HAPPY BIRTHDAY WARRIORS
WATCH!.
In the Spring of 2008 my three year affair with the PGR came
to an end and the WWR was born. Tomorrow, May 1, 2012, the
Warriors’ Watch Riders will celebrate it’s fourth birthday.
In that time we have grown to 5 thousand members, real members
nationwide. Let’s all pause for a moment and take a look back
to see what we have accomplished. In those parts of the country
where our chapters are large and active, the Warriors’ Watch
Riders name has become a “brand.” By that I mean that when
the media mention our name in a story, it is taken for granted
that the audience knows who we are. A line in a story will
read “…riders from the Warriors’ Watch group…” meaning that
we need no introduction. If you write, "She was crying and
I gave her a Kleenex..." you don't need to explain what a
Kleenex is."
We have formed partnerships and working relationships with
municipal and state and even Federal agencies, DOD departments,
police departments, many high-ranking officers among the military
brass, and firefighters.
More importantly, we have earned the respect of those entities.
We have earned the respect of the media, the military, the
police, politicians, and the public. I stress the word “earned.”
It was you, through your actions, that have earned for us
this reputation.
We have touched literally thousands of lives. We have had
a direct positive impact on many hundreds, probably thousands
of men and women – Warriors and their family members and immediate
friends. Indirectly, we have touched many thousands more.
Part of what I wrote in our Vision Statement is, I believe,
coming to pass – the general public is taking our example
and passing it on.
Other organizations have sprung up across the country to
do what we do on some level – so many in fact that we felt
compelled to form a new umbrella group, the AWWC, to try to
bring them all together in a spirit of cooperation and shared
work and responsibility, and to work as a single unit rather
than to duplicate efforts.
Many of us have found a new way to work with other people.
You may have a great relationship with your co-workers on
the job, but do you refer to them as “brothers?” Probably
not. But the WWR is a “brotherhood” (sisters too!) in the
truest sense of the word, and has a way of conveying that
feeling onto new members very quickly. We have created an
atmosphere of welcome and friendship. We have stepped up to
help one another in times of need, often going far beyond
what would be expected from “friends.”
We have worked together, laughed together, and formed new
and firm friendships. We have gained friends, and yes – we
have lost friends. We have buried some of the very best of
those among us, and as hard as that was, we were at least
able to know and be reassured that our grief and sorrow was
shared – shared not just by a few, but throughout the Warriors’
Watch organization.
In the worst times we have fallen upon each others shoulders
for strength and support and found it there – the strong bond
of brotherhood that is shared in the darkest of days as fully
as it is in the brightest. That is the WWR.
So what have we created here? What was it that took form
on May 1st, 2012? It was a group that does good deeds to the
most deserving people among us – our troops in wartime. It
does these good deeds while at the same time building a camaraderie
among ourselves that transcends mere volunteerism.
We have taken the best of what we learned from the PGR, and
thrown away the worst of what they did, and added our own
sense of honor, decency, and respect, and hit on a winning
formula. There are no petty power-games, nothing that would
cast doubt on our motives, because our focus is and remains
our troops – not us. In the WWR the word "honor" is not thrown
around like candy in a parade. It is a way of acting, not
just a word.
The Warriors’ Watch Riders is an organization that, when
you are a member, makes you proud to say you belong. Simple
membership brings with it an implied statement – your membership
defines you as a person who not only cares, but acts in his
caring – makes you a person who actually puts on his or her
boots and walks the walk – every single day. It is easy to
say “I support our troops, even if you mean it sincerely.
” It is not quite so easy to get up, get out, buy gas, take
time off, ride/drive long distances, endure extremes of weather,
risk personal danger (riding), send emails and post posts
and answer calls and print maps and make plans….and DO something
that demonstrates by your actions that you really and truly
do “support our troops.”
HAPPY BIRTHDAY WARRIORS WATCH RIDERS! You are four years
old today, and I am unutterably proud of the fine young group
you have become, and I can’t wait to see you when you are
five!
On May 20 the third annual Ride for the Heros
was held in Bucks County, Pa. The ride is a Rotary Club effort
to benefit the Travis Manion Foundation.
http://www.travismanion.com
If you don't know the name Travis Manion, please
take the time to look at the foundation website here. Travis
was quite simply a courageous Marine.
I was HONORED to be asked to speak at the opening
of the ride, and I am pasting the text of my remarks for you
here:
COURAGE, IS NOT THE ABSENCE OF FEAR.
