Ride Report posted by Lutz

This is a mission that was long in the planning, and long overdue. Thanks to Kel we had a small statue made to present as a token of our gratitude to the Philadelphi Airport Police, and the purpose of this mission was to make that presentation.

Since the inception of the WWR in the Delaware Valley Region, the vast majority of our missions have centered around the Philadelphia International Airport, the major airport servicing Eastern Pennsylvania, Delaware, Southern New Jersy and parts of Maryland.

Our missions very often consist of picking our subject up at the airport and escorting him home, and sometimes the other way around. One of the returning troops we recently honored was even an Airport Policeman himself, SFC Gene Jones, and that time we took him from his home to the airport police station for a surprise Welcome Home party!

Without the cooperation and aid of the police there, our work would be much more difficult if not downright impossible. We ride in to the airport and the PD there treats us like VIPs, or I should actually say that they treat our TROOPS like VIPs. They know what we are doing there, and they themselves have such appreciation for our troops that helping us in our mission seems just natural to them. So they treat us well, and we wanted to give back a little.

Our WWR SPOC for Law Enforcement had made arrangements with the Airport Police Department well in advance, in order for us to assure that the department Captain as well as the maximum number of officers would be present. A Tuesday afternoon shift change was chosen, and at the appointed time we gathered at the Engine 69 Firehouse for the short ride to the airport.

I was amazed by the turnout on a Tuesday afternoon, but I shouldn’t have been. The way that the Warriors’ Watch has been treated by the Airport police was well known and appreciated.  We had close to 50 motorcycles and a few cages for the ride over. For this I thank you WWR members, because your presence there made much more of a statement than the award alone could ever do. It was solid and visible (and audible) proof that we truly appreciate their work.

They brought the offices out to us and they formed up under the big American Flag in front of the station. While they stood in formation, I tried to tell them how much we honor their work . I kept it short because it was brutally hot that day, the sun beating down on these guys.

I read the inscription on the base of our award out loud for everyone to hear:

IN GRATEFUL APPRECIATTION WARRIORS WATCH

AND A HEROS WELCOME SALUTE THE PHILA

AIRPORT POLICE FOR ABOVE AND BEYOND

AID AND SUPPORT OF THE AMERICAN WARRIOR.

I then presented it to the Captain, gave her a hug, and the applause rang out.

It was short and sweet and I do think that they got the idea that we do NOT now and never will take them for granted.

Mission very well accomplished, WWR!

Click Here for photos from Tom B.