May the 4th Be with You: Houston VA and Partners Unite for Epic Veteran Event
By Maureen Dyman, Communications Director
The Force was strong in Pasadena, Texas on May 4th. More than 1,000 Veterans gathered at the Pasadena Convention Center for a Star-Wars-themed benefits and career fair that was equal parts fun and life-changing….lightsabers, costumes and all.
The Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center in Houston joined forces with Combined Arms and the Work Force Solutions Gulf Coast to put on an event that connected Veterans with more than 150 employers representing a wide range of industries, all while making sure no Veteran left without knowing about the full spectrum of benefits they’ve earned.
And yes….the Houston VA’s hospital director wore a lightsaber.
Leading the Charge with a Lightsaber in Hand
Houston VA Executive Director Amir Farooqi didn’t just show up to the event. He showed up in a Star Wars t-shirt, lightsaber raised, working the floor and personally encouraging Veterans to enroll in VA healthcare.
“We are committed to partnering with the community to ensure Veterans are connected with the services they so richly deserve,” Farooqi said. “This kind of event is exactly how we fulfill that commitment…by meeting Veterans where they are and making it easy for them to access the care and benefits they’ve earned.”
For Farooqi, the fun theme carried a serious mission underneath it. The Houston VA is one of the fastest-growing VA medical centers in the country, with more than 1,000 new Veterans enrolling for care every single month. VA staff were on hand throughout the day to enroll Veterans for healthcare, assist with claims, update VA ID cards, provide toxic exposure screenings, and educate attendees about their benefits.
And the Houston VA is growing to keep pace. In March, the Houston VA opened a new outpatient clinic in Galveston, and later this month will break ground on a new facility in Rosenberg. Additional expansions are planned for Katy, Conroe, Humble, and Texas City… adding to the network of 11 community-based clinics already serving Veterans across the region.
“We are working hard to expand our reach to serve Veterans closer to where they live,” Farooqi said. “Our Veterans deserve world-class care close to home, and we’re going to keep building and expanding until every one of them has it.”
A Dad, Six Daughters, and a Brand-New Beginning
Army Veteran Nate Greene deployed to the Middle East three times in the early 2000s. These days, he’s traded his military uniform for a new mission: building a personal training business after years working in IT. He came to the fair after receiving an email invitation from the VA and said he left with far more than he expected.
“I came here today to check out what’s available,” Greene said. “I talked to the VA folks about filing a claim, signed up for VA healthcare, and learned about so many other benefits I’m eligible for. I’m so grateful…this is awesome.”
Greene, the proud father of six daughters ranging in age from 10 to 25, brought his 19-year-old daughter Elizabeth along for the day. She spent the event watching service organizations roll out the red carpet for her dad; a sight that clearly wasn’t lost on either of them.
“My dad doesn’t talk to us too much about his military service, but I know it’s important to him and that he went through a lot,” said Elizabeth. “He is my hero and it’s so nice seeing him treated like one here.”
A Welder Who Felt Right at Home
Navy Veteran Karl Kramer took a day off from his job as a welder to see what the event had to offer. What he found surprised him.
“I wanted to see what kinds of services are out there for Veterans and if there are other jobs I might like more,” Kramer said. “I found out there is a VA clinic ten minutes from my house so I signed right up! It was time well spent. I loved the camaraderie I felt walking through the door.”
That camaraderie was by design. Employers, organizers, and staff leaned fully into the Star Wars theme, costumes included, to help create an atmosphere that felt welcoming and energizing from the moment Veterans walked through the door.
A Collaboration Worthy of the Rebellion
The success of the event came down to teamwork. Combined Arms, Workforce Solutions Gulf Coast, the Texas Veterans Network, the Texas Veterans Commission, Houston VA and the more than 100 agencies and organizations in attendance each played a role in pulling off an event of this scale…and the results speak for themselves.
The 1000+ Veterans who walked through the doors of the event left with job leads, healthcare enrollments, claims information and something even harder to quantify….the feeling that their Houston community has their back.