ARLINGTON, Va. - Although "Rolling Thunder" may be the name of a stirring circus march, for many those two words bring to mind the revving of a half-million motorcycle engines.
Every Memorial Day for the past 21 years, bikers from all over the country have traveled to the nation's capital for a one-mile trip from the Pentagon to the National Mall. Event organizers call it Rolling Thunder because of the sound made by thousands of motorcycles crossing Memorial Bridge into the District of Columbia. The event's main focus is to publicize American servicemembers who are prisoners of war and those who are still listed as missing in action.
This year, the National Guard's Patriot Chopper made its maiden voyage, ridden by Maj. Gen. James Nuttall, deputy director of the Army National Guard, at the front of the Rolling Thunder ride.
Although the Patriot Chopper is mostly used for recruiting purposes and to draw attention to the National Guard, Nuttall pointed out its equally important purpose: "We use it to demonstrate that you can ride a cool motorcycle and still be safe," he said.
As the senior leader present, Nuttall set a visible example and took the opportunity to convey his message about motorcycle safety to a few dozen National Guard riders in attendance. "We ask our Soldiers to ride safely, to wear all the proper protective equipment and hopefully we won't continue to lose Soldiers at the rate we're losing them," he said.
According to military protocol, proper protective equipment for motorcycle riders include a Department of Transportation certified helmet, safety eyewear, gloves that cover the wrists, a long sleeved shirt, ankle-high boots, and some type of reflective belt or vest. These items must be worn by all Soldiers, regardless of the laws of the state in which they are riding.
On a more somber note, Nuttall brought everyone's attention to the current statistics involving National Guard motorcycle fatalities. "We've lost 15 soldiers this year killed in motorcycle accidents," he said.
The Army National Guard lost 13 Soldiers to motorcycle accidents in 2006. Among Guard Soldiers, sport bikes continue to be the number one killer for those primarily 26 years old or younger, and among the lowest enlisted ranks.
"It's like training a Soldier to go to war," Nuttall said. "You wouldn't send them in untrained, so why be untrained and unready when you're out riding a motorcycle?"
The National Guard's participation in this year's Rolling Thunder event helped draw attention to those who are still unaccounted for and missing in action from the U.S. military. The total number is 93,214, with three missing from Operation Iraqi Freedom.
The Memorial Day event was also a chance to remember the 515 National Guard Soldiers killed since Sept. 11, 2001. "Those numbers are fairly representative of our participation in the war," Nuttall said. "That doesn't sound like a lot of people, unless it's someone close to you. We really want to do what we can [on Memorial Day weekend] to bring attention to those who are missing and certainly those who have died for our country."
Event organizers expected 500,000 people. "If you want an event to be successful, invite two motorcyclists and they will bring all their friends," Nuttall said.