- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
A message from League of United Latin American Citizens
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
View as web page:
[link removed]
May 5, 2023
Contact: David Cruz - (818) 689-9991 Mobile
[email protected]
LULAC CELEBRATES THE ROLLOUT OF THE BRANDON ACT BY THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
=================================================================================
Nation's Oldest and Largest Latino Civil Rights Organization Urges All Military
Service Branches to Implement the Law
Washington, DC - The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) is thrilled
to announce and celebrate the official rollout [ [link removed] ]
of the Brandon Act by the U.S. Department of Defense. This landmark legislation,
signed into law by President Biden in January 2022 with bipartisan support from
Congress, marks a significant step forward in prioritizing the mental health and
well-being of our brave servicemen and women.
"This is a great day for the Casertas, and LULAC extends our heartfelt
congratulations to them for achieving an important first phase of their mission,"
expressed Domingo Garcia, President of LULAC. "We thank Gilbert R. Cisneros Jr.,
undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness. Our nation's defense
readiness hinges on our military's physical and mental well-being. Implementing
the Brandon Act will go a long way in supporting that."
The Brandon Act empowers military personnel in a mental crisis to seek medical
assistance without prior approval from their command. Furthermore, this
legislation ensures that service members will no longer have to fear retaliation
for seeking help, eliminating one of the significant barriers that prevent
individuals from reaching out for necessary support. We owe a debt of gratitude
to Brandon Caserta, a courageous young man who paid the ultimate price, and his
parents, Patrick, and Teri Caserta, for their unwavering dedication to turning
tragedy into triumph.
Brandon Caserta, Petty Officer 3rd Class assigned to the Helicopter Sea Combat
Squadron 28 in Norfolk, Virginia, tragically lost his life to suicide in June
2018. Despite enduring chronic bullying, harassment, and assaults ignored by
toxic commands, Brandon's legacy lives on through the Brandon Act. His parents,
Patrick, and Teri Caserta committed themselves to fulfilling Brandon's final
message and embarked on a four-year campaign, tirelessly lobbying members of
Congress to garner support for this critical legislation.
From Patrick and Teri Caserta, came these words today after the signing ceremony.
“We are sitting at the Pentagon, September 11 memorial. It's been a long journey
and we are happy that the Department of Defense signed The Brandon Act and that
they are going to start the implementation. When Brandon died, he tasked us with
helping service members get the help that they need, and we accomplished this. We
know that Brandon is smiling down on us and his legacy will forever be saving
military lives.”
"LULAC now urges all military branches to collaborate with LULAC and the Brandon
Caserta Foundation in fully implementing the Brandon Act, starting with the
Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (JROTC) through active service," says
Roman Palomares, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee Chair. "We believe that
by working together, we can ensure that every service member receives the mental
health support they deserve," he adds.
In addition to our commitment to the Brandon Act, LULAC remains steadfast in
championing the needs of our veterans. We will continue to honor their loyal
service in defense of our nation and strive to provide them with the resources
and support necessary to thrive beyond their military service.
# # #
About LULAC
The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) is the nation’s largest and
oldest civil rights volunteer-based organization that empowers Hispanic Americans
and builds strong Latino communities. Headquartered in Washington, DC, with 1,000
councils around the United States and Puerto Rico, LULAC’s programs, services and
advocacy address the most important issues for Latinos, meeting critical needs of
today and the future. For more information, visit www.LULAC.org [ [link removed] ] .
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Make sure you receive email from LULAC. Add
[email protected] to your approved senders list.
This email was sent to:
[email protected]
Click here to unsubscribe from email sent by LULAC.
[link removed]
Paid for by LULAC ( [link removed] ) and not
authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.
Contributions or gifts to LULAC are not tax-deductible.
Design by Plus Three [link removed]
Powered by ARCOS [link removed]
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
