VA approves new vet cemetery in El Paso County

The Veterans Affairs department has agreed to buy land for a national cemetery in El Paso County.

The Gazette reports that the VA announced the decision Wednesday. The cemetery deal was first announced by Colorado U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet. He called it “long overdue.”

El Paso County has the highest concentration of veterans in Colorado but was long denied a cemetery. The closest is Fort Logan National Cemetery, 75 miles away.

Burial at a federal cemetery is one of the benefits veterans gain for their honorable service. The upcoming El Paso County cemetery will be in view of Pikes Peak.

VA plans call for the first burials at the cemetery in 2015, with full completion of cemetery facilities by 2017.