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The U.S. Navy Seabee Museum (USNSM) will be hosting a celebration for the recently restored and installed “1940’s Theater Marquee.” Come join the Seabees, public, and museum staff on Thursday, November 10th, 2016 from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the U.S. Navy Seabee Museum in Port Hueneme.

The marquee was donated to the USNSM by the Ventura Artists’ Union in 2013. The marquee came from the iconic Mayfair Theater in downtown Ventura that was destroyed by a fire in 2000, and razed in 2004. The marquee sat in an empty lot at the intersection of Figueroa and East Santa Clara streets in Ventura for 10 years. When the potential donor reached out to the museum, museum director Dr. Lara Godbille thought the marquee would enhance the museum’s visitor experience. “The marquee could not only be used for an aesthetic focal point to better tell the Seabee story in World War II, but it represented a piece of local history that the Seabees have been a part of since 1942,” Godbille stated.

• In partnership with the Navy Seabee Veterans of America Island X-7 and the Channel Islands Navy League, restoration of the marquee began in 2014. The Navy performed the initial repairs to the marquee metal, by replacing deteriorated sheet metal and adding angle irons to strengthen the frame. The Navy Seabee Veterans of America Island X-7 organized the more meticulous aspects of the project, provided funding for the project, and restoration volunteers.

• When asked about the project’s inspiration, Mr. Bob Quinn a retired Navy captain said, “We’d like to give everyone an opportunity to preserve this piece of Ventura history.” The marquee was truly a community wide project; NSVA Island X7 was able to get volunteers from all over the county. The marquee project encompassed various Ventura organizations and volunteers including Dave’s Signs of Ventura who did the painting and neon lighting.

The Seabee Museum is a fun and informative place for the entire family. The museum not only has historical galleries, exhibits, and audio-visual programs but a S.T.E.M. center as well (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) for children to explore.
The mission of the U.S. Navy Seabee Museum is to select, collect, preserve and display historic material relating to the history of the Naval Construction Force, better known as the Seabees. The Port Hueneme U.S. Navy Seabee Museum is the second oldest museum in the U.S. Navy.

The USNSM is free to the public, located between Channel Island Boulevard, and Pleasant Valley Road on Ventura Road at Sunkist Street. The new USNSM facility opened in 2011 and is easily accessible from the street off base, since it is outside of the gate no base access is required.

The Coast Guard medically evacuated a 39-year-old male near Prisoners Harbor, Santa Cruz Island.

The Coast Guard Cutter Halibut was flagged down by a National Park Service Ranger in a row boat at approximately 7 p.m., Sunday. The park ranger reported that a man on land was suffering from a 4.5 inch gash in his leg after rolling a all-terrain vehicle and needed immediate medical attention. The ranger also reported that a National Park Service EMT was currently with the man and was able to control the bleeding.

The cutter Halibut's small boat crew was immediately launched to assist. The crew safely transferred the man to Ventura Harbor where EMS was waiting.

The man was reported to be a Mexican National, working in the Channel Islands National Park on official government business.

Although this incident occurred on land, the Coast Guard urges mariners to always:

• Stay Informed - The public should be aware of weather conditions and monitor the progress and strength of currents through local television, radio and internet. Check the current and expected weather and water conditions before heading out, and be aware that weather conditions can quickly change.

• Wear life jackets while on the water.

• File a float plan with friends, family members and local marinas before heading out. The list should include the number of passengers aboard the vessel, vessel's destination and expected time of return,

• Always have a working marine-band radio on board.

• Carry marine flares on board the vessel.

• Ensure bilge pumps are operational and vessels are secure for heavy winds and rain.

For more information on boating safety, visit www.uscgboating.org.
Please visit the NOAA Website at www.noaa.gov for the most up to date information on weather broadcasts and current storm advisories.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Julia Brownley announced that the Coast Guard has decided to make their current operating base at Naval Base Ventura County (NBVC) permanent. The Coast Guard move to NBVC is due to the previously announced closure of the Air Station Los Angeles facility at Los Angeles International Airport. (Please see the attached letter from the Coast Guard).

The new facility, now known as the Coast Guard Forward Operating Base (FOB) Point Mugu, will include two mission-ready helicopter units, their crews, and support personnel. This move will allow the Coast Guard to sustain its air search-and-rescue operations and law enforcement activities along the Central California Coast. The move to NBVC will also provide the Coast Guard an option to expand as needed in the future.

