U.S. Post Office in Goleta in line to be renamed to honor local Brigadier General
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - A step in the process to rename the U.S. Post Office in Goleta for an honored U.S. Marine came together Friday morning at the Veterans Memorial Building in Santa Barbara.
Brigadier General Frederick R. Lopez heard the update from Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-California) who said he was, "just ecstatic that I am able to do this because he represents the best of the best."
Lopez was with his family, friends, and military members who have known of his many accomplishments in command positions for years since he was in Vietnam as a young soldier in the 1960s.
His uniform tells a story of answering the many calls to duty for his country in every role he was assigned to do or volunteered to do.
Among the honors read off by Carbajal, "distinguished service medal, Navy commendation medal, national defense service medal, and many other accolades. Not bad for a kid from the Central Coast!"
Lopez has lived and gone to school throughout the Central Coast beyond the Santa Barbara and Goleta area. He went to high school in Lompoc and college at Cal Poly.
The bill to rename the building could be voted on by Congress and approved by the end of the year.
If this honor goes through, the next step will be to install a plaque on the Patterson Avenue Postal building and encourage the public to learn more.
Carbajal said, "if putting his name on this building inspires one person to learn more about him and his service and be inspired to serve themselves, that would be a validation of this effort and I have no doubt that will happen."
After hearing of the effort to honor him, General Lopez reflected on his efforts as a young marine up to a Brigadier General. "I sought command at every opportunity to lead Marines and do my best for them. When you do those things, when you think the right things, when you do your job good, good things will happen. That's what happened."
In encouraging others, Lopez said, "serving your country in one form or another is the greatest honor you can give your family and the people of the United States of America."
General Lopez has spoken at many Veterans and Memorial Day events over the years and will be at the Santa Barbara Cemetery to attend this year's ceremony at 11 a.m.
