Commissioners move along with Purple Heart designation

The Hays County Commissioners Court received a presentation by the Military Order of the Purple Heart Chapter 1919 during its meeting on May 31.

The commissioners previously declared Hays County as a Purple Heart County in early February. Tuesday’s presentation saw the county taking the next steps with the designation.

Jim Bracken, former commander for the Military Order for the Purple Heart Chapter 1919 went before the court to speak about what being a Purple Heart County means.

“Men and women of the armed forces as well as men and women of the first responder and the emergency management department, they respond to critical incidents or they're in combat situations all the time, and they provide of themselves, some things that are immeasurable,” Bracken said. “Whether it's a physical injury, a moral injury, a, what we call a closed injury, a brain injury, but they respond and they give of themselves and the service of our country, of our community and to protect our freedoms and our way of life.”

Bracken further explained the significance of having signage and designations around the county to recognize Hays as a Purple Heart County.

“The idea is that for a moment, for ten seconds, in the conscious or unconscious mind of that driver or that passenger who sees this, they remember all of those who gave everything or a lot of themselves in order to protect their way of life, that's the point,” Bracken said.

Bracken spoke of how many neighboring counties have also passed proclamations and designations recognizing veterans, while other businesses and organizations have become Purple Heart entities to show support for veterans.

“Memorial Day weekend in the United States is not about a mattress sale or a inventory reduction sale or a $10,000 rebate from your dealership and for a car. It's about the men and women who have died in service of their country, that's what it's about,” Bracken said. “So I'm going to ask everyone in Hays County, especially the court, and the public that's viewing today, to remember on Monday, Memorial Day, there are people that are in cement graveyards and laden with their brothers and sisters in arms because they believed in our freedom, in our way of life.”

Following Bracken, Ernie Banasau, former Chapter 1919 Commander, also spoke of the significance of Memorial Day and told the court a story of how he lost a close friend in combat a day after Banasau himself was wounded. Banasau then presented the court with a special canvas photo of his Purple Heart.

“I do want to thank you for letting us and giving us the opportunity to get you added to the Purple Heart County register,” Banasau said.

Hays County Judge Ruben Becerra and Precinct 4 Commissioner Walt Smith thanked Bracken and Banasau for their presentation. Smith then gave direction to staff in regards to designated signage for wounded veterans and Purple Heart recipients around the county.

“I would like to direct staff to get us a listing of each one of the facilities, that will give us a known entity as far as how many signs we would be able to or we would be able to establish those parking spaces at each of the facilities along with or give direction to our transportation department to try to designate, figure out exactly what county and state roadways entering the county would need the signage presented here today and ask them to bring that back to us, and it's at that point we can go ahead and try to find the funding for that signage and establish the designations,” Smith said.

For the complete Commissioners Court meeting and agenda, visit hayscountytx.com/commissioners-court/courtvideo.