LOS ANGELES, CA (September 17, 2025) – For surviving spouse Lolita Olivarez, the path to service connection was long and uncertain, but with the support of the Los Angeles County Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (MVA), she finally received the recognition her late husband had earned — and the peace of knowing his service would not go unacknowledged.
“He was a simple man from a small town in Texas called Rockport Fulton,” said Olivarez. “He loved his family — his two boys, his mother — and he loved the Marine Corps and his country. My late husband’s service means everything to me and my family.”
Olivarez said she began her journey to secure benefits after her husband’s passing, determined to ensure that his service would be honored and her family’s needs met. She filed a claim in 2018, but the denial left her feeling overwhelmed and unsupported, she said.
For years, she set it aside. “I already had so much on my mind — I just wasn’t even thinking about claims anymore,” she recalled.
Her efforts were bolstered after connecting with Veterans Claims Assistant Joel Castellanos at Bob Hope Patriotic Hall.
“I thought she was applying as a veteran,” said Joel. “Then I realized it was a denied death claim. I looked through the file and saw her husband had served in Iraq, had a Combat Action Ribbon, and the cause of death was suicide.”
Joel guided her through the appeals process and connected her with additional support, even as denials and delays continued. In August 2025 — nearly seven years after the original claim was denied — Olivarez’s case was approved.
“The fact that I was able to do that for him was everything to me. That was my closure,” said Olivarez.
The approval included access to benefits such as Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs (CHAMPVA), Chapter 35 Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance, and other critical resources.
“Something I learned is that you can’t go through this alone,” said Olivarez. “You have to form healthy environments, support circles, and therapy.” She drew support from a peer group for veterans and surviving spouses, the nonprofit Living in the Veteran Border Sea, and her American Legion family. “If I didn’t have all that, I probably would have thrown in the towel.”
Stories like Olivera’s reflect the heart of MVA’s mission: to walk alongside veterans and their families, especially when the system feels overwhelming. Through persistence, compassion, and strong partnerships, surviving families are not only seen — they are supported.
“There’s hope for everyone if they’re filing claims for disability or death benefits,” Joel said. “There’s a lot of benefits that veterans never tap into because they didn’t know or they just gave up. It’s important to just pursue it.”
Article by: Layla Romero, Communications Specialist, Los Angeles County Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (MVA)
