Hunter Jones
Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 6073 member Gayla Sue Mendez has been recognized nationally by the VFW, being recognized for her work with Post 6073 as part of the VFW’s #StillServing campaign, spotlighting veterans still serving their community after their military service.
The #StillServing campaign launched in March 2020, quickly becoming a movement for veterans across the country to share their stories of continued service after the military.
“Veterans are the pillars of our communities,” VFW national commander Duane Sarmiento said in a statement. “Their unwavering dedication to service echoes beyond their time in the military. The VFW #StillServing campaign was launched in 2020 to acknowledge and highlight the service leadership veterans bring to our society. Now, (as we approach its fourth) year, the stories of veterans who are still serving in meaningful and impactful ways continue to pour in from around the world.”
Mendez, a Langston resident, joined the Army in 1990 and served in Korea, Belgium, Turkey and Atlanta, Georgia. During her time, Mandez stated that she was proud to serve at the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and represent America within that alliance. Mendez also served at the Center for Disease Control and Environmental Protection Agency.
“I have been a public servant my entire life and always will be but the opportunity to continue serving alongside other veterans at the VFW has been a phenomenal boost to my morale and healing. There are so many great opportunities to serve and give back to our local community that cherished and supports veterans and their families,” Mendez said in a statement.
Currently, Mendez serves as the Public Affairs Officer at Post 6073, writing articles featuring the service of other local veterans and veteran-related events. She also serves as the secretary for the board of Veterans Memorial Park of Jackson County, often being one of the guides for student tours of the park. She also serves as the lay leader and historian for her local church and represents the southeast district of the North Alabama Conference of the United Methodist Church, serving as the chairperson for their Commission for Archive and History.
People can learn more about Mandez, her fellow honored veterans and the #StillServing campaign as a whole at vfw.org/stillserving.
