Commission for Veterans

and Military Families

December 2025 Newsletter

Warm Holiday Greetings to You and Yours from the CVMF!

As the holiday season approaches, we extend our warmest wishes to all veterans and military families for a safe and joyful time of celebration.

As chairman of the Calvert County Commission for Veterans and Military Families, I am proud to acknowledge the strong and continued support our communities show for those who have served.

Calvert County remains a remarkable place to live, united in its dedication to our veterans and military families.

~CVMF Chairman, Patricia McCoy

Sincere gratitude goes to all who made the recent Veterans Breakfast at Bulrushes Breakfast and Lunch Café in Prince Frederick a meaningful and memorable event.

The breakfast was generously sponsored by Stallings-Williams American Legion Post 206 of Chesapeake Beach, with additional support from the Sea Cadets and the Calvert High School football team. Their contributions helped create a warm and welcoming space for the veterans in attendance.

Next Commission for Veterans and

Military Families (CVMF) Meeting

When: Jan. 7, 2026, 5-6:30 p.m.

There is no December meeting.

Where: Community Resource Building, 30 Duke St., Suite 105, Prince Frederick

Meetings are open to the public.

Find current and past CVMF agendas online.

REMINDER: CVMF meetings now take place on the first Wednesday of every month.

CVMF Outings

Pat McCoy and Jacqueline Turnboo represented the commission at the Calvert Pines Senior Center Veterans Day celebration last month. The event featured a breakfast generously donated by IHOP, three Quilts of Valor presentations and a performance by Voices of Valor.

Thank you to everyone who joined in showing support to our local heroes!

Pillars of Strength Scholarship

for Caregivers

The University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC) is proud to offer the annual Pillars of Strength Scholarship Program, which provides full scholarships for caregivers of servicemembers and veterans who are wounded, injured or ill.

This program honors the exceptional dedication of caregivers and supports them in pursuing career-focused undergraduate or graduate degrees.

Here is what you need to know about the scholarship:

Applications are open from Nov. 11, 2025 to April 30, 2026.
The scholarship covers full cost of tuition, fees and course-required resources.
The program is administered by UMGC and the Blewitt Foundation, in partnership with the National Military Family Association.

Submit your applications by April 30, 2026 to www.umgc.edu/pillarsapp, and send any questions or information requests to PillarsofStrength@umgc.edu.

Housing Success Stories

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced it permanently housed 51,936 homeless veterans in fiscal year 2025 —the highest number in seven years and 4,011 more than the previous fiscal year.

The increase reflects new tracking methods the VA adopted in 2022, and the results show strong progress under the current administration. As part of its efforts, the VA launched a “Getting Veterans Off the Street” initiative, which helped move more than 25,000 unsheltered veterans into interim or permanent housing.

VA Secretary Doug Collins described the work as “life-changing and in many cases lifesaving,” and said the agency will keep pushing to sustain momentum. Learn more through the online article.

Military Child of the Year Nominations

Operation Homefront is accepting nominations for Military Child of the Year now through Dec. 2, 2025.

The award recognizes outstanding military children ages 13 to 18. The awards are open to children of active-duty, reserve and retired military members.

For details, and to learn more about Operation Homefront the Military Child of the Year awards and submit your nominations on the Military Child of the Year website.

Mark Your Calendars!

Blue Star Families

Home for the Holidays

Saturday, Dec. 13|2-4 p.m.

NAS Patuxent River

Liberty Housing Community Center

21967 Cuddihy Road

Patuxent River, MD

Blue Star Families invites military families to a festive Home for the Holidays gathering. The event will include family-friendly games and activities, light refreshments and special giveaways.

Biweekly Emails on DMV Veteran-Centered Events

To receive ServingTogether Regional Manager Donny Williams’ biweekly emails with info on veteran-centered events, fill out the form. To submit event info, email dwilliams@everymind.org.

The Veterans Crisis Line provides 24/7 free, confidential support for people in distress.

Text: 838255

TTY for hearing loss: 800-799-4889

www.VeteransCrisisLine.net

www.SuicidePreventionLifeline.org

The Calvert County Office on Aging provides a wide range of supportive services that veterans age 50 and older can use.

Find the Office on Aging and other resource newsletters on the county website or call 410-535-4606.

Veterans Resource Guide

The Calvert County Veterans Resource Guide is a comprehensive, easy-to-navigate tool designed to help veterans, service members and their families quickly find the support they need.

With more than 40 topic areas—from claims assistance and caregiver support to PTSD resources, transportation and women’s services—the guide serves as a reliable starting point for learning about available programs and connecting with organizations ready to help.

A link to the full publication is below.

Download the Veterans Resource Guide

This publication is brought to you by the

Calvert County Commission for Veterans and Military Families.

To learn more, contact the Commission for Veterans and Military Families

at veterans@calvertcountymd.gov, 410-535-1600, ext. 8803 or visit www.calvertcountymd.gov/CVMF.