A Hero's Welcome

5/29/13 Welcome Escort RJ Paski, U.S.Army PHL to Spring City, PA

Maria — Mon, 20 May 2013 23:19:30 +0000

RJ will be coming home from Afghanistan after a nine month deployment.

PFC Paski, RJ is a member of the ”1^st of the 101^st Screaming Eagles, D-Co” Airborne/Air Assault division. He has been in the Army for 2 years this July and he is aviation electrician for Apache helicopters. This is RJ’s first deployment.

RJ started his “military life” in the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) and was awarded the Mitchell Award presented by PA Representative T. Hennessey.

He was a Cadet Commander of CAP Sq 812, ground team member for search and rescue unit, communications officer, squadron medic for PA Wing Summer encampments at Ft. Indiantown Gap, PA, Color Guard Commander and 3^rd place recipient in PA Wing Color Guard Competition!!! I think the Paski family knew what was in store for them and for RJ with this kind of beginning!

PFC Paski graduated 1^st in his class from AIT Aviation Electronics, Ft. Eustis, VA and is an Air Assault graduate in Ft. Campbell, KY.

RJ is a graduate of the Center of Arts and Technology High School, Pickering Campus in Phoenixville, PA where he received numerous academic and civic awards and was awarded the Distinguished Citizenship Award as a High School Junior from The Union League, Phila., Pa.

RJ is passionate about growing in the field of electronics and aviation. His future plans include Warrant Officer/pilot for the Apache helicopters. In his free time he loves gaming with others, re-enacting the American Revolution with the 2^nd Pennsylvania Regiment, staying active in the Civil Air Patrol as a 2Lt. and helping staff CAP summer encampments at Ft. Indiantown Gap, PA. He also enjoys participating as part of the color guard for The Descendents and Friends of the Veterans of the 314^th Infantry, WWI.

He is also a member of the Knights of Columbus.

RJ has 3 other siblings. His brother is serving with the USAF as an AFC (Airman 1^st Class) in Space Operations in Colorado and has 2 sisters, Jessica is in 11^th grade and Christina is in 4^th grade.

RJ’s grandpa was a Chief Petty Officer USN Sq VS1, WWII Torpedo Bombers and RJ’s dad (Ray-Jude) is a Captain in the Civil Air Patrol (an auxiliary of the USAF). RJ comes from a long line of relatives who served from the American Revolution to Vietnam.

From Mom (Liz) :

Maria , I cannot thank you enough for allowing us to bring RJ home with such honor. I have probably bragged too much about him…but what mother wouldn’t? Please use whatever background information you feel is appropriate! He is such an honorable young man that has been a tremendous role model to so many. He has a wonderful sense of humor and wit that is infectious yet he remains humble and gracious. He is going to be soooo embarrassed but family and friends know he deserves this honor – our country needs to honor their hero’s! Thank you again…you are all awesome people and my family and I look forward to meeting you all!!

Rally Place Firebase 69

Rally time : TBD
KSU: TBD

RC: Can AM Chris.. Thanks Chris!!!

5/24/13 21st Annual Kiwanis Patriotic Celebration in Phoenixville, PA

Maria — Mon, 20 May 2013 03:30:25 +0000

We have been invited for the third year by Adam C. Deveney to stand a flag-line at the 21st Annual Kiwanis Patriotic Celebration in Phoenixville, PA

This event began 21 years ago when their huge flag in the park was maliciously cut down from the 85 foot flag pole over Memorial Day weekend. One of their members found the flag a week later floating in nearby French Creek. The flag was cleaned and minor damages repaired. Then preparations were made to have it reinstalled. However, now being so close to Flag Day, June 14, it was suggested that we hold off till then, just a few days away, and honor Old Glory with a grand celebration.

Our keynote speaker will be Sgt. Vegas, a two tour Iraq and one tour Afghanistan veteran in the United States Marine Corps! Dignitaries are Congressman Jim Gerlach, State Senator Andrew Dinniman, County Commissioners & the Mayor of Phoenixville.

UPDATED
Rally: 8:30am Acme shopping center: 785 Starr St, Phoenixville, PA 19460
KSU 8:50am

RC: Can Am Chris

UPDATE! May 18th Parade for Center Square FD 100th Anniversary, Blue Bell, PA

Maria — Thu, 16 May 2013 12:30:32 +0000

NEW RALLY TIME: 10:00 AM Rt. 73 / Skippack Pike will be closed by 10:30 due to the parade.. please arrive at the rally point early!