“I am pleased that, with the help of local stakeholders, we were able to shepherd this permanent move to Point Mugu. The Coast Guard’s decision further solidifies Naval Base Ventura County as a strategic asset to Ventura County, California, and the nation,” said Julia Brownley. “This new addition will bolster Coast Guard air presence locally and enhance public safety, law enforcement, and homeland security activities in the region.”

Rep. Brownley spearheaded legislation in Congress last year that authorized the Coast Guard’s move to Point Mugu, as well as legislation that funded the needed facilities.

CalVet seeks to support activities commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War. If your organization plans to host an event marking this important historical era, please send details to pao.calvet@calvet.ca.gov.

CalVet will include your event on our online calendar and, with enough lead time (typically at least 90 days in advance), we can assist event organizers in obtaining materials such as lapel pins, buttons, certificates, posters, and stickers from the Department of Defense (DoD) to honor Vietnam Veterans attending the event.

Please submit the following information:
• Event name
• Sponsoring organization (s)
• Time and location
• Contact name and phone number or e-mail address
• How many Vietnam Veterans you expect to attend (for pins)

The goals of the DoD Vietnam War Commemorative Program are:
1. To thank and honor veterans of the Vietnam War, including personnel who were held as prisoners of war (POW), or listed as missing in action (MIA), for their service and sacrifice on behalf of the United States and to thank and honor the families of these veterans.
2. To highlight the service of the Armed Forces during the Vietnam War and the contributions of Federal agencies and governmental and non-governmental organizations that served with, or in support of, the Armed Forces.
3. To pay tribute to the contributions made on the home front by the people of the United States during the Vietnam War.
4. To highlight the advances in technology, science, and medicine related to military research conducted during the Vietnam War.
5. To recognize the contributions and sacrifices made by the allies of the United States during the Vietnam War.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), and the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH) today announced the number of veterans experiencing homelessness in the United States has been cut nearly in half since 2010. The data revealed a 17 percent decrease in veteran homelessness between January 2015 and January 2016—quadruple the previous year’s annual decline—and a 47 percent decrease since 2010.

Through HUD’s annual Point-in-Time (PIT) estimate of America’s homeless population, communities across the country reported that fewer than 40,000 veterans were experiencing homelessness on a given night in January 2016. The January 2016 estimate found just over 13,000 unsheltered homeless veterans living on their streets, a 56 percent decrease since 2010. View local estimates of veteran homelessness.

This significant progress is a result of the partnership among HUD, VA, USICH, and other federal, state and local partners. These critical partnerships were sparked by the 2010 launch of Opening Doors, the first-ever strategic plan to prevent and end homelessness. The initiative’s success among veterans can also be attributed to the effectiveness of the HUD-VA Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) Program, which combines HUD rental assistance with case management and clinical services provided by the VA. Since 2008, more than 85,000 vouchers have been awarded and more than 114,000 homeless veterans have been served through the HUD-VASH program.

“We have an absolute duty to ensure those who’ve worn our nation’s uniform have a place to call home,” said HUD Secretary Julián Castro. “While we’ve made remarkable progress toward ending veteran homelessness, we still have work to do to make certain we answer the call of our veterans just as they answered the call of our nation.”

“The dramatic decline in Veteran homelessness reflects the power of partnerships in solving complex national problems on behalf of those who have served our nation,” said VA Secretary Robert A. McDonald. “The men and women who have fought for this nation should not have to fight to keep a roof over their head and I’m pleased that VA is serving more Veterans than ever before with heath care, education, job training and wraparound supportive services. While this is very real progress that means tens of thousands more Veterans have a place to call home, we will not rest until every Veteran in need is permanently housed.”

“Together, we are proving that it is possible to solve one of the most complex challenges our country faces,” said Matthew Doherty, Executive Director of the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness. “This progress should give us confidence that when we find new ways to work together and when we set bold goals and hold ourselves accountable, nothing is unsolvable.”

In 2014, First Lady Michelle Obama launched the Mayors Challenge to End Veteran Homelessness with the goal of accelerating progress toward the ambitious national goal of ending veteran homelessness. More than 880 mayors, governors, and other local officials have joined the challenge and committed to ending veteran homelessness in their communities. To date, 27 communities and two states have effectively ended veteran homelessness, serving as models for others across the nation.

HUD and VA have a wide range of programs that prevent and end homelessness among veterans, including health care, housing solutions, job training and education. In FY 2015, these programs helped more than 157,000 people—including 99,000 veterans and 34,000 children—secure or remain in permanent housing. Since 2010, more than 360,000 veterans and their families have been permanently housed, rapidly rehoused or prevented from becoming homeless through programs administered by HUD and VA.

