The Texas General Land Office will host an Unaccompanied Veteran Burial at 11 a.m. July 29 for a U.S. Navy veteran at the Central Texas State Veterans Cemetery in Killeen and is inviting the public to attend.
According to a General Land Office news release, the burial is for Aviation Electronics Technician Petty Officer 1st Class Christopher Lee Pelton, who was born July 6, 1971, and served in the Navy from July 1990 to July 2010.
The agency said Pelton earned the National Defense Service Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Meritorious Unit Commendation, the Navy and Marine Corps Overseas Service Ribbon and the Navy Good Conduct Award. With no next of kin expected to attend, the office encouraged members of the Killeen community to be present so the veteran “is not buried alone.”
Pelton will receive military honors, and a Veterans Land Board representative will accept the United States flag on his behalf if no family member is present, according to the release. The Veterans Land Board, chaired by Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham, operates the Unaccompanied Veterans Program to ensure no Texas veteran is buried without recognition.
The General Land Office asked members of the media planning to attend to RSVP in advance.