2018 Texas Veterans Service Fair

A ‘NO VETERAN LEFT BEHIND’ MOMENT AT SPC: THE 2018 TEXAS VETERANS SERVICE FAIR MAKES ITS ST. PHILIP'S COLLEGE DEBUT WITH OVERWHELMING LAWMAKER, SERVICE PROVIDER AND COLLEGE SUPPORT IN MILITARY CITY U.S.A.

The innovative nonpartisan “no veteran left behind moment” veterans in Military City U.S.A. deserve unfolded over several hours under a mix of rain and shine at St. Philip’s College earlier this month. Not only did veterans in Military City, U.S.A. learn about the benefits they've earned when the first free 2018 Texas Veterans Service Fair made its St. Philip's College debut Oct. 13 at the St. Philip’s College Good Samaritan Veterans Outreach and Transition Center at 202 Connelly St., key state lawmakers provided updates as they learned more about the present and future needs of their constituents during the innovative nonpartisan event as well.

On social media, staffers of event participant The Honorable Dr. Donna Campbell, M.D., state senator and chairwoman of the senate veteran affairs and border security committee, posted an image of her with event co-hosts The Honorable Barbara Gervin-Hawkins, state representative, and St. Philip’s College President Dr. Adena Williams Loston along with the Twitter text, Had a great time speaking this morning at the Texas Veterans Service Fair hosted by @AlamoColleges1 and St. Phillip's College. God bless our veterans!. 

The number of resources at the disposal of all who attended may have overwhelmed and resembled the template for the mother of all future veteran service fairs, as the free veteran event featured more than 42 service organizations who worked in real-time with veterans in Military City, U.S.A. to identify not only the potential excellent opportunities, services and tax exemptions for which they are eligible, but all of the recently funded actives---such as the center---that are emerging best-practice resources.

Pro-veteran lawmakers and policymakers also present to serve the veterans included The Honorable José Menendez, state senator, and The Honorable Roland Gutierrez, state representative and chairman of the house defense and veterans' affairs committee. Many of the organizations participating at this fair are so vast they required three or four tables to accurately present a fraction of their in-demand services. Nearly all of the participants were evaluating their debut experience at this event to determine the level of support they will deploy and debut for future fairs, said center director William Moseley. The day was truly a no veteran left behind moment, with 216 veterans in attendance and 102 individual service providers from 42 agencies engaged to support, Moseley shared.

“This may be the first fair of its type at St. Philip’s College, but it will not be the last,” Loston said from the podium on Oct. 13. “Saturday was a great success. This first inaugural Veterans Fair was a great first step and well executed---the word is now out,” Loston emailed after the event.

Want to join the conversation on scaling up services for veterans through the St. Philip’s College Good Samaritan Veterans Outreach and Transition Center experience? Or to learn how those free top-tier services can help you or someone you might know? Email the team at spc-gsvotc@alamo.com or comment via social media at the college web page http://hdsdc.aplrealestate.com/spc. (Image courtesy Dr. Donna Campbell on Facebook)