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[Smiler]

That is awesome Greg! Riding anywhere in the pack can be very emotional but that position would get anyone choked up.
 
Run for the Wall has two routes that ride from Ontario to DC. The Southern and Central routes. Both routes ride using the same formations. Up front are the Flag bearers followed by the Route Coordinator, State Coordinator, and Chaplin. Then the Missing Man formation. Behind that is a pocket for Road Gaurds who are in and out and on call for the Route Coordinator. Then several platoons of bikes each with a Platoon Leader and assistant. After all of the bikes are platoons for bikes pulling trailers and trikes. This is followed by the Chaplin Corp who act as our first response medical crew. Then Last Man vehicle followed by the pickup vehicles for those who have  bike problems. There are also advance teams ahead of all of this. These are another group of Road Gaurds that direct our stops and a Fuel Crew. They even have a guy up there with a siren for animal control when we're in the boonies. Very well organized!!!

Do you ask for volunteers to join the ride or are you selected

[ccr]

I am so proud of you and it is quite an honor to be invited to ride in that position.  Thank you for what you did. 

 

[bgregston]

Oh, It's all volunteer. Anyone and any brand bike is welcome. Although most of the riders are vets you don't need to have any military association at all.
To join, you MUST register the night before or morning of the first day that you will be riding. You only register once. You are given a wristband that entitles you to gas/food. Without a wristband they will ask you to stay away from the group until you do register. Riders meetings each morning are mandatory before you can ride in the formation.
The purpose of these rules isn't to be arogant or rude. RFTW rides side by side most of the time with 2 second intervals between rows. If someone jumps in along the way and doesn't understand whats going on they can get a lot of people hurt. They cover all this each morning at the riders meeting.

[Smiler]

I have some 25 years service in the British Army and would feel proud to ride along with these guys.  ow often are the runs and how do you get to hear about them?

[bgregston]

The rides are every year. Next year will be the 20th anniversary. It's a 10 day trip across the US if you go all the way from Ontario to DC, but like I said you can join on any day. It ends in DC with the climax being the wall (Vietnam Vetrans Memorial). It joins with the Rolling Thunder parade the Sunday before Memorial Day. The website is www.rftw.org.

I'll PM you with more info. I want to tell you more about it but I don't want to hijack this thread anymore than I have and take away anything from Greg's experience.

[Smiler]

The rides are every year. Next year will be the 20th anniversary. It's a 10 day trip across the US if you go all the way from Ontario to DC, but like I said you can join on any day. It ends in DC with the climax being the wall (Vietnam Vetrans Memorial). It joins with the Rolling Thunder parade the Sunday before Memorial Day. The website is www.rftw.org.

I'll PM you with more info. I want to tell you more about it but I don't want to hijack this thread anymore than I have and take away anything from Greg's experience.

That will be great  thanks.

[charlie]

this vet also thanks you.