Tunnels to Towers Mid-October 2026 Update: The Marshall Medal, a Veterans Housing Proposal, and the Baton Rouge 5K

Frank Siller Receives AUSA's Marshall Medal

On Thursday, October 15, 2026, the Association of the United States Army (AUSA) presented its George Catlett Marshall Medal to Frank Siller at the AUSA Annual Meeting. The Marshall Medal is AUSA's highest award, given for selfless service to the nation. AUSA had announced the honor earlier this month; this week it became official at the association's annual gathering.

The citation recognizes the decades Siller has carried since his brother Stephen, an FDNY firefighter, ran through the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel toward the Twin Towers on September 11, 2001. Under his leadership, the Tunnel to Towers Foundation has delivered more than 2,000 mortgage-free homes to hero families, committed over $1 billion across its programs, and set out to deliver 343 homes in 2026, one for every FDNY member lost on 9/11. This is the 25th anniversary year of that promise, and the honor is a fitting recognition of a quarter century of service.

A New Veterans Housing Proposal in Coral Springs, Florida

On October 14 and 15, 2026, CBS Miami reported that the foundation has proposed purchasing and renovating the La Quinta Inn & Suites at 3701 N. University Drive in Coral Springs, Florida into affordable housing for veterans. Studios and one-bedroom units would rent for roughly $1,000 to $1,200 per month with utilities included, and the project, described as a Veterans Village of roughly 120 units, would include amenities such as a gym and a job center. The proposal is pending city review in November and December 2026.

This matters because affordable housing for veterans is one of the most pressing needs in the country. Veterans returning from service often live on limited incomes, and rising rents squeeze them hardest. A hotel conversion like this one is a practical, faster path to housing than building from the ground up, and it is exactly the kind of creative problem-solving the foundation is known for.

A Mortgage Paid Off for a Long Island Mother

On October 12, 2026, Audacy shared the story of a Long Island mother whose mortgage was paid off by the foundation. She is one of the families the mortgage-payoff program serves: the families of first responders who died in the line of duty, and Gold Star families who lost a loved one in service.

These are the stories behind the numbers. Every 5K registration, every tower climb, and every dollar donated becomes a family that can stay in their home without the weight of a mortgage. When I read these stories, I think of the families I serve in Santa Clarita and across Southern California, and why home means more than a transaction.

The Baton Rouge 5K This Saturday

On Saturday, October 17, 2026, the Tunnel to Towers 5K Run & Walk comes to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, starting at the Robert A. Bogan Fire Museum at 427 Laurel Street in downtown Baton Rouge. The Kids 1-Mile Fun Run begins at 7:30 a.m. and the 5K starts at 8:15 a.m., with proceeds benefiting the foundation's mission of mortgage-free homes for hero families.

The event follows the record-setting fall run season. The 25th Anniversary NYC 5K on September 27 drew more than 40,000 participants, the Fort Myers 5K raised a record $75,000 on October 5, and the Brooklyn Home Reporter called the turnout at the anniversary run "massive." Fundraising for the NYC 5K remained open through October 13, a sign of how much momentum the anniversary year has built.

The 25th Anniversary Year, Still Building

These headlines sit on top of an extraordinary year. On September 11, the foundation announced 55 mortgage payoffs for families of fallen first responders, part of its 343-home living memorial: Tunnels to Towers Pays Off 55 More Mortgages on the 25th Anniversary of 9/11. The Chicago Tower Climb raised $44,000, and the first Southern California 5K ran at Huntington City Beach on September 19: why that event matters for Southern California.

Two October ceremonies remain: the Detroit Veterans Village grand opening on October 21 and the Northfield, New Jersey Veterans Village groundbreaking on October 28. The mission keeps compounding, one family at a time. You can read the full October milestones in my earlier article this month.

Why This Mission Matters Close to Home

Some people ask why a Santa Clarita REALTOR writes so often about a national foundation. The answer is simple: the families this mission serves live everywhere, including Southern California. A veteran in Valencia, a firefighter's widow in Canyon Country, a Gold Star parent in Saugus: Tunnels to Towers has helped hero families across our region, and the Steel Across America tour brought the World Trade Center beam through the West LA Veterans Campus this summer.

My commitment to Service Before Self is why I support this mission, and it is the same reason I serve veterans, first responders, and special-needs families in my everyday work. Real estate is about people, not just properties. When a hero family has a stable home, the schools, the neighborhoods, and the whole community feel it.

How You Can Help

• Donate or fundraise: Every dollar at t2t.org goes directly toward mortgage-free homes and veteran housing.
• Register for a 5K: The Baton Rouge event is October 17, and the foundation regularly adds new events nationwide. Check the Tunnels to Towers events calendar for one near you.
• Attend the October ceremonies: The Detroit Veterans Village grand opening is October 21 and the Northfield, New Jersey groundbreaking is October 28.
• Share the story: A veteran or first-responder family in your own network may not know about the mortgage assistance and housing support available to them. Sharing this article is an easy way to serve.

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