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Retired Air Force Col. Gary West took a break from his 2,500 mile
bicycle ride from Lubec, Maine to Key West, Florida, to be a part of
a special flag folding ceremony on Marine Corps Air Station New
River, Sept. 1, 2016.
West is riding as part of the Patriot
Honor Ride with a special goal to present 16 families with U.S.
flags folded by American citizens as a way to say thank you.
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September 1, 2016 - Retired Air Force Col. Gary West stands with
Marines and teammates after a flag folding ceremony on Marine Corps
Air Station New River West is riding 2,500 miles to raise awareness
of the sacrifices of fallen service members and their families. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Jared Lingafelt)
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"I am riding for Folds of Honor who is a group that
provides scholarships to children and spouses of the fallen
and disabled," said West. "The other thing I am doing is
engaging the public along the way in flag folding
ceremonies. We have 16 U.S. flags traveling with us; each
flag is dedicated to a family that has lost a loved one in
service to this country or has a disabled family member as a
result of service to this country."
"We are trying to
fly these flags on as many places of history, landmarks,
places of interest along the way and engage the public with
ceremonial flag folding," said west. "This is not only a way
for people to say thank you to these 16 families, but
through them to all families who have lost loved ones."
For Marines who folded the
flag, the ceremony was an opportunity to look past their
specific branch of service and pay their respects to fellow
service members.
"It is important to take care of
your own," said Cpl. Reisner. "Right now in our country not
everyone is willing to take care of the military and
veterans specifically and there all kinds of statistics to
prove it but there are still those of us around who care and
are willing to take care of our own. If we don't take care
of our own, who will?"
West averages roughly 50 miles
a day on his journey and is accompanied by a team with
bicycle parts, the flags and other supplies all while
engaging with the public in communities along the way. For
the man behind the handlebars, one symbol is a constant
reminder of the importance of his journey.
"The flag
represents all of us," said West. "All that we stand for,
all who have come before us, all who will go behind us and
when a soldier has fallen that flag is draped over their
remains, it's a last embrace of this nation to say ‘thank
you for your sacrifice and for our freedom'.
While
West still has many more miles to travel, he says he has
learned a lot so far and the trips meaning is a reminder of
a grateful nation.
"For me it's a chance to reflect
on those friends that I have who have lost loved ones, that
I came home after three combat tours and didn't sustain any
injury but it's also a chance to connect with other
Americans and let them touch the flags, fold the flags and
in a way say, ‘ thank you'. I have been positively gratified
by the sense of patriotism we have seen. I kind of feel the
country is in a bit of a challenge at the moment and
sometimes I wonder if enough people are really aware of how
many freedoms there are, how they are purchased and how they
are sustained. The response we have been getting from Maine
to here has really been a very encouraging and uplifting
experience for me."
By U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Jared Lingafelt
Provided
through DVIDS
Copyright 2016
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