Orange County Veterans Year In Review 2018

Orange County Veterans Advisory Council Year In Review 2018

Orange County Commitment to Eliminate Veteran’s Homelessness

Veteran’s Serving Orange County Veterans Board of Supervisors

Supervisor Michelle Steel 2nd District Office Tim Whitacre-US Marine Corps Supervisor Doug Chaffee 4th District Office Austin Mejia-US Army

City Council

Brea Steven Vargas-US Navy

Laguna Niguel John Mark Jennings, Mayor-US Army JAG Laguna Woods Cynthia Connors, Mayor-US Army Joe Rainey-US Marine Corps

Buena Park Art Brown, Mayor-US Marine Corps Costa Mesa Andrea Marr-US Navy

Mission Viejo Greg Raths, Mayor-US Marine Corps Ed Sachs-US Navy

Cypress Paulo M Morales-US Navy

Placentia Craig Green-US Navy

Dana Point Jamey Federico-US Marine Corps Richard Viczorek-US Marine Corps

San Clemente Steve Swartz, Mayor-US Air Force

Garden Grove George S. Brietigam III-US Coast Guard

Santa Ana Juan Villegas, Mayor Pro Tem-US Army

Huntington Beach Erik Peterson-US Marine Corps

Stanton Alexander A. Ethans, Mayor Pro Tem -US Navy/US Air Force

Laguna Hills Dr. Dore Gilbert, Mayor-US Army Medical

Tustin Barry Cooper-US Marine Corps/US Navy

Federal and State Offices Congressman Luis Correa Office-Veterans Job Caucus & Army Caucus Jose Guevara-US Marine Corps Congressman Gil Cisneros Office-Veterans Affairs & Armed Services Committee Chris Wade-US Marine Corps Congressman Mike Levin-House Committee on Veterans Affairs Senator Tom Umberg-Veterans Affairs Committee-US Army Assemblymember Steven Choi-Korean Army Cliff Wagner-Chief of Staff-US Army Assemblymember William Brough-US Army Assemblymember Sharon Quirk-Silva-Select Committee Veterans Education & Employment Christopher Aguilera-US Marine Corp Assemblymember Cottie Petrie-Norris-Veterans Affairs Committee

Orange County Veterans Advisory Council

1st District Supervisor Andrew Do

Mario Munoz-US Marine Corps

4th District Supervisor Doug Chaffee Vacant

2nd District Supervisor Michelle Steel Chase Wickersham-US Army

5th District Supervisor Lisa Bartlett Greg Raths-US Marine Corps

3rd District Supervisor Todd Spitzer

Robert V “Bobby” McDonald-US Navy

Memeber At Large Representatives Erik Duane-US Marine Corps Carl David-US Army

Orange County Veterans Service Office Orange County Veterans Service Officer Eddie Falcon-US Navy Supervising Veterans Claims Representative Eric Ensley-US Navy

Orange County Board of Supervisors

Chairman Andrew Do 1st District

Michelle Steel 2nd District

Vice Chair Shawn Nelson 4th District

Todd Spitzer 3rd District

Lisa Bartlett 5th Disrict

Message From Eddie Falcon, Orange County Veterans Service Officer & Veterans Remains Officer As veteran advocates, the Orange County Veterans Service Office (OCVSO) continues to assist veterans, dependents and survivors with proper guidance and counsel in order for them to obtain additional benefits they may be entitled to, based on their military service.

In 2018, the Veterans Service Office established a third outstation facility at the Joint Force Training Base, Los Alamitos. This provides us an opportunity to extend our assistance to military personnel, veterans and family members, in Orange County.

We continue to be mindful of other opportunities that will allows us additional opportunities’ to serve.

Our office personnel strive to be effective and efficient when assisting those who walk through our doors.

We understand we are stewards of the public trust.

Our message to our brothers and sisters who wore the uniform, you are not alone. The Orange County Veterans Service Office is here to help.

Message From Renee Ramirez, Director, Orange County Community Services It is a very exciting time for OC Community Services (OCCS) as we celebrate our 10-year anniversary as part of the OC Community Resources (OCCR) organization.

After a decade of steady progress, we will continue to focus on improving and expanding our services. We take pride in finding creative ways to dramatically increase programs, services and participation levels. Our emphasis and commitment to improving client services in the coming year will focus on seeking additional funding, automating processes, participating in important research, increasing data collection, and local and regional planning efforts.

A special thank you to the entire OCCS team and the Orange County Veterans Advisory Council for their focused commitment and dedication to improving services and increasing accessibility to our programs. Without them, we simply would not be where we are today!

We have a decade of good work behind us that we look forward to building upon!

District ONE

Jamboree, partners and community leaders break ground on Santa Ana Veterans Village

District TWO Supervisor Steele at Ribbon Cutting Grand Opening of Columbia University at Joint Forces Training Base Los Alamitos. The Cove Community Development Partners Opens Housing for Homeless Veterans in Newport Beach, CA

OCVAC Meeting Notice Date: Wednesday, August 9, 2017

OCVAC Meeting Notice Date: Wednesday, July 11, 2018

OC Veterans Advisory Council Meeting OC Veterans Advisory Council Meeting 5:00 p.m.