COURAGE – IS WHEN YOU ARE AFRAID, BUT ACT ANYWAY, IN
SPITE OF YOUR FEAR.
WORLD WAR II WAS THE GREATEST TRAGEDY IN THE HISTORY OF
MANKIND. WORLDWIDE, SIXTY MILLION PEOPLE DIED IN THAT CATACLYSM.
IN SOME COUNTRIES AN ENTIRE GENERATION OF MEN WAS WIPED OUT.
MILLIONS MORE LOST THEIR HOMES AND LIVELIHOODS. COUNTLESS
FATHERS, SONS, BROTHERS, WENT OFF TO WAR IN THE EAST AND WERE
SIMPLY NEVER HEARD FROM AGAIN.
TWO MEN FACED THAT CATACLYSM WITH FEAR, AND ACTED WITH COURAGE
TO BRING IT TO AN END.
WINSTON CHURCHILL IS RIGHTLY REFERRED TO AS THE SAVIOR OF
HIS NATION. PRESIDENT KENNEDY SAID OF CHURCHILL, “HE
MOBILIZED THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND SENT IT INTO BATTLE.”
GENERAL DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER WAS THE EUROPEAN THEATER’S
SUPREME COMMANDER OF THE ALLIED EXPEDITIONARY FORCE.
TOGETHER, THOSE TWO MEN FORMED ONE OF THE GREAT PARTNERSHIPS
OF THE 20TH CENTURY, A PARTNERSHIP FORGED OF IRON WILLS THAT
ULTIMATELY CRUSHED THE JACK-BOOT OF FASCISM AND NATIONAL SOCIALISM.
FAST FORWARD TO AUGUST 1964. ALMOST 20 YEARS HAD PASSED SINCE
THOSE TWO MEN SAVED THE WORLD FROM A LONG DESCENT INTO THE
ABYSS OF ANOTHER DARK AGE. SIR WINSTON CHURCHILL LAY DYING
IN LONDON’S KING EDWARD THE 7TH HOSPITAL.
GENERAL EISENHOWER HAD JUST ATTENDED CEREMONIES MARKING THE
20TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE D-DAY INVASION IN FRANCE. AFTERWARDS
HE WENT TO ENGLAND, TO BE AT THE BEDSIDE OF HIS DYING FRIEND.
CHURCHILL, THAT VENERABLE STATESMAN, WAS 90 YEARS OLD THEN.
HE DIDN’T SPEAK WHEN EISENHOWER CAME INTO HIS ROOM,
BUT INSTEAD REACHED OUT A FRAIL PINK HAND TO CLASP EISENHOWER’S.
THE TWO HANDS JOINED ON THE TABLE BY THE BED.
NO WORDS WERE SPOKEN.
JUST TWO PARTNERS, SHARING SILENTLY THE MEMORIES OF THEIR
STRUGGLES IN WAR AND PEACE AND THE PRINCIPLES OF LIBERTY THEY
BOTH CHERISHED.
TEN MINUTES PASSED IN SILENCE. TWO NATIONS, TWO LEADERS,
AND TWO FRIENDS.
THEN CHURCHILL LET GO OF EISENHOWER’S HAND, AND SLOWLY
RAISED HIS INTO A V FOR VICTORY SIGN.
EISENHOWER, HIS EYES FILLING WITH TEARS, LEFT THE ROOM AND
SAID TO AN AID – “I JUST SAID GOOD-BYE TO WINSTON.
BUT YOU NEVER SAY FAREWELL TO COURAGE.”
TODAY WE SEE THIS EXEMPLIFIED IN THE LEGACY OF TRAVIS MANION
AND HIS MOTHER JANET MANION. BOTH SUFFERED PAIN, BOTH LOOKED
WITH TREPIDATION TO AN UNCERTAIN FUTURE, AND BOTH ACTED ANYWAY,
WITH COURAGE.
TRAVIS MANION WAS A COURAGEOUS MARINE. HE KNEW THE DANGERS
HE FACED, AND FACED THEM ANYWAY. ONCE, WHEN ASKED WHY HE DID
IT, HE SAID “IF NOT ME, THEN WHO?”
JANET MANION WAS A COURAGEOUS GOLD STAR MOTHER. JANET FACED
A FUTURE WITHOUT HER ONLY SON. SHE FACED A BATTLE WITH CANCER
THAT WOULD TAKE ALL OF HER STRENGTH TO FIGHT. JANET FEARED
THAT FUTURE BUT FACED IT WITH COURAGE.
