The Weekly Ride

This past week I was priviliaged to be asked to speak before the monthly meeting of the Valley Forge (PA) HOG club. A finer group of patriots and "Real-people" I could never hope to meet.

The Warriors' Watch was built on the concept of forming partnerships with similar organizations, and we are honored to now be working with the Valley Forge PA HOG group! THANK YOU, for your support of our nation's warriors, Valley Forge HOG, and THANK YOU to each of you who signed up for the WWR and are now reading this newsletter for the first time. WELCOME!

And speaking of new members, we recently had a large influx of new members from GEORGIA. I have long held that Georgia is a state where patriotism and respect for our warriors is rampant, and now we have a new Georgia State WWR Coordinator and a whole gaggle of new Georgia members. Please say hellow to Greywolf, Georgia State Coordinator, and his Assistant State Coordinator, Snap! Gentlemen, LET'S ROLL!

We made a LOT of friends, made a lot of important contacts at this show. I walked in to the show at around 11am, and a bunch of our folks rushed up to me and said "Wayne! You're on in 5 minutes!"

"On?" On what? On the radio, much to my surprise. They sat me and Calamity down at the booth where ESPN Radio 950 am (Philadelphia) was doing a live broadcast, stuck headphones on our heads and pushed mics in front of us and just like that we were on.

Sports Anchor Don Tollefson was genuinely interested in the troop-support activities and vet-support activites of the WWR and the Friends of the Forgotten, and we were interviewed for a good ten minutes or so - and the dramatic spike in hits to the main WWR website was the result. ESPN 950 is the largest sports station in the Philadelphia area, and the interview was fantastic.

While strolling the Oaks Bike Show I came upon a booth for the East Coast Biker Magazine, and ran in to Norm, the publisher. Coincidentally I had just submitted an article about the Warriors' Watch Riders a couple of weeks before, and Norm was as pleased as I was by this encounter. He told me that while he normally restricts articles such as this one to one page, he was so impressed by the work of the Warriors' Watch Riders that he spread the article across two pages, complete with photos (By WWR Member Sean Carpenter.) Don't anyone miss the print or web version of the April Issue of East Coast Biker Magazine.

This is a reminder only: A few months ago we commissioned a commemorative "Founder's Pin" for those WWR members who are "founding members." This includes anyone who joined the WWR between the founding on May 1, 2008, and October 31, 2008.

We only have about a dozen of these pins left. After they are gone, THEY WILL NOT BE RE-ORDERED. So if you don't have yours yet, or if you need a spare, please be sure to get it soon, here at the WWR "store."

(Remember, no one makes any profit from the WWR store. We charge only enough to purchase the items in bulk from the manufacturers and pay for shipping and shipping materials and supplies and PayPal fees. The purpose of the WWR store is to provide you with a source of items with which to proudly display your affiliation with the Warriors' Watch Riders, not to make a profit. The WWR has no money of its own, we do NO fundraising and we do NOT accept donations. We proudly do what we do on our own time and at our own expense.)

Following are the mission itineraries for the CONFIRMED MISSIONS coming up this week, followed by a list of upcoming missions and sanctioned events. PLEASE BE SURE TO CHECK THE FORUM LINKS FOR THESE MISSIONS PRIOR TO HEADING OUT, for last minute changes, updates and times.

THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING OUR WARRIORS! TOGETHER WE ARE CHANGING THE CULTURE - ONE WARRIOR AT A TIME!

The Warriors' Watch Riders organization has been requested by USMC LCpl Erick Hoefakker's parents, Dale and Joan of Milwaukee, to provide a Hero's Welcome Home at Mitchell Int'l Airport, on the E concourse upon his arrival from completing a seven month deployment in Iraq.

LCpl Hoefakker is scheduled to arrive on Thursday morning, March 19, 2009.

Staging location and other information is in the next post

We will greet USMC LCpl Erick with hugs, "Thank You" wishes and the presentation of a WWR challenge coin.

It will be a brief Welcome Home from our members as Erick's family is looking forward to his spending time with family and friends at home.

Staging/Parking:  Int'l Terminal parking area

Staging time:  0715 hours

Flight arrival:  Approx 0815
**** Flights have been arriving early...

Int'l Terminal Area - take the airport ticketing lane all the way through and around... as you drive out the north side you will see the Int'l Terminal Area sign on your left.

Questions:  wwrwi12762@hotmail.com

NORTHEAST PENNSYLVANIA: SENDOFF MISSION: SPC JOSEPH WEESE: THURSDAY, MARCH 12

Let's send off Spc. Joseph Weese in style!!!!!

Thursday, March 19, 2009

Time: 06:10 AM

Location; Wilkes Barre/Scranton INTL Airport, Avoca, PA

"My son is leaving for Fort Sill Thursday, 19 March 6:10 a.m. from Scranton Wilkes Barre Airport to meet up with the rest of his unit already there before being deployed to Iraq. I know its early but if you are a morning person and would like to be there to send him off that would be great."

"This is his second deployment, the first was in 2005-2006."

3x5 flags at the airport...please arrive early so we don't miss him boarding! I'll try to find out a definite time to arrive, and update ASAP.

Mission Captains; Linda Poplawski (Joseph's Mom and member of FotF NEW), Tom Geraulo, Al Philo

The WWR has been invited to welcome home Sgt. Peter R. Ostrander US Army Served 15 months in Iraq. He will be home for a 9 day leave. He is special to us and he is our hero but he is very humble and believes he has only done his duty and does not deserve special recognition. I want to give him the best welcome home he could ever imagine just to let him know how very special he is to all of us and to thank him for his service.

