San Gabriel Valley Veterans Employment Committee Elects New Board of Directors for 2014-2016 Term

COMMERCE, Calif. - Dec. 2, 2013 - PRLog -- The San Gabriel Valley Veterans Employment Committee (SGV|VEC) at its Membership Meeting on November 21, 2013 at the East LA Vet Center in Commerce, CA held the election of Officers for the Board of Directors.
The SGV|VEC holds its elections every odd numbered year for the Board of Directors, who will lead the SGV|VEC in the next two years. The SGV|VEC is a collaboration of the State of California Employment Development Department, local employers, local service providers, and local members of the community, who pull together resources to assist Veterans and their Families of the San Gabriel Valley, find gainful employment and eliminate barriers to employment such as homelessness, and service related disables.
The 2014-2016 Board of Directors are as follows:
Chair – SGT Joe Leal (US Army Bosnia/OIF Veteran), Founder / President of the Vet Hunters Project (www.vethunters.org) 
1st Vice–Chair – Jose Gonzalez (USMC OEF/OIF Veteran), Educational Consultant with New Horizons Career Learning Center – Burbank (http://www.nhsocal.com) 
2nd Vice–Chair – Martin Barragan, VA Certifying Official at Bassett Adult School (http://www.bassettadultschool.com)  
Secretary – Adrian Lazaro, Veterans Employment Representative with CA Employment Development Department 
Treasurer – Ivana Lopeztiana, Junior at Cal State LA, Member of Rehabilitation Counseling Association
Community Partners Liaison – Mayra Galicia, Case Manager with Verdugo Jobs Center (http://www.verdugojobscenter.org)  
Public Relations Officer – Apolonio E. Muñoz III (US Army OIF Veteran), National Secretary/Greater LA Chapter President with American Veterans for Equal Rights (www.aver.us)

Joe Leal the newly elected Chair of the SGV|VEC is a US Army Veteran who served in Bosnia and Iraq and has dedicated his adult life to helping his fellow Service Members, Veterans and their Families. In 2010, Mr. Leal founded the Vet Hunters Project (VHP), a nonprofit organization headquartered in El Monte that is dedicated to preventing and ending homelessness among Veterans and their Families. VHP provides veterans with necessities such as food, clothing, funds and blankets. It also provides housing for the forgotten Veterans and their
Families, either in a home to call their own or in a fellow Veteran's home. VHP is a search and rescue operation - a team of volunteer Veterans search for homeless veterans on the streets, under bridges, alleys, riverbeds and abandoned buildings. VHP also facilities an annual bike ride across the country raising awareness and funds for homeless Veterans and their Families throughout the United States. In 2013 the bike ride covered 2,700-miles from Los Angeles, CA to Washington D.C. VHP's grass roots efforts have provided housing and prevented homelessness to more than 1,200 Veterans and their Families. When Mr. Leal is not out on the streets of Los Angeles, seeking out the Homeless Veterans; you can find him at the South El Monte US Army Reserve Center where he currently works as the Soldier and Family Readiness Officer with the 155th CSSB.

The SGV|VEC is truly honored to have a true American Hero take the reigns as it continues its mission of fighting for the rights of Veterans and their Families in the San Gabriel Valley. In the 2014-2016 Term of Office, Mr. Leal along with the rest of the Board of Directors will be working closely with the local community, as well as local, state and federal agencies to make sure the needs and barriers of today’s Veterans especially those that are being released from Active/Reserve Service here in Southern California are receiving the resources, and benefits they deserve. Mr. Leal pledges to be there to guide the SGV|VEC to be a proactive “VetWork” working for the betterment of today’s Veterans and Service Members.