General Information:
Applications must be received by the close of business on Friday, June 26, 2026. Incomplete applications will be returned to the nominator for completion.
Applications must be received by the close of business on Friday, June 26, 2026. Incomplete applications will be returned to the nominator for completion.
Purpose of Award: The purpose of this award is to recognize Monterey County veterans whose volunteer service has produced a meaningful and demonstrable impact for veterans and/or the residents of Monterey County.
General: Please complete each field to the best of your ability. The contact information for both the Veteran and the nominator are extremely important to successfully process the nomination.
NOTE: Applications must be received by the close of business on Friday, June 26, 2026. Call 831-647-7613 if you have any questions.
Veterans of the Year (VOY) eligibility criteria:
General: Please complete each field to the best of your ability. The contact information for both the Veteran and the nominator are extremely important to successfully process the nomination.
NOTE: Applications must be received by the close of business on Friday, June 26, 2026. Call 831-647-7613 if you have any questions.
Veterans of the Year (VOY) eligibility criteria:
- Nominees must have received an Honorable discharge from the Armed Forces, consistent with applicable state and federal law. Exceptions for characterizations of service other than honorable may be made by the MVAAC Chairperson.
- Nominees must reside in Monterey County; no waivers will be considered.
- Nominees selected for a specific Board of Supervisors District must reside in that district.
- No individual may be selected more than once as a Veteran of the Year. There is no restriction on being nominated multiple times.
Selection Considerations:
1) Community Impact and Outcomes- Degree to which volunteer service produced measurable, meaningful benefits to the community
2) Service above and beyond paid or expected duties- Volunteer contributions clearly exceed responsibilities and are mission driven
3) Service to Veterans, Military, or Broader Communities- Meaningful and relevant of support to the community through direct service, mentorship, advocacy, or capacity building
4) Broader Civic Contributions- Volunteer service that strengthens the community through civic engagement, leadership, collaboration, or initiatives that advance public good
5) Sustained Commitment or Exceptional Impact- Nominee shows consistent commitment or exceptional level of impact
6) Leadership, Initiative, or Collaboration- Nominee leads, mobilizes, or develops programs that create solutions
7) Evidence and Verifiability- Nominations provide sufficient detail and corroboration to assess impact
Required Nominee Information:
Name: (First, Middle Initial, Last)
Telephone Number: (Home or Cell)
Street Address: (Complete address required)
City: (within Monterey County)
Branch of Service: (Identify branch(s) of service with an “X” following the branch indicated on the application. If the veteran had service in more than one branch, place an “X” behind each of those branches of service.
Date of Enlistment(s) and Separation: This should include day, month, and year. If you do not know the day, please use the first day of the month (01). If you do not know the month, please use your best guess (information will be verified if nominee is selected). If the Veteran had service in more than one branch, enter additional periods of service in the comments section provided.
Nomination Rationale: It is highly recommended to type-up the rationale on a MS Word document and then copy and paste the rationale into the survey to ensure proper spelling and punctuation. Use the five W’s (who, what, when, where, why) and the result or contribution, e.g., "From May 2008-June 2015 (when), Joe Veteran (who) volunteered to fill a much needed leadership gap (why) as the Shuttle Van coordinator (what) for the County Military & Veterans Affairs Office (where). Joe's service resulted in 312 van rides which safely transported 755 veterans to the VA Palo Alto hospital without accident or incident (result)." If the Veteran has multiple rationales please list them all in the same format. Please list all rationale, as it will ensure all his/her good deeds do not go unnoticed, and can be used on Resolutions, Certificates, and other forms of written recognition. In short, make sure your nominee gets his/her just recognition!
Nomination Rationale: It is highly recommended to type-up the rationale on a MS Word document and then copy and paste the rationale into the survey to ensure proper spelling and punctuation. Use the five W’s (who, what, when, where, why) and the result or contribution, e.g., "From May 2008-June 2015 (when), Joe Veteran (who) volunteered to fill a much needed leadership gap (why) as the Shuttle Van coordinator (what) for the County Military & Veterans Affairs Office (where). Joe's service resulted in 312 van rides which safely transported 755 veterans to the VA Palo Alto hospital without accident or incident (result)." If the Veteran has multiple rationales please list them all in the same format. Please list all rationale, as it will ensure all his/her good deeds do not go unnoticed, and can be used on Resolutions, Certificates, and other forms of written recognition. In short, make sure your nominee gets his/her just recognition!