16 January 2003: VFW Post 101, 702 S. Tejon St. Colorado Springs, 80916 Mr. Joe Vino (Joe V2), Mr. Mike Sanchez, Mr. Joe Vasquez and Mr. Vincent Uribe, began riding together as a group within the community of Colorado and the MC Community of Colorado Springs. They began riding and describing themselves as the VFW Warriors, gaining entry with the local MC leadership and attending events. The VFW Post 101 Commander, Mr. Tim Fonseca, supported the ideas of this group of motorcycle veterans. Early in 2004, a formal request, endorsed by the VFW 101 Post Commander and forwarded thru District and State VFW Leadership was forwarded to the National VFW Commander, Mr. Edward S. Banas. This request would be the foundation of the VFW Warriors Patch, utilizing the VFW Maltese Cross as the centerpiece with two separate rockers. The top rocker was and is the VFW WARRIORS, the bottom rocker original emblem was POST 101. Approval was granted from the National Commander on 15 OCT 2004 on a one time basis for this group to build this three piece patch. The wording of the letter was vague enough that its continued use within Colorado became a point of contention when other Post s didn t want to order it thru the VFW National Store. Somewhere within the next year, the group of riders began to grow along with earning the right to place the MC patch alongside the VFW Maltese Cross. Membership at this time included several individuals currently in attendance or local leaders of our Colorado VFW or other motorcycle organizations and clubs within Colorado. Mr. Todd Richert, Mr. George Snyder, SGT Bobby Clark, SFC Don Hadley, Austrea Hadley, Rocky Russell. In January 2006, then MSG Terry D Mullins was PCS transferred to Fort Carson. Completing his third deployment, he promptly bought a new Motorcycle. During the Pro Promotions Bike show, he was introduced to the local VFW Warriors, who had a booth, conducting recruiting for members, both within the VFW Post and within the Warriors. Several months of riding later Mr. Mullins was granted approval and patched in as a regular member. On 8 April 2006, some 12 Warriors,(the dirty dozen) were supporting the POW/MIA Matt Maupin ride in Denver. Upon arrival at the staging/ start point, a phone call was received with the announcement of Bobby Clark s demise while on his bike early that morning. He was the first motorcycle member to die as a VFW Warrior. Later that month, the VFW WARRIORS President Mr. Joe Vino, self proclaimed himself as the Colorado State and National VFW Warrior President. This proclamation drew complete negative sentiment from the local MC community and came to a breaking point as the President and officers were called on the carpet with the Local MC Leadership. It was a very dramatic moment and the Warriors were told to remove the National Rocker from their President. And, to remove the MC tab along with their three piece Patch. The total number of Warriors present for this meeting were 4. The total number of Warriors members at this time was 30. This did not include wives and girlfriends who began to come out and participate in local poker runs and events.
