AUSTIN — Today, Land Commissioner and Veterans Land Board (VLB) Chairwoman Dawn Buckingham, M.D. is honored to announce the first installment of the VLB "Continued Service Series." The Texas General Land Office (GLO) and the VLB started this initiative with the goal of highlighting members of the Texas Legislature who are Veterans of the Armed Forces.

Through detailed interviews, the GLO and VLB will help Veterans share the incredible stories of their military careers, how the Texas Legislature is working to support our Veterans, advice for fellow Veterans, and much more.

"As citizens of this great state and nation who benefit every day from the freedom won and preserved by the selfless sacrifices of our courageous Veterans, there is always more we can do to spotlight their service as military members and leaders in our communities," said Commissioner Buckingham. " The 'Continued Service Series' provides a unique window into the lives of our Veterans who have gone on to serve their communities as elected officials in the Texas Legislature. By shining a light on the work of these incredible Veterans, this initiative will help Texans appreciate and honor them for their unwavering service."

In the "Continued Service Series," Texas State Representative Ray Lopez offered wise advice to military men and women, "Be true to yourself. You don't have to convince anyone how honest you are – it'll show. You don't have to convince anyone how hard you work – it'll show. If you wind up through your entire experiences in life letting people know that you did your best, what more can you ask for?"

Watch Representative Lopez's full interview by clicking the image below.

State Representative Ray Lopez of the 125th District, San Antonio, Texas served in the Army Reserve for 14 years, was elected to the North Side Independent School District’s Board of Trustees, and served on the San Antonio City Council where he represented the people of Council District 6 for four consecutive terms. He was elected to 86th Texas Legislature in March of 2019 to serve House District 125, which has over 170,000 residents. Rep. Lopez has a long history of championing Veterans, seniors, public education and working families in Texas.

The "Continued Service Series" is a separate initiative from the VLB's Voices of Veterans program. Any Veteran interested in including his or her story in the Voices of Veterans oral history program should contact the VLB at 512-475-1248.