Assemblymember Luis A. Alejo (D–Salinas) has selected four local service members, including Sgt. Sonora L. Vasquez of San Benito County, for the 2014 Veteran of the Year Award, one from each of the four counties that comprise the 30th Assembly District.
The four veterans will be recognized during various Veteran’s Day celebrations throughout the district for their valor in service of our country and dedication to serving our community.
“Our veterans risk their lives to protect American values and our freedoms,” Alejo said in a press release. “My father served during the Vietnam War. It is a privilege to be able to honor and pay tribute to him and our veterans for their service to our great nation. This year I am honored to recognize Sancho J. Manzano of Monterey County, Sonora L.Vasquez of San Benito County, Lawson Sakai of Santa Clara County, and Bobby Osborn of Santa Cruz County as our Veterans of the Year for their service to our country and our community.”
Vasquez was born in Salinas and raised in San Juan Bautista where she graduated from San Andreas High School. Following in the footsteps of her sister, Technical Sgt. Vasquez joined the United States Air Force after graduating high school in 1999. She has had numerous assignments throughout the world (Korea, Italy, Saudi Arabia, Japan), primarily working in the area of human resources, training, and Air Wing Protocol. In 2011, Sgt. Vasquez arrived at the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center in Presidio of Monterey, where she is the assistant flight chief of military flight training for the 314th Training Squadron. She is responsible for the supervision of military trainingleaders as well as organizing, training and mentoring more than 800 non-prior service airmen. Sgt. Vasquez plans to retire in four years after 20 years of Air Force service.