Commission for Veterans & Military Families

About the Commission

Established in 2011 by County legislation, the Commission is comprised of 13 members, and created to support veterans and military families by strengthening Howard County’s capacity to care for them. By connecting them to available resources, promoting educational and employment opportunities, and continuing community outreach efforts, we are committed to honoring our veteran and military families.

View the Commission's 2024 Annual Report

Howard County Breaks Ground for Monument to Honor Veterans and Military Families

In June, Howard County Executive Calvin Ball joined the Howard County Veterans Foundation to break ground for the County’s first-ever Veterans and Military Family monument. The historic project will be prominently located at Bailey Park in Downtown Columbia on land donated by The Howard Hughes Corporation. Read the full press release. Photos of the event can be found on the County's Flickr webpage.

A photo of County Executive Calvin Ball and attendees ready to break ground on Howard County's new Veterans and Military Family Monument.

Flag Day Ceremony honors 7,149th American Flag Retirement

On Flag Day June 14, 2024, a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution placed the 7,149th flag in the Alpha Ridge Landfill flag retirement container since its installation on Veterans Day 2015. If you have a tattered flag, you too, can retire it. For more information, visit the Alpha Ridge residents' convenience center website.

Learn about proper flag retirement

A woman places a flag in the flag retirement container at the Alhpa Ridge Landfill as a veteran looks on.

Commission Information

Meeting Schedule

Commission meetings are held on the first Thursday of the month at 7 p.m. with the exception of July and August. The meetings are currently being held virtually, but when in-person meetings resume, we will meet at the Department of Community Resources and Services, 9830 Patuxent Woods Drive in Columbia, MD 21046. Meetings are open to the public; if you wish to attend, email lbterry@howardcountymd.gov.