Veteran of the year passionately works for homeless vets

America stands alone in many ways, and U.S. Navy Rear Admiral Bret Grabbe knows that firsthand. He has seen it in many places. During tours in the Pacific and Europe he noted that most countries have some sort of annual observance to honor people who gave their lives in the service of their country. In the U.S., all those who served are honored, he said. “In the Pacific, I was able to witness countries literally around the globe, and there are a lot of countries that celebrate Armistice Day or Remembrance Day, or they call it Poppy Day,” Grabbe said. “We’re unique here in the U.S.” Grabbe spoke to the more than 1,000 people gathered at the St. Simons Island Casino on Wednesday during the Veterans Council of the Golden Isles’ annual Veterans Day Observance, where the council named Sylvia Cashdollar Veteran of the Year. “We don’t see this level of turnout necessarily if you travel around the world on this stage, but we see it here in Southern Georgia,” Grabbe said of the crowd gathered beside the St. Simons Sound. Grabbe said families that support veterans deserve recognition as well because they are the foundations on which military service is built. Grabbe is a Kansas native who is a career submariner with operational assignments, including the USS Alaska, USS Memphis, USS Providence and the USS Alexandria. He assumed command of Submarine Group TEN and Task Group 144.4 in June 2026. Grabbe spoke after the council named Cashdollar the 2026 Veteran of the Year. Cashdollar is a Navy veteran who now serves as executive director of the Golden Isles Veterans Village. “She translated the founders’ vision into action, developing policies, establishing processes and building the organization’s operational foundation,” said Fred Schwarz, a fellow Navy veteran who presented the award to Cashdollar. She said she is deeply passionate about supporting veterans who have sacrificed so much for the country. “I’m surrounded by so many heroes in this community — our veterans, our military families, first responders, community leaders and those who quietly serve each other every day,” Cashdollar said. At the village, she and her staff offer housing, case, management, financial literacy and aid finding employment, among other things, to help homeless vets work back to self-sufficiency. “They deserve dignity, opportunity and a community willing to stand beside them as they work toward their goals,” Cashdollar said. She called the veterans at the village her family, albeit a slightly dysfunctional one, she quipped. “We are still family, and I’m really proud of you and everything that you do,” she said to the veterans in the program. “I know that it takes a lot of work to get up, put your two feet on the ground and take steps forward every single day. Your determination, your resilience and your willingness to keep moving forward are what makes this mission so powerful to us.” The Golden Isles community makes the village a reality, Cashdollar said. Success stories from the village are successes for everyone here, she said. The village has been open for only a year and a half and already it is showing great progress, she said. “I know that the Golden Isles Veterans Village will continue to grow and make an even greater impact,” Cashdollar said. “I see a future for the Golden Isles where everyone will know that a veteran can come here, they’re not forgotten when their military service ends and that their community will stand behind them when they need support.” She said she will cherish the honor of being named Veteran of the Year, but the honor should be for all who help the village succeed. “Thank you for believing in our veterans, but most importantly, thank you for showing the world what is possible when an entire community comes together for a purpose that’s greater than oneself,” she said.