Azusa's commitment to service men and women

When Joe Rocha was a young man in the 60s, he was disgusted with the reception Vietnam soldiers were greeted with upon returning home. Rocha himself was fortunate not to be drafted because he was in school, but his brother served and the treatment soldiers got has always stuck with him.

"I saw it, I saw the way they spit on them," Rocha said. "It was awful. It's not going to happen here."

As a commitment to never let that happen again as long as he has some power over it, the Mayor of Azusa goes the extra yard each time a soldier returns from over seas.

Azusa, like many other cities, puts up flags across their town in honor of those serving America. But Azusa makes each flag a family event. Often they have the soldiers themselves come out with their families to put the flags up. Council members are usually in attendance and passers by often stop by to take part.

But Rocha started another tradition about two years ago, one that has touched the lives of some his Azusa residents.

Whenever a family member returns from serving over seas and the city puts up a flag for them, he also takes the time to visit the family at their home, bringing them a certificate of recognition along with two small angel statues in class cases for the family.

For Olivia Ordaz, the visit from Rocha, as well as councilman Robert Gonzales, was a special one.

Ordaz has been married to her husband Edgar, an Army Sergeant, for four years and he has been serving in Kuwait for about nine months already. When he returned on leave for a few days, the city was able to put together a flag event in a day and Rocha made the personal visit.

"It makes all the sacrifices that Edgar has done worth while," Ordaz said. "He was overwhelmed and proud."

Olivia believes that while the military as a whole is often in the spotlight, individual soldiers are sometimes easily forgotten. But what Azusa and Mayor Rocha do for soldiers in the town lets her know they aren't forgotten and fills her heart.

"I was skeptical about calling (about the flag) and thought it was going to be a long process," she said. "But it was very personal."

Rocha extended a helping hand and comfort to Ordaz, who says she is comfortable with going to Rocha if she needed any help. She has become more involved with the city and plans to volunteer when opportunities present themselves.

Rocha said its important to make families who have someone in the service as part of the city's "extended family."

"We are sitting here on a comfortable couch and I know they are in Iraq or Afghanistan and it's not comfortable," Rocha said.

For the last two years, Rocha and Azusa's personal visits with soldiers family's had stayed under wraps. This one in particular came to light at a special City Council meeting for Rocha.

Ordaz showed up at the public comment with a surprise for Rocha. When Edgar Ordaz returned to Kuwait, he told the story of Rocha's visit. Speaking to some of his higher ups, he was able to procure a special certificate for Rocha recognizing him for his efforts on behalf of the Army.

It was a special moment for Rocha.

"I was overwhelmed," Rocha said. "We don't do it for recognition. We do it because it's the right thing to do."