City council proposes land for veterans’ cemetery in Lubbock

LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) - The city council unanimously agreed to set aside land for a proposed veterans’ cemetery.

This land is the first step in an application that will require the state’s support to build the cemetery. It is located on 50th street neat the East Loop.

Post commander of Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), Benny Guerrero, says building this cemetery will keep these soldiers in everyone’s mind.

“We fear that the sacrifice will be forgotten, a veterans’ cemetery will prevent that from happening,” Guerrero said.

Lubbock is home to 25,000 veterans and areas surrounding the Hub City are home to close to 100,000. Right now, with the closest cemetery being in Abilene, they are having to travel more than 100 miles.

“We have to travel to Abilene or Dallas or San Antonio to get buried in a veterans’ cemetery, that’s not fair,” Guerrero said.

A local cemetery would also take extra stress of families. Making it easier to travel to bury their loved one or visit their gravesite.

“You’re mourning the loss and you’re going through so much uncertainty and for you to have to drive four to eight hours to bury a loved one in a cemetery, it’s uncalled for,” Guerrero said.

Guerrero said, after 9/11, the Texas legislature approved building seven state veterans’ cemeteries but there are still only four.

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