California Employer Advisory Council

Veterans Corner

August 17, 2011

Giving Back to our Veterans 2010

California Employer Advisory Council and the Los Angeles Chapter of the International Association of Workforce Professional

Today we honored 10 of our Veterans from all previous and current wars. We were honored to welcome Corporal, Henry D. Polite, a Tuskegee airman from Alabama, Army Air Forces Base, Unit Squadron C, 385th Bombers, Aircraft Maintenance Mechanic crew. It was a great honor to be standing here with all the men who became part of this Tuskegee experience and paved the way for all who came after them. We are truly honored.

For your scars, on and off the battle field, we thank our heroes unconditionally, one veteran at a time.

1. Corporal, Lynn Forster United States Marine Corps Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical Defense Specialist, Yuma, Az.
2. Corporal, Michael Lopez, United States Marine Corps, Infantry, Iraqi
3. Specialist E-4, Donyelle Chong, United States Army, Medical Laboratory Specialist, Fort Sill, Oklahoma
4. Sgt. Natasha Odstienava, United States Army, Special Forces Unit, Translator, Iraqi
5. La Juana R. Malbrough, United States Army
6. William Rice, United States Army
7. Donald Thompson Jr., United States Army
8. Zachary M. Lawrence, United States Navy
9. Manuel Farias, United States Army

Thank you to Councilman Rosendahl of District 11 for helping us welcome our Veterans honorees. A Vietnam-era veteran, Bill served in the U.S. Army from 1969-71, spending a year as a psychiatric social worker, counseling troops returning from combat. As special assistant to the commanding general at Ft. Carson, Colorado, he won national recognition for reorganizing the base and boosting morale of the service people. Bill is currently a member of The American Legion, Post 283, in Pacific Palisades.

Bill holds a Master of Social Work (MSW) from the University of Pittsburgh, and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science & Economics from St. Vincent College, Latrobe, PA. He is also as a world traveler who has visited 52 countries.

The West Los Angeles Employer Advisory Council wants to recognize the Crenshaw/West Los Angeles Workforce Services veteran's unit for assisting in recommending all the honorees and making our auspicious First Annual Thanksgiving Giveaway Breakfast a success.

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Holiday Gift Basket

The WLAEAC presented a holiday gift basket to six local veterans on November 12, 2009.

Recipients are:

Bobby Reese: E-5, DC2, served USS Williamette A0-180, USS Porter DDG-56, USS Enterprise CVN-65, USS Barry DDG-78. (pictured)

Susan Fischer: E3, Served Presidio Monterey, Ca., Castle AFB Merced. (pictured)

Lynn Fox: Hon. discharge 1963, USMC Retired truck driver, self employed roofer 1970-1995. (pictured)

Donyelle Chong: US Army Hon. discharge 1996, Lab Assistant

Doug Klug: US Army Hon. discharge 1977, Driver

Richard Taus: US NAVY, Hon. Discharge 1964 Security Guard

Thank you Veteran employment specialist Ted Tonorio for your assistance!

Congratulations to all of our recipients and we thank you and your family for your sacrifice and service to our country! Thanks to all of you who donated items or helped out at the seminar raffles. We were able to donate all the baskets for our recipients with your help!