Ride Report Posted for Lt. CMNDR Rachel Perry Welcome home …

On 5/30/10 we did a welcome home for LT. Commander Rachel Perry (Navy Nurse) as well has her husband . Rachel was stationed in Afghanistan assigned to the British Army working in a tent hospital. She also worked with the Scott’s taking care of our wounded and Afghan’s as well. She has seen a lot of devastation and received a navy and marine accommodations for her performance to her duty. She has been enlisted for 14 years and has another 6 years to go.

Her husband ( Brian ) is a Chief in the Navy going for Senior Chief. Brian did a 7 mo. deployment on the Air Craft Carrier Theodore Roosevelt. He also just signed up for another 4 year term continuing doing what he loves. He came back and then Rachel was deployed. They have a daughter Emma that turned 8 yrs of age May 21, 2010.

 

We staged at the inner section of route 22 and route 12 in Lake Zurich, IL. We had about 25 bikes, two WWR support vehicles, and plenty of Leo support. We had one motor Leo, two marked, and one unmarked Leo for the entire escort as well as the Chief of Round Lake Park PD. Rachel, her husband Chief Brian ( who is also Navy), and her father Rocco were eating across the street and were convinced to come over to the lot we were at as a stop before they went home.

When she pulled in we had a flag line set up and did a welcome home greet there. From there, we did an escort to Rachels fathers home in Grayslake. During the route we were met with more Leo’s through each town blocking every intersection and still keeping our original 4 Leo’s. As we pulled up to the entrance of the retirement community in Grayslake we were met and joined by 6 Lake county Leo’s as well as approx. 10 more bikes which were friends and family. The escort then entered the community and as we pulled up to the house there was another 40-60 family and friends as well as a huge welcome home banner. We rolled in LOUD AND PROUD. I couldn’t even hear my radio playing the Welcome Home Faithful Soldier song over the ROAR of all the bikes, sirens, and horns. She was so overwhelmed that she was in tears for everything.

At the house I then presented Rachel and Brian both with a set of mission beads, challenge coins, and with a copy of the mission thread and the thank yous. They both then signed one of our WWR banners and we had photos with all the family, friends, Leo, and of course WWR.