Honoring Our Vets 11.09.18

NOVEMBER 9, 2018

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HONORING OUR VETS

NOVEMBER 9, 2018

Naval successes shaped mayor’s life KYLE SZYMANSKI

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s a young, naïve kid descending from a plane onto a ship thousands of feet below, Brentwood Mayor Bob Taylor had

no idea the experience would land him on the path to an adventurous, successful life.

But as he sat in MJ’s Cafe this week, some 50 years after his Vietnam experience, the four-term mayor drew a line back to that historic time – and all points forward led to a productive, happy journey.

“I don’t think I would have been as successful (if I hadn’t joined the Navy),” Taylor said. “It offered me the advantage to go to college; it taught me morality, ethics, education. It opened up a world of opportunity for me.”

Taylor spent four years, two terms, in Vietnam as an admiral aide in the Navy’s Commander Carrier Division seven, but his voyage began on a whim in the early 1960’s when the Virginia high school graduate decided on a whim to join the armed forces.

“They said, ‘Do you know where Vietnam is?’”

Taylor remembers a recruiter asking him in the early ’60s. “I said, ‘No, where’s that?’ But I said, ‘Yeah, I’ll go.’”

That decision led Taylor into a whirlwind of maintaining officers’ records in mostly combat zones at times fraught with violence and death. Where the admiral went, Taylor followed, even if it meant catapulting off an aircraft, high lining at sea from a carrier to a

Photo courtesy of City of Brentwood

Mayor Bob Taylor, seen here as a young Naval sailor, credits his four-year stint in the Navy for shaping who he is today. destroyer, dodging enemy planes as they whisked above or listening in on frightful moments of despair.

“I remember listening to a U.S. pilot shot down by

the Vietnamese,” Taylor said. “(The pilot) was giving in explicit detail that he parachuted out, that he was at these coordinates, then he said, ‘I can see I am trying to land on an open field, I can see the Viet Cong, I’m getting ready to hit the ground. I am now surrounded.’

Then his radio went dead.”

Taylor was one of the lucky ones.

He not only survived but persevered, earning National Defense Service, Vietnam Campaign and Vietnam Service medals, along with a Navy Unit Commendation Ribbon and a college education that sent him on the fast track to accomplishment.

“From (the Navy), I aspired to be somebody and contribute,” he said.

Taylor’s 51-year excursion since his honorable discharge in 1967 is, not surprisingly, dotted with small victories.

He went on to get married and raise two boys, compiling a lengthy work resume as a delivery driver, salesman, farmer, Liberty Union High School District Board member, Brentwood City Councilman and now mayor.

The city under his leadership in the past 12 years has prospered with infrastructure improvements and a population surge, along with a handful of lasting mementos – a big red chair and an evolving gazebo – that Taylor threw in himself.

Now in his 70s and still going strong, the final leg of his expedition is still to be written. But he knows where it began, and it’s been a successful ride.

“I have had fun throughout my entire journey,” he said. “I have been very blessed.”

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HONORING OUR VETS

NOVEMBER 9, 2018

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Helping veterans achieve their dreams A LY B R O W N

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or lender Laura Cunha, building trust in the community and

Laura Cunha and her team at Stonecrest Lending specialize in loans for veterans and also provide workshops for vets and realtors alike.

advocating for veterans are at

the forefront of her mission as a lender.

She opened Stonecrest Lending in 2009 in the midst of the mortgage crisis, and she and her team pride themselves on professionalism with a personal touch.

“I opened … with a purpose of providing our community a place where they could walk in and meet face-to-face with a lender whose core values are honesty and kindness,” Cunha said.

During her time in business, she also made a point to further educate herself about veterans, a demographic she said was not getting offers accepted. With the findings from her investigation, Cunha launched two workshops – one for veterans and one for realtors.

“There are so many misconceptions of ON THE COVER: Laura Cunha, owner of Stonecrest Lending in Oakley, standing in front of the Oakley Veterans Memorial. Cunha’s business offers a variety of home-lending options for veterans and their families.

Photo by Tony Kukulich

this financing even today,” said Cunha. “I took it on as a personal mission to help our veterans and educate as many as I can.”

Since creating the workshops, Cunha has traveled around Northern California to share the information, firmly believing that education is key. She further noted most veterans are not familiar with the loan benefits available to them when they’re discharged and are always happy to learn the details.

“Did you know you can do 100 percent

loan even on a refinance? No other loan program offers that,” Cunha explained. “This is by far the best loan for our clients who are honorably discharged.”

Stonecrest Lending has also been a main supporter of the Veterans of Oakley as well as other local veteran organizations. The group was a significant supporter backing the Oakley Veterans Memorial, which was built in 2014, through fundraising, sponsoring a bench and donating a brick in honor of

every veterans loan the team had closed. The total contribution for this effort came in over $6,500.

