Those who serve or served in our military have a special place in my heart and always will. I served in Vietnam as a U.S. Marine rifleman and my father served in World War II and Korea in the Navy. My youngest son is a retired Army master sergeant who served in Iraq and Afghanistan and, like me, was wounded in combat. My mom’s oldest brother was a World War II Marine who fought throughout the Pacific and was wounded on Iwo Jima.  I also proudly serve as a member of the Santa Clarita Valley Veterans Memorial Committee along with my fellow veterans Bob Kellar, Bob Good, Max Morgan, Jerry Rhodes and Terrell Edwards.  Unfortunately, we lost the absolute best advocate for veterans when fellow veteran Rep. Mike Garcia, R-Santa Clarita, a combat naval aviator, lost his bid for reelection in the 27th Congressional District. On the fortunate side, we have Assemblywoman Pilar Schiavo, D-Chatsworth, and state Sen. Suzette Martinez-Valladares, R-Santa Clarita, working for vets at the state level. Ms. Schiavo is the chair of the Military and Veterans Affairs Committee for the state and both her father and brother are veterans.  What our soon-to-be U.S. congressman will do or not do for veterans is obviously yet to be seen and I am hopeful that as a non-military veteran himself he will hire someone who has actual experience with the needs of our both our vets and also currently serving men and women both in the district and also the nation.  I have always been a “show me, don’t tell me” kind of a guy and as the saying goes, the proof will be in the pudding! Here’s hoping.  Rick Barker  Valencia  The post Rick Barker | A Special Place for Veterans appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.