For the second consecutive year, the president of the United States and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, along with other participating U.S. federal government agencies are broadening the tradition of observance and appreciation to include both Veterans and Military Families for the entire month of November. (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs graphic by Luis H. Loza Gutierrez)

VCB continues events in observance of National Veterans and Military Families Month

 

HARLINGEN, Texas — VA Texas Valley Coastal Bend Health Care System (VCB) held several events this November in keeping with President Donald Trump’s declaration of November 2018 being the second annual National Veterans and Military Families Month, a month-long observance, which he described as a time to “salute the brave and dedicated patriots who have worn the uniform of the United States, and…celebrate the extraordinary military families whose selfless service and sacrifice make our military the finest in the world.”

On November 2, more than a dozen representatives from VCB and other VA-affiliated organizations took part in the 2018 Corpus Christi Stand Down, an outreach event designed to help homeless Veterans. Approximately 200 people attended the three-hour long event. Twenty-seven out of the approximately 70 Veterans who registered were identified as homeless Veterans. According to Carrie Myers, Homeless Veterans Program manager for VCB, the Stand Down provided a great opportunity for the 27 homeless Veterans to be screened by the VA Homeless Veterans Program team.

In addition to warm a plate of food, these Veterans were then connected with resources to assist them with obtaining housing, medical care, haircuts, employment, VA benefits, substance abuse services, mental health services, temporary shelter placements, and Veteran peer assistance.

Members of the Corpus Christi Police Department (CCPD) and staff members from VA Texas Valley Coastal Bend Health Care System pose for a group photo during the Corpus Christi Stand Down, which took place November 2, 2018, in downtown Corpus Christi. CCPD worked to identify Veterans experiencing homelessness and connect them with VA services.(Photo courtesy of Jennifer Suarez)

Two separate events took place on November 8.

About half a dozen subject-matter-experts from various service programs within VCB served on a panel and answered several questions from guests who attended Operation Reveille, a free informational event coordinated and hosted by the RGV Community Veterans Engagement Board (CVEB) and the Student Veterans Association at South Texas College in McAllen, Texas. About another half dozen VA employees manned information tables and passed out educational materials while interacting and informing Veterans and their families about different topics such as VA health care benefits, VA disability claim status, suicide prevention, the VA recovery program, and how to apply for a job with the VA.

Earlier in the day, between 250 to 300 people attended an event at the VA specialty clinic in Corpus Christi held in honor of Veterans Day and the 6^th anniversary of the VA medical facility’s opening. Aside from food and a few goodies, guests were treated to a live performance by the Veterans Band of Corpus Christi. Additionally, 25 students from the junior-class student council at Veterans Memorial High School attended the event in order to meet and greet the special group of people the city’s newest high school is named for.  

Photo collage of Pre-Veterans Day Hotdog BBQ at McAllen VA Outpatient Clinic held November 9, 2018. (Photos used for collage courtesy of Patrick Hawkins VA photo collage by Luis H. Loza Gutierrez)

Two other separate events took place on November 9.

Approximately 270 people attended the Pre-Veterans Day Hotdog BBQ at McAllen VA Outpatient Clinic.  According to Patrick Hawkins, a VA Voluntary Service specialist, approximately 550 plates of food were handed out.

“Overall, it was a great turnout considering the chilly weather,” said Hawkins who served as the event coordinator. “Everyone seemed to enjoy the event along with the prize giveaways, food and music.”

Veterans at the hotdog barbecue also enjoyed getting bags of goodies prepared and distributed by students from Folsom Middle School. The young students from Mission, Texas, passed out 200 of the bags to Veterans.

More than 40 miles to east, the 2018 Veterans Day Celebration at Harlingen VA Outpatient Clinic took place. The cold and wet weather did little to stop the approximately 300 people who attended the celebration. The event provided guests with a free meal of hamburgers and hotdogs and featured an information fair with several VA and non-VA Veteran service organizations, along with a car show hosted by members of the Rio Grande Valley Chapter of the Antique Automobile Club of America.

The event also featured a special presentation recognizing Mr. and Mrs. Nathan and Donna Belonsky, who are the Gold Star Family of Petty Officer Scott Belonsky. Their son died on December 19, 2001, while serving in the Navy.

VCB will continue its focus on honoring Veterans and their families with a few more events scheduled for this month. Below is a list of those events. Click on the hyperlinks for more information.

• Nov. 14: Women Veterans Town Hall at VA Health Care Center at Harlingen
• Nov. 15: VA Town Hall at Del Mar College in Corpus Christi
• Nov. 19-20: My HealtheVet Training Session at Laredo VA Outpatient Clinic

Click on image above to view downloadable flyer for the Women Veterans Town Hall scheduled for November 14, 2018. (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs info graphic by Luis H. Loza Gutierrez)