Veterans Without a High School Diploma Sought

They were away from home serving their country while classmates were marching in commencement ceremonies. Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Coast Guard veterans who missed out on their high school graduations due to military service have until Friday, October 15, 2021 to apply for a diploma through the 2021 Operation Recognition Program. Individuals who were interned in a Japanese-American relocation camp during World War II are also encouraged to apply. A total of 373 veterans have received a diploma through Operation Recognition since 2007. The diplomas are awarded as a joint effort of the Riverside County Board of Education, the Riverside County Office of Education, and the Riverside County Department of Veterans’ Services. In order to eligible for a diploma, individuals must currently reside in Riverside County. Completed application forms and supporting documentation must be received no later than 5 p.m., on Friday, October 15, 2021. Application, forms, photos, and video from last year’s ceremony are available online at www.rcoe.us/operation-recognition. There is no charge to apply for a diploma. Applications can also be requested by telephone. Interested persons may contact Deborah Sofia at (951) 826-6376 or email her at dsofia@rcoe.us. RCOE will host an in-person ceremony this year with diplomas presented to veterans on November 9, 2021, at 2 pm at the RCOE Board Room located at 3939 Thirteenth Street, Riverside, CA  92501. The program is open to current residents of Riverside County whose high school education was interrupted by military service in World War II, the Korean War, or the Vietnam War. Degrees can also be conferred posthumously. Education Code Section 51440 authorizes the granting of retroactive high school diplomas to eligible veterans. Section 51430 also authorizes the retroactive granting of diplomas to Japanese-American citizens whose internment by federal order in World War II prevented them from graduating from their hometown high school. For more local news and information click here.