Miramar National Cemetery Support Foundation

We had a very memorable Memorial Day Ceremony to honor "America 250: A Tribute to Service and Sacrifice" as we remembered over one million men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice defending our freedoms. 🇺🇸

Our keynote speaker, CAPT Steve Shepard, USN (Ret.) tied those sacrifices to many of the men and women laying at rest at Miramar National Cemetery.

You can watch his 20-min keynote speech here: https://youtu.be/YNK8Mnew4JI



National Cemetery Administration (NCA) U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

Memorial Day 2026 Keynote Speaker CAPT Steve Shepard, USN (Ret.) CAPT Steve "Shep" Shepard, USN (Ret.), delivered the keynote speech...

We hope that you are able to join us tomorrow for our 15th Annual
Memorial Day Ceremony "America 250: A Tribute to Service and Sacrifice". 🇺🇸 It is on Sunday, May 24th at 1 p.m.

We have a fabulous keynote speaker lined up - Captain Steve “Shep” Shepard, U.S. Navy (Ret.). CAPT Shepard spent 31 years in senior leadership and executive-level roles worldwide and in the United States. As a career intelligence officer, his assignments included sea and shore duty in Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and Central America. He completed eight overseas deployments and served on seven different aircraft carriers during peace, crisis, counter-piracy, and combat operations.

CAPT Shepard has a diverse career including leadership assignments in the Office of the Secretary of Defense as a Vietnam POW/MIA Analyst, helping resolve the status of missing servicemen from the Vietnam conflict. During his assignment to the U.S. European Command, he ran a Commander’s Action Group and served as a speechwriter for international, military, and host-nation events. While at the U.S. Pacific Fleet headquarters, he ran the Fleet Intelligence Watch and served as Chief of Targets for Joint Task Force 519.

Following retirement, he has been a public speaker and defense consultant. CAPT Shepard currently serves as Commander of American Legion Post 35, which his grandfather helped charter after serving in the Navy during World War I. He also served as Membership Chair on the board of Naval Intelligence Professionals (NIP) and writes for NIP’s upcoming publication on the 150-year history of naval intelligence. He remains active in the military and veteran community by volunteering with many organizations.

There will be music by Westwind Brass, remarks by MNC Director Greta Hamilton, a bagpiper, and bugler to play Taps. The event is open to the public and free to attend. There will be plenty of free parking and golf cart shuttles to assist.

The ceremony will be held in the newly dedicated and renovated Memorial Amphitheater on cemetery grounds.

For questions about the Memorial Day Ceremony, email: [email protected] or go to: www.miramarcemetery.org

T-9 days until our Memorial Day Ceremony and the perfect time to change out the Avenue of Flags! 🇺🇸

Let's call this and THANK the volunteers who changed out and folded our 50 American Flags this week.

Today could also be and today's fact is that it costs $5,000 everytime we change out the flags due to wear and tear. We are blessed to have community supporters who donate for this very cause. And, we are the ONLY National Cemetery out of 155, that has an Avenue of Flags.

Another is that we have a volunteer named Dee Folse who receives all the American Flags, decommissions them, and repurposes them into star pouches so the flags can live forever - especially after they flew over our heroes and their families.

If you'd like to help support the flag change out for Veterans Day, please donate at: https://miramarcemetery.org/contribute/

Happy 118th Birthday to the U.S Navy Nurse Corps! It was on May 13, 1908, that President Theodore Roosevelt signed the Naval Appropriations Bill that authorized the establishment of the Navy Nurse Corps.

In November of that year, the Bureau of Medicine and Surgery selected its first 20 nurses, which were dubbed “the Sacred Twenty.”

From remote lands overseas, at sea, on land, and stateside, Navy Nurses have demonstrated courage, strength, and compassion to our wounded and ill military men and women. They will always be remembered for their selfless service to our nation. 🇺🇸

Please stop by the Navy Nurse Memorial on our Memorial Walkway the next time you visit Miramar National Cemetery.



Navy Nurse Corps Association Southern CA

Did you get our email about the 15th Annual Memorial Day Ceremony at Miramar National Cemetery?

If not, you can check it out here:
https://conta.cc/3QExPd4

And if you want to receive future notifications about special events, please sign up on our website at: https://miramarcemetery.org/

We hope to see you on Sunday, May 24th at 1 p.m. for America 250: A Tribute to Service and Sacrifice. 🇺🇸

You are invited - Sunday, May 24th Email from Miramar National Cemetery Support Foundation Miramar National Cemetery Support Foundation Please join us for our 15th Annual Memorial Day Ceremony "America 250: A Tribute to Service and S

Please join us on Sunday, May 24th at 1 p.m. at Miramar National Cemetery for our 15th Annual Memorial Day Ceremony! This year's theme is "America 250: A Tribute to Service and Sacrifice"

The keynote speaker is Captain Steve “Shep” Shepard, U.S. Navy (Ret.). CAPT Shepard spent 31 years in senior leadership and executive-level roles worldwide and in the United States. As a career intelligence officer, his assignments included sea and shore duty in Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and Central America. He completed eight overseas deployments and served on seven different aircraft carriers during peace, crisis, counter-piracy, and combat operations.

