Preview of the newest statue and dedication program at the Brazos Valley Veterans Memorial

This podcast is a visit with a spokesman of the Brazos Valley Veterans Memorial and WTAW alumnus Tom Turbiville and Scott DeLucia on WTAW's The Infomaniacs February 26, 2026.The Brazos Valley Veterans Memorial at College Station's Veterans Park will dedicate its newest statue on Saturday morning (February 28) at 10:30.The new statue, which honors veterans of the Mexican Border Service, is a representation of a commander in the 10th U.S. Cavalry "Buffalo Soldiers", Army major Charles Young.This is the 25th BVVM statue created by sculptor J. Payne Lara of Navasota.The keynote speaker is retired Marine captain Al Scott, who is also a retired executive with Wells Fargo Bank in Bryan/College Station.BVVM spokesman and WTAW alumnus Tom Turbiville says this is the next to last statue to be placed at the memorial. He also says there will be a special program recognizing the United States 250th birthday the morning of July 4th at 9 a.m. at the American Revolution statue. And the memorial's wall of honor, recognizing those who have served in the military, will pass 7,000 names during the annual Veterans Day program.News release from the Brazos Valley Veterans Memorial:The Brazos Valley Veterans Memorial (BVVM) will dedicate its newest statue on Saturday, Feb. 28, at 10:30 a.m. This statue, honoring veterans of the Mexican Border Service, is a representation of Major Charles Young, U.S. Army, as a commander in the 10th U.S. Cavalry “Buffalo Soldiers” in 1916. This statue is a part of the 17th memorial site along the Lynn Stuart Pathway, a half-mile trail connecting the BVVM memorials, and the 25th statue created by sculpture J. Payne Lara of Navasota for the Memorial. The dedication’s keynote remarks will be given by Captain Alfred ‘Al’ E. Scott, USMC (Ret.) Captain Scott enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps in 1974 and commissioned as an officer after graduating from Texas A&M University in 1981 with a BBA in accounting. After serving more than 20 years in the Marines, Captain Scott entered the banking industry and retired from Wells Fargo Bank as business relationship manager and vice president of Bryan/College Station and Northwest Houston locations. This dedication is the first BVVM event for the historic American 250 celebration year and coincides with the annual Black History Month. The soldier chosen to represent the conflict, Major Young, served in the U.S. Army from 1889 to 1922 after being the third Black graduate of the United States Military Academy. He commanded the 2nd Squadron of the 10th U.S. Cavalry during the 1916 Punitive Expedition by the U.S. into Mexico. He was the first Black man to achieve the rank of colonel in the U.S. Army.