Land Commissioner Buckingham Celebrates 80 Years of the Texas Veterans Land Board Serving Veterans

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October 28, 2026, 14:51 GMT

Today, Texas Land Commissioner and Veterans Land Board (VLB) Chairwoman Dawn Buckingham, M.D., is thrilled to announce that she was joined by VLB Board Members Judson Scott and James Rothfelder, as well as former Land Commissioners, VLB Chairs, Board Members, and Executive Secretaries, to celebrate the VLB's 80th Anniversary on Tuesday, October 27, 2026. During the board meeting, the board presented a resolution marking this incredible milestone.

"When the GLO was established in 1836, we honored Veterans of the Texas Revolution with land grants, allowing our war heroes to settle the lands for which they fought. This accord was made official with the establishment of the Veterans Land Board (VLB) in 1946, and 80 years later, we continue supporting our Veterans with the best package of benefits in the country," said Commissioner Buckingham. "As VLB Chairwoman, it is an honor to recognize the dedication of every VLB staff member as we mark this incredible milestone. I thank the former Land Commissioners and VLB Chairs, Board Members, and Executive Secretaries who joined me to celebrate our legacy of service as the VLB continues to shape the future of Veterans care."

L to R: Judson Scott, VLB Board Member; Mark Havens, Former VLB Executive Secretary and Deputy Land Commissioner; James Darwin, Former VLB Executive Secretary; James Crabtree, Director of Government Relations at TVC; Ken Wallingford, Former VLB Executive Secretary; Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham, M.D.; Paul Moore, Former VLB Executive Secretary; Douglas Oldmixen, Former VLB Executive Secretary; Alan Sanderson, Former VLB Board Member; James Rothfelder, VLB Board Member; Tony Dale, VLB Executive Secretary

In 1946, the Texas Legislature passed the Veterans Land Act, which established the Veterans Land Board. Since its first bonds were used to create land sales for World War II Veterans, the VLB has been caring for our Veterans through home and land loan programs, long-term care facilities, pristine state Veterans cemeteries, and more.

Since it was established, the VLB has been supporting the needs of Veterans, Military Members, and their families across Texas:

Over 21,500 Veterans and spouses have received long-term skilled nursing care in a Texas State Veterans Home (TSVH).
Last year, the VLB opened the Tuskegee Airmen TSVH in Fort Worth, its 10th and newest state Veterans home.
Over 36,790 Veterans and spouses have been interred at a Texas State Veterans Cemetery (TSVC).
In June 2026, the VLB opened the West Texas SVC, its 5th and most recent state Veterans cemetery.
Over 300 Unaccompanied Veterans have been honored and interred at VLB's state Veterans cemeteries.
The VLB Call Center partners with the Texas Veterans Commission (TVC) to answer over 5,000 calls a month.

Since the VLB's land and home loan programs were created through the end of September 2026, these programs have helped Veterans, Military Members, and their families realize their dreams:

Created in 1949, the VLB land loan program has facilitated 137,691 land loans totaling $3,019,044,154.
Created in 1983, the VLB's Veterans Housing Assistance Program has facilitated 106,108 home loans totaling $14,452,674,885.

During the past year, the VLB has celebrated major accomplishments in Veterans care. At the beginning of September, Commissioner Buckingham and the VLB celebrated the ribbon-cutting and dedication of the new West Texas State Veterans Cemetery (TSVC) in Lubbock. The VLB's fifth TSVC will serve more than 21,000 Veterans and their eligible family members.

In the spring, Commissioner Buckingham announced that the Rio Grande Valley State Veterans Cemetery, Coastal Bend State Veterans Cemetery, and the Texas State Veterans Cemetery at Abilene were honored with the prestigious Operational Excellence Award. The United States Department of Veterans Affairs' National Cemetery Administration (NCA) gives this award to cemeteries that significantly surpass the quality standards set by its Compliance Review Program.

In June, it was an honor for Commissioner Buckingham to share that the VLB recorded the 600th story for its Voices of Veterans Oral History Program. Voices of Veterans preserves the personal stories of Texas Veterans by recording their experiences during military service and their lives after returning home. Staff Sergeant (SSgt) Jim Haun, a United States Marine Corps Veteran, was the 600th Veteran to be interviewed for the program.

The VLB also found great success during its first appearance at the Houston Rodeo in March and at Texas's first Fleet Week in April. During both events, the VLB Marketing and Outreach team shared a wealth of information about the VLB's benefits package and the many resources available to Veterans, military members, and their families.

This year, the VLB continued the 'Valentines for Vets' program in February, and Commissioner Buckingham applauded the incredible outpouring of support from across Texas and the nation. In total, the residents at VLB's 10 Texas State Veterans Homes received more than 17,000 Valentine's Day cards through the program.

At the beginning of the year, the VLB increased both the home and land loan amounts for Veterans. Commissioner Buckingham shared that the VLB home loan amount increased more than $26,000 dollars from $806,500 to $832,750. Additionally, the VLB standard and dual-spouse land loan amounts increased a combined $100,000. Both of these increases will help Veterans and their families realize their dreams of land and home ownership.

Click the button below for more information about benefits available to Veterans, Military Members, and their families in Texas:

Texas Veterans Land Board

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Dr. Dawn Buckingham made history in 2022, winning a statewide election to become Texas' first female Land Commissioner. As Land Commissioner, Dr. Dawn Buckingham is committed to helping Texans after a disaster, supporting Texas energy, ensuring that every child in Texas receives a high-quality public education, serving Texas Veterans, and securing the border to keep our communities safe.

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