NVF Celebrates 37 Years of Serving Vets and Their Families

The NVF celebrated 37 years of serving veterans with an award ceremony for two special vets, Marc Thurston and Milo Staley, at the Hollywood Veterans Legion Hall on  October 22.

Marc Thurston

Marc joined the Army in his senior year. He was 17. He served from 1967 to 1970 as a Paratrooper and Ranger who saw combat on the Cambodian Border between November ‘67 to ‘68, including the Tet Offensive of ‘68. After the military; he was awarded a full 4-year scholarship to USC School of Music, where he graduated cum laude in classical voice. He received a fellowship from the German Government for advanced study in voice. 

Additionally, he attended Southwestern School of Law. A heart attack from Agent Orange exposure in Vietnam cut his legal career short. But he serves the veteran community as a federally licensed, volunteer legal Service Officer handling disabled veteran disability claims. He’s one of the best. As a Post Commander in the Jewish War Veterans, Marc says, “Life’s Good!!” 

Milo Staley

Milo Staley is a Navy Veteran who served from 1989-1993: two tours in Iraq and also in Lebanon, Kuwait and Somalia. After he left the Navy, suicides of two of his friends, followed by two more, pitched him off the rails. Jobless, homeless and hopeless, he lost everything including his wife of ten years. Milo credits the NVF and US Vets for helping him rebuild his life. Divorced for seven years, he and his wife remarried nine years ago. Milo embodies his own phrase, “It’s time to heal.”  His songwriter friend Scott Thomas wrote a song, “Heal,” about Milo. Proceeds from the sale of the song will be donated to the NVF and US Vets. Milo is giving back.