And customers rave about the experience they find at Stonecrest.

“Excellent service! Stonecrest’s team is very well organized, provides full explanation every step of the way and is wonderfully patient with its clients; fully understanding that home financing is the most complex financial agreement most persons enter,” said Oakley resident David H., in an online five-star Yelp review. “They made me feel that my loan was their foremost concern. I was especially impressed because my home financial package was a VA loan, which by nature can be byzantine. Laura Cunha guided me through the process and gave me the confidence to expect a positive outcome.”

While Cunha noted most people are stressed to meet in regard to finances, she often tells clients they will be happier when they leave than when they came in.

“What motivates me daily is to see how appreciative a veteran is when you help them provide the pathway to homeownership and the stability it creates for their family,” Cunha said. “Veterans fought for our land, they deserve to own a piece of it. We will do everything we can to make this happen.”

For more information, visit https:// stonecrestlending.net or call 925-625-1471.

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NOVEMBER 9, 2018

Trilogy association largest group in county DAWNMARIE FEHR

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rilogy at the Vineyards is home to Contra Costa County’s largest veterans group.

The Trilogy at the Vineyards Veterans Association (TVVA) has an impressive 118 members and a long to-do list. Founded in 2015, the group is an active supporter of veterans in East County.

“I like the camaraderie amongst the members,” said Dave Smith, the group’s supply officer. “And I like that we can do a lot of good, and our goal is to give back to other veterans.”

Smith, who served as a military police officer during the Vietnam War, has participated in many fundraisers and service opportunities afforded through the TVVA. The organization raises money through events like poker tournaments and ensures that it all goes back to local veterans.

“One thing we like to do is go to

Photo courtesy of Trilogy at the Vineyards Veterans Association

The Trilogy at the Vineyards Veterans Association has 118 members and is the largest organization of its kind in Contra Costa County. the veteran’s nursing home in Livermore,” explained Smith. “We will spend two or three hours talking with patients. We host barbecues down there or fix them ice cream sundaes, and we’ll even take them into the rooms of the guys who can’t leave their rooms. It’s good for them to have a break from the institutionalized food and get some company.”

The TVVA Commander is Clifton Louie,

a former Army pharmaceutical officer. After 21 years in the military, he dedicated his time to helping those who needed it.

“We’re a relatively new group,” explained Louie. “We are serving veterans who need some assistance, either old or young, and we have members of all five armed services in our group. It’s a good cross section of the armed services. We are all about

serving the community and serving veterans.”

The TVVA has served its community in many ways. The group sponsors scholarships for veteran students to local colleges as well as Pets for Vets, which gives pets to veterans with PTSD who may benefit from a furry friend. They support long-term care patients at the Veterans Affairs (VA) Hospital in Livermore and Fisher House, which provides temporary free housing to current and former military members and their families.

They are also part of Stand Down on the Delta, a four-day event offering a myriad of services to veterans in need.

The TVVA also hosts blood drives for the Red Cross, supports Shepherd’s Gate, and the Heritage High School Jr. Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) Program.

The TVVA meets the third Thursday of each month from 4 to 5 p.m., at the Mount Diablo Event Center, 1700 Trilogy Parkway, in Brentwood. For more information on the TVVA, call 925-482-7624 or visit www. trilogyvet.com.

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Summerset veterans dedicated to service DAWNMARIE FEHR

T

he folks in the Summerset

The Summerset Veterans Club is an active group comprised of vets dedicated to serving their country as civilians.

developments may be over 55, but they haven’t let

middle age slow them down one bit.

The Summerset Veterans Club was begun 21 years ago by veterans who wanted to continue serving their community and country as civilians. The men and women in the club have come up with many ways to meet that goal.

Leo McGoff, a 25-year Army veteran, has traveled with world in defense of our country.

He now works to help veterans in need of assistance.

“My responsibility is to assist vets seeking service records, medals, etcetera,” McGoff explained. “We also provide vets and their survivors with information on benefits and burials and work with Contra Costa County to get

Photo courtesy of the Summerset Veterans Club

paperwork and things of that nature for them.”

McGoff said what he enjoys most about the club is the ability to continue serving.

“Most of the people in the club are veterans of varying degrees who served from two years up to 30 years,” McGoff said.

“Most of them are committed to serving their country and constituents in various ways.”

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One of the club’s regular outreach projects is to supply tablets and phones for PTSD patients to the Martinez Veterans group at the Martinez hospital. McGoff explained that while the vets’ basic accommodations are taken care of, many of them can’t afford a tablet or phone to help with rehabilitation or to call home. The group also fills other needs

occasionally, such as a gas card, a ticket to go home or a dinner out.

