GRANTS, N.M. – Across Cibola County, Veterans Day 2025 was marked by reflection, gratitude, and a deep recognition of the region’s long-standing contributions to national defense — from the historic service of Navajo Code Talkers sworn in at Fort Wingate to today’s veterans and ongoing missile testing that continues to link New Mexico to America’s security.
At 11:11 a.m. on Monday, residents gathered at Grants Veterans Memorial Park on Route 66 to observe the national moment of silence honoring those who served. The ceremony commemorated both Veterans Day and Armistice Day, emphasizing remembrance and unity.
Following the morning observance, the Double Six Art Gallery hosted a luncheon for local veterans and their families. The event, organized with support from community volunteers, featured floral arrangements and a red, white, and blue wreath created by Grants FFA students, symbolizing gratitude from the next generation to those who came before.
State Representative Martha Garcia, who represents House District 6, joined attendees at the luncheon to thank veterans for their service and participation. Written messages were also shared from State Representatives Michelle Pauline Abeyta and Patty Lundstrom, both extending appreciation to veterans statewide and highlighting efforts to expand programs supporting their health, education, and benefits.
New Mexico’s Legacy of Service
Just west of Grants, Fort Wingate continues to serve as a cornerstone of New Mexico’s military history. Established in 1860, the site was where 29 Navajo Code Talkers took their oaths in 1942 before creating the unbreakable code that became a decisive factor in World War II.
While the fort was officially decommissioned in 1993, it remains active in a new capacity as a U.S. Army missile testing site. Launches from Fort Wingate to White Sands Missile Range are periodically conducted to test missile defense systems and technologies designed to strengthen the nation’s readiness. These operations, though temporary, are a reminder of how the region continues to play a vital role in modern defense innovation.
That connection between past and present was underscored this week when the U.S. Air Force successfully launched an unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. The missile, which traveled nearly 6,800 kilometers to a target near the Kwajalein Atoll in the Pacific Ocean, was part of a long-running series of routine tests verifying the reliability of the nation’s strategic deterrent. The Minuteman III has now been tested more than 300 times since entering service.
Although the Minuteman launch occurred far from New Mexico, its purpose mirrors that of the missile work at Fort Wingate — each test representing a broader national effort to maintain readiness, ensure stability, and ultimately preserve peace.
Celebrating the Marine Corps’ 250th Anniversary
This year also marked the 250th birthday of the United States Marine Corps, established on November 10, 1775. For two and a half centuries, the Marine Corps has embodied courage, honor, and commitment, from the beaches of Iwo Jima to modern deployments around the globe.
New Mexico shares a proud connection to that legacy through its Navajo Code Talkers, Marine veterans whose unbreakable code helped secure victory in the Pacific and continues to serve as a symbol of both cultural pride and military excellence.
State Initiatives Support Veterans The New Mexico Department of Veterans Services (NMDVS) continues to expand its outreach to veterans and their families. In October, the department recognized two of the state’s oldest living veterans:
• Army Veteran Placido Borrego, celebrated for his 101st birthday and more than 40 years of military service.
• Navy Veteran Raymond Bonda, honored at the New Mexico Navy Ball with a state flag flown over the Capitol.
NMDVS also supported Stand Down events statewide this fall — including in Gallup, Las Cruces, and Albuquerque — providing shelter, healthcare, and benefit services to homeless and low-income veterans.
Women veterans were also in focus this month through the Women Veterans Program, which connects women who have served with health, mentorship, and benefit resources. The initiative encourages all women veterans in New Mexico to register their service stories at womensmemorial. org as part of the nationwide Strive for 500 campaign, which seeks to preserve the legacies of women in uniform.
Meanwhile, New Mexico State Parks reminds eligible veterans of the lifetime veterans pass, which provides free access to all 35 state parks, including camping and day use. More than 6,000 veterans have already claimed the benefit since it launched in July. Information is available through vet.benefits@dvs.nm. gov or 1-866-433-8387.
A Legacy That Lives On
From Fort Wingate’s mesas to the classrooms of local FFA students, Cibola County’s connection to service runs deep. Each Veterans Day, that legacy grows — built on remembrance, renewed through community, and carried forward by the next generation.
As wreaths stood beside the American flag in Grants this week, they symbolized more than tradition. They represented an unbroken chain of service — from the Code Talkers of 1942 to the veterans honored Monday, and to the future defenders whose path begins here in Cibola County.