Last week, U.S. Rep. Filemon Vela (D-Brownsville) introduced a bill to rename a Brownsville post office after a fallen soldier and hometown hero.

According to a Monday news release, the proposed legislation would rename the U.S. post office located at 1535 East Los Ebanos Boulevard in Brownsville as the First Lieutenant Andres Zermeno Post Office. 

Zermeno was killed in action serving during Operation Enduring Freedom in Shekhabad, Afghanistan, on September 25, 2011. He was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart, the Bronze Star Medal, the Combat Action Badge, and a Non-Article 5 Medal by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. 

“First Lieutenant Andres Zermeno is not only one of our Nation’s heroes, he is also a hometown hero,” Vela said in the news release. “I believe that it is fitting to rename the United States Post Office in Brownsville, Texas, in honor of First Lieutenant Zermeno and his brave service to his country. This dedication will memorialize First Lieutenant Zermeno in our community and recognize his sacrifice for generations to come.”

Zermeno, a South Texas native, was born in Brownsville on November 30, 1984, and grew up in the Rio Grande Valley. Known for his optimism and bravery, Zermeno is described as a true leader by his peers and superiors.