model for the comprehensive and the integrated system of community partners that serve our veterans.

3. Veterans, Empowered, Successful and Thriving Action Group 4. E3- Employment, Education and Entrepreneurship Action Group

Every month, SDVC provides an open forum for veteran service organizations and businesses to collaborate and better serve our veteran community and their families. The forum is open to anyone that has an interest in supporting or providing a service to our veterans.

Through these Action Groups they identify gaps in support and service and create measurable outcomes to resolve them. These groups are made up of our members and together they are working to strengthen our community.

The affiliated organizations and members range from ‘Habitat for Humanity’ to small business owners who provide specialized services for our veterans. Many of the organizations that belong to SDVC specialize in one field (education, housing, employment, healthcare).

COMMUNITY COLLABORATION IS KEY! in supporting our veteran community. Our veterans need your involvement.

SDVC encourages all civilians, veterans, organizations and businesses that care about our veterans to attend their monthly meetings and get involved.

The goal is to understand what services each organization provides and with that knowledge, SDVC can offer comprehensive support to our local Veteran community.

If you would like to attend an SDVC meeting and support our veteran community, please visit:

Sdvetscoalition.org

San Diego Veterans Magazine / November 2018 39

ENLISTED TO ENTREPRENEUR

By Vicki Garcia

Instant Business:

DROP SHIPPING

If you’re looking for a business you can run from your office chair or the beach with minimal financial outlay, you might want to consider Dropshipping. When you search for a product, let’s say a Santa Claus costume for your Weimaraner, several sites come up with products. These sites (including Amazon) don’t have a warehouse filled red fur-trimmed get-ups for your lanky, perpetual canine energy machine.

Instead, you’re looking at a “retail fulfillment” method that doesn’t stock the products it sells.

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San Diego Veterans Magazine / November 2018

(Part 1)

When that online store sells a product, it purchases the item from a third party and has it shipped directly to the customer. The merchant never sees or handles the product.

This means you can get into selling almost any product with no big investment or physical office. Pretty cool, huh?

The Good Side

VS The Down Side

Do you hear a celestial chorus singing? Does it sound like all rainbows and blue skies? Hold it! There is a price to be paid and here it is.

The Dropshipping model has several benefits and drawbacks:

The Good Side

The Down Side

1. No Capital Required – One of the biggest advantages to dropshipping is that it’s possible to launch an ecommerce store without investing thousands of dollars in inventory up front. Actually, little money at all.

1. Low Margins – People are out there shopping their heads off, but since there many websites, they are looking for the lowest price. You may need to keep prices competitive and sell a large volume of goods.

2. Cash Flow Joy - You don’t have to purchase a product unless you already have made the sale and have been paid for it. You buy the Santa Costume with the money from the customer, keeping your markup.

2. Competition- Since it’s easy to get started and the overhead costs are low “etooties” (ttps://tinyurl.com/ y8r8fzb4) will set up shop and sell items at rock-bottom prices. They’ve invested so little they can afford to operate on minuscule margins.

3. Get Started Quick – Running an ecommerce dropshipping business is much easier when you don’t have to deal with physical products. You don’t worry about -

3. Cutthroat Jerks - Sellers with log-quality websites and poor customer service can quickly destroy the profit margin in a niche.

4. Inventory Issues –Inventory can change daily and syncing your inventory with suppliers can be vexing.

(But it can be done)

• Managing or paying for a warehouse • Packing/shipping your orders

5. Shipping Complexities – The products on your website may be sourced through several different drop shippers. This complicates your shipping costs.

• Tracking inventory • Handling returns

6. Customer Service – If you don’t like helping people, you may not like the customer service element inherent in dropshipping. People will complain. Suppliers will make errors. You need to be willing to take responsibility for things that are not your fault.

• Continually managing stock levels 4. Low Overhead – With dropshipping, your overhead expenses are low. Many successful dropshipping businesses are run from home for less than $100 per month. And, these expenses will still be low as you grow.

This is starting to sound like work. I didn’t say dropshipping is a passive side hustle. It’s a business.

You must work it and make good decisions.

5. Freedom – You can run a dropshipping business while you’re laying on the beach in Jamaica sipping on a Pina Colada if you have an internet connection. If you can communicate with suppliers and customers easily, you can run and manage your business.

In Part 2 we’ll look at how to pick the right products to sell (probably your most important decision), how much to mark up your products, how to market your business, and more stuff.

6. A Wide Product Range – Since don’t have to prepurchase the things you sell, you can offer a wide range of products to your potential customers. If suppliers stock an item, you can list if for sale on your website at no additional cost.

