County Invests in Future Leaders

Congratulations to the 55 employees who graduated from the Dynamic Management Seminar, which emphasizes professional management skills and leadership concepts.

CAO Walt Ekard, who taught one of the courses on leadership as part of the 10-week curriculum, also presented the graduation certificates to each employee at a ceremony held in Marina Village Friday. The participants included representatives from each of the five county groups.

“Our goal from the beginning was to entice you to become better leaders,” Ekard told the group. “The overriding element to being a leader in our organization, and any organization I think, is character… politics will always get in the way, but for us, we have to play it straight.”

The 10-week curriculum included courses on the General Management System (GMS), thinking big, political dynamics, generations in the workplace, scope of authority, operational planning, and labor relations.

 “This is an opportunity to deal with our next generation of managers, exposing them to classes taught by practitioners - not theorists - who work within our general management system,” said Human Resources Director Donald Turko.

In other words, when it came to learning about regional leadership, Ekard and Assistant CAO Helen Robbins-Meyer taught the class, and when it came to interacting with the Board of Supervisors, Pam O’Neil and Chairman Bill Horn presented the course.

The seminar also provides an opportunity for employees to network and share ideas about various management styles. They also meet people from other Groups or departments who they would not usually get to see.

The seminar is offered at most once a year or every two years and is targeted to employees who may be promoted into unclassified service or who oversee a program or unit. Employees who are interested in participating in the next seminar, which has not been scheduled, should inquire with their supervisor or group human resources manager.

Chief Probation Officer Swears In 33 Peace Officers

Thirty-three peace officers were sworn in Thursday to help the San Diego County Probation Department manage the new influx of felons from the state prison system.

“Since August, I’ve promoted 29 officers and hired 31 new Correctional Deputy Probation Officers,” said Chief Probation Officer Mack Jenkins. “It’s all part of the growth the probation department has to do for the realignment implementation. We will be responsible for at least 2,000 more felons and we have to grow.”

Among those Jenkins promoted was Cesar Escuro, who will serve as the director for the newly created Post Release Offender Division. Escuro, who has a law degree and has worked for the department for 16 years, is “well-suited to manage the new division of high risk offenders,” Jenkins said.

The chief also promoted Denise Huffhines, Robert Pettengill and Christiene Andrews (who did not attend) to Supervising Probation Officers at the ceremony.

He told the supervisors their job will be challenging at times because they must serve as an advocate and voice for those they manage while meeting the needs of their own managers at the same time.

Jenkins also swore in 29 Deputy Probation Officers Thursday, who were promoted from Correctional Deputy Probation Officers. 

“You carry a badge and you carry the status of a peace officer in this state and you will be held to a higher standard. As a probation officer and deputy probation officer, you literally control the liberty of another human,” Jenkins said.

The chief emphasized to the newly sworn officers how important rehabilitation is to their mission. Jenkins told them they need to be able to identify those who really want to change their behavior and offer services and treatment.

“That is what I expect, that is your role,” Jenkins said. “The role of probation is protecting the loved ones behind you - the community at large - and focusing on offenders and trying to reduce recidivism by helping them change their behavior.”

He also told them they needed to commit to excellence to succeed in their careers. He defined excellence in three steps: Caring about your job because you’ve been tasked with it; Working in an ethical way with the highest standard of integrity; and looking for every opportunity to support your coworkers.

Buy a Sticker, Wear Your Jeans

It doesn’t have to be casual Friday. Over the next couple weeks, the County March of Dimes Team wants to see us wearing blue jeans—and a sticker.

The Blue Jeans for Babies sticker campaign is a comfortable and visible way for County employees to help March of Dimes raise awareness and money to combat the problem of premature birth around the world. Buy the sticker for $2, and you can wear jeans and the sticker for a day. (Of course pick a day jeans won’t interfere with your duties.)

Blue Jeans for Babies runs through Dec. 8. Some departments have taken part in the fund and awareness raising event in the past, but this is the first year the County March of Dimes Team is taking it Countywide.

To get a sticker, contact the Group representatives at the bottom of this page, or ask around and find out if your department’s March of Dimes Team lead is selling them.

The sticker campaign kicks off just in time for the first-ever Prematurity Awareness Day, Nov. 17.  March of Dimes hopes the day will help spread the word about the problem of premature birth.

Each year, 13 million babies around the world—1 in 8 in the U.S.—are born prematurely. One million premature babies die each year die from complications of their early birth.

The March of Dimes charity directly funds research and education programs to help with this issue.

Once you’ve got your sticker, if you’d like to do something else to help you can also get a March of Dimes keepsake or a holiday gift to pass along. The County team is selling special March of Dimes seasonal Beanie Babies for $3 to $7. There are Christmas tree ornaments, sock money pilgrims, turkeys, reindeer and more.

Again, contact your Group or departmental lead to buy a Beanie.

The County of San Diego March of Dimes Team has raised more than $40,000 to support the charity this year with fundraisers that included the annual March for Babies walkathon earlier this year.

County March of Dimes Team Contacts:

Chair:  Eric Lardy: eric.lardy@sdcounty.ca.gov

CSG lead:  Vicki Chappell: vicki.chappell@sdcounty.ca.gov

FG3 lead:  Damien Quinn: damien.quinn@sdcounty.ca.gov

LUEG lead:  Susie Vaughn: susie.vaughn@sdcounty.ca.gov or Veronica Allen: veronica.allen@sdcounty.ca.gov

HHSA lead:  Yvonne Contreras :  yvonne.contreras@sdcounty.ca.gov

PSG lead: Linda Yoakum-Latimer: linda.yoakum-latimer@sdcounty.ca.gov

County Operations Center Buildings Taking Shape

If you haven’t been to the County Operations Center lately, you might not recognize it. You know the two new office buildings with all the windows? Well, now there are two more.

