The Center for Law and Military Policy, a Huntington Beach think tank dedicated to protecting the legal rights of active duty service members, has named Orange County attorneys Wylie and Ashleigh Aitken as their 2019 Honorees of the Year.
“Because of their lifelong commitment to veterans and service members, it was an easy choice,” said Dr. Dwight Stirling, CEO of the military think tank.
Stirling, of Cypress, cited the Aitkens strong support of the Heroes Hall veteran’s museum that opened in 2017, their continuing efforts to secure a veteran’s cemetery in Orange County and Ashleigh Aitken’s formation of a veterans committee when she was president of the OC Bar Association.
Stirling said the father/daughter duo will be honored Oct. 26 at their group’s annual fundraising gala, which will be held at the Fashion Island Hotel in Newport Beach.
“We will honor them for their tireless efforts to support veterans and active duty service members,” said Stirling. Both honorees are partners at the Aitkens + Aitkens + Cohn law firm in Santa Ana.
In addition, Stirling said the group will recognize Jennifer Siebel Newsom, California’s First Partner, for her work as a producer of the groundbreaking documentary “The Invisible War.” The film explored the explosive growth of sexual assault in the United States military and exposed the problems associated with achieving justice for its victims.
Michael Penn, a Santa Ana attorney, will serve as Chairman of the gala, said Stirling.
Stirling, who is America’s only Feres Doctrine Scholar, said 2019 has been a banner year for the Center for Law and Military Policy.
Stirling was invited to testify before the House Armed Services Committee in April as Congress sought to make changes to the Feres Doctrine. The changes would award service members the right to pursue medical malpractice claims in a civil court of law.
Following the hearing, Congress voted for the first time in seven decades to make changes in the antiquated doctrine. Stirling, a former military prosecutor, said “our mission is to protect the legal rights of those who serve the nation in uniform, so this was a significant achievement.”
Congress is expected to discuss the provision when they return from its summer recess, said Stirling.
“We have experienced a tremendous amount of progress this year and we look forward to an exciting gala on October 26,” he said. Members of the state’s Congressional delegation, state assembly, Orange County Board of Supervisors and local elected officials are expected to attend.
For further info about the upcoming gala, please contact Marcia Marinovich, 949-715-9217.