Howdy Folks! My name is Jim McCrain, better known as “Hoofer” with Run For The Wall. For several years, I have been the Photographer and SITREP Author for the Midway Route. This year, I have the extreme honor of being your SITREP Author. It is a duty that I do not take lightly. I will do my best to accurately and completely tell the stories that you share with me, and to relate the experiences that you have during our Mission. I will do my best to represent you honestly and faithfully.
Our Media Team consists of myself as SITREP Author, Jerry Lanier “F-Stop” as your Photographer, and Patti Bogan “Peppermint Patti” as your Social Media Reporter. We are dedicated to documenting your Run, and telling all of our readers just what it is that you are doing every day. We will do this to the best of our abilities.
For those of you that do not know me, I think there are some things that you should know. I am NOT a Veteran. This is important to remember, because I may see and experience things a little differently than you do. So I may ask you some “strange” questions, or I might do things that you aren’t expecting. But my promise to you is that I will do it all with an air of respect. As a civilian, I can offer our Veterans 
no less than that. You deserve the respect of every American citizen, because you stepped up and signed your name on a line. You swore to defend our Country and our People: something that most Americans would or could never do. On behalf of the American Patriot, I honor your courage, dedication, and sacrifices.
Riding with you on the Sandbox Route will be a new experience for me, as it will be for many of you. Although I have been participating with RFTW for over a decade, I have not “seen it all.” Each Route is unique, and the experiences change with each new year. For those of you that have ridden the Sandbox Route before, you “think” you know what to expect. (I do the same thing on the Midway Route.) But every year, I am surprised at how much things change, even though we may be going back to the same places as last year. You see, it is the PEOPLE and the RIDERS that make the difference.
You are not the same person that you were last year. Neither am I. The people that we will ride with are not the same. Some have never ridden with us before. In fact, some of them may have never ridden in a large group before! Each of us will have different things in our minds. Some (like myself) simply want to be here as a resource for you and to say “Thank You” for what you have done. Others, many others, are riding because they need to either clear their minds of bad memories, or they may want to fill the minds with new, good memories. Some will be here to reconnect with their fellow service Men/Women. Others will be here to pay their respects to fallen comrades. The Mission of Run For The Wall is to give you all the peace that you need and deserve, and to bring closure to those that need it.
During our Mission, I hope to get to know as many of you as I can. I want to shake your hand, thank you for your service, and remind you that America has your six! We will not forget what you have been through, and we will help you every step along the way.
So please, come find me. Tell me your stories. Tell me what it was like to serve during our troubled times. Tell me about your Friends. Tell me about their sacrifices. And then, when we get to the Middle East Conflicts Wall, please introduce me to them. I promise, I will listen, and together we will …
Say Their Names … They not forgotten.
Cheers!
Jim “Hoofer” McCrain
Sandbox Route SITREP Author