Vicki Garcia is the Co-Founder of Operation Vetrepreneur & President of Marketing Impressions, a 30+ -year- old marketing consulting firm. Apply to join Operation Vetrepreneur’s FREE Think Tank Groups at www.veteransinbiz.com or visit www.operationvetrepreneur.vet for more info.

7. Growth Potential – By leveraging dropshipping suppliers, most of the work to process additional orders is done by the suppliers, allowing you to expand easily.

San Diego Veterans Magazine / November 2018 41

THE ECONOMIC IMPACT Of VETERANS

By Joe Molina www.vccsd.org Veterans Chamber of Commerce veteransccsd@gmail.com

According to the 2017 reports released by Small Business Administration (SBA), veterans owned majority interest in 2.52 million businesses as at 2012.

Their commitment to serving the country via entrepreneurship and job creation is evident by the data provided below by the SBA. Veteran-owned firms employed 5.03 million people and boasted of an annual payroll of $1.14 trillion in 2012

Employers still have some learning to do, in a poll conducted by RallyPoint/Rasmussen Reports say that private companies do not count their military service as a professional asset. Veterans demonstrate that their years in active service have equipped them with the skills and leadership abilities they need to contribute meaningfully to the growth of the U.S. economy.

According to the Small busiess.com report states that in the US over 2.5 million businesses are owned or have majority ownership in the business. And that some of these businesses have employees and some are selfemployed own businesses.

Representing 9.1% of all US businesses, the presence of veteran-owned firms cut across industries like mining, quarrying, oil and gas, accommodation, food services, fire insurance, utility, manufacturing, technical services, etc. With over 40% of veteran employers offered their employees’ health insurance contributions, 49.7% offered paid holiday, vacation, and sick leave, and 4.4% offered tuition assistance and/or reimbursement.

It is remarkable to note that almost half of million of the veteran-owned businesses have employees, but the most exiting detail is that over 2 million veterans like to be in control and drive their own path, by creating small businesses or becoming self-employed (no employees) a reflection of an increase gig economy trend within the veteran community.

Studies by the U.S. Bureau of Labour Statistics from 1979 to 2003, 2014, and 2016 showed that veterans had a higher self-employment rate than non-veterans.

Compared to 35.7% of non-veteran owners, 42.4% of veteran-owners were reported to have prior business excellence.

By the Numbers: Veterans contribute to the economy with over Trillion in revenue sales, this is an amazing impact and amazing contribution into our communities. Veterans are also Employers! Veteran-owned business contribute into the payroll system with over $190 Billion dollars in payroll and over 5 Million hired employees.

Military experience is a strong indicator of selfemployment!

Not all Businesses are the same!

Efforts by the government, private organisations, and individuals to promote veteran-owned businesses have been positive. The U.S. Small Business Administration has worked to boost veteran-owned business by loaning $1.1 billion to 3,500 veteran-owned businesses in 2017 and providing them with counselling, training, and mentorship.

Another commendable effort is the enactment of the Veteran Entrepreneurship Act of 2015 which allows veteran or military spouses to gain access to capital with ‘zero’ up-front guarantee fees for SBA Express loans. It is important that veteran-owned businesses be offered better access to credit and financing products.

Veteran-owned businesses have been able to contribute to the economy despite the fact that over 50% depend on personal or family savings and just short of 8% depend on loans from banks and other commercial lenders, one could only imagine the greater impact they would have should they get access to better credit products and have more financing available to them.

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San Diego Veterans Magazine / November 2018

The areas that tend to have a higher “taste” for veterans is technical services and construction. Veterans who understand the process of government contracting and are in these two fields may see a wealth opportunities and the ability to have consistent contracts. There are other areas where veterans have a good match for business, like in Franchising, Due to the strict structure of the business model, it does appear to be a great fit for veterans.

In Summary: Veteran-owned businesses have a great impact in the US economy contributing sales and job opportunities, helping keep our communities thriving and vibrant!!!

Of course, entering the world of business after the military may have its own challenges, The Veterans Chamber of Commerce will be happy to provide a step-by-step guide on the process of registering and obtaining contracts, starting a business and managing your business.

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San Diego Veterans Magazine / November 2018 43

legal

By Kelly Bagla. Esq.

FROM VETERAN TO BUSINESS OWNER Did you know out of the 27.9 million businesses in the Untied States, 2.45 million of them are owned by Veterans?

70% of American consumers are more likely to buy from a veteran owned business than from a business not owned by a veteran. Starting or running a business takes courage, discipline and dedication. It also takes knowing the legal aspects that could safe guard your hard work.

Before starting, running or buying a business consider the following: HAVE A BUSINESS PLAN. A complete, thoughtful business plan is one of the most valuable tools in helping you reach your long-term goals. It gives your business direction, defines your objectives, maps out strategies to achieve your goals and helps you to manage possible bumps in the road.

OBTAIN FINANCING. Whether you are starting a new business or buying an existing one, small businesses need money. If you or your spouse served in the military and would like to fund your small business, you can take advantage of a few different favorable loan options geared towards veterans.

INCORPORATE YOUR BUSINESS. Many small business owners launch their companies as sole proprietorships in which they and their businesses are essentially one and the same. However, changing the format of a small business to a corporation or a limited liability company can offer a range of advantages for entrepreneurs. The advantages of incorporating a small business include:

• Compete for more contracts. Some businesses require vendors and contracting companies to be incorporated before they can compete for contracts.

• Entice and hold employees with stock options. A corporation has an advantage in attracting talented employees by offering employees partial ownership in the business through stock options.

Becoming a business owner, you control your own destiny, choose the people you work with, reap big rewards, challenge yourself, give back to the community, and you get to follow your passion. Knowing what you’re getting into is smart business because the responsibility of protecting your family and yourself falls on you.

For more information on how to legally protect your business please pick up a copy of my book: ‘Go Legal Yourself’ on Amazon or visit my website at www.baglalaw.com NOTHING COMPARES at this price to Go Legal Yourself ® Startup Essentials Package. This specialized, customizable package of legal contracts and documents includes everything a startup company needs to protect its assets from the beginning.

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• Personal asset protection. Both corporations and limited liability companies allow owners to separate and protect their personal assets.

• Additional credibility and name protection. Adding “Inc.” or “LLC” after your business name can add instant legitimacy and authority. Consumers, vendors and partners frequently prefer to do business with an incorporated company.

• Perpetual existence. Corporations and limited liability companies can continue to exist even if ownership or management changes. Sole proprietorships and partnerships just end if an owner dies or leave the business.

• Deductible expenses. Both corporations and limited liability companies may deduct normal business expenses, including salaries.

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San Diego Veterans Magazine / November 2018

-4 E m ployer Identification N um ber

x x

x

FINANCIAL READINESS

By Lara Ryan & Mark Alberts

Your source for a “wealth of information”

SP NLT 1500 IOT BIAW BDE LD & OBJ DTG Start patrol • no later than • 3pm • in order to • be in accordance with • brigade • line of departure • and • objective • date time group

Can you translate this? For (most of) you reading this magazine, this sentence makes perfect sense.

It says – in other words, get on it and start patrol at 3pm and not a second later than that in order to be in accordance with the brigade’s overall requirement to be at the line of departure and meet the time on target/deadline for the objective.

But, for a civilian, it looks like a string of typos. Similarly, when talking to military/veteran and military-connected individuals and families, common civilian understanding of commercial insurance, employer benefits like 401k, disability insurance, quarterly and annual taxes, and terms of a conventional mortgages are all unfamiliar.

Servicemembers and their families often haven’t had the exposure to and experience with usual civilian financial terms and concepts. We haven’t had to! But military members and their families have also not been given enough opportunity to even master military pay and benefits.

So rather than let your transition become a financial war zone, where debt is the enemy and wealth is the goal, and instead of losing a battle you don’t even consciously realize you’re fighting, let’s address the two major issues and then make COA recommendations. There are two basic issues we see in the financial discussions we have with military servicemembers and their families: • Lack of information, and • Lack of certainty over how/where to start.

We would suggest you approach your finances with the same mindset you’ve learned in service – prepare for the battle, understand your mission and your enemy, know the weapons and resources at your disposal, set up your plan of attack, improvise, adapt and overcome, and – in the end – conquer the enemy and complete the mission.

Look to us each month to offer some FIN(ANCIAL) BASIC training.

How can that be? While the military is exceptional in so much of the training it provides, financial readiness is typically a struggle point. Military servicemembers are highly-educated and extensively trained at making difficult split-second decisions and performing highly technical procedures. However, in the course of their service, they receive little to no training in:

We’ll address questions like these: • Do you plan to use your veteran education benefits? For yourself? For a dependent? Have you looked into how to make the assignment of that benefit and/or the service requirements to do so?

• Do you know about CALVET education benefits? Can you confidently answer whether it is dependent on your state of residency of that of the dependent?

