San Diego, California News Station - KFMB Channel 8 - cbs8.com25th annual San Diego Veterans Day Parade

25th annual San Diego Veterans Day Parade

SAN DIEGO (CNS) - San Diegans observed Veterans Day Friday by attending an annual parade and helping former military members who are homeless, and will cap off the day with a unique basketball game aboard the USS Carl Vinson.

The 25th annual San Diego County Veterans Day Parade along Pacific Highway in the downtown area marked 20 years since the Desert Shield and Desert Storm operations in the Persian Gulf.

An unidentified ex-Marine told CBS8 he was attending "to support all the past and present servicemen who put their lives on the line."

The grand marshal was Lt. Gen. Thomas D. Waldhauser, the commander of the I Marine Expeditionary Force and the U. S. Marine Corps Forces Central Command.

Desert Shield/Storm veterans were named "honorary" grand marshals.

Volunteers, including Padres outfielder Will Venable, assembled care packages for the homeless at Petco Park. About 750 packages were put together to benefit The Monarch School for homeless students, the San Diego Rescue Mission and St. Vincent de Paul Village.

In other events, the 13th annual Santee Pancake Breakfast raised funds for the Warrior Care Initiative and Armed Services YMCA, and veterans delivered food to elderly former military members for Meals-on-Wheels.

President Obama was set to come to Coronado for the basketball game, the first on an aircraft carrier. The contest features traditional powers University of North Carolina and Michigan State University.