DAV Magazine — January/February 2018
MILESTONES
Staff announcements
National Commander Delphine Metcalf-Foster and National Adjutant Marc Burgess announced the appointments of LeRoy Acosta as assistant national service director and Jeremy Villanueva as associate national legislative director at DAV National Service and Legislative Headquarters in Washington, D.C.
Assistant National Service Director
LeRoy Acosta, who previously served as assistant national legislative director, will assist in overseeing operations and oversight of the National Service Program.
A native of Lincoln, Neb., Acosta was enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1979 to 1992. The Persian Gulf War-era veteran served in numerous administration support capacities and as a drill instructor at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego.
Acosta joined DAV’s professional staff as an apprentice national service officer in 2005 in San Diego. He was promoted to assistant supervisor there in 2007. In 2012, he transferred to supervise in Oakland, Calif., before being appointed to his current position in 2015 during the DAV National Convention in Denver.
In 2010, Acosta was named Outstanding Veteran of the Year for the city of Chula Vista, California. A life member of Chapter 2 in Chula Vista, he served as Department of California commander from 2011 to 2012.
Acosta studied health information management at San Diego Mesa College. He and his wife currently reside in Alexandria, Va.
Associate National Legislative Director
In his new position, Jeremy Villanueva will work to support and advance a broad range of federal legislative goals and policies to assist injured veterans and their families. He has served as a national appeals officer in Washington, D.C., since 2016. He is a disabled combat veteran who served as a Marine infantryman at the beginning of the Iraq War in 2003.
Villanueva graduated, magna cum laude, from California State University, Bakersfield, in 2013. In the course of earning his bachelor’s degree in political science, he was selected to participate in the Panetta Institute for Public Policy Congressional Internship Program in 2012 and interned for California Congressman Jeff Denham. There, Villanueva assisted with the Veterans Jobs Caucus.
In 2014, he was hired as an apprentice national service officer in Los Angeles. He is a member of Chapter 20 in his hometown of Bakersfield, Calif., and is active with Chapter 10 in Fairfax, Va. He currently serves as the DAV Department of Virginia’s legislative chair.
He and wife Michelle have two children, Daniel and Amber.
“Both LeRoy and Jeremy have served DAV with tremendous distinction, and we welcome them to their new positions,” said DAV National Adjutant Marc Burgess. “As we look toward a new year of service and advocacy, we look forward to their continued hard work on behalf of their fellow veterans.”
Lunch for Pennsylvania veterans...
Members from DAV Chapter 107 in Aliquippa, Pa., took veterans from the Southwestern Veterans Center of Pittsburgh to lunch at the Golden Corral in Robinson Township. The chapter sponsors a lunch for the residents twice a year and distributes gifts to them at Christmas. Members also attend other functions at the home throughout the year. Pictured (from left) are members Kathy Miller, Bernie O’Toole, Bill Lloyd, Alvin Trautman and Jennifer Lloyd.
National Commander Delphine Metcalf-Foster and National Adjutant Marc Burgess announced the appointments of LeRoy Acosta as assistant national service director and Jeremy Villanueva as associate national legislative director at DAV National Service and Legislative Headquarters in Washington, D.C.
Assistant National Service Director
LeRoy Acosta, who previously served as assistant national legislative director, will assist in overseeing operations and oversight of the National Service Program.
A native of Lincoln, Neb., Acosta was enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1979 to 1992. The Persian Gulf War-era veteran served in numerous administration support capacities and as a drill instructor at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego.
Acosta joined DAV’s professional staff as an apprentice national service officer in 2005 in San Diego. He was promoted to assistant supervisor there in 2007. In 2012, he transferred to supervise in Oakland, Calif., before being appointed to his current position in 2015 during the DAV National Convention in Denver.
In 2010, Acosta was named Outstanding Veteran of the Year for the city of Chula Vista, California. A life member of Chapter 2 in Chula Vista, he served as Department of California commander from 2011 to 2012.
Acosta studied health information management at San Diego Mesa College. He and his wife currently reside in Alexandria, Va.
Associate National Legislative Director
In his new position, Jeremy Villanueva will work to support and advance a broad range of federal legislative goals and policies to assist injured veterans and their families. He has served as a national appeals officer in Washington, D.C., since 2016. He is a disabled combat veteran who served as a Marine infantryman at the beginning of the Iraq War in 2003.
Villanueva graduated, magna cum laude, from California State University, Bakersfield, in 2013. In the course of earning his bachelor’s degree in political science, he was selected to participate in the Panetta Institute for Public Policy Congressional Internship Program in 2012 and interned for California Congressman Jeff Denham. There, Villanueva assisted with the Veterans Jobs Caucus.
In 2014, he was hired as an apprentice national service officer in Los Angeles. He is a member of Chapter 20 in his hometown of Bakersfield, Calif., and is active with Chapter 10 in Fairfax, Va. He currently serves as the DAV Department of Virginia’s legislative chair.
He and wife Michelle have two children, Daniel and Amber.
“Both LeRoy and Jeremy have served DAV with tremendous distinction, and we welcome them to their new positions,” said DAV National Adjutant Marc Burgess. “As we look toward a new year of service and advocacy, we look forward to their continued hard work on behalf of their fellow veterans.”
Lunch for Pennsylvania veterans...
Members from DAV Chapter 107 in Aliquippa, Pa., took veterans from the Southwestern Veterans Center of Pittsburgh to lunch at the Golden Corral in Robinson Township. The chapter sponsors a lunch for the residents twice a year and distributes gifts to them at Christmas. Members also attend other functions at the home throughout the year. Pictured (from left) are members Kathy Miller, Bernie O’Toole, Bill Lloyd, Alvin Trautman and Jennifer Lloyd.
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