Dodgers Honor Local 11’s Huizar as “Hero of the Game” on Union Night

By Robert Fulton

Jorge Huizar has worn many titles over the course of his life: soldier, student, proud father, and IBEW Local 11 inside wireman. Each role has shaped him, from his two decades of military service to his nine years as a union electrician, and now as a father pursuing higher education.

One of the proudest moments of Huizar’s journey came during Union Night at Dodger Stadium, when he was honored as the team’s “Hero of the Game.” Nominated by Mike Kufchak, Local 11’s director of veteran affairs, Huizar walked onto the field in front of tens of thousands of fans during on the same evening he celebrated his 40th birthday, no less.

“It was a huge honor to be a part of that, to be selected,” Huizar said. “It didn’t hit me until I turned around. I walked out on the field, and you could see the players and the umpires in front of me, but once I turned around, and I looked up to the crowd it was amazing.”

Hearing his name announced to the roar of applause was quite the experience, but what made the moment unforgettable for Huizar was sharing it with his eight-year-old son.

“It was a proud moment. I saw the video my mom recorded, and I can hear him saying, ‘That’s my dad. That’s my dad.’  You can hear his voice in the background. Yeah, it was a proud moment. Definitely.”

The Path to Dodger Stadium

Huizar’s path to the Dodger Stadium field started decades earlier. He grew up in San Pedro, graduated from high school, and faced the same crossroads many teenagers encounter: whether to stay home, go to college, or leave to see what else the world had to offer.

“I decided to just leave because I felt like I wasn’t going to do anything staying home, staying local,” Huizar said. At 19, he enlisted in the Army, beginning a 20-year military career that would take him across the country and around the world.

He spent eight years stationed at Fort Bragg in North Carolina, three and a half years at Fort Hood in Texas, and deployed to Iraq, where he served in Baghdad and Ramadi. 

“I left when I was 19, so I had to grow quick,” Huizar said. “I had to learn a lot on my own as far as being a young adult, first time out in the world. In the military, I learned a lot as far as teamwork and training, and I traveled and saw a lot of the world, a lot of the country.”

After more than 10 years of active duty, Huizar transitioned to the National Guard in 2015, reporting monthly to Fresno. He retired in April with a rank of Staff Sergeant. 

While still serving, a veteran buddy who had joined IBEW Local 11 kept encouraging Huizar to look into electrical work.

“Once I got out [of active service], he kept insisting that I come check it out, and I finally did. One thing led to another, and here I am nine years later,” Huizar said.

Though he didn’t have a professional background in electrical work, Huizar had always been fascinated by electronics. “I’ve always had an interest in the electrical field. I would always be breaking down broken toys or electronics when I was younger, trying to fix them,” he said.

For Huizar, being an Inside Wireman continues to offer new challenges and opportunities. 

“It’s challenging physically and mentally, and I’m always learning something,” he said. “There’s always something to build on.”

Over the years, he has worked for contractors including Touchstone Engineering and has even served as a foreman. Among his projects was helping build the Los Angeles Rams training facility in Woodland Hills.

Local 11 a Crucial Bridge

For Huizar, Local 11 has been a crucial bridge from military to civilian life. 

“It’s helped me a lot in numerous ways as far as re-establishing myself back into the civilian world and Los Angeles, whether it be staying busy with work and being financially stable,” Huizar said. “Everything’s just been nothing but positive.” 

The union’s support even helped him purchase his home in Compton, where he lives today with his eight-year-old son.

Huizar is also pursuing a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering. He is currently enrolled at Compton College for general education courses and plans to transfer to Cal State Long Beach where he can use his VA educational benefits to pay for school.

“I want to get my bachelor’s in electrical engineering, and see where that takes me,” he said.

Reflecting on his journey so far, he said, “I’m just really grateful for all the opportunities I’ve had, going from one career in the military and overlapping and transitioning to being in the Local. It’s a great experience. I’m just grateful for how everything turned out.”