The Summerset Veterans Club provides both Memorial Day and Veterans Day programs for the development and the assisted living facility at Cortona Park. They also have annual fundraising events for their projects, which include Toys for Tots and support of the Jr. ROTC program at Heritage High School in Brentwood.

Lee Alley is the group’s treasurer and a member for the past three years. He said the group is full of great people.

“I enjoy (the work we do),” Alley said.

“We are mostly veterans for veterans. Not everyone is fortunate – we enjoy helping out those who have put their lives on the line.”

For information or to donate, call 925-240-9112. Club meetings are held on the second Monday of the month at 1 p.m., at the Summerset Recreation Center, 1581 Regent Drive, Brentwood.

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All Phase Brokers working for veterans

J

im Graydon, broker and owner

team, but with it, they strive to

accomplish big things for veterans.

All Phase Brokers owner Jim Graydon strives to build relationships with clients based on trust and exceeding expectations.

Photo by Tony Kukulich

have to do right by them and people know that – when they can trust you, people will go anywhere with you,” he said. “So you have to start with yourself.”

Graydon’s work with veterans was one example of his dedication to building a reputation grounded in trust. He shared the story of one vet who, in his 60s, had never owned a home.

“He showed me his loan approval, and it was only for about $150,000, but

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you out of his office, I told him,” he said.

He worked with the gentleman to write credit letters and restore his credit rate for the optimal loan and later dedicated a day of driving to another county to view a home he could afford.

Graydon teared up when he recalled the man’s reaction to owning a home for the first time.

In a five-star studded profile on Zillow, other clients commended Graydon’s service.

“Jim is the epitome of a consummate professional,” said Michael Lane, client.

“I was extremely impressed with Jim’s industry acumen and ability to see the forest for the trees. We had a very aggressive timeline, and Jim was able to hit the ground running and fully exceeded our expectations. I’ve never worked with a more responsive and knowledgeable real estate professional. I highly recommend Jim.” For more information on All Phase Brokers, visit http://allphasebrokers.com or call 925-584-9886.

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With 22 years of experience under his belt, Graydon prides himself on covering every type of real estate transaction and loan while attempting to step into his clients’ shoes throughout the process.

“My philosophy is, number one, do the right thing and, in order to have a high quality of life, be genuine – esteem others higher than myself,” he said. “I will do whatever it takes to make sure that a loan closes on time. I’m not just an agent, I’m also a broker and owner, and there’s a huge advantage to working with someone with so much experience. I know what to look out for, what not to do and how to prepare my clients, and I will always answer my phone. I am very available.”

Graydon went on to explain how oftentimes the service he offers – whether it’s helping someone clean up their credit or even helping to arrange for packing and moving assistance – doesn’t always equate to a commission, but the impact is immeasurable when factoring referrals and future business relationships into the equation.

“Even if I don’t get a commission, I

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I felt something tugging on my heart to help this guy,” he said.

He ran the vet’s credit and discovered disputes, suspecting another broker had given him an approval to brush him off when really the bank wouldn’t have allowed it to go through with disputes on his credit.

“But I’m looking at this (loan approval) and I’m getting mad because the other broker was clearly just trying to get

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NOVEMBER 9, 2018

Veterans of Foreign Wars serve, support DAWNMARIE FEHR

Members of the Brentwood Veterans of Foreign Wars support their fellow veterans as well as numerous local organizations and charities.

T

he Brentwood Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) is comprised of men and

women who have fought in overseas conflicts.

While not all veterans are eligible to join this organization, the VFW helps all veterans, no matter their branch or service record.

Steve Todd, Commander of the Brentwood VFW, keeps his fellow members busy serving veterans and advocating on their behalf.

The group has branched out to help veterans in the local community in countless ways. Initially, their goal was to support veterans who needed help filing claims and obtaining medical benefits.

Over time, they have come to support Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Jr. ROTC programs, the Veterans Day ceremony at Veterans Park, Toys for Tots, and a wheel chair program.

They are also part of Stand Down on the Delta, an event that provides services like medical care, mental health services and housing aid to veterans who need help.

The Brentwood VFW also coordinates with neighboring veterans organizations to

Photo courtesy of Brentwood VFW

reach every corner of East County.

“We try to get everybody in the community involved,” Todd explained.

“That way everybody has a little piece of the pie – it’s a big community effort.”

Todd also explained that he and his fellow members work on housing for veterans. Whether a vet needs a new roof or a new faucet, they’re there to help. The group even has an electrician who spends much of his time helping veterans fix wiring problems.

“I like being able to help veterans out, and I like the camaraderie,” said Mike Meyokovich, an Air Force veteran and owner of M3 Electric. “Any time a disabled veteran or a widow calls up, we always go out and fix their electrical. I like being able to help.”

