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Gayle Anderson reports that May is Military Appreciation Month. There are many ways to honor the men and the women of the military.

The Battleship Iowa Museum is observing the 80th anniversary of the ship’s commissioning. The U.S.S. Iowa is now a Top Five museum in Southern California and it is the future home of the Congressionally designated National Museum of the Surface Navy.

Nicknamed the “Battleship of Presidents” because she welcomed several U.S. Commanders-in-Chief during World War II, the Korean Conflict, and the Cold War, the political rivalry between the U.S. and the Soviet Union that lasted until the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991.

The public is invited to visit and support the historic vessel by participating in its Hull Preservation Campaign. Battleship IOWA has approximately 1,800 feet of hull exposed to the naturally corrosive reaction at the wind and water line. Without treatment, the damage will become irreversible and the future of the ship and organization will be in jeopardy.

You can make your donation on the PacificBattleship.com/Donate website, by mailing a check to: Pacific Battleship Center, Attn: Development Dept., 250 S. Harbor Blvd., San Pedro, CA 90731 with “Hull Preservation” in the memo line, or by contacting the Development Team at 877-446-9261 ext. 747.

The team at the Battleship Iowa Museum is also involved with the Veterans Peer Access Network – LA County. VPAN is the first-ever community-driven support network serving veterans and their families in the U.S., the Veteran Peer Access Network (VPAN) connects County departments, non-profits, the VA, and LA City programs.

If you are interested in getting connected to resources for yourself or someone else, go to the PacificBattleship.com/vpan website.

The 100-year-old Foundation for Women Warriors honors the women veteran community. The nonprofit organization provides:

*Emergency stipends and basic needs assistance to cover rent, utilities, and household goods for women veterans facing economic difficulties
*Offsets childcare costs to assist veterans with pursuing education and maintaining their employment
*Delivering women-focused professional development and offering an environment for women veterans to engage and support one another
*Helping women veterans locate the resources needed to improve mental health, gain employment, and/or secure or maintain housing
*And, presenting access to scholarship, internship, and mentorship opportunities

Please note this organization is only able to provide financial assistance to residents of Southern California.

If you need help, or you know someone in need, contact FoundationForWomenWarriors.org, email: ClientServices@F4WW.org, or call 310-733-2450, Extension 1.

If you have questions, please feel free to contact Gayle Anderson at 323-460-5732, or email Gayle at Gayle.Anderson@KTLA.com.

Gayle Anderson reports for the KTLA 5 News on May 8, 2023.