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Veterans
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- Written by: Lake County News Reports
WASHINGTON, D.C. – On Friday, Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-04) introduced the Granting Rollover Access and Contribution Extensions (GRACE) for Military Survivors Act, legislation to extend the time period in which surviving family members of a military service member can make important financial decisions about their survivor benefits.
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- Written by: Lake County News Reports
CLEARLAKE OAKS, Calif. – The Clearlake Oaks Moose Lodge will host a free veterans dinner on Wednesday, June 17.
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- Written by: Lake County News Reports
SAN FRANCISCO – San Francisco VA Health Care System received funding for non-recurring maintenance projects in the second quarter of fiscal year 2026, after receiving funding in the first quarter of the fiscal year.
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- Written by: Lake County News Reports
CLEARLAKE OAKS, Calif. – A community dinner honoring veterans and supporting local causes is planned this month.
The Clearlake Oaks Moose Lodge will host a veterans free meat loaf dinner on Wednesday, May 20, from 5:30 to 7 p.m.
The event will feature live music and a full homestyle meal.
Dinner will include meat loaf, mashed potatoes, vegetables, salad, and dessert.
Veterans will receive dinner free of charge, while non-veterans can attend for $10.
The event will take place at the Clearlake Oaks Moose Lodge, located at 15900 E. Highway 20.
Organizers say all proceeds from the fundraiser will benefit Operation Tango Mike and the Lake County Military Funeral Honors Team, two organizations that support veterans and military families.
Community members seeking additional information can call 1-707-998-3740.
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- Written by: Lake County News Reports
State officials are honoring a fallen member of the military from California.
On Wednesday, Gov. Gavin Newsom and acting Gov. Eleni Kounalakis issued the following statement regarding the death of U.S. Army Reserve Chief Warrant Officer Three Robert M. Marzan.
“California mourns the loss of Chief Warrant Officer Three Marzan, a courageous Californian whose service to our nation was marked by honor and distinction. We offer our deepest condolences to his wife and family during this time of profound sorrow. The sacrifices made by military families are immeasurable, and California stands in solidarity with them, united in grief and gratitude. Chief Warrant Officer Three Marzan's steadfast commitment exemplifies the highest ideals of our state and our country,” Newsom and Kounalakis said in their statement.
Marzan, 54, of Sacramento, was one of six U.S. service members killed, to date, in the conflict in Iran.
According to the U.S. Army, he is believed to be deceased as of March 1, 2026, in Port Shuaiba, Kuwait.
As a member of the United States Army Reserve assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 103rd Sustainment Command (Expeditionary), United States Army Reserve in Des Moines, Chief Warrant Officer Three Marzan played a critical role in supporting our nation overseas.
He is survived by his wife and family.
In honor of Chief Warrant Officer Three Marzan, flags at the State Capitol and Capitol Annex Swing Space will continue to be flown at half-staff.
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- Written by: California Department of Veteran Affairs
The California Department of Veteran Affairs and California State University, Long Beach are in a strategic partnership to support a research initiative aimed at reducing veteran deaths by suicide.
This initiative focuses on enhancing data collection, analysis, and reporting to better understand and address underlying risk factors for suicide.
Through this collaboration, the state will gain insights into suicide patterns and risk indicators among veterans, enabling more effective prevention strategies and resource sharing.
The University of California, Berkeley is also a partner in the project.
“This innovative partnership positions California as a national leader in providing the most accurate, comprehensive, and actionable reporting on veteran suicides. We are grateful for our partnership with CSU Long Beach and look forward to this research making a difference in the lives of veterans and their families,” said Roberto Herrera, CalVet deputy secretary, veterans services.
Collecting and reporting veteran suicide data in a consistent way is key to understanding patterns, spotting risk factors, and creating effective prevention programs.
This project aims to produce recommendations on standardizing the system for collecting and reporting veteran suicide data in all 58 California counties.
Through recommendations derived from the research, CalVet, in partnership with a diverse collection of stakeholders, intends to support consistency across counties.
Those recommendations will be designed to provide coroner and medical examiner offices with clear steps to consider following when classifying, reporting, and analyzing these cases. The project also hopes to guide future collective prevention efforts.
“This collaboration represents a new chapter in how data and public service can work hand in hand. By building an integrated, county- and state-level view of veteran health, we are creating data-driven solutions that turn information into meaningful impact for practitioners, policymakers, and veterans alike,” said Jeremy Ramirez, principal investigator, California State University, Long Beach Research Foundation.
The research project is part of the California Veterans Health Initiative, a key statewide program designed to support the mental health of California veterans.
The project aligns with CSULB’s mission to support public health and evidence-based policymaking through applied research, as well as CalVet’s mission to serve and honor all California veterans and their families.
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- Written by: Danny Cook
On Oct . 1, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) approved an official diagnostic code for Gulf War Illness (GWI) more than 30 years after symptoms of the condition began to be reported.
The illness, which is described as an amalgamation of several chronic symptoms including fatigue, respiratory issues, joint pain and gastrointestinal pains, has been historically dismissed by doctors and physicians as psychological.