And there’s also a big building between them destined to be a conference center.

The word on the street—or on Overland Avenue— is that even COC employees who see the construction progress every day are in awe of the rapid changes.

“The one word is, ‘Wow,’” says Jeff Redlitz the Project Manager of the COC construction. “People can’t believe how fast it’s happened.”

Redlitz said the new office buildings will be done, furnished and ready for move-in by late July or early August 2012.The structures are identical to the buildings at 5550 and 5560 Overland Avenue that opened earlier this year, and departments that are lucky enough to get the new space will enjoy the open floor plans, natural lighting and that new building feel.

And then there’s the view. If you think there’s nothing to see in Kearny Mesa, you might change your mind when you survey the city spreading out below and the mountains beyond from the third or fourth floor of one of the Overland offices.

So who gets the sweet new digs? Lucky departments include the Department of Planning and Land Use, Public Works, juvenile division attorneys from the Public Defender and the Alternate Public Defender and County Counsel attorneys who handle juvenile dependency hearings. Other occupants will be Human Resources, the Auditor/Controller and an inmate records division of the Sheriff’s Department.

Even if your department isn’t at the COC, you’ll want to find a reason to visit the new conference center when it opens. It’s designed to be a campus hub, with a dramatic second-floor terrace and attractive landscaped roof that will make it a great place to grab lunch or have a meeting.

The food service contractor, CulinArt, is expected to run a restaurant-style cafeteria with healthy and high-quality food. The company runs corporate cafes all over the country, and one of their operations in Connecticut was ranked number three on a list of “best corporate cafés” by Fortune 500, after Google and eBay. Locally, CulinArt feeds Qualcomm and Intuit, the tech company that makes TurboTax.

Besides being the COC’s gastro-gathering place, the conference center will host Planning Commission hearings, which now meet in the County Annex on Ruffin Road, and will be available as a second meeting place for the Board of Supervisors.

The conference center will also be used for large-scale trainings and other public meetings. With solar panels, low water landscaping and a variety of sustainable features, it’s aiming for LEED Platinum Certification, the highest mark of “green” building recognized by the industry. The first two office buildings at the COC are LEED Gold certified, and the other two are expected to achieve the same mark.

Now, if you’re saying to yourself, the COC’s so great, I wish I could take a piece of it home, here’s a little secret. Have you noticed the lemon tree? Go ahead and pick a nice yellow fruit if you see one, Redlitz says.

“Most people are too polite to pick them,” he says.

The lemons may go off-limits, if it turns out the giving tree can’t stand the attention. But in the meantime, enjoy the tree, enjoy the COC, and look forward to the new additions.

An artist's rendering shows the conference center, which will be a focal point for meetings and meals.

Five Deputy District Attorneys Honored for Prosecutorial Work

It took eight years to investigate and gather all the testimony for a high-profile case in which innocent bystanders were killed and injured in a hail of bullets between two rival gangs in southeast San Diego.

Deputy District Attorney Robert Hickey, who successfully convicted a gang member for the horrific act, was among five prosecutors from the District Attorney’s Office honored this week by the Board of Supervisors.

Supervisor Bill Horn presented proclamations to the five deputy district attorneys who were recognized for their work by the Deputy District Attorneys Association and are, “dedicated to the best ideals of public service.”

The five honored for their work were: Robert Hickey, Brock Arstill, Roy Lai, Katie Gayle and Christine Israel. Hickey was awarded Prosecutor of the Year and the others were awarded with Outstanding Achievement by the Deputy District Attorneys Association.

• Hickey distinguished himself by seeking justice for his victims despite a lack of physical evidence linking the shooter to the crime. Yet he pressed on and eventually persuaded other gang members to testify against the shooter for the murders of Carol Waites and Sharon Burton.
• Arstill was commended for winning murder convictions against two men in four separate trials for a 1994 cold case homicide. The trials stretched on for three years but despite faded memories and contradictory testimony, Arstill was steadfast and determined and proved his cases.
• Lai, who has been a prosecutor for less than 7 years, was recognized for his dedication and determination in winning convictions in 8 felony trials. In one of those trials, a murder defendant tried to claim he was insane when he stabbed a tourist to death in a parking lot. The jury ultimately found him guilty and sentenced him to life without the possibility of parole.
• Gayle fought to keep a man in prison for shaking his 2-month-old daughter to death in 1991. The father’s lawyers sought to overturn the conviction by claiming that new biomechanical research proved that humans did not have sufficient force to cause fatal brain injury. For six months, Gayle consulted experts and mastered the science of pediatric neurology and pathology to disprove their assertion. Not only did she keep this father in prison, but she also preserved 20 other shaken baby convictions across the country which might have been overturned.
• Israel was honored for prosecuting four men for six gang murders. She sought justice for an innocent bystander at a party, two robbery victims, a pregnant woman and her unborn child, a gang rival and a 14-year-old boy who was mistaken for a gang rival. Israel used her considerable courtroom skills to convince the jury to deliver just verdicts for the victims.

District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis, who also attended the Board of Supervisors meeting, told the board that she was proud of her team and the dedication of these five deputy district attorneys showed that “we do not forget the victims.”

