Interview with Fargo Memorial Honor Guard member Jason Hicks on The Coffee Club
HARWOOD, N.D. – The Fargo Memorial Honor Guard says Republican State Representative Scott Meyer of Grand Forks will introduce a bill to fund a building project at the Fargo National Cemetery.
Fargo Memorial Honor Guard Member Jason Hicks says his organization has raised $1.4 million and needs another $4.5 million on an estimate of $500 per square foot. Hicks says he was told no federal money will go toward a building at the cemetery. The honor guard hopes construction will begin in 2026, but the Department of Veterans Affairs still hasn’t approved the design of the building which was done by North Dakota State University architectural students.
During difficult weather days there’s nothing to block the wind, snow, rain, or hot or cold temperatures at the cemetery. A funeral was done Friday during a high wind warning with blowing snow.
“The rifles still worked and the bugle still worked. Days like [this] just scream the reason why we’re doing what we’re doing for that building project,” Hicks explained.
Fargo National Cemetery covers funerals for North Dakota and western Minnesota. The nearest national cemeteries are Fort Snelling in St. Paul and Black Hills near Sturgis.
