About Me

I am Peter Michelena. I have called Brazos County home since 2013. It is where I went from Marine to Aggie, built a career, found purpose in volunteering, and met people who encouraged me to serve in a new way.

I never planned to become a politician. I am running because this community has given me a home, friendships, and many opportunities to help others. I want to give that same commitment back through honest, practical, and accountable public service.

Service Shaped Me

I served five years in the United States Marine Corps as a Reconnaissance Marine with 1st Reconnaissance Battalion and deployed twice to Afghanistan.

During a vehicle-mounted patrol against Taliban fighters in Helmand Province, my vehicle struck an IED. I was knocked unconscious and injured, and I received my first Purple Heart.

During a separate raid on a Taliban IED facility, my best friend Todd Love stepped on an IED as our team entered. I was also injured in that raid and received my second Purple Heart.

Those experiences taught me that leadership is not about a title. It is about preparation, courage, loyalty, and accepting responsibility when other people depend on you. They taught me to stay steady when the stakes are high and to put service before recognition.

Brazos County Became Home

After moving here, I attended Texas A&M University and became a proud member of the Class of 2016. I studied Manufacturing and Mechanical Engineering Technology and was involved with One Army Men’s Organization and the Aggie Wranglers.

Texas A&M strengthened my appreciation for teamwork, discipline, tradition, and selfless service. More importantly, Brazos County became the place where I built lasting friendships and found a community I wanted to serve.

Work That Protects People and Taxpayers

My professional background includes field engineering, construction, and building inspection. I have experience reading plans, evaluating existing and proposed commercial buildings, inspecting work in the field, coordinating projects, and understanding how construction decisions interact with municipal requirements.

That experience helps me look beyond a summary on a page. I understand how planning, scope, safety, schedules, maintenance, and long-term costs affect a project and the taxpayers who fund it. I will use that knowledge to ask informed questions, protect county assets, and help prevent avoidable expenses.

Community Service Led Me Here

I began volunteering at VFW Post 4692 because I found real fulfillment in helping people. That service introduced me to more of the remarkable people who live here and led me to become involved with other local organizations. I am also a member of American Legion Post 159 and the Brazos County Marine Corps League.

At the VFW, I serve as Quartermaster, Chief Finance Officer, and Operations Officer for the nonprofit. I help manage an organization with more than $2 million in annual financial activity. The work requires disciplined budgeting, responsible asset management, accurate records, operational planning, and accountability for every dollar.

Working alongside a dedicated team, I helped improve the VFW’s facilities and operations. People who saw those improvements began encouraging me to consider public office. Their confidence in me meant a great deal, but I still needed to understand where I could make the greatest difference.

Why I Chose to Run

I began attending Brazos County Commissioners Court meetings, listening to the discussions, watching the votes, and seeing firsthand how decisions affecting residents and taxpayers were made. I became concerned about spending and about whether the public was receiving enough explanation and accountability.

I was not looking for a political career. I decided to run because sitting on the sidelines no longer felt like enough. Brazos County deserves leaders who will study the details, ask difficult questions, manage public resources carefully, explain their decisions clearly, and remember who they work for.

How I Will Serve

I am running to bring military leadership, technical experience, financial discipline, and a record of community service to Commissioners Court. I will judge each decision by a simple standard: Is it responsible, fair, and in the best interest of the people and taxpayers of Brazos County?

Accessibility matters to me. If elected, I will make myself available after normal business hours when Precinct 4 residents have questions or concerns. I will listen respectfully, explain what county government can and cannot do, and be honest even when the answer is not easy.

Brazos County has given me a home and a community worth working for. I am ready to listen, work hard, and give back to the people who have given so much to me.

Hear More of My Story

Think Brazos podcast with Charles Coats
https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-the-think-brazos-podcast-91416226/episode/78-peter-michelena-brazos-county-commissioner-323148565/

Short KBTX campaign interview
https://www.kbtx.com/2026/02/24/brazos-valley-veteran-runs-brazos-county-commissioner-pct-4/

KBTX story about veteran service and mental health
https://www.kbtx.com/2025/04/16/brazos-valley-marine-corps-vet-spreads-awareness-veteran-suicides-staying-alive-is-best-thing/

The Battalion: The Next Step
https://thebatt.com/news/the-next-step/

The Battalion: Voices of Veterans on Campus
https://thebatt.com/news/voices-of-veterans-on-campus/