An Honor and a Privilege

I was honored to be invited to participate in the Wounded Warrior Project Soldier Ride; Las Vegas to Phoenix. At its core, Soldier Ride is a rehabilitative cycling event designed to challenge wounded soldiers to get back in the saddle, both literally and figuratively. One of the chief messages during this ride was promoting the passage of Senate Bill S. 1963 (the Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act of 2009). This bill addresses the unique, critical challenges facing those family members who serve as full-time caregivers of severely wounded veterans. The ride also promotes the mission of the Wounded Warrior Project.

CSX Transportation is a large supporter of the Wounded Warrior Project.

View Full-Size Photo

The event started in Las Vegas, NV where we rode in the Veterans Day Parade. At the conclusion of the parade, we rode through the streets of Las Vegas escorted by the local police department. The ride continued in Lake Havasu, AZ where we rode 50 miles over two days. Everywhere we went, we were greeted by enthusiastic supporters of our nation’s veterans. We traveled to Phoenix next, where we rode another 50 miles in two days.

CSX Transportation is a large supporter of the Wounded Warrior Project. CSX was also recently named as GI Jobs’ number two military-friendly companies and that of the 225 people CSX hired this year, 28 percent of them have a military background. Everywhere I went, people were complimentary of CSX. The message is clearly out there (even in Lake Havasu, AZ) that CSX is an enormous supporter of our nation’s veterans.

This event was inspiring in ways words cannot describe. On the second day of riding, I watched a soldier who previously rode a recumbent bike, get on a standup bike for the first time since he had an above-knee amputation. He fell before he could start riding. Blake didn’t ask for help to get up; he clipped right back in and tried again. Blake spent the next three days riding the upright bike without incident. The opportunity to ride with these men and women, who have given so much, was truly an honor and privilege.