A decorated Army veteran will be laid to rest next month in Killeen, but officials fear he may be buried alone. Now, a call has gone out to the community to ensure this soldier’s final journey includes the honor he deserves.
Sergeant First Class David Guerrero Acosta, who served his country for more than two decades, will receive an Unaccompanied Veteran Burial at the Central Texas State Veterans Cemetery on Wednesday, December 17, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. Cemetery officials confirmed that SFC Acosta served from June 1966 to August 1989, earning multiple commendations including the Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, and the Army Good Conduct Medal.
What makes this burial particularly poignant? No next-of-kin is expected to attend. The Texas Veterans Land Board is asking Killeen residents to step in and ensure SFC Acosta isn’t buried without community recognition of his service. If no family members appear, a Veterans Land Board Representative will accept the United States flag on his behalf, as noted in the burial announcement.
A Community’s Responsibility
“No Veteran is ever left behind.” That’s the guiding principle of the Texas Veterans Land Board, which works closely with local communities and Veterans service organizations to ensure proper recognition for all who served. This upcoming ceremony represents that commitment in action.
The Central Texas State Veterans Cemetery, which opened on January 4, 2006, holds a significant place in Texas history as the first cemetery built and operated by the Texas Veterans Land Board. Spanning approximately 174 acres on land formerly part of Fort Hood, the cemetery was designed to accommodate nearly 50,000 burial sites.
For those wishing to pay their respects, the cemetery is located at 11463 State Highway 195 in Killeen. The grounds are open daily from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with staff available at (254) 616-1770 for those seeking additional information.
Leadership Behind the Mission
The effort to ensure no veteran is buried alone falls under the purview of Texas Land Commissioner Dr. Dawn Buckingham, who made history in 2022 as the first woman to hold this position in Texas. Among her various responsibilities, Dr. Buckingham has emphasized her commitment to serving Texas Veterans as a key priority of her administration.
Community attendance at unaccompanied burials has grown in recent years, with Texans increasingly answering the call to stand in for absent family. These ceremonies often draw dozens—sometimes hundreds—of attendees who never knew the veteran personally but come to represent a grateful nation.
Questions about the ceremony? The GLO Press Office can be reached at (512) 936-9582 or via email at [email protected], as provided in the official announcement.
In the end, these ceremonies reflect more than just military protocol—they represent a community’s unwillingness to let a veteran’s service fade into obscurity. For SFC Acosta, who gave 23 years to his country, the hope is that his final formation will include the faces of grateful citizens standing watch, ensuring that his decades of service receive the recognition they deserve.
