On Veterans Day, we pause to salute our military men and women

Dear OCEA member,

Today, we celebrate Veterans Day. As we enjoy the holiday with our families, we can also pause and think about those who serve our country in uniform and place themselves in harm's way to defend our country. For as long as they serve, they have chosen to give up their freedom to protect ours. 

Since 2013, Orange County unions led by OCEA - along with veterans and community leaders - have organized a free Veterans Day community event paying tribute to veterans and their families. The event was held at the OC Fair & Event Center, which partnered with us to make the free event possible. Perhaps you and your family were able to attend one of these events or provide items for the annual food drive.

We weren’t able to hold our annual celebration this year because of the global pandemic but we believe it’s important that we observe Veterans Day as a union. OCEA President Lezlee Neebe recently invited six veterans to the Heroes Hall Veterans Museum, located on the fairgrounds, to talk about their military service and about what being a veteran means to each of them.

You can view a brief video of their presentations here. These men and women are the heroes among us.

In a time when our country is bitterly divided, remembering the sacrifice and valor of our veterans is something we can all be a part of. I am proud that OCEA stands together with other California labor unions and our community partners to say “Thank You” and “Welcome Home,” to our veterans.

Happy Veterans Day!

In Solidarity,

Charles Barfield
OCEA General Manager

Publication Date: November 11, 2020