Veterans receive long-awaited high school diplomas in San Bernardino

SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. (KABC) -- Some very special and deserving students attended a long-awaited graduation ceremony in San Bernardino. These veterans never got their diplomas because they left school to fight for the nation.

It had just what any high school graduation would - balloons, music, friends and family. But this graduating class was special.

Ramon and Sal Navarro are brothers. Ramon served in the Korean War and Sal served in Vietnam. They admit they may not need their diplomas anymore, but they certainly want them.

A total of 12 veterans got their high school diplomas at the ceremony in San Bernardino County on Monday.

"The education code in California allows the county superintendent to provide a high school diploma for those veterans, who, because of the service to the country, they were not able to complete their high school program," said Ted Alejandre, deputy superintendent of the San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools.

The good news for these veterans is that they don't need to take any additional tests. They just need to prove that they've been honorably discharged and served in World War II, the Korean War, or the war in Vietnam.

For the Navarro brothers, the one thing that's missing is their other brother, who also served in the armed forces but couldn't be there at the ceremony for medical reasons.

In addition to all of their other honors and patches, the Navarro brothers said their diplomas mean a lot to them, too.