CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Kate Rippert admits that she is not a veteran.
She is, however, someone who loves and cares for so many of them in her family.
“I call myself veteran adjacent,” said Rippert with a laugh. “I never served, but my great-great-grandfather served at Gettysburg for three days, and all over the Civil War.
Rippert was raised to honor those who sacrificed their lives for our freedom. It's one of the reasons she gladly accepted a position with the non-profit groupMilitary VIP. It’s a perfect way for her to give back to those who did so much.
The group's latest project is one that allows families and friends to remember a military hero in their life. The first Coastal Bend Field of Honor will take place on Veterans Day, Nov. 11, on a 14-acre plot of land at theRichard M. Borchard Fairgrounds.
For a $50 donation, Rippert and others will post a large flag, on your behalf, with the names and service information of the member of the Armed Forces that you want to be recognized and celebrated.
"It's gonna be amazing," she said. "It's going to be stunning.”
The field will be illuminated at night for three weeks, she said.
It’s a win-win event, too, because Rippert said donations to help remember these veterans will be pumped right back into Coastal Bend veteran-service organizations (VSOs).
Rippert is all-in.
She already donated money that will cover the cost of eight flags in honor of every one of her family members who served in uniform.
“Hopefully, it'll take off and inspire other people,” she said.
The Coastal Bend Field of Honor event is similar to the annual Warriors Weekend Field of Honor event in Victoria, where over 3,000 flags transform a field into a huge swath of red, white and blue.