Saluting Our Veterans

In honor of Veterans Day, we are recognizing current County employees who have served in the armed forces.  Thanks to those veterans who chose to share their stories and thank you to all veterans for your service.

Alan Reddick, ARCC

US Army 1969-1971

Expert Badge M16a2 Rifle

175 Mm Howitzer Crew Member

Medic And X-Ray Technician

30th Field Hospital

Augsburg, Germany

Certificate. Of Appreciation

Honorable Discharge

Areleous Burton, Agriculture/Weights & Measures

I spent four years in the US Army as a Personnel Administration Specialist, spending my last year in the Army with 82nd Airborne Division.   I had a total of 15 jumps while with the 82nd.  I also spent 16 years in the US Coast Guard as an ST (Sonar Technician) & ET (Electronics Technician), with my last five years as a COMSEC (Secure Communications) instructor. 

Our Coast Guard Cutter was the first one on scene at the Exxon Valdez oil spill; another of my cutters was lead cutter of the Haitian Operation, bringing Haitians trying to come into the U.S. back to Gitmo (Guantanamo Bay, Cuba), temporarily until they could be repatriated.  Honorably discharged at expiration of term of service.

Louis Johnson, HHSA

US Navy 1982-2002 (Operations Specialist)

Served aboard:   USS Okinawa LPH-3

                           USS Essex-LHD-2

                           USS Tarawa LHA-1

Some ops:

Desert Storm/Shield

Nato operations Mogadishu

Relief to USS Cole

Awards

Nato award

Combat Action ribbon

Navy Achievement Medal

Sea Service

Good Conduct Award

Proud to serve and glad the Navy showed me the world.

George Gonzales, Sheriff's Department

Service: California Army National Guard

Active Duty: Dec 1976 – 1979, 1/325th IN, 82nd Airborne Division

US Army Reserve 1980 – 83, National Guard 1996 – Present

Present Rank: Sergeant Major (E-9)

Currently serving with the 40th Infantry Division, General's Staff - Future Plans and Strategy (G5)

Prior Assignments: First Sergeant - Headquarters Company, 40th Infantry Division.

First Sergeant - Headquarters Company 2/185th Battalion, 40th Infantry Division

Operations Sergeant, 2nd Brigade, 40th Infantry Division

Decorations, Awards and Citations:

Army Commendation Medal (4 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)

Army Achievement Medal (1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)

Good Conduct Medal (Bronze Clasp 2 Loops)

National Defense Service Medal

NCO Professional Development Ribbon (Numeral 3)

Armed Forces Reserve Medal (M Device, X Device)

Army Service Ribbon

Army Reserve Components Overseas Training Ribbon (Numeral 3)

South Carolina State Ribbon

Parachutist Badge

Expert Badge (M9 Pistol)

Expert Badge (M16A2 Rifle)

Expert Badge (M67 Grenade)

USAJ / 9th TAACOM, Certificate of Appreciation for Outstanding Contribution

JTFWG ARFOR HQ, Certificate of Excellence

USAJ / 9th TAACOM, Certificate of Appreciation for Exceptional Service

40th I D, California, Certificate of Appreciation for Meritorious Service

Cited for Excellence by the Fort Knox Senior Observer Controller Team

Carmen Stamper, HHSA

US Navy  (New Orleans, Pearl Harbor, San Diego)

Assigned to a Unit that provided communications for the Seabees.

The cell phones back then were heavy, bulky and big (about 9”).

Andrew Strong participating in a mass casualty drill aboard USS Ronald Reagan.Andrew Strong, Human Resources

Service: United States Navy, Hospital Corpsman, 1998 - 2007

Designations: Fleet Marine Force/ Surface Warfare/ Air Warfare

Duty Stations:

Camp Johnson, North Carolina

Camp lejeune, North Carolina

Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina

Naval Submarine Base Bangor, Silverdale, Washington

USS Ronald Reagan CVN 76, North Island

Winston McColl, Purchasing & Contracting

Winston served 28 years in the United States Army retiring as a Colonel.  During that time he served two tours in Vietnam, first as a combat engineer, while the second tour he served as an infantry officer.  His numerous assignments took him to places around the globe from Vietnam, Germany, and South Korea, to Paris, France in the fields of intelligence and acquisition.  His final tour of duty involved the command of over 500 civilians and military in Van Nuys, CA overseeing $18 billion dollars in DOD contracts,

Winston was awarded three bronze stars, earned the Combat Infantryman’s Badge, Jump Wings, and graduated from Ranger School earning him the Ranger Tab.  He is also a graduate of the US Army’s War College.

Mary Santos, Public Works

U.S. Navy

Radioman 2nd Class

I served in U.S. Navy from 1973 – 1977

I am proud to have served my country!

Steve Spence, Environmental Health

I enlisted in the Navy  at the age of 19  in July 1973, one month before direct military involvement ended in Vietnam. After training in Electronics Technology at Great Lakes, Ill,  I was stationed for two years in Spain when it was under the authoritarian regime of General Franco. The Navy then brought me to Long Beach and San Diego where I was stationed on the USS Towers (DDG-9) highlighted by visits to many countries during an eight month deployment to the Pacific.

Ramon Bilbao, Parks & Recreation

I served in U.S. Navy aboard the following ships:

USS Jarrett (FFG-33)

USS Ranger (CV-61)

USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63)

USS Fitzgerald (DDG-62)

I’ve participated in Operation Desert Storm, Restore Hope, and Iraqi Freedom.

