Veteran to Veteran Connection
I’ve bumped into Jim Ventress over the years, but it was at the Canyon Theatre Guild’s 2019 “Under 40” award ceremony that I needled him about creating his veterans page.

In short order, Jim succumbed to my irresistible charm and sound judgment, which led to a meeting, and man, did we hit off! We chatted for over three hours while I had collected a slug of notes.  There’s nothing like military service that bonds men and women together.

Catholic Upbringing
Jim Thomas Ventress was born January 8, 1949 at the Queen of Angels Hospital in Los Angeles. Jim grew up in the Wilshire District, graduating from Salesian High School, an all-male Roman Catholic school in Boyle Heights.

During high school, Jim lettered in varsity basketball and track and was proudly selected to Salesian’s Letterman Society. Jim graduated June 26, 1967 and immediately enrolled at Los Angeles City College, taking up design engineering in architecture.

James T. Ventress Portrait

During his college days, Jim worked at UPS loading trucks; hence, his work ethic training began in earnest.

Jim, like so many young men of that era, such as guys like me, inadvertently dropped a few college classes — just enough to lose his military draft deferment.

At age 20, as the Vietnam War raged, Jim was promptly drafted into the U.S. Army February 10, 1969.

Jim’s dad was a World War II Army veteran and a strict disciplinarian, which in some ways prepared Jim for his rugged days ahead.

You’re in the Army Now
After spending a grueling long day at the Los Angeles induction station filling out too many forms to count and taking every physical and mental examination possible, Jim and busload of green troopers were sent to Fort Ord, California.

There, Jim endured eight weeks of basic training, and then, at Fort Ord he reported for eight more weeks to Advanced Individual Training (AIT) with a clerical unit.

Jim was selected as one of three soldiers who excelled in AIT for further clerical training of four weeks at Fort Benjamin in Harrison, Indiana. Jim took this as a blessing, considering the horror in Vietnam.

James T. Ventress Unit Patch

After a short leave of absence at his parent’s home, Jim was assigned to Fort Lewis in Washington for six months; there he became a testing specialist with a Signal Operations Battalion Headquarters.

In early 1970, Jim was sent to Frankfurt, Germany, and again, he felt blessed, having seen so much combat coverage on television.

The Vietnam War was known as “The First Television War.”  Jim believed the Vietnam War was a noble cause, but seeing so much carnage on a daily basis left him seriously conflicted.

Berlin Wall Security
During his service in Germany, at every opportunity Jim and his pals took advantage of their time off to explore Europe, visiting Paris, Berlin, Munich and Amsterdam, which Jim said was as untamed as advertised.

At one point, the guys purchased a cheap Volkswagen Bug, which they squeezed into for their wild and crazy excursions.  Jim recalled that local citizens during their travels really catered to American GIs, as World War II had only ended less than a generation earlier.

However, there was work to be done, and Jim’s primary responsibility was assisting the troops logistically during periods of bivouacs and maneuvers.

After all, they were seemingly on constant high alert, given the Soviet Union’s constant nearby looming threat.

“Being from Los Angeles and serving in a heavy snow-laden environment was, at times, pretty darn miserable,” said Jim.

During his tour of duty, Jim’s unit served a short while on guard duty at Berlin’s famous Brandenburg Gate along the Berlin Wall.

Jim said, “I remember standing there looking across the fence line at an east German soldier and flashing the peace sign at him, and him stoically responding in kind.”

James T. Ventress

Honorable Discharge
On February 8, 1971, Jim returned to the United States, which morphed into a literally earth-shattering experience.

In the early hours of that very next morning, the massive Sylmar earthquake slammed Southern California, and compounding this calamity was Jim’s enthusiastic homecoming partying that evening.

Upon receiving his honorable discharge, Jim went back to UPS in Los Angeles, where he worked for the next five and a half years.

Jim was soon promoted to an IBM computer operator as he advanced in the company and he took business trips for UPS.

Jim continued his college education, earning his Associate’s degree in data processing.

Jim said, “At age 26, my career was going really well and I was enjoying life, but peering out my hotel room window in Portland, Oregon , a spiritual sensation came over me. Having previously coached youth football and basketball at St. Paul’s Grammar School in Los Angeles, it dawned on me that my life’s work should focus on helping kids.”

Boys and Girls Club
In 1976, Jim departed his lucrative UPS position and joined the Sugar Ray Robinson Youth Foundation, which led to a position with the Boys & Girls Club of Santa Clarita Valley and his rewarding 37-year career.

In 1978, Jim earned his Bachelor’s degree in recreational management from California State University, Los Angeles.

In 1992, thanks to the Santa Clarita Valley’s massive community generosity through a myriad of funding drives, led by community luminaries such as Clyde Smyth, Tom Lee, Tom Dierckman, etc., a new facility was strategically located between Hart High School and Placerita Junior High School.

In 2003, a Boys & Girls Club was also built in Canyon Country.  Jim assisted with floor layouts and design drawings, including working with architects on both Boys & Girls Clubs.

However, Jim is most proud that our Newhall club is named the James T. Ventress Clubhouse.  Jim created numerous youth programs, as his concerns always focused on keeping youngsters, especially those who need it most, including single parent and latch-key children, busy after school through sports activities.

Jim, you’ve been a major contributor to our community and we’re very pleased that you chose Santa Clarita as your home.

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