Please log into WWR forums and post if you are attending..

http://forums.lutzkicksass.com/cgi-bin/forum/Blah.pl?m-1363548626/s-0/

We just received an invitation from our friends at Centre Square Fire Co. in Blue Bell. They have joined us on many welcome home celebrations and now.. they are inviting US to join them in their 100 year anniversary parade!!!

It goes as follows: We are having our 100th Anniversary parade on Saturday May 18th starting at 11:00 am and would like to know if your team would ride in the parade. We are also having a party afterwards with food, drink and live music till 5:00 pm.
This is a rain or shine event.

I told them we would be honored to ride in their parade. They have come out in strong numbers for us anytime we have had a mission for a local soldier in this town so lets give back and do this for them, all the while getting ourselves some great exposure too.

Rally Place  -  Shady Grove Elementary School 351 W. Skippack Pike (Rt 73)  Ambler PA 19002
Rally Time   -  10:00 AM
KSU          -    11:00 AM
RC  - LeeW

The Event Coordinator needs to know how many bikes will participate. They also need to know how many wrist bands we need. You cannot attend the reception at the Firehouse with out a wristband. Generally we don’t stick around after a mission but we have been encouraged to attend the after party as a token of their appreciation for our efforts. Some riders do not post their intention to attend a mission, so please do a count off on here and note if you need a wrist band for the party. Cages are not participating in the parade but all members can still attend the party, so please list even if you are only attending the reception and are not on a bike. I will be picking up the wrist bands at 9 am so post early to be included. Please log into WWR forums and post if you are attending..

http://forums.lutzkicksass.com/cgi-bin/forum/Blah.pl?m-1363548626/s-0/

ThankYou!

5/18/13 Walk for the Wounded, Rose Tree Park, Media, PA

Maria — Tue, 14 May 2013 20:09:24 +0000

`The link below is a short promo about the walk. It will give you a good feel for what the day is about. Please contact Maria if you are able to attend this event, it would be nice to have AHW folks handing out brochures telling about our organization!`

`http://youtu.be/do_UNcjhGfY`

6/1/13 Welcome Home LCpl Ryan Kiely, U.S.M.C PHL to Lower Providence, PA

Maria — Tue, 14 May 2013 19:17:53 +0000

We have been asked by Harley Dave, one of our own members, and by Carly, the girlfriend of LCpl Ryan Kiely a U.S. Marine if we could do an escort and a welcome home for him on Saturday morning June 1st. Ryan enlisted into the marines on Nov 17th 2010. He is stationed at Camp Pendleton, CA, and is on his first deployment in Japan since December 1st 2012. He grew up in Lower Providence with his parents, Rob and Christi, and younger brother, Patrick. Ryan played and loved football from the age of 8 years old up until he senior year of high school. Ryan went to Visitation BVM until 8th grade and then went to Methacton High School and graduated Class of 2011. Ryan is a very loving and energetic “goose covered in silly” as he says in his own words. In his free time he loves to spend it with friends and family and go to the gym. He makes all of his family and his girlfriend, Carly, very proud, and we love him very much! Harley Dave has offered to RC for his friends. We will escort our Marine from PHL up to a party in Lower Providence.

Rally Place FireBase 69 82nd and Bartram Ave, Phila, PA

Rally Time 07:45

KSU 08:15

5/24/13 Memorial Day Service Bridgeport Elementary, Bridgeport, PA

Maria — Tue, 14 May 2013 19:13:29 +0000

For the third year, Warriors’ Watch has been invited to escort the “colors” to the Bridgeport Elementary School Memorial Day presentation on Friday, May 24th at the Bridgeport Elementary School, 900 Bush Street, Bridgeport, PA (9th &Bush).

Lasts year we escorted the colors and also made it in time for the Phoenixville flag line. We could do the same this year.

Rally Point is the Bridgeport Rib House parking lot at 1049 Ford Street (DeKalb & Ford), Bridgeport, PA.

Event: Bridgeport Elementary School Memorial Day Celebration

Date: May 24, 2013

Rally Time:  7:50 AM
KSU:  8:15
Rally  Point:  Bridgeport Rib House, (DeKalb & Fort Street), Bridgeport, PA

RC will be Butch Atkins (matkins145).

5/18/13 Park Dedication for 1st LT Wright, Jr. U.S. Army/Vietnam KIA, Upper Moreland, PA

Maria — Tue, 14 May 2013 19:09:49 +0000

We have received a request for a flag line from State Representative Thomas Murt, Tom is a good friend of the AHW and WWR.