• Have you thought about when you’d like to be in a position not to have to work after post-military civilian career? How much does it cost to retire?

• Did you contribute to TSP? How is your TSP allocated?

• Do you know the five options you have for your TSP postservice?

• Do you plan to contribute to the group retirement savings plan at your next job? Do you know contribution limits and tax advantages?

• Knowing you’ve had $400,000 of SGLI, how much life insurance do you really need and want? How does the cost of VGLI compare to commercial life insurance?

• Personal finance • Investing • Insurance • Taxes • Budgeting, and • Achieving financial independence.

Sure, there are courses and classes available to servicemembers and spouses, but the focus on financial readiness is usually emphasized at military milestones like PCS, deployment, and transition. Unfortunately, in the fray that is those three high stress times, the ability to address and act on best practices in financial planning is largely overshadowed by a focus on moving, leaving, and finding a civilian job.

Our goal is to change that – to help you create FINANCIAL READINESS to establish FINANCIAL FREEDOM. This column will make sure you get the FIN(anancial) GOUGE – with some information specifically applicable to servicemembers and your families – and to be your financial flak jacket to prepare you to be bulletproof.

We want to increase the odds of success – financial and otherwise – and arm you with the necessary intel to come out ahead and win on the financial battlefield.

Each month the column will focus on a military/veteranrelevant financial topic. We want you to be fully mission capable, and we’ll help you understand the concepts and context, be comfortable making financial-related decisions and arriving at your answers to questions like those above.

San Diego Veterans Magazine / November 2018 45

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San Diego Veterans Magazine / November 2018

Saved In America would focus on preventing gangbanger/ pimp/predator/slave traders from securing girls to traffic here in the United States. This meant targeting children before they could be trafficked. Saved in America would find the missing children, the runaways like Brittanee. In December 2014 SIA recovered its first child.

A California Non- Profit Organization of Former Police Officers and Navy SEALs turned Licensed Private Investigators who assist Parents and Law Enforcement in locating Missing & Exploited Children

The Saved In America team model consists of three pillars; 1. We never charge parents/ guardians to find their children.

2. We do this voluntarily, refusing pay.

3. We only use former Special Operators and retired/ current Police Detectives who become Licensed and Insured Private Investigators.

Narrative by Founder: Pastor Joseph A. Travers, CPI, CCDI, CMECI

Saved In America currently has over 30 operators; all licensed and insured Private Investigators consisting of former Navy SEALs, Marine Recon Raiders, British SAS, and retired Police Officers. In addition, SIA has an Executive Director, Legal Director, Policy Director, Training and Child Rehabilitation Director, Social Networking Investigator, Licensed Drone Operators and State Licensed Firearms Instructors.

Since our initial operation in December 2014 Saved In America has performed 133 successful child recoveries (out of 133 cases). The approach and techniques used by Saved in America help guide the rest of the nation on how to stop child sex trafficking before it happens, by focusing on runaway and missing children. Saved In America has taught it’s investigative techniques to the Human Smuggling & Trafficking Center, Washington, DC, Licensed Investigator Associations in Texas, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Alabama, and, for the Naval Special Warfare Command in Coronado, California.

On September 21, 2009 I was reading an article from the Orange County Register, “Retired Terror Hunters Hope to End Child Sex Slavery” (in foreign countries). This brought to mind the news I heard recently regarding a missing 17-year-old girl who left her parent’s home in New York.

Brittanee Drexel was last seen in a hotel video in South Carolina on April 25th. Where was she? (In August 2016 the FBI reported that Brittanee was taken from the hotel in Myrtle Beach by a gang member pimp to a stash house in North Carolina for several days then repeatedly raped by gang members, shot dead and fed to alligators.)

Thank you ‘Terror Hunters’ for your inspiration, and in the remembrance of Brittanee Drexel, who started and continues to drive Saved In America’s work. On November 1, 2018 at the 2nd annual Saved In America ‘Child Saved Not Sold event in Del Mar, California, Saved In America awarded its first ‘Brittanee Drexel Scholarship’ to a survivor of Child Sex Trafficking. Brittanee’s mother Dawn presented the award.

As a former Police Detective and current Licensed Private Investigator, I have seen countless cases of missing children. The statistics are grim and disheartening. I knew many children ended up being trafficked into human slavery and felt compelled to meet the “Terror Hunters”, to see if there was a way to perform these rescues here in the United States. I immediately made arrangements to meet these former special operations ‘Terror Hunters’.

Through a series of meetings, I met a former Navy SEAL who helped form Saved In America (SIA). It was decided after several meetings and operational discussions that

For further information please visit our website: SavedInAmerica.org.

