By Michael Bushnell
and Michaela Bishop
Northeast News
July 8, 2015

KANSAS CITY, Missouri — On the last Friday of June, roughly 1,500 motorcyclists, members of the Combat Veterans Motorcyclist Association, straddled their chrome steeds and rode from the Hilton Inn at Kansas City International Airport to the National World War I Museum at Liberty Memorial as part of a wreath laying service to honor combat veterans who have served their country.

The motorcyclists were assisted by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Missouri Department of Transportation, and deputies from the Clay and Platte County Sheriff’s Departments. According to Sergeant Grant Ruark with KCPD’s Traffic division, motorists were re-routed around these highways and streets for a considerable amount of time. Events at Liberty Memorial lasted through the noon hour. The ceremony allowed the bikers to go inside the National WWI Museum for a private tour.

The Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association was founded in 2001 by a group of military service veteran riders with the primary goal of helping veterans and at the same time, promoting camaraderie among veterans organizations as well as raising awareness of POW’s and MIA’s and their families. According to Tim “Gorilla” Couch, Road Captain for this year’s event, the ride from the airport to Liberty Memorial is about awareness and respect of veterans and everything they fought for.

“Our whole purpose is about honor and respect,” Couch said. “All of our members share the common bond of having served their country in a combat situation as well as a passion for motorcycles. We actually have a Korean War veteran riding with us who’s over 80 years old and still very active.”

Jeff Kirkhart, a biker from Texas, said he thought the wreath laying ceremony was awesome and that the organization did a great job with the event. Kirkhart has been riding all his life and has a specific purpose for riding.

“I ride to stay sane,” Kirkhart said. “Sometimes when things start building up, you want to just get out and hop on a bike and it clears your head. It makes you feel good.”

The service at Liberty Memorial also included speeches by Dr. Matthew Naylor, National World War I Museum President and CEO, Colonel Donald “Doc” Ballard, a retired Navy combat veteran who’s gallantry during the Vietnam War earned him the Congressional Medal of Honor, the military’s highest award for valor. This year’s convention drew over 3,000 Combat Veterans to Kansas City.

Bill Vetaly, a combat vet and motorcyclist from Montana who traveled to the Midwest for the event has been involved with the Combat Veterans Motorcyclist Association since 2006. Vetaly said he sees these charity events as an opportunity to travel.

“Last year it was in Gettysburg,” Vetaly said. “I like it because I am able to move about the country with people I share a common passion with.”