The Master Sergeant Leroy Arthur Petry Chapter of the Association of the United States Army has awarded Senator Janet Nguyen the 2017 Legislator of the Year Award. The award, which recognizes Nguyen’s excellence in leadership and longstanding support for veterans, was presented to Nguyen at the State Capitol.
“To be recognized by an association that represents veterans who have given of themselves to serve our country means a lot to me both professionally and personally,” said Nguyen. “I accept this award with great humility and with a commitment to continue to serve as a voice for California’s veterans, service members, and their families.”
Nguyen serves on the Governor’s Military Council, the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, and is a proud member of a military family. She represents the Long Beach Veterans Hospital, the Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach, and the Los Alamitos Joint Forces Training Base.
During her public service career, Nguyen has championed policies and programs that recognize the contributions of veterans and service members. In 2013, Nguyen led the initiative to designate Orange County as a Purple Heart County; a designation that was subsequently adopted by all 34 cities in Orange County. In her tenure as a State Senator, she has introduced numerous bills to ensure that service members and veterans receive the care and assistance they earned for their service. Highlighting her dedication to veterans, in 2017, Nguyen introduced a veterans package that sought to assist veterans with complex mental health and behavioral needs, accelerate the path to work for veterans transitioning into civilian life and reward state military reservists and naval militia for their extended service. After months of advocacy and fighting for these bills in both chambers of the legislature, Nguyen was proud to see Senate Bill 410 receive bipartisan support and signed into law. In addition to her legislative efforts, since 2015, Nguyen has supported military families during the holidays by hosting a Christmas Toy Drive to promote gift donations for the children of California’s veterans and service members. Nguyen has also partnered with various veterans organizations including but not limited to the Military Children’s Collaborative Group and the Veterans Legal Institute.
Founded in 1950, the Association of the United States Army is a nonprofit educational and professional development organization that represents the interests of America’s Army men and women while supporting national defense. The Master Sergeant Leroy Arthur Petry Chapter of the Association of the United States Army supports military family functions and promotes education in the local community by funding scholarships for students, as well as an annual Officer Candidate School Leadership Award. The Master Sergeant Leroy Arthur Petry Chapter encompasses San Luis Obispo, Ventura, and Santa Barbara Counties.
