Stockton, CA - On Tuesday, November 7, at 1:30 p.m., the San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors will recognize veterans from each district in honor of the upcoming Veterans Day holiday. The Board will also hear a presentation from Stan Rapada on the military and veterans' student facility at University of the Pacific. There will be a presentation on the Veterans Affairs' Community Based Outpatient Clinic and its services to veterans in our community. Veterans, members of the public, and community organizations are encouraged to attend.
“Public service isn't just a concept to veterans; it is the driving force in their lives. Men and women like the veterans that we will honor on Tuesday serve as our greatest examples of what it means to put service before self,” commented Board Chairman Robert Rickman. “We owe a debt of gratitude to the men and women who serve our nation and our democracy in the armed services. Their sacrifices and willingness to put the common good above their own personal needs and desires are the backbone of our nation and our community. I am proud that San Joaquin residents who have served our nation, helping to make California the largest veteran population of any state in the nation.”
As part of the recognition ceremony, the Board will hear about the work of the Veterans' Affairs Community Based Outpatient Clinic. The clinic was opened after a multi-year, multi-agency effort to ensure local quality access to care for veterans in San Joaquin County. The VA outpatient clinic offers primary care and specialty health services, including addiction and substance abuse treatment, mental health care, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), smoking and tobacco cessation, and physical and occupational therapy.
“The values that make our communities great and make our nation great are embodied in the veterans that we honor this week,” continued Rickman. “Our Board is dedicated to ensuring that the men and women who have served our nation received the benefits and care they deserve when they return home. It's the least we can do for those who have sacrificed so much for us.”
More than 28,000 current county residents have served in the nation's armed forces. More than 1.8 million California residents are veterans, and an expected 30,000 veterans are discharged back to California each year, which is the most of any state in the country.
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