Veterans' summit scheduled in YC

The head of the state Department of Veterans Affairs will be the keynote speaker Monday night at a Veterans Town Hall Summit in Yuba City.

Tom Johnson, secretary of the state DVA, will be on hand at the summit designed to give Mid-Valley veterans a chance to learn about services and programs available to them.

“This Town Hall Summit is the first in Northern California to bring together top officials from federal and state departments concerned with veterans issues,” said Stephanie Ruscigno, commander of the local DVA chapter.

She said Johnson and other speakers will discuss veterans services, what is offered by the state and what new programs are available.

Other scheduled speakers are John Mendoza, associate director of the Northern California VA Health Care System, and Sgt. Matt McDuff and Sgt. Robert Kilday, both of the National Guard.

Assemblyman Doug LaMalfa, R-Richvale, will brief the gathering on recently-passed legislation regarding new benefits and new veterans' homes, while Assemblyman Rick Keene, R-Chico, will discuss employer responsibilities and guard reservists' rights when deployed.

There will also be DVA, American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars service officers on hand for individual consultations to schedule follow-up meetings.

The summit will also feature a ceremony honoring Army Specialist Harley Andrews of Yuba City, who died Sept. 11 in Iraq in a roadside bomb attack. The ceremony will include taps played by a California Army National Guard detail.

Ruscigno said there are plans to name a street after Andrews.

There will also be awards presented, including an achievement award from the DVA to a still-to-be-announced Yuba-Sutter veteran.