RIVERSIDE – Military veterans who answered the call to serve their country and missed their high school graduation are invited to apply for a diploma as part of the Operation Recognition Program that has led to the turning of the tassel for 380 recipients since 2007.
Veterans from the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Coast Guard who missed out on their high school graduations due to military service are invited to apply for a diploma through the 2025 Operation Recognition Program, a joint effort of the Riverside County Board of Education, the Riverside County Office of Education, and the Riverside County Department of Veterans’ Services.
“Foregoing the life-changing potential of an education in order to protect and serve their country was an honorable and courageous decision. Now it’s time to recognize that sacrifice with the educational acknowledgement of a high school diploma,” said Riverside County Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Edwin Gomez. “It’s never too late to pursue a diploma. We encourage friends and family members to reach out to veterans who may be eligible for this long-overdue recognition.”
To qualify for a diploma, individuals must have served in the U.S. Armed Forces in World War II, the Korean War, or the Vietnam War with an honorable discharge, or interned in a Japanese-American relocation camp during World War II; and must currently reside in Riverside County. Completed application forms and supporting documentation must be received no later than 5 p.m. on Friday, October 17.
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 Yadira Chavelas at (951) 826-6570 or email her at ychavelas@rcoe.us.
Diplomas will be presented to veterans on Wednesday, November 5, 2025, at the Riverside County Office of Education Conference Center located at 4280 Brockton Avenue, Riverside, CA 92501. More details will be posted as they become available at www.rcoe.us/operation-recognition.
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.
