Tulare County board backs resolution urging expanded veterans benefits for CIA‑recruited SGU fighters

Tulare County supervisors on Monday approved a resolution asking the National Association of Counties to adopt policy urging Congress and federal agencies to expand veterans' benefits to include Special Guerrilla Unit (SGU) fighters recruited by the CIA during the Vietnam era.

The resolution, introduced by county staffer Israel and submitted as a NACO interim policy proposal, calls on federal decision makers to amend qualification language so service under the CIA would be a recognized route to benefits normally available to members of the U.S. armed forces. Israel told the board the measure is intended to open a path through the civilian‑military review board and up to the secretary of the Air Force for consideration.

Supporters said SGU veterans fought alongside U.S. forces but were denied benefits on the technicality that they were not in a service branch. "They're heroes of The United States," Israel said during his presentation. Dozens of SGU veterans and family members traveled to the Tulare County chambers to testify and bring documents supporting their claims.

Captain Yang, a veteran who described service in Laos from 1967 to 1975, said he and others received campaign decorations but were excluded from U.S. veteran status because their chain of command was the CIA. "We are living with a broken heart," Yang told the board, and asked supervisors to help sponsor and support state and federal recognition bills.

Lou Sapon, superintendent of Woodville Union School District, and Beatrice Vang Hazleton, CEO of the Lao Hmong American Coalition, also described local community ties to SGU veterans and said many lack DD‑214 paperwork, making access to benefits difficult. "We don't have many left," Vang told the board, urging swift action to help surviving veterans.

Board members widely endorsed the measure. Supervisor Macari and others described the proposal as long overdue and said adoption by NACO — a body representing more than 3,000 counties — could create momentum in Congress. Supervisor Mercari moved to approve the county's resolution; Supervisor Townsend seconded. The board adopted the resolution on a 4‑0 voice vote, with Supervisor Valero absent.

The resolution will be presented to NACO's policy steering committee; if adopted there, it would join the association's national platform and could be used by counties nationwide to press federal lawmakers for legislative or administrative change. The board did not take any unilateral action to change federal law; the approved measure requests advocacy through NACO.