WATCH: Rolling Thunder Holds POW/MIA Flag Raising at Volante Senior Living of Melbourne
By Steve Wilson // June 7, 2025
Coincides with the 81st Anniversary of D-Day
WATCH: Rolling Thunder Florida Chapter 1 held a POW/MIA flag raising ceremony at Volante Senior Living of Melbourne on Friday, June 6, 2025. This flag raising coincided with the 81st anniversary of D-Day.
BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – Rolling Thunder Florida Chapter 1 held a POW/MIA flag raising ceremony at Volante Senior Living of Melbourne on Friday, June 6, 2025. This flag raising coincided with the 81st anniversary of D-Day.
Rolling Thunder members arrived by motorcycles, cars and trucks, shortly before 10 a.m.
Rolling Thunder members, Volante residents, and staff attended this somber event along with the Friday Night Locker Room’s Steve Wilson, who captured the ceremony on video for Space Coast Daily. Rolling Thunder members that spoke included Barbara Morris, Chaplain Chip Hanson, Cindy Flowers, and Charlotte Neal.
RTFL1 president, Dr Lance Armstrong described their organization this way: “’Rolling Thunder,’ a term coined in Vietnam by B-52s bombing, is a ‘Missing in Action, Prisoner of War’ (MIA/POW) advocacy group. We have over 80,000 missing troops since WWI.
“Over 80 chapters are nationwide, and anyone can join. Our patriotic efforts are working. Not one service member was left behind in Afghanistan. The military member recovery efforts have been consolidated and are extensive.
“Full military honors at funerals giving family closure is occurring. Rolling Thunder has greatly assisted these changes, and we ask anyone interested to join.”
Volante of Melbourne (formerly Harborside At Melbourne) describes itself on its website as, “a vibrant haven where independent living, assisted living and memory care flourish amidst the beauty of Florida’s Space Coast.”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Steve Wilson was born in DeRidder, Louisiana and grew up in both New Orleans and Macon, Georgia. He moved to Brevard County in 1984 and retired from local government as the Community Advocate/Assistant to the City Manager with the City of Rockledge in 2018.
Among the awards and accolades Steve has received over the years are 15 + year Rockledge Little League volunteer, Brevard Public School Jefferson Award Recipient, Rockledge High School Raider Booster Award 2001, 2006, City of Rockledge Employee of the Year 2006, Rockledge Kiwanian of the Year 2006-2007, City of Rockledge Quality Public Service Award 2008, 2012, 2017, Rockledge Kiwanis Citizen of the Year 2012-2013, Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame – Sportscasting 2015, Rockledge High School Leadership and Service Award 2016, Central Florida Humanitarian Award 2017, Space Coast Inspiration Award – 2018, Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame – Lifetime Achievement – 2020, Ecofest Achievement Award – 2022, Quality Floridian Award – 2022, presented by U.S. Congressman Bill Posey, Florida House District 32 Constituent of the Week 4/20/25.
Wilson is especially proud of his chairing two fundraisers in support of pediatric cancer research through the St. Baldrick’s Foundation in honor of Merritt Island resident Julie Spurlock that raised over $25,000.00.
He has been a partner, along with Orville Susong, for the past 26 years with the Friday Night Locker Room, a broadcasting team that covers and reports on a wide variety of local events that are of significance to the residents of the Space Coast and beyond. Their mission is to promote youth sports, support first responders and law enforcement personnel, and showcase community and charitable events that are produced by our nonprofit partners in central Florida.
The Friday Night Locker Room has awarded hundreds of sports achievement plaques to Brevard County student-athletes over the years. They have also awarded more than $18,000 in academic scholarships to Brevard County high school seniors.