Tara Harre, Probation

1996 – Present.  Fifteen years ago I joined the Army Reserve as a Private (E-3), and I continue to serve today as a Captain (O-3).   During these last fifteen years, I have traveled the world, jumped from planes, and served in combat.  I truly feel that I am a stronger person from the experiences that I have endured from the military.  I am a proud veteran and am going for my 20 - HOOAH!

Chairman Bill Horn, County Supervisor District 5

Service: USMC

Dates of Active Duty: July 1966-December 1970

Active reserve: 1970-1978

Rank at Discharge: Captain

I enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1966 after graduating from SDSU. In 1968, I was promoted to 1st Lieutenant and sent to the jungles of Vietnam where I joined the Kilo 4/13 as the Executive Officer. Later that same year, I was promoted to Commanding Officer of Lima Battery 4th Battalion 12th Marines, 3rd MAR DIV RVN. While my Battery was under fire at `The Rockpile’, I received shrapnel wounds.

Recognition:

• Bronze Star Medal with Combat V

• Purple Heart

• Combat Action Ribbon

• Presidential Unit Citation

• Naval Unit Citation

• Meritorious Unit Citation

• National Defense Medal

• Vietnamese Campaign Medal with four stars

• Overseas Service Ribbon

• Sea Service Deployment Ribbon

• Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Gold and Silver Star

• Cross of Gallantry Unit Citation

• RVN Civil Action Palm

• Vietnam Service Medal

One of the greatest honors I have ever had was leading 270 men in combat for a year. As Ronald Reagan once wrote "Some people work an entire lifetime and wonder if they ever made a difference to the world. But the Marines don't have that problem."

Semper Fi

Deborah Doggett, Environmental Health

US Navy 1985-2005, HMC, MTS

2002-2005 Pentagon Force Protection Agency, Chemical, Biological, Nuclear, and Radiological Directorate

                Provided Biological Warfare Surveillance for the National Capitol Region

1999-2002 Navy Environmental and Preventive Medicine Unit #5

                Navy’s only CDC Level B Laboratory for Biological Warfare testing

                Forward Deployed Preventive Medicine Unit

                Disease Outbreak Investigations, Published work on Norovirus

1996-1999 Naval Medical Clinic Pearl Harbor

1991-1996 National Naval Medical Center, Bethesda Maryland

                President Clinton’s medical team

                Laboratory Liaison for 14 branch medical clinic laboratories

1989-1991 Naval Hospital Guam

1986-1989 Naval Hospital San Diego/ Naval School of Health Sciences

Award Highlights:

Joint Services Meritorious Service Medal

Navy Commendation Medals

Navy Achievement Medals

Favorite Memories:

Deploying to the Gulf to investigate a very large Norovirus outbreak  425 cases on one carrier!  Boy were we busy!

Working directly for President Clinton

Working with the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force at the Pentagon

Guam and Hawaii – enough said, lol

Lonnie Palm, HHSA

Branch of Service:  United States Army

Length of Service:  May 1973 – May 1976

I enlisted at the beginning of the all-volunteer Army at age 19.  My first duty station was in Turkey near Istanbul for twelve months.  In 1974 tensions  between Turkey and Greece mounted concerning the island of Cyprus.  At that time I had purchased a round trip ticket on a Turkish airline to visit the southern Mediterranean coastline of that country for three days.  Permission was given by my commanding officer to take the trip.  On the final day there I returned to the airport only to discover that it was closed off to the general public and taken over  by the Turkish military. I contacted the base by telephone (not cell) and purchased a bus ticket with $1.25 remaining for the cross-country trek.  During the bus trek an Army captain from my base also boarded. It was a good feeling to know that I wasn’t alone.

Mike Dick, General Services

U.S. Army, ’71 to ‘74

25th Infantry Division 147th Aviation Co. CH-47 Chinooks

Barbers Point Naval Air Station, HI

They were just two weeks back from Viet Nam.

U.S Army National Guard ’84 to 2001 Retired MSG

40th Infantry Division 240th Forward Support Battalion

David Lampley, Probation

I enlisted in the US Army on June 1, 1970 and trained at Ft. Tacoma, WA and Fort Jackson, SC before being sent to Fifth Corps Support Command at Hanau, Germany.  Volunteering for Vietnam in 1971, I served at Cam Ranh Bay, Danang and Long Binh for nine months as all  units were being sent home around that time.  From 72 to 73, I was stationed at Fort  Hood, Texas, a few miles from home.   Honorable Discharge on May 31, 1973 as a Specialist 4th Class.  Notable experience was sending two weeks in Managua, Nicaragua in Dec. 72 with a MASH unit  supporting the country after a earthquake.   I also spent one year in the Texas National Guard in 1974.

I enlisted in the US Navy in March 77 and served on USS Chicago (CG-11), USS Durham (LKA-114) and deployed to the Pacific on 5 occasions, three times as a member of Cruiser-Destroyer Group One on board the USS Long Beach, USS New Jersey and USS Midway.  I retired in March 1977 as a E6, Operations Specialist First Class.  All my time was spent in San Diego except for a two year tour on the minesweeper, USS Fearless (MSO-442) from 81 to 83.

Pete Jacovino, ARCC

I proudly served for 20 years 9 months and 1 day in the US Navy as a Lithographer.  Often asked “if you could do it over again, would you”, always answered "heck yeah!" People pay good money to sail around the world and I always felt fortunate to be paid to sail around the world. Sure there were family separations, but they came along with the adventure. Our family always felt that the separations made you stronger.

One of the lasting memories I will always have tucked away in the military portion of my mind was floating around in the mined waters off the coast of Kuwait in the spring of 1991 for 45 days wondering, what if, and another would be riding a typhoon for the better part of 8 hours. Fun stuff!

