While some participants like Marty bring their own adventure bikes, MRP has a small fleet of GSs that we make available to participants like Travis who ride street bikes. So far all of our bikes have been either donated by MOA members or are BMW program bikes used for off-road training by RawHyde Adventures and made available to MRP at really attractive prices.
their own lives every day. Each case is dif- ferent, but for vets of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, some common issues arise. Depression, anxiety, sleeplessness, night- mares, loss of camaraderie, loss of purpose, substance abuse and rage are common among combat veterans, especially those with PTSD. For many, serving with a unit in combat
was one of the most energizing and fulfill- ing things they’ve ever done. They spent months or even years training to become warriors, and when they finally got to put their training to use in battle, they couldn’t help but be filled with a sense of purpose. They bonded with their brothers and formed deep connections that most of us civilians will never be able to understand. Eventually the time to come home
arrives, which for many is both a blessing and a curse. While it’s good to get away from war and be reunited with family, it can also be a struggle. Some wrestle with survivors’ guilt over the fact that they made it home while their buddies didn’t. Others
struggle with anger over how clueless peo- ple back home seem to be over what’s really going on in the world, oblivious to the sac- rifices the men and women of our armed forces make to keep us safe. Others miss the sense of camaraderie and purpose they had while deployed and miss the adrena- line rush that comes with putting your life in danger on a regular basis. It’s no wonder that many of the men and
women of our military have a hard time reintegrating into “normal” civilian life, especially those with PTSD, traumatic brain injuries (TBI) or other invisible inju- ries. We train them to have steely resolve in battle, but the mindset that served them well in combat isn’t the same mindset they need to be successful in civilian life. All of that contributed to why I wanted to start MRP and led me to the specific place where Marty and I were standing at the moment. “Okay,” I said, curious to know if Marty
had really discovered my motivation for bringing the group there. “Why’d I bring you here?”
March 2016 BMW OWNERS NEWS 81
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124