[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 51 (Friday, March 22, 2024)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E282-E283]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     HONORING TONY ``DOC'' FUENTES

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JOAQUIN CASTRO

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, March 22, 2024

  Mr. CASTRO of Texas. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in honor of Tony 
``Doc'' Fuentes, a San Antonio native who has dedicated his life to 
placing the needs of others before his own. His giving spirit 
represents the best of our city of San Antonio.
  When Mr. Fuentes graduated from South San High School in 1970, he 
knew that his family would be unable to bear the burden of college 
tuition. Seeking another way to honor his family and to serve others, 
Mr. Fuentes enlisted in the U.S. Army. He was deployed to Southeast 
Asia the following year, where he was assigned to the 24th Evacuation 
Hospital in Long Binh, Vietnam. While there, Mr Fuentes volunteered for 
a front-line medevac unit to help transport soldiers who were wounded 
on the front lines.
  After his time in the service, Mr. Fuentes returned to San Antonio 
and was taken under the wing of Lt. Col. Hector Villarreal, who became 
his mentor and provided Mr. Fuentes with the support needed to fully 
``return home.'' Shortly before Lt. Col. Villarreal passed away in 
2020, he designated Mr. Fuentes as his successor to lead the San 
Antonio Coalition for Veterans and Families, an organization dedicated 
to helping San Antonio's veterans through difficult times. He stepped 
into the role in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, with a surge of 
veterans seeking assistance. Since then, the San Antonio Coalition for 
Veterans and Families has expanded its scope and operations every year 
to help even more veterans and their families with basic needs and 
emergency support.
  Mr. Speaker, please join me in recognizing the honorable achievements 
of Mr. Tony ``Doc'' Fuentes. His efforts have led to increased support 
systems for San Antonio's

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veterans and their families, and he is a testament to the idea that a 
medic's commitment to his soldiers is one that never ends. May God 
bless Mr. Fuentes, his wife Cynthia, their children, grandchildren, and 
great grandchild today and for all their years to come.

                          ____________________