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From the Gazeebo...  

VETERANS DAY, 2009 "A Lesson in Living Love..."

"A Veteran is someone who, at some point in his life, wrote out a check payable to the United States of America, for a sum of Up To And Including My Life."

The source of that quote remains unknown, but the sentiment expressed in it is profound. Often, in the course of our troop support activities, we will be asked questions by onlookers, questions similar to these:

"All of this hoopla just for ONE soldier?"

"Does my son/father/daughter/brother QUALIFY for a welcome home escort? He wasn't in combat.

or "He wasn't in a war zone."

Or "he's ONLY coming home from his first tour."

Or "he's only coming home on leave.

And my favorite question about our escorts..."How much does it cost"

I love that last question because it's so much fun to answer: "HE'S ALREADY PAID THE PRICE." And so he has. He(she) paid that price in full the moment he raised his right hand and swore:" I, ( NAME ), do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God.

In our work with our troops and veterans, we do not draw lines or judge what warrior is more "deserving" of honor than another. Supply clerk or combat medic, duty station in Hawaii or Afghanistan, they are all heroes, they are all serving voluntarily, and most of all, combat vet or not, they all risked the same ultimate fate - they all wrote "up to and including my life" on that blank check.

As of this writing there is only one remaining living veteran of WWI. Our veterans join, fight, risk, sacrifice, retire honorably from service, raise a new generation, grow old, and die. When even one veteran dies with his service unremarked and gone not honored, it is a disgrace that all of us bear.

With each new age, the Tree of Liberty is refreshed by the blood of a new generation of patriots (and of tyrants.) Each American generation must produce men and women who are brave enough, smart enough, strong enough and who posses the necessary nobility of character to keep America free. And each new generation answers the call.

President Ronald Reagan made the following remarks at the Vietnam Veterans' Memorial on Veterans Day in 1988:

"We remember those who were called upon to give all a person can give, and we remember those who were prepared to make that sacrifice if it were demanded of them in the line of duty, though it never was. Most of all, we remember the devotion and gallantry with which all of them ennobled their nation as they became champions of a noble cause.

"... we remember today that all our gentle heroes of Vietnam have given us a lesson in something more: a lesson in living love. Yes, for all of them, those who came back and those who did not, their love for their families lives. Their love for their buddies on the battlefields and friends back home lives. Their love of their country lives.

"... our nation itself is testimony to the love our veterans have had for it and for us. Our liberties, our values, all for which America stands is safe today because brave men and women have been ready to face the fire at freedom's front. And we thank God for them."

We take the revered words of Ronald Reagan and LIVE THEM, every day. We in the Warriors' Watch Riders show with our actions our love for our troops and our veterans.

At the end of his remarks at the memorial, President and Mrs. Reagan placed a note on the wall, addressed to all who were memorialized there. That note read:

" Our young friends -- yes, young friends, for in our hearts you will always be young, full of the love that is youth, love of life, love of joy, love of country -- you fought for your country and for its safety and for the freedom of others with strength and courage. We love you for it. We honor you. And we have faith that, as He does all His sacred children, the Lord will bless you and keep you, the Lord will make His face to shine upon you and give you peace, now and forever more."

We, too, love them for it. To us, they, the veterans of all wars past and present and of all eras, are always young. We honor them, and we have faith that God will give them peace.

- Wayne Lutz

REMINDER FOR ALL USERS OF THE WARRIORS' WATCH RIDERS WEBSITE AND THE WARRIORS' WATCH FORUMS: AT EXACTLY 1100 HOURS ON 11/11/2009, ALL WARRIORS' WATCH WEBSITES WILL GO BLACK FOR TWO MINUTES. IN THEIR PLACE WILL BE THE VIDEO CLIP OF "A PITTANCE OF TIME" BY TERRY KELLY.

If you can't wait or are just in need of something truly inspirational, please go to this link on YouTube and enjoy the song "A Pittance of Time" from blind singer Terry Kelly, of Canada.The story of this wonderful song is as follows:

"On November 11, 1999 Terry Kelly was in a drug store in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. At 10:55 AM an announcement came over the stores PA asking customers who would still be on the premises at 11:00 AM to give two minutes of silence in respect to the veterans who have sacrificed so much for us.

