SACRAMENTO, Calif. – On March 3, Roger Brautigan, director of the California Department of Veteran Affairs (CalVet), swore in Pedro “Pete” Molina, Pascua Yaqui, as the nation’s first assistant secretary for Native American Veterans Affairs. This position was created by the state to oversee the administration of services to Native American veterans in California, which boasts the largest population of American Indian veterans in the country.

Approximately 200 people, including many from various California tribes and invited representatives of National American Indian Veterans, braved the cold and wet weather to witness and participate in the unique swearing-in ceremony held in front of the CalVet building in Sacramento. The ceremony featured a large, all-Native color guard, a traditional Native blessing, a Native drum group and dancers.

“I am proud that California is the first in the nation to have an assistant secretary for Native American Veterans Affairs,” said Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

“We are very happy that Governor Schwarzenegger has appointed Pete as assistant secretary for Native American Veterans Affairs,” said Don Loudner, the Sioux NAIV national commander. The organization honored Molina with his first eagle feather during the ceremony.

“This is a historic event,” Loudner said. “We hope that other states will follow California’s example and create similar positions in their states. American Indian veterans are among the most underserved population of veterans in the nation.”

Also on hand to honor Molina were other NAIV staff and executive committee members, including retired Army Colonel Joey Strickland, Choctaw, NAIV Chief of Staff and secretary of veteran services for the state of Arizona, the only American Indian serving in that capacity in any state.

“Pete Molina has a long and distinguished history of serving our nation’s veterans, and I know he’ll do a great job executing this new role.”

Molina, a co-founder of NAIV, has served the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs as American Indian Program manager and marketing and community relations representative since 1998 and previously held the positions of Minority Veterans Program manager from 1995 – 1997 and Hispanic Veteran Program manager from 1975 – 1995. Molina is a member of the Yaqui Nation from Tucson, Ariz. He served in the U.S. Army from 1970 – 1973.

NAIV is a nonprofit American Indian membership organization founded in 2004 to provide a unified voice for American Indian veterans and assist these veterans in receiving the benefits and services they’ve earned.