Texas State Capitol Building, May 26, 2005  The sculpture was unveiled in the North wing during an exhibition of the Benavidez Collection of sculptures in the last week of May. 

The event marked the kick off of the campaign to win approval of a suitable site for a nationally significant memorial honoring Roy Benavidez on public land in San Antonio.    Photo: Texas State Rep. Carlos Uresti assisted by Delia Guajardo, Pres. US Military Veterans Parade Association unveiled the Mark Austin Byrd's sculpture titled "Little Brother", a 1/2 life-sized casting of the proposed Roy Benavidez Memorial model.

US AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Association of Graduates, Feb 1, 2006.

We submitted proposals for a pair of life size standing figure sculptures to the Association of Graduates of the U. S. Air Force Academy depicting Captain Lance Sijan, Medal of Honor recipient and 1st. Lt. Karl Richter, Air Force Cross recipient.   The sculptures are to be the focal point of the new "Mall of Heroes" at the Air Force Academy.  The sculptures show these two pilots dressed in their flight suits with their equipment.  A select group of about five sculptors were invited to submit proposals.  Final selection of the sculptor is expected in March, 2006. 

March 15, 2006 - Lance Peter Sijan and Karl Wendel Richter Memorial Bust Project Announced.  Two of the several miniature heads created as studies for the USAFA proposal will be completed and mounted on miniature memorial bases as part of our American Valor series of sculptures.  These can be seen at the following pages in clay form, mounted on commemorative bases: Sijan  Richter

Hill College Texas Heritage Center, University of Texas, Hillsboro, TX, November 2005.

BENAVIDEZ  acquired.

A copy of the miniature memorial bust titled BENAVIDEZ was purchased for the museum's permanent collection.  The sculpture had been on temporary display in the museum shop.

Texas State Capitol Building.  May 24-29, 2006. 

Solo Exhibition of Benavidez Sculpture Collection.

Mark Austin Byrd, Sculptures was honored to be invited to display the five different sculptures of Roy Benavidez for a week in the Texas Capitol Building.  The display was in conjunction with the Legislatures Veterans Appreciation and Legislative Briefing. 

Legislators and veterans leaders from all over Texas attended the briefing which included a presentation by Byrd on the status of the Benavidez Memorial project and a photo tribute to four of Texas's MOH recipients:  The late Richard Rocco, the late Lucian Adams, , the late Roy Benavidez, and Jose Lopez.