Terry was impressed with the stores leadership role in adopting the Legions two minutes of silence initiative. He felt that the stores contribution of educating the public to the importance of remembering was commendable.

When eleven o'clock arrived on that day, an announcement was again made asking for the two minutes of silence to commence. All customers, with the exception of a man who was accompanied by his young child, showed their respect.

Terry's anger towards the father for trying to engage the stores clerk in conversation and for setting a bad example for his child was channeled into a beautiful piece of work called, A Pittance of Time. Terry later recorded A Pittance of Time and included it on his full-length music CD, The Power of the Dream.

Thank You to the Royal Canadian Legion Todmorden Branch #10 and Woodbine Height Branch #2 for their participation in the Video. "

Please visit www.terry-kelly.com

TONIGHT, ON HGTV: CHANGE THE WORLD, AMERICAN HEROES

HGTV is honoring the nation's veterans by renovating two homes in cities chosen by popular vote - St. Louis and Philadelphia - for veterans in transition who need a hand UP and a place from which to get their lives back on track. For the Philadelphia Segment, HGTV filmed the Warriors' Watch Riders last June. The transitional home, located in the Kensington area of Philadelphia, was renovated and turned from a run-down row house to a beautiful place to stay. Two homeless veterans who were already well ont he way to rehabilitation and job training were escorted to their new (temp) home by the WARRIORS WATCH RIDERS of Philadelphia, and HGTV filmed the whole moving experience.

That event till be broadcast tonight, Wednesday November 11, AT 8PM ON HGTV. DON'T MISS IT! (It will be re-broadcast on Thanksgiving Day at 10am.)

WARRIORS' WATCH RING IS READY FOR ORDERING

Finally, the Warriors' Watch Riders "Living Eagle" Silver Ring is done! "Matt" is an American Biker living in Thailand. He has co-workers there and in Cambodia. During the day Matt teaches English as a Second Language classes, but by night he creates works of art from Silver.

Matt and I talked for days about the design, the styling, and the manufacture of a very special ring just for Warriors' Watch Riders. His artists carved the design out of wax, trying this and that until it was just right. Then a mold was created from the wax, and a "master" from that. From this master all subsequent rings ordered will be made. This process was not cheap, and it's been going on for a couple of months now, but it's finally finished. In an email to me this morning, Matt said:

Hey Wayne, It is my pleasure to present you with photos of your finished ring. I set out from the beginning to make you guys a first class ring and I'm proud to say that I've done it... Hope you take as much pride in wearing it as I did in making it. Cheers. Matt "Ahmnaht" Hill

And sure enough, the finished ring is a work of Art. The Warriors' Watch Eagles Wings, whether on the "Wing-And-Shield" logo design or on the more lifelike "Coin design" represent the Warrior's Watch Rider. On the coin design, the eagle's head is turned to present one WATCHFUL eye, vigilantly guarding all under its wings. It's wings (our wings) are spread out PROTECTIVEILY over the three symbols of our devotion - a Blue Star representing all families with a family member serving in the military, a Gold Star representing all families who have lost a loved one in war, and the POW symbol, which represents ALL military members and veterans...past, present and future.

In the Warriors' Watch "Living Eagle" Silver Ring, the WWR Eagle comes alive, rising out of the ring in three dimensions. The eagles' wings are spread, curving around and down the sides of the ring. The Gold star and the Blue star are set with REAL blue and gold sapphires (not glass). The ring is made of silver - 27 grams.

Go to the "store" by clicking here to see a photo of the ring and to order.

CORRECT SIZING IS IMPORTANT. Each ring is individually made to order, just for you. Therefore we cannot accept returns for wrong sizes. CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD A GOOD RING SIZING CHART. Or, even better, stop by a local jeweler and have your finger sized. Tell him you need the size TO THE NEAREST HALF SIZE.

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"