At the Veterans Breakfast Club,
Stories Unite Us.
Check out our online & in-person veterans storytelling programs and see our full event schedule below. All are welcome to join us!
The VBC is partnering with the Central Pennsylvania WWII Roundtable to welcome WWII pilot Alan Shapiro, age 101, for an evening of storytelling on Thursday, April 2, 2026, at 7pm ET at the American Legion Post 272 near Harrisburg, PA. This will be an in-person presentation at the post (5700 Linglestown Rd, Harrisburg, PA), open to the public. It will also be available on the Roundtable’s YouTube channel.
Whether you live in Central Pennsylvania and can join us in Harrisburg.
Alan Shapiro began his military journey as an 18-year-old pilot in 1944, flying the iconic Douglas C-47 Skytrain with the 316th Troop Carrier Group, 37th Troop Carrier Squadron in the European Theatre. He fllew critical troop and cargo transport missions supporting Allied operations across Europe and participated in airborne resupply and evacuation missions during the Battle of the Bulge. He also took part in Operation Varsity (March 1945), the largest single-day airborne assault of the war, securing a key foothold across the Rhine River into Germany.
The Central Pennsylvania WWII Roundtable is a vibrant community and non-profit that brings together veterans, historians, students, and community members to explore, preserve, and discuss the history of World War II. Through lectures, film screenings, discussions, and community events, the Roundtable keeps alive the voices and lessons of the Greatest Generation. Their monthly meetings are free of charge and feature speakers, mostly WWII veterans and authors, on topics relevant to WWII. Attendance ranges from 150-350 participants. Meetings are open to all, no membership is required.
Join us for a FREE VBC breakfast in West Mifflin at Operation Troop Appreciation (2017 Pennsylvania Ave, West Mifflin, PA 15122) on April 11 at 8:30am. Please RSVP for this free breakfast event by calling 412-623-9029 or emailing betty@veteransbreakfastclub.org.
Everyone is welcome, veterans and non-veterans, and the breakfast will be provided for free.
We plan our usual fast-moving and wide-ranging program with lots of participation. We’ll have veterans of various ages and branches of service sharing their stories of service.
Breakfast is served at 8:30am. At 9:00am, we start the program. For the next 90 minutes, veterans share slices of their service experience. You never know what you’re going to hear, and there’s always new people with new memories to offer.
RSVP by calling 412-623-9029 or emailing betty@veteransbreakfastclub.org. Please make sure to RSVP for events at least two days in advance. We understand that your schedule can change quickly, but advance notice of attendance always helps us and our venues prepare the program. Thank you!
Please consider sponsoring this event!
On Monday, April 13 at 7pm ET, VBC Live welcomes national leaders of Vietnam Veterans of America for a candid and timely discussion about the organization’s future. Joining us are Thomas Burke, National President; Dominick Yezzo, National General Counsel; and James McCormick, Executive Director for Government Affairs. Nearly five decades after its founding, VVA faces a generational turning point. As Vietnam-era veterans age, the organization must determine how to preserve its identity and mission while ensuring continuity. Should membership remain exclusive to Vietnam-era veterans, or expand to include those who served in later conflicts? What structural or governance changes are under consideration?
These questions surfaced forcefully at last year’s national convention in New Orleans, where debate over the organization’s direction revealed both deep loyalty to its founding purpose and strong differences over how best to move forward. On this program, our guests will explain the options being discussed, reflect on what is at stake, and share their own stories of military service and decades of advocacy. This conversation offers a respectful forum to better understand the choices ahead and the legacy VVA seeks to carry forward.
Join us for a FREE VBC breakfast in Moon Township at the UPMC Events Center at Robert Morris University, 6001 University Blvd, Moon Township, PA 15108 on April 8 at 8:30am. Please RSVP for this free breakfast event by calling 412-623-9029 or emailing betty@veteransbreakfastclub.org.
Everyone is welcome, veterans and non-veterans, and the breakfast will be provided for free.
We plan our usual fast-moving and wide-ranging program with lots of participation. We’ll have veterans of various ages and branches of service sharing their stories of service.
Breakfast is served at 8:30am. At 9:00am, we start the program. For the next 90 minutes, veterans share slices of their service experience. You never know what you’re going to hear, and there’s always new people with new memories to offer.
RSVP by calling 412-623-9029 or emailing betty@veteransbreakfastclub.org. Please make sure to RSVP for events at least two days in advance. We understand that your schedule can change quickly, but advance notice of attendance always helps us and our venues prepare the program. Thank you!
Directions: I-376 Business toward Moon to University Blvd. 1.5 miles turn right on Campus Dr. UPMC Events Center will be on your left. Park in Lot 2 and follow signs in the UPMC Events Center.
Please consider sponsoring this event!
Retired Navy Captain and author David E. Grogan joins us to discuss his book Learning to Live from Those Willing to Die, a collection of life lessons drawn from the lived experiences of American veterans. Grogan, a former international and operational attorney for the U.S. Navy, has spent years listening closely to those who served. The result is a book that not only describes twenty-six veterans’ personal battlefields, but also digs deeper to discover the enduring life lessons their service teaches.
All royalties from the book are donated to America’s VetDogs, which provides guide and service dogs to veterans and first responders. The project has already raised more than $4,100 for the charity—a reminder that these veterans continue to serve others through their stories.
For this special program, David will be joined by four of the veterans whose lives anchor key chapters in the book. Each represents a different era of service and a different lesson learned.
Specialist Tom Garvey’s service in Vietnam underscores one of the most enduring truths of military life: survival and sanity often hinge on friendship. His chapter reflects on the bonds formed under stress and how loyalty to one another carried young soldiers through war and long afterward.
Specialist Billy Terrell’s story emphasizes his efforts to provide a sanctuary for the most vulnerable victims of the Vietnam War. His service shaped in him a deep commitment to fairness and advocacy, particularly for those without a voice. His chapter explores how efforts military members take to help others often change lives, including their own.
Specialist Eric Ferguson’s experience during the Gulf War era highlights a quieter but powerful trait: attentiveness. Listening—to mentors, to circumstances, to possibilities, even to art—opened doors that might otherwise have remained closed. His story is about recognizing opportunity in unlikely moments and having the discipline to act.
Commander Tom Jones unconventional career as a Navy attorney took him from military courtrooms to capture missions with the SEALs in Iraq. He had an equally unconventional family life growing up, yet his family always remained in the forefront of his military career. His chapter reflects on the sustaining force of family—before, during, and after war—and how service impacts not only the individual but also all those they love.
This evening will not be a book talk but rather a conversation about what military service teaches and how those lessons echo long after the service is over.
We look forward to our next breakfast at Monroeville United Methodist Church, whose pastor, Rev. Kelly J. Smith, has kindly embraced our mission by having the church pay for everyone’s breakfast!
We’ll meet at Monroeville United Methodist Church (219 Center Rd, Monroeville, PA 15146) in their fellowship hall. We’ll show photos of veterans on a screen and hear from as many veterans as possible during the program.
You’ll walk in, pick up your name badge, and meet others who are there to hear and share the stories. Breakfast is served at 8:30am. At 9:00am, we start the program. For the next 90 minutes, veterans share slices of their service experience. You never know what you’re going to hear, and there’s always new people with new memories to offer.
RSVP by calling 412-623-9029 or emailing betty@veteransbreakfastclub.org. Please make sure to RSVP for events at least two days in advance.
We understand that your schedule can change quickly, but advance notice of attendance always helps us and our venues prepare the program. Thank you!
Thank you to Encompass for supporting this event!
