Page 20 - Lubbock Senior Link Magazine Fall 2019- Online Magazine
P. 20
HONORING SENIORS
General Update
WEST TEXAS Mittemeyer, Sobel, Murphy, Arrington, was a great help
VETERANS CEMETERY and Harber, along with Eddie during this time. We could not
have got anything done without
McBride and Abel Castro
By Edgar Murphy, Maj. Gen. (Ret.)
Army National Guard from the Lubbock Chamber his assistance. People have
already offered to donate the
of Commerce, went to
Washington, D.C. to present 100 acres of land.
Lubbock is an urban city of our proposal for a veterans’
253,000 population in a remote cemetery in Lubbock. We Texas has 1.6 million veterans
rural area and is the geographical briefed Congressmen, staffs, now. The VA estimates that
and population center of 30,000 VA members, and Mr. Ronald 553,000 U.S. veterans died in
veterans in a 75-mile radius. Walters, Principal Deputy 2016 and only 20% were buried
It is 300 miles from a National Undersecretary for Memorial in national or state veteran
Veterans Cemetery and 163 Affairs of the VA. We presented cemeteries. Not all veterans need
miles from the State Veterans to him a detailed briefing and healthcare, but all veterans need
Cemetery at Abilene. It costs answered all his questions, but to be buried with honor.
the Veterans Administration he said that the VA rules would
(VA) 8 million dollars to build a not allow a national veterans
Veterans Cemetery in Texas. The cemetery that did not meet LUBBOCK’S VETERANS
VA builds and maintains national the numerical criteria. He did TREATMENT COURT
veteran cemeteries; the VA builds agree to build an 8-million-
and the State of Texas maintains dollar state veterans cemetery MOVES CLOSER TO
the state veteran cemeteries. in Lubbock, if the State of Texas REALITY
The VA requires 80,000 veterans would agree to maintain it. By Walter B. Huffman, Major General, U.S.
population in a 75-mile radius We need your help with the Army, retired; Dean Emeritus,
Texas Tech School of Law
to build a national veterans Governor, State Legislators,
cemetery, and we only have and George P. Bush, the Texas The vast majority of persons
34,590. Land Commissioner, who is in completing military service
charge of the four Texas State return to civilian life and become
On May 19 , our Veterans productive citizens without any
th
,
Committee, including the Veteran Cemeteries already in negative issues related to their time
Texas. Our Congressman, Jodey
four retired Army generals: in the military. Some Veterans,
20 Lubbock Senior Link
