Veterans
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This new site features current, relevant and timely stories about the work being done by the CalVet team, plus links to important veteran-related articles and video coverage from events.
CalVet Connect allows visitors more direct, self-selected, self-moderated access to information and gives the agency a chance to connect with audiences in the moment by responding to questions in real time.
Visitors to www.calvet.ca.gov also will see CalVet Connect prominently displayed on the homepage with links to every new story. Just find the CalVet Connect tab, located at the center of the CalVet homepage.
Moreover, audiences can explore and find content on this site by simply selecting a category, which includes news, benefits, events, employment, veterans homes, veterans cemeteries and more.
Visitors can also choose to become a “follower” of the page and receive an email message or an alert (depending on how they choose to follow), at their desired frequency (weekly, daily or immediately), with a list of all the new content.
For more information, visit the CalVet Connect site.
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The airman completed an intensive, eight-week program that included training in military discipline and studies, Air Force core values, physical fitness, and basic warfare principles and skills.
Airmen who complete basic training also earn four credits toward an associate in applied science degree through the Community College of the Air Force.
Robinson is the son of Joann and Tim Robinson of Cobb, Calif.
He is a 2015 graduate of Middletown High School, Middletown, Calif.
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Dental is not part of the basic medical package of veterans health care, and many veterans cannot afford to purchase dental insurance.
“Oral health is so much more than brushing your teeth twice a day,” said Amanda Celli, member services representative at the Clearlake VA Clinic. “It ties into physical, mental and emotional health as well.”
Access Smiles sponsored the Access Dental van out of the Sacramento area to provide these services free of charge.
The Access Dental van is equipped with two full service dental chairs and a wheel chair lift.
Jacob Kelly, DDS, and his staff provided exceptional services to each of the veteran patients who came into their van.
Each veteran received a “goody bag” with a toothbrush, toothpaste, floss and mouthwash and a wide variety of oral health educational materials.
“We are grateful for the generosity of this group and look forward to partnering with the Access Smiles to bring this service back in the future,” Celli said.
Access Smiles is a collaborative partnership between Access Dental Plan, Access Dental Services, Access Dental and Blue Hills Dental centers of California.
The goal of this partnership to provide dental care and education to underserved communities.
Access Dental centers have served Northern California for more than 25 years, providing remarkable dental service and care.
To learn more about Access Dental, visit www.accessdental.com.
The next event providing a free dental van to veterans will be the Lake and Mendocino Stand Down at the Lake County Fairgrounds Sept. 27 to 28.
The dental van at the Stand Down has been sponsored by the Redbud Community Health Care District.
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The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced the appointment of Dr. Richard A. Stone to the position of principal deputy under secretary for health.
Dr. Stone will serve as the second-in-command to Dr. David Shulkin, VA’s under secretary for health. Dr. Stone began work Monday.
“We are excited to bring Dr. Stone on board as the principal deputy under secretary for health,” said Dr. Shulkin. “Dr. Stone’s keen ability to provide oversight of complex health care systems, programs and services has been truly remarkable and his experience in leadership roles within health care validate his skills as an innovative and dynamic leader who will benefit VA as a whole as we continue transformational initiatives.”
A practicing physician in a career that has spanned three decades, Dr. Stone has served in both the uniformed military service and civilian clinical practice.
In the military, he served as commander of military medical units at all levels of command – from detachment to medical command – including multiple recalls to active duty.
Prior to that, he was the director of the health care operations for the Defense Health Agency (DHA) transition team, overseeing the complex and historic transition to DHA from the Military Health System. In this role, he served as the chief medical officer and led a joint services team that provided business case analysis and business process re-engineering to 10 major shared services encompassing more than $30 billion in annual expenses.
He also previously served as deputy surgeon general and deputy commanding general of support to the Army Surgeon General.
In the private sector, Dr. Stone has owned and led an ambulatory medical and surgical practice, and served as senior medical officer for a community health care system in his home state of Michigan.
A graduate of Western Michigan University, Dr. Stone earned his medical degree from Wayne State University. He also earned a master’s degree from the Army War College.
Dr. Stone has a number of academic awards and honors to his credit including distinguished alumnus of Western Michigan University College of Arts and Sciences; and Legion of Merit, Bronze Star and Combat Action Badge.
