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WARRIORS' WATCH IS A PROUD MEMBER OF THE AMERICAN WARRIORS' WATCH COALITION

Free American Biker is THE authorized reseller for items bearing the Warriors' Watch logo, as well as your supplier of patiotic and military patches, hats, flags, pins, and other Gear for Free Americans (and bikers!)New items added almost every day.

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Excerpt from our Vision Statement:

...THE WARRIORS' WATCH RIDERS ENVISION A DAY WHEN EVERY MEMBER OF THE UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES, AT HOME AND ABROAD, AND THEIR FAMILIES, FEEL APPRECIATED, HONORED, RESPECTED AND LOVED BY THE CITIZENS THEY RISK THEIR LIVES TO PROTECT...

From the Gazeebo...  

Supporting the American Warrior - with a little help from our friends.

The Warriors' Watch Riders was formed for the specific purpose of supporting our troops, but the support of our troops is anything but specific. It can in fact take many forms, there are many things that we can do, many ways we can do them. WWR was born out of the idea that what we had been doing up until that time wasn't enough, that we could be doing more. So the WWR Mission Statement was deliberately written to be broad enough to cover the support of military members, their families, veterans, and first responders. " WE WILL HONOR OUR NATION'S WARRIORS HERE AT HOME, AND SUPPORT THEIR FAMILIES WHILE THEY FIGHT FOR US ABROAD." "Support" and "Honor" can also cover a lot of ground, and under that wide tent we leave it to the WWR State Coordinators to determine what constitutes "support" and "honor."

In the beginning our purpose seemed simple and clear: Give the homecoming military members a hero's welcome, cheering and a motorcycle escort to their homes. But after a time we felt that something was missing, that there were other things we could be doing.

Fortunately, I found myself surrouned by other people with huge hearts and with drive and with passion - passionate about supporting our nation's warriors. Many of them were already "in business" long before the WWR came along. In fact, here's a little "inside baseball" for you: when the shape of the WWR was only incubating in my brain, there were other options vying for a place in the forefront of that brain. For example, I considered simply "joining" A Hero's Welcome and adding a motorcycle component to that already existing organizaiton. The founder of AHW, the beautiful and deadly (she's a Marine) Sharon Hyland-Kieser, was (and is) a close friend, and I actually approached her with the idea, which she enthusiastically embraced.

In the end, however, it was decided to form an all-new organizaiton, but to begin it with a very deliberate and close tie to A Hero's Welcome - we were and are a "sister organizaiton" to A Hero's Welcome. In New Jersey a very similar relationship exists between the WWR and the Yellow Ribbon Club, and in Illinois between the WWR and Operation Welcome you Home.

Other new directions were begun from the ground up. Big Brothers In Arms, founded on a flash of inspiration that was sparked in a simple conversation between me and Mary Conboy (Gold Star Mother of Lance Corporal Adam Conboy, killed in Iraq going on four years ago). The AWWC, an "umbrella" organization intended to bring the many troop-support groups around the country together to reduce redundancy, enhance communication, and mutually improve volunteer recruiting, all for the ultimate benefit of the largest possible number of warriors and veterans.

And that is the key point. Bringing people and groups together to work synergistically for the ultimate end - a nation in which our troops are treated with the same degree of attention that we currently give only to sports stars and celebrities.

I want to introduce you to just a few of the key people driving all of these efforts.

Sharon Hyland-Kieser. Sharon quit a six figure corporate fast-track job to start A Hero's Welcome. Once it was underway, she still felt she wasn't doing enough, so she joined the Marines and graduated from OCS.

Maria Hyland, Sharon's mother (often taken for her sister). Maria took the reins of A Hero's Welcome when Sharon departed for boot camp and has been the driving force there ever since.

Charlie Becker. Sort of the "second in command" at A Hero's Welcome, and between the two of them all bases are always covered.

The indefatigable Leslie and her husband in New Jersey from the YRC. It would be impossible to count the number of New Jersey Welcome Homes that they have attended and are responsible for organizing.

Kathy Fialkowski. Kat took an idea, a vision, the AWWC, and turned it into a vibrant and vital organizaiton that continues to grow before our very eyes.

The aformentioned Mary Conboy. Mary channeled her grief at the loss of her son into an oranization, Operation Bedding, that has sent more than 10 thousand care packages to our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. Mary found herself on the receiving end of troops coming home who needed someone to talk to, and that combined with her fist-hand knowledge of the compassion in the average Vietnam Vet led to the BBIA.

These are just some of the people in our related/sister organizaitons who go beyond volunteering some time and stepped into leadership roles that require them to work, literally, every day. Not just now and then, but every day.

The truly encouraging thing about all of this is the manner in which it illustrates the degree to which people will come together and cooperate for the ultimate benefit of our most Patriotic Celebreties - our troops and their infanitely patient families.

That leads me to say, and you might report me to the Pennsylvania Commission on Human Rights for saying it, as someone else has done, but I'll say it anyway, at my own risk. GOD BLESS EVERY ONE OF YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO. Those who come home from work and jump on a Harley at 6pm to rush to the airport and welcome home a hero, those who converge on neighborhoods pinning yellow ribbons to everyting that doesn't move, to those like the men and woman named above who take on the leadership responsibilites for very little pay (0), GOD BLESS you all.

Legal Eagles

Speaking of the Pennsylvania Commission on Human Rights, I really was the subject of a complaint to that body that grew out of my ending an email by saying "God bless this great nation and all of those who defend her" or something very similar. I havent' mentioned it before now because it was still on-going.

To our rescue came attourney Alfonso Gambone, Esq. Mr. Gambone's practice (in Philadelpia) specializes in helping veterans and their families with legal issues often unique to veterans and military members. Thanks in large part to Mr. Gambone, that complaint has been dismissed. Mr. Gambone did that for us because he is passionate about the same things that we are passionate about - whloesome, patriotic things.

I have had the occasion to refer two different WWR members to Mr. Gambone with good results for both, and I am happy to recommend him to anyone. Mr. Gambone will discount his services to any member of the WWR, the BBIA, or the AWWC.

Why does he do what he does? For the same reason that we do what we do. Because it's right.

Alfonso was the JAG officer for the 10th Mountain Division in Iraq, by the way. That is the measure of his character.

You will find the information leading to his website on the Forums page and on the main WWR website.

 

Warriors' Watch "Store" Items

"Free American Biker" is the name of the only on-line "store" that is authorized to resell items bearing the WWR logo. There are a few othe resellers who are authorized to sell specific items bearing the logo, such as Flags, for example.

But Free American Biker is the seller of WWR "stuff." We take pains to try to make that "stuff" as inexpensive as reasonable while still not losing money. There are some expenses associated with running the WWR, but so far we have been able to absorb those costs without going into the hole. One way that allows us to do that us by offering other items that we know you like, because we do, but are not related to the WWR, rather they appeal to all bikers and veterans. A portion of the sale of EVERY item at Free American Biker goes to help support the WWR. It's a win-win, and because of that arrangement you can believe this: WE WILL NEVER HOLD A FUNDRAISER FOR THE WWR - WE WILL HAVE A "GARAGE SALE" FOR THE WWR - WE WILL NEVER PUT A "DONATE" BUTTON ON THE WWR WEBSITE. Also, we will NEVER "require" anyone to buy any WWR item, nor will we even "strongly suggest" that you buy something. You do enough, you do it all, and it all gets done because of you.

Build your vest at FreeAmericanBiker.Com.

 

 

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

- Wayne Lutz

*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"