Rep. Monica De La Cruz Hosts Alice Veteran John Herring at SOTU

Alice native Command Sergeant Major (Ret.) John L. Herring is seated in the House gallery today as U.S. Rep. Monica De La Cruz of Texas's 15th Congressional District hosts him for President Trump’s State of the Union address on Feb. 24, 2026. The invitation places a Jim Wells County veteran and family man at the center of a nationally televised policy speech.

Herring carries the rank of Command Sergeant Major (Ret.), a senior enlisted designation reflecting long service; his presence alongside Rep. De La Cruz signals a direct acknowledgement of local military service as a constituent priority in Washington. Herring’s attendance highlights a personal recognition for a resident of Alice, Texas, within the formal proceedings of Congress during the 2026 State of the Union.

Rep. Monica De La Cruz (TX-15) extended the invitation to Herring for the address by President Trump, an action members of Congress routinely use to showcase constituents. In this case, De La Cruz chose a Jim Wells County veteran to represent community values in the Capitol chamber during a speech that will outline the administration’s agenda and legislative priorities for the year ahead.

The choice of Herring places Jim Wells County in the spotlight at a moment when national leaders discuss policy across defense, veterans’ services, and family-oriented initiatives. While the State of the Union is a national policy forum, Herring’s appearance as De La Cruz’s guest creates an immediate local connection: an Alice resident attending the Feb. 24, 2026 address on behalf of his community.

For civic leaders in Alice and elsewhere in Jim Wells County, the moment creates a tangible symbol of local representation in Washington. Command Sergeant Major (Ret.) John L. Herring’s attendance provides constituents a named, local figure visible in the Capitol during a major federal speech, and it underscores the ways members of Congress use guest invitations to highlight individual residents from their districts.

As the address concludes this evening, Herring will return to Alice carrying the firsthand experience of a national policy address hosted under the roof of the U.S. Capitol, a distinct form of recognition for a Jim Wells County veteran and his family.