We are an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) section 501(C)(3) nonprofit organization founded in Killeen, Texas on January 2, 2018. The IRS further classified our organization as a public charity under the Internal Revenue Code (IRC) 170(b)(1)(A)(vi). Together, everyone achieves more!
By: Anthony V. Martinez, President & Executive Director, American Veterans Mission
Happy Mother’s Day to all the women whose love, strength, and sacrifice have shaped our lives in ways we can never fully repay.
Today, I’m reflecting on the mothers who have influenced my own journey. My mom has always been a steady presence in my life. Her quiet strength, patience, and resilience continue to ground me in ways I didn’t fully understand until I became an adult. The kind of love she gives isn’t loud or showy. It is steady, reliable, and full of purpose. It is leadership in its most personal form.
Through my work with the American Veterans Mission, I’ve also met many other incredible mothers. Some have worn the uniform, others have held down the homefront while their loved ones served, and many have done both. They have raised children through hardship, led their families through uncertainty, and given back to their communities while carrying invisible burdens. Their strength is unmatched.
Motherhood is a form of leadership that often goes unrecognized. Yet it changes lives, builds character, and leaves a lasting legacy. As Abraham Lincoln once said, “All that I am, or hope to be, I owe to my angel mother.” That quote rings true for so many of us.
To every mom reading this: thank you. Your love matters. Your work matters. You matter.
Wishing you rest, joy, and deep appreciation today and every day.
American Veterans Mission is proud to help distribute complimentary tickets to MAM JAM 2025, a special event in honor of Military Appreciation Month.
Event Details: 🎤 Headliner: Dan + Shay 🎸 Also featuring: Redferrin & Carter Faith 📅 Date: Saturday, May 17, 2025 🕕 Doors Open: 6:00 PM | Show Starts: 7:00–7:30 PM 📍 Location: H-E-B Center at Cedar Park (Indoor) 🎟️ Ticket Value: Complimentary (valued at $95 each) 🔞 Note: This is an adults-only (18+) event
American Veterans Mission has limited complimentary tickets available for veterans, active-duty service members, and military families (adults only) in Central Texas. These tickets are being distributed directly, especially to those without access to an online ticketing platform.
If you already use VetTix, tickets are also available through their system.
To request tickets: Email [email protected] with your name, contact info, and the number of requested tickets. Let’s unite as a community to honor and celebrate those who serve.
On the evening of May 5, 2025, Killeen Volunteers Inc. (KVI), with participation from the American Veterans Mission, hosted an inspiring ceremony to honor the dedicated individuals who received the prestigious President’s Volunteer Service Award (PVSA).
This annual event celebrates the tireless efforts of volunteers who have gone above and beyond to impact our community positively. The ceremony was filled with powerful moments of recognition, reflecting the unwavering commitment to service that defines the spirit of volunteerism in Killeen.
Congratulations to all of the PVSA recipients! Your contributions to our community continue to shape a better, stronger future for everyone. Whether through hands-on volunteering, leadership, or community outreach, your work exemplifies the best of what it means to serve others. We are incredibly proud to recognize your accomplishments and to be part of your journey.
Please take a moment to browse through the photo highlights from the evening and join us in celebrating these outstanding individuals who inspire us all. Their dedication reminds us that volunteerism is the heartbeat of a thriving community, and together, we achieve more.
We look forward to seeing the lasting impact of your efforts and continuing this vital work side by side in the future. Thank you to everyone who attended, volunteered, and supported this year’s PVSA ceremony.
A message from our President and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Anthony Martinez:
“Last month, I had the distinct privilege of serving as the guest speaker for the Alpha Alpha Alpha (Tri-Alpha) Honor Society induction ceremony at Texas A&M University–Central Texas. It was an evening filled with inspiration, pride, and a deep sense of community as we came together to recognize the remarkable achievements of first-generation college students.
The challenges, sacrifices, and resilience required by first-generation students to forge a path in higher education without a blueprint are immense, and it was incredible to witness so many students proudly accepting their certificates alongside supportive faculty, friends, and family members.
The Tri-Alpha Honor Society plays a crucial role in celebrating and uplifting these stories, providing recognition, a sense of belonging, and affirmation to those blazing their own trails. I am grateful to have been part of this occasion and to share a message about the importance of perseverance, mentorship, and community in shaping our futures.
A special thank you to the Tri-Alpha chapter leadership for the warm invitation and the vital work you do on behalf of first-gen students. With these leaders rising in our academic and professional communities, the future is in good hands.
Opportunities like this remind me why I remain passionate about education and mentorship. The power of a single supportive conversation, a moment of recognition, or an encouraging word can be life-changing, and it’s up to all of us to extend those moments to the next generation.
Congratulations to the newest Tri-Alpha inductees! Your hard work and courage are inspiring.”
It’s that special time of year again—Rudy’s “Country Store” and Bar-B-Q® is kicking off its annual Camo “Cup for a Cause” campaign!
This campaign, which starts May 1st and runs through the entire month, supports military-focused charities, including Operation Homefront.
Throughout May, Rudy’s “Country Store” and Bar-B-Q will serve large drinks in its signature Camo Cups and invite guests to donate just $1. As a thank-you, every guest who donates will receive a coupon for a FREE 32-ounce drink to enjoy on their next visit!
