Veterans

Myth, Mystery & Weirdness of the legend of Ganja

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The mysterious weirdness about the legend of the ganja by Amy Irene White with images from the Bob T. collection 10/29/2021 One of the most exasperatingly ridiculous brick walls in Washington DC is, the age-old conundrum of legalizing marijuana. Throughout the years, marijuana has gone through many transformations in the public eye. House Veterans Affairs Committee (HVAC) were scheduled to conduct a legislative hearing on Wednesday, October 13th, which included consideration of the bipartisan VA Cannabis Research Act of 2021, HR 2916. So far, there have been no updates, when I wrote this. The legislation “would direct the VA to conduct clinical research with varying forms of medicinal cannabis to evaluate the safety and effects of cannabis on health outcomes of veterans with PTSD and veterans with chronic pain.” CLICK HERE for a Feature Report on the State of the Myth, Mystery & Legend of Ganja Join the Cantina for more – Subscribe Today. https://www.bikernet.com/pages/custom/subscription.aspx

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The Flying Wrens: Sisterhood of Motorcycling Heroes

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All-Female British dispatch riders of WW-II Originally, the Women’s Royal Naval Service (WRNS) was formed in 1917, during WW-I. Riding on narrow British roads in all weather conditions can be a dangerous enough occupation. Doing so around the clock during WW-II with the German Blitz going on around you required steel nerves. The bikes used were mostly small, single-cylinder affairs, built specifically for military use. Click Here to Read this Feature Article & Historic Photos on Bikernet.com Join the Cantina for more – Subscribe Today. https://www.bikernet.com/pages/custom/subscription.aspx

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Over 8500 Motorcycles Ride in Support of Marine Cpl Humberto “Bert” Sanchez

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by Rogue and John Lee What an honor it was to be part of the procession for Marine Cpl Humberto “Bert” Sanchez. Over. 8500 bikes came in from multiple other states to show their support. That alone was something amazing to see. There were so many bikes that there was no good way to even get a photo to show the amount of bikes that were there. The Marine Riders were towards the front of the procession and when we pulled out to follow the behind Cpl Sanchez there were people lining the streets. From the gates of Grissom Airforce base all the way to Logansport. A good 20 miles of people on the side of the road. Everyone had American Flags waving. Lots of Marine Corps flags too. Multiple ladder trucks with flags draped over the road. Old men in their uniforms from when they served saluting the entire procession. Children holding their parents hands. Family pets. People crying and holding their hands over their hearts. People playing Patriotic music. And that’s before we even got to Logansport. Cpl Sanchez received an aerial escort from 4 A10 Warthogs as we neared. They flew over us multiple times before circling the front end of the procession. They would come buzzing in a couple hundred feet off the ground. Then as we come into Logansport it’s just a sea of people lining the street. Tens of Thousands of people lined the city streets for Cpl Sanchez’s final few miles. I would guess anywhere from 10,000-20,000 people were lined up along the roads from Peru to Logansport. Absolutely amazing. Well done Indiana! That’s was an amazing homecoming for a hero. I am honored to have been a part of this and happy I got to ride next to my Marine Rider Brothers.

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Seventh Annual Riding for Warriors event supporting Veterans

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by Daniel Hamburg from https://www.abc27.com Motorcycle riders raising money for wounded veterans make stop in Gettysburg. It’s the seventh annual Riding for Warriors event. The group surpassed its initial goal, raising more than $73,000 to help veterans and their families. SEE EVENT AT https://support.hopeforthewarriors.org/event/7th-annual-riding-for-warriors/e319457 The 20th anniversary of 9/11 is three weeks away. To honor those who’ve served, a group of motorcycle riders are making their way from New York City to Washington, D.C. and back. The first stop Saturday night was at Battlefield Harley Davidson in Gettysburg. The first 200 miles of their trip is complete, all to benefit Hope for the Warriors, specifically the Warrior’s Wish program, funding requests from wounded veterans. “It could be as simple as specialty workout gear, bicycle. It could be something like woodworking equipment,” Michael Nehlsen, organizer of Riding for Warriors said. It’s Nehlsen’s seventh year helping fund those wishes. “This year, unlike other years, I’ve actually invited some of my friends, colleagues and other veterans to ride with me,” Nehlsen said. While planning this year’s first stop, he met Sandy Sipe, whose son Lance Corporal Jamie Sipe of Camp Hill died in 2017. “He was a Marine Corps veteran of the Gulf War era who honorably served five years from 18 until he turned 23 years old,” Nehlsen said. His family was recognized by the organization, including seven-year-old son Austin, who was gifted a motorized bike and money for a trust account. “We will never forget this and moving forward we will pay it forward to others and I think it’s something great for our family to feel that someone else is honoring our, my son,” Sipe said. Honoring those who served and pledging to help veterans in need, Nehlsen says it’s everyone’s duty to give back. “We’ve made promises to our

