Gallup vets tell Lujan they want a cemetery

Ben Lujan speaks during a town hall meeting at Sammy C's Rockin Sports Pub on Saturday evening. Lujan is running for the United States Congress in District 3. — © 2008 Gallup Independent / Brian Leddy

Copyright © 2008
Gallup Independent
By Gaye Brown de Alvarez
Staff writer

GALLUP — Newly-elected 3rd District Rep. Ben Ray Lujan was in Gallup Saturday listening to groups of people and their concerns at the McKinley County Courthouse rotunda.

Gallup veterans sat at a table and expressed their need and hope for a new veterans cemetery at Fort Wingate.

Lujan responded, saying he knew there was a need in New Mexico for more than one veterans cemetery as soon the one in Santa Fe is filled up. He told veterans Mike Perez, Gilbert Moreno and Dave McCright that he will do what he can to get the process started including contacting Secretary John Garcia of the New Mexico Department of Veterans Affairs to lead the charge in the veterans cemetery issue.

Perez, a Vietnam veteran, told Lujan that he believed veterans need to be honored with a decent cemetery in this part of the state, and he would like for it to be called “A Place of Honor.”

Gilbert Moreno, who survived the Tet Offensive in Vietnam said he was at the courthouse “to support Mike, and I think Fort Wingate is the place for the cemetery. It has the history.”

Lujan told the veterans that it was a statewide issue.

Everywhere he goes, this issue comes up — a veterans cemetery. He said that he was going to Rio Rancho to talk to vets there about the same need. He had also heard about it from vets in Taos.

“We’re not asking for a memorial,” Perez said. “We want a cemetery, we need a cemetery. We’re dying off.”

The three vets agreed that more people need to get on board to help designate Fort Wingate as a veterans cemetery. He said he has been working on the project for eight years.

Lujan’s visit to Gallup was one of several in towns and cities throughout the district for his “Thank You New Mexico Town Hall Tour.” He thanked voters and answered their questions about infrastructure, energy, water, job training and other issues.

Lujan, elected to the 3rd Congressional District, will be sworn in Jan. 6 after being chairman of the New Mexico Public Regulations Commission. He defeated independent candidate Carol Miller and Republican candidate Dan East last month for the U.S. House seat that represents northern New Mexico, including McKinley County.

Information: Mike Perez, 863-6266.

To contact Ray Ben Lujan, call his assistant Chris Garcia at (505) 410-0348.