The annual Rolling Thunder ride — which has brought
thousands of bikers to the D.C. area for decades — is hitting the brakes. They
won’t be riding after their May 2019 run, group officials confirmed.
The key issues cited by the group are costs and
communication problems with the Pentagon Police Department.
“We had so many problems in the last two or three years with
the [Pentagon Police] and the parking facilities after we leave the Pentagon
parking lot,” Rolling Thunder, Inc. board member Gus Dante said.
“And then it came to a boil this year when, the south lot,
we had not one motorcycle. In the year before we had 10,000 bikes,” Dante said.
“In the main lot, they were being turned away.”
Police escorted members to various areas around the National
Mall, Dante explained. But bikes were supposed to go to the Lincoln Memorial,
where a stage had been set up for ceremonies after the run.
“It cost us $60,000 just to rent the Pentagon parking lot,
about $200,000 for the whole ball of wax — to promote the POW/MIA issue and
veterans causes,” Dante said. “So that’s one of the main reasons.”
“They just had enough,” he said.
After the 2019 run, “We are going to do it in our local
areas, various states,” he said.
It’s now up to the 90 chapters themselves to independently
put rides together. For example, the New Jersey chapters can team up with
Pennsylvania and New York, and maybe part of New England, and gather at a
centralized location.
Dante says there are a lot of members who believe independent organization will work out even better than Washington.
He believes future rides will be “more personal” and get
“more coverage” for veterans issues.
“Let’s face it, we got coverage for a few seconds in D.C.
and that was the end of it,” Dante said.
The reason the ride exists is to raise money and awareness
for veteran issues.
“I’m a POW activist,” Dante said. “We’re trying to bring
that [to] the forefront. … We can never forget POWs, MIAs that are still
missing — 83,000 are still unaccounted for from all the wars.”
Rolling Thunder, Inc. Founder and Executive Director Sgt. Artie Miller sent an excerpt of the January 2019 letter that he will be sending to the group’s millions of supporters:
“Rolling Thunder® XXXII, “Ride for Freedom” will take place
on May 26, 2019 in Washington, D.C. — the final Thunder Run in D.C. This will
be the last demonstration the organization does as a unit in Washington. It has
been a hard decision to make, after much discussion and thought over the last
six months Rolling Thunder National Officers have concluded to end our 32 year
annual D.C. Memorial Weekend event.
As a result of changing times the organization and Mission
needed to be reorganized and reevaluated. Reasons which determined our decision
were the Pentagon Security Police/Washington Police officials continued lack of
cooperation, increased harassment to our supporters and sponsors. As
demonstrated this past Rolling Thunder “Ride for Freedom” XXXI many of our
supporters were diverted and prevented from entering the South
Pentagon/Boundary Lots. Event staging costs have soared to $200,000.00 plus,
lack of new Corporate Sponsor funding and the general public declined support
of our event product sales (patches/pins/stick flags) in the Pentagon Lots.
Financial factors are draining the organization funds if we continued this
major costly annual event in Washington.
We will continue the POW/MIA Mission through our ninety
Rolling Thunder State Chapters across America coordinating demonstrations
starting 2020 Memorial Weekend in their own states, or joining forces with
other state chapters. Hopefully, many supporters who could not make the trip to
DC can participate in their state and we may get more media coverage on the
state level on the POW/MIA issue than we received in DC. This will be the final
mailing of our Rolling Thunder “Ride for Freedom” Washington, DC. See our
website rollingthunder1.com periodically for updates regarding 2020 State
Chapter “Ride for Freedom” demonstrations. Remember our POWs/MIAs, our Troops
serving and God Bless the United States of America! Hope to see you at Rolling
Thunder XXXII, “Ride for Freedom” the last thunder demonstration in Washington,
DC.”
Rolling Thunder was established in 1987 to call attention to
any prisoners of war or those listed as missing in action. Riders said they are
also committed to helping U.S. veterans from all wars.
Many of the bikes fly American flags or the black and white
POW/MIA flag, which features the silhouette of a bowed head and the words, “You
Are Not Forgotten.”
“This is a tribute to all the fighting men and women of the
United States, the sacrifices they made, and it’s to honor them,” said John
Santillo of Vernon, New Jersey.
SOURCE: Military Times