The Saved In America story has also been published in a book titled- “Investigation of Missing & Exploited Children: The Gateway of Child Sex Trafficking, 2nd Edition October 2018, available at LuLu.com.

San Diego Veterans Magazine / November 2018 47

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San Diego Veterans Magazine / November 2018

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San Diego Veterans Magazine / November 2018 49

Distinguished West Point Graduate Appointed President of Nativity Prep Academy in San Diego

by Eva M. Stimson

In July of 1983, Dr. Gilbert Brady entered the United States West Point Military Academy. While studying there, he participated in intercollegiate athletics as a baseball player. During his enrollment at West Point, Dr. Brady completed the Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape course held at the United States Air Force Academy.

He left his position as principal in order to pursue his doctorate in executive leadership and human and organizational learning at The George Washington University in Washington, DC. During his time at George Washington, he founded Relationship Impact, a leadership development company focused on coaching and developing executive leadership teams.

Dr. Brady graduated as a Cadet Officer in 1987 after serving as the Executive Officer for C company 3rd Regiment. Dr. Brady was then commissioned as a Field Artillery Officer upon graduation from West Point and attended his Office Basic Course at Ft. Sill in Oklahoma.

His long journey led him to San Diego, as he became an equity partner in PSP, INC. out of Carlsbad, CA. PSP is an organizational development firm whose purpose is to strengthen relationships at every level of the organization through the use of their core strengths every day. Dr. Brady continues to serve on the Board at PSP, Inc.

Upon completion of his Officer Basic Course, Dr. Brady attended Airborne School at Ft. Benning in Georgia. After completing Airborne School, Dr. Brady joined the 3rd Battalion 41st Field Artillery Regiment headquartered at Ft. Stewart in Hinesville, GA. Dr. Brady served as a Fire Support Officer attached to the 4th Battalion 64th Armored Regiment and completed a successful rotation to the National Training Center at Ft. Irwin, CA. Shortly thereafter, he was appointed to lead the Fire Direction Center for C Battery 3rd Battalion 41st Field Artillery before finishing his Army Career as a Special Weapons Officer for the 3rd Battalion 41st Field Artillery Regiment. Dr. Brady was honorably discharged in August 1990.

Following the completion of his service with the U.S. Army, Dr. Brady enjoyed a successful career in the pharmaceutical industry, where he served as a National Sales Director and Senior Director for Sales and Marketing with Elan Pharmaceuticals.

He then left the corporate world to teach Junior High School mathematics and later served as Principal of Pinewood School in Los Altos, CA.

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San Diego Veterans Magazine / November 2018

Dr. Brady was recently hired by Nativity Prep Academy’s Board of Trustees as the school’s incoming president at the start of the 2018-2019 academic year, which began this fall. His appointment is the culmination of an extensive national search process supported by Carney, Sandoe & Associates, and involved representation from more than 300 individuals within the Nativity Prep community over the course of six months, including parents, students, faculty, administration, alumni, donors and trustees.

Dr. Brady explains, “The strong leadership foundation I gained while attending West Point and serving in the Army inspired me to further my leadership studies later in life. Leadership is about service and I have enjoyed engaging with students in the classroom setting to help them develop a deeper understanding of the connection between service and leadership.

While earning my doctorate, growing two companies and raising my family, I always knew that one day I would return to education and serve in some capacity. Serving my country provided a deep commitment and passion for service and leadership. At Nativity Prep, I am blessed to be able to share the lessons I have learned while supporting an incredibly noble mission”.

Located in Southeast San Diego, Nativity Prep Academy is an accredited, tuition-free school with an independent Board of Trustees and a community of benefactors that fund 100% of their costs each year. The school impacts over 240 students annually; 65-plus hardworking students in grades six, seven, and eight, and more than 180 of their graduates in high school and college.

All of their students represent the first generation in their families to earn a college degree, and all are from low-income families. Nativity Prep Academy offers a comprehensive Graduate Support Program. This program helps subsidize high school tuition costs for their alumni and helps students navigate a successful transition to high school as well through college.

Nativity Prep Academy seeks to change the world for the better by breaking the cycle of poverty amongst the families they serve, by committing to each student’s total development; academic, social, physical, spiritual, and emotional by emphasizing serious study and personal and social responsibility.

Visit nativityprep.org, or call 619-544-9455 for additional information.

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San Diego Veterans Magazine / November 2018 51

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San Diego Veterans Magazine / November 2018

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San Diego Veterans Magazine / November 2018