One of our Heroes is finally home! He came home on January 10th to Fort Drum.  He had not seen his parents, family, or friends since he arrived home and they wanted to Welcome him home properly.  WNY Warriors Watch Riders personally escorted this hero home with our flags and a parade from the town limits to his parents’ home with the assistance of the Yates County Sherriffs, the Yates County Office of State Police, and the Dundee Volunteer Fire Department.  We had 4 people escort his vehicle on foot after shutting down Main St. with flags at full salute.  The whole community lined the streets to welcome him home with the use of the loaned flags from the local American Legion.  His father joined the procession and we ended up escorting Rich and a few members of his family.  SSG Conklin knew nothing of the plans that his wife Dianne and the WNY WWR made to welcome him home or that she had even contacted us until he got to town and was stopped and escorted by WWR and two personal friends and fellow members.
   This was SSG. Conklin’s fifth deployment since he joined the Army in 2002. He has been deployed to the Iraq, Korea, and three times to Afghanistan.  Each time, leaving behind his wife and two children.  He has been home a year and then gone for a year and it is refreshing and amazing to see such a tight knit family and community come together for this hero when just a short time ago the same community lost a hero PVT Christopher Scott.  So they were all ecstatic and relieved that Rich is home safe and sound.  He definitely received the praise he so much deserves.
There was a welcome home dinner at the Dundee VFW (which the VFW donated the use of their banquet room) put together by the ride captains Jenn and Gary Davis and fellow members Norman Knight and his wife Joyce, as well as very dedicated members of the community.  The local Save A Lot store owners’ son even footed part of the bill out of his own pocket for some of the food.
Way to step up for your hero, Dundee your community never ceases to impress us.
Submitted by Chatterbox