SHE NOT ONLY FACED IT, BUT SPENT THAT FUTURE MAKING THINGS
BETTER FOR OTHERS.
WE HAVE SAID OUR FAREWELLS TO TRAVIS MANION AND HIS MOTHER
JANET. BUT YOU NEVER SAY FAREWELL TO COURAGE.
A FINAL THOUGHT ABOUT JANET MANION, THE GOLD STAR MOTHER…
IN THE PAST SEVEN YEARS I HAVE STOOD AT NEARLY 100 MILITARY
FUNERALS. HUNDREDS MORE WHEN YOU INCLUDE VETERANS, MANY OF
THOSE VIETNAM VETERANS WHO DIED FAR TOO YOUNG. ONE OF THOSE
WAS MY OWN BROTHER, LT COMMANDER DAVID LUTZ, UNITED STATES
NAVY, A VETERAN OF VIETNAM AND BOSNIA AND LATER AN AGENT WITH
THE NCIS, FIGHTING THE COVERT WAR ON TERROR. SO I KNOW SOMETHING
ABOUT LOSS, AND THE MEANING OF COURAGE AND SACRIFICE.
IN THE TIME SINCE THOSE FUNERALS I HAVE REMAINED IN CONTACT
WITH SOME OF THE FAMILIES. I HAVE SEEN FIRST HAND THAT THE
MOTHERS IN THAT SITUATION REACT, GENERALLY, IN ONE OF TWO
WAYS – EITHER THEY WITHDRAW INTO THEMSELVES TO BE ALONE
IN THEIR GRIEF AND SORROW, AND NO ONE WOULD BLAME FOR THAT
OR BEGRUDGE THEM THEIR RIGHT TO PRIVACY.
THE OTHER TYPE CHANNELS HER GRIEF INTO POSITIVE ACTION FOR
THE BENEFIT OF OTHERS.
THAT IS WHAT JANET MANION DID, AND TODAY WE RIDE TO BENEFIT
THE TRAVIS MANION FOUNDATION, A LARGE, VIBRANT ORGANIZATION
BUILT TO AID OUR NATION’S VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES,
THOSE WHO HAVE SACRIFICED FOR THE SAKE OF THEIR COUNTRY, SACRIFICED
FOR US, BY PROVIDING SERVICES THAT OUR GOVERNMENT CAN’T
OR WON’T PROVIDE.
WE VETERANS LOOK TO OURSELVES TO HELP OUR OWN, AND WE DO
SO WITH THE AID OF ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THE TRAVIS MANION FOUNDATION.
I CHALLENGE YOU TO SPEND SOME OF YOUR FREE TIME IN PURSUIT
OF ACTIVITIES THAT BENEFIT OUR NATIONS VETS – OUR NATION’S
TRUE CELEBRITIES, OUR NATIONS HEROES, AND TO CONTINUE THE
LEGACY OF JANET AND TRAVIS MANION.
IF NOT ME, THEN WHO WILL GREET THE WEARY, DUST-COVERED SOLDIER
AT THE AIRPORT AND SAY WELCOME HOME?
IF NOT ME, THEN WHO WILL REMEMBER THE GOLD STAR MOM WHEN
THE HONOR GUARD HAS GONE AND THE RECEPTION IS OVER?
IF NOT ME, THEN WHO WILL EXTEND A HAND TO THE OLD VET IN
THE WWII HAT IN THE DRUG STORE AND THANK HIM FOR HIS SERVICE?
IF NOT ME, THEN WHO WILL HELP MAN THE SOUP KITCHEN FOR HOMELESS
VETERANS OF THE VIETNAM WAR?
IF NOT ME, THEN WHO WILL DONATE TO SEND A FATHERLESS CHILD
TO COLLEGE?
FELLOW PATRIOTS, IF NOT US, THEN WHO WILL FOLLOW THE EXAMPLE
AND ACT ON THE LEGACY SO THAT WE TRULY NEED NEVER SAY FAREWELL
TO THE COURAGE OF TRAVIS AND JANET MANION.
May God continue to bless the United States of America, still the greatest nation the world has ever known, and may He bless and watch over all of those who defend her.
Wayne Lutz, founder, Warriors' Watch Riders
*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, written to a friend who was feeling down, 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"
