Orange County Board adopts Veterans Day proclamation, honors local service members

The Orange County Board of Supervisors opened its Nov. 5 meeting with a proclamation honoring area veterans and invited several veterans and community leaders to speak ahead of Veterans Day.

Chairman Wagner led a remembrance of U.S. military service across generations and invited Vice Chair Doug Chaffee and Supervisor Vicente Sarmiento to introduce veterans from the community. “Orange County is home to about 100,000 veterans,” Vice Chair Doug Chaffee said, and the board said the proclamation is intended to focus attention on honoring their service and ensuring access to services. The county announced plans for a future Orange County Veterans Cemetery as a symbol of its commitment to veterans’ memory and care.

Nick Berardino, president of the Veterans Alliance of Orange County, thanked the board and praised supervisors for their support. “This board of supervisors has stood by us when nobody else would,” Berardino said, describing the county’s role in supporting veterans’ initiatives. Supervisor Vicente Sarmiento highlighted continuing veteran needs including mental health, homelessness and employment, and said District 2 includes thousands of veterans across Anaheim, Orange, Garden Grove and Tustin.

Veteran and community advocate Bobby McDonald and Army veteran Ray Rickard also addressed the board; Rickard performed the national anthem before the board took photos and moved to the consent calendar.

Why it matters: The proclamation and public recognition highlight ongoing county efforts to expand veterans’ services and memorialize local service, and they set a public tone ahead of Veterans Day holiday operations.

The board moved from the ceremony into routine business; several subsequent agenda items were approved by unanimous vote.