BELLMEAD, Texas (KXXV) — The City of Bellmead has been honored by the Texas Veterans Commission with the 2024 Small Government Entity of the Year Award for its commitment to hiring military veterans across multiple city departments.
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The recognition highlights Bellmead's success in employing 10 veterans throughout various departments, creating a workplace culture that values military experience and service.
Patrol Sergeant Cole Baack, who has served with the Bellmead Police Department for nearly six years after his Air Force service, exemplifies the city's veteran hiring initiative.
"I'm grateful for the opportunity to work here and I'm glad that they hired other veterans," Baack said.
The transition from military to civilian service has been smooth for several of Bellmead's veteran employees.
"Just hang up one uniform and put on another...and you get to serve your community now instead of your country," Baack said.
City officials recognized the unique skills and dedication that veterans bring to municipal work.
"It's really a proud moment for the city," assistant city manager Karen Evans said.
Evans explained the city's proactive approach to veteran recruitment began in 2023 when searching for director positions.
"In 2023, we were searching for some director positions, and I knew due to my experience with my brother when he retired from the Air Force, how there's a lot of skill set in the veteran community and how they need to be reached out to because they don't always know how to come to the government agencies," Evans said.
Detective Jesse Harker, a Marine Corps veteran who transitioned into policing, highlighted the benefits of working alongside fellow veterans.
"Working with other veterans is actually pretty beneficial. We can all kind of joke about the same experiences in themselves as far as what we went through," Detective Harker said.
In the Public Works Department, veteran James Bell, who served in the Army and on a naval aircraft carrier, echoed the positive workplace dynamic.
"It's pretty good, and I mean, we're like-minded, got cool stories to tell people," Bell said.
Bell emphasized the reliability that veterans bring to their civilian roles.
"We're gonna show up, we're going to do our best, you can count on us," Bell said.
Sergeant Baack believes veterans are eager to contribute their skills in civilian careers.
"I think we're willing to get back into the workforce and do what we know how to do," Baack said.
The City of Bellmead is currently hiring for several positions, including a communications operator and a maintenance worker. Applications can be submitted through the city's website.
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