Vanguard University 55 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa, CA 92626

5:00 p.m.

Cypress College Complex Room 414 9200 Valley View Street Cypress, 90630

Great Commission Hall, 2nd Floor, Heath Building (Parking Pass Required)

Have We Helped A Veteran Today?

Supervisor Steel is Guest Speaker at Vanguard

Have We Helped A Veteran Today?

Cypress Earns $100,000 State Grant to Help Expand VRC

District THREE

District FOUR

Placentia Veterans Village Ground Breaking

District FOUR

District FIVE Saddleback College Receives $2 Million State Innovation Award to Assist Veterans in Degree Completion

OCVAC Vice Chair and Mission Viejo Mayor Greg Raths, Supervisor Lisa Bartlett and OCVAC Communications Chair Carl David at the Veterans Resource Fair.

HOUSING

HOUSING

EMPLOYMENT

EMPLOYMENT

Wayne Gross of the State of California Department of General Services presented a workshop for small business and disabled veterans business certification.

HEALTH

HEALTH

EDUCATION

Amy Thronson, who served in the Air Force, is the Veterans Student Association president

Black Chamber Education Fund Scholarship Recipients

LEGAL

The American Patriots Ball Fashion Island Hotel Adam Karr, O’Melveny; Rochelle Karr, Honoree; Antoinette Balta, President and Founder of VLI; Dr. Karen Vanderwall; and Navy Seal Captain Duncan Smith

MILITARY CHILDREN & FAMILIES

4th District Policy Advisor Steve Spernak & Lisa Wright-Jenkins holding OC Register front page story on “State of Vets in OC”

Lori Pack & Debbie Nichols are

presented a proclamation from SenatorJanet Nguyen for Month of the Military Child

AROUND THE COUNTY The Orange County Veterans and Military Family Collaborative

The Collaborative has roughly 110 public and private service providers that represent 150 volunteers with 10 working groups.

AROUND THE COUNTY

Congressman Lou Correa’s Vietnam Veterans Pinning Ceremony at Savanna High School.

AUSA Veterans Golf Tourney with Craig Hanriot, Pete Seitz, Medal of Honor Recipient Jim McCloughan, & Bobby McDonald

US Army Education Tour Washington DC with Congressman John Lewis, Lt. Col Troy Alexander, Daphne Hunter and Dennis Cole.

Disneyland SALUTE Diversity Resource Group

Buffalo Soldiers 150th Anniversary Celebration Flag Lowering Ceremony

AROUND THE COUNTY COLLAGE

Tustin 4th of July with Mayor Al Murray..

Ben Gales Local Interagency Network Coordinator (LINC) CAL Vet Orange County

Military Salute for Navy veteran Willie Blackmon, 94, was honored with six awards including three medals and one ribbon — that he earned for his service during World War II but never received during a halftime ceremony at George Washington Preparatory High School’s homecoming game Friday. Congresswoman Maxine Waters was on hand him to present him with the awards, which her office helped secure.

HEROES HALL COLLAGE

Friends and Families on hand to unveil memorial plaque for 12 airman and 72 Marines that lost their lives in the plane crash at MCAS El Toro in 1965.

AROUND THE COUNTY

US Army “All Female” Color Guard at OC Black Chamber Banquet 2018.

Tanya Acker, General Peter Gravett, Bobby McDonald Admiral Samuel Lee Gravely Leadership & Service Honoree

Nick Berardino, Judge Vincent Okamoto & Bobby McDonald Vietnam Veterans attending the PBS So Cal & Ken Burns “The Vietnam War” Premier

IN MEMORIAM

Orange County Commitment to Eliminate Veteran’s Homelessness Jamboree Breaks Ground on Affordable OC Project Encompassing 75 units, Santa Ana Veterans Village will cater to homeless veterans and their families.

Potter’s Lane Midway City is just the first of many new projects to help our homeless veterans from American Family Housing.

Bridges at Kraemer Place is a 24-hour emergency homeless shelter facility in the city of Anaheim that is ADA Accessible and serves homeless single men and single women in the North Orange County area.

Placentia Veterans Village The City is partnering with the County of Orange, Mercy Housing California, and New Directions to plan, design, construct and administer the Placentia Veterans Village, a permanent supportive housing development that will serve military veterans who are homeless or disabled.

The Cove Community Development Partners Opens Housing for Homeless Veterans in Newport Beach, CA

ORANGE COUNTY VETERANS ADVISORY COUNCIL The body was created in March 1978 and is comprised of members appointed by the O.C. Board of Supervisors. They volunteer their time and services without pay. The Council is made up of nine members who are residents of Orange County representing all areas of the county and all are U.S. Military veterans with Honorable Discharges.

The function and duties of this Council are: to advise the Board of Supervisors on issues of importance to veterans and their dependents based on input from the veteran community; to provide a source of liaison and communication with various groups relative to veterans issues; and, to promote involvement in veteran’s related events and functions within the County.

Bobby McDonald Chairman District 3

Chase Wickersham District 2

Eric Duane

LTC(R) Carl David Communications Chair At Large

Greg Raths

At Large

Vice Chairman District 5

Mario Munoz District 1

HEROES HALL COLLAGE COLLAGE