OCEAN HILLS—76th Assembly District candidate Rocky Chavez addressed members of the Ocean Hills “Village Veterans” Club and accepted a commemorative license plate frame from the group.

Chavez spoke about his service at the California Department of Veterans Affairs – and how his agency worked together with the national veterans department to serve returning soldiers. He also talked about the economic challenges facing veterans in a worsening economy, and how he balanced the needs of aging veterans and younger soldiers who receive the promise of support from a grateful country.

A retired Colonel, Chavez spent more than twenty-eight years as an active Marine and has made veterans issues one of his top campaign priorities.

At the meeting, Chavez also honored the spouses of veterans in the audience and said his own wife, Mary, often said a member of the military includes the spouse and children too.

Officiating at the event were Sgt. at Arms David Neil and Commander Joe Ashby.

OCEANSIDE--The Coast News publication has profiled Rocky Chavez and his bid for the California Assembly's 76th District. View the original story here. The story is also reprinted below:

Former councilman runs for state assembly

by Promise Yee

Oceanside--Former Oceanside councilman Rocky Chavez announced he will be running for assemblyman of the new California 76 th Assembly District in November 2012 at a supporters rally on Sept. 14. The new 76th district represents Vista, Oceanside, Carlsbad and Encinitas.

The rally to announce Chavez’ run was held on the factory floor of the Federal Heath Sign Company. Production work paused briefly as Chavez addressed a crowd of several dozen supporters and factory workers and said his focus will be on jobs, education and government efficiency.

“I’m running on the issues and am open to discuss those issues,” Chavez said. “Once you get elected you need to represent all residents. My record as councilman shows exactly that. I listened to people talk about their neighborhoods and can bring that understanding to the state.”

Chavez served as a councilman for seven years. During his time in office he served on the regional homeless task force, which brought area wide resources for the homeless together as one networked system. Resource providers were put in touch with each other so they could hone their efforts and reduce unnecessary duplication of services.

“We were able to tie services along with nonprofits into a decisive system,” Chavez said. “It wasn’t done before.”

Chavez most recently served as Active Secretary for the California Department of Veterans Affairs. He oversaw the state department switch its focus and offer more support services to veterans. Programs were developed and implemented to help troops deal with post traumatic stress disorder. This support helped decreased the number of veterans who ended up in jail.

Chavez also served in the military for 25 years and earned the rank of colonel in the U.S. Marine Corps.

As assemblyman, jobs creation will be one of his top priorities. Chavez said private enterprises will be vital in creating new job opportunities.

“We need to establish an environment that supports entrepreneurship and a creative environment,” Chavez said.

Chavez said education will be key in preparing workers and needs to be redefined to meet current needs. Community colleges, technical trade schools and online learning will soon play a bigger role in preparing individuals for careers.

“I’m running for state assembly because I’ve learned the role of state government is to support economic development, streamline the process, and give small businesses and individuals the ability to improve this economy,” Chavez said.

OCEANSIDE—Admiral Ronne Froman today announced her endorsement of Rocky Chavez for California State Assembly District 76.

“Rocky has really done it,” said Froman. “He knows government, and he has proven that he can reduce the cost of government without diminishing the quality of services. He is a Marine veteran and our state certainly needs his kind of leadership.”

Admiral Froman served in the United States Navy for 31 years and was the director of Ashore Readiness for the Chief of Naval Operations, responsible for nearly 90 Navy stations and bases around the world with a $7 billion budget. She was a Senior Vice President at General Atomics and currently works in education and a veterans program called REBOOT.  She has received numerous awards including the Defense Distinguished Medal, 2011 Woman of the Year in California, 76th Assembly District (then a San Diego district), San Diego Magazine Woman of the Year, Girl Scouts Cool Woman and San Diego Business Journal’s Women Who Mean Business.

“It is an honor to be endorsed by Admiral Froman,” said Chavez. “She is an accomplished and highly respected leader, not only in the military but in private industry and government as well.”

Froman and Chavez have a long relationship and most recently worked together when Chavez served as Acting Secretary of the California Dept. of Veterans Affairs.

Chavez announced his campaign for the 76th California Assembly District last week on the factory floor of a sign manufacturer in North County, with an address focusing on jobs and the economy, education, veterans, and government efficiency. Chavez served as a Marine for over twenty-eight years, retiring as a colonel. He then went on to serve almost a decade on the Oceanside City Council before joining the Department of Veterans Affairs. 

SAN DIEGO—Recently, Rocky Chavez spoke about the issues veterans in California are facing at PTE-HOPE, Inc. (Pagasa-Tumainisha-Esperanza-Hope Inc.), a San Diego non-profit comprised of Asian Americans, Pacific Islanders and Filipino Americans. They work together to on behalf of their communities, with a concentration on youth development programs.

Says campaign will be about jobs, education, veterans and government efficiency

OCEANSIDE—Rocky Chavez this week announced the start of his campaign for District 76 of the California Assembly at a gathering held on the factory floor of a sign manufacturer in North County. The newly created district includes Oceanside, Vista, Carlsbad and Encinitas and also reaches deep into Camp Pendleton.

“This is the start of something really positive for our community,” said Sandra Fichter, last year’s Veteran of the Year, who introduced Chavez at the event. “I know how important jobs are for the people who live in this district.”

Chavez recently served as Acting Secretary of the California Department of Veterans Affairs in Sacramento after almost a decade on the Oceanside City Council.  “I’m running for the Assembly because I've learned that the role for government is to support economic development, streamline the process – and give small businesses and individuals the ability to improve this economy.” Chavez drew an appreciative reaction from the group of supporters and factory workers when he wryly commented that some Sacramento entities were structured as “self-licking ice cream cones.”

Chavez, a strong proponent of education, stressed the need to improve the state’s schools to allow students to be able to compete in the global market. Education is a critical component of an environment that fuels economic growth, and California needs to support a statewide culture of lifetime learning. Chavez said the statewide community college system could be better utilized in this regard.

Rocky Chavez, who served as a Marine for over twenty-eight years and retired a Colonel, also said he would stand up for those who have served this country, working to improve educational opportunities and job prospects for all California veterans, especially those just returning from current conflicts. He also discussed improving government efficiency by aligning the state budget to a strategic plan, taking into account execution and funding.

Connect with Chavez on Facebook and Twitter.