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Rolling Thunder®, Inc.
P.O. Box 216 Neshanic Station, NJ 08853
908-369-5439
rollingthunder1.org
FACT SHEET
Incorporated in 1995, Rolling Thunder̉,
Inc. is a class 501(c) (4) non-profit organization with
over 90 chartered chapters throughout the United States
and members abroad. While many
members of Rolling Thunder®, Inc. are veterans and many
ride motorcycles, neither qualification is a
prerequisite. Rolling Thunder®, Inc. members are old and
young, men and women, veterans and non-veterans. All are
united in the cause to bring full accountability for the
Prisoners Of War-Missing In Action (POW/MIA) of all
wars, reminding the government, the media and the public
by our watchwords: “We Will Not Forget.”
The Rolling Thunder®, Inc. Story
In the fall of 1987, Artie Muller and Ray Manzo, two
Vietnam veterans met to discuss their personal concerns
about the POW/MIA's from the Vietnam War. Having
honorably served their country and having taken an oath
to
"support and defend the Constitution of the United
States against all enemies..."
and to
"bear true faith and allegiance to the same,"
they were deeply troubled by the abhorrent neglect of
attention given to those who did not make it out with
their lives or their freedom. These veterans discussed
the more than 10,000 reported sightings of live
Americans living in dismal captivity. Intelligence
reports of these sightings were generally ignored by the
government and mainstream press.
The First Rolling Thunder®, Inc. Demonstration
The Founders of Rolling Thunder®, Inc., Artie Muller and
Ray Manzo, were ordinary men who understood that they
had a right to have their voices heard and proceeded to
lay down the plans for a gathering in Washington, D.C.
during the 1988 Memorial Day weekend. They reached out
to their families, fellow veterans and veteran's
advocates to unify and form a march and demonstration in
the nation’s Capital. Their arrival would be announced
by the roar of their motorcycles, a sound not unlike the
1965 bombing campaign against North Vietnam dubbed
Operation Rolling Thunder.
Hence, they would call themselves "Rolling Thunder®,
Inc." a title that would endure time and be trademarked
in 1990. Word spread quickly and by Memorial Day weekend
in 1988, approximately 2,500 motorcycles from all over
the country converged on Washington, D.C. to demand from
our leaders a full accounting of all POW/MIA's. As the
Founders of Rolling Thunder®, Inc. made their stand that
day in front of the Capitol, they reflected thankfully
for the people who came in support of the POW/ MIA's and
for the unity that was felt. This was the first Rolling
Thunder®, Inc. demonstration. Only until ALL POW/MIA's
ARE ACCOUNTED FOR, it will not be their last. On that
day, the foundation was laid for the annual "Ride for
Freedom" to the Vietnam Veteran's Memorial Wall (also
referred to as the "Ride to the Wall"). The number of
participants/spectators in the Memorial Day weekend Ride
for Freedom has grown from 2,500 to an estimated
900,000.
VETERAN & COMMUNITY SERVICE
·
In 2007, Rolling Thunder̉
Charities, Inc. was established as a 501(c)(3) tax
exempt, non-profit organization which enables
individuals and corporations to receive a tax deduction
for funds donated to Rolling Thunder® Charities, Inc.
These funds are used for veterans, active duty military
and their families in need of help. No officers of
Rolling Thunder® Charities, Inc. receive compensation;
we all donate our time.
·
Rolling Thunder® Charities, Inc. spends hundreds of
thousands of dollars each year in
financial aid,
food, clothing and other essentials to veterans,
homeless veterans
and veterans' families in need, women's crisis centers
and toys for children.
·
In 2005, Rolling Thunder®, Inc. united with the National
Alliance of POW/MIA Families to petition the U.S.
Government to use the designation “Prisoner of
War/Missing in Action” (POW/MIA) – a designation
recognized by the Geneva Conventions - not
“Missing/Captured”. This will ensure that prisoners’
rights and protections remain consistent under the
Geneva Conventions.
·
Expenditures exceed over half a million dollars a year,
nationwide, to educate the public and increase awareness
about the POW/MIA issue and other injustices suffered by
veterans.
The organization regularly donates POW/MIA flags to
local area schools, youth groups, non-profit
organizations, special interest groups and organizes
flag raising ceremonies. Veterans speak to youth groups
about the honor of serving their country and educating
them about the POW/MIA issue.
·
Rolling Thunder®, Inc. sponsors search missions into
Southeast Asia for POW/MIAs and the remains of those
killed in action.
·
Thousands of hours are logged in by Rolling Thunder®,
Inc. members at local VA hospitals nationwide. Members
visit and provide moral support to nursing home veterans
and patients suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress
Disorder (PTSD).
·
Rolling Thunder®, Inc. helped facilitate the publishing
of a POW/MIA U.S. postage stamp through the U.S. Postal
Service that displayed dog tags with the declaration -
"POW & MIA - NEVER FORGOTTEN"
·
Rolling Thunder®, Inc. participated in the dedication of
the World War II Memorial in 2004 and assisted with
organizing the World War II parade that took place on
that historic date.
