Kirtland motorcyclists to participate in 'Run for the Wall'

  • Published
  • By Adam Bailey
  • Nucleus Staff Writer
KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. --  Several Kirtland motorcyclists will join the Run for the Wall motorcade when it makes a stop in Albuquerque on its journey across the nation.

Run for the Wall is an annual event where veterans and their supporters ride motorcycles across the nation to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington, D.C., Memorial Day weekend. The event has central and southern routes that make stops at different veteran related memorials across the nation on the journey to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall.

"The event started to promote healing among all veterans and their families and friends, to call for an accounting of all prisoners of war and those missing in action, to honor the memory of those killed in action from all wars, and to support our military personnel all over the world," said Jan Miller-Waugh, Blue Star Mother and Run for the Wall rider.

This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Run for the Wall. The event kicks off May 15 in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. and will end 10 days later in Washington, D.C.

Blue Star Mothers and other veterans associated organizations will be present to welcome riders when they come to Albuquerque at 8:30 a.m. May 17. The riders will stop by the New Mexico Veterans Memorial Park and will lay a wreath at the POW-MIA monument.

"Later the same morning, at the 98th Street Overpass, the Patriot Guard Riders will post a flag line to welcome the 700 to 800 Run for the Wall riders as they travel through Albuquerque," Miller-Waugh said.

Miller-Waugh, who works in the 377th Mission Support Group, and others will join the motorcade once they get to town, and will continue with them to Washington, D.C.

When the group arrives in Washington, D.C., they will join with Rolling Thunder, an advocacy group for POWs and MIA service members of all U.S. wars that helped start the Run for the Wall.

"Once there, we will join close to a million other motorcyclists to ride around the National Mall on behalf of the POW, MIA and KIAs from all the wars," Miller-Waugh said.