In May 2006, at the General Membership meeting it was discussed in heated detail what occurred and how the future of the Warriors was being jeopardized by the disrespect and disregard of then President, Joe V2. The options were narrow and discussion was louder as the course of action got slimmer. It was decided there, that Joe V2 was no longer President and a new plan of communication, along with a new patch was needed to keep the Warriors an operational Motorcycle group within the VFW. As far as removing the three piece patch, the decision was made to combine the rockers and the maltese cross into a single shield. This was voter approved by the majority of personnel present to represent the VFW, Warriors and our community. It was then decided to nominate and hold elections for a new President to lead and talk direct with local MC leaders. Terry Mullins (Trailboss) was voted in by majority. Hence, the VFW Warrors, Post 101, Colorado was officially formed. During the next 9 months the Charter and By-laws were written and reviewed by the Board of Directors and discussed during the General Monthly Membership meetings. A final Charter was internally approved and forwarded thru the Post VFW, thru the District and to the State Commander for approval in 2007. This original charter and by-laws were Colorado State Department VFW approved in June 2007. As the growth of the VFW Warriors with their community involvement expanded, it included the Fort Carson Soldiers and Colorado Springs community in many events and opportunities. The idea was to be present and visible at any opportunity for people to understand the VFW Warriors were not an MC, 1% Club or Outlaw MC. The 2006 mission statement defined the WARRIORS: Article I. General Section 1. Name, Patches and Uniform The name of this organization shall be "COLORADO VFW WARRIORS ORGANIZATION". The identifying patches for the COLORADO VFW WARRIORS ORGANIZATION will be the VFW Maltese Cross with the VFW Post Number within the patch. The patches are the property of COLORADO VFW WARRIORS ORGANIZATION and shall be returned to the Board of Directors upon termination of membership. The Board of Directors at the Post level may elect by unanimous decision to retire a set of patches to an individual for special recognition after the member has accumulated five years with the COLORADO VFW WARRIORS ORGANIZATION in good standing. Uniform for members will be a black vest with the US Flag, VFW POST tab and POWMIA patch (in black) on the left front of the vest, Position and Road Name tags on the right front of the vest, the VFW Maltese Cross patch will be centered horizontally on the back of the vest. Support members will have their vest identical with a RED POW MIA Patch on the front instead of the black patch. See appendix A for pictures of the vest. All COLORADO VFW WARRIORS ORGANIZATION members will wear a beret for all
official club functions. The beret will be worn with the VFW Maltese Cross centered over the left eye and remaining material pulled down to the right ear. See Appendix B for details. Subsequent changes and developments occurred over the next three years. This is illustrated best by the Heirarchical chart with changes in the patch by year: Warriors 2006: Warriors 2007 3. March 2007: Official State approval after split of VFW Post 3917 Members from VFW Post 101. All VFW Motorcycle Organizations in Colorado will now be called "VFW WARRIORS".
All eligible VFW Warriors will wear one of the following patches. Our current patch for all VFW members, our current patch for any ladies Auxiliary will have the ladys auxiliary patch in the middle, and so goes for the mens auxiliary patch in the middle. All will have VFW Warriors on the top, POST CO on the bottom. There only needs to 1 member instead of 5 for each Post. (this was our give) No one will wear State, District or National on the vest or jacket. (this was our INSIST) Only one problem that can be fixed later once Rick is appointed the State Motorcycle Council Member by Don Smith. That is if a spouse doesn't belong to the VFW or the Ladys Auxiliary or the Mens Auxiliary they cannot join since thereis no patch for them. All (except Dave G.) has said to keep what we have until we fix it. Warriors 2008
Warriors 2009 Warriors 2010:
November 18, 2010 Donald J. Alberts, Commander Department of Colorado, VFW 1400 Carr Street Lakewood, CO 80214-6102 Dear Commander Alberts: www.vfw.org In your October 12, 2010 letter, you are asking the Commander-in- Chief to approve the name VFW Warriors for the Department of Colorado VFW Motorcycle Riders Group. I info@vfw.org In accordance with our August 23, 2010 Motorcycle Riders Groups guidelines, the title VFW Warriors is approved. Sincerely, Richard L. Eubank Commander-in-Chief AFK:KJ:mv cc: Charles L. Shoemaker, Sr., Member National Council of Administration Richard Wellensiek, Adjutant/Quartermaster Department of Colorado, VFW Steven A. Rylant By: Allen "Gunner" Kent Adjutant General National Headquarters I 406 W. 34th Street I Kansas City, MO 64111 I 1.816.756.3390 Washington D.C. Office I VFW Memorial Bldg. I 200 Maryland Ave. N.E. I Washington,D.C. 20002 I 1.202.543.2239 I Fax: 202.543.6719
Below are listed the VFW Warrior Presidents by year of office: 2003-2005 : Joe Vino (Joe V2) 2006: Terry D Mullins (Trailboss) 2007: George Snyder (Bear) 2008: Terry D Mullins (Trailboss) 2009: Charles Russell (Rocky) 2010: Terry D Mullins (Trailboss) 2011: John Ladik ( Wildbill) 2012: Jeff Newsome (Slick)