Rep. Carbajal unveils new plan to rename Goleta post office after local veteran

On Friday, California's 24th District Congressman Salud Carbajal unveiled a new legislative effort to rename a Central Coast post office in Goleta in honor of one local veteran.

Frederick Lopez, a retired Brigadier General in the U.S. Marine Corps with a 30-year career of distinguished service, is a Santa Barbara native and a Cal Poly graduate. He joined the U.S. Marine Corps in 1967 and served as a platoon commander during the Vietnam War, eventually earning a Bronze Star and Combat Action Ribbon.

Over his three decades as a Marine, General Lopez also earned a Distinguished Service Medal, Navy Commendation Medal, National Defense Service Medal, and other decorations prior to his retirement in 1998.

In retirement, General Lopez has continued to advocate for his fellow veterans as an active member of the Military Order Of The World Wars – including as its Commander in Chief – and other veterans groups.

Congressman Carbajal, a Marine Corps veteran himself, joined General Lopez, his family and friends, and representatives from Central Coast veterans organizations at the Santa Barbara Veterans' Memorial Building on Friday to announce the effort.

"If putting his name on this federal building inspires one new person to learn more about him and be inspired to service themselves – that will be a validation of this effort. And I have no doubt that that will happen," Rep. Carbajal said at the ceremony.

Earlier this year, Congressman Carbajal formally filed legislation to rename the U.S. Post Office on Patterson Avenue in Goleta for General Lopez.

The measure introduced by Congressman Carbajal is already backed by two-thirds of California's Congressional delegation.

It must pass both chambers of Congress and be signed by the President in order to become law.