Clearwater, Florida
Mogadishu Mile Remembrance
The 33rd anniversary gathering. Meals are provided, and entry to each event is with your registration. Everything here is optional. Come to as much or as little as you want — if you are mid-way through something that matters to you, stay with it.
Registration is through the event's online form.
This schedule is a working draft and times may still move. It will be marked final once the team on the ground confirms it.
Day One
Friday 2 October
Fort Harrison Hotel
- 0730
Registration and breakfast
Buffet breakfast in the auditorium foyer. Sign in, collect your meal tickets, confirm your t-shirt size for the walk/run, register for the weekend events, and pick up the agenda and materials.
- 0900
Welcome ceremony
Master of ceremonies: Brett Miller, with opening remarks from a guest speaker and an overview of the weekend. Then briefings on veteran benefits from Michael Swonger, Pinellas County Veteran Services Officer, on healthcare enrollment from Bay Pines VA, and a welcome from the Florida Department of Veterans Affairs.
- 1015
Veteran Service Officer engagement
One-to-one sessions in the ballroom.
- 1200
Female Tactical Platoon luncheon
Buffet lunch and a presentation by Rebekah Edmondson on the Female Tactical Platoon, the Afghan women trained by U.S. Army Rangers, with time to talk afterwards.
- 1400
Training tours and veteran support seminars
Transport runs from the Oak Cove parking lot and back. Sessions across the afternoon cover recovery and drug education, a mental health and PTSD workshop, a veteran support seminar, and further one-to-one time with Veteran Service Officers.
- 1800–2100
Dinner and film: Hell or High Seas
Buffet dinner in the ballroom, the documentary, and a conversation afterwards.
Day Two
Saturday 3 October
Oak Cove Hotel
- 0730
Breakfast
Buffet breakfast at the Oak Cove Terrace Restaurant. Buses leave the parking lot for Dunedin afterwards.
- 0845
Walk/run registration and check-in
At Dunedin House of Beer, 927 Broadway Street, Dunedin. T-shirt pick-up, Ranger Creed and booklet handouts.
Dunedin House of Beer
- 1000
Mogadishu Mile Memorial Walk/Run
Paul Mercer reads the Creed, and the walk/run sets off from there: along the Pinellas Trail to VFW Post 2550, 360 Douglas Avenue, and back. About 35 minutes.
Dunedin
- 1100
Remembrance ceremony and lunch
Master of ceremonies: Brian Halstead. Tara Harris on the origins of the letters to the families of the fallen; survivors reading their biographies; the Ranger Creed by Paul Mercer; Taps; group photograph. Lunch buffet alongside.
Dunedin
- 1500
Buses back
Return service to the Oak Cove Hotel and the Residence Inn.
- 1800–2100
Memorial banquet
Color Guard, JROTC, and the National Anthem, then master of ceremonies Brett Miller and a welcome from Dakota Egloff. Keynote: Colonel Michael Steele (Retired), with Command Sergeant Major Frank Grippe (Retired), General Scott Miller (Retired) and Colonel Rob Choppa (Retired). Echo Taps, closing prayer by Father Bob Swick, and live music from the Flag Band.
Fort Harrison Auditorium
Day Three
Sunday 4 October
Fort Harrison Auditorium
- 0900–1100
Closing brunch
Master of ceremonies: Brett Miller. Invocation by Father Bob Swick and a Ranger history briefing. Information stands in the foyer for the nonprofits and Veteran Service Officers.
- 1100–1200
Tour of the Apollo artifacts
Across the street from the Fort Harrison. Ken Branch guides a tour of the Second World War artifacts from the Apollo, formerly H.M.S. Royal Scotsman, with copies of We Led the Way on hand and a group photograph at the Apollo helm or the ship's bell.
Across the street from the Fort Harrison
Official Lodging
Residence Inn by Marriott Clearwater Downtown
940 Court Street, Clearwater, Florida 33756
Reservations: 1-727-562-6400
A discounted block is held under Mog Mile Memorial Weekend & Ranger Reunion 2026. Call the reservation line above and quote the block name. The registration form has a place to request help with the block.
If you are a survivor, or family of a survivor, and need help with accommodation, there is a named event liaison who can assist. Note it on the registration form and the organizers will be in touch.
Registration is through the event's online form, and tells us how many to expect for each meal.