Veterans West

to the Los Angeles Waterfront in 2012, veterans throughout Southern California consider the landmark ship “their ship” and an enduring symbol of what it means to be a veteran. Every day, the ship is a hub of activity for veterans that come to reconnect with a community that fulfills the core need of being part of something greater than themselves. The Battleship IOWA and her crew have been instrumental in co-founding and growing LA Fleet Week and producing numerous veterans’ events over the years, including those that honor and memorialize veterans with ceremonies, as well as historic celebrations. Throughout the years, veterans have come to depend upon the Battleship IOWA to seek out fellow veterans, to refer veterans in need, and to find support when dealing with personal crises or are seeking employment, education, social-emotional connection, housing, substance misuse, wellness, and other general support requests. The Battleship IOWA serves as an early intervention location for veterans, without intention, since her arrival. It was only after veterans on the crew began articulating the life-changing impact of being involved with the ship community that we realized the need to formalize programming by creating a department and program in 2019. To spearhead the effort and grow our organic and informal community to a purposeful platform for veterans and military services, in March 2020, we were able to hire our first Military and Veterans Affairs Programs Manager. Pacific Battleship Center’s Military & Veterans Affairs program, Veterans West is a community of veterans and military families (“MilFam”) serving programs & services which improve the conditions of life for veterans, military, and their families through high-quality resources and experiences. Our Military and Veterans Affairs programming focuses on honor, community, and prosperity with a holistic focus on a greater quality of life. We serve all veterans and MilFam, including those in-transition and/or already highly seasoned in the civilian landscape, from every branch and service era (regardless of discharge status) to facilitate opportunities or address challenges in a timely, competent, and supportive manner. Pacific Battleship Center intimately understands the importance of veterans, service members, and their families receiving continuous peer-based and professional support as well as a continuum of care and services. As such, Veterans West is an ongoing program and all services are available to our Veterans and MilFam community -- consistently, continuously, and in perpetuity. Battleship IOWA’s shipboard environment offers a unique platform that acknowledges and embraces the inherent differences between veterans, and incorporates those differences into our process, practice, and service-delivery. Differential programs are in place to meet the vast diversity of needs and are focused on peer-based and professional direct services which are administered by high-quality and best-in-class Veteran-Serving Non-Profits (“VSNP”) and Veteran-Community Connected-Providers (“VCCP”). Examples of programs and partnerships with a wide-ranging impact include National Veterans Transition Services Inc “REBOOT”, Integrated Recovery Foundation, Wounded Warrior Project, American Legion(s), Surface Navy Association, San Pedro Veterans Alliance, Phillips 66, Amazon, Wells Fargo, New York Life, Warriors on Track, MVAT/Heroes Linked, Mission Hire Me, LA National Cemetery, Meals on Wheels, California Veterans Chamber of Commerce, Team RWB, Mission Continues, Team Rubicon, PACK Service Dogs, and many others with a focus on diversity of resources and offerings. In addition to the aforementioned, and among many others, we will stay connected to and increase our portfolio of affiliations with impactful veteran organizations, legislative bodies, and attend meetings such as Los Angeles County Department of Military &Veterans Affairs, Los Angeles Department of Mental Health, Southern California Grantmakers, Los Angeles Veterans Collaborative, Los Angeles Veterans Orientation, LACo Veterans Advisory Commission, LACo Board of Supervisors Meetings, VA The Right Way, VCOEB, and VAGLAHS and Long Beach VA Townhall meetings. Outreach partnerships have been built and nurtured with major veterans employers and organizations throughout Los Angeles including first responders, government entities, industry, and others. All Veterans West programs leverage the holistic environment and community of the Battleship IOWA for early intervention / prevention, crisis-intervention, long-term / extended-care, and purposeful community building ventures. We provide direct services both peer-based and professionally as well as continue to partner with best-in-class resource providers with a range of essential delivery needs.
• Workshops, resource hosting & referrals, including those that follow:
o Health, Physical, Social & Mental Wellness
o Housing
o Education
o Employment and Workforce Development
o Financial
o Legal
o Spiritual & Faith-Based
o Food Security
o Demographic Specific (e.g womens, LGBTQ)
o General Support

It is important for us to stay informed with current veteran related information, so in addition to our in-house direct services, VSNP, and VCCP programs and services, we also are engaged, attend meetings, and have leadership roles in our regions veteran commissions, councils, collaboratives, advisory boards, and other important public and government affairs events. To further build linkage in our community, we have joined the leading technology platform, Unite Us to stay well-connected, further collaborate, and increase our portfolio of affiliations as we grow our services throughout the nation. One of the long-lasting impacts is our natural ability to bring veterans and patriotic civilians to come together as a community ultimately creating an incredible support network. Battleship IOWA continues to be home to numerous military and veterans activities to over 25,000 individuals annually. Volunteers contribute over 60,000 hours annually, with more than 45% of these individuals being veterans that are benefiting by learning new skills and trades while being connected to a community. Through community affiliations, in-house direct programs, and personalized veteran concierge services, we provide an important hub of connection that helps vets, active duty military, and their families navigate the services, benefits, and programs that they need to THRIVE!