Wounded Warrior Projects and Armed Forces Day

American Legion, Harley Davidson dealer are raising money for the great wounded soldiers.

We have heard that the American Legion Post No. 4 in Billings and Beartooth Harley-Davidson - Buell have teamed up to hold a motorcycle ride and concert later this month to benefit a program that helps injured military veterans and wounded warriors.

This fantastic event is known as the Freedom Ride and Freedom Jam. The event begins at 1 p.m. May 19 known as Armed Forces Day. This Wounded Warriors event will be held at Beartooth Harley, 6900 S. Frontage Road in Montana. The event will raise money for the Wounded Warrior Project. These are the real Heroes. Certain Politicians and Left Wing Commentators have trashed these great heroes yet try and use them for Political purposes.

“It’s for a very important cause,” said one of the event’s organizers, Maria Rivera, who is the American Legion post’s director of club operations. “It’s important to recognize them no just one day, but every day. You can make the best of it by helping your fellow veterans.” These Proud Wounded Warriors are most deserving of our support.

The day begins with a ride from Billings to the Harley dealership in Red Lodge for refreshments. Afterward, the group will ride back and stop for a short time of reflection before parading back into town.

It will continue at the Legion post, 1540 Broadwater Ave., where John Buck and Reckless will perform and the groups will provide dinner.

Collette Haun, Beartooth’s marketing and events director, is helping organize the event and has a son serving in the U.S. Army. She said he has two friends who’ve died and numerous others who’ve been injured.

“When you meet these guys and you see what they’ve given and what they’ve given up, how it affects families, if there’s anything we can do to help, we’re going to step up,” she said.

The fine Americans, Haun and Rivera both said the ultimate goal is to raise awareness for programs like the Wounded Warrior Project and for service members.

The benefit is open to the public. Tickets cost $30 per rider and $10 per passenger. For those wishing to just attend the concert, tickets are $18 in advance and $20 at the door.

For more information or to volunteer, please call Rivera at 406-656-1510 or contact Collette Haun at 406-252-2888.

6900 S Frontage Rd Billings, MT 59101

Armed Forces Day History

On August 31, 1949, Secretary of Defense Louis Johnson announced the creation of an Armed Forces Day to replace separate Army, Navy and Air Force Days. The single-day celebration stemmed from the unification of the Armed Forces under one department -- the Department of Defense. Each of the military leagues and orders was asked to drop sponsorship of its specific service day in order to celebrate the newly announced Armed Forces Day. The Army, Navy and Air Force leagues adopted the newly formed day. The Marine Corps League declined to drop support for Marine Corps Day but supports Armed Forces Day, too.

Support Our Troops!

The things they carry in Afghanistan

Editor's note: David Fennell of Littleton is a major in the U.S. Marine Corps. He is stationed in Marjah, Afghanistan, as head of the Civil Affairs Group there. Before that, he served a tour in Iraq. His father, Denny, asked David to sum up his experiences as he nears the end of his deployment.

Although I've gotten used to things around here, this place can wear on you. Don't get me wrong, I truly believe in our mission and its importance to both the Afghan people and security back home. Still, southern Afghanistan is a hard place.

The question Marines ask themselves most when talking with folks back home is "Where do I start?" There are no easy answers.

Sand, moon dust, terrain, weather, enemy, Marines getting hurt, Marines taken out of action, high op tempo, 2 4/7, working with locals, working with civilians, working with Afghan government, working with Afghan police, working with Afghan army, working with international forces (ISAF), bad food, drinking tea with locals knowing you'll get sick, getting sick, watching for IEDs, looking for ambushes, suicide bomb threats, enemy murdering and intimidating the local population, local "friends" working with enemy, Marines getting killed, controlled IED detonations, wondering what caused an explosion, the kids, seeing bad things happen to kids, bad kids throwing rocks, bad kids taunting and making gestures that you're going to get blown up, locals gaming the system, locals complaining about everything, locals always want more, some locals step up and the enemy takes some locals down . . .

Sand storms, bad sleep, incoming rockets, burn pits, relieving yourself in a bag, reports, reports, reports, briefs, briefs, briefs, VIP visits (generals, ambassadors, Afghanistan officials, etc.), second-guessed by others, second-guessing yourself, media, interpreters, bad interpreters, not being able to find an interpreter, losing gear, getting gear stolen, keeping Marines motivated, rewarding Marines, punishing Marines, taking care of interpreters, patrolling through canals and irrigated farms, getting your only pair of boots wet, getting your camera wet, Medevacs, finding IEDs, waiting hours for EOD to detonate IEDs, acronyms, hearing Marines in a firefight over the radio, losing communication, incoming mortars, long days, short meals, dirty uniforms, making yourself sick from your smell . . .

Needing air support but not getting it, taught not to look at Afghan women, taught not to talk to Afghan women, not knowing how to react when an Afghan woman approaches, false claims of Koran burning, false claims of night searches, false claims of civilian casualties, lies, lies, lies, protests, riots, local leaders calm protests and riots for a few prayer rugs.

Taking malaria medication, flak jackets, Kevlar, bad feet, bad knees, bad back, bad haircuts, looking forward to firefights, dreading IEDs, sand in everything, too few computers, no printers, no scanner, generators go down, e-mail goes down, "where's your report?", cold winter, no heat, local gets shot, local comes to Marines for help, is local a Taliban who we shot?, Marines trying to be experts in crime scene investigations, getting mail late, getting mail stolen, not getting mail at all, being hungry, saving the last Ramen noodle, losing weight, bad shaves, hot days, no A/C, sunburned faces and necks, white arms and legs, trying to get contractors to start development projects, contractors getting intimidated and robbed by Taliban, contractors getting kidnapped by Taliban, workers being killed by Taliban, hoping a Marine "makes it," going to memorial services, hoping it's never your Marine, rules of engagement, escalation of force, taking small arms fire from house, having to let detainee go for lack of evidence, running out of wet wipes, running out of water, losing your flashlight, running into razor wire at night, living in the "gray," questioning how much corruption is acceptable, flies in your food, flies in your eye, trying not to be motivated by hate, broken-down vehicles, stuck vehicles, getting caught on an extended patrol without NVGs, did I do enough? did I do it right? and . . . did I mention the sand?

It's just a normal day or week or month out here, but Marines seldom bring up any more than a few of these things to complain about.

Hat Tip to Mr. I, a Real Conservative