๐บ๐ธ 16 DAYS TO WASHINGTON, D.C.
๐ฅ ISSUE #2 โ VA HEALTH CARE & COMMUNITY CARE
16 days from now, the California VFW National Legislative Team begins our journey to Washington, D.C.
Yesterday, we highlighted the Major Richard Star Act.
Today, we turn to another issue that touches veterans in communities throughout California and across America:
๐ฅ VA HEALTH CARE & COMMUNITY CARE
When a veteran needs medical care, where they live should not determine whether they can receive timely, quality treatment.
For veterans living in rural communities, the nearest VA facility may be many miles away. Specialty care may require even greater travel, and long wait times can create additional barriers.
That is why a strong VA health care system and effective Community Care are so important.
Our mission on Capitol Hill is to advocate for a system that:
๐บ๐ธ Protects veteransโ access to timely, high-quality health care
๐ฅ Strengthens the VA health care system rather than weakening it
๐ Ensures Community Care remains available when the VA cannot provide timely or reasonably accessible care
๐ฒ Recognizes the unique challenges facing rural and underserved veterans
๐ฉบ Keeps the veteranโnot bureaucracyโat the center of health care decisions
This issue is especially important in a state as large and geographically diverse as California.
From our cities to our agricultural communities, mountains, deserts and rural areas, veterans should have confidence that the health care system they earned through their service will be there when they need it.
When our team walks into congressional offices, we carry those veteransโ voices with us.
This isnโt about politics.
Itโs about ACCESS.
Itโs about QUALITY.
Itโs about keeping Americaโs promise to those who served.
And tomorrow, weโll highlight another issue weโre taking from California to Capitol Hill.
๐บ๐ธ 16 DAYS.
๐๏ธ 8 VETERANS.
๐ป ONE CALIFORNIA TEAM.
๐บ๐ธ
๐ ๐๐๐ง ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ฅ ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฒโ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ณ
๐๐๐๐๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ก๐๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ช
๐ก๐๐ง๐๐ข๐ก๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ฆ๐๐๐ง๐๐ฉ๐ ๐ง๐๐๐
๐บ๐ธ ๐๐๐ฉ๐ข๐๐๐ง๐ โข ๐๐๐๐๐ฆ๐๐๐ง๐ โข ๐ฃ๐ฅ๐ข๐ง๐๐๐ง โข ๐ฆ๐๐ฅ๐ฉ๐ ๐บ๐ธ
California veterans deserve a strong voiceโand your California VFW National Legislative Team is ready to carry that voice all the way to Capitol Hill.
We are proud to introduce the 2026โ2027 California VFW National Legislative Team:
๐บ๐ธ ๐ง๐๐ ๐๐ข๐๐๐๐ก ๐ฆ๐ง๐๐ง๐ ๐๐๐ฃ๐๐ง๐ข๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ก๐๐๐ฅ๐ฆ ๐บ๐ธ
โฏ ๐ง๐๐ ๐๐ฅ๐ฌ๐๐ก๐ง
U.S. Air Force Veteran
Western Region National Legislative Committee Chair
โฏ ๐ ๐๐ฅ๐ฌ๐๐ก๐ก ๐๐ก๐๐๐ฆ๐ข
U.S. Marine Corps & U.S. Air Force Veteran
California National Legislative Team Lead
โฏ ๐๐ข๐๐ก ๐ฆ๐จ๐๐๐๐ฉ๐๐ก
U.S. Navy Veteran
โฏ ๐๐ข๐ ๐๐ข๐๐๐ ๐๐ก
U.S. Army Veteran
โฏ ๐ช๐๐ฆ ๐ง๐จ๐๐๐๐ฅ
U.S. Army Veteran
โฏ ๐ฆ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ก๐๐๐ฅ๐ฆ๐ข๐ก
U.S. Marine Corps Veteran
โฏ ๐ฅ๐ข๐ ๐๐๐ก๐๐๐ข
U.S. Army Veteran
โฏ ๐๐ฅ๐ง ๐ก๐๐ฃ๐๐ช๐ข๐๐๐
U.S. Navy Veteran
๐บ๐ธ ๐ข๐ก๐ ๐ง๐๐๐ . ๐ข๐ก๐ ๐ ๐๐ฆ๐ฆ๐๐ข๐ก. ๐บ๐ธ
We come from different branches, different communities, and different parts of Californiaโbut we stand together with one mission:
๐ง๐ข ๐๐๐ฉ๐ข๐๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ข๐ฅ ๐๐ ๐๐ฅ๐๐๐โ๐ฆ ๐ฉ๐๐ง๐๐ฅ๐๐ก๐ฆ, ๐ฆ๐๐ฅ๐ฉ๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฆ, ๐๐ก๐ ๐ง๐๐๐๐ฅ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ฆ.
