Marine Corps veteran and Victoria area Military Veteran Peer Network (MVPN) Peer Service Coordinator Oscar Pulido saw the opportunity to enhance his town’s annual veteran recognition event with more comradery for veterans and connect them with local resources and services. The event, VetFest, is scheduled for Veterans Day, November 11, 2021, from 4-8 p.m. at the ...
Continue ReadingEver talked with a WWII Marine Corps woman veteran? It’s a rare conversation opportunity.
WWII Marine Corps Veteran Marine Marilyn Richards Dow of Corpus Christi celebrated her 100th birthday in August 2021.
The honor of meeting Ms. Dow occurred for Texas Veterans Commission (TVC) Veteran Career Advisors Durashia Frizzell (Navy veteran), Karen Casey (Army veteran), and Marlene Reifenberger (Army Veteran) while they were forming the Women Veterans of the Coastal Bend, a veterans support and service group. “She was our Honorary Attendee ...
Continue ReadingTexas cities scored among the best for veteran entrepreneurs by the PenFed Foundation. In the top 20 were the metro areas of Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston and Austin. The McAllen-Edinburg-Mission area was recognized as the Largest Riser and it ranked 26th. San Antonio was ranked 25th. More Texas cities were included in the top 100, see Top Cities for Veteran Entrepreneurs. According to PenFed, Texas’s veteran owned business community is second largest in North America.
On September 23, 2021, 14 institutions of higher learning from around Texas were honored with the first ever Veteran Education Excellence Recognition Award by the Texas Veterans Commission’s (TVC) Veterans Education Program. This new award established by the State of Texas recognizes universities and colleges that provide excellence in education and related services which significantly contribute to the academic success of student veterans and military connected students.
TVC provides three levels of recognition intended to highlight the depth and breadth of ...
Continue ReadingIn late July, a Facebook post seeking help for a dog suffering from heat stroke lead Beaumont area resident Karen Kiesling to a nearby Village Creek State Park in Lumberton. There, she found a veteran, her daughter and their four dogs camped. The family, Army veteran Ruth Lufkin and her daughter Seevena Poole, had been evicted from their home after they got behind on rent as health conditions made it difficult for Poole to work and earn money.
After connecting with ...
Continue Reading“I initially filed a claim back in 1974 when I left active duty. Back then, I was not aware that TVC existed. I simply filed out the form and submitted it to the VA,” said veteran Joe Deosdade. When his Claim was denied, Deosdade dismissed the VA and “went on with my life.” He said that years passed before a friend convinced him to reapply. “His reasoning was, ‘you served, you deserve.’” Deosdade said the Texas Veterans Commission (TVC) Claims ...
Continue ReadingBased on the provisions of the Isakson and Roe Act of 2020, beginning with school terms on or after August 1, 2021, students using their Post-9/11 GI Bill® benefit at a non-college degree (NCD) facility will be required to verify their enrollment at the beginning of each month to receive their Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA) and/or kicker payments.
Enrollment verification is a new requirement for Post-9/11 GI Bill® students to verify that they have remained enrolled in the same courses ...
Continue Reading“We pride ourselves in getting our veterans the compensation that they deserve, but it is a nice feeling when we overcome a previous denial, or we are able to get DIC (Dependency and Indemnity Compensation) approval for a widow whose spouse never filed a claim through the VA,” said Ruben Gonzalez, Chief, Medina County Veteran Services. “The highest backpay we have gotten on a claim has been $360K. Our team, Brian, Garry and I, are standing by to assist our ...
Continue Reading“Just as those who served in uniform swore to bear true Faith and Allegiance to our Nation, the Faith and Allegiance Initiative, founded by John Wilson, seeks to encourage community and faith-based partners to bear true faith and allegiance by offering a hand,” said Dr. Blake Harris, Texas Veterans Commission (TVC) Veterans Mental Health Department (VMHD) Director.
Pictured from left are Dr. Blake Harris, TVC VMHD Director; and John Wilson, Community and Faith-Based Coordinator TVC VMHD.
AUSTIN, TX – On September 8, 2021, the Texas Veterans Commission’s (TVC) Fund for Veterans’ Assistance (FVA) presented over $1 million in grants to six organizations in east Texas for providing services to approximately 5,400 veterans.
The grant recipients and their services include:
General Assistance Grants
Ark-Tex Council of Governments – one grant for $5,000 to fund transportation services for veterans in Lamar County.
Community Services of Northeast Texas, Inc. – one grant for $300,000 to fund financial assistance for veterans, dependents, and surviving ...
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