Overview
- Both Fort Sam Houston and San Antonio National Cemeteries held Veterans Day observances on Nov. 11 in San Antonio.
- Gonzales, a Navy veteran, said his congressional office organized the Fort Sam event when National Cemetery Administration staff were unavailable.
- Roughly 150 to 200 people attended at Fort Sam, where a Navy chaplain, color guard, and musicians participated.
- San Antonio National hosted a separate program featuring retired Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Billy Gordon, who spoke on the history of the Buffalo Soldiers buried there.
- The VA had sought last year to discontinue the Fort Sam ceremony, citing duplication and declining attendance, leading to a pared-down 2024 observance before this year’s shutdown forced outside organizers to step in.