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FNG Story – Joe “Jude” Hodges

Name: Joe “Jude” Hodges
E-Mail: joeh1123@aol.com
Phone: 505-488-3953
City: Gallup
State: New Mexico
FNG Story:

For many months I had been planning this trip to ride with the Run for the Wall. I had actually planned to ride for a day in 2009 but since after 33 years of riding I had never had a motorcycle endorsement on my driver’s license, I wasn’t able to ride with the group. That was a real let down for me as I had been wanting to make the run for a long time. As a brownwater Navy veteran, I has been something that I have long been compelled to participate in the mission to honor those veterans who are unable to make the run. Also, I had a need to honor my dad, a Korean War veteran, and the other numerous members of my family that have proudly served in the armed forces our country.

After my inability to ride last year I was determined to make the 2010 run. The plan was to ride from Gallup, NM to Trinidad, CO as this was all the time I was able to be away from work. I got up early loaded my bike, leathered up, put the key in the ignition, and was ready for engine to jump to life; however, all I got was silence as the battery was dead so after what felt like an eternity I was able to strip it down, jump the battery and pack back up and set off. I had a great ride into Santa Fe where there was a gas stop and a reassembly across from the Harley Davidson shop where we were to have lunch. It was getting warm and I needed a drink of water and was just taking a drink when they decided it was
time to move out. I hurriedly tried to get my self together and was fumbling with securing my water bottle when it was time for our platoon to go. I started the bike, put it in gear, let the clutch out went about three feet and the front tire caught a round rock. The front wheel skewed to the left sharply as I moving my water bottle back into place and over I went landing on my right elbow and shoulder and hearing a loud pop in my shoulder as my head slammed into the ground.

Thankfully my fellow brothers around me set the bike up off of my stuck foot and leg, shaded my face and called the ambulance, which was pretty quick in coming and I was whisked off to the emergency room where it was determined that I had a broken arm at the very top of the humerus along with a messed up shoulder, socket and scapula. The arm was broken at a point where it could not be set, so I was given a sling for it and dismissed. All in all not a really great day.

The only good thing about the short time that I had was the association with everyone for a brief time and a renewed determination that I will try again next year! Oh and I have decided to change my road name to CRASH!

I can’t close without thanking everyone for all of their help for me and my bike as well as all those that put so much time and effort into the mission. Thanks and God Bless You….

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FNG Story – Tom Cameron

Name: Tom Cameron
E-Mail: tomcameron@cox.net
Phone: 619-390-8643
City: San Diego
State: California
FNG Story:

I was on the Southern Route and can’t say loud enough that this was far and away the best motorcycle trip ever! My only regret was not being able to get to know more of the outstanding men and women who participated, and I guess it was just over too soon. Wow.

They should advise people to bring more Kleenex. Most of the water from the hydration trailer was coming out my eyes! Never have I had so much trouble choking through the national anthem and the pledge. I was most surprised by my personal emotional response, but I saw others having the same reaction. Yes, they were right, you have to experience it to come to really believe.

In that vein, one of the things I enjoyed watching was when you would see one of the riders who had removed himself from the group and was on his cell phone. More than once I heard to the effect,

“Hey Bobby! You just gotta do this run! You wouldn’t believe how wonderful it is! Really, you just have to come next year!!”

Found myself making one of those calls myself!

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FNG Story – Terry McCollum

Name: Terry McCollum
E-Mail: supercoach@wyoming.com
Phone: 307-259-5464
City: Casper
State: Wyoming
FNG Story:

My wife and I joined the Central Route in Goodland, KS. I have trouble expressing myself in long letters so this one will be pretty short.

What can you say about this ride except beyond believe. From the dinner and welcome in Goodland, from the very fine people there, to the very end and being one of the few that got to ride thru Arlington. It was extremely emotional for me.

