SACRAMENTO – Today, Assemblymember Laura Friedman (D-Glendale) named Mickey DePalo of Burbank as the 2017 Veteran of the Year for the 43rd Assembly District. DePalo joined Friedman in the Capitol for the recognition and ceremony.
“Mickey has an outstanding record of service to his country, his community, and his fellow veterans across the region,” said Friedman. “It’s an honor to recognize him and all that he has done for our veterans and their families.”
A lifelong resident of Burbank, DePalo served in the United States Army during the Vietnam War from 1969 to 1971. At the time of his discharge, he was a Sergeant MP serving at Fort Leavenworth in Kansas. After the war, he returned to the City of Burbank and his career with the Parks and Recreation Department.
DePalo currently serves as the Chairman of the Burbank Veterans Committee and has been an active advocate for the welfare of veterans throughout the region through his work with the La Crescenta Veterans Coalition, Glendale Wellness Works, and the Burbank Elks Lodge.
When asked about his goals as an advocate, DePalo simply replied, “to do what we can to make veterans and their families know that we care, and to get them quality care.”
##
Laura Friedman is the Chair of the Assembly Select Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, and represents the 43rd Assembly District which encompasses the cities of Burbank, Glendale, and La Cañada Flintridge, as well as the communities of La Crescenta and Montrose, and the Los Angeles neighborhoods of Atwater Village, Beachwood Canyon, Los Feliz, East Hollywood, Franklin Hills, and Silver Lake.