To honor Howard County residents who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country, the Office of Veterans and Military Families created the Fallen Heroes Tribute page. The webpage features photos and bios of service members who were from or at one-time lived in Howard County, Maryland, and who lost their life while serving in World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Gulf War or the Global War on Terrorism. Community members interested in recognizing a Howard County service member who died while in service to our country since World War I, are encouraged to complete and submit a “Howard County Fallen Heroes Tribute.”

The Howard County Commission on Veterans and Military Families joins the American Legion Posts 156 and 300, VFW Post 7472, Marine Corps League Detachment 1084, Howard County Civil Air Patrol, Boy Scout Troop 851, Atholton HS JROTC, the Col. Dorsey chapter Of the Daughters of the American Revolution, the Charles Carroll Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution and representatives of Maryland Gold Star Mothers and Maryland Chapter Chesapeake Blue Star Mothers to take part in three Memorial Day ceremonies this weekend.

Date/Time: Saturday, 28 May, 1:00pm

Location: 3725 Park Ave, Ellicott City, MD, 21043

Date/Time: Sunday, 29 May, 12:00pm

Location: 9120 Frederick Rd, Ellicott City, MD 21042

Date/Time: Monday, 30 May, 08:30am Flag Raising

Location: 8045 Harriet Tubman Ln, Columbia, MD 21044

Howard County Office of Veterans and Military Families partnered with Fort Meade Alliance to introduce the Military Wellness Community Connection (MWCC), a new initiative designed to address the unique needs of our veteran and active duty military personnel and their families. Resiliency is the core of holistic health and the link to increased capability and readiness. A strong community stands on the shoulders of five symbolic pillars - emotional, physical, social, family and spiritual - so we have connected with local businesses and nonprofits who have agreed to offer free or discounted classes, workshops and/or lessons during the month of June. To view offers from our community partners, please register here. If you are a business or nonprofit that would like to participate, please register here.

Last week, Howard County Government signed an Intergovernmental Support Agreement (IGSA) with Fort George G. Meade, to provide storm water engineering and construction services to the installation. The partnership will serve as an economic benefit and cost savings to the region. In December, Fort George G. Meade, Anne Arundel Workforce Development Corporation (AAWDC), and the Howard County Office of Workforce Development (HCOWD) signed an agreement to provide workforce services to transitioning service members, spouses of active duty personnel, and veterans. These community collaborations are great examples of how military installations and local jurisdictions can work together to improve services, save money and create jobs.

Mental health is as important as physical health so the Office of Veterans and Military Families has compiled a directory of resources to assist with education, employment, VA benefits, legal, housing, recreation, fitness and more. The Howard County Health Department, Bureau of Behavioral Health offers a comprehensive directory of mental health providers and recently announced an expansion of the “It’s OK to Ask” suicide prevention campaign to raise awareness and reduce stigma about mental health and suicide across all ages and cultures. Just scan the QR codes above for more information.

State Legislation to Establish Purple Star School (PSS) Designation

 A national, grassroots effort, the Purple Star School initiative encourages states to develop a certification program that designates qualifying schools as friendly to, and familiar with, the unique education and social-emotional needs of military-connected children. In April 2022, Maryland legislation, HB277, passed establishing the Purple Star Schools Program to recognize Maryland public schools that provide strong services and support for military-connected students and their families; and authorizing a public school to partner with the county board to fulfill certain requirements to qualify as a Purple Star School under the Act.

We are waiting on PSS requirements from the Maryland Board of Education, but the Military Child Education Coalition has already made recommendations that may be used as a guideline. The Office of Veterans and Military Families will work with HCPSS to identify schools that may work toward a Purple Star designation.

The Howard County Department of Community Resources and Services, the Office of Veterans and Military Families and the Commission for Veterans and Military Families mourn the passing of 104-year old WWII veteran, Vivian C. “Millie” Bailey on May 1. After a distinguished career as one of the first African American officers in the Women’s Army Corps, Millie supported our Howard County community for many years as a volunteer and advocate, collecting and preparing “Millie’s Bundles” care packages for deployed service members. Her legacy will live on in her namesake, Bailey Neighborhood Park on the Columbia Lakefront, the site of the future Howard County Veterans monument.

With Memorial Day and Independence Day quickly approaching, please remember to remove your tattered or torn American flags from your flag poles and recycle them properly by placing them in one of the containers provided at the Alpha Ridge Landfill. The flags will be collected and retired properly in a quarterly flag retirement ceremony at our local VFW Post 7472. More than 5,000 flags have been collected since the program began on Veterans Day 2015.

If you would like more information about resources for veterans in Howard County, visit www.howardcountymd.gov/veterans or email veterans@howardcountymd.gov