LEGISLATION
Rolling Thunder®, Inc. has advocated and/or co-authored
legislation to
improve the POW/MIA issue, veterans' benefits,
concerns and interests as follows:
House Resolution 111
Since 2007 we continue to lobby Congress to establish a
Select Committee on POW/MIA Affairs. The Committee would
conduct a full investigation of all unresolved matters
relating to any United States POW/MIAs unaccounted for
from the Iraqi War, Afghanistan, Gulf War, Vietnam War,
the Korean War, Cold War and WWII.
Respect for Fallen Heroes Act of 2006 (H.R. 5037) (Bill
Summary)
(PUBLIC LAW 109-228)
Legislation to prohibit certain demonstrations at
cemeteries under the control of the National Cemetery
Administration at Arlington National Cemetery and for
other purposes. On May 24, 2006 it passed the Senate
with an amendment by Unanimous Consent. The House agreed
to suspend the rules and agreed to the Senate amendment
by voice vote on that same day. On May 29, 2006 the bill
was signed by the President.
Veterans’ Housing Opportunity & Benefits Improvement Act
of 2006 (S.1235) (Bill Summary)
Legislation to amend title 38, United Stated Code, to
provide adaptive housing assistance to disabled veterans
residing temporarily in housing owned by the family
member and to make direct housing loans to Native
American veterans; make modifications to the Advisory
Committee on Veterans Employment and Training within the
Department of Labor; provide Life and Health Insurance
coverage to certain veterans and their family members;
and for other purposes.
Veterans Benefits, Health Care and Information
Technology Act of 2006 (H.R. 1070) (Bill Summary)
(S.3421-PUBLIC LAW 109-461)
Sec. 502 Department of Veterans Affairs goals for
participation by small businesses owned and controlled
by Veterans in procurement contracts. Expressing the
sense of the House of Representatives that Members of
the House should actively engage with employers and the
American public, to encourage the hiring of members and
former members of the Armed Forces who were wounded in
service and facing transition to civilian life.
Veteran-Owned Small Business Promotion Act of 2005 (H.R.
3082) (Bill Summary)
Legislation to amend title 38, United States Code, to
require that nine percent of procurement contracts
entered into by the Department of Veterans Affairs be
awarded to small business concerns owned by veterans,
and for other purposes. Passed House on July 24, 2006 by
unanimous voice.
Persian Gulf War POW/MIA Accountability Act of 2002
(S.1339)
First introduced by Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell
(R-Colorado) in August 2, 2001, the legislation amends
the
Bring Them Home Alive Act of 2000
which was signed into law in November of 2001. That law
provides for the granting of refugee status in the
United States to nationals of certain foreign countries
in which American Vietnam POW/MIAs or American Korean
War POW/MIA's may be present, if those nationals assist
in returning POW/MIA's alive. The new law extends the
granting of refugee status in the United States to
nationals of Iraq or the greater Middle East region. It
provides for the International Broadcasting Bureau,
which includes the Voice of America, to broadcast
information about the law in the Middle East. The
necessity of this legislation is demonstrated by the
case of Jessica Lynch and six other POWs returned alive.
SSgt. Matt Maupin (Army) captured 4/9/04, remains found,
identified and returned 3/30/08, as well as Pfc. Byron
W. Fouty (Army) and Sgt. Alex R. Jimenez (Army), both
captured 5/12/07 remains found, identified and returned
07/10/08.
The POW/MIA Memorial Flag Act of 2001 (S.1226)
This bill was signed into legislation by President
George W. Bush in part due to Rolling Thunder®, Inc.
lobbying efforts. The main force behind this bill was
Senator Campbell and Congressman Dan Burton. Rolling
Thunder, Inc. was highly instrumental in passing
legislation to ensure that the POW/MIA flag will fly
below the American Flag any day the American flag is
flown in Washington, D.C. at the Vietnam Veterans
Memorial, the Korean Memorial and the WWII Memorial.
Displaying of the POW/MIA Flag over Federal Buildings
and Military Facilities
Rolling Thunder®, Inc. was highly instrumental in
passing legislation requiring that Federal buildings,
all Post Offices, the Vietnam and Korean Memorials in
Washington, D.C. and military facilities fly the POW/MIA
flag on all six National holidays.
Bring Them Home Alive Act of 2000
Senator Campbell sponsored and co-authored with Rolling
Thunder®, Inc. the Bring Them Home Alive Act of
2000. The Act provides for the granting of
refugee status in the United States to nationals of
certain foreign countries in which American Vietnam War
POW/MIAs or American Korean War POW/MIA's may be
present, if those nationals assist in returning POW/MIAs
alive.
Missing Service Personnel Act of 1997
Since the mid-1980's, Rolling Thunder®, Inc. has worked
tirelessly on this bill that would guarantee missing
servicemen or women could not be arbitrarily "killed on
paper" by the U.S. government without credible proof of
death. The bill was originally sponsored by Senator
Campbell in 1993. Rolling Thunder's efforts helped
facilitate passing of a majority of the resolutions and
efforts continue to restore the law as it was originally
written.
MISSION STATEMENT
The major function of Rolling Thunder®, Inc. is to
publicize the POW-MIA issue: To educate the public that
many American Prisoners of War were left behind after
all previous wars and to help correct the past and to
protect the future Veterans from being left behind
should they become Prisoners Of War-Missing In Action.
We are committed to helping American Veterans from all
wars. Rolling Thunder®, Inc. is a non-profit
organization and everyone donates his or her time
because they believe in the POW/MIA Issue that we are
working on.
Revised: March 2013
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