Seriously, it was a great career, and heck yeah, I’d do it all over again. Anchors Aweigh!

Nina Gordon, Probation

I joined the military as a 2nd Lt in the Army Nurse Corps.  My first assignment was the Newborn Nursery, Fort Ord, Monterey, a far cry away from the fighting in Vietnam.  I remember the broken minds and the broken bodies of the men and women who were fortunate enough to return home.  I also remember being in uniform, standing outside the subway in N.Y., and having to experience less than complimentary comments from people who didn’t think we should be in Vietnam. I am proud to have served my country.  But I sometimes think the honorable title of veteran should be reserved only for those who served on the front lines.  I salute those veterans, my fellow Americans, who put their lives and limbs on the line for the rest of us.

Doug Ailshie, HHSA

United States Army - Sept. 1972 to June 1974

Military Policeman – Specialist 4th Class

Tour of duty (16 mos.) - Camp Long Support Detachment

Wonju, Korea

I was part of the last draft during the Viet Nam War era.

My orders were amended to Korea from Viet Nam during the last week of advanced training @ Ft. Gordon, Georgia.

Jose Mallari, Public Works

I belong to an endangered species that is well on its way to extinction unless a saving treaty takes effect soon.  As a Filipino citizen and non-resident of the United States in 1989, I joined the US Navy at the Subic Bay Recruiting Station in the Philippines by virtue of Article XXVII of the 14 March 1947 Military Bases Agreement between the United States and the Republic of the Philippines.  This agreement was abolished with the 1992 closure of US Military Bases in the Philippines.  I served in the USS Dixon (AS-37), deployed to the Middle East during the Persian Gulf War, and was honorably discharged in 1993.  Now an attorney, I have recently initiated an advocacy to seek restoration of US Navy Recruiting in the Philippines via re-negotiation of the Visiting Forces Agreement.

Jerry Wilkins, HHSA

Service:  U.S. Marine Corps

Dates of Active Service:  11/23/65 to 11/23/69

Inactive Reserve:  11/23/69 to 11/23/71

Rank at induction:  Private (E-1)

Rank at discharge:  Staff Sergeant (E-6)

Duty Stations:

• U.S. Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego (Basic Training)

• Marine Corps Schools, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina

• Republic of Vietnam (Chu Lai/Danang/Phu Bai) with 11th Marine Regiment (Artillery), 1st Marine Division – October 1966 to November 1967

  • Participated in 5 major operations against VC/NVA

  • 28th Marine Regiment (Infantry), Camp Pendleton – November 1967 to November 1969

Recognition:

• Combat Action Ribbon

• Good Conduct Medal

• Presidential Unit Citation

• Vietnam Service Medal

• Vietnam Campaign Ribbon

• National Defense Service Medal

• Meritorious Promotion to Corporal (E-4)

• Meritorious Promotion to Sergeant (E-5)

• Meritorious Promotion to Staff Sergeant (E-6)

Jennifer Reynolds, HHSA

I served in the US Navy as a Hospital Corpsman. I served my country with the Marine Mag units as well as the VP67 Naval Air group, learning skills such as Emergency Medicine, Minor Surgery & Diagnosing sick sailors and Marines. I will never forget my brothers and sisters that stood beside me to assure our freedom.

Franco Lopez is on the right.Franco Lopez, Auditor & Controller

USMC 1999 – 2004

Memorable Events:

Weeks with no bed, little sleep, no shower, and no toilets at the start of Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003; no problem, we had plenty of ammo and a mission.

Coming out in one piece after countless conveys.

Setting up camp at the ruins of the ancient city of Babylon.

Mourning friends and colleagues.

Final Awards:

Combat Action Ribbon

Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal

Global War on Terrorism Service Medal

Marine Corp Good Conduct

Presidential Unit Citation

Sea Service Deployment Ribbon

National Defense Service Medal

Sol Masangkay, Parks & Recreation

U.S. Navy, 1980-1991

Service: Antisubmarine Squadron 29, NAS North Island 1980-1983 (aboard USS Kitty Hawk, CV-61 in 1981 and aboard USS Carl Vinson, CVN-70 in 1983 on its first cruise)

NAS Miramar Supply Department, 1984-1987

USS Tripoli, LPH 10, 1987-1991 (Desert Storm veteran)

Doug Stauffer, General Services

1973-1994, US Navy Civil Engineer Corps

See the world- every move I made was across an ocean. I went from Mississippi to Okinawa to Puerto Rico to Hawaii to Diego Garcia to Georgia to Italy to New York to Japan, ending in San Diego.  Best assignment: landed on Diego Garcia 2 weeks after the Iranian hostage-taking and witnessed the place go from a sleepy little backwater to the nexus of US military strength.  Within months we had more Seabees on the island than anywhere else in the world.  Seven day a week construction operations supporting fleet forces in the Persian Gulf.

Tony Avina, Agriculture/Weights & Measures

I actively served in the US Army from 1987-1990.  I remained as an inactive member of the US Army until 1995.  I was stationed in Frederick, Maryland at the United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases-Bacteriology Division.  I was Biological Sciences Assistant in the Anthrax Biological Research team.  Our team was responsible to optimize the Anthrax vaccine, which was used by military personnel during the 1990 Persian Gulf War.  I am a Persian Gulf War veteran.  I was honorably discharged in 1990.

In addition, I also served in the California National Guard from 1992-1995.  I was honorably discharged in 1995.  

