In October 2003, the U.S. Air Force sent then-Staff Sgt. Miguel Vargas to the United Arab Emirates in support of a U-2 spy plane hunting down the terrorists involved in the September 11 attacks.

“We worked 12-hour shifts, and following one of the reconnaissance missions I participated in, the lead pilot told us we found somebody big—a high-level target,” said Vargas. “I heard later the Navy dispatched fighters to eliminate the target (the terrorist).”

Vargas never did learn exactly which high level target got it that day—only that this one was among those featured in the deck of cards that bore the faces and names of the terrorists most wanted by the U.S.

That same plane, he said, also was involved in the rescue of American soldier Jessica Lynch, who was captured by the Iraqis on March 23, 2003, just three days into Operation Iraqi Freedom. Her story gripped the nation at the time.

Ending his military career as a technical sergeant (E-6) in December 2016, Vargas joined the Yountville Home staff a year later. He has been a Staff Services Manager I in the Veterans Home of California-Yountville’s Patient Benefits Office for the past six years. Today his military experiences and the stories behind them help him connect with veteran residents at the Home.

One World War II veteran told Vargas how impressed he was that Vargas spent 20 years in the Air Force.

“I told him, ‘Are you kidding,’” Vargas said. “‘You changed the world when you fought in those battles!’ Some of them will come in grumpy, and I’ll crack the surface by asking, ‘What branch were you in?’ I work with a case manager who also is a vet and was in the Navy. It’s awesome that we can relate, that we’re one of the same and not just the state.”

It’s a great way to gain their trust, putting the veterans and their spouses at ease as they navigate the world of their earned benefits.

“I see it as a brotherhood and a sisterhood. Anyone who raises their hand—anyone who serves—they become part of a shared family,” Vargas said. “Working here, it feels like when I was supporting my pilots in the Air Force. That was my mission. Now, at the Home, the mission has changed for me: It’s what I can do to better prepare our veterans such as helping them access their benefits as retired veterans.”

The attitude is contagious, he said.

“I see how passionate our employees are for our veterans,” Vargas said. “Once you form a connection with them, it’s hard to let that go. I love to hear our residents’ stories. It’s humbling sometimes.”

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This is one of a series of CalVet Connect posts introducing you to CalVet employees who are veterans of the United States Armed Forces—thus, “Veterans Serving Veterans.”

Would you like the opportunity to serve veterans in your work? Join the CalVet team! We are dedicated to ensuring that veterans from every era, along with their families, receive the state and federal benefits and services they have earned and deserve due to their selfless and honorable military service. At CalVet, we prioritize serving veterans and their families with dignity, compassion, and a commitment to helping them achieve the highest quality of life. See our current job openings at www.calvet.ca.gov/jobs.

The Veterans Homes of California system of care offers affordable long-term care to older and disabled veterans as well as their eligible spouses and domestic partners. With eight facilities across the state, the services offered range from assisted living programs with minimal support to 24-hour skilled nursing care for veterans with significant clinical needs including memory care.

CalVet staff are uniquely capable of serving the needs of our veterans and provide an environment that honors their service to the country. The Veterans Homes are nationally recognized for the premier care and services they provide to California’s veterans. ​For more information on the Homes visit www.calvet.ca.gov/calvet-programs/veteran-homes.