PRESS RELEASE — Oct 22, 2019

Today, Texas Veterans Land Board (VLB) Chairman George P. Bush released the following statement celebrating the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) plans to award $1.5 million in additional grant funding for expansion improvements to the Rio Grande Valley Texas State Veterans Cemetery.

“As Chairman of the Texas Veterans Land Board, I am pleased to announce that the Department of Veterans Affairs’ plans to award additional grant funding for the Rio Grande Valley Texas State Veterans Cemetery,” said Chairman Bush. “The grant will fund the addition of four columbarium walls, as well as the construction of a Memorial Wall. It is our duty to honor our Veterans and provide them a respectable, free burial option close to where they call home. The Veterans who honorably served our country deserve a final resting place fitting of their service to our nation.”

MISSION — The expansion grant will provide for four additional columbarium walls to hold cremated remains and fulfill cemetery expansion needs. Funding will also provide for the construction and installation of a Memorial Wall to memorialize those whose remains are unavailable for interment. The wall would be located within an area of the cemetery not suitable for casketed interments and would include memorial plaques with appropriate inscriptions. The project funding also includes provisions for landscaping, supporting irrigation, and other improvements.

The use of the current space and trends toward cremations has necessitated the need for additional columbaria, which has accelerated usage year after year. Approximately 75% of the columbaria space has been used, with the available space anticipated to be expended within two years.

The Texas Veterans Land Board (VLB), a division of the Texas General Land Office, operates four Texas State Veterans Cemeteries, conveniently located across the state. These Texas State Veterans Cemeteries are hallowed grounds that are an expression of our respect for the Texas men and women who have served our nation with honor. The VLB also provides free burial of Veterans with military honors at Texas State Veterans Cemeteries in Abilene, Corpus Christi, Killeen and Mission.

More Press Releases