A Military Family Asks for CalPERS Accountability As The Country Says "Thank You For Your Service"

It's a David and Goliath Story as the Wright Military Family Seeks Accountability for the remains of a 30-year Worker's retirement funds to be released to heirs.

OAKLAND, Calif. - Nov. 12, 2024 - PRLog -- Posted Courtesy of Wright Enterprises Community Spotlight~San Francisco~Dallas~~~

"The wishes of the dead are sacred." And one military family finds those wishes denied and trampled upon as the nation embarks on its too often trite recitation of "Thank You for Your Service." The children of dedicated  CalTRANS Worker for 30 years, Brenda M. Wright (July 23-November 18, 2018) who was born in England to a U.S. Army soldier Bruce Tibbs and his wife Doris, and who became an Army wife to Joe N. Wright (August 15, 1955-February 23, 2022), whose father, Sp5 Wyley Wright Jr. (December 7, 1931-March 9, 1964) was a fallen Vietnam hero, now finding themselves in a fight to uphold their mother's wishes.  Her wish was for her hard -earned retirement funds to benefit her husband and children upon her death.

It was almost four years after losing their mother, Damon C. Wright; Candis T. Wright and Chad N. Wright were devastated again when their father, Joe N. Wright died of an undetected heart condition February 23, 2022.  Joe Wright, the son of a military family, who married Brenda Tibbs,  a daughter of a military family, whose high school love lasted until parted by death. Their love was kindled at Baker High School where military families sent their children in Columbus, Georgia, near Fort Benning, which has been renamed Fort Moore as a redress of racism found in the U.S. Army.

The adult children of Joe and Brenda, have been in contact with CalPERS since the death of their father trying to get answers about their inheritance. "I'd like to thank California State Controller  Malia Cohen, who moved immediately to find answers for us, when we contacted her as a Board member of CalPERS," said the oldest Damon C. Wright, 47, a U.S. Navy Veteran, who resides and works in Las Vegas. "Yet, the CalPERS response we received last week is insufficient.  We asked for a report of the remaining retirement funds and a timeline of when we could expect the funds to be released to us.  There was no balance of funds reported as requested and the letter said the option chosen by our mother at her retirement did not allow the money she sacrificed for us to be inherited by her children upon our grieving father's death, he added.

Candis T. Wright, an Atlanta real estate professional and small business owner, said the letters addressed last week, finally after two years of seeking answers was just a repeat of a short phone conversation she had with a clerk. "They are saying the same thing but this time finally in writing as we requested.  The option mother chose did not allow for the remaining retirement funds to be distributed to her children," said Candis T. Wright,44.  "There is no way if that option had been explained that our mother would have chosen for her retirement funds to go back to CalPERS instead of her dearly loved and sacrificed for children and grandchildren."

"Our mother worked tirelessly  for CALTRANS mostly as a toll bridge worker for most of her career braving the conditions at the Bay Bridge dealing with the millions of car emissions she breathed every day, the sun, rain, sleet fulfilling her shift rarely calling in sick and oftentimes coming in to cover for others.  There's no way our mother, always the quiet one, always with a smile, meek and mild, would stand for CalPERS not to release every red cent she labored for to the ones she loved and worked for all those years," said Chad Wright, 41, a resident of Castro Valley, a public safety worker. "With not an unkind bone in her body, nonaggressive Brenda Wright would always fight for her children and grandchildren."

The Wright children ask CalPERS to correct this injustice and release with interest the funds remaining in Brenda T. Wright's retirement fund.  They also call upon CALTRANS SEIU 1000 for their support and to make sure past or present members are not robbed of their earnings through a technicality.  Something of such a magnitude needs to be explained without doubts or questions remaining.  Do the workers of CALTRANS and other agencies know that their heirs can be without a cent of their retirement with all of the remains of their hard work going back to a corporate entity.

"Check out the box you check," said Damon Wright. "Make sure your wishes for your heirs are carried out to the fullest as you intend and not destroyed by a seemingly insignificant action of checking a box that ultimately has more negative ramifications than you'd ever believe."

The burden of military families is not only to right for their country but to fight within their country when injustices arise.  For the Wright Family, to call for justice is nothing new.  The commemoration of the Tenth Anniversary of Love Separated in Life…Love Reunited in Honor at Arlington, National Cemetery is an example.  "Ten years ago, my father joined with his siblings to have his fallen Vietnam War Hero father, Sp5 Wyley Wright Jr. exhumed after 50 years of being in a deteriorating segregated cemetery, reburied with military honors along with my grandmother, Ouida F. Wright, who he deeply loved at Arlington National Cemetery," said Chad Wright.

"So, I guess it is in our DNA to call attention to errors and wrongs, intended or unintended," said Damon Wright.  "What CALPERS has done to our family is wrong and more likely than not other families have suffered as well due to their designed policies."

Pointing to the headlines of CalPERS questionable management, the Wrights believe CalPERS' management does not always work in the best interest of its members:

CalPERS Long-Term Care Class Action Settlement

https://www.CalPERSltcclassaction.com/

Commercial Property Meltdown Clobbers Pension Funds
https://www.wsj.com/finance/investing/commercial-property-meltdown-clobbers-pension-funds-439d8347?utm_source=chatgpt.com

Jamie Dimon, Chairman & CEO JP Morgan & Company, Questions Public Funds' Private Investments
https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/jamie-dimon-questions-public-funds-private-investments-ross-kerber-2024-10-09/?utm_source=chatgpt.com

CalPERS Crowdfunded $300 Billion Pension Investigation
https://www.forbes.com/sites/edwardsiedle/2015/06/29/CalPERS-crowdfunded-300-billion-pension-investigation/

It's the Wright children's stance that their mother's wishes were denied by CalPERS. They believe CalPERS has neither the moral standing considering how they have abused their members via the insurance scam and misused hardworking retirees' funds, nor do they have the legal right to withhold their mother's or any other CalPERS member's hard-earned money due to self-serving policies.  The Wrights believe their mother's retirement funds should not stay within the coffers of an organization that did not care enough to explain she was by default giving her hard-earned money back for them to mismanage as recent headlines indicate.

From the California Attorney General Rob Bonta to Governor Gavin Newsom  to  Board of Directors and all leadership of CalPERS, The Wrights call for action to be taken to correct the injustice that has occurred to them and other families who have served the State of California.

For any inquiries or to reach the Wright Family, contact Jackie Wright, 415 525 0410 or wrightnow.biz@gmail.com.

For full disclosure, Jackie Wright, is the sister of Joe N. Wright.