Honorary Committee

Major General & Mrs. Bob Dees
Mr. Randy Elkins
Mr. & Mrs. Richard Filip
Mr. & Mrs. Brad Freels
Captain Greg Fremin
Mr. Don Jordan
Mr. & Mrs. Bud Simpson
Commander & Mrs. Gene Tulich

Dear Friends of Operation Military Salute:

Like you, I stand in awe of the sacrifices our veterans and our troops of today make on our behalf. We might be tempted to ask “Where would we be without them? Where would we be if our great Veterans had not gone across the beaches of Normandy, or had not raised the flag at Iwo Jima, or had not brought justice to so many others around the world who would oppress the innocent and challenge our American way of life?” Gratefully, however, we do not have to ask those questions… because our veterans and troops have always been there, always serving, always sacrificing. Hence, it is fitting and proper, it is noble, it is right to honor and salute their service.

Hence, I am honored to highlight the upcoming Operation Military Salute, a powerful symbol of community support for our military of past and present, as well as their families. This event will honor and affirm our military; it will “put steel in the backbones” of the brave men and women who serve their country in the cloth of our nation, and will restore pride in our veterans of conflicts past. As well, it will inspire our citizens to continue to support our great troops and their families. In short, it will demonstrate patriotic excellence befitting of those who have “laid it all on the line” for us and future generations.

My grandmother used to say “Many hands make light work.” So it is with Operation Military Salute. We need your hands, your help, to provide this fitting salute to our military. As one who has seen soldiers make the ultimate sacrifice on our behalf, I unashamedly ask you to sacrifice as well – perhaps time, perhaps talent, and most assuredly financial resources to undergird this noble event.
I would like to thank you in advance for your support of Operation Military Salute.

Respectfully,
Robert F. Dees
Major General
U.S. Army, Retired
2010 Recipient of “Heart of Service Award”
2011 Operation Military Salute Honorary Committee

As Co-Founder and Chairman of the Texas Sentinels Foundation, a 501 (c) (3) non-profit that provides debt-free homes to disabled soldiers in Texas, I know how important it is to honor and support our Veterans and active military personnel. As a new member of Operation Military Salute, we are honored to be among other wonderful organizations that are equally concerned with the status and condition of our active and returning heroes.

Our organization was founded in 2007 by my company RE/MAX of Texas, as my wife and co-founder Jeanne Filip and I saw an increasing need for quality, adapted housing for severely injured soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. Local volunteer teams pledge to provide mentoring and moral support, and the Sentinels pledge to use that support to reach their personal, professional and financial goals. As we set up and facilitate these Texas Sentinels Foundation Scholarships, we will measure success by the number of placements of deserving young men and women who have been accepted into this program.

It costs approximately $60,000 to $100,000 per building project to help these young warriors get the jump-start back into civilian life that they need. And the need is great, with an estimated 3,500 soldiers who are now rehabilitating in military hospitals across the United States with injuries such as amputations, blindness, deafness, paraplegia, and severe burns. Since its inception, our organization has helped organize local business leaders, builders, contractors, suppliers and concerned citizens to build homes for two Veterans, one in Canyon Lake outside San Antonio and one in Arlington. Currently, we have three active building projects taking place in Victoria, Collin County and The Woodlands.

We encourage you to join with Texas Sentinels Foundation in support of Operation Military Salute and the intricate role they play in improving the lives of so many Veterans. Proceeds generated by their activities directly benefit the quality of life for the men and women of our Armed Forces. Please join with us, along with the West Houston Chamber of Commerce, PTSD Foundation of America and others, in raising funds and community awareness of the challenges faced by these men and women who have sacrificed so much for our daily freedoms.

Sincerely,
Richard Filip
Chief Executive Officer – RE/MAX of Texas
Co-Founder & Chairman -Texas Sentinels Foundation