MCAS Miramar

5305 Miramar Way,San Diego CA 92145

16 February, 2023

Description

The California Department of Veterans Affairs (CalVet), California Transition Assistance Program (CalTAP) offers a full array of transition assistance and serves to connect veterans, service members, and their families with California specific resources geared to ensure a successful transition into civilian life. CalTAP would like to invite you to attend our upcoming seminar which will highlight benefits and services available to service members, veterans, and their family members. In partnership with CalTAP, various speakers will provide a wealth of information to help navigate your transition to civilian life. Agenda: 8:00 a.m. - CalVet/CalTAP Welcome 8:25 a.m. - Local Interagency Network Coordinator (LINC) 8:35 a.m. - San Diego Office of Military and Veterans Affairs 8:55 a.m. - CalVet Home Loans 9:30 a.m. - Entrepreneurship 9:50 a.m. - Break 10:05 a.m. - Employment 10:35 a.m. - Work for Warriors 10:50 a.m. - Education 11:20 a.m. - Office of Student Assistance and Relief 11:30 a.m. - One on Ones Below you will find more information about our guest speakers JENNIFER RUDUQUIST, CalVet, CalTAP Training Coordinator Jennifer Rudquist was born in Japan while her father was stationed abroad. As her father served 20 years in the United States Air Force (USAF), she had the opportunity to live in England, Holland, Belgium, Washington DC, San Diego, Riverside and Sacramento. When Jennifer graduated high school, she decided to enlist in the USAF from 1996-2000 and served as a Security Forces Airman and Command Support Staff for the 319th Missile Squadron stationed at F.E. Warren AFB in Cheyanne, WY. After transitioning out of active duty, she pursued her passion for teaching by utilizing her GI Bill to obtain her degree in Child Development and Education.  For the next 18 years, Jennifer used this degree to teach and own a successful preschool program.  When it came time to make a career change, the CalTAP team was an easy choice as it gave Jennifer a similar structure as her military career. Jennifer states “Being a CalTAP Training Coordinator allows me to combine my passion for teaching and serving veterans. I feel honored to work for CalVet and to serve the present, past, and future military members and their families.” TIMOTHY MATHUES Veteran Outreach Coordinator San Diego Office of Military and Veteran Affairs Timothy Mathues is a US Marine Corps Vietnam Combat Veteran and is currently the Veteran Outreach Coordinator from the Office of Military and Veteran Affairs for the County of San Diego, California. Tim has spent the better part of 30 years working on hiring programs related to diversity and minority programs for his clients and at the County of San Diego. He interfaces with local, state and federal agencies as well as all military bases throughout the county developing employment and hiring programs. Tim is a Live Well San Diego champion; promoting the county vision of a safe, healthy and thriving community. He is also the communications committee chairman for the Diversity and Inclusion Taskforce which developed the 5-year strategic plan for the County of San Diego. This is a program Tim has been passionate about for the past 30 years. While in Human Resources, Tim was instrumental in having the County of San Diego become the first municipality in the United States to become a member of the Military Spouse Employment Partnership; an organization founded by the US Department of Defense whose sole purpose is to hire military spouses as well as veterans. During 2018, Tim developed and participated in 263 Veteran outreach events speaking to more than 17,000 active-duty service men and women as well as their families regarding benefits from the U S Department of Veterans Affairs. Tim is an accredited Veteran Service Representative thru the US Veterans Administration. He continues to volunteer with the County of San Diego Sheriff’s departments Veterans Moving Forward program that require him to hold classes at the Vista Detention facility and is a monthly speaker with the California Department of Veterans Affairs CALTAP program that takes him to the 4 main military bases throughout the County speaking to transitioning service men and women regarding Federal and State veterans benefits. Tim is also a Veteran Mentor and is a passionate veterans advocate. BRAD PEDERSON CalVet Home Program Representative Brad is currently the Communications Officer of the Home Loan division at the California Department of Veterans Affairs. His firsthand experience of over 35 years selling Real Estate combined with his 24 years of loan originations uniquely qualifies him to serve the needs of the military community. LANCE IUNKER CalVet, San Diego County LINC Lance was wounded in Iraq in 2007 while serving with the 82nd Airborne Division out of Fort Bragg, North Carolina. After being medically retired, he became a contractor where he trained soldiers across the country. After earning his degree in Political Science, Lance lead a research initiative looking at the efficacy of neurofeedback therapy in veterans with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder at the Institute for Advanced Technology and Public Policy. He worked in the nonprofit sector helping veterans before joining CalVet in his current role.