Central Florida Chapter, 1st Marine Division Association

10/13/2026

Happy 251st Birthday to the U.S. Navy!

Bravo Zulu!

10/11/2026

One month to go!

On November 10, we’ll kick off the 251st Marine Corps Birthday with our annual S.O.S. Breakfast at Venue on the Lake.

Join fellow Marines, Navy Corpsmen, family, and friends for breakfast, camaraderie, Marine Corps tradition, and remarks from our featured speaker, Col Benjamin M. Venning, Chief of Staff, Training and Education Command.

🎟️ Tickets: $35 for Chapter members | $40 general admission
📅 Registration closes November 6

Proceeds will be split between Wreaths Across America and the 1st Marine Division Association General Fund.

Don’t wait—get your ticket and make plans to join us.

https://www.cfc1stmardiv.com/sos-sign-up-form.html

Semper Fidelis!

10/07/2026

09/21/2026

Lots of great events out there to celebrate our beloved Marine Corps’ birthday! Find one near you and show up!

09/18/2026

YOU ARE NOT FORGOTTEN.

On National POW/MIA Recognition Day, we pause to honor America’s prisoners of war, those who remain missing in action, and the families who have lived for decades without the answers they deserve.

For our Chapter, this day carries a particularly personal meaning.

Our Chapter family includes Alice Weinberg, widow of longtime Chapter leader and Marine Jim Weinberg. Alice’s father served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War and was lost during the fighting surrounding the Chosin Reservoir. More than 75 years later, he has still not come home.

His story also reminds us that Chosin was not solely a Marine Corps story. Soldiers fought and sacrificed alongside the Marines during that brutal campaign. The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency has documented that more than 1,000 American service members remained unaccounted for from the Chosin campaign, and the work to identify and return America’s missing continues decades later.

Behind every name listed as missing is a family. A spouse. A son or daughter. Generations who have carried both the memory of someone they loved and the hope that someday they might finally come home.

Today, we remember Alice’s father and all of America’s POWs and MIAs. We also stand with Alice and the countless families who continue to wait.

The promise represented by the POW/MIA flag is not simply a phrase.

You Are Not Forgotten.

May we continue to live up to it.

Semper Fidelis.

09/17/2026

Sharing one of the opportunities to celebrate the 251st Marine Corps Birthday for those in Central Florida. Semper Fidelis!

Brevard County Detachment 513 Marine Corps League is hosting a celebration of the Marine Corps' 251st Birthday on 13 November at the Space Coast Convention…

09/16/2026

📬 HOT OFF THE PRESS — The newest “Ooo Rah” is here!

Our September–October newsletter is now available to download, and this is a good one!

We’re heading into one of the busiest times of the year for the Marine Corps community, and this issue has plenty to help you stay connected.

Inside you’ll find information about our 251st Marine Corps Birthday S.O.S. Breakfast, Marine Weekend and the Birthday Ball, upcoming Veterans Day activities, and our next Chapter meeting (BTW, the guest presenter will be Héctor Fernández to talk about the The Purple Heart Foundation)

You’ll also get a look back at the 1st Marine Division Association Reunion in San Diego, our Summer Backyard BBQ, and the dedication of a memorial honoring Central Florida Medal of Honor recipient Cpl. Larry Smedley.

And because The “Ooo Rah” is about more than upcoming events, you’ll also find Marine Corps history and stories—including a remembrance of the Battle of Inchon and the remarkable connection one of our own Chapter members has to the iconic photograph of 1stLt Baldomero López going over the seawall.

Our goal is simple: keep Marines, families, friends, and supporters connected to what’s happening throughout the Central Florida Marine Corps community while preserving the stories and legacy of those who came before us.

So grab a cup of coffee, download a copy, and spend a few minutes with us.

Download the newest Ooo Rah⁠ herehttps://www.cfc1stmardiv.com/uploads/1/5/2/0/15206304/ooorahv23n5.pdf

And please share it with another Marine!

Semper Fidelis! 🇺🇸

09/07/2026

Next year’s reunion will be in Kansas City!

Put it on your calendar 🗓️

After 80 years of service, sacrifice, and brotherhood, we're bringing the 1st Marine Division Association together for our most significant gathering yet!

Join us in Kansas City, Missouri in August 2027!

This milestone reunion will feature:
A tour of the WWI Museum
A visit to the Truman Presidential Library
Our farewell banquet with a live auction of vacations and more!
Election of our newest officers for the next two-year term

Whether you served, supported our Marines, or carry on the tradition through family, this is YOUR reunion. YOUR time to connect with old friends and new. YOUR time to share your Marine Corps story. Join us in 2027!

For all updates, details, and registration to come visit https://www.1stmda.org

08/31/2026

Semper Fidelis 🫡

This is the memorial the 1stMarDiv Association and the Cpl Larry E Smedley Detachment sponsored.