San Bernardino County veterans receive diplomas decades after high school

Dec. 30—Four San Bernardino County military veterans recently were awarded high school diplomas as part of the 14th annual Operation Recognition Veterans Diploma Project.

The project is a collaboration between the San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools and the San Bernardino County Department of Veterans' Services.

This year's honorees were Korean War veteran Daniel Carrillo, World War II veteran Pete M. Molina and Vietnam War veteran Kareem E. Gates, plus Michelle Baca accepting a diploma awarded posthumously to her father, Korean War veteran Samuel Ramirez Baca.

"As an Air Force veteran of 34 years, I've met incredible individuals who sacrificed so much to serve our nation," Ted Alejandre, San Bernardino County superintendent of schools, said in a news release. "It is a special honor to recognize fellow veterans who have delayed their education to serve our country during times of war and award them their long-awaited high school diplomas."

Pete Molina, 96, was a San Bernardino High School student who was drafted into the U.S. Army during World War II before he could complete his education.

"It makes me feel that all the knowledge from junior high to high school didn't go to waste," Molina said about receiving his diploma. "Education means a lot to me."

Daniel Carrillo, a resident of Big Bear Lake, served in the Army National Guard before enlisting in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War.

"It always bothered me that I never got my diploma," Carrillo said in the news release. "Now, I can say I have a diploma."

Kareem E. Gates, who also received a diploma in the Dec. 8 presentation, served in the U.S. Air Force during the Vietnam War.

The fourth diploma was presented to Michelle Baca for her father, U.S. Army veteran Samuel Ramirez Baca, who died in 2015.

In addition to Alejandre, those at the ceremony at the Dorothy Inghram Learning Center in San Bernardino included state Sen. Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh, San Bernardino County Supervisor Joe Baca Jr., Big Bear Lake Mayor Rick Herrick, San Bernardino City Council Member Damon L. Alexander and Bear Valley Unified School District Board Member Cathy Herrick.

Since the inception of San Bernardino County's Operation Recognition Veterans Diploma Project, nearly 300 diplomas have been presented to veterans who did not complete high school due to military service during World War II, the Korean War or the Vietnam War or due to internment in World War II Japanese-American relocation camps, according to the news release.

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