Imperial Valley Honors Veterans During Memorial Day Walk

-Editorial 

Residents and relatives of military veterans from communities across the Imperial Valley will participate in the 14th Annual Memorial Day Veterans Walk, a 7-mile community march from Westmorland to Brawley honoring the men and women who gave their lives in service to this country.

Participants gathered early in the morning and walked for approximately two hours to Riverview Cemetery in Berkeley as part of the Memorial Day tradition. Families, veterans, and community supporters carried flags and shared memories of loved ones who served in the armed forces.

Rep. Raul Ruiz, D-Coachella, said Monday’s Memorial Day walk alongside veterans was a deeply personal experience that allowed him to hear firsthand accounts of military service and sacrifice. “It was my first time walking and coming to this event,” Ruiz said. “It was an amazing experience to walk with veterans who told me their stories of their service, the sacrifice they’ve made, friends that they had who died during the war, and be able to really connect at a very deep and personal level.”

Ruiz described Memorial Day as our civic holy day, emphasizing the importance of honoring fallen service members and supporting surviving families. 

“It is a day separated from all other days, where we devote ourselves in remembrance of all those who have passed, and in honor of our Gold Star families,” Ruiz said. “We honor those who have passed most by serving those who are living, and that’s why we continue to support our veterans and their family members. That’s why we support our Gold Star families. That’s why we keep fighting so they can have their recognition, their benefits, and their health care that they’ve earned and that they deserve.”

Ruiz also discussed the Major Richard Star Act, legislation intended to address what many veterans describe as a “wounded warrior tax.” Ruiz said veterans who are medically retired before serving 20 years currently lose retirement benefits because of offsets tied to disability compensation. “That’s an injustice, because there are two different benefits,” Ruiz said. “One is for the time that you serve, the other one is for the injury that you suffered while serving,” Ruiz said he introduced a discharge petition to force a House vote on the legislation after House Speaker Mike Johnson declined to bring the bill forward despite bipartisan support.

Veteran Brendon Brown of Reps4Vets said Memorial Day this year carried a more personal meaning following the recent loss of a loved one to mental health struggles, while urging the community to remember veterans lost both in combat and at home. 

“Today is a very important day to remember all those that we lost in different types of battles, the battles overseas and the battles at home,” Brown said during Monday’s ceremony. “Memorial Day reminds us of the cost of freedom etched in the names of those laid at rest, but we also honor the fight that continues when the uniforms come off.” 

Brown said veterans continue to face mental health challenges tied to “invisible wounds” and called on the public to check on fellow veterans and help break the stigma surrounding mental health. 

“You don’t have to fight overseas alone,” Brown said. “You don’t have to fight over here alone either.” He encouraged attendees to honor fallen service members not only through remembrance, but by “living fully with the freedom they secured and the hope that they wanted for us to have.”

Army veteran Raymond Gonzalez of Brawley, California, said the success of the 14th annual Memorial Day walk from Westmorland to Riverview Cemetery reflects the strong support veterans continue to receive from communities across Imperial Valley. “We’re always grateful for the support, the amount of support that we get,” Gonzalez said. “We have people from different cities throughout Imperial Valley come and support this. We have youth, we have veterans, we have families of veterans, and we’re grateful for everybody who supports.” 

Gonzalez said organizers spend months preparing for the event, coordinating logistics including restroom access, police escorts, and water stations with the assistance of local volunteers and the Imperial County Sheriff’s Office. “It all comes together,” Gonzalez said. “It’s a big group effort, and we’re very grateful for everyone putting in their help with just showing up or spreading the word,” Gonzalez said participants completed the walk in just over two hours after departing Westmorland at 7 a.m.

Veteran Ernesto Mariscal, who served 21 years in the military including two combat deployments to Iraq, said the annual Memorial Day walk serves as an important way for the community to honor fallen service members while educating younger generations about sacrifice and service. “Having this community event, it brings people together, shows awareness, and honors those who gave their lives for our country,” Mariscal said during Monday’s ceremony. Mariscal, who retired from military service in 2012 after assignments around the world, said the participation of young people in the event was especially meaningful. “I think doing this is very educational, especially when we get youth out here,” he said. “It shows a lot about the community coming together to honor those things.”

Other Memorial Day events took place in El Centro and Calexico.