DVA News:
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Department of Veterans Affairs’ National Cemetery Administration (NCA) announced Friday it has awarded a grant of up to $1,325,135 to the State of New Mexico for the expansion of the Fort Stanton State Veterans Cemetery and a grant of up to $5,993,108 for the expansion of the Angel Fire State Veterans Cemetery.
The Fort Stanton cemetery serves more than 12,000 Veterans and their eligible family members in the region. The grant will fund 202 in-ground cremation gravesites, roadways, landscaping and irrigation.
The cemetery at Angel Fire serves more than 18,000 Veterans and their eligible family members. The grant will fund construction of an administration building, maintenance building and yard, committal service shelter, 144 in-ground cremation gravesites, landscaping, and irrigation.
“Veterans cemeteries like Fort Stanton and Angel Fire State Veterans Cemeteries keep the memories of America’s heroes alive,” VA Secretary Doug Collins said. “Under President Trump, VA is committed to ensuring facilities like Fort Stanton and Angel Fire have the resources they need to provide excellent benefits and services to Veterans and their families, and this grant underscores that fact.”
Since 1980, VA has awarded grants totaling more than $1.1 billion to establish, expand, improve, operate, or maintain a total of 124 Veterans cemeteries in 47 states, 14 tribal nations, and three territories (Guam, Saipan, and Puerto Rico). In fiscal year 2025 alone, VA will award up to 21 grants to 14 states for an amount not to exceed $82 million.
In 2024, VA grant-funded cemeteries interred more than 42,720 Veterans and eligible family members, which is approximately 24 percent of the 176,965 total annual interments in all national and VA grant-funded Veterans cemeteries.
For more information about Fort Stanton State Veterans Cemetery, and Angel Fire State Veterans Cemetery, contact Sam Newton, Public Information Officer, New Mexico Department of Veterans Services at 505.362.6089 or email Samuel.newton@dvs.nm.gov.