CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — There's a special event for veterans at the Omni Hotel. The 2024 Texas VFW Mid-Winter Conference is taking place in Corpus Christi.
VFW stands for Veteran of Foreign Wars. VFW is a non-profit veterans organization, which consists of many local chapters nationwide. More than 500 people are registered to attend the Mid-Winter Conference. However, organizers are encouraging veterans and the general public to attend.
On January 18 and 19, there will be information sessions, a job fair, training, and seminars.
To see the agenda, click here.
"That's why our motto is, no one does more for veterans. We have two service officers that work for us and they're here to provide assistance to veterans that are filing claims or having problems with claims or have appeals or just have general questions on if they should or shouldn't file a claim," said Jorg Kitchen, the State Adjutant for the VFW Department of Texas.
There will also be vendors and exhibits, including the Traveling Vietnam Wall. It's a replica smaller replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial at Washington D.C. The VFW Department of Texas says its 2024 arrival to the sparkling city by the sea, is the first time the memorial has come through Corpus Christi. Like the Washington D.C. structure, the traveling exhibit bears the names of the 58,281 men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice during the Vietnam War. The Tribute to Heroes is also being displayed at the Omni Hotel.
Kitchen said, "It puts people in touch with one part of our country that many people can't actually go and see, so this brings it to their front door."
"Our owner, he did a couple of tours in Vietnam. He's a retired, Army, Special Forces. And this is his baby. This is something that he's passionate about and so are we." Andy Owens added. Andy works with Andy Owens, the American Veterans Traveling Tribute.
Learn about American Veterans Traveling Tribute by clicking here.
The memorials are known to bring healing or closure to veterans and their families. It can also bring many emotions to veterans and families of military members.
"There are quite a few veterans who have stored away a lot of emotions and a lot of memories for many years. And if this is their first time coming into contact with that wall and the names that they know, a lot of them break down at that moment." Kitchen explained. It just brings back all the memories of the past that they have kept at bay for many years. For many of them healing moment, its a closure to something that's been an open wound for over 50 years."
Kitchen said the best time to see the exhibit at the Omni Hotel is on Thursday or Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
