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First Congressional District of New Mexico
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ask.heather@mail.house.gov

In Washington DC
442 Cannon House
Office Building
Washington, DC
20515
202-225-6316 Phone
202-225-4975 Fax
In Albuquerque
20 First Plaza NW
Suite 603
Albuquerque, NM
87102
505-346-6781 Phone
505-346-6723 Fax

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Congresswoman Heather Wilson, First Congressional District of New Mexico


Postcard
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The National Cemetery in Santa Fe December 16, 2005
 
Dear Friends, Almost eight years ago, I met with a group of veterans at Palo Duro Senior Center. They were all World War II vets of the China-Burma-India theater and we got to talking. My grandfather was on his way to Burma as the commander of a unit that was set up to fly wounded soldiers out of the jungle when Japan surrendered. So, there was story telling – which I always enjoy. Bill Drum was a member of that group and he started talking to me about the National Cemetery in Santa Fe. At the time, it looked like the cemetery would be closed to new interments because it would be full sometime in 2008-2010. That projection has changed some in the years since we started on this project. More veterans have chosen cremation and the lay-out of the cemetery has changed. The VA now estimates 2014 is the date it will be full for everyone but spouses of those who are already buried there. Even so, I have continued to work this issue, trying to make sure that veterans in New Mexico will have a final resting place. A few years ago, we got the VA to survey the best potential follow-on sites for a national cemetery in the Albuquerque area. They identified three potential follow-on sites that would work well, but there would be a lot of states ahead of us who have more veterans than we do without access to a national cemetery. The hurdles to get a new national cemetery passed will be high. Early this year, I became aware that there was some property next to the Santa Fe Cemetery that might be available to extend its life. So, I went back to the leaders of veterans groups that have been involved in this effort to get their input. It’s a lot easier to expand an existing cemetery than to get a new one authorized. We began working with the VA to have them evaluate this potential expansion. On Wednesday night, the Santa Fe City Council agreed to donate 5.7 acres of the piece that they own. I really appreciated that unanimous action on behalf of the City Council. I have encouraged Jim Nicholson, the VA Secretary, to move forward and accept that donation. There is some other land that also might be available and I have encouraged the VA to seriously review this option too. All together, these parcels of land could extend the life of the Santa Fe Cemetery by about 75 years. That’s kind of a big deal. Wish you were here,
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