U.S. Air Force veteran Donna Rathbun said everything she is today is due to the fact that she joined the military at a young age.  

Despite her family’s history of service and her own lengthy career, Rathbun said she often has to prove to people that she is a veteran. Proving herself is something she’s used to, considering when she joined the military in 1979 right out of high school, only 5.5% of the people serving in the military were women. 

“I had to do all of the same physical challenges that the men had to do,” Rathbun said. “I had to do everything equally and probably — really, frankly — better, because I was one of the first and I had something to prove.”

Rathbun spoke at the Goleta Cemetery on Monday as part of an annual Memorial Day event to honor those who died in service and the sacrifices made by military members and their families. She shared about her career with the military and the importance of letting women serve.

After 9/ll, Rathbun volunteered to be one of the first sexual assault prevention and response civilians in Southeast Asia. Later, she earned her master’s degree and worked at Vandenberg Space Force Base to handle military sexual assault cases. 

“I have a total of 37 years, nine months and seven days of federal service, when you include my military time and my civilian time,” Rathbun said. “All of that was brought to you by DEI — diversity, equity and inclusion. I was allowed to join because thousands of women before me joined and were able to do the mission.”

Nearly 100 people attended Monday’s annual ceremony hosted by the Vietnam Veterans of America, Chapter 218 and AMVETS Santa Barbara Post 3 at 44 San Antonio Road. 

The ceremony began with the national anthem sung by Valerie Salcedo, who also sang “You Gave All” later in the ceremony. The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Sage Henson, a sixth-grader at La Patera Elementary School. 

Local radio personality and keynote speaker Drew Wakefield shared the story of William Pitsenbarger, an Air Force pararescueman who flew nearly 300 rescue missions during the Vietnam War to rescue soldiers. 

On April 11, 1966, Pitsenbarger chose to stay with Army Troops under attack, gathering ammunition and helping the wounded, instead of taking his chance to escape by helicopter. Pitsenbarger was killed later that night by Viet Cong snipers, but the other 60 men he was with lived. 

“He gave up his life, doing what? Saving others,” Wakefield said. “Think about all those great men and women that put on the military uniform to go out and fight for our freedom, and also for the freedom for so many other countries.”

Santa Barbara County Second District Supervisor Laura Capps spoke about the sense of duty embedded in veterans and those who choose to serve, saying that duty is about dedication, determination and defying the odds. 

“Duty to me also means defying the odds,” Capps said. “Because the thing about life, which is so beautiful, is when you exemplify duty, when you serve others, you often defy the odds of your path to a whole new path, a whole new world, and the gift that you receive back from serving is a beautiful part of life.”

Goleta City Councilman James Kyriaco also spoke on Monday and acknowledged Goleta residents who have served in the military, such as Frederick Lopez, Dennis Cook and Augustus Griggs.

“Not all of them were from here,” Kyriaco said. “Some of them retired here. Some of them died here. Some of them were from here. Some of them came here and then fought and died, but they all had an abiding love for this valley. They all had an abiding love for their country.”

Memorial Day ceremonies were held throughout the county on Monday, including Santa Barbara, Goleta, Carpinteria, Santa Maria, Orcutt, Guadalupe, Lompoc, Los Alamos, Solvang and the Santa Ynez Valley.

Click here for coverage of the ceremony in Santa Barbara, and click here for coverage from North County ceremonies.