Milwaukee, WI – This Veterans Day, the Descendant Community of the Milwaukee County Grounds Cemeteries, Inc., highlights ongoing delays in honoring Milwaukee County veterans, stemming from administrative obstacles and legal interference.
Following research and documentation by the Descendant Community, several veterans of the Civil and Spanish–American Wars have been identified and memorialized. In 2023, five markers were successfully installed; an additional marker has remained in storage since November 2023, however, and three additional applications for other veterans have not yet been submitted by the County to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, preventing further recognition.
The Descendant Community notes that the delay is caused by the County’s failure to process applications and by actions of the Milwaukee County Office of the Corporation Counsel. These delays prevent veterans from receiving the recognition they earned and their descendants from achieving closure.
“The County has the ability to submit these applications to the Veterans Administration, but delays in doing so are denying veterans the recognition they deserve,” said Judy Klimt Houston, president of the Descendant Community. “Every day these memorials remain unprocessed is another day veterans and their descendants are left without the honor they earned.”
These delays have been compounded by misstatements regarding cemetery preservation rules, mischaracterization of lawful proposals, and obstructive actions from the Milwaukee County Corporation Counsel’s office. The Descendant Community emphasizes that installation of respectful memorial markers is fully compatible with state and County regulations.
The Descendant Community urges Milwaukee County officials to submit pending applications and move forward with the installation of all approved markers without further obstruction. “Each veteran deserves to be remembered with dignity,” said Houston. “Honoring their service is a matter of respect, remembrance, and justice.”
For more information and to view the Descendant Community’s research on Milwaukee County veterans, visit https://descendantcommunity.org/projects/veterans.
About the Descendant Community
The Descendant Community of Milwaukee County Grounds Cemeteries, Inc. is dedicated to preserving the memory and dignity of those buried in the Milwaukee County Grounds Cemeteries. The community advocates for the respectful reburial of remains and works to ensure proper recognition of the historical and cultural significance of the cemeteries.