CAPT Shepard has a diverse career including leadership assignments in the Office of the Secretary of Defense as a Vietnam POW/MIA Analyst, helping resolve the status of missing servicemen from the Vietnam conflict. During his assignment to the U.S. European Command, he ran a Commander’s Action Group and served as a speechwriter for international, military, and host-nation events. While at the U.S. Pacific Fleet headquarters, he ran the Fleet Intelligence Watch and served as Chief of Targets for Joint Task Force 519.

Following retirement, he has been a public speaker and defense consultant. CAPT Shepard currently serves as Commander of American Legion Post 35, which his grandfather helped charter after serving in the Navy during World War I. He also served as Membership Chair on the board of Naval Intelligence Professionals (NIP) and writes for NIP’s upcoming publication on the 150-year history of naval intelligence. He remains active in the military and veteran community by volunteering with many organizations.

The ceremony will be held in the newly dedicated and renovated Memorial Amphitheater on cemetery grounds. The event is open to the public and free to attend.

For questions about the Memorial Day Ceremony, email: [email protected] or sign up to receive our email notification about the event at: https://miramarcemetery.org/

Please share this with your networks! 🇺🇸

National Cemetery Administration (NCA) U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

On this day in 1942, the largest number of U.S. Forces were captured by Japanese troops in the Bataan Peninsula in the Philippines. After battling through extreme conditions and prolonged battles, the captured troops were forced to march 65 miles to the prison camp. Without medical attention, food or water thousands died. The mistreatment continued for those who survived the brutal journey. In the compounds, deep in the unfamiliar jungle, the hardships, brutality, and suffering lasted more than two years for those who could survive.

On this National Day of recognition for our former POW's, we let them know that their sacrifice has not been forgotten. 🇺🇸

The next time you are at Miramar National Cemetery, please visit the POW Memorial located inside the gate to the cemetery.

📸: Lynn Freedman

National Cemetery Administration (NCA) U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

On this we want to share the photos and the story about Miramar and Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery Director Major Greta Hamilton, USAF (Ret.).

Major Hamilton was honored by Mt. Soledad National Veterans Memorial at the Annual Women's History Brunch.

FOX 5 San Diego was there to catch all the moments of the special day. To see the story, click on: https://fox5sandiego.com/video/mt-soledad-memorial-assn-honors-veteran/11643578/

BZ to the Mt. Soledad Veterans Memorial team for their continued recognition of women who are serving and have served.

CONGRATULATIONS to Director Hamilton and THANK YOU for your service, and all you do for our military Veterans and their families! 🇺🇸

National Cemetery Administration (NCA) U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

It is important to build a board of directors like you would build a sports team - each person with uniqueness and different skill sets. Today, we welcome one of our newest directors, Bobbie Spoon, to our team!

Here's a little about her:
Roberta (Bobbie) Spoon is a retired forensic CPA and economist with over 30 years experience assisting individuals and businesses involved in litigation, including service as an expert witness on economic damage claims. Since retiring in 2015 she has continued a long-standing commitment to public service through extensive board and governance work.

Among her most meaningful volunteer efforts was leading a pro bono team of forensic economists to prepare loss-of- earning claims for the families impacted by the September 11th attacks in New York City. She is currently finishing her second term on the board of the San Diego City Employee Retirement System. She served on the boards of the San Diego Housing Commission, YWCA Becky’s House, and many Audit and Finance Committees.

Roberta is married with 2 daughters and 3 grandchildren. She and her husband spend many hours attending grandsons’ high school and college baseball games and taking fabulous vacations.

Roberta’s father, U.S. Army WWII Veteran, is interred at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery, and her brother, a U.S. Marine Corps Vietnam Veteran, is interred at Riverside National Cemetery.

Welcome Bobbie! We are glad that you are volunteering your time and talents with us! 🇺🇸

On this National Vietnam War Veterans Day, we say THANK YOU and WELCOME HOME! 🇺🇸

If you served on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces (at any time) from November 1, 1955, to May 15, 1975, regardless of location, then this day is for you – National Vietnam War Veterans Day.

Every year on March 29th, our country gives a long overdue THANK YOU and honors Vietnam veterans, and their families, for their service and sacrifice. Many may ask, “Why March 29?” This date is significant because it was March 29, 1973, when the United States Military Assistance Command was disestablished, and the day the last U.S. combat troops departed Vietnam. Also, on and around this same day Hanoi released the last of its acknowledged prisoners of war.

Our nation can never forget the 58,000+ service members whose names are memorialized on the Vietnam Wall, or the 1,500+ service members who remain missing and unaccounted for.

The Department of Veterans Affairs estimates there are more than 7 million U.S. Vietnam War Veterans living in America and abroad. Whether you served in-country, in-theater, or were stationed elsewhere during the Vietnam War period, you were called to serve your country.

Here in San Diego County, it is estimated that approximately 60,000 Vietnam Veterans live among us. This generation of American men and women deserve two words – Thank You!

The next time you are at Miramar National Cemetery, please stop by the Memorial Walkway and visit the Vietnam War Veterans Memorial.

Please post a photo below of the Vietnam War Veteran in your life. And when you see one in our community, shake their hand and say Welcome Home!