Funds raised through this campaign will directly support Operation Homefront and the incredible programs for which you generously volunteer your time!
Please help us spread the word by inviting your family and friends to stop by, enjoy some mouthwatering barbecue, and support a great cause!
Spring in Germany, circa 2011. Photo credit: Derek Ricke
Spring is a time of renewal in many traditions, bringing us fresh blossoms, new life, and new opportunities. As a veteran, I could write all day about the pain I’ve been through in my life, and I’m sure you could write even longer still. Today, I spent a significant part of my day crying over friends and family lost and rejoicing in the friends and family I still have with us here today. I cried some of those tears for my father, who, like most fathers, would be crying to know that he brought me such sadness. No doubt 10,000 fathers before him cried with us for much the same reason. It was an interesting thought. Anyone watching would just see a grown man crying for no particular reason.
Anyone who knows me well would likely have come to any of a number of assumptions of why I might be crying. Anyone who’s been paying attention to the news might make other assumptions. Certainly, I have emotions related to those things as well–but it is over those we’ve left behind that I cry today. My brothers and sisters in arms. Some of them are aunts and uncles who’ve lived good lives, perhaps not as good as they could have been, or perhaps better because of it.
I’ve always told anyone who asked that I got more out of the Army than I put into it, and I gave plenty. There’s much more to those words than even I realized when I said them. The structured regimens of the Army ensure that to be generally true, so long as you learned to play by the Army’s rules. In my ten years since leaving the Army, I’ve learned this to be true of the rest of the world as well.
The key to happiness in this world is simply to find the place where the rules line up with your values and do your best. I’ve found a few places like that. Most of them were volunteering in some fashion or another. I’m currently working to finish a PhD in Business, that I might find a school willing to let me help students to find the place where the rules best match their values, so that they might flourish upon this world. I don’t really need a PhD for that, but it’s fun. It’s the way that I’ve found my own way to open up to the world and be what I can be. My experience in project management helps — everyone loves the idea of getting things done. Yet, too few spend sufficient time questioning whether what they’re trying to get done will actually create the results they are hoping to attain.
Even I feel somewhat foolish in my efforts to pursue that PhD. I do believe it will open doors for me. I don’t believe it will increase my salary in any meaningful way. I honestly don’t care whether letters appear behind my name or in front of it. The main draw for me is that it is a path to give back unto the world that has given me so much. The idea of creating and disseminating knowledge and information has been central to not only my entire career but my entire life.
My request to you who read this passage, is to find your path to do the same — you have so much to offer the world, and spring is the best time to reflect on what that might be, what sacrifices might be needed to achieve it, and how to earn a living in the process. I know you can do it. If you need help, ask someone. Whether you are a veteran or not, whether you are struggling or thriving, if you don’t think you have someone, find someone. Find me. Find yourself. Find your path. Find your renewal.
About the Author: Derek Ricke is a U.S. Army veteran and a member of the West Point Class of 2004.
A message from the American Veterans Mission’s President and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Anthony V. Martinez:
“I am deeply honored and humbled to have been recognized as a Distinguished Alumnus by the Texas A&M University-Central Texas Alumni Association in September [2024], alongside Mr. Abdul Subhani and the late Lieutenant General (Retired) Pete Taylor. This recognition is more than a milestone—it’s a powerful reminder of my responsibility to serve and uplift my local community.
The Distinguished Alumni Award honors individuals who have made a significant impact through their profession, industry, community, or public service. I am incredibly grateful to be part of such an inspiring alumni network and extend my heartfelt thanks to the Alumni Association for this incredible honor.
I also want to take a moment to honor the legacy of Lieutenant General (Retired) Pete Taylor, whose leadership and contributions continue to inspire. The Alumni Association has shared our stories in this video: 📽️ Watch here.
As of January 1, 2025, certain states, including Arkansas, Illinois, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas, and Wisconsin, have moved to the West Region under TRICARE’s new regional contracts. If you live in one of these six states, please take note of the following:
What You Need to Know:
If you pay for your TRICARE coverage using a bank electronic funds transfer, credit card, or debit card, you must now securely provide your recurring payment information to TriWest Healthcare Alliance, the West Region contractor.
Important Deadline:
You must update your payment information with TriWest before February 28 to avoid being disenrolled (retroactive to Jan. 1).
Who Needs to Take Action? TRICARE Prime, Select, Young Adult, Reserve Select, Retired Reserve.
Who Does NOT Need to Take Action? TRICARE For Life, The US Family Health Plan, and TRICARE health plans.
If any updates apply to you, contact TriWest immediately to ensure your coverage continues without disruption.
For more details, please review this TRICARE Newsroom article at TRICARE Newsroom. Thank you for your attention to this critical matter!
The American Veterans Mission is pleased to announce that the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has accepted our renewal filing for Section 8 of the Trademark Act, 15 U.S.C. §1058. This acceptance secures our right to use our federally registered trademark (logo) for an additional ten years. This achievement reinforces our status as a recognized and vetted nonprofit corporation under Internal Revenue Code Section 501(c)(3) in Texas, and we remain fully committed to our mission.
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