POSTED INLOCAL GOVERNMENT
by Cecilia LenzenMay 26, 2024 12:00 pm
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Joaquin Castillo felt called to serve his country in 2001, when a “crazy” coincidence spared him from the tragedy of the Sept. 11 terrorist attack in New York City.
He was on a plane flying home to New York from his cousin’s wedding in Spain when his flight was diverted to Brussels, Belgium, after a plane crashed into the north tower of the World Trade Center. After learning why his flight was interrupted, Castillo rushed to the airport lobby just in time to see the second plane hit the center’s south tower on an airport TV broadcasting the news.
At the time, he worked as a security guard in the loading dock at 200 Liberty St. — right across the street from the World Trade Center.
“In my mind, I think I was spared,” Castillo, 51, said. “I knew in that moment that I was going to join the Army.”
Fast forward 23 years, including three years of active duty in the U.S. Army and one in the reserves before Castillo was honorably discharged, and Castillo is now serving as Fort Worth’s inaugural veterans affairs officer. His role is to streamline services and resources for the estimated 44,000 veterans living in Fort Worth, ensuring they have access to needed support.
After 9/11, Castillo couldn’t just call himself “lucky” and go back to his regular life, he said. His experience in the Army, coupled with various roles in veterans advocacy work and recent employment with the city of Fort Worth, prepared him for this new role, he said.
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“As a combat veteran, I understand the unique challenges veterans face every day because I went through them, too,” Castillo said. “Now, I’m in a position to help other veterans. I wish I had had someone like this.”
Veterans often face many challenges when integrating back into society after their service. Those challenges can include re-entering a job or finding new employment, creating structure and community, reconnecting with family and friends, and struggling with mental health, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
The city sees his role as transforming Fort Worth into one of the most veteran friendly cities in the country, Castillo said. His position will serve as a resource center for veterans, active-duty service members and their families, according to a city release.
What that tangibly means isn’t entirely clear yet; Castillo started his new role May 6. Although he has big goals, he said there are challenges to being the first person to hold his position. He’s working with city leadership to outline strategic plans.
Simply put, Castillo said he wants to “champion any causes that will benefit veterans.” He’ll help Fort Worth collaborate with local organizations, government agencies and veteran service providers to more effectively serve veterans.
Joaquin Castillo’s relevant experience
Employment:
- 2023-24: Community engagement liaison with the city of Fort Worth
- 2022-23: Building standards officer with the city of Fort Worth
- 2020-22: Code compliance officer with the city of Fort Worth
- 2010-16: Deputy director of the Veterans Service Agency in Nassau County, New York
- 2009-10: Constituent affairs representative in the Nassau County Executive Office
- 2007-08: Latino affairs representative in the Nassau County Office of Hispanic Affairs
- 2005-07: Community service representative in Nassau County Department of Social Services
Education:
- 2023-current: Ph.D. candidate in education, leadership and organization at Texas Woman’s University
- 2016: Master of Arts in public administration at Baruch College in New York
- 1998: Bachelor of Arts in international studies with a minor in business and Spanish at Texas A&M University
City Council members Elizabeth Beck and Charlie Lauersdorf, both veterans, have long pushed for someone with a mandate such as Castillo’s.
Beck, who served in the U.S. Army Reserve for over eight years with one deployment to Iraq, said she advocated for this role to ensure that the city does the most it can for its veterans through intentional engagement.
“I think it’s about damn time that we did this,” Beck said. “We were not putting our money where our mouth was as a community. We’ve patted ourselves on our backs and said we support our veterans, and we do, but this is a meaningful way we can make sure we’re doing right by our veterans.”
Lauersdorf, a Marine reservist who has spent 19 years in the military, said there’s an enormous number of veterans resources in the city and county, which can be overwhelming for many struggling veterans. Castillo can help reduce the confusion and streamline best processes, he added.
“It’s going to be huge for the city of Fort Worth, and I think we can be the example for other big cities to show, ‘Hey, here’s how you can actually really support your veterans,’” Lauersdorf said.
Both Beck and Lauersdorf said the city’s work to support veterans isn’t done.
Beck wants to see additional economic development opportunities for veterans, to ensure that Fort Worth is attracting and supporting veteran-owned businesses, she said. She’s excited to see how this role could support that initiative.
Lauersdorf sees Castillo’s hiring as a “step in the right direction,” but he wants to see additional city positions created to support veterans.
“My vision for this office is to have multiple people in it helping out on all fronts because obviously there’s no way one person can truly represent 42,000 veterans,” Lauersdorf said. “I’m looking forward to Joa quin developing the program out and figuring out what the next steps and needs are.”
In the meantime, Castillo said he’s both humbled and excited to crusade for veterans in such a big city. With a touch of pride, he added that he feels prepared for the challenge, as “this isn’t my first rodeo.” As the deputy director of the Veterans Service Agency in New York’s Nassau County, he directed community initiatives for 75,000-plus local veterans.
He knows this new role will be challenging, but he’s all in.
“I mean what I say,” Castillo said. “If I say I’m going to help a veteran, I will help that veteran.”
Cecilia Lenzen is a government accountability reporter for the Fort Worth Report. Contact her at cecilia.lenzen@fortworthreport.org or @bycecilialenzen on X.
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