Route Change 2027 Q&A

General RFTW Discussion
21

Im disappointed.
I don’t want to half ass anything I want to go beginning to end “all the way” as it were. No longer an option as I’m still a working guy with kids still in the house I can’t take off 21 days to make the C2C trip. So I’ll have to start in the middle or end in the middle of a route again. Sandbox made this a non issue. Also means none of the younger FNG riders in the same situation as myself will not be able to step up into the leadership role as RFTW prefers an “all the way” under your belt to qualify.
RFTW started with one Route C2C, and it will most definitely shrink back down to only 1 as the older generation ( Vietnam era participants ) age out. The majority of the retired participants will soon be the Gulf War era guys followed by the Iraq and Afghanistan era’s.
It is imperative that RFTW focus on new younger participants now more than ever. However, this recent action is counter productive to exactly that. I’d venture to say it seems to me that RFTW is most definitely just doing every thing they can to avoid shrinking back to 1 or 2 C2C routes as numbers dwindle.
SANDBOX put a lot of young vibrant life back into RFTW and I feel like it’s being extinguished like a cigarette butt.
Hopefully I’m incorrect on most of my assumptions and these questions can be addressed on the 15th.

  1. will MECW be an overnight stop on this new route?
  2. will it still be a requirement to go “all the way” to volunteer for a leadership role
  3. will the notes from the decision committee be published?
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22

Turkey,

Contrary to your statement, I don’t believe I’m wrong … at least not on all counts. I believe that a lot of this is a knee-jerk reaction to several things, but putting that aside …

Look at the makeup of the board. When you’re finished serving in one capacity, I’m sure some just change positions rather than leave the board entirely. Experience is good, but so is having fresh eyes and people who are not controlling or who react badly in situations. (Remember the photos of Skip I posted … that apparently you changed your mind about after a letter from Skip? Yes. I heard about that!)

I see your percentages. Perhaps more useful would be the breakdown numbers by route for the past three years. Then we can see where the losses are, or if they are consistent across the routes.

A secret committee or whatever you want to call it does not pass the sniff test. Perception is everything. All that’s happened here is people are angry, there’s real divisiveness and hostility and we will lose people because of it. This has been poorly executed.

And again. Who was on it and what was the makeup of this committee? How many people? How many from each route? And that’s different from your AARs.

I also would think that AARs should be taken with a grain of salt if they came from other routes. Those routes would certainly try to steer changes away from their own routes. Midway AARs should carry the most weight. I also believe that if people haven’t ridden Midway or are no longer riding that maybe they don’t necessarily have the insight as to what’s best. Let those who ride decide. That pertains to much in our motorcycling community.

I would have done a focus group heavy on Midway and Sandbox riders. And made sure all of our people knew what was going on.

For someone on Southern or Central who want to go to the MECW, now they will have to change to a different route or jump routes. What a cluster that will be for registration. Pre-paid gas, meals, hotels, adding onto platoons … how do you plan for those things? It will be a mess as you have no idea as to the numbers who will jump. And yes, I know we have people who join at the stops but the numbers here could be way more.)

If we’re trying to grow, the MECW should be a destination ride not a stop. The Vietnam vets are a dying breed. I know. I live with one who will be 80 this year. We have to grow the Sandbox Route to get them. Maybe only 25 percent are doing that one route, but again, what are the percentages? Is it growing? It will not grow if Sandbox is only an afterthought.

While I am on RFTW because of the Vietnam vets, it behooves the board and everyone else (including the Vietnam vets) to put aside what they want and look to the future. And the future you and your secret committee are planning is not looking to the future in a way that we can agree with. Again, transparency.

If part of this has to do with people wanting to do the Freedom Ride, a better solution would have Sandbox leave DC a day later.

Or if you believe it has to be a C2C route Central is already north and should have been the logical choice to go to Marseilles. Was it even considered? If not, why not?

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23

Are the name and the routes they have participated on going to be released?
This change should be as transparent as possible, the minutes and votes need to be published, when is this going to happen?

24

Excellent point. They may not have that into consideration, another reason the minutes, at lease, of the secret council sould be released.

25

RFTW questions

I saw percentages that shows rftw is losing participation. What are the numbers and percentages of gain or loss for each route for the past three years?

For the past three years what is the income, expenses and profit/loss for each route.

Who was on the sustainment committee? Was it the same committee that made the route changes?

If not, who was on the other committee?

How many from each route were on the route change committee?

And another important question is of those on these committees, how many of them are still riding the routes? Of those who has done Midway and Sandbox? If they’ve not done the rides they really can’t speak intelligently to them and the people who are riding them. Let those who ride decide.

