Veteran, community volunteer Samuelson is Citizen of Month

By Doug Spoon, Editor

Vietnam War veteran and longtime Menifee resident and volunteer Ed Samuelson was honored by the Menifee City Council Wednesday as the Outstanding Citizen of the Month.

Samuelson, born in Indiana, enlisted with the U.S. Navy in 1967 and served two deployments in Vietnam. He retired from active and reserve duty in 1998 and lives in Menifee with his wife of 55 years, Diane.

Samuelson served six years on the City’s Qualify of Life Oversight Committee, which provides oversight of Measure DD – a tax that helps fund police and fire departments in the City. He is now a member of the new Veterans and Military Families Advisory Committee. He has also served on the Community Emergency Response Team since 2019. He is an active member of VFW Post 1956, where as youth chair in the organization, he talks to students about the importance of community involvement.

“Ed embodies a person who from an early age dedicated his life to service and the community,” said council member Dan Temple, who selected Samuelson for the award.

Council member Dean Deines, also a veteran, explained how “He’s at every single city event and shows the true spirit of a volunteer.” Council member Ben Diederich called him a “great choice who has done so much for the community.”

Mayor Pro Tem Bob Karwin noted how Samuelson attends every City Council meeting, as well as many other meetings and functions.

“When we were forming the military advisory committee, your name was automatically at the top of the list,” Karwin said.

The only council member who did not applaud, shake Samuelson’s hand or even mention his name was Mayor Ricky Estrada – a snub noted by many in attendance in comments to Menifee 24/7. Estrada has not spoken to Samuelson since the latter accused Estrada of “stolen valor” by portraying himself as a veteran. Estrada serves in the reserves at March Air Reserve Base but has not served in the active military or been “discharged or released under conditions other than dishonorable” -- the definition of a veteran.

Samuelson confronted Estrada in public at a City military memorial event in 2023, criticizing him for standing with veterans during a military tribute in a previous ceremony. Samuelson also accused Estrada of incorrectly and disrespectfully portraying himself as active duty during his mayoral campaign, in which his campaign signs referred to himself as a "military airman."

Finally, after Estrada was elected mayor, Samuelson confronted him twice during the public comments section of City Council meetings, criticizing Estrada for saying publicly that he favored defunding Measure DD and claiming there was “wasteful spending” in city government. Samuelson requested that Estrada provide a list of such wasteful spending, but Estrada has never responded to the request.

As a result, the only council member who did not acknowledge a well-known Menifee veteran Wednesday was someone who claims to be one.

“A mayor should demonstrate more class,” said one resident who watched the ceremony.