2027 Route Change Announcement
As we have all observed, our riders’ dynamics and demographics have changed over the last several years. This is especially evident when we review the median age of our participants. We are losing our older riders and not attracting new, younger riders sufficiently to make up the difference. I was speaking with an old friend, also an RFTW rider and leader, and as we discussed some of these issues, he suggested that perhaps RFTW has “reached its shelf life.” I prefer to think that RFTW, as it stands today, might need a bit of realignment, as the Mission remains as relevant today as it was in 1989. There can be no “shelf-life” for taking care of our veterans and their families. There can be no shelf-life to calling for attention to their needs.
The BoD has been monitoring this trend along with other trends for the last few years and, in response, reestablished the Sustainment Committee about 12 months ago. This committee comprises riders recommended by the RCs from all routes and represents a varied demographic of all segments. We tasked the committee to look at all things RFTW. Nothing was sacred; nothing was beyond examination. Everything was on the table.
The committee decided to informally survey younger riders to seek their thoughts and observations and see what they needed from the Run. Several broad topics were brought to our attention, including the need for a social media director, the need to develop better leaders within our routes, the need to make the run more open to the needs of all of our veterans, and the fact that there are too many “hats.” We must build better leaders; those in leadership must know and understand their role, responsibility, and authority. We need to improve communications with our FNGs. We need to work to make FNGs feel more welcome. We need to foster more local and regional informal “lunches” to keep the RFTW camaraderie alive during the year.
Some of the committee’s recommendations included streamlining the lines of authority within a route. For example, the Platoon Leaders (PL) now report to the Platoon Coordinator (PC), who reports to the RC. The PC is responsible to the RC for platoon assignments, platoon composition, moving riders from one platoon to another, etc. We adopted this change so that decisions affecting the route are made at a level appropriate to where the action occurs. The PC must ride a two-wheel motorcycle; they can no longer be on a trike or in a cage. The committee also recommended that we declare that we are a 10-day MOTORCYCLE event. While cages and non-motorcycles are welcome, they cannot ride safely with our teams or in the pack. Two items all committee members brought back were the need to improve Sandbox cohesiveness and allow more riders to participate in Rolling to Remember.
Many riders have commented that despite our exceptional RCs’ best efforts, Sandbox has never developed its own personality and unique cohesiveness typical of the other three routes. Some other reasons are listed: 1) the route is too short – 2½ days does not allow enough time to develop the camaraderie and fellowship experienced on the other routes. 2) SB is not self-sustaining – most of the leadership comes from the other three routes, and trying to assimilate three different types of operational leadership has proven challenging. 3) Younger riders do not want to ride to D.C. to turn around and ride 2½ days to the Middle Eastern Conflicts Wall Memorial (MECWM) and then home.
With the building of the Desert Shield/Desert Storm Memorial, the BoD, too, was conflicted. The planned memorial in D.C. only recognizes those who served during the Gulf War, while the MECWM commemorates all who have lost their lives in Middle Eastern conflicts since 1967.
The committee began looking at ways to address those issues and continue the mission of RFTW. RFTW has always been about promoting healing among ALL veterans and their families and friends, to call for an accounting of all Prisoners of War and those Missing in Action (POW/MIA), to honor the memory of those Killed in Action (KIA) from all wars, and to support our military personnel all over the world. As we travel across this great nation of ours, we are met with and greeted by thousands of patriots from all walks of life, reminding them of our motto, “We Ride For Those Who Can’t.” Another thing to remember is that those 89ers also traveled to D.C. to participate in the Rolling Thunder protest, now renamed Rolling to Remember. RFTW started to bring attention to and commemorate the service of our veterans and their families and to focus on their continuing needs.
Considering those thoughts, including our ever-changing demographics, the committee devised a plan and recommendation for the BoD to bring us all “Back to Basics” as we pass the baton to our younger riders. The BoD returned to the committee thoughts and considerations, the committee reworked those suggestions, and the BoD accepted the committee’s final recommendation.
Effective RFTW 2027, we will combine the Midway and Sandbox routes to create a new route named the Valor Route. This new route will travel part of the old Midway Route (Ontario, CA to Ft. Sill, OK) and then move Northeast through Springfield, MO to Marseilles, IL, conduct a ceremony at the MECWM much as we do today, and then travel on to Washington, D.C. on Friday and meet up with all the other routes. On Saturday, we will place a Mission Accomplished plaque at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall and a Mission Accomplished plaque at the Gulf War Memorial, along with the traditional photo shoot at the National Mall and, if possible, a wreath-laying at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. RFTW will again act in unison and as a single entity with a dedicated focus on our Mission.
Please remember that we are NOT moving away from who or what we are – instead, we are incorporating two routes into one – a route that encompasses the emotional and healing power of two pivotal memorials from our nation’s history. This realignment of routes accomplishes several other things: 1) We are better able to provide a route more attuned to the needs and desires of our younger veterans. 2) We will return all Routes to our fundamental Mission. 3) The new Route will be able to develop its own “personality” and sustainability, much like the other C2C routes. 4) We, as RFTW, again all meet and depart CA together on our 10-day Mission.
The Recon for the new route will be in 2026, and the route change will become effective in 2027. We are planning a small Recon with 25-30 experienced riders, many of whom have served in various leadership roles, so we can critically examine the new route and finalize first-year plans accordingly. More to follow on how you might apply to participate in the Recon.
The Board of Directors believes these changes are necessary and will significantly benefit our veterans, families, and friends.
We have an open Town Hall planned for the evening of January 15th at 7:00 p.m. CST. To address as many questions as possible regarding this upcoming change, we have created a topic in the RFTW Forums so that you can post questions before the Town Hall.
Let us dedicate ourselves and our efforts and remember to keep our focus on the Mission. It is why we ride!
Say Their Names – Tell Their Stories – Never Forget.
Back to Basics. Back to the RFTW Mission.
Is it May yet?
John “Turkey” Staub
Due to circumstances beyond our control, Midway Route Photos from previous runs are no longer available. 