We are a military town. 
The military is a large part of the foundation of our local economy. Colorado Springs is home to the Air Force Academy, Peterson Air Force Base, Schriever Air Force Base, Fort Carson Army Base and Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Station (home to North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), United States Northern Command (USNORTHCOM), United States Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM), and Air Force Space Command (AFSPC).).
Recently, we have seen a growth in the amount of Veterans who are choosing Colorado Springs as the place that they retire and permanently call "home."
This growth has sparked a request for a National Cemetery in the Colorado Springs area, to meet the needs of Veterans in El Paso, Fremont, Teller and Pueblo counties.
Now, federal regulations prohibit National cemeteries from being built within 75-miles of each other and a proposed national cemetery in Colorado Springs would fall within the 75-mile limitation, so it has yet to be approved. However, has been fought for because of the growing Veteran population, in Southern Colorado. We have been awaiting approval from Veterans Affairs.
In March of 2006, legislation to allow a National Cemetery to be built in Colorado Springs was introduced by U.S. Senators Wayne Allard (R) and Ken Salazar (D) from Colorado, and reintroduced again this January. "Establishing a service area outside the 75-mile radius will get Veterans Affairs and the National Cemetery Administration to take a badly needed second look at this region's veteran population," Senator Allard said. (taken from KRDO website)
Well, there is some Good News! Jim Nicholson, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, has just offered an alternate plan:
If Colorado agrees to provide that land, the Department of Veteran Affairs would pay to develop the cemetery.
Will our Veterans now be able to make their final resting place in the place they call HOME? It's up to YOU, Colorado.
Posted by: Mariana Wagner ~ Colorado Springs Real Estate
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