After the Texas Veterans Land Board and the City of Lubbock broke ground on Nov. 17 for the new West Texas State Veterans Cemetery, preregistration is now open.
The cemetery is expected to open in 2025 with more than 20,000 plots are open for veterans and their families.
“We are encouraging our veterans and our families to pre-register for interment at the cemetery,” Norman Bearden, on-site representative of West Texas State Veterans Cemetery, said. He said the cemetery will be a final resting place for any veteran from any branch with an honorable discharge.
Interment into the West Texas State Veterans Cemetery is free of charge to veterans, their spouses and eligible dependents.
“The information that is required on that - of course a marriage certificate is the only document that we need for the spouse and some sort of official letter stating the reason for a dependent child,” Bearden said.
Should a veteran pass away before the cemetery is complete, options of burial are somewhat limited, but it possible to choose cremation and once the cemetery is open, those remains would be received.
The registration packets are available on the Veterans Land Board website, at the Lubbock VA clinic and the Veterans Service Organizations. The Veterans Land Board is asking that those are mailed to the Abilene State Veterans Cemetery located at 7457 W. Lake Road for processing.