He also has been a member of the Department of Defense Recovering Warrior Task Force since 2011 and is a fellow in the American Academy of Dermatology.
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U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-5) today introduced the Support and Defend Our Military Personnel and Their Families Act (H.R. 4600) with Representative Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL).
This bipartisan legislation will remove barriers to naturalization for non-citizen service members, veterans, and their families.
“The more than 20,000 brave, non-citizen men and women serving in our Armed Forces shouldn’t have to worry about their immigration status, or that of their family members,” said Thompson. “Fixing our country’s broken immigration system is a priority. And by making sure our system does not unduly burden non-citizen service members, veterans and their families, this legislation is an important first step.”
Representative Ros-Lehtinen stated, "I'm proud to join Mike, once again, in introducing the Support and Defend Our Military Personnel and Their Families Act. Those who honorably serve our nation should not have to worry about their immigration status or that of their families after having sacrificed so much for our country. Our servicemembers should be allowed the opportunity to fully participate in our great democracy, which they work to defend. Allowing them to expedite their citizenship and their families to apply for lawful residency is the least we can do to repay their courage."
The Support and Defend Our Military Personnel and Their Families Act helps veterans who have served honorably become U.S. citizens, facilitates the reunification of lawful permanent residents serving in active duty with nuclear family members, and works to preserve family unity of military personnel.
While current law does allow for expedited naturalization of non-citizens serving, or who have served, in the Armed Forces, this legislation would extend naturalization eligibility to certain soldiers not covered under existing law, such as soldiers who served in the armed conflicts in Kosovo and Bosnia in the 1990s.
Veterans would also have one year, instead of six months, to apply for naturalization after being honorably discharged.
The Support and Defend Our Military Personnel and Their Families Act expedites the petitions of nuclear family members, spouses and children, of non-citizen military personnel by exempting their lawful permanent resident petitions from the numerical caps that limit the number of petitions granted each year.
The legislation would also allow immediate family members of a U.S. citizen soldier who is serving, or who has served honorably, to apply for lawful permanent residence.
The bill helps protect active duty service members and veterans from deportation by codifying existing guidelines for placing active duty service members and veterans into removal proceedings.
H.R. 4600 has been referred to the House Committees on the Judiciary and Armed Services for further consideration.
Thompson represents California’s Fifth Congressional District, which includes all or part of Contra Costa, Lake, Napa, Solano and Sonoma counties.
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SACRAMENTO – The California State Senate confirmed the appointments of Juan Gonzalez and Todd Trotter to the California Veterans Board on Feb. 1.
Both were appointed by Gov. Edmund G. Brown Jr. in February 2015.
Gonzalez, 78, of Lancaster, was a design engineer at Eaton Corp. from 1987 to 1995 and served in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers from 1960 to 1968.
He lives at the California Veterans Home in Lancaster and is the “resident member” on the board.
Trotter, 50, of Sacramento, has been national senior director at Kaiser Permanente since 2013, where he has held several positions since 2002, including human resources leader, Northern California director of labor relations and human resource business partner.
Trotter served as a letter carrier and labor relations representative at the U.S. Postal Service from 1992 to 2002 and served in the U.S. Army from 1983 to 1991. He earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law. Trotter is a Democrat.
For more information about the California Veterans Board, please visit https://www.calvet.ca.gov/Pages/California-Veterans-Board.aspx .
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NORTH COAST, Calif. – Sen. Mike McGuire was honored by the recent announcement that he has been chosen by AMVETS as 2015 Legislator of the Year.
He was selected, along with Assemblyman Jim Frazier (D-Oakley) “for their steadfast support of military veterans, active service personnel, and their families.”
“I am honored by the recognition from AMVETS. The organization does incredible work fighting on behalf of those who fought so hard for all of us, our nation’s veterans. I’m proud to work with AMVETS and veteran service organizations all throughout this great state to ensure our heroes have the resources they need to thrive,” McGuire said.
The AMVETS Legislator of the Year honor is awarded to a select group of legislators who have gone the extra mile to support California’s veterans and their families.
