Veteran’s Day Parade coming soon

Bits and pieces this week. First, you may be interested to know that beginning in the new year, veterans with a service-connected disability rating from zero to 90 percent will be authorized on-base exchange and commissary shopping privileges. You must have a VA-issued Veteran Health Identification Card to gain access. If you do not reside near a military installation, you can shop online at the four military exchanges. Search for stores at ShopMy-Exchange, Marine Corps Exchange, Navy Exchange and Coast Guard Exchange. One hundred percent disabled veterans already have access because they are issued military identification cards.

DOD has announced that $3.6 Billion will be diverted from 125 military construction projects in both the U.S. and overseas to fund 11 fencing and barrier projects along the southern U.S. border. Among the projects that will lose their funding includes schools, dining and maintenance facilities, upgrades to flight line infrastructure and upgrades to ballistic missile defense infrastructure.

Locally, be on the lookout for Veterans Day activities around Nov. 11, in Navasota. Plans are being made and will be announced soon. Among those plans is the usual Veterans Day Parade. Any person or group, wishing to be in the parade this year, please contact Alex Zaragoza, 936-825-3666 for details. All organizations such as Lions, Knights of Columbus, city mayors, and/or individuals are welcome.

Also, Jan. 11, 2020, Grimes County Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 4006 will be celebrating its’ Diamond (75th) Anniversary. Plans for a blockbuster evening are being made. Seating will be limited and will be by invitation only. You will be asked to RSVP by Dec. 1, so that any persons or group that cannot attend, can be replaced. If you have not given the VFW your reservations by that date, you will be dropped from this list and will not be allowed in for dinner and program. As stated before, there is limited seating available. Watch for details in The Examiner and here.

As always, we thank you for your service and ask God’s blessings upon Texas and the USA.

Carl Dry is a Korean War veteran, a former Grimes County Veterans Service Officer and the current VFW Post 4006 Commander.