Day Two of our journey of respect for the soldiers of Deep South Texas, begins where it ended yesterday in the City of Falfurrias. The 20 marchers from yesterday has dwindled down to 15 solid soldiers. The heat today is much hotter and is truly beginning to test the endurance of these men and women. We left Falfurrias at about 9 o'clock this morning.
In that today is Sunday and most reporters don't work on Sunday, I seem to be the documentarian of the group. I took a number of photos today. One I wanted to have good pictures of general Marc Cisneros as he walked us from Falfurrias to his hometown of Premont. Second, I wanted the general public to know the really solid individuals I am walking with. As their story is about what I love and find good in the people of South Texas.
Like other days in South Texas, the police and sheriff departments have been very gracious in escorting us through and outside the cities of South Texas. The photo below has us walking through main street of Falfurrias in front of the courthouse. As the veterans march through the town everyone is honking their horns or screaming words of encouragement. A number of local veterans stop to offer us water or the use of their bathrooms in their travel trailers.
Today is definitely not yesterday as we all feel the heat. Today, someone in the chain of command decided that breaks were okay. I definitely think that that suggestion will work quite well.
As I leaned over to tell someone how proud I was of them, I learned that someone lost a bet, believing I would not be able to walk as far as Falfurrias. I took that as a compliment. My discussions with different members of the veterans march grew deeper as our length of time on the road grew.
First, I began to note that a sizable part of the group is from what we call the Delta area. In particular the town of Elsa, a small working-class town of no more than 5000 people. My father and grandfather called the city home and I am proud to represent it as part of my legislative district. Say what you want about the small little town, but it generates three things of which we are most proud: scholars, championship football teams and soldiers.
Two of my companions on today's journey are very proud of where they come from. The young Iraq war veteran who we were impressed with yesterday in jogging with a full pack on along with his young wife are on the journey. Jesus and Stephanie Bocanegra are both from Elsa and probably the youngest amongst us today. Jesus is the son of Rigo and Maria Bocanegra and they have much to be proud of in that it is rare to see such self-less commitment in individuals of any age let alone his. Age and time related illnesses are the furthest thing from their minds yet their concerns for their comrades in arms brings them forward today.
Max Belmarez is also from Elsa. Max grew up with my twin uncles. He is now retired from the military. Max who carried a flag at the front of the group is a good example of the quiet determination exhibited by these soldiers to improve their community.
They understand that South Texas generates a huge number of this country's fighting men. Disproportionately, our young Hispanic soldiers are spending time in the infantry. As General Marc Cisneros informed me today the Hispanic soldier from World War II generated more medal of honor winners than any other group. Yet, politics, as he sees it has kept our patriotic community from having "reasonable" access to a VA hospital.
Jose Maria Vasquez, also from Elsa, and his grandson are shown here. Jose is the commander of the Last patrol and one of the key organizers of this walk. He tells me that a previous walk occurred in the mid-eighties and he did this in part to honor that walk while at the same time call attention to the Valley's lack of access to medical care for our veterans.
One of the persons who participated in that 1985 walk to San Antonio was Rep. Juan Escobar who will speaking to us tonight as the soldiers bed down for a well deserved rest.
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