Amended in Assembly August 17, 2015

Amended in Assembly July 13, 2015

California Legislature—2015–16 Regular Session

Assembly Concurrent Resolution No. 36

Introduced by Assembly Member Gray

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(Coauthors: Assembly Members Brough, Chávez, Daly, Frazier, and Mathis)

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(Coauthors: Senators Hertzberg, Nguyen, Nielsen, Roth, and Vidak)

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February 27, 2015

Assembly Concurrent Resolution No. 36—Relative to the California Association of County Veterans Service Officers.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

ACR 36, as amended, Gray. California Association of County Veterans Service Officers.

This measure would recognize the California Association of County Veterans Service Officers for helping veterans secure their federal and state benefits over the past 70 years.

Fiscal committee: no.

WHEREAS, Some California counties established County
Veterans Service Officers (CVSOs) after World War I to assist
California’s veterans to obtain begin delete their hard-earned entitlement; end delete begin insert the
federal veterans benefits they earned by virtue of their service to
our country; end insert and

WHEREAS, San Bernardino established the first CVSO office
in California in 1926, and at least 10 other counties with large
veteran populations also established CVSO offices between World
War I and World War II; and

WHEREAS, At the end of World War II, most California
counties recognized the need to help their returning veterans to
obtain federal benefits, and quickly established CVSO offices in
their counties; and

WHEREAS, In 1945, with the end of World War II and the
return of thousands of veterans to California, the California
Association of County Veterans Service Officers (CACVSO) was
formed; and

WHEREAS, The CACVSO was created to assist returning
veterans in accessing their earned entitlements as authorized by
Congress, such as the GI Bill for education and the veteran home
loan program, as well as compensation and pension benefits for
wounded veterans and their families; and

WHEREAS, The CACVSO promotes state and federal
legislation and policy supportive of veterans’ rights and issues, in
harmony with our national obligation to veterans of the United
States Armed Forces; and

WHEREAS, The CACVSO provides a medium for the exchange
of ideas, information, training, and support to facilitate delivery
of services to nearly two million California veterans; and

WHEREAS, The CACVSO recognizes the importance and merit
of the congressionally chartered veterans service organizations,
and is committed to fostering a mutually beneficial relationship
with them for the common good of all veterans, since it is the intent
of all these organizations that every veteran residing in California
receives the benefits and services to which they are entitled by law
and moral obligation; and

WHEREAS, The CACVSO is an organization of professional
veterans advocates whose purpose is to mutually promote the
professionalism of all CVSOs; and

WHEREAS, Through CVSOs, the CACVSO is committed to
California counties to provide a vital and efficient system of
services and advocacy for veterans, their dependents, and their
survivors; and

WHEREAS, The State of California has adopted and is currently
using the CVSO model that is used in 27 other states as the primary
method of delivering services to veterans; and

WHEREAS, In California, a CVSO plays a critical role in the
veterans advocacy system and is often the initial contact in the
community for veterans services; and

WHEREAS, The CVSOs and the California Department of
Veterans Affairs work closely together to assist California’s
veterans in obtaining federal and state veterans benefits, with
CVSOs serving as the “boots on the ground” for the department;
and

WHEREAS, CVSOs are primarily funded by the counties, and
receive some state funding; and

WHEREAS, Since 1995, CVSOs have assisted veterans in
qualifying for and receiving $4.6 billion in federal benefits, which
are sent directly to veterans and ultimately spent in the local
economy; and

WHEREAS, In the 2013-14 fiscal year, CVSOs assisted
California’s veterans in filing claims with the federal government
that resulted in payments of more than $545 million, an increase
of over 23 percent from the $445 million that the CVSOs helped
veterans claim during the previous fiscal year, which is attributable
to increased state funding, from $2.6 million in 2013 to $5.6 million
in 2014, which allowed CVSO offices to increase outreach
activities and hire additional staff to assist veterans in the claims
process; and

WHEREAS, CVSOs are responsible for planning and
administering a countywide program, so they must be
knowledgeable about all entitlements, programs, and ancillary
services as administered by the United States Department of
Veterans Affairs, the Department of Defense, the California
Department of Veterans Affairs, and other federal, state, and local
agencies; and

WHEREAS, The CACVSO has raised the professionalism of
all CVSOs through training and working to improve the federal
claims process with the California Department of Veterans Affairs,
the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, and
congressionally chartered veterans service organizations; and

WHEREAS, The CACVSO promotes the welfare and rights of
veterans statewide through legislative advocacy, provides training
and education to CVSOs and their employees, promotes the mission
of CVSOs throughout the state, and provides members of the
CACVSO with a collaborative network of resources, information,
and ideas; now, therefore, be it

Resolved begin delete BY THE ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA, THE SENATE THEREOF CONCURRING, end delete begin insert by
the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate thereof
concurring, end insert That the Legislature commends the California
Association of County Veterans Service Officers for 70 years of
service to California’s veterans and their families through the
advancement of professionalism within its ranks and the pursuit
of advocacy across all levels of government so that veterans may
receive the benefits to which they are entitled by virtue of their
military service to our country; and be it further

Resolved, That the CACVSO has maintained and nurtured the
high professional standards of California’s CVSOs so that these
veterans advocates can fulfill the CACVSO’s slogan of “Serving
Those Who Served”; and be it further

Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies
of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.