The Department of Veterans Affairs’ National Cemetery Administration (NCA) has announced a grant of up to $12,826,928 to the state of Texas for the expansion of the Central Texas State Veterans Cemetery in Killeen. In addition to the grant, the VA will reimburse the state $3,736,500 for the fabrication and delivery of outer burial receptacles used in the project.

The cemetery currently serves more than 221,000 Veterans and their eligible family members across the region. The expansion will include:

• 4,700 pre-placed crypts
• 4,000 columbarium niches
• 2,700 in-ground cremains gravesites
• Upgraded landscaping and irrigation systems

VA Secretary Doug Collins emphasized the importance of honoring Veterans through well-maintained facilities, stating, “Veterans cemeteries like Central Texas State Veterans Cemetery keep the memories of America’s heroes alive.”

Since 1980, the VA has awarded over $1.1 billion in grants to support the establishment, expansion, and maintenance of 124 Veterans cemeteries across 47 states, 14 tribal nations, and 3 U.S. territories. For fiscal year 2025, the VA plans to award up to 21 grants to 14 states, totaling no more than $82 million.

In 2024 alone, VA grant-funded cemeteries interred more than 42,720 Veterans and eligible family members, accounting for roughly 24% of all annual interments across national and VA-supported Veterans cemeteries.

The Central Texas State Veterans Cemetery continues to serve as a vital resting place and memorial site for those who served, and this expansion aims to meet the growing needs of the Veteran community in the years ahead.