This past weekend I made a short trip to Atlanta for business, conducting movement assessments for the Atlanta Falcons of the NFL. On my return flight, I had the pleasure of sitting next to a young man, who I noticed was wearing what appeared to be an honor bracelet. Those of you who are close to my age will remember the old metal POW bracelets that were so popular in the seventies. That is exactly what this looked like...and it certainly grabbed my attention.
"I couldn't help but notice your bracelet" I said. "Do you have family or friends in the service?" I asked..."or are you serving?"
"I'm in the army" he responded, "just heading back from training at Fort Bragg." I quickly reached out to shake his hand, as I thanked him for his service to our country. It's odd to think that just over a year ago, I would be hesitant to do so. I'm not sure why, but I what I do know is that my involvement with The Ride 430 Challenge has absolutely changed my life. I have become patriotic...and forever grateful to those who have served our country, and to those loved ones in their lives who have also sacrificed for our freedom.
As is the same with me when people thank me for what I do...this gentleman responded with a sincerely humble "Thanks, but there's really no need...it's my job, and I am proud to do it."
As we taxied toward the runway, he and I spoke about his job, or MOS within the Army. Come to find out, he is a tank commander who has been deployed three times in the past few years. He had just completed some leadership training at Fort Bragg, and had recently been "volun-told" (as he put it) that he would be taking a recruiter spot in Sacramento so that he could remain stateside with his family for a while. He didn't say as much, but I got the distinct feeling that there were some family issues that might benefit from him being nearby for the time being.
As we were talking, he looked down and noticed my bracelets...my Ride 430 bracelet and my MARSOC Foundation bracelet. "I'm familiar with MARSOC, but what is the Ride 430?" he asked. I proceeded to tell him all about our ride, and what our mission is...to raise much needed financial support for injured US military personnel and their families. I also told him about The MARSOC Foundation, as well as our other partners, The Knights of Heroes Foundation, and Jared Allen's Homes for Heroes Foundation. As I spoke, his eyes filled with tears, and he hung his head and slowly shook it from side to side. "Is everything okay?" I asked. He responded by telling me that he could not believe there were people out there willing to do so much for people they didn't even know.
I couldn't help but laugh...not because I thought what he was saying was funny, but because I could not believe I was hearing this from someone who is willing to put his life on the line - and has many times - for others he has never met...and likely never will.
As he looked at me with watery eyes, I reached into my wallet to retrieve a very special item...my Ride 430 Challenge coin. This coin was presented to each person who participated in the 2013 Ride 430 Challenge, either as a rider, or as our much needed and appreciated support staff. The challenge coin has special meaning, and a great deal of history behind it. So before I go on with this story, I feel it is important to give you all a little history lesson about the challenge coin.
It is hard to say when and where exactly the tradition of the challenge coin began, but what is known, is that the challenge coin's roots go much further back than what we typically think of as our modern military age. There is record of soldiers in ancient Rome being awarded an extra coin in addition to their normal pay, if they performed with exceeding valor during combat operations. It is recorded that these 'bonus' coins were specially minted with a mark of the legion from which it came. Due to the special minting, records indicate that many soldiers held on to these coins as a memento, rather than spending them.
As stories would have it, the first official challenge coin dates back to World War I, when a wealthy officer had bronze medallions struck with the flying
squadron’s insignia to give to his men. Shortly after, one of the young
flying aces was shot down over Germany and captured. The Germans took
everything on his person except the small leather pouch he wore around
his neck that happened to contain his medallion.
The pilot escaped and made his way to France. But the French believed
he was a spy, and sentenced him to execution. In an effort to prove his
identity, the pilot presented the medallion. A French soldier happened
to recognize the insignia and the execution was delayed. The French
confirmed his identity and sent him back to his unit.
It is believed that the coins used as challenge items began in Germany, following World War II. American soldiers stationed there, took up a local tradition known as pfennig checks. The pfennig was the lowest denomination of German coin, and if you didn't possess one when a check was called at the local bar, you were stuck buying the beers. Over time, the check evolved from the pfennig, to a unit's medallion coin. If you were challenged by another soldier presenting his unit's medallion coin, and you failed to present yours...then you were buying the drinks.
Tradition states that challenge coins are passed from the issuing officer to the worth recipient during a handshake. This tradition is said to have begun when Secretary of Defense, Robert Gates, visited military bases in Afghanistan during 2011, prior to his retirement. During his base visits, it is said that he shook the hands of select soldiers...in what appeared to be an everyday handshake. Unknown to many however, many soldiers were surprise recipients of a specially minted Secretary of Defense Challenge coin.
As we spoke I slipped the challenge coin from my wallet, placing it in the palm of my right hand. I reached out once again, initiating another handshake. As he gripped my hand, I squeezed tightly, drew him slightly closer to me, and once again told him how thankful I am for his service to our country. Depositing the coin in his hand, I quickly withdrew...leaving him holding the coin. He opened his hand, looked at the coin, then looked up at me with uncertainty in his eyes. I explained to him that it was our team's challenge coin, and that I had received it last year during our ride.
He responded by saying to me "I can't accept this...you earned this coin." "No my friend...YOU earned it. It is a gift from me to you, and you are worth the gift...absolutely worth it." As tears flowed from his eyes he carefully tucked the coin away in his desert camo backpack, and said "Thank you for what you and your team mates are doing for my brothers...I will never forget it."
