My name is Angela Lujan. I am currently the Correctional Peace Officer Foundation (CPOF) Assistant Commander.

I became interested in law enforcement as a young adult. While in my senior year of high school, 17 years old, I joined the Army National Guard (ARNG) as a Military Police Officer. After I graduated from high school, I attended basic training and Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) school in Fort McClellan, AL. While attending basic training, I was selected to participate in the honor guard. Our job as the honor guard in basic training was to raise and lower the flag in front of the Headquarters building every morning and every evening. Specifically, I was assigned as the cannoneer. I was the person who fired the cannon during the raising and lowering of the US flag. Our basic training honor guard also performed during our graduation ceremony. While deployed in Iraq, we lost one of our youngest soldiers. It was devastating for our company. We held a memorial for our company to honor his sacrifice and that left a lasting impression on me and many others. I was proud to serve in the ARNG for 12 years. I was honorably discharged in 2004. While in the military, I learned to honor the fallen, celebrate their sacrifices, reflect on the time you shared, and the importance of continuing to speak their names.

I began working for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) in 2004. I have been involved with CPOF since 2008. I learned about CPOF when I became an Honor Guard member with San Quentin State Prison (SQ). The first detail the SQ Honor Guard assisted CPOF with was PROJECT 2000, located in Burlingame, CA. We were honored with being selected to post colors during the memorial held on Friday morning. Witnessing all the different honor guards from all over the United States coming together to honor the fallen made a lasting impression on me. The second was the service of Jose Rivera, who was killed in the line of duty at the Federal Institution located in Atwater, CA. SQ was asked to perform the 21 Gun Volley during Rivera’s service.

Both events, plus the many additional services we have conducted honoring the many CDCR staff who have served the Department prior to me, are important. Throughout many years of serving as an honor guard member, SQ Honor Guard Commander, and the CPOF Assistant Commander, I reflect on the pride I believe the families feel knowing their loved one served their communities and were honored as law enforcement officers.

I have served in many important roles while working for CDCR and have been blessed to have many supervisors who have set a positive example for me. A great leader always reminded me to always remain humble and treat others as I would want to be treated. I believe being a part of the honor guard with both SQ and CPOF is an honorable and very humbling duty. I know I would want my family to feel proud of my service to others and my time spent in the Department.