Our work is about more than traveling to Washington, D.C.
๐บ๐ธ It is about making sure the voices of California veterans are heard in the halls of Congress.
๐บ๐ธ It is about educating lawmakers about how legislation affects veterans back home.
๐บ๐ธ It is about protecting the benefits veterans earned through their service and sacrifice.
๐บ๐ธ It is about holding our elected leaders accountable to the promises made to those who wore the uniform.
๐บ๐ธ And it is about keeping California veterans informed about the issues being debated in Washington that directly affect their lives.
๐ช๐๐๐ง ๐ช๐ ๐ฆ๐ง๐๐ก๐ ๐๐ข๐ฅ
Throughout the 2026โ2027 legislative year, our team will advocate for the VFW National Legislative Priorities, including:
๐๏ธ The Major Richard Star Act and protecting earned military retirement benefits
๐ฅ VA health care and access to quality care
๐ง Brain health, PTSD, mental health, and suicide prevention
โฃ๏ธ Toxic exposure benefits and accountability
๐ Transition assistance and education benefits
โ๏ธ Protecting veterans from predatory claims companies
๐บ๐ธ Ensuring veterans and military families receive the benefits and services they have earned
๐๐ก๐ ๐ช๐ ๐ช๐๐ก๐ง ๐ง๐ข ๐๐๐๐ฅ ๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ.
California veterans are not simply the people we represent.
๐ฌ๐ข๐จ ๐๐ฅ๐ ๐ง๐๐ ๐ฅ๐๐๐ฆ๐ข๐ก ๐ช๐ ๐๐ฅ๐ ๐๐ง ๐ง๐๐ ๐ง๐๐๐๐.
When our team walks into a congressional office, we carry with us the experiences, concerns, and voices of veterans from communities throughout the Golden State.
๐บ๐ธ ๐๐๐๐๐ง ๐ฉ๐๐ง๐๐ฅ๐๐ก๐ฆ.
๐บ๐ธ ๐๐ข๐จ๐ฅ ๐ ๐๐๐๐ง๐๐ฅ๐ฌ ๐๐ฅ๐๐ก๐๐๐๐ฆ.
๐บ๐ธ ๐ข๐ก๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ก๐๐ ๐ง๐๐๐ .
๐บ๐ธ ๐ข๐ก๐ ๐ ๐๐ฆ๐ฆ๐๐ข๐ก.
๐๐๐ฉ๐ข๐๐๐ง๐. Be the voice.
๐๐๐๐๐ฆ๐๐๐ง๐. Fight for meaningful change.
๐ฃ๐ฅ๐ข๐ง๐๐๐ง. Defend earned benefits.
๐ฆ๐๐ฅ๐ฉ๐. Never stop serving those who served.
๐บ๐ธ ๐ช๐ ๐๐ฅ๐ ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ฅ ๐๐ข๐๐๐๐ก ๐ฆ๐ง๐๐ง๐ ๐๐๐ฃ๐๐ง๐ข๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ก๐๐๐ฅ๐ฆ. ๐บ๐ธ
And we are ready to get to work.
In Comradeship,
๐ ๐๐ฅ๐ฌ๐๐ก๐ก ๐๐ก๐๐๐ฆ๐ข
California VFW National Legislative Team Lead
2026โ2027
#GoldenStateCapitolDefenders #VFW #VFWCA #CaliforniaVeterans #VeteransAdvocacy #VeteransBenefits #CapitolHill #WashingtonDC
MEET YOUR 2026โ2027
CALIFORNIA VFW
STATE LEGISLATIVE TEAM
๐บ๐ธ SKIP MILLER
TEAM LEAD
U.S. ARMY VETERAN
๐บ๐ธ DAVE KUTA
TEAM MEMBER
U.S. ARMY VETERAN
๐บ๐ธ DEB JOHNSON
TEAM MEMBER
U.S. ARMY NATIONAL GUARD VETERAN
These dedicated VFW leaders are continuing their service by advocating for California veterans, their families, and our military community at the California State Capitol.
Their mission is to engage with California lawmakers, track important veterans legislation, educate our VFW membership, and ensure that the voices of California veterans are heard in Sacramento.
ONE TEAM.
ONE MISSION.
ONE VOICE FOR CALIFORNIA VETERANS. ๐บ๐ธ
ADVOCATE โข EDUCATE โข LEGISLATE โข SERVE
#VFWCA #CaliforniaVFW #CaliforniaVeterans #VeteransAdvocacy #VeteransLegislation #StillServing #Sacramento #CaliforniaStateCapit
