Mon May 27, 10:00 AM - Mon May 27, 12:00 PM
10,000 Bay Pines Blvd, Bay Pines, FL 33744

Community: Madeira Beach

Description

“We will never cease to honor the immense collective service and sacrifices of the heroes who have laid down their lives in service to this nation to keep it safe and free,” said Mr. Paul Russo, medical director of the BPVAHCS.

Event Details

The Bay Pines VA Healthcare System (BPVAHCS) will commemorate Memorial Day with a ceremony on Monday, May 27, 2019, at 10:00 a.m. at the Bay Pines National Cemetery (BPNC) to honor U.S. servicemembers who died while on active duty. The BPNC is the only National Cemetery in Pinellas and Hillsborough counties, and commemorates the largest observance of Memorial Day with more than 4,000 expected attendees. Veterans, their families and friends, and the public are invited to attend.


Guest speakers for the event include U.S. Representative Charlie Crist, 13th Congressional District of Florida, and local leaders from the BPVAHCS, St. Petersburg VA Regional Office, and the BPNC. The event will also feature traditional military tributes and music provided by the Suncoast Symphony Orchestra.

Retired U.S. Army Master Sgt. Scott Neil will provide the keynote address. Following the events of 9/11, Neil conducted numerous successful special operation combat missions as part of the Commander’s In-Extremis Forces. He was one of the first to lead the Direct Action and Counter-Terrorism charge into Afghanistan, Iraq, and the Horn of Africa. His contribution and experience in response to the 9/11 terrorist attacks were recently portrayed in the movie 12 Strong. The movie is the declassified true story of the horse soldiers who were part of special operations in Afghanistan during the first days after 9/11.

In addition, Neil actively participates with the George W. Bush Military Service Initiative and Team 43, a collaboration of former Veterans and the former President and his staff. This collaboration focuses on the power of outdoor recreational sports such as mountain biking and golf. President Bush recently painted a portrait of Scott, and his story is now featured in the former President’s best-selling book “Portraits of Courage.”

Prior to the ceremony, on Saturday, May 25, volunteers from the community will mark more than 35,000 graves at the cemetery with U.S. flags to honor the men and women who served the Nation. Driving directions to the BPNC and a campus map are available here. Parking for the ceremony is available nearby. Shuttles will provide transportation for guests from parking lots to the Nat

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