The Texas General Land Office is inviting members of the Abilene community to attend the burial of a U.S. Army veteran who is not expected to have family present.
The Texas State Veterans Cemetery at Abilene will conduct an Unaccompanied Veteran Burial for U.S. Army Specialist Steven Louis McCarley on Thursday, Aug. 6 at 11 a.m., according to a news release from the General Land Office. Born March 8, 1952, McCarley served from July 1987 to July 1990 and received the Army Achievement Medal for his service.
McCarley is not expected to have any next-of-kin attend his burial, the release said, and the agency encouraged residents to help spread the word so the veteran “is not buried alone.” He will receive military honors, and if no next-of-kin is present, a Veterans Land Board representative will accept the United States flag on his behalf.
The Texas Veterans Land Board works with local communities and veterans service organizations through its Unaccompanied Veterans Program to ensure “NO Veteran is EVER left behind,” according to the release. The board invited members of the public to attend and asked that media planning to be there RSVP in advance.
Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham, who in 2022 became the first woman elected Texas Land Commissioner, has said serving Texas veterans is among her priorities, along with disaster recovery, supporting Texas energy, public education and border security.