Ride Report for Ride Captain Doug Askren
Saturday morning in Romeoville IL the temp started at 3 degrees.  That did not deter our faithful members and associates.  A large crowd arrived to stand the flag line for Cpl David Hornbeck as he ended his term of active duty after deployments to Afghanistan and Okinawa. The Romeoville fire department showed up with two engines, two ambulances, a command car and a ladder truck.  The firemen hung a large flag from the top of their ladder at our destination.  We were aided by two squads from the Romeoville Police Department, as we escorted our hero past his family home and on to a party in his honor.  In spite of the cold, three hardy souls rode their motorcycles, joined by a large motorcade of four wheelers with flashing lights and flags flying.  At the destination we presented honor beads and challenge coins to the young Marine and his father, also a Marine and Viet Nam veteran.  We arranged for the Corpral and his girlfriend to ride in the jump seats of the fire engine.

Thanks to Donna and Jim from Operation Welcome You home for organizing and coordinating this mission.  Thanks to the Romeoville PD and Fire Department as well as the mayor of Romeoville, also in attendance.  Thanks to the family of Cpl Hornbeck for including us in this momentous occasion.  Most of all thanks to this young Marine for his service to our country in preserving our freedom.  David Hornbeck will now attend a local college with the goal of becoming a Marine Corps officer or an FBI agent after his grduation in criminal justice.  Good luck to Cpl David in all his future endeavors as he continues to serve our country.  Thanks to all the loyal patriots Who attended this event.

Respectfully,
Doug Askren RC NIL WWR