Team Orlando salutes veterans at Tech Grove ceremony | Article

Team Orlando honored veterans within its workforce Nov. 12, 2026, at the Central Florida Tech Grove with a ceremony recognizing the men and women who answered the nation’s call to service and continue to strengthen the community long after wearing the uniform.

The Veterans Day event, held from 11 a.m. to noon, brought together service members, veterans, civilians, and partners across the Team Orlando enterprise. Attendees gathered to celebrate veterans from every generation who embody a legacy of duty, resilience, and sacrifice. A small reception followed the ceremony.

Retired U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Robert L. Edmonson II, who served more than 33 years in uniform, addressed the attendees. “Veterans Day is not an abstract observance in Central Florida. It honors people who live among us, people who preserve the freedom that we enjoy. There’s a connection between the veterans we honor today and the work that’s performed across Team Orlando. Your work helps prepare those who serve today, and those who will serve tomorrow,” he said.

Edmonson was commanding general of the U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Command and senior commander at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, until his retirement in June 2024. He deployed in support of operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, demonstrating the same sense of duty and warrior mindset found among Soldiers serving today.

During the ceremony, veterans across Team Orlando’s organizations were recognized for their service. The observance highlighted the lifelong bond between the Army and its Soldiers, one that begins before enlistment and continues long after transition. Veterans carry the nation’s lasting respect and continue to contribute to business, public service, education, and their communities as leaders, mentors, and professionals.

Edmonson said, “A veteran carries firsthand knowledge that when the moment of truth arrives, preparation, trust, decisions made long before that moment, really do matter. I learned that military readiness is built long before a Soldier arrives in a combat zone. It develops through tough training, preparation, teamwork, and the confidence that comes with knowing people and equipment have been tested under demanding conditions.”

Team Orlando is a collaborative coalition of U.S. military modeling, simulation and training organizations, academia, industry, and federal agencies based in the Central Florida Research Park at the University of Central Florida. Its core military partners include:

• Army Portfolio Acquisition Executive Command and Control/Counter Command and Control – Simulation, Training, Test & Threat (PAE C2/CC2 – ST3)

• Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division

• Air Force Agency for Modeling and Simulation

• Marine Corps Program Manager for Training Systems

• Space Force’s Space Training and Readiness Command

Through events like the Veterans Day ceremony, Team Orlando and its partners reaffirm their commitment to honoring veterans, celebrating their legacy and inspiring future generations to answer the call to service.

“Veterans Day is more than a day on the calendar,” Edmonson said. “It is an opportunity to recognize the men and women who have accepted the obligation to serve something greater than self. We cannot repay every sacrifice made by those who serve, but we can honor that sacrifice by being worthy of it. Team Orlando, the real product of your work is readiness. The ultimate beneficiary is the service member. Thank you.”

Headquartered in Orlando, Florida, PAE C2/CC2 – ST3 is comprised of a highly skilled and diverse workforce of 980 Soldiers, Army civilians, and contractors. In alignment with the Army’s commitment to its people, both in and out of uniform, these professionals work with Army partners to enhance operational readiness and support the Army’s modernization priorities by fielding and sustaining the next generation of multi-domain operations testing, training, and information operations capabilities.