Rep. Jodey Arrington says federal funding secured for Lubbock veterans cemetery

A long-sought-after veterans cemetery in Lubbock is a big step closer to coming to fruition.

U.S. Rep. Jodey Arrington, R-Lubbock, on Friday confirmed the Department of Veterans Affairs will award $9.5 million to the Texas General Land Office to support development of a state veterans cemetery in Lubbock County.

“Every veteran deserves a hero’s burial for their willingness to sacrifice life and limb to defend our nation," Arrington said in a statement. “I am grateful for the teamwork and determination of our local leaders, state officials, and veterans’ community for making this a reality. No one loves their men and women in uniform or appreciates the sacrifice and service of our veterans like West Texans.” 

Arrington, who has represented U.S. House District 19 since he was first elected in 2016, was named chairman of the powerful House budget committee back in January.

Chairman Arrington's letter to U.S. House Budget Committee

The move comes as area veterans advocates and groups have been lobbying leaders at the local, state and federal level to find funding to construct what could be one of five state veterans cemeteries in Texas. Last year, the city of Lubbock dedicated 100 acres of land in southeast Lubbock County for the project.

Danny Koch, a Lubbock veterans advocate and longtime proponent of a veterans cemetery in the Hub City, called Friday's announcement a great victory for veterans of Lubbock and West Texas.

"City, county and state elected officials as well as the heads of local veteran groups worked in unison to accomplish this," Koch said. "The Lubbock Chamber (of Commerce) played a major role, too. Great day. Want to salute Steve Oien, Purple Heart,  Benny Guerrero , VFW, and Missy Helbert, American Legion,  for their work. Many others stepped up to help ... too many to list. Thank you to all who made this day happen."

While the next steps in the process were not immediately clear, Koch said he's hopeful the first burial at the cemetery could be in late 2024.

City of Lubbock support for cemetery

Last April, Lubbock's City Council lent its support to the concept of developing a state veterans cemetery near the Hub City, pledging about 100 acres of city owned land for the cause.

Council pledges land for proposed Lubbock veterans cemetery

The City Council in April 2022 voted unanimously to support a resolution declaring a commitment to designate and convey the approximately 100 acres of city owned property south of 50th Street and east of Loop 289 to the Texas Veterans Land Board for the purpose of constructing, operating and maintaining a Texas State Veterans Cemetery.

"The land has been proposed and offered by the City of Lubbock to the Texas Veterans Land Board, for the purpose of constructing, operating, and maintaining a Texas State Veterans Cemetery," reads a proposal from the resolution last year. The land would be designated to the Veterans Land Board on the condition that the State of Texas selects Lubbock as the location for a Texas State Veterans Cemetery.

Medal of Honor recipient Woody Williams lends support to Lubbock's push for veterans cemetery

The land is just north of what will be Canyon Lake No. 7, a city water project in southeast Lubbock County.

At the time, Councilman Steve Massengale praised the cemetery as a worthy project and credited the late Maj. Gen. Edgar Murphy, among other military leaders from Lubbock, for beginning the push for the cemetery, due in part to the long distance to the nearest state veterans cemetery in Abilene.

"The application for a veterans cemetery is a fairly arduous process, but one thing they need before submitting the application is to have secured the property," Massengale said. "And so this satisfies that requirement."

On Friday, Massengale shared the announcement on Twitter, saying it's official that Lubbock will get a veterans cemetery, and tagging Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham, whose state agency would likely oversee the cemetery.

"This is very exciting news for Lubbock, and I am beyond grateful for everyone who came together to make this possible," Massengale said in a statement. "Our veterans sacrificed more than we can ever repay, and they deserve a beautiful and honorable place to rest. Thank you to Congressman Jodey Arrington, our state delegation, the Texas General Land Office, and everyone involved for making this vision a reality,” 

Advocacy efforts

State Sen. Charles Perry, R-Lubbock, who has been working with area veterans advocates on the project, previously said it could take years - possibly decades - to secure the funding for a new cemetery.

He and advocates had said they expected it would take time, dealing with state and federal politicians and bureaucrats along the way, according to Avalanche-Journal archives.

Friday's update from U.S. Rep. Arrington showed apparent acceleration in the process, which still requires further development.

Our view: Lubbock should be site of future veterans cemetery

"This probably isn't a three-year deal, more of a 20-year initiative, but we're working on it," Perry told the Avalanche-Journal in 2021 when WWII Medal of Honor recipient Woody Williams was in the Hub City to lend his support for the proposed cemetery and the newly installed Gold Star Monument.

Woody Williams, during his Hub City visit, and Lubbock area veterans advocates including Danny Koch have said that having a veterans cemetery deeper into West Texas and the Panhandle/South Plains region would make the service more accessible to veterans and their families as far away as Eastern New Mexico.

Currently, the closest veterans cemetery is near Abilene - about 160 miles away.

It was built in 2009 and is one of five state veterans cemeteries in a system that state leaders more than two decades ago said should have seven.

Perry said the Texas General Land Office has been allocated about $7 million in its budget to support state cemeteries as well as other functions including veterans land programs and support services. As it is, the funding is being used by the existing cemeteries and other services, Perry said, so the funding mechanism isn't straightforward.

There's also competition from other regions, including the city of Tyler, which Perry and Koch said also make a strong case for having a veterans cemetery in far East Texas, the A-J previously reported.

Koch said having the pledged land from the city was important in gaining support for the project, as any state or federal veterans cemetery would stand a better chance if there's local funding and investment.