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The Ojai Valley VFW was organized in 1992. The veteran membership of this post is comprised of
World War II, Korean War, Vietnam War, and Iraq veterans who served on active duty overseas. The
mission of Post 11461 is to bring to the public what it means to be a veteran and to increase public
support of this nation’s active duty service men and women as well as the members of the National
Guard and military reserve.

The current membership consists of about thirty-five active members and a number of non-active
members. The active members represent a microcosm of military history over the last 65 years. They
include veterans who served with the horse cavalry to those that served in missile commands and
advanced aviation. Units represented include veterans from the U.S. Marines, U.S. Navy, U.S. Air
Force, U.S. Merchant Marine from WWII, and the U.S. Army.

Familiar units represented include the 82nd Airborne, the 10th Mountain Division, the 25th Infantry
Division, the 4th Infantry Division, the Third Marines, the U.S. Kearsage, the U. S. S. Bunker Hill,
the U.S. Seabees, the U.S.S. Bonhomme Richard, the 4th Infantry Regiment of the Alaska Command,
the 20th Air Force, the Military Police, the U.S. Army Nurse Corps, the Jungleer Division, and the
40th Infantry Division. There are smaller specialized units represented as found in the Ojai Valley
Veteran’s Living Memorial Book.

About Ojai VFW

Duty stations of the membership were found all over the world in every military action including but not
limited to Guadalcanal, Tinian, Saipan, New Guinea, Chu Li, Northern Italy, the Mediterranean, the
Battle of the Atlantic, France, Germany, Attu and Kiska, North Korea, India-China-Burma Theater,
the Battle of Okinawa, Danang, Tarawa, the Philippines, Iraq, and Bosnia.

Current activities include the writing and publishing of a book about these veterans, their life, and their
experiences. The Post sponsors a 4th of July entry in the Ojai Parade, which includes all veterans of
the Post as well as support members from the California National Guard. Chuck Bennett publishes a
Newsletter every month. This letter keeps membership aware of Post activities and veteran’s issues
like the Veteran’s home in Saticoy and medical services available to veterans. The Post sponsors
periodic dinners and barbecues. The Post's new Internet site will be instrumental in reaching the
younger vets who tend to be more computer oriented. The Post has supported the families of deceased
veterans providing Post/military recognition at funeral services.

The civilian background of the Post veterans covers a wide range of activities. Many are retired but
extremely active in community based volunteer work. Work backgrounds include the California Highway
patrol, aerospace, carpenters, electricians, public and vocational school teachers, private business,
counseling, oil industry, mining, sales, clergy, sheriffs department, ranching, Edison Company, retired
military, engineering, government officials, architecture, nursing, and banking.

Volunteer work and organizations represented include the Lion’s Club, the Rotary Club, Habitat for
Humanity, numerous veterans’ support groups, churches, and other civic groups. - Dave Presser