Dear Veteran,
As Chairwoman of the Veterans Land Board (VLB), one of my top priorities is ensuring Texas Veterans receive the best care in the nation. One of the many ways the VLB cares for the men and women who have courageously served our country is by owning and operating 10 Texas State Veterans Homes (TSVH) across this great state. The VLB’s TSVHs are state-of-the-art long-term care and skilled nursing facilities. The VLB opened nine TSVHs from 2000 to 2020 in Amarillo, Big Spring, Bonham, El Paso, Floresville, Houston, McAllen, Temple, and Tyler. Together, these Veterans homes can support the unique needs of 1,300 Veterans, spouses, and Gold Star Parents. On Saturday, March 22, 2025, I was honored to host the opening ceremony for the VLB’s 10th Veterans home, the Tuskegee Airmen Texas State Veterans Home in Fort Worth.
Like all of our incredible facilities, the Tuskegee Airmen TSVH is named after distinguished United States military Veterans. The Tuskegee Airmen were a group of over 900 airmen who were the first all-African American flying group in the United States Armed Forces. During their impressive military careers, they flew over 1,500 missions across North Africa and Europe during WWII. These brave men also received over 150 Distinguished Flying Cross awards, 60 Purple Hearts, and the Congressional Gold Medal. The Tuskegee Airmen’s unwavering determination and sacrifices helped pave the way for post-war U.S. military integration and inspired a new generation of aviators.
The VLB’s newest TSVH is 100,000 square feet and can serve 120 Veterans. The Forth Worth TSVH has 72 comfortable rooms, 24 of which are private. Like the VLB’s other Veterans homes, this facility boasts a specialized memory support neighborhood. This Veterans home can support 30 residents with memory-care needs. Also, like VLB’s nine other Veterans homes, eligible Veterans with a 70% or more service-connected disability rating will live in the home at no cost. Located in the Fort Worth area, this brand-new Veterans home will service a tightly knit community with a long history of championing Veterans.
Many pillars of the Fort Worth community and Texas leaders attended the Tuskegee Airmen TSVH grand opening in support of our Veterans. State Representatives Nicole Collier, David Cook, and Terry Meza gave remarks during the ceremony, along with Fort Worth City Councilmembers Charles Laursdorf and Chris Nettles. Texas Veterans Commission (TVC) Chair Mary Dale, TVC Member Charles Wright, and Al Henderson, President of the Claude R. Platte Dallas Fort Worth Chapter of Tuskegee Inc., also addressed the substantial crowd. Reverend Roy Elton Brackins performed the invocation for the ceremony. Chaplin Richard E. Stoglin performed the concluding benediction.
After hearing from community leaders passionate about supporting Texas Veterans, attendees, including Veterans and Tuskegee Airmen family members, enjoyed live music and a delicious bar-b-que lunch. The military band performed a rendition of Nat King Cole’s “Straighten Up and Fly Right,” the Tuskegee Airmen’s unofficial song. The performance garnered an enthusiastic standing ovation. The success of this momentous event is the first of many for the VLB’s newest TSVH.
For information about becoming a resident of the Tuskegee Airmen Texas State Veterans Home or to schedule a tour, contact the VLB On-Site Representative, Susan Culp, by calling (512) 981–9025 or writing to susan.culp@glo.texas.gov.
I encourage all Texans to learn more about the VLB’s 10 Texas State Veterans Homes and the Veterans who call them home. Together, we can ensure that the men and women who have sacrificed so much for our country are expertly cared for in their golden years.
For Texas,
Chairwoman Dawn Buckingham, M.D.
