Marine networking dinner is about giving back

When Josef Saar came to the first Marine networking dinner in Costa Mesa last year, he was looking for new opportunities outside the military.

By the time the 27-year-old attended the second annual Marine dinner on Wednesday night, he was well underway with his new career in public service: Costa Mesa police officer.

Saar credited the event — spearheaded by then-Mayor Jim Righeimer — with connecting him with the department’s recruiting team.

He was among more than 50 current and former Marines, local business leaders and city staff present at the privately funded event, benefiting the city’s adopted battalion, the 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, held at the Mesa Verde Country Club.

“Just one evening can be a big change,” said Capt. Dominic Bea, former executive officer of 1/5’s Alpha Co. He now serves in Marine Reserve and studies business at UC Berkeley.

“For [Saar], that was a huge connection,” Bea said.

“Let’s find angels, guys that can help these guys,” added Mayor Steve Mensinger. “We want to give back because these guys do so much.”

Saar, who graduated from the police academy at the top of his class, noted that he comes from a law enforcement family. His father and uncle are NYPD retirees. His brother is also with the NYPD.

Saar, who hopes to be a detective someday, said he’s trying to convince his brother to transfer to Costa Mesa, where the weather is better than back east.

The 1/5, based in Camp Pendleton and founded in 1914, will be leaving soon for Okinawa to conduct various missions in the Pacific region. The battalion’s leaders said they aim to live up to the group’s motto, “Make Peace or Die,” through humanitarian missions or addressing conflicts where needed.

“Who wouldn’t want to be a Marine?” Mensinger said. “Who wouldn’t want to be serving our country and be part of the greatest fighting force in the world?”