NMCentennialBlueBook

"National Vietnam Women's Memorial"
By New Mexico Sculptor Glenna Goodacre
Photo Courtesy: Tracey Littrell
deployments of its Fighter Wing and
Security Police elements and units.
In addition to all the New Mexico men and
women who served in all the identified
military conflicts as National Guard
members, many more New Mexicans
volunteered directly to serve our country.
All that were fortunate to return, are our
military veterans today.
There are approximately 2.5 million living
veterans of WWII nationwide. The U.S.
Department of Veterans Affairs estimates
that as of 2012 there were 5,300 living
NM veterans of WWII but we are losing
these men and women rapidly.
In addition to the 5,300 New Mexican
WWII veterans referenced earlier, the U.
S. Department of Veterans’ Affairs, reports that there are 18,500 from the Korean War;
56,900 from Vietnam; and 50,000 from Desert Shield/Desert/Iraq/Afghanistan. There are
also nearly 43,500 peace time veterans living in New Mexico. Those men and women are
qualified for the veteran's services for life.
PROGRAMS AND FACILITIES FOR NEW MEXICO VETERANS
VETERANS’ HOSPITAL and RETIREMENT SERVICES: Veterans are provided
free medical care at the Veterans Hospital in Albuquerque and at fourteen VA Community-
Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOC’s) throughout the state. A Veterans’ Retirement facility
is located in Truth or Consequences for those veterans needing nursing or assisted living
care. These services are available in the former Carrie Tingley Hospital for Crippled
Children built in the 1930’s by the federal New Deal program to treat polio victims in the
state.
NATIONAL CEMETERIES: In Santa Fe our soldiers killed in battle and our deceased
veterans have been buried with military honors at the state’s National Cemetery. Their
spouses can also be buried there. Programs honoring those who are buried there as well
as all living veterans are held every Veterans’ Day at this site and young Boy Scouts
volunteer to place small U.S. flags on every grave for the day. Another national cemetery
is based at Ft. Stanton near Ruidoso and for members of the U.S. Merchant Marines and
officials from the U.S. National Public Health Service. A list of our most recent Fallen
Soldiers (2002-2011) is provided at the end of this chapter.
MILITARY MEMORIALS: In addition to the Bataan Memorial Monument and Library
mentioned earlier, there is a Veterans’ Services Memorial Monument on the grounds of the
State Capitol Complex facing on to downtown Santa Fe. It was dedicated on July 3, 2005
and honors all New Mexico veterans and the five military branches in which they served.
Other veterans’ monuments honoring these men and women are located in Angel Fire,
Alamogordo, Albuquerque, Aztec, Belen, Capitan, Carlsbad, Clayton, Clovis, Cochiti,
Deming, Espanola, Farmington, Fort Bayard, Ft. Stanton, Gallup, Hagerman, Hobbs, Las
Cruces, Las Vegas, Lordsburg, Los Alamos, Los Lunas, Lovington, Pecos, Portales, Rio
Rancho, Santa Fe, Sombrillo/Santa Cruz, Taos and Truth or Consequences. The one in
Truth or Consequences includes a reproduction of the Vietnam National Memorial Wall.
CURRENT NEW MEXICO MILITARY ACTIVITIES
As readers of this Blue Book are aware, the United States is currently at war in Afghanistan.
And as they have in every generation before, New Mexicans have answered the call are
serving courageously in the theaters of operation as well as worldwide, to include ships
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