Are the people that have completed the AARs people that are riding?

26

I cant make the town hall call, i have to preach at that time but i would just like to say i hope that there is some way to save the midway route. I have rode all three and have seen amazing things on all routes but i for one have become partial of the midway route. I know what i say doesnt change anything but with God anything is possible so i pray over the meeting, that all conversation would be productive and that all people envolved would be considered and that all routes would have a voice in the meeting and the final decision. I pray the reason we ride would never be forgotten and that no one would ever be left behind encluding all those stops that we have supported all the way on midway, i pray that all the younger generation also get the respect they have earned and deserve and that the mission will continue as intended. I pray this all in Jesus name. Amen.
I will get filled in later im sure, God Bless you all.

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27

Great questions PattiB, hopefully they will be answered and we will be able to see the answers. Another question would be: Were ALL Riders polled before this decision was made? If not, why not?

28

Thank you. Appreciate and hope so as well.

29

I would like to express some thoughts and feelings about the change in the Midway route. First of all, I love all you guys even if I don’t like you. I started riding with the RFTW back in 2008 and have ridden at least part way with Central, southern and Midway. My first participation ride was from Missouri to Dc and my experience with Rainelle was awesome, rode many times from Missouri. I have also ridden all the way with central and all the way with Midway twice now. I love what the rftw stands for. Now for the bad and I mean this in Love, just expressing my feeling about the future of rftw. Three years ago, while going all the way on central, I have never experience so much negative towards Midway route and so much negative comments about them going to 11 days instead of 10. I personally didn’t think I would like it either, but after riding all the way with Midway last Year, I do like it. The very people that said we shouldn’t be changing from 10 to 11 are the very people that are totally changing a route that possibly some involved in the decision, have never ridden. I also was treated in a disrespectful way on central route that caused me to decide to not ever ride on central again, again I’m trying to say this in love to help not hurt the rftw. Some of the things that I saw, in ways took all the fun out of the mission. I know it is a mission not a vacation, but the mission can continue and be fun also. I know there are rules and things that have to be done, and I totally respect that. It’s not a party; therefore, the main leadership might want to cut back on the partying at night and maybe not show up in the mornings smelling strongly of alcohol to lead us across the country. I have nothing against someone relaxing and having a few, but the public sees overindulging also and that doesn’t represent the mission well. Now one other thing is the fact that central won’t change because of rainelle and I understand that. I have been there even when they were in the old school building and some of the small children that I met back then are now teachers but last year at Wilson elementary, on the Midway Route, was just as moving and emotional as Rainelle to me and I’m sure many others and many other stops. I’m an Army veteran of 28 years and I have friends on the mecw also but, to take away from what the midway has spent 10 years building is a hard thing to take. I will not post anything negative about rftw on public fb, that’s why I’m here. Some people might only want to go to the middle east conflict wall and can do that now already. You say the numbers are going down, that might be true, but I don’t believe the number of patriots and veterans that ride is going down. I do believe there are fewer people wanting to ride with the rftw but are still riding. Rftw is not the only veteran-based ride that crosses the country to Dc. The National Veterans Awareness Organization also does a 13-day ride from I believe Sacramento to Dc, stopping at veterans’ homes and schools all across the country, I haven’t ridden with them but have heard that they have hundreds of bikes. There are also small groups that ride to the wall. Maybe instead of trying to kill something that means so much to so many people, schools, children’s homes AND the Midway riders, we should relook at making the rftw something that so many of the riders choosing not to go with the rftw will want to ride with us. Leave no one behind we say but I saw Central leave an entire family behind because they would not go back a few miles a pick someone up that got stranded beside the road and the standard was not even talked about what do if you break down beside the road that morning or hardly any morning because he was too busy trying to be a first Sargent in basic training and wasn’t even ever in the military, very bad attitude. I talked to those people later and tried to convince them that rftw is a great thing, but they are fully convinced that rftw is horrible and will never support it again or tell anyone anything good about it. Yes, I put this in the AAR not on fb. Again, I say none of these things to hurt any part of rftw and only to bring light to how I see some things. I have been doing this mission for a long time and am now 59 years old and up to this point, I have said I will continue to do this ride until I am 80 years old and then I will look at retiring from it, but seeing the way things are going I’m not sure the rftw will still be going, I’m confident it can be, but the change needs to take place in some of the Leadership, sorry I don’t mean to offend anyone but that’s how I see things. I love you guys and gals; brothers and sisters and I love the rftw and may God bless each and every one of you, but we can’t be pushing people away, we need to be bringing them in. It’s my way or the highway doesn’t work in this kind of a thing, we all volunteer to do this, why volunteer and be treated bad? People can get to each wall, other ways and will, if it comes down to that. I understand the BOD is looking at the future but I’m not sure their lenses are clear at this point. Just my opinion but I truly believe doing this drastic of a change to midway route is not the correct decision. I believe if we want to attract more riders, we can, but we won’t be by making changes like this in the way that it was done. I will continue to support the rftw and will continue to pray for the leadership and for success of the run, even with the change that was made. If I have offended anyone, that is not my goal, but I do hope I have challenged some of you all’s thoughts and beliefs on what to do now and in the future. If you are part of making this decision and have never ridden the midway route, I challenge you to go on Midway and talk to those little children at Wilson elementary and all the other stops and tell them why we won’t be back. It’s not too late. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