Harold Randolph, HHSA

United States Marine Corps, September 1974 to August 1995

I served as Administrator, Inspector/Instructor, Recruiter, Group Administrative Chief, Classified Document Courier, Company Gunny and Administrative Analyst.  Places stationed or visited: North and South Carolina; Atlanta, Georgia; all states with Marine Corps Units west of the Mississippi and all Marine Units in the Western Pacific.   Most memorable assignment was “Operation Restore Hope” Mogadishu, Somalia from December 1992 to May 1993.  Most time spent overseas, 18 months in Subic Bay, Philippines.  Most fun had was flying (not piloting) when stationed with VMO-1 “Can Do” and with VMO-4 “Bronco”.  Call Signs used:  “Guru” and “Reverend”.  Continents visited – 6. Countries visited – 28.  Ready to do it all over again!!!

Happy 236th Birthday Marines! (November 10, 1775 – 2011)

Semper Fi

Rolando Indiongco, Probation

I proudly served in the United States Navy for 30 years and 14 days. I travelled to more places around the world in 30 years that most people do in a lifetime, all for free, thanks to the multiple aircraft carriers wherein I served. I was promoted to the rank only 1 percent of the enlisted military attain: Master Chief Petty Officer. I started serving following the conclusion of the Vietnam War. I also served in the Desert Storm, Desert Shield, Operation Southern Watch, Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and many others. I salute all of my fellow veterans.

Timothy Henry, HHSA

I served almost 13 years in the Navy, worked on aircraft avionics systems mostly on the SH-2F and SH-60B helicopters. In the middle of my Navy career I was assigned to VX-1. This is the squadron that tests any new Antisubmarine Warfare aircraft and equipment. At this squadron we had five different types of aircraft both helicopters and fixed wing.

April Heinze, General Services

Join the Navy and See the World-that was the recruiting line that attracted me to the Navy.  The 1970’s were the early days of expanded opportunities for women in the military and I was fortunate to receive a Navy ROTC scholarship to attend engineering school, serve my Country as a Civil Engineer Corps officer around the world, and become the third woman ever promoted to the rank of Captain in my specialty.

Memorable events include:

Seabees-the honor of leading the most dedicated and energetic young people to build and repair almost anything, anywhere

Shipyards-3 Navy shipyards, crawling through utility tunnels, repairing WWII damage in Pearl Harbor, and the eerie silence of the USS Arizona memorial

Diplomacy-bi-lateral exercises in Korea and Thailand, drinking vodka with generals in Russia

Disasters-earthquake recovery and monsoons in the Philippines, outrunning typhoons in the Pacific

Conflicts-landing in Saudi Arabia ahead of the Marines just 8 days after Iraq invaded Kuwait in the first Gulf War

Congress-watching our democracy at work, preparing testimony for appointees, briefing staffers on the hill, sitting in hearings directly behind the principals

9-11-flying cross-country on military aircraft with senior political appointees to return to D.C. when all commercial aircraft were grounded, returning to the Pentagon on 9-12 to find over 90% of the military and civilian employees continuing to work for freedom

Diane Cook, Purchasing and Contracting

Eight years active duty service with the US Army. I am a disabled veteran who participated in Desert Storm as a combat medic.  Throughout my military career I was stationed in some exotic and not so exotic places just to name a few: Ft Leonard Wood Missouri, Ft Sam Houston Texas, Tripler Army Medical Center Hawaii and Madigan Army Medical Center, Washington. While serving I became a Department of Defense Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor, one of only 50 of us at the time Army wide.

Norm Taylor, General Services

US Army, ’62-’65.  Ist Inf. Div., 33rd Arty.  Berlin Brigade, ’63.

Carlos Renstrom, Parks & Recreation

I served as a Human Resources Specialist (42A) in the U.S. Army. I was stationed in Columbia, South Carolina and Schofield Barracks in the island of Oahu, Hawaii, where I completed active duty.

During active duty, I was part of the Personnel Action Center for the 84th Engineer Combat Battalion (Heavy) in the 25th Infantry Division (Light) providing Human Resources services to 600 soldiers and their families. I was in charge of processing military personnel promotions, demotions, personnel actions, leadership briefings, data processing as well as making sure that soldiers and their families were receiving military benefits and counseling as needed during deployments. In 2004, I received the Good Conduct Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Marksman on M16 and M249 Rifle, Expert on Grenade and Overseas Medal.

Anne Greenstone, HHSA

I joined the Air Force Nurse Corps after college to earn the GI Bill to pay for grad school.   I was assigned to Carswell AFB  Texas 3/ 1972-3/ 1974.  In early May 72  all active duty men  on the base (pilots, crew, nurses) were hurriedly assembled and flown to Viet Nam in one night for the Tet offensive.  Noise from departing planes kept me awake all   night.  All male RNs were gone.    I worked the orthopedic ward caring for the war wounded .  What a rambunctious group, mostly ages 18-20.  One night I was surprised by flight staff entering the ED with a group of ill men- POWs coming home to Texas.  I separated in March 1974.  I went directly to UCLA.  I was awarded my MN degree from UCLA in 1978. The GI Bill paid for  living expenses.  I earned it. 

