Gov. Evers, DVA Announce Nearly $2 Million in Grants to Veteran Memorial Cemeteries

MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers, together with the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA), today announced that two of Wisconsin’s Veteran Memorial Cemeteries have been awarded nearly $2 million in grants from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ Veterans Cemetery Grants Program to expand capacity, upgrade facilities, and preserve the dignity, beauty, and accessibility of Wisconsin’s veterans cemeteries for generations to come.

“Wisconsin’s veterans have served our state and country bravely, and it’s only right that when they are laid to rest, they continue to receive the honor and respect they’ve fought for,” said Gov. Evers. “Our dedicated Wisconsin Veteran Memorial Cemeteries are treasured spaces for families and friends to remember and honor their lost loved ones, and with these grants, we are continuing to ensure that these spaces are accessible and represent the pride that we have for our veterans.”

The Central Wisconsin Veterans Memorial Cemetery (CWVMC) in King will receive $982,675 to expand capacity with 1,100 new in-ground cremains gravesites, as well as upgraded landscaping and irrigation. The Southern Wisconsin Veterans Memorial Cemetery (SWVMC) in Union Grove will receive $931,500 for enhancements to parking, roadways, cortege assembly lanes, landscaping, and irrigation.

“Caring for our veterans cemeteries is a solemn duty, and I’m grateful for Gov. Evers’ support and the dedicated employees who ensure every veteran is laid to rest with dignity,” said DVA Secretary James Bond. “I encourage everyone to visit one of our state cemeteries. They are living tributes to the men and women who served and are enduring reminders of their sacrifice.”

CWVMC, established in 1888 with the burial of a Civil War veteran, has since become the final resting place for nearly 9,000 veterans, their spouses, and dependents. SWVMC, established in 1996, is now the third busiest state veterans cemetery in the nation, with more than 18,500 interments. Eligible veterans are buried at no cost to their families, while eligible spouses and dependents may be interred for a small fee.

ADDITIONAL EFFORTS BY EVERS ADMINISTRATION TO INVEST IN WISCONSIN’S VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES IN THE 2025-27 BIENNIAL BUDGET

Gov. Evers recognizes that veterans in Wisconsin and across the nation continue to face significant challenges when adjusting to civilian life. That’s why supporting Wisconsin’s veterans and their families and ensuring they have the resources and tools needed to thrive in their civilian lives has been a top priority for Gov. Evers and the Evers Administration since Day One.

Building on efforts throughout his administration, the final 2025-27 Biennial Budget signed by Gov. Evers provides important investments and provisions that support services for veterans. This includes:

• $5 million to support the operations of the Wisconsin Veterans Homes;
• $200,000 to increase transportation grants to counties for providing transportation to medical facilities for veterans;
• $50,000 to increase the grant amount for Camp American Legion;
• Providing a five percent increase for county veterans service officers and Tribal veterans service offices that serve veterans in communities across the state;
• $2.5 million for a new grant program to fund housing and comprehensive support services to veterans;
• $35 million for needed capital building projects at the Wisconsin Veterans Homes to repair plumbing, abate lead, replace boilers, and improve technology;
• $3.4 million devoted to continuing expansion of the Northern Wisconsin Veterans Memorial Cemetery; and
• $5 million to support a grant for war memorials in populous counties to honor our nation’s heroes.

However, Republicans on the state’s budget committee voted to eliminate several provisions from the governor’s proposed budget that would have made Veterans Day a state holiday, helped expand access to healthcare and affordable housing, and cut taxes to give veterans more breathing room in their household budgets, including providing:

• $1.9 million for the Veterans Housing and Recovery Program, and as a result, two of the state’s three veterans homes will now be forced to close their doors;
• $1.1 million for the Veterans Outreach and Recovery Program (VORP), which provides outreach, treatment, and support to veterans who have a mental health condition or a substance use disorder;
• $5 million for a new veterans benefits management system, which would have replaced several existing systems used to track and manage application and benefit payments, which the department asserts are outdated and no longer capable of effectively managing programs;
• New caretaker positions at state veterans cemeteries;
• $1 million for the University of Wisconsin (UW)-Madison Missing-in-Action Recovery and Identification Project for missions to recover and identify veterans missing in action;
• $5 million for emergency and community-based mental health services for veterans;
• Expanded access to and increased grant limits under the Assistance for Needy Veterans Grant program;
• $23 million in tax relief to veterans and their families by expanding the Veterans and Surviving Spouses Property Tax Credit to include renters;
• $66.5 million in tax relief for disabled veterans and their families by expanding the eligibility for the Veterans and Surviving Spouses Property Tax Credit to allow those with disability ratings of 70 percent or greater to claim the credit;
• Support for peer-run respite centers, including the peer-run respite center for veterans;
• Tuition fee remission for the UW System for Hmong-Lao veterans and an expanded definition of “veteran” for the purposes of qualifying for certain state programs to include more Hmong-Lao veterans; and
• Support to expand the oral history collections at the Wisconsin Veterans Museum and develop preliminary plans and specifications for the construction of a new Wisconsin Veterans Museum building on the museum’s current location, all of which was rejected by Republicans on the state’s budget committee.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.