SAN ANTONIO — The Department of Veterans Affairs has decided to continue hosting Veterans Day ceremonies at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery after hearing out community concerns.
U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales, a Navy veteran, said he reached out to VA officials expressing disappointment and opposition to the agency’s initial decision to discontinue the decades-long tradition due to low-attendance over the years.
The Republican congressman led a San Antonio Congressional Delegation to send a bipartisan letter to the VA secretary, urging a reversal of the agency’s decision.
“We emphasize that the Veterans Day ceremony at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery is a cherished event, not just for those directly involved, but for the entire South Texas community. We are committed to working with you, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, and other relevant stakeholders to explore every possible avenue to uphold such an important tradition at this site,” read part of the letter.
By Thursday afternoon, VA officials released a statement explaining their commitment to continuing to hold the Veterans Day ceremony at Fort Sam Houston National Ceremony the San Antonio National Cemetery.
“After listening to feedback from local Veterans, VA will continue to hold Veterans Day ceremonies at both Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery and San Antonio National Cemetery this year. One of our top priorities at VA is to honor and remember our nation's Veterans and these events are a key part of that effort. We will reach out to past supporters of these events to inform them of this decision — and will continue to seek Veteran feedback to determine how best to honor and remember our nation's Veterans moving forward,” the statement said.
More than 180,000 veterans and their family members have been laid to rest at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery, which spans 338 acres.