James Boyd, County Counsel

1972 – 1975 U.S. Army, Special 5, US Army Legal Services Agency, Europe

1975- 1977  U.S. Army Reserves (E-5)

1977 – 1980 U.S. Marine Corps, Lance Corporal until Enlisted Commissioning Program (OCS), 1st Lieutenant, Infantry

Dale Santee, Alternate Public Defender

Colonel Dale W. Santee was the senior individual mobilization augmentee to the staff judge advocate, HQ Pacific Air Force, Hickam AFB, HI.  Commissioned as a reserve officer through the Direct Appointment Program, he served on active duty as an Air Force judge advocate from January 7, 1979 to August 8, 1983.  He deployed twice in support of peacekeeping operations in Bosnia with the Tanker Task Force based in Pisa, Italy for Operations Deny Flight and Joint Endeavor.  In December 1996, he deployed to Istres, France in support of Operation Joint Guard.  From August 2000 to December 2000, Colonel Santee deployed for Operation Southern Watch to Prince Sultan Air Base, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, as the first reserve Staff Judge Advocate of an Air Expeditionary Force (AEF 9).  He was an adjunct instructor at the Judge Advocate General School, Montgomery, AL, Pacific Joint Operations Law Exercise, HI and the International Institute of Humanitarian Law, San Remo, Italy.

Robert Contreras, Housing and Community Development

I served in the United States Navy from January 1976 until January of 1980. That is what brought me to San Diego. I enjoy my time in the Navy, especially the traveling. But what I remember most is meeting persons from my hometown of Schertz, Texas. The most memorable one was when I arrived at Clark Air Force Base in the Philippines. I was checked in by an Air Force sergeant who I had met when I was a teenager. I lived next to a Air Force base and I often hung at the gym. This sergeant worked with my uncle. Boy, was he surprised to see me. After I finished my enlistment, I decided to stay in San Diego as I fell in love with the city on my first visit.

Greg Locke, General Services

I served 21 years of active duty with the United States Marine Corps. The leadership traits that I witnessed while in the Marines Corps are something I have tried to emulate on a daily basis and will continue to for the rest of my life. I have lived in a number of unique areas of the world; I spent four months living in a tent in Yechon, Korea, spent time in the western Egyptian desert, saw the rainbows are formed  when the desert sands blow off the coast of Tunisia in the evening and saw my daughter born in a hospital in Japan. I hope that all the veterans will enjoy this special holiday on November 11, 2011.

Manuel Garcia (right) with former County employee Robert Roberson.Manuel Garcia, HHSA

Active Duty

United States Army Feb. 1973 to July 1976

52nd Construction Engineer Battalion

220th Field Artillery,

Fort Carson, Colorado

United States Army Ready Reserve-1976-1987

129th Med. Evac. Hospital (Must Unit)-Admiral Baker Field

177th Transportation Company-Camp Pendleton

Tom Philipp, Auditor & Controller

Submarine Service – Cold War (1977-1983).   Nuke machinist on USS HADDO SSN604.  Home port – San Diego.  Longest submerged – 45 days when Iran held US hostages.  How does it feel underwater?  A bit like an airplane, especially when they do ‘angles and dangles.’

Jay Patterson, ARCC

Rank: Dental Technician 1st Class

Branch: United States Navy (Retired)

Service: March 1976 to March 1996

Specialties: Medical/Dental Administration & Oral Surgery Technician

Commands:

(a)  Overseas Command: NAS Agana Guam [Sep 76 to Mar 79]

(b)  Sea Commands:

USS Coronado (AGF-11) [Apr 81 to Apr 82] – Persian Gulf Command Ship

USS Hunley (AS-31) [May 82 – Dec 83] – Holy Loch Scotland

USS Long Beach (CGN-9) [Jan 87 – Jun 90] – Pacific Fleet

USS Rushmore (LSD-47) [Aug 93 – Mar 96] – Pacific Fleet

Shore Commands:

(1)  Naval Hospital, NAS Whidbey Island WA

(2)  Naval Regional Dental Center, San Diego, CA

(3)  Naval Supply Center, San Diego CA

(4)  Fleet Dental Office, US Pacific Fleet

Notables:

(a)  Sailed around the world in 1987.

(b)  Set foot on every continent on this earth.

(c)  Five tours of duty to Persian Gulf region (combat and non-combat).

(d)  Lots of memories…

Kristie Makowsky, HHSA

I joined the United States Army right out of high school. I served for four years, on 3 different bases – Fort Polk, LA, Fort Gordon, GA and Fort Jackson, SC. I was the first female Radar Technician recruited right after the Vietnam war. I learned a lot in the Army and my veteran’s benefits are the only reason I was able to purchase my home. My son is following in my path and will be reporting to Fort Jackson, SC in March 2012.

Moises Rivera, Probation

USN 1989-1993. I served on the USS Vincennes CG-49.

Sue Baker, HHSA

My name is Suzanne (Coffman) Baker.  I was Suzanne E. Rafferty when I served in the United States Air Force Nurse Corps from 1969 until 1971.  My duty station was Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas, where I worked as a 1st Lieutenant in the 1000 bed hospital Wilford Hall.  Though I worked on many medical-surgical units, my most memorable  was my rotation to the burn unit where two of my patients were pilots that had been shot down in Vietnam.  Military nursing was a good experience for me, and I was honorably discharged as Captain.

Jessie Frank, Public Works

I served in the USMC for more than twenty seven years. Participated in Desert Shield/Storm in 1991.  My family can trace service in the Military for every conflict starting with the French and Indian Wars.

Daniel E. Chesler, HHSA

U.S. Navy,  served on ships escorting tankers during  the ‘Tanker War’ and had a front row seat during Operation Preying Mantis.

Fleet Services Division Gets "Blue Seal" of Excellence

When you need your car fixed, you look for a skilled mechanic you can trust—and sometimes they’re not so easy to find.