In an article posted by the Boston University School of Public Health, Denise Nichols, a Gulf War veteran and veteran advocate, said the implementation of the code has been a “big step forward for medicine, research and the health of our military community.”
With an established diagnostic code, patients with GWI can be easily found through medical search records, as opposed to being found through less efficient methods, such as social media.
The code also will allow for faster, more intensive research into the condition, better monitoring of symptoms and better tracking of effective treatments.
VFW Director of National Veteran Services Michael Figlioli claims that VFW Gulf War veterans will benefit greatly from this new diagnostic code.
“The CDC recognizing Gulf War Illness in a formal manner is significant for a number of reasons,” Figlioli said. “First off, there is validation that this is not ‘made up,’ or it’s ‘no such thing.’ It also provides for evidence-based care and not anecdotal treatment, better overall symptom management and finally, it will help substantiate veterans’ claims for benefits from the VA, leading to an overall better quality of life.”
It is believed that the condition affected as many as one-third of the 700,000 troops who were deployed in the Persian Gulf War between 1990 and 1991.
The Push For More Answers
The demolition of a chemical weapons depot in 1991 in the Khamisiyah region in southern Iraq is believed to have been a cause of GWI for more than 100,000 troops.
According to an article written by Linda Hersey for Stars and Stripes, inquiries into the demolition were “revived” when a group of veterans began to push for the declassification of tens of thousands of documents that could be detrimental to the research of GWI and chemical exposure during the war.
Ronald Brown, a retired Army specialist and Gulf War veteran, was present during the demolition of the weapons depot in the Khamisiyah region. He claims he began to feel sick just 15 minutes after the building was demolished.
“I came home sick and the problems continue,” Brown said. “This has been going on for 34 years.”
Included among the unreleased documents are interview transcripts with troops who also were present during the demolitions. This information could help doctors establish a timeline for GWI, which could help with the identification of effective treatments.
Brown is helping to lead the effort in the push for these critical documents to be released, along with veteran advocacy groups Veterans for Common Sense and the Vietnam Veterans of America.
“Whether [declassifying the documents] reveals something — that remains to be seen,” said Army veteran Anthony Hardie, a former staff sergeant and national director of Veterans for Common Sense. “It is a matter of justice to Gulf War veterans.”
While efforts from veterans’ advocacy organizations have been persistent, the declassification and subsequent releases of Gulf War Illness-related documents have been slow and inconsistent.
Despite this, Gulf War veterans continue to push for answers so that there is a stronger understanding of the largely misdiagnosed illness.
This article is featured in the 2026 January/February issue of VFW magazine, and was written by Danny Cook, senior writer for VFW magazine.
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- Written by: Vietnam Veterans of America
“Vietnam Veterans of America commends Congress on the final passage by the Senate of the Disabled Veterans Housing Support Act on Jan. 6, 2026,” said Tom Burke, VVA National President. “VVA’s long support of this bipartisan, bicameral legislation is a testament to our unwavering commitment to addressing the significant issue of veteran homelessness. It is our duty to ensure that no veteran is left behind, and the passage of this act is a crucial step toward fulfilling that promise.”
The act, introduced by Representatives Monica De La Cruz (R-Texas) and Brad Sherman (D-California) and Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Jack Reed (D-Rhode Island), exempts veteran disability benefits from being included as income when determining eligibility for Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) housing.
The bill was signed by President Trump on Jan. 20.
Previously, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) income guidelines include disability compensation received by veterans as part of the calculation to determine eligibility for federal housing assistance funded through the CDBG program. This practice has disproportionately impacted those who rely on disability benefits as their primary source of income, often making it more difficult for them to access affordable housing and further contributing to veteran homelessness.
"Too many homeless and disabled veterans are forced to face barriers that have nothing to do with need and everything to do with bureaucracy. We sincerely appreciate Senators Crapo and Reed and Representatives De La Cruz and Sherman for advancing this important legislation. Removing red tape and supporting a veteran's opportunity for stable housing is a meaningful step toward ensuring every veteran has a place to call home," said Bill Paton, chair, VVA Homeless Veterans Committee.
“We are proud to see the hard work of our many members who participated in an ongoing and ultimately highly effective grassroots campaign come to a successful conclusion with this bill’s passage,” said VVA President Burke. “The sacrifices that disabled and wounded veterans have made in service to our nation should never be a stumbling block to their ability to find a safe and affordable place to call home. Rather, the nation has a duty to keep its promise to veterans and provide them with the benefits and support they earned.”
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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
CLEARLAKE, Calif. — The Clearlake Oaks Moose Lodge 2284 will hold a free Thanksgiving dinner for veterans on Wednesday, Nov. 19.
It will take place from 5:30 to 7 p.m.
The event is free to all veterans, but all are welcome, with a $15 donation requested for non-veterans.
There will be music by Don Nouveau, featuring Jim Williams and Dory Smith.
The Moose Lodge is located at 15910 Moose Lodge Lane, Clearlake Oaks.
Please RSVP by calling the Lodge at 707-998-3740.