Thank you to our AMVETS Department of California members and leadership participating in and facilitating another successful DEC. On January 20-21, 2023 our membership and esteemed leaders joined together in person at our conference venue, Picadilly Inn Airport in Fresno and online via Zoom to confer regarding essential administrative, planning and organizational venue programming that is vital to our organizations mission of supporting California’s Veterans.

During the DEC proceedings we were gratified to host two distinguish guest speakers.

James Ziegler, Executive Director of Central California VA Healthcare, presented AMVETS Dept. of CA Executive Director Smokey Rickerd with a coin for his quick action in saving the life of a Veteran by ensuring that the Veteran was able to get the help he needed by the VA in southern California.

Esmeralda Soria, CA State Assembly District 27 representative and Military & Veteran’s Affair committee member addressed our attendees to express her esteem for AMVETS and the veterans we represent, and to share the work of her and her colleagues advocating for our state’s Veterans in Sacramento.