Commissioner Buckingham, VLB Celebrate Ribbon Cutting & Dedication of the West Texas State Veterans Cemetery in Lubbock

AUSTIN, Texas— Today, Texas Land Commissioner and Veterans Land Board (VLB) Chairwoman Dawn Buckingham, M.D., hosted the Dedication & Ribbon Cutting of the West Texas State Veterans Cemetery (WTSVC) in Lubbock. The WTSVC groundbreaking happened in November 2023. The VLB's newest Texas State Veterans Cemetery (TSVC) will serve more than 21,000 Veterans and their eligible family members. It is the fifth TSVC built and run by the VLB, under the Texas General Land Office (GLO).

"The men and women who have served our nation in defense of the freedom that defines our way of life deserve to be laid to rest with the dignity befitting their sacrifices. As VLB Chairwoman, it is an honor to ensure that this benefit is accessible to over 21,000 Veterans and their family members through VLB's new West Texas State Veterans Cemetery," said Commissioner Buckingham. I thank everyone who helped make this beautiful final resting place a reality for West Texas families and the Lubbock community for their dedication to supporting our Veterans. Together we will preserve the legacies of Texas Veterans and ensure their sacrifices are remembered for generations to come."

Texas Senator Brent Hagenbuch; Lubbock City Mayor Mark W. McBrayer; Lubbock County Judge Curtis Parrish; Assistant Exec. Secretary & Director of Veterans Affairs Darren Fritz Gerald; Texas Senator Charles Perry; Texas Land Commissioner & VLB Chairwoman Dawn Buckingham, M.D.; Texas House Speaker Rep. Dustin Burrows; Texas Representative Carl Tepper pictured at the ribbon cutting of the WTSVC, Friday, September 4, 2026

Commissioner Buckingham was joined by several elected officials and community leaders representing West Texas and the City of Lubbock.

“The State of Texas is proud to honor the courage and sacrifice of the brave men and women who have defended our nation,” said Speaker Dustin Burrows. “The West Texas Veterans Cemetery will stand as an enduring tribute to those who answered the call to serve and provide a final resting place where their families, communities and fellow Texans can pay their respects. We are grateful to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the Texas Veterans Land Board for their continued partnership in fulfilling this commitment to our West Texas veterans.”

“The West Texas State Veterans Cemetery is a testament to the respect our region has for its veterans and their families. West Texas veterans deserve a dignified final resting place close to the communities they called home," said Chairman Carl Tepper. "This solemn place will ensure their service and sacrifice are remembered for generations to come.”

“The West Texas State Veterans Cemetery is a lasting tribute to the men and women who answered the call to serve our nation and a promise that their sacrifice will never be forgotten. I’m grateful to Commissioner Dawn Buckingham, the Texas General Land Office, and all those who came together to make this happen," said Texas State Senator Charles Perry. "This is more than a final resting place; it is the beginning of a place of perpetual honor, ensuring the service and sacrifice of our veterans will be remembered for generations to come.”

“The West Texas State Veterans Cemetery is more than a sacred place of rest," said Judge Curtis Parrish, "it is a place of remembrance of the service and sacrifice that made our freedoms possible.”

“The West Texas State Veterans Cemetery will be a calm place of remembrance and a lasting tribute to military men and women who served our country and protected the freedoms we cherish,” said Lubbock Mayor Mark McBrayer. “West Texas honors our veterans and their families, who have sacrificed so much, and having a cemetery set aside for them here in Lubbock will allow their loved ones and this community to continue honoring their service close to home. I am grateful to the many people who worked diligently to make this day a reality and this project possible.”

Lubbock City Council Member Christy Martinez-Garcia; Lubbock County Judge Curtis Parrish; Lubbock City Mayor Mark W. McBrayer; Texas Senator Brent Hagenbuch; Texas Land Commissioner & VLB Chairwoman Dawn Buckingham, M.D.; Texas Senator Charles Perry; Texas House Speaker Rep. Dustin Burrows; Texas Representative Carl Tepper; Lubbock County Commissioner Mike Dalby pictured with the dedication plaque at the WTSVC, Friday, September 4, 2026

The WTSVC held a soft opening on June 1 when the cemetery began laying Veterans to rest during private internments and burials for family. In mid-June, the WTSVC was recognized as a part of the National Purple Heart Trail, a symbolic and honorary system of roads, highways, and monuments in tribute to military members who have received the Purple Heart. The next day, the cemetery held its first Unaccompanied Veteran Burial, laying to rest U.S. Army Veteran, Specialist 5 (SP5), Herman Brown, Jr.

About VLB’s Texas State Veterans Cemeteries

TSVCs are special resting places, close to home, where friends, family and fellow Texans can honor and pay homage to our Veterans. The sacrifices they laid upon the altar of freedom will never be diminished or forgotten.

TSVCs are built through a partnership between the state of Texas and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and are managed by the Texas Veterans Land Board. They complement the six national cemeteries in Dallas-Ft. Worth, El Paso, Houston, Kerrville, and San Antonio (2). Burial benefits at TSVCs are identical to those for VA National Cemeteries.

# # #

Dr. Dawn Buckingham made history in 2022, winning a statewide election to become Texas' first female Land Commissioner. As Land Commissioner, Dr. Dawn Buckingham is committed to helping Texans after a disaster, supporting Texas energy, ensuring that every child in Texas receives a high-quality public education, serving Texas Veterans, and securing the border to keep our communities safe.

Please DO NOT REPLY to this message. It comes from an un-monitored mailbox. If you have any questions regarding this announcement, please contact the Texas General Land Office communications department at media@glo.texas.gov.

Legal Disclaimer:

EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.