Rachel Ford

After returning to the US with her husband & 2 young sons (1 with severe disabilities) Rachel began to work in the Disability & Legislative Advocacy fields for over 35 year. She worked with CHAP – now EFMP to assist families in connecting with State entitlements & County services for their dependents, including assisting families with the passing of their child. Rachel taught Sp Ed Hi Sch, served as a edu counselor for children & their parents, guiding them thru & advocating for them at IEPs & 504Plan mtgs. She worked with Military members, veterans & their families (& others) to ensure people received the benefits entitled to. While working in as a MH supervisor, she assisted numerous Vets in finding safe, affordable housing & assisted many Vets in applying for benefits, including VA Home Loans & the purchase their own homes. During COVID Isolation Rachel offered free e-counseling to anyone who asked, serving veteran, surviving spouses & others including one who lost their loved-one to suicide just months after returning from Iraq. She also assisted numerous families who were KIA. In her retirement she volunteers at a Sr Ctr & again guides others to appropriate Resources & Support. We have been married 42-years, having met in Tech School. Our first assignments were in different countries, but we served & on New Years Eve weekend (1982) she flew from Japan to Alaska to marry me & flew back until the AF finally stationed us together in AK nearly 6-month later. She left the AF following a line of duty injury which impacts her physically to this day. Our next station was back in Japan where our 2 sons were born. We retuned to the states after our younger son became disabled. As she learned more & more about caring for our son, she turned her limited spare time to support & educate others. She received a Joint Resolution from the CA State Senate & CA Assembly for her work in the Developmental Disabilities & Mental Health Communities in 1999. She is now working with our extended, multi-racial family to write a book about our family history from 1600 to the 21st century, highlighting services members involved in every military action & war through our history. Rachel is my beloved, the love of my life & my soulmate, she has been a tremendous mother for our 2 sons. She is truly a hero to our family and to thousands of other people.