More information about VA’s homeless programs is available at www.va.gov/homeless. More information about HUD’s programs is available here or by calling the HUDVET National Hotline at (877) 424-3838. Veterans who are homeless or at imminent risk of becoming homeless should contact their local VA Medical Center and ask to speak to a homeless coordinator or call 1-877-4AID-VET.

OneJustice’s Justice Bus® Project is partnering with the Public Counsel Law Center and Ventura County Library to provide a FREE VA benefits and clean slate legal clinic for veterans in Ventura. During the clinic, individuals with appointments will meet one-on-one with volunteer attorneys one-hundred percent free of charge. Appointments are required! This clinic is being held in conjunction with the E.P. Foster Library, a Ventura County Public Library, to provide much needed legal assistance to our veterans and to enable them to learn about opportunities and available resources. At the clinic, volunteer attorneys will be available to assist veterans with VA benefits issues and criminal record clearance. Space is limited so call and make your appointment today!

The clinic will take place Wednesday, April 27, 2016 from 1:00pm – 5:00pm at the E.P. Foster Library - Topping Room
651 E Main St, Ventura, CA 93001. To make an appointment for the clinic, please call: 213-261-8931

Ventura County Library System:
Inspiring our community to explore, discover and connect.
The Ventura County Library is available 24/7 at www.vencolibrary.org.

West Los Angeles – If you are looking for a great job making a difference in the lives of our Veterans, then the California Department of Veterans Affairs (CalVet) is looking for you! Our Veterans Home in West Los Angeles is hiring dozens of food service workers and other staff at a job fair scheduled for November 18.

“As we open our new kitchen facility and admit more residents, CalVet actively seeks compassionate and creative individuals who care about our Veterans,” said Julian Manalo, Administrator at the West Los Angeles Veterans Home. “Today is an exciting time to join our team at our West Los Angeles Veterans Home.”

WHAT: Job Fair. Please visit our website for a list of open positions.

WHEN: November 18, 2015, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Testing and Hiring interviews for Registered Dietician, Cook Specialist I & II,
Food Service Supervisor I & II, and Supervising Cook I & II.

November 18, 2015, from 9:00 a.m. to Noon
Workshops will be provided on: “How to Get a State Job” and “How to Maneuver the CalHR Website”

WHERE: West LA Veterans Home, 11500 Nimitz Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90049

CalVet Human Resources staff will be available to discuss employment opportunities, provide exams, and conduct interviews (on a first-come, first-served basis). Information will be available for additional positions, such as Licensed Vocational Nurses (LVNs), Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs), rehabilitation therapists, occupational therapists, recreational therapists, pharmacists, social workers, plus other administrative and clerical positions.

Follow our West Los Angeles Veterans Home on Facebook.

Sacramento – Last week former service members in California began receiving their new driver licenses and identification (ID) cards with the word “Veteran” printed on it (please see attached photo).

The California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and the California Department of Veterans Affairs (CalVet) reminds Veterans that they must first visit a County Veteran Service Office (CVSO) and obtain a Veteran Status Verification Form before contacting a DMV to apply for the Veteran designation.

Veterans are also required to pay a one-time $5 designation fee, in addition to any other application fees associated with a renewal, duplicate, or original driver license or ID card. The Veteran designation fee was part of the new law, also known as Assembly Bill 935.

To apply for your Veteran designation, please follow these three easy steps: get your discharge certificate, visit any CVSO, and then visit any DMV.

STEP 1 – Find your military discharge certificate (DD214). If you need assistance obtaining your military records, then contact any County Veteran Service Office (CVSO) by calling 844-737-8838.

STEP 2 – Take your discharge certificate to any County Veteran Service Office (CVSO) to obtain your Veteran Status Verification Form. To find your CVSO, call 844-737-8838 or visit www.calvet.ca.gov.

STEP 3 – Present your completed and stamped Veteran Status Verification Form and driver license application to a DMV representative at your local DMV field office. Pay your $5 designation fee and related application fees.

Please remember, Veterans must first visit a CVSO and obtain the Veteran Status Verification Form before setting an appointment at DMV. For faster DMV service, schedule an appointment at a DMV field office by visiting www.dmv.ca.gov or calling 800-777-0133.

For frequently asked questions, please visit CalVet’s website.

Follow CalVet on Facebook and Twitter

Those Who Serve Will be Served Buttermilk Pancakes with Strawberries, Blueberries and Whipped Topping
GLENDALE, CALIF. (October 29, 2015) – IHOP® restaurants will once again honor the 22 million Veterans currently living in the United States and more than 1.3 million Armed Forces members currently serving in the military by offering them a free stack of Red, White & Blue pancakes on Veteran’s Day.

