By Dorothy Meindok
The Post Newspaper Veterans Consultant
Last week, I introduced you to Damian Bennett, our neighbor in Jefferson County, Texas and veteran brother doing good things for veterans in the Texas Golden Triangle area who is working alongside local veterans groups to bring validation and audience to veterans’ voices in the challenges faced by Veterans Health Administration as it touches the lives of those in need of community care. This week, I want to tell you about our Texas Town Halls and the local Galveston County leaders that make up our coalition in the peaceful initiative to spawn conversation, compliance, and resolution.
To begin, I hope you will save the dates now and be present at these meetings.
The first will be in Beaumont, Texas on February 22, 2023 at the MCM Eleganté Hotel & Conference Center with doors opening at 1830 hours (that’s 6:30pm). The address is 2355 I-10 South | Beaumont, Texas 77705, which is easy to get to by taking exit 849 off of Interstate 10 if you are coming from the west into Beaumont and exit 850 if you are coming from the east into Beaumont.
We are confirming the location to serve the veteran voices in Galveston and Harris County areas this week but mark your calendar for the date of March 27, 2023. The response thus far in the veteran community locally has been tremendous with up to 100 veteran RSVP’s already!
Everyone is invited, everyone. You are invited and we certainly hope you will decide to attend.
Our panels are forming as I write, and the highly regarded and empowered guests are receiving their special invitations; our team is inviting our Congressional leadership, VA leadership (local & national), community leaders in medical care and many others to attend and participate in hearing the concerns our VIPs (veterans) raise within this professionally moderated and non-partisan forum.
Veterans’ healthcare is not a political issue and breaches party lines in that our veterans comprise a snippet of America encompassing all races, sexes, beliefs, etc. All the Constitutionally-protected traits and facets of what it means to be an American citizen. It is in this American spirit that we seek to convene to raise and discuss these important health care and legal issues that are causing our local veteran population harm, confusion and feelings of isolation and disconnection.
This has been a long time coming and I am so excited to see this outlet for veterans’ voices surface backed by the purpose of positive, actionable intervention, opening the doors to transparency and asking for measurable and active compliance to the laws surrounding the issues raised.
This forum would not be possible without two of our local veteran leaders, Mr. Buddy Farina, Texas State Council President of Vietnam Veterans of America, and Mr. Fidencio Leija, Operation Honor Our Local Veterans, Inc., both of Santa Fe. They, along with their veterans group membership, including allied leadership and members from local American Legions, Veterans of Foreign Wars, associated auxiliaries and other veteran orgs and nonprofits from across the State of Texas, are amplifying veteran voices and I want to personally thank them for doing so.
Buddy Farina served our great nation in Vietnam as a “boot on the ground” in combat warfare for the small boats division of the United States Navy. Another notable USN small boats member from WWII is none other than former President John F. Kennedy, whose diplomatic character I am often reminded of when speaking with Mr. Farina, perhaps it’s just a coincidence or maybe it’s a shared veteran trait of great worth. Buddy spends his free time in service to veterans and engages in leadership locally as a member of Vietnam Veterans of America #685 who meets monthly at the Dickinson VFW post where the group supports other veterans organizations initiatives and projects daily led by VVA 685’s President, Mr. Ernest Mathews. One of the ongoing initiatives is to share decades of knowledge and expertise by guiding younger veterans in accepting the ongoing legacy of veterans advocacy to veterans like me and veteran leaders like Mr. Fidencio Leija of Operation Honor Our Local Veterans, Inc.
Fidencio is also a USN veteran that serves the community at large in his organizational works that span from implementing “Veterans Only Parking” spots amongst Galveston County to bonafide, hands-on mentoring of younger, returning veterans in transition back to civilian life assisting them with job placement, educational goals, access and understanding of VA and Texas State veterans benefits, just to name a few of the things he does in his spare time. By day he is a busy Farmers Insurance Agent who also manages to be an active community leader civically, as well as a loved and revered husband, father, brother and friend who makes the time to listen and to care.
It is an honor to be working with these great men on the Texas Veterans Town Halls; the meetings are worthy endeavors, and our team sure hopes you’ll save the date and attend!
I’ll keep you posted!
Dorothy Meindok is The Post Newspaper’s Veterans Consultant. Ms. Meindok served her nation in the United States Navy and is currently a practicing lawyer advocating for our nation’s veterans. Her column appears on Sundays.
