by Bill Maddick
VETERAN’S CORNER
Colorado Veterans Motorcycle Clubs and Riding Clubs
I
t is the burden of every columnist to wonder where the next
thousand words are going to come from for next article
coming in the next month, which is exactly how I came up
with the idea of doing a series on veteran related MCs and
riding clubs. During the ensuing two months of research I found
that I do not know that I have ever been more proud of being a
veteran with the stories I have heard about all the charitable things
these clubs do. They support veterans, do fund raisers for any of
a number of veteran related causes; take care of cancer patients,
deliver Christmas gifts personally and hold runs and that is just the
beginning.
It has been an inspiration and I am honored to have the
opportunity to give these clubs all some ink, with the goal of
listing every veterans club here that wants the exposure.
As I mentioned in the previous issue, there is no particular
order to the clubs included here, alphabetic or otherwise. The
order is simply determined by who I can connect with first for
an interview. Certainly, there is no favoritism involved in the
order they are included. In fact, we welcome all feedback, so
if you don’t see your club mentioned here, or if you happened
to know of a club that should be, please contact me: billm@
ThunderRoadsColorado.com. Here are the clubs that we talked
to for this month.
U.S. Veterans Riding Club is a family oriented club, made up
of veterans, and their families, who are dedicated to supporting
veterans, veteran related functions, charitable organizations
and to keeping POW/MIA awareness alive. They are a 501(c)3
charity and MacGyver, vice president of the Colorado State
Chapter, adds that they have numerous members with a new
chapter in Colorado Springs and another in Arizona. You do not
have to be a veteran to join, though if you are not, they would
prefer that you are a close family member of one.
This club holds various activities to raise money for an
impressive array of veterans and veteran causes, not to mention
that their biggest donation goes to the Fisher House—a sort of
Ronald McDonald House for veteran families staying with a loved
one here at the VA Hospital. As well, they also support Homes
for Our Troops, a charity that builds mortgage free homes for
severely wounded veterans who need special adaptations. As
if that isn’t enough, they also contribute to Pets for Vets as well
as to Freedom Service Dogs. That is a pretty impressive slate of
charity, which leads MacGyver to say that their club is a “damn
worthy cause.” A self described loner all of his life, he says that
he finally found a home with the US Vets Riding Club. Their web
site is http://usvrc.org/ and he can be contacted either through
his email at [email protected], or call him at 303-9094130. If you happen to have a copy of the July issue hanging
around, check out his picture on page 17 center bottom—the
guy with the Fu Manchu.
Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association is comprised
of veterans from all branches of the service who ride motorcycles
as a hobby. Their mission is to support and defend those who
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have defended our country and its freedoms. Having seen these
guys around, I always wondered what the criteria for joining
was. Turns out, all that is required for full membership is to have
verifiable combat service. And if you should have missed that
distinction, but still served, you may join as a supporter, though
both full and support members must own and ride a motorcycle.
So you don’t have to be a John Wayne or bring back the head of
a terrorist or even be a hero, as I had previously wondered. This
inclusive policy has produced some 15,000 members nationwide
with Colorado having seven chapters itself, and there is at least
one chapter in virtually every other state with most states having
more than one.
I spoke with Axe, the PR representative for Colorado chapter
3-1, who hold their every other month meetings at the American
Legion Post #178 in Lakewood. He informed that their chapter
has 100 full time members plus18 auxiliary (auxiliary are wives
of members who may or may not ride). He shares that it is
all about vets helping vets and that they support all veterans,
whether combat veterans or not. They do a lot of runs to raise
money, poker and otherwise, and actively support Paralyzed
Veterans of America as well as participating with many other
veteran related groups. Their website is https://www.combatvet.
org/ or you can email Axe at [email protected]. Otherwise,
give him a call: 719-493-3036.
Devil Dogs Motorcycle Club is listed in the Colorado Coalition
of clubs (COC) as well as the Coalition of Independent Riders.
But their name comes from the valor that the U.S. Marines
displayed at the battle of Belleau Wood during WWI when the
German army referred to them as the “hounds from hell.” The
name stuck and the motorcycle club proudly wears it today. As
you might guess, in order to join you must first and foremost be a
U.S. Marine. And they are a motorcycle club in the old traditional
sense. Redneck, Colorado State President, says that if you join,
you will be a prospect until you earn 100% acceptance by the
membership. It must work since they now have two Denver
chapters. He further notes that he gets about a 99% participation
rate in scheduled events and adds that “we live the motorcycle
lifestyle.” “The Few, The Proud, The Marines;” these guys have
earned it and they continue to exhibit the highest standards of the
Marine Corps in their club. No surprise then that they contribute
to Marines and their families, but Redneck notes that they have
members from the Korean War through the present, with one 87
year old member still riding while carrying his O2 bottle. Oohrah!
They provide Christmas for needy families, have cared
personally for cancer patients and hosted a holiday party last
year with Lola Black to earn money for overseas packages for
our troops. They get a salute from me. For more info, check the
website at http://devildogsmc.wix.com/devildogsmccolorado or
contact Redneck at [email protected].
Stay tuned in the upcoming months to see more about the
veterans clubs.
September 2015
Thunder Roads Magazine® Colorado 15