Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association North Georgia Chapter Commander Rob Denison, Combat Veteran Bob Renneke and Patriot Guard Riders Captain Greg Womer helped to organize the 153 rider escort for the Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall Thursday, October 3.
“When you have a call to action … people just come,” Renneke said. “They’re such a tight-nit group with great camaraderie and I love it.”
Denison has escorted the wall multiple times and sees the duty as an honor.
“It’s a great honor to do that,” he said. “That was the third time that I’ve escorted a wall and it’s always an honor to do that. For anybody that’s never seen the wall, experienced the actual wall or the traveling wall, it’s a pretty emotional experience to see it.”
According to Denison, American Legion Riders, Patriot Guard Riders and other veteran riders joined the Combat Vets in accompanying the wall.
“During the week, 153 motorcycles is a pretty good turnout,” he said.
Renneke explained that four veterans even traveled from Valdosta, Georgia to escort the wall.
“Four guys came up from Valdosta and stayed all weekend,” he said. “It was great that they did that.”
Denison explained that the Combat Vets are always looking for ways to help local veterans in the community.
“The Combat Vets is all about vets helping vets,” Denison said. “So what we try to do is we support things like bringing the wall in and escorting it in, and we try to help our local vets as much as we can. If a vet needs a ride to the VA, we’ll try to help them out with that. If they need a ramp built for wheelchair access to their home, we’ll try to help them with that.
“We used to support a lot of the larger organizers, but we decided, as the North Georgia chapter, we decided that we’re going to do more to try to help our local vets.”
More information regarding the Combat Vets can be found by calling Renneke at 770-366-8787.
Denison said, “If anyone knows of a local vet that’s in need of assistance of some kind, let us know and we’ll do what we can to help them.”