Participating IHOP restaurants throughout the United States will serve a stack of Red, White & Blue pancakes – buttermilk pancakes crowned with glazed strawberries, blueberry compote and whipped topping – free for Veterans and Active Duty Military on Veteran’s Day, November 11, from 7 a.m.-7 p.m.

“Having served as an Army Ranger and infantry officer, I am proud to be part of a brand that honors the brave men and women who have dedicated their lives to keeping us safe and free,” said Darren Rebelez, President, International House of Pancakes LLC. “We are looking forward to having our nation’s heroes as guests at their local IHOP, and personally thanking them for their service.”

Veterans and Active Duty Military simply show proof of military service to receive their free Red, White & Blue pancakes. Proof includes: US Uniformed Services ID Card, US Uniformed Services Retired ID Card, Current Leave and Earnings Statement (LES), veterans organization card (i.e. American Legion, VFW, etc.), photograph of yourself in US military uniform, wearing uniform, DD214, military dog tags, and citation or commendation.

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the California Department of Veterans Affairs (CalVet) proposes to adopt regulations described in the Notice of Public Rulemaking available on the CalVet website at the link below.

NOTICE IS ALSO GIVEN that any interested person, or his or her duly authorized representative, may submit written comments relevant to the proposed regulatory action to:

California Department of Veterans Affairs
Northern California Veterans Cemetery
Attention: Mark George
11800 Gas Point Road
Igo, CA 96047
Telephone: 530-396-2429
Fax: 530-396-2523

Comments may also be submitted by e-mail to mark.george@calvet.ca.gov. Comments must be received by 5:00 p.m. on November 12, 2015. CalVet will only consider comments received at the CalVet offices by that time.

The Public Notice and proposed rulemaking package are also available for viewing in the California Department of Veterans Affairs lobby at 1227 O Street, Sacramento, CA 95814 and online here.

West Los Angeles – If you are looking for a great job making a difference in the lives of our Veterans, then the California Department of Veterans Affairs (CalVet) is looking for you! There are 300 immediate openings for dozens of positions, including medical care, food preparation, and support staff at our beautiful new West Los Angeles Home.

“CalVet actively seeks compassionate individuals who care about our Veterans,” said Julian Manalo, our West Los Angeles Deputy Home Administrator. “Our goal is filling our Home with deserving Veterans, and a professional, caring staff is necessary to achieve our goal,” he added.

WHAT: Two-Day Job Fair for 300 open positions. To view our current list of openings at our West Los Angeles Veterans Home, please visit our website https://www.calvet.ca.gov/VetHomes/Pages/West-Los-Angeles.aspx.

Register online at http://bit.ly/1zcEpmo.

WHEN: August 26 and 27, 2015, 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

WHERE: West LA Veterans Home, 11500 Nimitz Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90049

August 26, CalVet Human Resources (HR) staff will conduct exam testing and hiring interviews for Certified Nursing Assistants. CalVet HR staff will provide briefings on “How to Get a State Job” and “How to Maneuver the CalHR Website” from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
August 27, CalVet HR staff will conduct exam testing and hiring interviews for Food Service Technicians I and II, as well as Cook Specialists I and II, from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
All eight of our CalVet Homes are hiring. To learn more about CalVet exams and employment opportunities, please visit our website at www.calvet.ca.gov/jobs.

Follow our West Los Angeles Veterans Home on Facebook: www.Facebook.com/vhcwestla.

If you are looking for a great job making a difference in the lives of our Veterans, then the California Department of Veterans Affairs (CalVet) is looking for you! In preparation for the immediate opening of our new Skilled Nursing Unit at our CalVet West Los Angeles Veterans Home, CalVet will be holding a CalVet Job Fair on January 21, 2015.

CalVet seeks applicants for the following positions:
• 27 Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs)
• 11 Nurses
• Activities coordinator
• Social worker
• Nursing supervisor
• Plus clerical, food service, custodial, and numerous other clinical positions.

“We’re looking for compassionate individuals who care about our Veterans,” said Tom Bucci, the Administrator of our CalVet West Los Angeles Veterans Home. “Our goal is filling our beds in our Home as soon as we hire the professional and caring staff we need.”

On January 21, 2015, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., visit our CalVet Job Fair at our West LA Home, 11500 Nimitz Avenue, Los Angeles. Applicants will receive a one-stop opportunity to speak with CalVet Human Resources staff about how to get a state job and to take the exams necessary to establish application eligibility—a necessary step in state service employment.

