California Attorney and Military Veteran Norman Gregory Fernandez in Basic Training, March 1981, age 17.
Many moons ago on a sunny day, my girlfriend, my father, and my childhood friend who I grew up with drove me from the San Fernando Valley to Los Angeles Airport for my trip to United States Air Force basic training.
I had just turned 17 a few months earlier, and hadn’t even started shaving yet. It was February, 1981. All my friends were still in high school, and 12 grade. I opted to skip 12 grade to go into the military.
I was a long haired blond kid from the San Fernando Valley dressed in a surfer shirt when I got the boot camp. The nightmare for me began when I climbed on the bus with all the other recruits going to Lackland Air Force Base Texas. The nightmare really began when we disembarked at the base from the bus. The multitude of drill instructors made us quite welcome.
Suffices to say it was the worst night of my life, and I would not wish it on my worst enemy.
When I got off active duty a long time later, I was lost. I put my fatigue pants on, my black combat boots bloused and ready to go, and my Air Force issue white T-shirt, and walked my bald ass down to the liquor store to buy a six-pack of Schlitz malt liquor.
As I walked it was very hard for me to acclimate to being home from active duty military. A couple hour plane I went from hard core military to the land of civilians and hippies. I had no clue what to do. Back then, everybody were longhairs. Being bald was not yet in vogue.
Thank god I did the palace chase, and went to the reserves. When I reported to my air National Guard station I felt at home again.
Believe me when I tell you that there are many many stories I can tell you here about my military experiences. But this is not the point of my story. The point of my story is that many many thousands of men and women have gone through a similar experience that I have gone through.
Some have fought in combat, been grievously injured in the service of their country. Many have not come home alive, and paid the ultimate sacrifice in the service of their country.
Veterans Day is not just about a day off work. On this day in 2014, we still have men and women in combat in Afghanistan, advisers in Iraq, and Air Force and Navy combat pilots flying sorties against the terrorist group Isis.
I would appreciate you making a donation to a reputable veterans group today. Many veterans have come home completely fucked up. They have PTSD, or wounds, and many are not able to get jobs or fend for themselves because the economy still is not recovered completely.
The least we can do for our veterans is help them. While your sorry asses are enjoying barbecue today, many veterans put their asses on the line for you and yours.
Don’t thank me for my service, donate to other veterans for their service. They deserve it.
Norman Gregory Fernandez, Esq.Founder and Attorney at Law
Norman Gregory Fernandez, Esq., is a top rated, nationally recognized Senior Attorney at Law, and the founder of The Law Offices of Norman Gregory Fernandez & Associates, a California personal injury law firm. He is the proud father of two adult daughters, and four grandchildren. Mr. Fernandez is an aggressive trial lawyer who has almost 3 decades of experience handling Personal Injury, and other types of legal matters, throughout the State of California. Mr. Fernandez has been made a member of the Top 100 Civil Plaintiff Trial Lawyers, by the National Trial Lawyers Association. He was also named one of the 10 Best by the American Institute of Personal Injury Attorneys for the year 2016-2017. He handles cases which include but are no limited to: car, bus, and other motor vehicle accidents, slip and fall, trip and fall, traumatic brain injury, medical malpractice, and physical torts such as assault and battery, wrongful death, and many other types of personal injury and civil litigation cases. Being an avid motorcycle rider himself, Mr. Fernandez is intimately familiar with the special problems related to motorcycle accidents. Mr. Fernandez has successfully handled thousands of personal injury cases over the years. He has also handled many types of premises liability cases, (slip and fall, trip and fall, etc.) which are known as in the personal injury world as the most difficult types of personal injury cases to litigate. He earned a Juris Doctor Degree from The University of La Verne College of Law, and is licensed to practice law in the State of California by the California Supreme Court. Mr. Fernandez has also been admitted to practice law before The United States Federal Court, Central District, The United States Federal Court, Eastern District, and The United States Federal Court, Northern District. Mr. Fernandez is or has been a member of The California State Bar, The American Bar Association, The Los Angeles County Bar Association, and the Beverly Hills Bar Association. Norman Gregory Fernandez is a past member of the American Bar Association Advisory Panel. Norman Gregory Fernandez was asked to speak at the Sandra Day O’Conner School of Law, at Arizona State University in Tempe, Arizona, by the American Bar Association’s “Legal Rebel’s” project, on April 6, 2011. Mr. Fernandez was asked by the American Bar Association to speak at their annual convention on August 5, 2010, in San Francisco, California. He has been in the media and in legal publications. Attorney Fernandez was featured in NBC News, CBS News, and Fox News in November, 2021. Norman Gregory Fernandez, Esq., appeared on CBS News on July 18, 2013 An article about Norman Gregory Fernandez appears in the American Bar Association Journal magazine, February 1, 2011. Mr. Fernandez appeared on NBC news on October 19, 2010. Norman Gregory Fernandez was interviewed and quoted in the Press Enterprise newspaper on August 24, 2010. Mr. Fernandez appears in the American Bar Association online Journal, August 5, 2010. Norman Gregory Fernandez was mentioned in a Los Angeles Times article on May 5, 2009. Norman Gregory Fernandez was featured in the San Fernando Valley Business Journal, March 3-16, 2008 edition. Mr. Fernandez wrote a legal article that was published in The Reporter, a general circulation publication based in Long Beach, CA, December 12, 2008. An Interview of Norman Gregory Fernandez appears in the January 2001, edition of Managing Partner Magazine. An extensive interview of Mr. Fernandez was published in the January 2000 issue of California Lawyer Magazine. Mr. Fernandez was quoted in the December/ January 2000 issue of Law Office Computing. Mr. Fernandez wrote an article which was published in the April/ May 1999 issue of Law Office Computing Magazine. An article was written about Mr. Fernandez which was published in the May 1999 issue of Los Angeles Lawyer Magazine. Avvo, a premier attorney rating service has given Mr. Fernandez a perfect 10 out of 10 rating. Mr. Fernandez is an aggressive lawyer who enjoys getting results for his clients. He can be reached at 800-816-1529.
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