Some people call me Rotorhead, thanks to my being a helicopter pilot in RVN. On Oct 31, ’68 one of my helicopters crashed and all 10 on board were killed. Back when I was flying for the state of Wyoming I had been to DC and made a trip to the wall and had the opertunity to leave a couple of items at that time so I didn’t think I would feel the urge to leave anything this time. Well when I got to my panel I didn’t have anything to leave. Thanks to Tail Gunner Nich, and Charley not only had my back but dug deep in their pockets and found something for me to leave. Thanks gentlemen I owe you.

Rolling Thunder was more relaxed for me than the emotional High I had been on for the preceding week. What a massive number of Motorcycles and there was just about as many parked along The Mall as was riding.

What a wonderful experience. The two that were closest to me was our Platoon Leader Grumpy (Terri) and our Tail Gunner Nich. Their only concern for the entire ride was our safety. Nich you can yell at me any time I do something wrong cause it came from the heart. THANK YOU. I am totally convinced that the major pre-qualification for Road Guards is to be INSANE. Thank you for all of your hard work.

From the planners, state coordinators, fuel crews, road guards, platoon leaders, tail gunners, chase vehicles, chaplins, and especially the people that took the time out of their busy lives to skip work and come out and cheer us on and say “WELCOME HOME,” thank you, thank you, thank you. To
everyone I forgot thank you too.

Now a note to the old warriors that served back during the Viet Nam era, we have a duty an obligation to our young brothers and sisters serving today. Make it a point to say THANK YOU and shake their hand. Make sure they get their WELCOME HOME when they return, not 30 or 40 years later. If you have made it to here, thank you for reading the ramblings of an old War Horse.

Rotorhead
Terry and Dianna McCollum
Blue Gold Wing Trike

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FNG Story – Joe Middleton

Name: Joe Middleton
E-Mail: midcusaw@yahoo.com
Phone: 325-669-8723
City: Abilene
State: TX
FNG Story:

I want to say first that this was the best experience I have enjoyed in many, many years. That being said the people I met, the people I saw, the old and new vets I had the privilege of being among, the many kids and people along the side of the roads waving flags and yelling and shouting with love and respect was overwhelming to me. I come from a town in Texas that is has large military influence in it’s population, but to see the outpouring from the small communities along the route from Weatherford, Tx
to DC gave me more faith in the future of our country than I could have gotten from any where.

As long as there or people like this, showing their respect to our military, and it’s fallen, past and present, we are in good hands. As long as we have our sons and daughters showing their kids and grandkids what respect for God and country really is, then we’ll be OK. I feel honored to have ridden with what I feel like are real men and women who honestly still have a deep love for this country and what it’s all about, all politics aside and riding to honor those that have given all
for us to be able to do so.

It is not hard to see how this adventure gets into your blood. I know it has gotten into mine. The Lord willing, and if “Chicken Joe” and Dan “Wide Load” will allow me to join 7th platoon (Triker and Trailer Trash Trash) next year, I would be honored to ride with them all the way from CA to DC. Oh yea! You others that have to stay in your air-conditioned rooms can come along also LOL.

We left as individuals and arrived as family. I never enjoyed being welcomed home like this before.

Thank you 1ST Sargent and every one else who made this event a life changer for me.

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FNG Story – Pat “Bubblegum” Urban

Name: Pat “Bubblegum” Urban
E-Mail: pat_urban@msn.com
Phone: 360-666-2340
City: Battle Ground
State: Washington
FNG Story:

Run For The Wall Coordinators, Board of Directors and all of the Volunteers:

There are so many things I could say about the Run and I’m not sure I can do all of my memories justice. I’m afraid of leaving something out; but I will try to tell you in my words what the Run means to me now that it is over. What will stand out in my mind and memories are too many incidents to write — but for me, it was the people. The kids who made us hearts, wrote poems and gave us dog tags to take to The Wall. The people who love our country and expressed it by giving us hugs and telling us thank you over and over. Yup, it was the people: new friends we made who rode with us and those who asked if we were going to come back. And, it is more:

It was the lone man alongside the freeway standing at attention and saluting us in the desert outside of Phoenix.
It was the retired Marine standing in full dress blues saluting us as we rode into Jackson, MS.
It was the many, many people on overpasses and in the cities who took the time to greet us.
It was the pride in the American faces of adults, teenagers and children we met.

It was the privilege of meeting MOH, POW Veterans from WW2, Korea and Vietnam; Tuskegee Airmen and Navajo Code Talkers and a survivor from the Bataan Death March.

It was the camaraderie and love I felt as John was surrounded by his fellows at the Vietnam Memorial in Odessa, TX. with the wind howling and the sky with it’s dark clouds shooting lightening.

It was the interaction with the ride heroes: The Road Guards, Platoon Leaders and Tail Gunners, Advance Team and Chaplains.
It was the morning prayers.
It was the morning meetings.
It was smiling and giving a big Whoo Hoo to the fueling team.
It was the awesome hydration team.
It was being able to help in the merchandise trailer.
It was knowing the chase truck was there, just in case…

It was the pride I felt as my husband participated in RFTW Honor Guard.

It was the goosebumps I got when Shenandoah was played on the harmonica at Silverdale Civil War Confederate Cemetery.

It was the Vet who quilts.
It was the men who wore pink shirts to support another worthy cause.
It was the Road Guards who smiled at my pink sparkling helmet.
It was earning a Road name, “Bubblegum.”

It was the people we met and rode with side-by-side.

It was the Huey ride and feeling an overwhelming sense of pride in my husband as he hung out the gunner door..pumping his arms in the air and smiling and laughing and yelling, “YES!” ..reenacting his time in Vietnam as a door gunner.

And finally,
It was walking hand in hand with my husband to The Wall, taking photos, rubbing names, gently putting down items and finally looking at The Wall from a distance and letting go.

It was knowing that for 10 glorious days on the road, I was a part of something so very special and that first ride as FNG will live in my heart forever.

For all of the work you have done over the years, as former FNG 2010 who rode all the way; Thank you!

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FNG Story – Hilda Hickman

Name: Hilda Hickman
E-Mail: hildaj1020@yahoo.com
Phone: 865-933-0748
City: Kodak
State: TN
FNG Story:

FNG PIN UPSIDE DOWN–2010

It was a gray, cold day in January 2010 when my husband, Charlie R. Hickman, US Army Retired, and I, his wife of 43 years, started making plans to ride with the “RUN FOR THE WALL” group to Washington DC. We had rode for the past two years with a group in Sevierville TN to the top of Clinch Mountain on Memorial Day to honor all veterans. We loved it and thought we were ready to go on the “big one.” We are both 64 years old and the thought crossed our minds that we are not getting any younger. We talked friends Tim Johnson and Sue Logan into riding along with us. Registration was done online, motel reservations were made, luggage racks and flag poles were bought for the bikes, other preparations were completed and the waiting began.

Like children waiting for Christmas, I thought May would never come. It finally did and on May 26th we were up early and heading to Wytheville VA to meet up with the riders coming from Chattanooga TN. We were ahead of them so when we arrived in Wytheville we went to the park and watched as they rode into town. That evening we were officially pinned as FNGs and welcomed into the “RUN FOR THE WALL” family.

From then until the ride ended in Washington DC our experience could not have been better. Never a question went unanswered. It was the best organized event I have ever been involved with. If I had to describe it in one word that word would be, SMOOTH. Although we knew from the outset it was not a party, it was a mission, the leaders made it fun along the way. The outpouring of love and support from the people along the way was amazing. People standing shoulder to shoulder on bridge overpasses, cranes with Old Glory proudly flapping in the breeze high above the street, children standing in front of schools waving and giving thumbs up, WWII vets in their wheelchairs smiling and saluting as we rode by. The miles of motorcycles were a sight to see and so were the people from all walks of life who had carved out time in their busy day to pay their respects to those who served in the Armed Forces of their country. Patriotism is alive and well along the highways and byways of small town America. I want to take this opportunity to say “THANK YOU” to all who gave of their time and talents to organize and work out the many details of making “RUN FOR THE WALL” the great American Tradition it has become. My husband’s goal is to be in CA and ride “all the way” in 2011. I will be the one waiting in Wytheville ready to join him and ride on to DC. Again “THANK YOU” all for making us feel welcome on our FNG ride with “RUN FOR THE WALL.” See you in 2011.

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FNG Story – Rick Behymer

Name: Rick Behymer
E-Mail: RDBehymer@Centurytel.net
City: West Plains
State: Missouri
FNG Story:

I was an FNG on the Central Route, 2010 Run For The Wall. When I joined the Run in Wentzville Mo. I had no idea what an incredible experience being on The Run For The Wall would turn out to be for me. I’ve tried to explain to my wife and others just what being on the Run is like and I haven’t been able to adequately put it into words.

I haven’t been able to explain the instant friendship and sense of family that develops the morning you join the Run. I’ve come to realize that sense of family lasts much longer than the Run itself.

I took a couple of hundred pictures on the Run and while they bring a smile to my face when I look at them now, they aren’t nearly as good as the memories I have when we were moving and picture taking was out of the question. Memories like,

Two ladder fire trucks on an overpass parked facing each other, their ladders fully extended, a very large American Flag suspended between them. On top of the cab of one fire truck stood lone a fireman, holding a perfect hand salute, backlit by the morning sun, as we went under that overpass.

Overpasses with people standing shoulder to shoulder holding flags and waving, with bed sheets made into signs hanging from overpass railings saying “Welcome Home”

A little girl about 8 or so in West Virginia who asked if she could take a picture of me and the 2 riders I was talking to at the time, just because we were on the Run.

Being fortunate enough to be allowed to ride into Arlington National Cemetery, with 249 other FNGs from 2010.

Seeing The Wall for the first time, and walking it’s length.

Words can’t describe how those things touched my heart, caused a lump in my throat, and sometimes required me to blink rapidly to clear my vision.

I could ramble on for several more paragraphs about the things I saw, and the feelings I felt but I won’t. If you were on either Route you know exactly what I’m talking about. If you haven’t been on the Run For The Wall yet I urge you to go as soon as you can.

It doesn’t take long to realize that it takes a lot of dedicated people to make the Run For The Wall work as well as it does. To all of them I’d like to take this opportunity to say Thank You for the Ride of a Lifetime. To everyone on the Central Route, particularly the Second Platoon, Thank You isn’t nearly enough, but it’ll have to do. It was an honor to ride with all of you.

Would I do it again? Absolutely! Only the next time my wife will be with me. After seeing the pictures I took, and listening to me try to explain what being on the Run For The Wall was like for me this year, she’s decided she wants to see it all for herself next year starting in California.

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FNG Story – Wayne Karlik

Name: Wayne Karlik
E-Mail: wtkcody@yahoo.com
Phone: 307-587-4486
City: Cody
State: Wyoming
FNG Story:

A good friend of mine told me of this ride last year on Memorial Day while we were camping, and I thought it would be a ride we could do. After checking out the website, I called Rod and said “WE have to do this ride”! So, on May 21st we headed south to meet up with RFTW in Goodland KS on the 22nd. The wind blew us in to Goodland about two hours before the group was to be there so we hung out and waited to see some riders show. The fuel up advanced crew rode in and we talked with them until the platoons started in. From that point on the “RIDE FOR THE WALL” took on a whole new meaning for me.