But fortunately, when one of the County’s 3,900 or so vehicles needs repairs or maintenance, it goes to one of the best shops around: a Department of General Services Fleet Management garage.

The Fleet Management Division recently received external validation of its work in the form of the “Blue Seal” of Excellence from the ASE certification program. The “Blue Seal” is the same mark you see displayed in good commercial garages.

To qualify, the Fleet Management team had to meet specific criteria, including having 75 percent ASE-certified technicians. ASE certification involves training and written tests, so the achievement shows that County Fleet technicians are skilled and extremely knowledgeable. 

“With new technology, vehicle maintenance and repair has become increasingly complex,” said Sharyl Blackington, the Department of General Services Fleet Operations manager. “The required periodic testing through the ASE program helps the County maintain a competent and knowledgeable team of maintenance and repair professionals.”

This results in County departments seeing increased safety, lower maintenance costs and better service in vehicle and mobile equipment repairs.

Good service is essential to keeping the County moving. Fleet Management owns and operates one of the largest collections of government vehicles in the state, including motorcycles, cars, law enforcement vehicles, light-duty trucks and vans, fire apparatus, heavy-duty trucks, tractors, trailers and off-road and industrial equipment.

ASE stands for the nonprofit National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence. The group conducts the only industry-wide nationally recognized testing and certification program for automotive service and repair professionals.   

Take the Guesswork Out of Your Portfolio

Just like your car needs a regular tune-up for good performance, so does the investment portfolio in your Deferred Compensation Plan. And it isn’t as complicated as it might seem. In fact, we can help put your portfolio on cruise control!

There are two ways to tune up your portfolio:

1. If you choose your own mix of mutual funds, we have implemented an Auto – Rebalance function on the website. If you choose this option, any time one of your mutual funds falls 5% or more outside of the range you set, your portfolio will automatically rebalance, taking advantage of the ups and downs in the markets. For example, if you chose the Vanguard S&P 500 Index fund to be 40% of your mix and it grows to be 45%, the program will take the 5% growth and redistribute it to whichever mutual fund is short of its ideal percentage. This is basically skimming off the profit from one asset class by “selling high” and reinvesting by “buying low” with another. 

2. Target Date funds also accomplish this goal. This option is also known as a “set it and forget it” option because there are professional money managers who rebalance the mutual fund’s investment mix for you. A Target Date fund is a collection of mutual funds that already has the right balance of asset classes for your retirement date. They are listed by date, such as 2020 or 2035, and you choose the one closest to when you are likely to retire. Over time and the closer you get to using that money, the investments get more and more conservative, the way all retirement portfolios should be run. 

Don’t forget, we have a whole team of very knowledgeable mechanics (aka retirement specialists!) who will meet with you one-on-one to make sure your mix of investments is the right one for you. They can meet with you at your worksite when it’s convenient for you.

To reach a Retirement Specialist, please call the local Nationwide office at 858-569-0295. 

Sheriff’s Deputy Wins State Recognition for Pulling Drunk Drivers off the Road

(l-r) Sheriff Bill Gore, Encinitas Captain Sherri Sarro, Deputy Dave Toner, OTS Director Chris Murphy

Kudos go to an Encinitas Sheriff’s Deputy who recently won the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) Award for Traffic Safety Excellence. Deputy Dave Toner was honored for making 187 DUI arrests last year, the highest of anyone in the Sheriff’s Department or any other agency in the County. Deputy Toner is a Senior Traffic Deputy who works the night shift in the Encinitas, Solana Beach and Del Mar areas. When he’s not improving traffic safety by pulling drunk drivers off the road, he’s training new deputies and giving advice on how to conduct DUI investigations.

The Sheriff’s Department itself won third place in the California Law Enforcement Challenge Impaired Driving Award. It recognizes agencies that reduce driving fatalities and injuries. Among the many ways the Sheriff’s Department works toward that goal is by conducting DUI checkpoints, bicycle safety rodeos, safety presentations and a free class for teenage drivers called Start Smart.

OTS Director Chris Murphy traveled from Sacramento to the Sheriff’s Main Office in Kearny Mesa to present the plaques to Sheriff Gore and Deputy Toner. Deputy Toner’s supervisor, Captain Sherri Sarro, was also on hand for the presentation.  

Chief Probation Officer Honored as Law Enforcement Official of the Year

Chief Probation Officer Mack Jenkins (right) and Probation Officer Bobby Burns were both recognized by the San Diego Crime Commission.

When asking local law enforcement leaders who should be named this year’s law enforcement official of the year, the San Diego Crime Commission kept hearing one name again and again – Chief Probation Officer Mack Jenkins.

Jenkins has worked closely with the public safety community over the past several months in his role as chairman of the Community Corrections Partnership. The group’s executive committee was tasked with a monumental challenge: creating a local plan for public safety realignment, which shifts thousands of offenders from state to county responsibility.

District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis and Sheriff Bill Gore sit on the committee with Jenkins, and they presented the award to Jenkins at the San Diego Crime Commission’s awards ceremony Friday. In addition to his work on public safety realignment, Jenkins was honored for his contributions to public safety during his 33-year career, including the design and implementation of special supervision programs for domestic violence, sex and drug offenders.

Probation Officer Bobby Burns was also honored as one of the commission’s 16 Blue Knight award recipients. Other County recipients included Sheriff’s Department Detective Anthony Calvert and District Attorney Investigator Gary Helson.

The San Diego Crime Commission is a non-profit organization which builds public awareness about the impact of crime on the community and provides educational programs throughout the county.