                                        *****Date: March 19*****

Staging:   Chili's Rte 12 Kildeer
Time:    1545 (3:45pm)
Ride Brief:  1615 (4:15pm)

RC-Cheryl

WELCOME HOME JOSHUA REMMELL
WE ARE HONORED TO HAVE BEEN ASKED BY THE FAMILY (HIS DAD JEFF REMMELL) TO WELCOME HOME LANCE CORPORAL JOSHUA REMMELL, USMC FROM 7 MONTHS IN IRAQ.

                                                                  SEMPER FI
WE WILL BE DELIVERING OUR PACKAGE TO HIS HOME IN NEWARK, DE.   PLEASE STAND BY AS I'M GATHERING MORE INFO AND WILL UPDATE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

RC : RAY

************* UPDATE *************

HERE WE GO FOLKS THIS MISSION IS A GO , EARLY TO BED , EARLY TO RISE MAKES FOR
A WELCOME HOME SURPRISE, OUR PACKAGE WILL BE ARRIVING PHL AIRPORT AT 0630
0N 3/21

IT WILL BE MY HONOR TO RC THIS MISSION TO WELCOME HOME THIS MARINE , LETS ROCK !!

RALLY POINT : FIREBASE 69 @ 0545       KSU @ 0600

DELAWARE : LOOK ALIVE RALLY POINT PA REST STOP I 95 N/B @ 0500
KSU @ 0515

Folks, We have a request for an escort for Spec. Timothy Russell from his parents Linda & Bill. Spec. Russell has been in the Army for 4 years. He is coming home from a 15 month tour of Iraq. Timothy has 2 brothers & 2 sisters as well as 7 nieces & nephews.

MAIN RALLY POINT: FIREBASE 69 (Secondaries below)

From I-95 Northbound: When approaching the airport, take exit 10 for 291 (Industrial Highway). Turn left at the light, following signs for Bartram ave. This turn takes you under I-95. Once on Bartram just count down the strees on your right until you get to 82nd St. That is the driveway into Engine 69. (If you get to Island Ave, you just went too far and must turn around.)

From I-95 southound, take exit 14 for Bartram ave. Go through the interseciton of Island AVe, turn left into the fire house driveway (82nd Street).

From 76 southbound, take the Platt Bridge (follow signs for 291). At the bottom of the bridge stay left. Turn right on Island Ave, then left on Bartram Ave and left into the fire house.

DATE: SUN. 3/22 TIME: 15:15 (3:15PM) KSU: 16:00 (4:00PM)

We will escort Spec. Russell & his Family to his parents home in Morrisville,Pa.

RC:Fungi

SECONDARY RALLY POINTS
Fairless Hills
Len will lead from Pathmark Shopping center
Rt 1
Rally:2:15
KSU :2:30

The Warriors Watch has been invited to a Celebration for an AMERICAN HERO who is finally being recognized for his service and sacrifices at the young age of 86. We have been asked to assist by standing a Flag line for this Hero during this Celebration.

*Also our Bikes might be used to bring attention to this event.*

The Following Email comes from McGuire Air Force Base, NJ, Office Of Public Affairs

All invited to witness history acknowledged

MCGUIRE AIR FORCE BASE, N.J. – The 514th Air Mobility Wing invites all to an award ceremony for 86-year old Tech. Sgt. Charles E. Wentzell at 10:00 a.m. Saturday, Mar. 22 at the Timmerman Conference Center, Fort Dix, N.J. The ex-prisoner of war will formally be presented with several military medals to include the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal, Korean Presidential Distinguished Service Medal with Silver Star, Distinguished Flying Cross and Purple Heart.

A radio operator/gunner on the B-17, Sergeant Wentzell took part in 30 bombing missions over Germany during World War II and escaped a Chinese prison camp after three months of captivity during the Korean War. After the war, he was discharged from the hospital and shortly thereafter discharged from the service under a military service reduction program. It was only recently discovered this war hero’s actions were never officially acknowledged.

To attend this Event, and HONOR this Hero, We will need your Full Name that is on your PICTURE Drivers License. We will need to send this info to McGuire AFB for Security purposes and to gain access to the Base.

PLEASE REMEMBER TO BRING YOUR PICTURE DRIVERS LICENSE with you. (Also 3X5 Flag)

Send your FULL NAME NLT 1200 (NOON) on Mar 16 2009 to me at RED@WARRIORSWATCH.ORG

Rally Times and Locations TBD. (If you wish to CALL a Rally point… Send that with your NAME)

Thank You.....Peace

REDBEARD

Below are the links to upcoming CONFIRMED missons beyond next Thursday. These links will take you directly to the misison planning forum for that ride:

In addition to the CONFIRMED MISSIONS above, following are upcoming SANCTIONED EVENTS:

All of the above threads can be viewed even if you are not registered on the fourms. However, if you have NOT YET REGISTERED ON THE FORUMS, PLEASE DO SO NOW to ensure that you do not miss any of the excitement, planning and discussion of this upcoming activity! Click on this link and register on the forums now!

Until then: MAY GOD CONTINUE TO BLESS THIS, THE GREATEST NATION ON EARTH, AND ALL OF THOSE WHO DO, HAVE, OR WILL DEFEND HER, AT HOME AND ABROAD.

*This newsletter is named "The Weekly Ride" or "The Ride", for short, in memory of and to honor Sgt. Jennifer Hartman, U.S. Army. Sgt. Hartman was killed in Iraq by America's enemies. She died in defense of our freedom at the age of 20. This quote from Jennifer was read at her graveside:

"It's not about what happened in the past. It's not about what might happen in the future. It's about the ride, for Christ's sake."

Click here for a Tribute to Sgt. Jennifer Hartman: "The Ride"