Pete Seitz

Peter Seitz was commissioned a 2LT in the United States Marine Corps in June 1971. He attended the Infantry Officers Basic Course and then Naval Flight School in Pensacola, Florida. In May 1973, he was designated a Naval Aviator and assigned to the Fleet Marine Force-Pacific as a CH-46 helicopter pilot. He served in multiple assignments in addition to his primary duty as a CH-46 pilot and participated in numerous deployments and operations until his separation from the Marines in November 1976.

 

In 1979, Seitz joined the California National Guard and the 1-18th Cavalry Squadron as a UH-1H helicopter pilot and Reconnaissance Platoon Commander and later served as the Executive Officer and Troop Commander. In May 1988, he was assigned to the Joint Forces Training Base (JFTB) at Los Alamitos as the Airfield Operations Officer and Airfield Commander. In 1998, he became the California State Aviation Operations Officer and later returned to command of the Joint Forces Training Base until his retirement in August 2001. 

 

Seitz has a BA degree in Political Science from the University of California-Davis and an MBA degree from Pepperdine University. His military schools include the USMC Infantry Officers Basic Course, Naval Flight School, US Army’s Armored Advance Course, Defense Financial Management Course and the Command and General Staff Course.

 

Prior to his civilian retirement, Seitz worked in the food industry specializing in sales management, marketing and strategic planning with ConAgra, Hunt-Wesson Foods, Sunshine Biscuits, Leiner Health Products and Fresh Food Concepts. 

 

Pete is serving his fifth term as the President of the Greater Los Angeles Chapter of the Association of the United States Army and has been actively involved with soldier and veteran support in Orange County for the past 15 years. He was one of the original members of the Orange County Veteran and Military Families Collaborative (OCVMFC) and is serving as chairman and serves on the Board of Directors for the Veterans Legal Institute and Heroes Linked. 

 

He lives in Tustin with his wife of 55 years, Carol, and they have a daughter, son and two grandsons. Carol is a professor in the Health Sciences Department at Santa Ana College. Their son, Eric, is an Army Captain and their daughter, Jamie, is a kindergarten teacher in the Tustin School District.