Disappointment with Treatment of Vets at Parade - Support in General by Pleasanton PD

While I am blogging on the eve of the election and know it may not impact anyone's choices tomorrow at the polls, I feel that I cannot wait until after our city and national leadership positions are decided before I voice my utter disappointment I have felt with the lack of municipal support demonstrated for our returning military men and women. 

 At first glance, the yellow banners that hang along Main Street, under the American flag, is a propitious indication that we have chosen a patriotic city to call home.  We moved here from El Paso, TX a year ago – not knowing anything about the area.  I work in Manteca, my husband, a former Marine, in San Francisco.  Pleasanton is halfway in between, and – in a small way - because of what we perceived to be support of our armed forces, we felt this would be a better choice then Dublin or Danville.  We currently lease a home in the Birdland section of Pleasanton. 

 Our son is an active duty F.A.S.T. Marine, stationed right now in Japan.  After his deployment to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, he returned to Pleasanton for some much needed leave.  We had already become involved with the Pleasanton Military Families (PMF) group – this is how we got a banner with our son’s name on it to hang on Main St.  – turns out it is not sponsored by the city, but by PMF. We arranged an official Welcome Home with PMF, who in-turn, introduced us to Spike Schau of the Warriors Watch Riders.  We had seen Spike at various Welcome Home’s around the community.  To see Spike in action is to understand his selfless nature and why he does what he does – because these men and women stand out on the line for us, and our freedom.  Every one of them deserves a welcome home.  We had noticed that at the various ‘Welcome Home’ events, there was no police escort through Pleasanton.  Sometimes there was the PLFD represented, but not consistently. I was told by Spike that my son could not be taken down Main Street on a Saturday afternoon because PPD would not allow it.  Apparently it would be too disruptive.  It is very disruptive too our men and women of our armed forces and their families when they are away fighting on foreign soil – we can’t disrupt 15 minutes of a Saturday afternoon for them?  We don’t have 10 or 12 happening every week – there is just no clear reason why the officials of Pleasanton will not support our troops in this manner.

 We saw for ourselves when we went out to support the Purple Heart Tour and Spike’s team was treated like royalty by Livermore PD, and like a band of bandits by Pleasanton PD.  The group of 6 heroes – were not permitted to be taken through Main Street – the route was altered at the LAST MINUTE.  Supporters that wanted to go out and show their thanks for these brave men had no way of knowing they would have to move.  Thankfully, the PMF group got word ahead of time.  How nice it would have been for all the residents and patrons on Main Street to be able to show their appreciation as the motorcade made its way through.  On a side note – we have been in processions through Danville and Lafayette, supported by local law enforcement – it has been an affirming experience – the issue is with Pleasanton, not the east bay affluent communities in general.

 We saw this again at the PLEASANTON Veteran’s Day parade yesterday.  Spike and his team escorted the Huey – much to the delight of all the children and residents of Pleasanton and the surrounding areas – to the parade.  The pre-determined location for staging by the warriors was changed.  While Spike tried to line everyone up at a new location (which he always does in a way that is as unobtrusive as possible given the large number of motorcycles and the huge aircraft he had in his charge), he was directed very rudely and disrespectfully by a PPD Sgt.,  whose name I do not have, who spoke to Spike like he was in kindergarten.  It was Veteran’s Day!  Most of the riders are Vets or the family/loved ones of Vets – is the parade for show only?  Just another day in the spoiled town of Pleasanton?  Why have it if you will not embrace the tenets of being a Veteran supporter every day?

 Spike and his team do not do this for glory, money, accolades, or anything other than a love of country and to support those men and women still willing to put their lives on the line for all of our nation’s great citizens.  Most of the riders are Vietnam Vets, who remember being spit at, cursed, ignored and abused upon their arrival home from war. Never again will that happen.  Not while Spike and his crew have breath in their body.  The WWR escort our reservists and active duty living heroes returning from Afghanistan, Iraq and places around the world where they stand on that line and say “I’ve got this America – do your thing!”.  They escort our heroes that have died to their final resting places or escort them on a leg of their journey to that spot.  As long as there is one rider available, the mission will carry on.  There is no charge for this – not even a request for a donation to cover gas and mileage on the vehicles.  The WWR works with other notable community military service organizations such as the Blue Star Moms, and The Diablo Valley Flag Brigade.  When a mission or welcome home is in Pleasanton, there is always a shrug of the shoulders by the groups who are resigned to the fact that it will be difficult because of the lack of support by the PPD.

So I am sending this to find out, as a citizen of Pleasanton, why the PD shows such disrespect for the efforts to support our military in our town?  To be condoned for this long, it must be a reflection of civil leadership at the mayoral and council levels.

 I don’t think I could put it better than Spike himself –

 “Warriors Watch Riders is far more than a  ceremonial motorcycle brigade.  The flag columns and processions are merely the visible expressions of our intention to provide support and consolation.  We don’t do this for the show! Our Welcome Home events are motivated by our need to express the conflicting and sometimes overwhelming feelings of pride, gratitude, compassion, grief, and sorrow that we feel for these homecoming heroes who have given so much in support of our liberties.”

Pidge and Jim Gooch, Pleasanton