Day One of Session V of Leadership Tejas was an outstanding learning session for the cohort. The class convened in San Marcos, Texas. Along with classroom training, the “Adventure Learning” experiences were exceptional. The class visited Texas State University’s Forensic Anthropology Center, home of Operation Identification (OpID). OpID aims to identify and repatriate unidentified human remains near the South Texas border.
In 2022, over 890 migrant bodies were recovered by authorities who tried to cross the U.S.-Mexico border unlawfully. Many South Texas counties lack the resources to identify or even take DNA samples before burials. Directed by Dr. Kate Spradley, OpID collaborates with government and non-government organizations to identify remains and match them to their families and countries of origin.
In Texas, many migrant deaths go unexamined by medical examiners, particularly in the Rio Grande Valley, where undocumented migrant deaths are most frequent. These cases fall under the jurisdiction of a Justice of the Peace. Although the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure requires forensic examinations and DNA sample collection for unidentified deaths, limited resources often result in unexamined and undocumented burials, leaving families without answers.
OpID works with various organizations, including the Argentine Forensic Anthropology Team and the South Texas Center for Human Rights, to facilitate humanitarian forensic actions. Undergraduate and graduate students assist in exhumation, analysis, and identification processes, providing critical support to law enforcement and families of the missing. Without OpID’s efforts, many families would never learn the fate of their loved ones. The class received a comprehensive briefing and toured the facilities of Texas State University’s Anthropology Center to see how remains are identified.
Day Two of Session V was spent at the Central Texas Wing of the Commemorative Air Force (CAF). Classroom training was held in the Pilots’ Briefing Room of an active WWII-era hangar. Walking into the Central Texas Wing of the CAF is like walking back in time. The hangar floor was filled with airworthy WWII-era warbirds and vintage military aircraft.
Leadership Tejas participants had the opportunity to climb into and tour one of the CAF’s most famous aircraft, “That’s All Brother.” In June of 1944, “That’s All, Brother” was the lead plane of over 800 C-47s that transported and dropped over 13,000 paratroopers behind enemy lines on the night before D-Day.
The Commemorative Air Force (CAF) is a nonprofit founded in 1957 in Dallas, Texas, dedicated to preserving vintage military aircraft, mainly from World War II. The CAF restores and flies historical planes, honoring American military aviation history. They operate a large fleet, hosting airshows, educational programs, and events, offering the public a chance to see and experience historic warplanes. Volunteers and members play a crucial role in the CAF’s mission to keep history alive and honor military service.
