Homeless veterans in Houston will receive early holiday cheer courtesy of University of Houston Air Force ROTC (AFROTC) cadets.

Members of UH’s AFROTC Detachment 003 will visit veterans residing at DeGeorge at Union Station to deliver a military-style mail call and issue personalized holiday cards, as well as refreshments. Cadets will arrive at 1 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 18.

DeGeorge at Union Station is a renovated historic hotel in downtown Houston that offers 100 beds to homeless veterans. The facility is operated by U.S. VETS, a national organization dedicated to providing housing and employment assistance for homeless veterans.

UH’s AFROTC program was founded in 2003 as part of the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences. Its goal is providing its cadets the education and training necessary to become second lieutenants in the United States Air Force. This is the only college-level Air Force ROTC program in the Houston area and also serves students at Rice University, TSU, the University of St. Thomas, UH Downtown UH Clear Lake, Houston Community College, HBU and, beginning next year, San Jacinto, Alvin and Lone Star community colleges.

To date, 11 officers have been commissioned through UH AFROTC, and three more cadets are scheduled for commissioning within the next year. A minor in Air Force Leadership is offered through the university.

“This is a great opportunity for our cadets—future veterans—to thank Houston veterans for all the sacrifices they made and to brighten their holiday season,” said Col. Phil Bossert, the commander of Detachment 003. For more information on UH AFROTC Detachment 003, visit http://www.uh.edu/afrotc/. For details on U.S. VETS of DeGeorge at Union Station, visit http://www.usvetsinc.org/default.asp.

WHAT:	UH AFROTC Holiday Mail Call for Veterans
WHEN:	1 – 2 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 18
WHERE:	DeGeorge at Union Station 1418 Preston Ave.
WHO:	UH AFROTC Detachment 003, U.S. VETS