Our staff is comprised of members of the military community, as well as members of civilian communities impacted by U.S. imperialism and militarism. We are a veteran-led organization with Black, POC, LGBTQI+, femme members who are proud to be a part of a movement to stop rampant militarism and war-profiteering by empowering those who are most affected.
Shiloh Emelein
Membership Coordinator
Shiloh Emelein (they/them/theirs) is a queer, trans, non-binary creature living with their fluffy cat on Ohlone Land (also known as the Bay area, California). Their world view and moral compass were turned upside down while deployed with a Marine Helicopter Support Unit in Al Anbar Province, Iraq and then Kuwait City. They joined About Face: Veterans Against War in 2018 with the hope in action to catalyze change and repair the harms caused by the Military-Industrial Complex. Shiloh believes that the reclamation and celebration of our bodies, our joy, and our pleasure is at the core of demilitarizing ourselves, our beliefs, and the structures we currently live within. They are thrilled to have the chance to care for the About Face community in a light of collective liberation and collective healing.
Oliver Valenzuela-Nettell
Campaigns Coordinator
Oliver “Olie/Val” Valenzuela-Nettell (he/him/his) is a veteran of the 187th Infantry Regiment and was deployed twice to the war on Iraq as a part of the 3rd Brigade combat team and the 101st Airborne Division between 2002 and 2006. He graduated from San Francisco State University with a Bachelor of Science in 2020 and has been an active member of About Face: Veterans Against War since 2018. Olie will organize around numerous issues but feels deeply compelled to show up for issues regarding the sovereignty of those native to Turtle Island, police violence, and issues facing Kurdish people, whom he had the privilege to spend time with in Bashur (the southern province of Kurdistan to some, Northern Iraq to others). Olie is a warrior, a scientist, a musician, and a chill dude.