Governor signs budget that includes $1.5M for Fort Ord Veterans Cemetery

U.S. Representative Sam Farr (D-Carmel), California State Senator Bill Monning (D-Carmel) and California State Assemblymember Mark Stone (D-Monterey Bay) today celebrated Governor Jerry Brown signing the state’s 2013-14 Budget that includes $1.5 million for the construction of the California Central Coast State Veterans Cemetery at Ford Ord.

“The Central Coast’s veterans have long deserved to have their service honored at the former Fort Ord,” said Congressman Farr. “It is great to see California and the federal government coming together with the local community to make sure this cemetery is built. We still have lots of work ahead of us but this announcement clears a major hurdle.”

The $1.5 million funding will provide the funds necessary to support the application by the California Department of Veterans Affairs (CalVet) for a construction grant from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (USDVA). Once the final project is approved, California will be reimbursed for the majority of any construction costs associated with the cemetery, including the $1.5 million allocated today.

“Thanks to the united efforts of veterans, community members, and the hard work of our legislative team, we were able to succeed in securing the funding necessary to perfect the federal application that converts the dream of a veterans cemetery into a reality,” stated Senator Monning.

Fort Ord was the largest training base in the western United States and was the major staging ground for operations in the Pacific. Many World War II, Korean War and Vietnam War veterans trained at the former Army base.

When the base was closed in 1994, to honor that connection to many of today’s veterans, land was set aside by the Fort Ord Reuse Authority (FORA) for the construction of the Fort Ord Veterans Cemetery.

“Thanks to the hard work of members of the community and their dedication to this project, we’ve taken another important step toward building this special place to honor our veterans,” said Assemblymember Stone.

With the funding in hand, CalVet can now submit the final application for the USDVA’s Veterans Cemetery Grants Program. The grant application is due by August 15.