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Visually Impaired Patriots Experiencing the Road to hold its fifth annual motorcycle ride

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by Erik S. Hanley from https://www.jsonline.com A motorcycle ride supporting veterans with disabilities is rumbling through Oak Creek later this month When T.J. Oman, a retired Navy lieutenant commander in Wisconsin, reached out to a fellow veteran in Minnesota about the fifth VIPER ride, he learned the man had been diagnosed with cancer and had months to live. VIPER, or Visually Impaired Patriots Experiencing the Road, will hold its fifth annual motorcycle ride on Aug. 22 in Oak Creek at the Oelschlaeger-Dallmann American Legion Post 434, 9327 S. Shepard Ave. The Minnesota man has traveled to the Milwaukee area for every past VIPER event, but his sister was keeping this year’s announcement from him because of his diagnosis, Oman, one of the VIPER ride founders, said. “I messed up her plans because when I didn’t see his application this year, I put together an email and sent it to a batch of people curious about their absence,” Oman said. Now that he knows the ride is happening, despite his diagnosis, that veteran is coming to ride. Motorcycle owners, known as “pilots,” are partnered with a veteran called a “tailgunner.” The duos stay together throughout the day’s events. Volunteers are known as the “groundcrew” and they work to give directions, welcome participants, set up food and drinks, clean up and more. “We’re looking forward to it this year because we missed it last year,” said John Carter, a former Marine and co-founder of the VIPER ride. The 2020 ride was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic. Initially only for blind veterans, the ride recently became “the VIPER ride plus+” expanding to allow veterans with any physical disability that prevents them from operating a motorcycle. There is no cost to participants. “We don’t charge anybody a dime, this is not a fundraiser,”

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Veterans’ campaigner Simon Weston gets special gift on 60th birthday

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by Enda Mullen from https://www.coventrytelegraph.net Veterans’ campaigner Simon Weston says 60th birthday gift of Triumph trike is dream come true. It followed a crowdfunding campaign organised by former Meriden Triumph engineer Norman Hyde. Veterans’ campaigner and Falkland War survivor Simon Weston has been presented with an extra-special gift to mark his 60th birthday in the shape of a Triumph trike. Simon signed up for the British Army at 15. Aged 20, when serving in the Welsh Guards, he was aboard the logistics ship RFA Sir Galahad – laden with fuels and ammunition – when it was bombed by the Argentine Air Force during the conflict in the South Atlantic. He suffered horrific injuries and underwent prolonged reconstructive surgery. At times Simon said he was close to giving in, but courage and determination saw him emerge positively as a strong advocate for troops’ and veterans’ rights. Along with his many charitable activities he gives inspirational talks on achieving mental wellness. Awarded the OBE in 1992, Simon was made a CBE in 2016. Veterans’ campaigner and Falkland War survivor Simon Weston has been presented with an extra-special gift to mark his 60th birthday in the shape of a Triumph trike. The gift was the result of a crowd-funding campaign which had its roots in a chance conversation at a presentation given by Simon two years ago. Simon revealed to former Meriden Triumph engineer and world speed record holder Norman Hyde that he would really love a trike like the one ridden by Billy Connolly on his TV travel series. It spurred Norman into action and he decided to embark on a mission to fulfil Simon’s dream. He said: “Knowing what Simon had given to our country and knowing what good people there are in the bike world, from manufacturers and importers, through

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June 27th is PTSD Awareness Day

