David West II, Nevada County Veterans Service Officer

Host Lori Burkart Frank brings us a detailed look at veteran’s issues and the man who manages them in Nevada County with an in-depth interview with Veterans Service Officer David West II. Graduating from high school in Sacramento, he decided he wasn’t ready for college, joined the Marines, and was named “Marine Of The Year” for the Pacific Fleet during his service in Okinawa. The transition back to civilian life was tough for David; his skills and experience weren’t initially valued. A period of homelessness and an experience he called “mental boot camp” put him back on the path to success. When the construction industry crashed in 2008, he went back to school at Sierra College in Rocklin, became an activist for veterans’ support services and helped start a veterans resource center that became a statewide model. It all led to work with the VA, marriage, and a move to Bakersfield to work in the gas and oil business to start a family. A coincidental meeting on a plane back from Washington DC led to applying for his present position in Nevada County, where he advocates for and assists veterans with medical and mental health issues, homelessness and other needs. He still sees himself in the process of transitioning from Sergeant West to Daddy.