Rep. Rick Hansen Joins Sen. Miller, Rep. Davids at Groundbreaking of New State Veterans Cemetery

(Preston, Minnesota) – The Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs, with Senator Jeremy Miller (R-Winona), Representative Greg Davids (R-Preston), Representative Rick Hansen (DFL- South St. Paul), Congressman Tim Walz (D-Minnesota), and many other local officials and citizens throughout the area, broke ground today on southeastern Minnesota’s new State Veterans Cemetery. The cemetery site is on 170 acres of land donated by Fillmore County and is located off Highway 52 in Preston, Minnesota.

“This is an important day for veterans throughout the state,” said Rep. Hansen. “As a metro legislator, I am happy to be supporting this effort because we are all part of one Minnesota and we must strive to give veterans across our state the honor they deserve.”

The addition of a new cemetery comes as part of a nationwide campaign to provide burial for veterans within 75 miles of their home. With nearly 40,000 veterans living in southeastern Minnesota, the closest national VA cemetery is currently Fort Snelling National Cemetery, approximately 120 miles away.

Earlier this fall, the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs received official approval and a $10 million grant from the Federal Cemetery Administration to cover the entire cost of the new cemetery. With the operational funding for the cemetery authorized by the legislature this past session, the $10 million grant was the last step in the process for this project.

The Southeastern Minnesota State Veterans Cemetery is scheduled to open in 2015. Burial at the veteran’s cemetery will be open to all Veterans discharged from active military service under any conditions other than dishonorable. Spouses of veterans, minor children and under certain conditions, unmarried adult children are also eligible for burial.