Veterans group to hold its state convention in Waco this weekend

By Regina Dennis

A veterans organization that focuses on Hispanic veterans’ rights will hold its annual state conference in Waco this weekend.

The American GI Forum’s 61st annual state conference runs today through Sunday at the Waco Hilton. The event will highlight issues facing veterans and discuss work the organization hopes to accomplish in the future.

Manny Sustaita, president of the McLennan County AGIF chapter and chairman of the conference, said one subject of particular interest is the new GI Bill that goes into effect in August. The bill offers increased educational benefits to veterans who served in Afghanistan and Iraq and may allow veterans to transfer those benefits to their children.

Push for hospital

The conference also will focus on the organization’s statewide efforts to convince the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to build a veterans hospital in Southeast Texas. Sustaita said the group has been working alongside other veteran service organizations pushing for a hospital in that region, which he said has been a heavy recruitment ground for many military branches.

“If it’s a good area to recruit people, it’s a good area to keep in mind the needs of those recruits when they become full-fledged veterans, and a VA hospital and medical treatment is one of those needs,” Sustaita said.

The conference will feature a free Veterans Benefits and Health Care Outreach fair from 9 a.m. to noon Friday and Saturday and booths of veterans groups.

“We want to be able to educate veterans, especially new veterans, about what benefits they are entitled to and to give them instruction about how to file a claim and present evidence for the claim, because the process can be strenuous,” said Steve Hernandez, McLennan County veterans coordinator and treasurer of the local AGIF chapter.

AGIF was founded in 1948 by Dr. Hector P. Garcia, a Mexican immigrant and World War II veteran who fought to ensure that Hispanic veterans receive the full rights and benefits owed to them by the VA. Garcia, a Corpus Christi native who headed the local League of United Latin American Citizens chapter, established AGIF as he became more involved in discrimination cases against Hispanic veterans.

“Dr. Garcia has been one of my heroes,” Sustaita said. “I learned when I was younger about his story and his work being a veterans advocate. He was one of my role models, and now I’m a veterans advocate locally.”

On May 30, Gov. Rick Perry signed into law a bill mandating a state holiday to honor Garcia the third Wednesday each September. Sustaita said the milestone will be highlighted throughout the conference.

“The AGIF has lobbied for that to happen for a number of years, so this is a cause for a big celebration in honor of founder Dr. Garcia,” Sustaita said. “Some of his family members will also be here for the state conference.”

Lecture on leader

“The Hector P. Garcia Story,” a lecture about Garcia’s life and activism, will be held at 3:30 p.m. Saturday at Baylor University’s Hankamer School of Business in conjunction with the conference. The free public event features presentations by Dr. Thomas Kreneck, associate director for special collections and archives at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, which holds Garcia’s papers and correspondence.

Another Corpus Christi native will also receive a special honor at the conference. U.S. Rep. Chet Edwards, D-Waco, will be honored at the Commander’s Banquet: Vets & Friends Salute to Chet on Saturday night. Brig. Gen. Peter Atkinson, the deputy commanding general of III Corps at Fort Hood, will introduce Edwards at the program.

“It is a privilege to work alongside the GI Forum to improve health care and benefits for America’s veterans,” Edwards said. “I am grateful for the opportunity to address the state convention and feel humbled to be recognized for my work in Congress.”

Close quarters

Edwards grew up on the same block as Garcia in Corpus Christi and lived only four houses away from Garcia and his family. He credits Garcia with inspiring him to pursue a career as a public servant.

“Dr. Garcia was an inspiration to me because he stood tall for veterans and the benefits they have earned through service to country,” Edwards said. “His life’s commitment to the cause of civil rights greatly influenced me in my youth and played an important role in my entering public service. It was an honor to call him my friend and mentor.”

The banquet also will have as special guests the families of Army Spc. Jeffrey Shaffer, Marine Gunnery Sgt. John Fry, Marine Lance Cpl. Johnny Strong and Army Spc. Javier Villanueva. The men were McLennan County residents killed in Iraq.

Hernandez said he hopes the conference will help increase outreach to veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan as they transition back to civilian life.

“These guys are going to be coming back by the thousands, and we need to understand that their transition is going to be difficult and how this will impact us locally,” Hernandez said.

rdennis@wacotrib.com