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30

Hi All,
Skyline here and I am a Patriot with family members who have served in WWII, Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan and Kuwait. My father served in Korea and I currently have family members serving in the Airforce and Army Rangers. My FNG year was 2016 and I have loved being part of the Run and participating in several different roles. I feel RFTW is not about any specific route or any specific person and I have friends on all 4 routes and I love meeting up with all the folks in Ontario and DC. RFTW is about all our veterans and getting them the respect and honor they deserve whether they are MIA, KIA, currently serving or retired. This is a great country and it takes all of us, especially the military, to keep it that way.
I have learned that the brotherhood and comradery of the U.S. military is unmatched and this has also been true for me with the RFTW family. Just like we have different branches of the military, RFTW has different branches/routes but all should still be serving the same purpose. After riding the Run for several years I have often thought, why do we go back to the same place every year. Yah, it’s great to see some of the same people and the same kids every year and I know keeping everything the same is easier and some places are very special and should continue, but why not change the routes slightly every year or every other year and spread the news to other locations. This may help increase participation as we change cities and increase the anticipation of us coming back. Maybe add 1, 2 or 3 different cities every year. I know the Central Route alternates between Hurricane and Nitro, WV every other year and both cities love to see and entertain the Run. I know moving the cities around is difficult, but we don’t have to move the routes very far and we could still use many of the same hotels and yet spread the word to more communities. I have one other suggestion for the route changes in 2027. It appears the Midway and Central route will cross in Missouri somewhere around St. Louis. What are the possibilities of making the crossing something special and have both routes stay in the same city like Wentzville which is the location of the first Vietnam Memorial. This could be a way to help bring the 2 routes together and possibly help folks switch from one route to the other if they want to go to MECW or possibly ride the Midway route and switch to the Central Route. I know I just said we should go to other cities and spread the word, but this just felt like it could be something special. St. Louis is a large city and maybe we cold draw some more participation from that area or the surrounding areas. The overnight stop could also be west, north or south of there and make Wentzville a stop for the memorial…
I hate to see all the negativity around such a great purpose and I think we need to embrace some change and hopefully generate additional friends and followers. It’s amazing what the people say about the Run when we stop in their little towns and cities and how excited the veterans get when they see us. Let’s hope this tradition carries on for the next generation.

My 2 cents,

Never forget
Say their names
Tell their stories

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31

January 15 was billed as a TOWN HALL. Did it meet this definition? I think not.

TOWN HALL DEFINITION:

A town hall meeting is a gathering of people in an organization to share information, discuss challenges, and make decisions. They are also known as “all-hands” meetings.

For a dozen years I have ridden for the veterans, patriots, townspeople and school children we interact with on our 3000 mile mission. I do not ride for our Board.

32

I know changes are really hard but some times they just have to happen. What I don’t understand is why this had to be announced before the Run this year, waiting until after the Run would have been much better. I just read the message from the President that they are going to look at this issue in July, which is a good idea, it is too sad this wasn’t decided to make the original announcement.

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33

I just read the news that came out this morning.
What a mess. This years run was supposed to be a testament, a memorial, to the milestones for all who participate and support RFTW and its mission. And especially our Vietnam Veterans.
I agree with others that putting forth the so called changes to the routes should of been put out after this years run. The decision now has so distracted everyone, including myself, from the run, the mission, from all the good that this mission is there for and what it represents to everyone.
Just a shame that it has gotten to this level that a retraction is put out and now are trying to recover from a disaster PR image to try and get things patched for the upcoming run.
Just shameful!!!
I am still participating in this years Run reguardless. I did alot of soul searching about this, but the mission is so important. What the future holds is unknown, I eagerly await to see what happens with the future and what ideas and conversations about the run come June.