SACRAMENTO – Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin (D-Thousand Oaks) was honored by the California Enlisted Association of the National Guard (CAL EANGUS) with the prestigious “Golden Bear Award” for her impressive work improving the lives of California’s National Guard members.
"Assemblywomen Irwin has demonstrated herself to be a passionate advocate, not only for the Soldiers and Airmen of the California National Guard, but to all Service members and Veterans across our great State,” said CAL EANGUS president Marsha Adams. “CAL EANGUS was honored to show our appreciation to Assemblywomen Irwin by presenting her with the Golden Bear Award that recognizes her outstanding service and exceptional contributions to the well-being of our Service members."
“I’m honored to receive this prestigious award from the enlisted men and women of the California National Guard,” said Assemblymember Irwin. “Our duty as legislators is to serve our veterans and active duty personnel with the same extraordinary commitment they provide our state and country. As the Chair of the Committee on Veterans Affairs, I look forward to continuing to advocate for our state’s military personnel and ensure they receive the best services available.”
The California Enlisted Association of the National Guard is the premier organization representing California’s enlisted National Guard members. EANGUS was created in 1970 and is designed to help enlisted members of the guard have a more active voice in their state governments. They currently represent members from all 50 states and 5 territories.
Assemblymember Irwin currently serves as the chair of the Assembly Veterans committee where she has been instrumental in passing key legislation to improve the day-to-day lives of California’s veterans, active duty personnel and their families. The Assembly Veterans Committee jurisdiction includes the Cal-Vet loan program, Department of Veterans Affairs, the National Guard, state military, and veterans.
As chair of the Veterans Committee, Assemblymember Irwin authored legislation that secured $5.6 million in state funding for California’s veterans service officers (VSO’s) to help veterans get connected to the federal benefits that they have earned. Assemblymember Irwin was also instrumental in working with the State Auditor, CalVet and the Department of Technology to improve CalVet’s new electronic patient records system, which at the time was failing to meet the basic needs of the state’s veterans. She also authored AB 2273 which removed suicide attempts as a punishable offense in accordance with the military code of justice.
Assemblymember Irwin’s website: http://asmdc.org/irwin