For the next 7 days I was on an emotional roller coaster. The VA Hospitals, the Memorials, the over passes lined with the most patriotic people on earth, the supplied lunches from VFWs and American Legions, and the unselfish brother and sisterhood, at times, left me speechless. Everywhere we went, the folks of this nation greeted us with a form of pride and love I thought was about gone in this country. There is so much more I want to say about this trip, but, I would need to much room on this page, and it would probably get boring to read. To put it in a nut shell, this was the most enjoyable, emotional, and
unforgettable experience I could ever have on a bike, or anywhere for that matter! Thank you all, brothers and sisters, for EVERYTHING! God bless you all, and this will not be my last trip with RFTW!!

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David E. Sholly

Name: David E. Sholly
E-Mail: trainjockey58@msn.com
Phone: 303-847-6398
City: Aurora
State: Colorado
FNG Story:

I was given a RUN FOR THE WALL pin by a co-worker five years ago. He told me his story, of his ride and what it had meant to him.

I am a 100% P&T disabled veteran, in remission from lung cancer for two and one half years. I felt now was my time to go to the Wall!

After 41 years of an emptiness, I felt a kinship and a healing as I met my new Brothers & Sisters from the Viet Nam, Iraq, Afghanistan, and U.S. Active Duty war veteran riders, and one very Special Gold Star Mom, and her dog Gizmo.

As an FNG I got to ride my motorcycle into Arlington National Cemetery, and see the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and then onto the Viet Nam War Memorial.

The people saying thank you for your service, and the patriotism I saw on the bridge over passes, as we rode under them and in the towns with the > American flags displayed, melted away the hard feelings I had of the past when we came home without any respect or honor. God willing I’ll be part of the RFTW in 2011!

A special thank you to the RFTW 2010, organizers, advanced teams, road guards, tail gunners, service trucks. A heart felt special thank you to the Platoon Leader and Asst. Platoon Leader of Platoon #4, central route! All of you made my experience an unforgettable, safe and pleasurable trip!

I purchased twenty five 2010 RFTW pins to pass out to veterans who have not yet made the run, hoping to inspire them as my friend did me!

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FNG Story – Tim Gray

Name: Tim Gray
E-Mail: tim.gray@us.army.mil
Your Phone: 915-309-5599
City: El Paso
State: Texas
FNG Story:

I heard about this ride for many years and this was my first chance to take part in it. I knew the guys from the Hydration team and without them I would not have been able to make the run. Thanks to Gary Burd and all of the crew. I didn’t plan well and only went on part of the run, well that’s kinda like saying I only got a two ton treasure as opposed to a ten ton treasure. Every single mile and moment on this run is priceless.

I am still active duty and have done my time in the sandbox. I didn’t immediately relate to the struggles, the hurt and the healing I witnessed from so many. What I wasn’t prepared for was the therapeutic value of this ride. So when it started creeping up on me, you can imagine my surprise. I place a lot more value on this run from my new perspective. I had no idea how strong the bonds of this family are. Within the confines of these riders and the platoons, there is safety to expose pain and suffering, probably long overdue to be let go. And just as important are those individuals that stand shoulder to shoulder with you and won’t let you down.

I lost a friend that I had deployed with numerous times, just a short 12 days before the run — he was 46, and had a lot of hurt inside that he carried with him. I wish he had been with us. And I am sure most of you know why.

I want you to know that I am hooked and excited about “The Run.” My wife is a disabled vet, and she literally broke down into tears when I left. Because we have two little ones and she had to take care of them. You might have seen them — Juan and Morgan. They were giving out the candy and the thank you notes while we ate Supper at Barnetts in Las Cruces. The next morning my wife waved a flag from a bridge in El Paso with tears in her eyes as we rolled through.

So needless to say — she will be on the run next year, if it means I stay home to be Mr. mom. (yeah right!) We will have it planned out and we will both be able to enjoy everyone’s company. She is in for a big surprise! My prayer is that we can do as much for some of you as you have done for others.

Thanks to the road guards who gave me the thumbs up while I focused everything I had to not be the FNG with the brake lights on.

SFC(P) Tim “The Infidel” Gray