Brevard Veterans memorial centeR
Est. 1978
History
What is today the Brevard Veterans Council and the Veterans Memorial Center grew out of the efforts of a small group of World War II veterans who met in 1978 at the Country Acres cemetery in Titusville to pay final respects to a Navy veteran who would otherwise have been buried alone in a pauper’s funeral. This event caused these veterans to organize into a Veterans Advisory Council for the establishment of a veteran’s cemetery and a plot of land adjacent to the County Acres was donated for that purpose.
In 1980, discussions began on building a Veterans Center and the Brevard Veterans Council (a 501(c)19) was chartered in 1990 for this purpose. Also in 1990, they were able to obtain the land at the current location on Merritt Island from the Brevard County Commissioners. The Veterans Memorial Park was dedicated on November 3, 1990 by representatives from 41 veteran’s organizations. The Veterans Memorial Center (a 501(c)3) was chartered in 1991 to assume responsibility for running the facilities, which included a museum and media center covering US military history, meeting rooms and offices, a 140 seat auditorium and a raised wood walkway along Sykes Creek.
In addition, there is outdoor space for large museum artifacts and a memorial plaza. The first artifact, a Vietnam-era UH-1H Huey helicopter was placed on display in 2003. The Veterans Memorial Garden Plaza was dedicated November 11, 2010.
In 2015, an appropriation was received from the State of Florida to expand the capabilities of the Veterans Memorial Center. The money was earmarked to build a new museum building, retrofit the existing building to better serve veterans, and provide additional jobs for veterans. The Grand Opening was held November 11, 2016.
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Veterans
Service #1
DAV:
DAV Chapter 123 works five days per week from 0830- 1200 hours to assist veterans in need.
Our DAV volunteers are well known in Florida and elsewhere as a group who cares and does all they can to support veterans and their families.
Hours worked.
Veterans
Service #2
Stand Down:
Since 1995 the VMC has supported a Stand Down to aid homeless and struggling veterans in Brevard County.
The Annual Stand Down is a chance for veterans and friends of veterans to show those in dire straits just how much we care and remember their service in better times for them.
The Fleet Reserve Association Branch 263
Korean War and Service Association – KWVA Chapter 210
American Legion Post 344
Disabled American Veterans (DAV) Chapter 123
Rolling Thunder FL Chapter 1
Vietnam and All Veterans of Brevard
MIA/POW
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Military Order of the Purple Heart
Veterans
Service #3
Veterans Organizations:
The Veterans Memorial Center (VMC) is home base currently for a number of Brevard County Veterans Organizations. These organizations meet at the VMC on a monthly basis and are not charged for facility use which frees up their funds for veteran and other community support services.
Each organization is listed in the Council Courier and has information posted on the wall at the VMC for those interested in joining these groups, all of which are seeking new members. Among them are: