Here is an aerial photo of just a portion of the riders that took part in the first to be annual Fort Hood Phantom Thunder motorcycle ride. This is the brain-child of LTG Rick Lynch, commander of Fort Hood and a Harley rider.
Safety classes and vehicle inspections were held prior to the ride, then the soldiers were treated to a carnival and pretty much, a day off.
Gather the Family for an afternoon of fun featuring live music by country music duo Martin/Ramey and national country music recording artist Darryl Worley, and a comedy performance by former Soldier Joe Saba.
For the kids, there will be inflatables, pony rides, and face painting.
Enjoy a micro race car track for adults and children! AAFES will be selling motorcycle gear for all you riders from Phantom Thunder.
Bring a lawn chair or blanket and enjoy the sun, sand and a fun afternoon of FREE activities for all ages.
Food, beverages and alcohol will be available for purchase. Family First Fest is FREE and open to all. All events will take place at the Belton Lake Outdoor Recreational Area Live Oak Pavilion. BLORA beach front will be open.
Family First Fest officially kicks off at 3pm, but the work day on Fort Hood ends at 12pm, so come out early for a DJ and beach activities beginning at 12:30pm.
Patrons are encouraged to ride the free on post shuttle to BLORA. The shuttle will be running from 12-9:30pm.
For more information, call 254-288-7835 or visit www.hoodmwr.com
Date: Thursday, September 17, 2009
Time: 3:00pm – 8:00pm
Location: BLORA Live Oak Pavilion
Phantom Thunder III and Family First Fest: September 17
Gas up the hog for Phantom Thunder III, a motorcycle safety ride led by LTG Rick Lynch. The ride will depart from Hood Stadium at 1pm and arrive at BLORA at 3pm. Participation is free and open to all. Proper riding safety gear is required.
For more information on Phantom Thunder, call 254-553-3871.
After the ride, gather the Family for an afternoon of fun at Fort Hood’s Family First Fest, from 3pm-8pm at Belton Lake Outdoor Recreational Area Live Oak Pavilion. Family First Fest features an exciting live entertainment line-up: country music duo Martin Ramey, and award-winning country music artist Darryl Worley, best known for hit songs “Have You Forgotten” and “I Miss My Friend”.
Gather the Family for an afternoon of fun featuring live music by country music duo Martin Ramey and national country music recording artist Darryl Worley, as well as a comedy performance by former Soldier Joe Saba. Bring the children to enjoy free inflatables, face painting and pony rides. The fest kicks off at 3pm, but the work day on Fort Hood ends at 12pm so come early to enjoy a pre-party with live DJ and activities beginning at 12:30pm. FREE and open to all!
This event is free and open to all. Food, beverages and alcohol will be sold. In order to alleviate traffic, patrons are
encouraged to ride the free on-post shuttle to BLORA. BLORA is located on North Nolan Road 10 miles from East Range
Road. Access to the park is also possible from FM 439 and Sparta Road. For more information, call 254-288-7835 or
check out www.hoodmwr.com
Future Events:
1st Cavalry Division Fall Festival
Come join us for a fun-filled day for Soldiers & Families of the 1st Cavalry Division
Saturday, 10 October 2009 at the 1st CAV Division Horse Stables from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Mark your calendars!!!
Free Family Portraits
What: Soldiers’ Angels – Portraits of Love, Free Family Portraits for Families of Deployed Soldiers. Professional
Photographers are volunteering their time and talent to help send a piece of home to Soldiers abroad.
When: 15-30 September, 2009
Times: 1200-2000 hours Monday through Friday and 1000-1700 on Saturdays
Where: Oveta Culp Hobby Soldier & Family Readiness Center, building 18000, Battalion Ave
Why: Soldiers’ Angels (Non Profit Organization) & the Photo Imaging Manufacturers & Distributers Association (PMDA)
collaborated to create a project called “PMDA Soldiers’ Angels Portraits of Love.” Their goal is to provide 10,000 free Family photos to Families of Deployed Soldiers.
How: Interested Families should call 288-2794 to schedule an appointment for their photo. Each Family photo session will last no more than 15 minutes.
Families must show proper military ID to participate.
Family members must provide the Soldier’s mailing address during the photo session.
One 5X7 Family portrait will be mailed to the deployed Soldier at no cost and another free 5X7 photo will be available
for the Family.
Wild Thing’s comment…..
This is so cool, I love it. I love that Fort Hood does this for the families and the troops. AWESOME
For those of you that have Facebook.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Rick-Lynch/100699965545?ref=mf
And this if Fort Hood on Facebook
…. Thank you Jim for sending this to me.
Yes, family first. It’s so important. In the end, they’re all you have anyway. My nephew is coming home from his second deployment very soon and I can’t wait to see him again and hold him tight. He’s a hero in my eyes (although he would never call himself that.)
Good for Fort Hood.
In my day generals hardly mixed with the troops or families, let alone lead a motorcycle rally. This is good. Bravo to Gen. Lynch and Ft Hood. The units out of Hood have certainly had their share of casualties in the War on islamic Terror.
Wonderful, as Tom says fraternization was relatively unheard of. Here is a General Officer that gets involved and he rides too!!! That is leading from the front.
Thats great. At least these guys are trying to hold onto American values.
Lynn, I am thrilled about your nephew
coming home. That is so exciting. God bles
him and you Lynn and all you dear family.
Tom, I had never heard of this kind of thing
before. Thank you for sharing too Tom how
unusual it is.
I got tears in my eyes when I read about it.
Just so happy to see something like this and
that it is the Gen. idea and he works hard
to keep everyone together.
Jack, it sure is.
“Here is a General Officer that gets involved and he rides too!!! That is leading from the front.”
Mark, your so right, it really is wonderful.