Community Highlights with Post 12178

from Texas VFW Post 12178, Weslaco, Texas

Outstanding!

The Post hosts a 26.5 ruck march to honor and remember those lost in the Bataan Death March during WWll. Team RWB McAllen/Edinburg and Edinburg JROTC and many students and community joined.

The Post participates in a Half Marathon to honor hometown heroes. Local fallen Hero Noe Hernandez, who perished in June 2017 on the USS Fitzgerald, was honored by the Post by inviting his wife and young son to participate in the run. The Post holds its monthly Suicide Awareness Ruck at Mayor Pablo Pena Park in Weslaco, Texas, along with Edinburg and McAllen Area RWB. The Post continues to honor the 22 veterans per day who lose their fight with PTSD MST and other military related injuries and encourages everyone to “Know the 5 signs!”

Texas VFW Posts 2410 and 12178 from District 18 help a veteran’s family move their motorhome from South Texas to Vincent, Alabama, after the veteran’s sudden passing. They cleaned the motorhome and raised almost $1,000 dollars for fuel to be able to drive it 1,020 miles from the Rio Grande Valley to Vincent, Alabama, early March 2021.

UNITED STATES VETERANS SERVICE DOGS is continuing to help veterans even during COVID-19. In our most recent class of graduates, three veterans met their forever partners and began their journies towards a new “normal.” Two of the veterans from this class are members of the Texas VFW. Ed Mueller was paired with his Service Dog Zuma, and Jared Butler was paired with his service dog Touro. We are so proud of these teams and can’t wait to help other Texas Veterans. We hope to see you at our booth at the Texas VFW Summer convention!

Michael John Foy Day for 2021-22 TEXAS VFW STATE CHAPLAIN

• Continually promotes “ONE Team” theme • Retired United States Navy Veteran (33+ years — Federal Service) • Numerous positions held at Post, District, State, & National levels • Earned over 10,000+ hours of Volunteer Service • Ordained Minister & District 17 Chaplain (three times) • Joined the VFW in 1992 • Gold Legacy Life Member • Life Member of the National Home • Life Member of the DAV • Post Commander (twice) • All-State Post Commander • J . T . Rutherford Award — 1998 • National Aid-de-Camp (three times) • State Homeless Veterans Chairman • Chairman for Americanism & Youth Programs (five times) • Veterans in the Classroom (five times)