Request: On May 18, 2013 at 1:00 pm, PA State Representative Thomas Murt is hosting a Park Dedication event for 1LT Robert Richard Wright, Jr. Robert Richard Wright, Jr. was born on December 30, 1946. He lived in Upper Moreland Township. 1LT Wright was a US Army helicopter pilot in the 1st Infantry Division and was sent to Vietnam in 1968. He was killed under hostile fire on October 21, 1968. Upper Moreland Township Mill Creek Park is being dedicated to 1LT Robert Richard Wright, Jr. and all the veterans of Upper Moreland who made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation. Representative Murt would be honored if Warriors’ Watch can support this event with a flag line. The event will be attended by Friends and Family and local government officials.
Location: Mill Creek Park in Upper Moreland – Address: Corner of Bonnet Lane and St. Dunstrans Rd, Hatboro, PA

Rally Time 12:00

Rally Place Exxon Station on the corner of County Line Road and Old York Road
KSU: 12:30

RC: Navy Chief

6/1/13 WELCOME HOME LT. COMMANDER KELLY YARNALL, U.S. NAVY ELKTON, MD

Maria — Tue, 14 May 2013 15:30:53 +0000

A Hero’s Welcome, we are planning a welcome home celebration for

Lieutenant Commander Kelly Yarnall, U.S. Navy from his 4th tour in Afghanistan.

DATE: Saturday, June 1, 2013

Rally Time: 1:30 PM or if you would like to meet at the destination, please contact maria@aheros-welcome.org for more info

Rally Location: Chesapeake House (I-95 rest-stop)

This request is from Bill Herlihy, member of the Warriors’ Watch Riders. Bill asked if we could help him escort his cousin, Lieutenant Commander Kelly Yarnall, U.S. Navy, who just returned from a year tour in Afghanistan.

We will be meeting Kelly at the Chesapeake House on I-95 in Cecil County, Maryland on June 1st Between 2:00 and 2:30 pm and escorting him to a party in his honor in Elkton, Maryland where family and friends will be there to welcome our Hero!

Lt. Commander Yarnell will be joined by his wife and three boys at the party!

5/12/13 Flagline for Fallen Police Officer’s run to Washington D.C. Essington, PA

Maria — Fri, 10 May 2013 03:35:10 +0000

Photos by Jerry Klein, thanks Jerry and Carol for your support!

https://picasaweb.google.com/jmklein11/FallenOfficersRunMay122013Tinicum?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCKbopfaWqcONQg&feat=directlink

We have been ask to set up a flagline along with Second Brigade Motorcycle Club at Tinicum fire house for the

Fallen Police Officer’s Run to Washington D.C. on Sunday May 12th Run starts at 10 am.

Please bring your 3×5 American Flags and join in standing in honor and memory of our fallen Philadelphia Police Officers.

Rally: Tinicum Firehouse

99 Wanamker ave.

Essington,Pa.19029

5/11/13 Welcome Home Lt. Chris Napierkowski, Glenside, PA

Maria — Fri, 10 May 2013 03:13:03 +0000

Hope Napierkowski, proud wife of Lt. Chris Napierkowski has invited the Warriors’ Watch Riders and AHW to interrupt a welcome home a party she is throwing for her husband. We told her we would be honored to stop the party.. make a little noise.. and show her Husband how much we appreciate his service!!! WE SURE WOULD!!!!

Rally Time 4:00 pm

KSU 4:50 pm

Main Rally Point Copper Beach Elem. School

825 N. Easton Rd.

Glenside, PA

RC: Gunny C (Thanks Gunny!)

This M&H will be in the Glenside area.

Below is a bio of our Hero by his wife, Hope:

My husband is originally from Bridesburg in Philadelphia. He went to Roman Catholic High School and then went to the United States Naval Academy where he graduated in 2003.

He then went to flight school in Pensacola, FL and selected the helicopter MH53 Sea Dragon as his aircraft. He was then stationed at Norfolk with HM14 Squadron where he went on two detachments, one on the USS WASP where the primary focus was humanitarian assistance to Lebanon and another in Iwakuni, Japan where he flew to place such a North Korea and Myanmar as part of international training missions.

He did a shore tour in Philadelphia as a Naval Recruiter and his last deployment was to Afghanistan. He was given an IA billet (Individual Augmentation) and was imbedded with an Army Squadron out of Fort Jackson in South Carolina. They deployed on July 9th to Bagram Air force Base in Afghanistan where he worked in flight operations.

He is currently a Lieutenant in the Navy and has 10 years of active duty in. We were fortunate enough that he was able to surprise us and came home on leave for two weeks at Christmas. In September, we’re expecting our second child. He currently has a beautiful daughter, Paige, who can’t wait for her dad to “come home from work.”