Perspective piece courtesy AMVETS National Riders President Tom McNamara
I've been a motorcycle rider for many years now. I've heard of Rolling Thunder. I've heard of the freedom ride. I've heard of the Saluting Marine. I know the legacy of the past 33 years protest ride that has aimed to hold our government and nation’s feet to the fire when it comes to ensuring that our nation's prisoners of war and missing in action are never forgotten.
My name is Tom McNamara. I am an Army veteran who has served my country for a collective 22 years. I am the National Riders President of AMVETS, a title that I have worked relentlessly to obtain. It is with humble acknowledgement that I am able to help masthead the inaugural year of the worlds largest motorcycle demonstration ride, Rolling To Remember.
In an attempt to reach veterans above all generations, races, and genders, as well as the fact that this is AMVETS top priority, we will also ride on behalf of the 22 veterans that on a daily average take their lives after they have found no help and been offered no viable solution to the pain they had experienced.
I guarantee that this year's message will match the passion and enthusiasm AMVETS has when it comes to healing, guiding, and advocating on behalf of my brothers and sisters who have served. I understand that traditions help give our messages structure and help demonstrate to the outside public what we attempt to portray and the mission behind our cause. Therefore, AMVETS will continue many of the traditions held in past rides.
You will expect to see a Blessing of the Bikes at the Washington National Cathedral on the Friday of Memorial Day Weekend 2020 at 4 p.m. From there, we will hold a candlelight vigil at the Vietnam Wall, which will conclude the first night of the weekend. From sunup to sundown Saturday morning, you will find appropriate speech and impactful performances and demonstrations on stage at the Lincoln Memorial. As always, you will find the ride around our nation's capital on Sunday morning, where we will start at the Pentagon parking lot, circle the Capitol building, and remind our elected officials of why we elected them to their positions. With motors roaring, and horns blaring, we will signal to our nation that we have not forgotten those who took an oath to serve this great nation, and that we will hold them accountable to those same sentiments.
I look forward to rolling with many in remembering our veterans. Register to ride. We’ll see you in May.