CalVet continues hiring statewide.

“We have job openings throughout our eight long-term care homes, said Diane Vanderpot, Undersecretary Veterans Home of California. “We are particularly in need of nurses, therapists, and other clinical staff. In the coming months you will see CalVet staff attending community job fairs and Veterans resource fairs recruiting for our homes.”

In addition to West LA, CalVet operates Veterans Homes in Barstow, Chula Vista, Fresno, Lancaster, Redding, Ventura, and Yountville. All homes are looking to hire staff. To learn more about CalVet exams and jobs, please visit our award-winning new website: www.calvet.ca.gov/jobs

Veterans’ preference can be applied to help Veteran’s qualify for open as well as open, non-promotional examinations. Any Veteran, Veteran spouse, widow or widower, or spouse of a 100-percent disabled Veteran who achieves a passing score on an entrance examination will be eligible to apply for employment within that job classification.

For more information about Veterans’ preference, please go to: https://jobs.ca.gov/job/veteransinformation.

Sacramento, CA – The California Vietnam Memorial Name Committee agreed to add the names of 31 California Veterans who died while serving our country in the Vietnam War. The 31 names are scheduled to be added to the California Vietnam Veterans Memorial and then unveiled during a ceremony in Capitol Park on March 29, 2015.

“We are honored to formally recognize the service and sacrifice of our brave men in uniform,” said Peter Gravett, Secretary, California Department of Veterans Affairs (CalVet). “Although our recognition is decades late, California’s salute is equally heartfelt and deserved for all of our fallen service members and their families.”

On October 28, 2014, the Committee took two actions. First, it voted in favor of adding the names of 10 California Veterans to the state memorial that were already etched into the Vietnam Veterans Memorial located in Washington, DC, yet not on the California memorial.

The following 10 Veterans will be added to the state memorial in Sacramento:

• Johnny Owen Brooks
• Donald Scott Carson
• James Douglas Chappell
• David McLean Desilets
• John Edward Granville
• Thomas Randolph McCormick
• Richard Monroe Pruett
• Robert Michael Swick
• Richard John Tortorice
• John Henry Van Wyk

Second, the Committee voted in favor of adding the names of 21 California Sailors who died while aboard the USS Frank E. Evans when the ship sank during a training exercise in the South China Sea on June 3, 1969. The destroyer’s home port was Long Beach, California.

Approval to add the names of 21 Sailors came after the Committee heard testimony from families of the fallen Sailors and survivors. The 21 Sailors are:

• Andrew James Botto
• Robert George Brandon
• William Daniel Brown II
• Christopher John Carlson
• Danny Victor Clute
• Joe Eddy Craig
• Leon Larry Deal
• Steven Frank Espinosa
• William Donald Fields
• Henry Kenneth Frye
• Francis Joseph Garcia
• Devere Ray Grissom, Jr.
• James William Kerr
• Isaac Lyons, Jr.
• Andrew Martin Melendrez
• Gregory Koichi Ogawa
• Craig Allen Pennell
• John Raymond Spray
• Jon Kenneth Stever
• Ronald Arthur Thibodeau
• John Thomas Tolar

All 31 names are set to be unveiled at a ceremony in Sacramento’s Capitol Park scheduled for Sunday, March 29, 2015, the day before Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day.

The Committee, created when Governor Brown signed AB 287 in 2013, is tasked with adding names of men and women killed during the Vietnam War. The Committee is also charged with reviewing the names of men and women whose deaths after returning from service in Vietnam were determined by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to be service-connected. Under the provisions of the law, written by Assemblymember Jim Frazier, Jr., the Committee must compile a list of names to be added to the memorial by November 1 of each year.

The Committee members are CalVet Secretary Peter J. Gravett, Chairman; representatives from the California State Commanders Veterans Council: Jerry Guevara, Vice Chairman, and Jim Anderson; representatives from the California Chapter of Vietnam Veterans of America: Al Sickle, Mike Kennedy, and Lou Nuñes as alternate.

Point Mugu, CA - A Hawker Hunter aircraft, operated by Airborne Tactical Advantage Company (ATAC) has gone down on final approach just outside of Naval Base Ventura County, Point Mugu.

At this time, status of the one-person crew is unknown.

Federal fire and police are have secured the site with the help of Ventura County emergency responders. They are awaiting the arrival of FAA authorities, as the incident occurred off the installation and involves a civilian pilot and aircraft.

ATAC flies aircraft in adversarial roles during training missions.

For more information about ATAC, please call 757-243-8044.