For those who lived in America’s heartland during WWII, the sight of two Casualty Assistance Officers (CAOs) in dress uniform coming down a country lane meant only one thing:

Afamily member would not be coming home.

When I was a young boy, my uncle PFC Alva Abrams, U.S. Army, was killed during the Battle of Luzon in the Philippines. The life of “Uncle Alvie,”as we called him, was cut short before he could pursue his dreams or begin to fulfill his life’s potential. He was one of many who did not come home. 

From world wars to the recent conflicts in the Middle East, we have lost many outstanding Americans. How should we best honor their service? It’s a very personal choice, and one that is unique to each “Gold Star Family,” those families who have lost a loved one in the service of their country.

I find honoring and supporting those veterans who served our country and returned home a meaningful way to honor the fallen.

By providing a state-of-the-art Veterans Center on campus where returning veterans can access veterans’ services, including GI Bill benefits and specialized counseling, community colleges are a perfect match for this unique student population.

This Memorial Day, Veterans Centers at community colleges throughout our region and across the country will take time to remember fallen veterans. As student veterans gather with college staff and community members, they will honor the dead with somber ceremonies.

As our honored veterans re-enter society, acquire meaningful careers and live productive lives, they give personal meaning and purpose to the selfless acts of all who did not come home. Dr. Edward C. Ortell is the senior governing board member at Citrus College and a Professor Emeritus at Pasadena City College.