By Samantha L. Quigley

Senior Editor, ON?PATROL magazine

May 10, 2009 – Rolling Thunder completed its cross-country trek to deliver five very special American flags today, just in time for today’s inaugural Warrior Games opening ceremonies in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Each flag was raised over an overseas military installation at five locations around the world — Afghanistan, Germany, Hawaii, Iraq, and Korea. Once returned to the States, members of Rolling Thunder transported the flags to each of the sites of the September 11, terrorist attacks en route to Colorado Springs.

The trek began May 4 with members of Rolling Thunder and the military appearing on the Today Show before a flag-raising ceremony at Ground Zero. The following morning, Rolling Thunder from New York started the flags on their way, passing them to New Jersey members of the organization. Six members of Rolling Thunder from Maryland then accepted the flags and saw them safely to the Pentagon for a solemn wreath-laying ceremony. During the ceremony, three wounded warriors, who will be competing in the Warrior Games, placed them at the Pentagon Memorial.

“We wanted this place to be a place where people would remember our loved ones,” said Jim Laycheck, who lost his brother in the attack on the Pentagon and now serves as the Pentagon Memorial Fund president. “We also talked about this place being a gift to our military men and women who are fighting overseas. We thank them.”

A Rolling Thunder spokesman reiterated that thanks.

“Rolling Thunder is a national organization that is dedicated to POW/MIA issues, but we’re also a service organization for our veterans,” said Dale “Wrong Way” Williams. “It’s all about our veterans. We want everyone to know how much we appreciate them and what they’re doing for us.”

And service members are appreciative of that support; especially those competing in the Warrior Games.

“It’s great to see the support behind the athletes,” said Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Nathan DeWalt. “Whether it be something as little as people just saying they support us or having events like this where people come out and it’s a big turnout.”

DeWalt suffered a spinal cord injury on July 11, 2008. He was riding a motorcycle when a vehicle struck him. He will be competing in the 50-meter backstroke and the 10-meter air pistol. He says he’s pretty comfortable with the latter event as he was an expert marksman while in the military.

“This is a great boost for morale to go out there and hold strong and represent whatever branch you’re competing for,” he added.

Navy Seaman Judith Mae Boyce agrees that the support the flags represent is inspiring and very moving.

“When all the flags go up, being [the athletes] all know where they’re from, there’s probably not going to be a dry eye in the crowd,” she said. “It’s sad. Like when you get your Navy ball cap. Pretty much, everybody cries.”

Boyce, a culinary specialist, suffered a traumatic brain injury in November 2008. She will be competing in archery, the 50-meter backstroke, standing shot put, and sitting volleyball.

Army Staff Sergeant Dean Isaacs, from Pennsylvania, who suffered a spinal cord injury while serving overseas was on recruiting duty in his home state on the day of the terrorist attacks. He’s looking forward to competing in 10-meter air rifle prone and 10-meter air rifle standing, and seated volleyball, but is trying not to get too anxious. He did, however, have a message for some of his fellow athletes.

“The Marines are going down,” he said. “No ifs, ands, buts about it.”

Members of Rolling Thunder from New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and Colorado, along with members of the Harley Owners Group 1179 in Kansas, brought the flags cross-country. The journey was designed to salute the 200 wounded warrior-athletes participating in the Warrior Games.

On the trek, Rolling Thunder passed through the following communities: Arlington, Virginia; Somerset, Pennsylvania; Wheeling, West Virginia; Columbus, Ohio; Indianapolis, Indiana; Effingham, Illinois; Columbia, Missouri; Topeka, Kansas; and Hayes, Kansas.

The inaugural Warrior Games is a unique competition that will bring 200 wounded soldiers, Marines, sailors, airmen, and Coast Guardsmen together to test their abilities in a variety of sports. The Department of Defense and the U.S. Paralympics partnered to make the Games a reality.

Army Brigadier General Gary Cheek, Commander, U.S. Army Warrior Transition Command said, “While we’ve made enormous progress in all the military services in our warrior care … it’s not enough. What we have to do with our service members is inspire them to reach for, and achieve, a rich and productive future, to defeat their illness or injury, to maximize their abilities and know that they can have a rich and fulfilling life beyond what has happened to them in service to their nation.”

Competition begins tomorrow with volleyball and wheelchair basketball. The festivities will conclude Friday.

The USO’s Kevin Wensing contributed to this report.

To see the TODAY show clip “Heroes to Square off in Warrior Games, please visit Hulu.

For more information on the Warrior Games, please visit: http://www.defense.gov/home/features/2010/0410_warriorgames/index.html

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