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<p>Local veterans support groups along with several police and fire departments honored veterans on Sunday at the second annual &#8220;Operation Leave No Warrior Behind&#8221; motorcycle ride escort event.</p><p>Hundreds of riders toured miles of local roadways through Luzerne and Columbia Counties to show their respect for those who served their country so selflessly.</p><p>&#8220;This event is held to honor the service and sacrifices of our nation&#8217;s veterans, with special focus on our Korea and Vietnam veterans who never received their welcome home,&#8221; said Cyndee Hunsicker, a Gulf War veteran who founded and serves as vice president of Voice 4 The Fallen. She co-created the event with her husband, Walt, last year.</p><p>&#8220;The Korea veterans were ignored and forgotten,&#8221; she said, adding &#8220;the Vietnam veterans were disrespected, spit upon and called horrible names.&#8221;</p><p>&#8220;Our Veterans should be held in the highest regard for doing what they were asked to do by our government,&#8221; she emphasized.</p><p>The escort ride was sponsored in part by Voices 4 The Fallen, the Forsaken Syndicate, the Shickshinny American Legion Riders, the Berwick and Nescopeck Veterans of Foreign Wars, and the Five Mountain Bear Clan and Free Spirits riders&#8217; club.</p><p>The group departed the American Legion Post 781 in Wright Township led by the township police and fire departments. They made their way to Nescopeck Borough, passing under the ladder of a Salem Township Fire Department ladder truck from which hung a very large American flag. They were greeted there by the &#8220;Saluting Marine,&#8221; Tim Chambers from California.</p><p>Civil War reenactors also saluted them as they entered Berwick; ladder trucks from the Espy and Reliance fire departments held another flag up for them over Route 11. They eventually stopped at VFW Post 821 in Berwick, where the Catawissa Military Band performed patriotic music. There, formal ceremonies were held to honor veterans who are still Missing in Action, Native American veterans and all veterans who served overseas or stateside, she said.</p><p>&#8220;A total of 90 veterans from all over the United States were individually recognized and honored with a personalized certificate and challenge coin honoring their service,&#8221; Hunsicker said.</p><p>A free luncheon was provided with raffle baskets and other donations. Music was provided by Sarge Lintecum, of Phoenix, Arizona. Lintecum served three tours in Vietnam and is a vocal advocate for how veterans of that war were treated upon returning home.</p><p>&#8220;Too many of our Korea and Vietnam veterans are losing their lives everyday without receiving the honor, respect and recognition for their service and sacrifices that they so richly deserve,&#8221; Hunsicker stressed.</p><style>
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<div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/web1_TTL073117MotorcycleRide_2.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Some of the hundreds of bikers participating in Operation Leave No Warrior Behind make their way along Church Road in Rice Township on a 30-mile trip to Berwick on Sunday. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/web1_TTL073117MotorcycleRide_2.jpg</photo0><caption0>Some of the hundreds of bikers participating in Operation Leave No Warrior Behind make their way along Church Road in Rice Township on a 30-mile trip to Berwick on Sunday. </caption0><photoCredit0>Bill Tarutis | For Times Leader </photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/web1_TTL073117MotorcycleRide_3.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Road Captain Michael Brandon, of American Legion Shickshinny Post 495, gives instructions to bikers before leaving Rice Township for Berwick at Operation Leave No Warrior Behind on Sunday. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/web1_TTL073117MotorcycleRide_3.jpg</photo1><caption1>Road Captain Michael Brandon, of American Legion Shickshinny Post 495, gives instructions to bikers before leaving Rice Township for Berwick at Operation Leave No Warrior Behind on Sunday. </caption1><photoCredit1>Bill Tarutis | For Times Leader </photoCredit1></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/web1_TTL073117MotorcycleRide_4.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Bikers talk about the route from Rice Township to Berwick. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo2>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/web1_TTL073117MotorcycleRide_4.jpg</photo2><caption2>Bikers talk about the route from Rice Township to Berwick. </caption2><photoCredit2>Bill Tarutis | For Times Leader </photoCredit2></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/web1_TTL073117MotorcycleRide_1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Hundreds of bikers make their way along Church Road in Rice Township on a 30-mile trip to Berwick during Operation Leave No Warrior Behind on Sunday. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo3>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/web1_TTL073117MotorcycleRide_1.jpg</photo3><caption3>Hundreds of bikers make their way along Church Road in Rice Township on a 30-mile trip to Berwick during Operation Leave No Warrior Behind on Sunday. </caption3><photoCredit3>Bill Tarutis | For Times Leader </photoCredit3></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Ralph Nardone | for Times Leader</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach the Times Leader newsroom at 570-829-7242.</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Bikers honor veterans at ‘Operation No Warrior Left Behind’ ride