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June 27th is PTSD Awareness Day and This is One Soldiers Experience PTSD stands for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and is a condition that many veterans and non-veterans alike suffer. June 27th is National Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Injury Awareness Day. It is a day dedicated to raising awareness around the signs, symptoms, and stigma, associated with PTSD. As a former Infantry Officer with two deployments to Afghanistan this issue is deeply personal to me. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has reported that somewhere between 10-15 percent of Veterans have a clinical diagnosis for post-traumatic stress. That number is likely far greater. A recent survey suggests at over a quarter of our population believes PTSD is incurable and those who have it are dangerous and mentally unstable – it is for this reason that so many Veterans refuse to seek help. 22 Veterans will take their own life today, two thirds of them will have never stepped foot inside a VA facility – 15 Veterans will die today without ever asking for help. The redeployment process was like an assembly line, 2,600 soldiers going from office to office getting their checklist signed off by each office (dental, vision, finance, etc.). The mental health station was no different, walk in, answer a few questions, get your sheet stamped and leave. It was June of 2006, I had returned a week earlier from a 16-month deployment to Afghanistan. I walked into the mental health office and without looking up a man asked, “what was the worst thing you experienced while you were deployed?” I proceeded to tell him, in detail, about the suicide bomber attack on my platoon that resulted in every member of the platoon being awarded the Purple Heart. He looked up at me and said “Lieutenant, that

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Peter Makris Memorial Run Kicks Off Laconia Motorcycle Week on June 12

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The Peter Makris Memorial Run hits a milestone in this 15th year as the “Official Kickoff to Laconia Motorcycle Week®.” Started as a tribute to NASWA patriarch Peter Makris, the charity run offers the best riding experience with the escort of NH State and local police, offering a “feet-up” ride through the Laconia area scenic hills, lakes and small towns. The run also accentuates one of the reasons we ride—to give back to the community. Bikers are known for their generosity and heart and this ride is an expression of both. Makris was for many years the face of the legendary NASWA Resort, the Official Hotel of the rally, welcoming all to “The NAZ” with his warm smile and handshake. He was well-loved in the community as a leader and is now commemorated in this 15th annual ride which has raised over $475,000 for area charities including the Laconia Fire Department, Easter Seals “Veterans Count,” the Laconia CERT team, and last year, the Belknap House homeless shelter and Building Dreams for Marines. This non-profit was formed to assist Marines and other U.S. military veterans with mobility issues as it retrofits residences to enable vets and their families to live comfortably and confidently in their homes. Peter Makris’ service in the Marines and membership in the Leathernecks Motorcycle Club brings the charity full circle. “We know my father would be proud of this initiative,” says Cynthia Makris, president of the NASWA Resort who followed in her father’s footsteps to make the NASWA a strong community service and contributor. The Resort was founded by her maternal grandparents in the early 1900’s and she now guides 4 generations of the Makris family in maintaining its legacy, with her mother, 96-year-old Hope, busy in the kitchen, baking the desserts for the resort. The Peter

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K-9 division of DWR gets help from Christian Motorcyclists Association

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by Elle Cabrera from https://www.thespectrum.com K-9 division of DWR gets help from Christian Motorcyclists Association for dog vests The St. George chapter of the Christian Motorcyclists Association hosted a motorcycle ride and fundraiser Saturday for K-9 vests. The CMA-Truth messengers are a group of motorcyclists who travel all over Utah to bless motorcycles and participate in fundraising to help the community. They partnered with the Vietnam Veterans of St. George and Zion Harley Davidson to host this event, which raised more than $1,500 for protective K-9 vests for the Division of Natural Resources and Wildlife. “We want to support law enforcement in any way we can. We go around to local police departments, the St. George Police department, blessing their motorcycles and their staff,” said Steven Gaither, president of the CMA chapter in St. George. Gaither is also retired from law enforcement. The fundraiser had food provided by the Veterans and K-9 demonstrations done by the DNR. They brought both tracking and defense dogs to showcase the need for protective vests. “All of our dogs to tracking, they all do article search and detection work. So, wildlife detection is our specialty in the detection field,” Conservation officer and Lead K-9 trainer Josh Carver said. These officers specialize in looking for bear poachers and searching for people out in the wild. Often, these dogs will track remains and possibly the poachers themselves which means they’re searching for someone who is potentially armed. These vests can make the difference between life and death for these dogs. “Tracking is another thing we take pride in. That’s something that we either do for search and rescue, which we love to help when we can, but we do a lot of tracking bad guys-fugitives, trespasser, you name it,” Carver said. Tracking is a large part

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