BRYAN, Texas (KRHD) — Veterans and their loved ones gathered at Veterans Park to honor 144 new names added to the Brazos Valley Veterans Memorial Wall of Honor during this year's ceremony.
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The memorial, chartered in 2000, now features more than 6,900 names on its Wall of Honor, each representing a veteran's story of service.
"I like to say that this is the place where duty, honor, and country meet the pursuit of happiness," said Steve Beachy, a Brazos Valley Veterans Memorial board member.
Beachy emphasized the significance of each name on the wall.
"We have almost 7,000 names on the wall now, and each of those names represents a story, and the stories are all very different and some greater magnitude than others, but they all represent somebody that took the oath, wore the cloth, and served their country," Beachy said.
The ceremony's highlight was the roll call of the 144 new names. When each name is read, the veteran stands and answers "here" if present, or a friend, family member or coworker stands in their place.
This year featured one family with particularly strong representation on the wall.
"We've got one last name that'll be called tonight that have, I believe, 7 veterans with that last name that are going to be called, so they obviously invested in this and we're glad they did," said Tom Turbiville, another board member.
The memorial is already accepting names for next year's ceremony. Veterans have until August 15, 2026, to submit their information through the memorial's website for inclusion on Veterans Day 2026.
"Everything is there - the form to fill out, how you can pay and it's all there," Turbiville said.
He added, "Just go to the website, that's it."
The Brazos Valley Veterans Memorial also features the "Never Forget Garden" and the History Trail, which includes memorial sites from every American conflict and war.
For more information about the Brazos Valley Veterans Memorial, go to bvvm.org
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