Sixty Fort Hood Soldiers Ride Motorcycles to Unplanned Funeral

Fort Hood bikers bring VA vets holiday cheer
DVIDS
3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division
Story by Sgt. Brandon Banzhaf
December 18, 2015

Sgt. Brandon Banzhaf
Soldiers with the 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division participate in a ceremony for a veteran who passed away at the William R. Courtney Texas State Veterans Home, Dec. 18, at Temple, Texas. The Soldiers volunteered to be the pallbearers to show their respect for their fallen comrade.

FORT HOOD, Texas – More than 60 Soldiers with the 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division rode their motorcycles to the William R. Courtney Texas State Veterans Home, Dec. 18, in Temple, Texas, to spend time with the veterans.

Decked out in military uniforms, the bikers performed safety checks and headed out in 35-degree chill to spend the day sharing camaraderie and holiday cheer with the vets. First starting out with bingo, the Soldiers and VA home residents settled into an afternoon swapping stories and enjoying each other’s company.

“We came here today to visit the veterans and pay our respects to them,” said Spc. Devin Henson, a Moore, Oklahoma, native and Soldier with the 3rd Engineer Battalion, 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division. “We learned about their history in the military and thanked them for their service, because if it wasn’t for them enlisting, we wouldn’t even be here today being able to serve our country.”

When Soldiers participate in a motorcycle mentorship ride, they usually ride to a destination focusing on riding safe and turn around to head back. But the 3rd ABCT wanted to make this ride more meaningful.

Earlier in the day, an Air Force veteran, Raymond Lambring, passed away at the home. As the staff was transporting him to the funeral home, the Soldiers lined the hallways of the facility to pay their respects. Six Greywolf Soldiers served as pallbearers, transporting him through the hallway lined on both sides with veterans, Soldiers and the facility staff.
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