In 2015, Sen. McGuire successfully authored SB 685, which expanded the ability of veteran service organizations from across California to broaden their community building and fundraising capabilities.
These fundraising initiatives help pay for services and programs that benefit the health and well-being of local veterans. McGuire worked hand in hand with veteran service organizations to get the bill passed, including AMVETS.
“Sen. McGuire gets it. He immediately understood the challenges facing veterans halls and the need for veterans service organizations to maintain their viability. I have known Mike for a long time and he has always supported veterans when he was on the Healdsburg City Council and the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors. It was a pleasure working with him and his staff on SB 685 and we look forward to continuing that relationship going forward in service to our veterans,” said Lorraine Plass, Team AMVETS Legislative Committee chair.
McGuire has a long record of supporting California’s veterans.
He brought forward the policy that made Sonoma County one of the first in the state to be designated a Purple Heart County.
He also led the effort that provided all Sonoma County veterans with free access to public transit. The measure, the first in California, provides thousands of local veterans with access to reliable transportation which connects veterans to jobs, medical care and desperately needed services via Sonoma County Transit.
The Legislator of the Year Awards will be presented at the Team AMVETS’ Annual Day at the Capitol event on April 6.
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WASHINGTON, DC – The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has announced the appointment of four new members to the Advisory Committee on Minority Veterans.
The committee was chartered on Nov. 2, 1994, and advises the Secretary of Veterans Affairs on the needs of the nation’s 4.7 million minority veterans on compensation, health care, rehabilitation, outreach and other benefits and programs administered by the VA.
The committee assesses the needs of veterans who are minority group members and recommends program improvements designed to meet their needs.
The committee members are appointed to two or three-year terms. Minority veterans comprise nearly 21 percent of the total veteran population in the United States and its territories.
The new committee members are:
Melissa Castillo: Navy veteran of San Antonio, Texas. Served as the Assistant Regional Director for San Antonio Region, Veterans County Service Officer Association of Texas; Assistant Women Veterans Coordinator; Advisor to the US Army Survivor Outreach Services Program; and Advisor to the Alamo Community College District Veterans Affairs Committee. Currently serves as the Assistant Veterans Service Officer at the Bexar County Veterans Service Office in San Antonio, Texas, and is an accredited Veterans Service Officer.
Benno Cleveland: Army veteran of Fairbanks, Alaska. Served two tours in Dong Tam, Vietnam where he earned a Purple Heart. He also served as Senior Vice Commander and Department Commander of the Military Order of the Purple Heart. In recognition of his distinguished military service, the Alaska Federation of Natives bestowed him with their “Veteran of the Year” honors in 2014 at their Annual Convention in Anchorage. Mr. Cleveland also founded the Alaska Native Veterans Association and is currently serving as President.
Ginger Miller: Navy veteran of Accokeek, Maryland, and former homeless disabled Veteran. Ms. Miller became Founder and CEO of two nonprofit organizations that serve Veterans and their families: John 14:2, Inc. and Women Veterans Interactive. She served as Chairwoman of the Prince George’s County Veterans Commission; Commissioner, Maryland Commission for Women; member of the Maryland Veterans Resilience Advisory Council; and a member of the Maryland Caregivers Support Coordinating Council. She is currently a member of Disabled American Veterans.
Xiomara Sosa: Army veteran of Summerville, South Carolina. Ms. Sosa is the Founder and Principal of XAS Consulting, LLC, an integrative mental healthcare and holistic wellness consulting firm. She served on the Women Veteran Social Justice board of directors; Military Partners and Families Veteran Initiative; the Semper Fidelis Health and Wellness Advisory Board; and a current member of the Women in Military Service for America Memorial Foundation, Inc.
The new members join current members:
– Marvin Trujillo, Jr., Committee Chairman, Marine Corps veteran;
– Many-Bears Grinder, Col. (USA-Ret);
– Patricia Jackson-Kelley, Lt. Col. (USA-Ret);
– Librado Rivas, Command Sgt. Maj. (USA-Ret);
– Teresita Smith, Sgt. First Class (USA-Ret);
– Rebecca Stone, Staff Sgt. (USA-Ret);
– Cornell Wilson, Jr., Maj. Gen. (USMC-Ret);
– Anthony Woods, Army veteran.
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