An annual Memorial Day service in Brevard County brought out veterans — and some you might not expect.
- Memorial Day event in Brevard brings out veterans
- Event also featured youngsters who plan to serve
"This is the day we take to remember all those who have died for our freedom," Liam Dillon told his son, Graeme.
Wearing America's colors, the two came together with their badges and offered a sign of what's next.
Ethan Baker, 11, from Melbourne, isn't who you would expect to find in uniform at a Memorial Day service.
"We're stationed at Cape Canaveral, and it's almost like the real Navy, but not as intense," said Baker, who is a Sea Cadet.
The U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps program builds character and early development for people younger than 17.
"Memorial Day, what I think of it, is to be reverent of those who served in the country," Baker said.
In his Sea Cadet uniform, Baker represents the next generation of service members who joined a crowd of 300 people at the Brevard Veterans Memorial Center.
The annual ceremony honors America's missing and those lost during war.
Along the peaceful waters of the Indian River, World War II veteran Gene Mulberry reflected on his early patriotism.
"When I was 17, I had to get my mother's permission and I went in the 82nd Airborne," Mulberry said. He also served in the Korean and Vietnam wars.
"It's an honor for me and especially the people who served in Iraq and Afghanistan," he said.
Organizers of the event reminded people that the cost of freedom is high. According to the U.S. Department of Defense, about 1.2 million service members have been killed in the line of duty. Thousands more died in training accidents outside of battle and from suicide after returning home.