Veterans’ services provider receives Hall’s ‘Award of Character’

Luis Martinez was taken aback when he saw Hall of Famer KEVIN MAWAE and Brittney Payton, daughter of Pro Football Hall of Famer WALTER PAYTON, at the Veteran's Council facility in San Angelo, Texas.

But it quickly became clear to Martinez that the pair had conspired with his colleagues to surprise the Air Force veteran with a unique honor for a local service provider.

Mawae, a self-described “military brat” whose father served 24 years in the Army, recalled a quote about service as he prepared to present Martinez with the honor.

“‘You join to serve your country, and then when you're done, you serve your community,’” Mawae said before handing Martinez the Pro Football Hall of Fame Award of Character.

“Welcome to the Hall of Fame.”

Veterans call when they need help

Those who know Martinez describe him as someone who never stops serving.

At first glance, he might appear intimidating, said Kathy Fiscus, the secretary of the All Veterans Council who nominated Martinez for the award. After all, the veteran has a burly build with a big beard and ample tattoos.

“Trust me, he’s all teddy bear,” Fiscus said. “He's also a person that his passion just oozes out.”

Others spoke about his commitment to helping veterans at all hours of the day, questioning whether Martinez ever has taken a day off.

“Luis is a veterans veteran is what he is,” said Kelly Self, commander of the Veterans of Foreign War Post 1815. “He lives to serve the veteran community. He lives to serve this community.”

Few see his full impact

“In the room we're in, we could probably seat 500 people in here,” said Marine Sgt. Darry Cross. “We couldn’t fit the people that he’s impacted.”

For many of the veterans he has helped, Martinez arrived at some of their lowest moments and provided support they wouldn’t have received otherwise.

One veteran recalled returning home from military service and feeling disconnected from civilian life.

“When I came back, everybody at home was the same, and my struggles weren't their struggles,” veteran Leandra Hernandez said. “I felt like people just didn't understand what I was going through.”

Hernandez said that feeling of isolation and uncertainty was terrifying, particularly because the options for help felt so limited.

Martinez changed that, she said.

“He gave me a voice. He gave me the understanding that what I'm feeling is OK. It is normal,” Hernandez said. “I know I would not be here if it weren't for him.”

Meeting people where they are

Martinez described his approach to helping veterans as practical and persistent.

“I'm not going to sugarcoat anything, but I'm never going to tell you ‘no,’” he said.

When challenges arise, he encourages veterans to keep moving forward.

“We got to figure out a way,” he said. “And sometimes it's where you got to actually pull your boots up and say, ‘We got to fight this one through.’”

He tries to stay connected after people overcome their struggles.

“I meet people in the mud,” Martinez said. “And then when they get to their highest and they say, ‘Hey, what can I do?’ … Just turn around, help the person up behind you.”

Based on personal experience

Martinez’s work is rooted in his own transition out of the military. He described raising four children on his own while trying to learn how to navigate benefits, employment and life after service.

“But that's where it came into my mind like, ‘You know what? I'm not going to let anyone suffer like I did.’”

He eventually returned to school and entered social work.

“Fell in love,” he said. “Been hitting the ground running ever since.”

Today, much of his work centers on helping veterans understand and access benefits they have earned through military service.

“There's a lot of benefits out there,” Martinez said, and many veterans initially hesitate to pursue them.

“We have a lot of veterans that say, ‘Well, I don't deserve it,’” he said. “You do. You do deserve it.”

A community effort

Martinez's greatest accomplishments might be summed up in one number: zero.

The San Angelo community did not lose a veteran to suicide a couple of years ago, Martinez said. The stunning accomplishment, in a country where the VA reports that more than 17 veterans die by suicide every day, came after a community initiative focused on veteran mental health and suicide prevention.

“That was a community thing,” he said. “We all fought.”

He encourages veterans to take the first step toward seeking help because once they do, they will realize they are still part of a broader community.

“I always tell people that first step is that hardest one,” Martinez said. “You didn't serve, you didn't deploy, alone. You're not going to fight alone."

What the honor means

Martinez accepted the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Award of Character with the grace and humility that friends and family have come to expect.

“We don't do it for the accolades. We don't do it for the awards. We do it because it needs to be done,” he said.

Instead, he believes the most important acts of service happen when no one is watching.

“The heroic thing to do is to do something when nobody’s looking and nobody knows.”

Asked what he is most proud of, his answer came quickly: “My kids. 100% my kids.”

Then he offered the same advice that has shaped his life of service.

“See a need, feel a need. Don't wait. If you know something needs to be done, do it.”

About this series

USA TODAY, the national publication in the Gannett | USA TODAY Network portfolio, assists in administering the Hall’s Awards of Character program and publicizing the monthly winners. A feature story about Martinez was published online at USATODAY.com will appear in USA TODAY-affiliated publications across the country.

Payton Productions, the media company led by the Payton Family, captures the moments when the honorees learn of their selection and, in partnership with USA TODAY, shares the award-winners’ inspiring stories of character in action nationally.

Additional honorees for Awards of Character will be chosen throughout 2026, from these professions: police officer, military veteran, firefighter/EMT, nurse, teacher and coach. Get more information or nominate someone for the award here.