The Sacramento County Office of Education (SCOE) is again awarding high school diplomas to qualifying U.S. veterans and Japanese-American citizens through its popular "Operation Recognition" program.
The Operation Recognition program was adopted in October 2001 by the Sacramento County Board of Education to honor the contributions and sacrifices of individuals who missed completing high school to serve in the U.S. military (specifically World War II or the Korean War) or relocate to a World War II internment camp for Japanese-American citizens. In 2005, the County Board of Education expanded the program to include veterans of the Vietnam War.
The Sacramento County Board of Education has provided diplomas to 158 qualifying veterans and Japanese-American citizens through Operation Recognition since 2001. Eight of the diplomas have been awarded posthumously.
Residents of Sacramento County are encouraged to request diplomas on behalf of themselves or qualifying family members, including persons who are now deceased. April 25, 2012, is the deadline to submit applications. The Board of Education is scheduled to hold its next Operation Recognition diploma ceremony on Tuesday, May 15, 2012.
Applications are also available by mail: Operation Recognition, P.O. Box 269003, Sacramento, CA 95826-9003, or by phone: (916) 228-2416. The Sacramento County Veterans Service Office, located in midtown Sacramento at 2007-19th Street, also has applications available.
Qualifications for an Operation Recognition diploma include:
- Applicant or recipient is a Sacramento County resident;
- Veterans—show proof of Honorable Discharge from U.S. military service occurring during WW II, the Korean War, or the Vietnam War;
- Japanese-American citizens—show proof of internment in a WW II relocation camp;
- Veterans and Japanese-American citizens—give name of high school applicant was attending at time of induction into military service or internment.
An application may be submitted by a family member of a qualifying individual, living or deceased. Persons who meet the qualifications, but earned a GED, are eligible. Diploma recipients and/or survivors should be current or former Sacramento County residents. Those living outside Sacramento County may be referred to their local county office of education.