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#8 | Celebrating the Bush Center's top ten milestones of 2011

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Learn more about Hannah Abney.
Hannah Abney
Chief Communications Counselor
George W. Bush Presidential Center

Milestone 8: Hosted fourteen warriors wounded in Iraq or Afghanistan at the first Warrior 100kIn April, President Bush joined fourteen servicemen...

Milestone 8: Hosted fourteen warriors wounded in Iraq or Afghanistan at the first Warrior 100k

In April, President Bush joined fourteen servicemen and women wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan for a 100-kilometer mountain bike ride across the desert trails of Texas’s Big Bend State Park.

The ride helped us shine a spotlight on the bravery and physical strength of the warriors wounded in the global war on terror, including Sgt. Sam Cila, U.S. Army (Ret.), of Riverhead, NY; Sgt. Andy Hatcher, U.S. Marine Corps (Ret.), of Alexandria, VA; Sgt. Major Chris Self, Army (Ret.), of Clarksville, TN; Lt. Col. Patty Collins, Army, of Killeen, TX; Cpl. Jon Copsey, USMC (Ret.), of Vista, CA; Col. David Haines, Army, of Louisville, KY; Specialist Carlos Hernandez, Army, of San Antonio, TX; Lt. Col. Marc Hoffmeister, Army, of Fort Richardson, AK; Staff Sgt. Scott Bilyeu, U.S. Air Force (Ret.), of San Antonio, TX; Cpl. Josh Davis, USMC (Ret.), of Vail, AZ; Sgt. First Class Dillon Behr, Army (Ret.), of Arlington, VA; Staff Sgt. Kenny Butler, Army (Ret.), of Barre, VT; Sgt. Bryce Cole, Army (Ret.), of Cypress, TX, and Specialist Jake Lerner, Army (Ret.), of Jacksonville, FL.

The three-day event also provided an excellent opportunity to highlight the good work of many military support organizations. We were fortunate to receive a wonderful welcome by everyone at Lajitas Resort.

USA Today, the Los Angeles Times, the Dallas Morning News, Associated Press, ABC, CBS, Fox News, and many other media outlets covered the W100k, drawn especially by the presence of seven-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong and illusionist David Blaine.

Perhaps Lieutenant Colonel Patty Collins said it best in a guest blog after the ride:

“Many of us knew each other from assignments or races together and all we could talk about was riding with President Bush. Even now, two days after being back at work, I’m still on a cloud amazed at my experience and the phenomenal people I had the privilege to meet. Three days of riding with not just President Bush and Lance Armstrong, but some truly wonderful people; veterans, support riders, mechanics, doctors, and a pretty talented photographer who managed to make this average rider look like she was born to shred.”