Brevard Veterans Memorial Center

10/15/2026

BVMC Color Guard: Looking for New Members!

We are still looking for new and younger members to join this team. Represent the Brevard Veterans Memorial Center at functions, community occasions and our home events. Great sense of pride and patriotism for our community and our organization. Please contact Don Pearsall (321) 313-2444

10/13/2026

Remember. Honor. Teach.

Join us for a special Wreaths Across America ceremony honoring Emory Lawrence Bennett (1929–1951), a Korean War Medal of Honor recipient.

📅 Sunday, December 20, 2026 at 2 p.m.
📍 Pinecrest Cemetery, Clearlake Road, Cocoa

The joint ceremony will be presented by the Military Order of the Purple Heart Space Coast Chapter 453 and Their Voice of Hope as we come together to remember and honor the service and sacrifice of our nation’s heroes.

🌿 Those wishing to participate can also sponsor a wreath: https://wreathsacrossamerica.org/pages/163320/Overview/

Please join us in ensuring their service and sacrifice are never forgotten. 🇺🇸

10/09/2026

🍽️ Dinner, Live Music & a Great Cause!

Join us on Friday, October 30 at American Legion Challenger 7 Post 348 for an evening benefiting ALA Unit #344 at the Brevard Veterans Memorial Center! 2026 10 30 ALA Dinner

Enjoy an Old-Fashioned Pot Roast Dinner with potatoes, carrots, onions and dessert for just $10. Dine in or take it to go! Dinner will be served from 5–7 p.m., followed by live music from 6–9 p.m. and a 50/50 raffle.

📍 American Legion Challenger 7 Post 348
105 Lincoln Ave., Cape Canaveral

Come enjoy a great meal, have some fun and help support our local veterans community! ❤️

10/07/2026

From the BVMC Vice President, Don Pearsall

September was an incredible month at BVMC! Our September 11 Memorial Service was one to remember, with the Sheriff’s Jumbotron bringing powerful video presentations to the plaza and nearly 200 visitors experiencing our 9/11 artifact collection. A special thank you to Marco Calderon and the 10-13 Club for helping preserve and share these important pieces of history.

As BVMC looks toward the future, Don Pearsall is also running for President of the Brevard Veterans Memorial Center, with goals that include improving Gray Hall, replacing aging equipment, strengthening relationships with local veterans organizations, expanding community partnerships, and continuing to support veterans and their families.

For Don, that mission is personal. After being shot down in Vietnam and rescued the following morning, he made a commitment to “pay my rescue forward” by helping other veterans in need.

As he puts it, “We are all one military family.” With our volunteers, community partners and veterans leading the way, the future of BVMC remains bright. 🇺🇸

10/06/2026

📚 BVMC Library Book of the Month: Shattered Sword

Think you know the story of the Battle of Midway? Shattered Sword: The Untold Story of the Battle of Midway by Jonathan Parshall and Anthony Tully may change what you thought you knew.

Drawing heavily on Japanese ship logs, battle reports, doctrine, and other archival sources, the authors reexamine the famous 1942 battle from the Japanese perspective and challenge several long-held explanations for Japan’s devastating defeat. The result is a detailed look at the strategy, carrier operations, decisions, and heroic actions that shaped one of the most consequential naval battles of World War II.

If you’re interested in WWII, naval history, or the Pacific Theater, this is a fascinating addition to your reading list.

📖 You can find Shattered Sword in the BVMC Library at WWIIPM-01.

And don’t forget—the BVMC Library is a great resource for exploring military history beyond our exhibits. Stop by and discover the books, stories, and history waiting on our shelves!

10/02/2026

A Moving Welcome Home for Vietnam Veterans

More than 400 people gathered September 26 for the Welcome Home Vietnam Dinner, including at least 60 Vietnam combat veterans and their families.

The evening featured a powerful keynote from 1SG Leonard Ross, U.S. Army (Ret.), who received a sustained standing ovation after sharing his experiences from two tours in Vietnam. Guests also enjoyed an auction, 50/50 raffle, photos, music and plenty of shared memories.

The overwhelming turnout was a meaningful reminder that it’s never too late to say: Welcome home. ❤️

Thank you to everyone who made this special evening possible!

09/29/2026

📣 Living with chronic pain? Join us at BVMC for a free Patient Education Event!

The Brevard Veterans Memorial Center will host an educational session with Abbott focused on neurostimulation as a treatment option for chronic pain.

Attendees will have the opportunity to learn from a clinical specialist team, ask questions, and learn more about how neurostimulation works—including the option to trial the system before moving forward with an implant.

📅 Monday, October 12 | Noon–2 p.m.
📍 Brevard Veterans Memorial Center
400 S. Sykes Creek Pkwy., Merritt Island, FL 32952
🥪 Lunch will be provided
📧 RSVP: [email protected]

If chronic pain is affecting your quality of life, this is an opportunity to learn more about available options and get your questions answered.

Please share with someone who may benefit!

09/25/2026

This Gold Star Families Remembrance Week, the Brevard Veterans Memorial Center honors the families who have endured an immeasurable loss in service to our nation. ⭐

Behind every fallen service member is a family who carries their memory, their legacy, and their sacrifice forward. We remember the spouses, parents, children, siblings, and loved ones whose lives were forever changed, and we stand with our Gold Star Families throughout Brevard County and across the nation.

May we never forget that the cost of freedom is carried not only by those who serve, but by the families who love them.

We remember. We honor. We are grateful. 🇺🇸

09/24/2026

09/24/2026