More than 150 community leaders, veterans, employers, partners, and supporters came together for Working Wardrobes’ inaugural Valor & Vision: The Orange County Veterans Leadership Breakfast—a powerful morning dedicated to honoring service and celebrating the individuals and organizations creating meaningful opportunities for veterans and military families across Orange County.

Valor & Vision was created to shine a light on the stories that deserve to be told—from veterans continuing to lead and serve in new ways to the employers, advocates, and community organizations helping ensure our nation’s heroes have opportunities to thrive in their next chapter.

Celebrating Our 2026 Honorees

This year, Working Wardrobes was proud to recognize an extraordinary group of leaders and organizations:

  • Veteran Civic Leadership Award: Councilmember Melinda Liu
  • Next Mission Award: Anthony Rocha
  • Voice of Valor Award: Bob DeCastro
  • Veteran Employer Champion Award: Hensel Phelps
  • Trailblazer Award: Jon Jagielski
  • Veteran Community Impact Partner Award: Sailing Fascination Foundation, Navy Federal Credit Union, Johnson & Johnson MedTech Veterans Leadership Council, Team Red, White & Blue Orange County, Patriots Promise, and Warrior Foundation Freedom Station

Each recognition represented a different piece of the veteran experience—from leadership and advocacy to employment, community service, and the successful transition into life and careers beyond military service.

Made Possible by Our Partners

Valor & Vision would not have been possible without the generous organizations and individuals who invested in the event and, more importantly, in our veteran community.

Mission Sponsors:
Operating Discipline • Terran Orbital • Hensel Phelps

Adopt a Veteran Sponsor:
Sunwest Bank

Table Sponsors:
Christopher Byrne • Irv and Nancy Chase • Optum • City of Irvine • The Gunter Group • Edwards Lifesciences

We are deeply grateful to each of these partners for helping us create a meaningful inaugural event and for standing alongside Working Wardrobes in support of veterans and military families.

The Mission Continues

For Working Wardrobes, Valor & Vision is about more than one morning of recognition. It is an extension of our ongoing commitment to helping veterans successfully transition into the civilian workforce with the skills, resources, professional connections, and confidence needed to build what comes next.

To our sponsors, speakers, honorees, volunteers, partners, and the 150+ guests who helped make our inaugural Valor & Vision such a success: thank you.

You helped us launch what we hope will become a lasting Orange County tradition—one that honors service, elevates stories worth telling, and reminds our veteran community that their next mission matters.