After decades of lobbying and dealing with red tape, the Pikes Peak Veterans Memorial Cemetery was dedicated Friday. "There were three of that started this and it was 20 years ago this month," said Committee Chairman Vic Fernandez. He says there were some disappoints and many hurdles to get past, but he never thought of giving up on the idea. "You don’t do this for honor. You do this because it has to be done."
There is no place in the country with more veterans than the Pikes Peak Region. It is Congressman Doug Lamborn’s district. "On my second day in office I filed that bill. My first piece of legislation ever," said Lamborn. That was ten years ago. With the bipartisan support from other Colorado lawmakers in the nation’s capital, the legislation finally passed.
Hundreds of local veterans turned out for the dedication of the new cemetery. The construction time-line is on track for internments to begin this fall. The newest national cemetery will be available to anyone who was active military and their families. The cemetery has the room to serve Southern Colorado for the next 100 years.
