Architect Larry Sillman might be easing into retirement, but he leaves his footprints and blueprints all over the California Department of Veterans Affairs (CalVet) Veterans Homes of California (VHC) system. The 75-year-old Vietnam veteran from Chula Vista designed four of the eight homes operated by CalVet. He also played a role in the creation of […]
CalVet recognizes the African American “Buffalo Soldiers” who once protected Yosemite and Sequoia national parks in the central Sierra in the years before the national parks systems was established in 1916. One day many summers ago, Yosemite Park Ranger and Historian Shelton Johnson had just finished his portrayal of a Buffalo Soldier who once served […]
Coast Guard Reserve – Nearly Eight Decades of Supporting Domestic Emergencies and Foreign Operations
On Wednesday, February 19, the United States Coast Guard Reserve will celebrate 79 years of service, from deploying nationally for law enforcement, hurricanes, and oil spills, while internationally providing port security in the Middle East. Like active duty, reservists’ missions vary by season and location. Established by the Coast Guard Auxiliary and Reserve Act of […]
We love stories from our veterans. Most of these stories focus on military life – during peacetime or war. The best stories tug on our heartstrings, evoke strong emotions, and leave us wanting more. Deployments, temporary duty assignments, and training all provide opportunities for such stories, especially stories on “how I met your mother (or […]
As Black History Month continues throughout February, CalVet salutes the African American women who played and continue to play vital roles in the United States space program. Among them were the so-called “human computers” of the early aerospace days. Their calculations made manned space travel possible. These women incorporated elements including vehicle weight, the rocket’s […]
In celebrating Black History Month throughout February, CalVet will share several stories about African American service members and veterans. To begin the month-long recognition, we first pay tribute to the Montford Point Marines. A small number of African Americans served in the Marines from 1776 until they were banned from the Corps in 1792. That […]
At the California Department of Veterans Affairs’ headquarters in downtown Sacramento, the Medal of Honor Hall pays tribute to all of the Californians who received the nation’s most revered military honor. Each recipient’s story provides a compelling description of bravery and valor. Among those decorated, Army Specialist Fourth Class Donald Ward Evans, Jr., was killed […]
CalVet is excited to announce that Secretary Vito Imbasciani MD has been reappointed to the position by Governor Gavin Newsom. “I thank Governor Newsom for the opportunity to continue to lead CalVet,” Imbasciani said. “It remains an honor for me to serve California’s nearly 1.6 million veterans. I am fueled by the sacred mission of […]
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. would have turned 91 years old this past week. A man who preached peace and equality through non-violent protest, who received the 1964 Nobel Peace Prize, and who spoke out forthrightly against the Vietnam War, died in a most violent way when he was shot by an assassin at the […]
On January 14, 1911, the USS Arkansas was the largest U.S. battleship launched from the shipyards in Camden, N.J. The 26,000-ton Wyoming class battleship, commissioned in September 1912, went on to work with the British Brand Fleet before and throughout World War I. The Arkansas then served as a training ship for Naval Academy midshipmen, […]
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