On Wednesday, Dec. 8, more than 200 people, along with the Orange County Board of Supervisors, attended a Flag One groundbreaking ceremony at the potential site for a veterans cemetery in Gypsum Canyon. 

With nearly 250 in attendance, in addition to unfurling a 60′ x 30′ American flag, and planting a flagpole, the Gold Star Mothers National Chaplain, representing the mothers of the men and women killed in combat, held a prayer in recognition of the fallen soldiers and the veterans who will be placed to rest within the 280-acre site. 

Dressed in all white, Elaine Brattain led an invocation, with a verse from Isaiah 6:8: 

“Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?’ And I said, ‘Here am I. Send me!’

“One day we will walk among this garden of stones and know that below them lay America’s sons and daughters who were willing to pay the price of freedom,” Brattain said. “As we unfurl ‘Flag One’ may we remember the significance of her colors, white for purity and innocence, red for hardiness and valor, and blue for vigilance, perseverance, and justice; just as every flag will cover our veterans.”

While the Gypsum Canyon cemetery project has yet to be inked with the state, Nick Berardino, a Vietnam War veteran, and president of the Veterans Alliance of Orange County (VALOR), said the Flag One presentation was meant to signify a final resting place for Orange County veterans in Gypsum Canyon, and is all but official. 

“I think now the buttoning up of legislation needs to occur, but the Legislature knows what the entire community of Orange County wants, this cemetery built in Gypsum Canyon,” Berardino said in an interview with Irvine Weekly. “As far as the veterans community is concerned we are not moving off of this hill.” 

After more than 10 years of debate in Irvine, which voted 4-1 to support the new site, the Gypsum Canyon veterans cemetery quickly gained the support of county supervisors. In July, the county allocated $20 million toward the proposed cemetery project. 

Now there is additional legislative support from Senator Tom Umberg. 

On Dec. 8, Umberg and Assemblymember Tom Daly debuted amendments to Senate Bill 43, which will allow the California Veterans Association to work with the city of Anaheim to perform feasibility studies on the proposed site in Gypsum Canyon. 

“Finding the right location for this cemetery has been a cumbersome – but absolutely vital part of this process,” Umberg said. “After discussions with CalVet, it has become clear that any new potential site will need a thorough state examination and analysis. I’m thrilled the county has made a financial commitment towards this process and our veterans and I’m happy to use SB 43 for this feasibility study.”

On Friday, Dec. 10. Irvine City Councilmember Larry Agran spoke to Irvine Weekly, adding that he foresees a lengthy timeline in terms of studies and approval. 

“There’s a tremendous effort afoot to abandon the ARDA site, and instead relocate the veterans cemetery at the Gypsum Canyon site — even though the Gypsum Canyon site hasn’t been studied,” Agran said. “I think we’re looking at probably — at the earliest — two to three years before the Gypsum Canyon Site could gain the necessary approvals.”

While more than 30 city councils in Orange County voted in favor of the Gypsum canyon site, Agran’s vote was the only vote against adopting the site in the county, during Irvine’s vote in October. 

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