MILLINGTON, Tenn. – U.S. Navy sailors from across the fleet are headed to South Texas for Rio Grande Valley Navy Week, Jan. 26 to Feb. 1, to volunteer in the community and discuss why the Navy matters to the Valley.
While many of the sailors are from all over the country, this Navy Week will carry special meaning for visiting sailors from the area, including Petty Officer 3rd Class Melanie Perez, a native of Harlingen, Texas.
Perez graduated from Harlingen High School South in 2022. Upon joining the Navy, Perez quickly found that many of the skills and values forged in Harlingen were the same as those needed to succeed in the Navy.
“Growing up in my hometown and participating in multiple sports instilled in me a strong sense of teamwork and responsibility to others, lessons that continue to guide me during my service in the Navy,” Perez said.
Perez, who joined the Navy four years ago, is assigned to the Navy Office of Community Outreach (NAVCO), at Naval Support Activity Mid-South in Tennessee.
“My grandfather served in the Army during World War II and passed away from cancer when I was young,” Perez said. “His service and sacrifice inspired me to join the military in order to honor him and continue his legacy.”
Perez is part of the first Navy Week to be hosted in the Rio Grande Valley. Navy Weeks are a series of outreach events coordinated by NAVCO designed to give Americans an opportunity to learn about the Navy, its people, and its importance to national security and prosperity.
“Participating in this Navy Week is important to me because it gives me the opportunity to bring the Navy back to my hometown, connect with the community that shaped me and give back while proudly representing the work we do in the Navy,” Perez said.
Today, Perez serves as a mass communication specialist.
“I am a photographer for the Navy, and I love my job because I get to capture meaningful moments that show the world how the Navy serves to help and protect others, while also encouraging and inspiring the next generation to consider joining,” Perez said.
Perez has had many opportunities to excel in the Navy and sees military service as more than just a job – it represents a chance to become a better person.
“My proudest achievement is earning the trust of those I work with, knowing that they see me as a fast learner who can adapt and contribute wherever I’m needed,” Perez said.
Perez is grateful for the Harlingen community and for those who helped make a Navy career possible.
“I would like to thank both of my parents for always pushing me forward and for their endless love and support through every step of my journey,” added Perez.
Since 2005, the Navy Week program has served as the Navy’s flagship outreach effort into areas of the country without a significant Navy presence, providing the public a firsthand look at why the Navy matters to communities like those in the Valley.
“We’re excited to bring Navy Week to the Rio Grande Valley for the very first time, and to kick off the 2026 Navy Week schedule in the Lone Star State,” said Cmdr. Julie Holland, Navy Office of Community Outreach director. “As the nation celebrates Freedom 250 throughout 2026, the Navy’s Outreach team will embark on a celebratory ‘Road Trip to 250,’ linking key locations in America to our maritime dominance. Navy Weeks will serve as a symbolic link connecting communities across America to their Navy, highlighting the shared history and the enduring commitment to defending freedom and supporting our nation’s independence.”
Rio Grande Valley Navy Week events include multiple engagements at the Texas Citrus Fiesta Fun Fair and live performances throughout the week from the U.S. Navy Ceremonial Guard and the Navy’s New Orleans-style music group, the Deck Plate Brass Band.
Sailors will also be volunteering with the Boca Chica Beach Community Clean-Up, visiting schools across the Edinburg CISD, working on a service project at the American Legion Freddy Gonzalez Post 408, volunteering with the Food Bank of the Rio Grande Valley and more.
For a list of public events, visit https://outreach.navy.mil/Navy-Weeks/Rio-Grande-Valley-2026/.