Veteran students, military families, faculty and staff are invited to an appreciation dinner hosted by the Veterans Advocacy Task Force next Friday, Feb. 6 at 6 p.m. in the Los Medanos College Cafeteria.

The VATF is working to have the dinner goes off without a hitch in order to honor veterans and their supporters for their services and sacrifices.

“A fun night has been planned,” said LMCAS President Gary Walker and Committee Chair said,   “Complete with the march of the colors and singing of the Star Spangled Banner by Xavi Alejandro.”

Also planned for the evening, two Veteran students will speak about their experiences, and SSCCC President Omar Paz Jr. will give a speech. Assemblyman Jim Frazier will be the keynote speaker.

The lasagna dinner, provided by Olive Garden, comes complete with salad, breadsticks, and dessert. The gathering will also be an opportunity for them to socialize and see they are not alone in the community and on campus.

The night of information and food will be free to all who RSVP. To do so, go to www.losmedanos.edu/studentlife/act.asp.

The VATF was formed with the idea of giving Veterans on campus a voice and services to help them continue their education and acclimate to the students and surrounding communities.

After Friday night’s dinner, the next goal is to transition the VATF into the newly re-chartered Veterans Club with Reggie Turner as the Adviser and Committee Chair Gary Walker as club officer.

A group from the VATF attended the Jan. 28 District Governing Board Meeting to present and invite other veterans and their supporters to the event.

The group also introduced themselves and their mission to bring a Veterans Resource Center to LMC.

“My husband served 24 years in the Marine Corps. I worked covertly with Don’t Ask Don’t Tell during my thirteen years with my spouse,” said Walker as to his involvement in the club, ”I was the first to be honored by the Marine Corps. Brigadier General for my service to the United States.”

Walker went on to clarify that while he has worked closely with the military, he was not speaking from a “platform of serving in out military.”

He introduced club President Stuart Waddsworth, who stressed “I know there are a lot of veterans on campus … we want to be there to give them a designated soft space, so we can ease the transition period.”

For more information on the VATF and the Veterans Club, contact LMCAS President Gary Walker at [email protected], Veterans Club President Stuart Wadsworth at [email protected] or Club Adviser Reggie Turner at [email protected].

The VATF and Veterans club meetings are held on Mondays in Room CO-420 from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.