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ans suffering from PTSD to the Baatan Memorial Death March in New Mexico and tries to spend time with those who are

bedridden in nursing homes.

Their funds primarily come from donations and their holiday boutique fundraiser, and all go right back into the community.

Todd said when a call comes in for help, he gets people there to answer it.

The Brentwood VFW regular monthly meetings are held on the second Tuesday of the month at 7 p.m., at the Brentwood Veterans Hall, 757 First St., Brentwood.

For more information or to donate, call 510-410-2725, email Stevetodd04@yahoo. com or visit www.VFW10789.org.

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Teamwork gets it done DAWNMARIE FEHR

F

ounded in 2015, Veterans of Oakley (VOO) is a nonprofit group of

veterans helping veterans.

“Our purpose is to serve veterans, especially veterans of East County,” explained John Amie, VOO Board of Directors secretary. “We help those who are under-represented for benefits and eligibility for benefits, and we work closely with other groups out here in East County.”

One of VOO’s ongoing projects is the memorial bricks for the Oakley Veterans Memorial. The group accepts donations for the bricks, which are inscribed and placed in the ground at the Veterans Memorial. Amie said that many businesses and individuals have taken advantage of the program to support a veteran. The group also supports veteran events like Stand Down on the Delta, a large-scale fourday operation that provides free services for veterans.

Amie was in the Air Force during the Vietnam War. He was part of an air rescue and recovery squadron whose mission was to pick up downed air crew in North Vietnam. A military brat growing up, Amie has lived all over the world but appreciates the advantages Oakley and its veterans have to offer. He is one

Press file photo Generations of veterans, from various branches of the military, will once again come together in Oakley this year to commemorate Veterans Day. of the founding members of VOO. “For me, (being part of VOO) has been part of a healing process,” Amie said. “The experiences I had coming back from Vietnam and the reception we got – it was difficult for me to associate with veterans. I got involved with the Veterans of Oakley in an attempt to recapture that time of my life in healthy way.”

VOO meets every Tuesday for Coffee with a Vet a Jaliscos in Oakley at 8:30 a.m. Amie said the purpose of the meetings is to make veterans feel welcome and give them a place where they are honored and respected and can receive whatever assistance they need.

For more information on the Veterans of Oakley, call 925-321-0168 or visit www.veteransofoakley.org.

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HONORING OUR VETS

NOVEMBER 9, 2018

Where to turn for assistance, services RUTH ROBERTS

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ccording to the California Department of Veteran Affairs (CalVet), California

is home to 1.8 million veterans, representing roughly 8 percent of the total U.S. veteran population.

Not surprisingly, California also has the highest demand for benefits and services for veterans from discharge through the aging process.

One organization working to assist veterans and guide them through the variety of services available is the VA Northern California Health Care System (VANCHCS). The VANCHCS is an integrated health care delivery system, offering a comprehensive array of medical, surgical, rehabilitative, mental health and extended care to veterans in Northern California. The health system is comprised of a medical center in Sacramento, a rehabilitation and extended care facility in Martinez, and seven outpatient clinics.

“There is always a need for donations,” said Maria Almes, VANCHCS chief of voluntary services. “We are looking for (new) clothing, gift cards and food. We receive a great deal of help, but there is always room for more.”

For donation information or ways to help, visit, www.northerncalifornia.va.gov or call 925-372-2000 or 800-382-8387. If you are a veteran looking for services or know of someone who needs assistance, visit www.va.gov or call 415-970-2216.

Here in East County, Discovery Bay’s Some Gave All Foundation, founded by Kevin Graves, offers support and help for those who continue to serve and for the families of those who have given the ultimate sacrifice. Graves founded the nonprofit organization in 2006 after his

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We are looking for (new) clothing, gift cards and food. We receive a great deal of help, but there is always room for more.

– Maria Almes, VANCHCS chief of voluntary services son, Joey, was killed in action in Iraq with a mission to honor the fallen, support those who fight and serve their families.

Annual events, including Veterans Day on the Delta, Joey Graves Memorial Golf Tournament and Run for the Fallen, raise money for veterans and their families while honoring those who serve or have served.

Graves, who also works for CalVet, said that one of the biggest messages veterans organizations strive to articulate are the various state and federal services available to veterans and their families.

From health benefits, job assistance, housing help, advocacy, education, VA claims and more, the first step is reaching out.

“I encourage all veterans to see what benefits are available to them and what are not, and the best way to do that is to start with the county veterans service office in Martinez,” said Graves.

The Martinez office welcomes dropin visitors as well as appointments. For more information, contact the county veterans service office at 925-3131481. For additional information on the Some Gave All organization, visit www. somegaveall.us or call 925-513-1313.

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We’re Proud of Our Veteran Residents!

TreVista Senior Living Salutes Veterans!

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