(San Antonio) — When a veteran has no one left to stand by their graveside, the responsibility — and honor — falls to all of us.
Seguin and Guadalupe County residents are invited to San Antonio this morning to take part in a dignified burial ceremony for Unaccompanied Veterans — service members who served honorably but have no known next of kin or family able to attend their service.
The service will be held at 9 a.m. today at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery.
Hosted in partnership with Bexar County Military and Veterans Services, the public ceremony invites residents from surrounding counties, including Guadalupe County, to stand in as family for these veterans.
These services are reserved for former service members whose burial arrangements were made not by relatives, but through public administrators, VA facilities, or other authorized agencies. In many cases, these veterans lived their final days quietly, without family connections — making community attendance a powerful gesture of gratitude.
Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery Director Gerald Lefler said the mission is simple: ensure that no veteran leaves this world without honor. “Offering dignified burial ceremonies and military honors for those who have served, especially Veterans who passed with no known family, ensures proper respect is paid to the brave men and women who have served this nation,” said Lefler. “We encourage the community to join us as we pay tribute to those who have served and sacrificed for our nation.”
The ceremony will include full military funeral honors, a solemn roll call in which each veteran’s name, rank, and branch are read aloud, followed by the playing of “Taps” and the presentation of a folded American flag.
Residents of Guadalupe County are encouraged to attend the ceremony or pause at 9 a.m. wherever they are in remembrance.
Parking on-site will be limited. Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery is located at 1520 Harry Wurzbach Rd., San Antonio.