Today we’d like to introduce you to Michael Cervantes Hernandez. They and their team shared their story with us below:
Michael Hernandez was raised in San Marcos, TX. Michael attended the local San Marcos public schools, graduating from San Marcos High School in 2005. Finally receiving his grandfather’s approval to join the military, Michael enlisted in the US Army in 2008. Michael attended Army Infantry school at Fort Benning, Georgia, and completed Army medic training in April 2008. Shortly after finishing training, Michael married the love of his life, Jennifer.
In the fall of 2008, Michael was assigned to the infamous 1st Armored Division, 1-37 armored battalion, which has a history of a long tradition of valor, excellence, and aggressiveness stretching from World War II to the Gulf War. Michael was assigned to Charlie Company, 2nd platoon, as their line medic and deployed to northern Iraq to support Operation Iraqi Freedom for almost a year. During his deployment, Michael received the combat medic badge for providing care while engaging with the enemy. During his deployment, Michael re-enlisted to be assigned at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, TX, to be closer to his grandfather, Mike Cervantes, who suffered from many terminal illnesses related to his agent orange exposure in Vietnam. During his assignment to the San Antonio Military Center, formerly Brooke Army Medical Center, he was assigned to the emergency room, where he participated in over 1,000 priority 1 traumas. In 2013, SGT Hernandez was medically retired from injuries sustained during deployment, including medical conditions related to his burn pit exposure.
Since retiring from the US Army in 2013, with encouragement and support from his wife, Jennifer, Michael attended San Antonio College in 2015, attaining an associate of arts in 2017, then transferring to Texas State University, where he attained a Bachelor of Science in sociology in 2019. Michael is pursuing a master’s degree in Sociology at Texas State University. Michael has been a Veteran Service Officer since 2017, serving as a VSO for Guadalupe County, then accepted a position with the Texas Veterans Commission. As a Claims Benefit Advisor, Michael created the first state claims office in Guadalupe County. Michael joined the Hays County Veteran Services Office in 2019 and is currently the Senior Assistant Veteran Service Officer.
2019 Michael received the Seguin Gazette’s Citizen of the Year award due to his advocacy within the veteran community. Michael has recently attained additional Veteran Affairs accreditation from the National Association of County Veteran Service Officers to aid Veterans and their families, which are currently only 1,700 nationwide. In 2023, he created a partnership with the Veteran Affair’s HUD-VASH department and Hays County, which now provides housing vouchers for eligible homeless veterans in the Hays County community.
Michael currently serves the veteran community in many capacities and collaborates with many Veteran Service Organizations. Michael is a VFW Life member of Post #3413 and the current Post Service Officer, Chair of the Veteran Affairs Advisory Committee for the city of San Marcos, TX, and an appointed member of the Texas Veteran Commission’s County Veteran Service Officer Advisory Committee, where he also serves as chair. Michael is also an advocate of mental health and is certified as a suicide first responder and has reignited the services provided by the Samaritan Center and the Austin VA Vet Center, bringing a counselor from each organization to Hays County to provide mental health services to veterans and their families. Michael believes words are from the lips and actions are from the heart. He strives to advocate for a better future for all veterans and their families.
We all face challenges, but would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
My transition from the military was not easy, and I feel I had a typical veteran experience. I was medically retired and needed to be adequately informed about my benefits and how they would affect me, both negatively and positively, in the future. As military community representatives, we must educate the veteran community about what is available to them. Many veterans and their families must be aware of the potentially life-changing benefits. When leaving the service, my first turn for my mental health was to turn to veteran groups for therapy. I enjoy fly fishing, scuba diving, kayaking, and hiking. Luckily, I was fortunate to be around many veteran organizations that offered these opportunities to veterans and their families.
Let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Currently, I am the Senior Veteran Services Officer at our office. My role as a VSO is to assist veterans and their eligible dependents with accessing military benefits at all government levels, including non-profits.
I specialize in VA disability compensation claims and appeals. I am accredited by the Texas Veterans Commission and the National Association of County Veteran Service Officers to represent Veterans and their eligible dependents. I often collaborate with state and federal agencies to stay current on the changing Veteran Affairs law and policies. This is important to navigate the VA properly and continue providing superior services our veterans deserve. Also, think of our office as a one-stop shop for military information. If I don’t have the proper answer for you, I will connect you with the representative that does. Often I find that the military community struggles with clear communication channels, so this is one thing I ensure to focus on when assisting.
In 2020, I reignited the partnership with the Hays County Veteran Services Office and The Samaritan Center, bringing a counselor to Hays County to provide up to 8 free sessions of mental health services to veterans and their families. It was needed, especially with the global events at the time. I have also been fortunate to be part of one of 12 county offices in Texas that has a financial assistance program for veterans and their eligible dependents. Since the creation of the program in 2019, the program has provided over $300,000 in financial assistance.
What sets us apart from any office is we care. We treat every person who comes into our office as an equal. You are not a number; you have a name, feelings, and a story worth hearing. You may come into our office with a simple question, but we care for the Veteran 360. I am also fortunate to work with some brilliant and talented individuals who are just as dedicated to providing superior services as I am.
I always tell my clients. “Your tax dollars have already paid for my services; you might as well get your money’s worth.” Comical but true. I am here for them.
What matters most to you? Why?
What matters to me most is my family. Without my wife, I would not be who I am today. She has been through every step of my journey, as we were married at ages 20 and 19. She has picked me up when I have fallen and has always been my biggest fan, often putting me before her. Through her, I have become a better husband, man, leader, and community advocate. We make a great team, and I am fortunate to have her as my life partner. Being a good person is also very important to me. Nobody is perfect, but one smile can improve a person’s whole day. Be kind to others; you never know what struggles they are facing.
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Picture 5: VFW Post #3413 educates the youth about the US flag ceremony
