Secretary Meginley to Honor Eleven Veteran Employees at Textron Systems’ Chef Menteur Location

By Daniele Palen, Director of Communications, LDVA

NEW ORLEANS, La. — The Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs (LDVA) will hold a Louisiana Honor Medal Presentation on Thursday, May 21, 2026, at 3:00 p.m. at Textron’s Chef Menteur location in New Orleans, Louisiana. Secretary Charlton Meginley will personally present the Louisiana Honor Medal to eleven veteran employees from Textron Systems’ Slidell and New Orleans locations in recognition of their dedicated military service to our nation.

The Louisiana Honor Medal is awarded by the Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs to recognize Louisiana veterans for their selfless service and sacrifice. The ceremony reflects LDVA’s ongoing commitment to honoring those who have served, in partnership with employers who value and hire veterans.

“It is a privilege to honor these eleven veterans who wore the uniform of our country and now continue to serve through their contributions to Textron Systems, a company that demonstrates genuine commitment to those who have served,” said Secretary Meginley. “The values instilled through military service; discipline, dedication, and integrity, continue to strengthen our communities and our workforce.”

Textron Systems’ commitment to those who serve goes far beyond hiring. The company manufactures armored vehicles, marine craft, and defense systems for the U.S. military, keeping veterans’ missions at the heart of its work. Textron has earned the U.S. Department of Labor’s HIRE Vets Gold Medallion Award for its dedication to veteran hiring and career development, and its SkillBridge program welcomes active-duty service members during their final 180 days of service, helping them transition into meaningful civilian careers.

Louisiana is home to approximately 250,000 veterans. The Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs serves those veterans and their families through a network of benefits counselors, state veteran homes, and state veterans cemeteries.

Media Attendance: Members of the press wishing to attend must submit the names of all attendees and their media outlet to Daniele Palen, Director of Communications, at LDVAMedia@LA.GOV no later than noon on Wednesday, May 20, 2026. Credentialing requests received after this deadline cannot be accommodated.

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Please visit https://vetaffairs.la.gov/news for the latest Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs releases, photos, and videos.