Houston holds Veterans Day commemoration, reads mayoral proclamation and readies parade

Houston’s Veterans Day commemoration brought veterans, elected officials and community groups together for a morning program that included ceremonies, music and a mayoral proclamation recognizing 11/11/2025 as Veterans Day in Houston.

Dr. Lashundra Jones, director at the City of Houston Office of Veterans and Military Affairs, opened the program and said she advocates for roughly 300,000 veterans in the Houston region, calling attention to the city’s large veteran population. “For those of you who don't know, Houston has the largest population of veterans in The United States Of America,” Dr. Lashundra Jones said.

Tim Stroud, a former U.S. Army combat medic and the event’s master of ceremonies, outlined the program — posting of the colors by the Energized STEM Academy JROTC, the national anthem by Navy Chief Cindy Arguerra, a benediction, and music — and introduced community partners providing services to veterans at the event.

Sergeant Major Angela Menace, U.S. Marine Corps (ret.), delivered the keynote, emphasizing service, mutual support among veterans and the importance of civic engagement. “The greatest tribute we can pay to our veterans is to be active, engaged citizens who work tirelessly to build a nation worth sacrificing,” Menace said.

An elected official read a mayoral proclamation prepared by Mayor John Whitmire recognizing 11/11/2025 as Veterans Day in Houston and urging residents to honor veterans. The proclamation recited historical and local context, including the city’s veteran count and the national origins of Veterans Day.

Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia offered federal-level context and urged continued legislative attention to veterans’ pay, health care and housing. “We’ve got to support them. We’ve got to make sure they've got the pay that they need, the health care that they deserve, and the housing that they need,” Garcia said.

Event organizers highlighted local veteran-service organizations — WAVES, Camp Shield, Camp Hope, the Yellow Ribbon Fund, Combined Armed, Career Gear and the Astros Foundation — and encouraged volunteers to sign up for ongoing efforts, including Operation Turkey, which organizers said will feed roughly 13,000 Houstonians at Thanksgiving.

The ceremony included formal honors: a 21-gun salute by Alpha Company, 13th U.S. Infantry, and Taps performed by Nick Miller, followed by a benediction from Chaplain Vincent Johnson. Organizers reminded attendees that loud noises can be triggering for some veterans and noted the presence of service animals and supportive volunteers.

The program concluded with a reminder that the Veterans Day Parade would begin shortly and an invitation for the public to line the route and recognize veterans’ service. The parade and related volunteer activities were listed as the next steps at the close of the ceremony.