The Cold War Veterans Association and the Vietnam Veterans of America ratify historic partnership agreement for California’s Vets.

In a historic move towards unity between the two veterans service organizations representing millions of military veterans of the United States, the California Chapter of the Cold War Veterans Association and the California State Council of the Vietnam Veterans of America today announced the ratifying of a joint partnership agreement between their organizations.

"Too often the voices of our veterans are not heard in the halls where legislative decisions concerning their well-being are made because of a lack of unity between those organizations representing them. This partnership agreement, officially ratified by both the California Chapter of the Cold War Veterans Association and the California State Council of the Vietnam Veterans of America, clearly shows that veterans organizations throughout the United States can work together on common causes in promoting the welfare and honor of our nation’s military veterans.", said David Fofanoff, Director of Pacific Coast Operations for the CWVA. "Our veterans deserve the best that our country can give. We are striving together to make sure this message is not forgotten here in California and to ensure that their voices are heard loud and clear; when and where it counts."

As part of the agreement, both organizations have agreed to create a unique liaison officer position that will be responsible for channeling information between the two organizations so that both organizations can support one another more readily and concretely. The first person to be appointed to the liaison officer position is CWVA and VVA Associate member Matt Davison.

Matt is an Air Force Cold War veteran (1956-1962), having served two years as an Intercept Radio Operator at Misawa AFB and Wakkanai Det. in Japan and finishing up his active service at Otis AFB, Massachusetts. For the past four years Matt has been working in association with the VVA helping homeless and incarcerated veterans in California to get off the streets and out of prison, into transitional housing, computer classes, training, job preparation, employment, and self-sufficiency.

"Matt's significant work for the Vietnam Veterans of America here in California and his passion for seeing all veterans treated with respect and honor makes him the obvious choice for the Liaison Officer position.", said Dick Southern, President of the California State Council of the VVA. "We are proud that the VVA and CWVA here in California will be working together more visibly."

The leadership of both organizations recognizes the importance of taking positive actions like this and hopes that this partnership agreement will be the beginning of a more unified National veterans service organization coalition.

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Vietnam Veterans of America
California State Council
P. O. Box 3007
Riverside, CA 92519-3007