Military & Veterans

The City of Mission Viejo's annual Veterans Day ceremony is at 2 pm on Thursday, November 11 at the Norman P. Murray Community Center. 

The public ceremony includes comments by Colonel Seth W.B. Folsom, commanding officer of the Headquarters Battalion of the 1st Marine Division, and retired Army Captain Nick Saifan. The event also features a vocal performance by Philip Bardowell as well as a color guard, rifle salute and taps . The ceremony will feature sign language interpretation.  

You can help support the men and women who fight for our freedoms through the Adopt-A-Marine program.   

The City of Mission Viejo, Marine Adoption Committee and Mission Viejo Community Foundation work year-round to enhance the lives of our adopted Marines and Sailors of the Headquarters Battalion, 1st Marine Division from Camp Pendleton. 

Registration and sponsorship opportunities are now available for the 11th annual Marine golf tournament - "Tee It Up Fore Marines" - on Friday, October 8 at the scenic Marine Memorial Golf Course at Camp Pendleton.

Hosted by the Marines and Sailors Adoption Committee and Mission Viejo Community Foundation, the event benefits members of the City's adopted Headquarters Battalion of the 1st Marine Division.

Register today for the 8th annual Mission Armed Forces game this fall at Mission Viejo High School. Mission Football is honoring the brave men and women who served in the armed forces at the Mission Armed Forces (MAF) Game on Friday, October 1.

Help support the men and women who fight for our freedoms during a special Donation Drive from 9 to 11 am on Saturday, July 17 at the Norman P. Murray Community and Senior Center. 

Led by the Mission Viejo Marines and Sailors Adoption Committee, the drive-through event will benefit members of the City’s adopted Headquarters Battalion, 1st Marine Division with donations that will be used for care packages and baby baskets.  

Help support the men and women who fight for our freedoms during a special Donation Drive from 9 to 11 am on Saturday, July 17 at the Norman P. Murray Community and Senior Center. 

Led by the Mission Viejo Marines and Sailors Adoption Committee, the drive-through event will benefit members of the City's adopted Headquarters Battalion, 1st Marine Division with donations that will be used for care packages and baby baskets.  

June is Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) awareness month - an opportunity to focus energy on our service members who continue to suffer when they return home from deployment overseas. 

PTSD is a complex mental health problem facing not only our military personnel but many in our community coping and adjusting to COVID-19 trauma and recovery. 

To raise awareness, the National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Syndrome is engaging the community by encouraging people to take part in the PTSD awareness walk between now and June 30.  

As you prepare to proudly display your American flag for holidays like Memorial Day and the Fourth of July, now is the time to properly retire torn or tattered flags.

The City of Mission Viejo serves as a drop-off site for retired American flags. Old, unserviceable flags can be dropped off in specially marked boxes during business hours at City Hall, 200 Civic Center, or the Mission Viejo Library at 100 Civic Center.

The flags are picked up by Boy Scout Troop #603 chartered by the Mission Viejo Elks Lodge and properly destroyed in a flag-retirement ceremony.

Mission Viejo will pay homage to the men and women who gave their lives for our freedoms during a Virtual Memorial Day Ceremony on Monday, May 31.

The program will air at 8:30 am on MVTV (Cox Channel 30 and AT&T Channel 99) and on the City's YouTube channel with additional programming throughout the day. To ensure more inclusivity, the ceremony will include an American Sign Language interpreter. 

Help make the holidays brighter for the families of our adopted Marines by donating new, unwrapped toys in specially marked boxes now through December 24 at: