Fort Bragg Harley-Davidson Salutes American Military Hero

North Carolina dealership deserves a salute of its own for its efforts in championing American heroes like late Harley rider Jamie Otts.

Harley-Davidson and the global Harley-riding community are well-known for supporting important causes that benefit us all as a country and as a planet, and recently they’ve proved their dedication to all things positive with another example of selfless giving. This time, the altruistic endeavor was sparked by Fort Bragg Harley-Davidson in Fayetteville, North Carolina. The popular Harley dealership recently established a special parking spot for veterans that pays tribute to a local motorcyclist and military veteran, Jamie Otts, a longtime Army Special Forces soldier who died earlier this year after succumbing to a motorcycle accident caused by loose gravel.

“He loved to ride Harleys, it was his favorite thing to do,” says Otts’ widow, Crystal Otts, to local news station WRAL Channel 5 News. “On weekends when the weather was really nice, he’d want me to ride with him. I learned to ride because of that.”

The love of Harleys that Sgt. First Class Otts enjoyed also extends to his oldest son, Tyler Otts, whose personal Harley is equipped with select parts from his dad’s bike and is emblemized with a tribute to him, too.

Thanks to the Fort Bragg Harley-Davidson, other riders can also learn more about Jamie Otts and his service to our country via the parking plaque which features a gold plate with Otts’ name and birthdate along with a scannable QR code that offers a biography of the esteemed veteran. Even better, the special “Veterans Parking” plaques have begun to surface all over North Carolina and three additional states, thanks in part to efforts spearheaded by fellow veteran Ricky Murillo.

‘He loved to ride Harleys, it was his favorite thing to do.’

“For Ricky to do things like this for me it means a world for me and the kids,” Crystal Otts tells WRAL Channel 5 News, which reports that the special dedication ceremony of her husband’s plaque at Fort Bragg Harley-Davidson inspired her to get back on her Harley for the first time since witnessing her husband’s accident last February.

We salute Sgt. First Class Otts and Murillo, who apparently is no stranger to leading efforts paying tribute to American heroes.

Also See: Hogs for Heroes Gifts Harleys to Deserving Veterans

David Ciminelli

Los Angeles-based journalist David Ciminelli has covered everything from high-profile Lexus and Toyota reveals to reality TV show competitions focusing on custom automotive mods. He considers the "Droptops & Dirt" event in Malibu, “Luftgekühlt” and Sunset GT among his favorite automotive events to cover.

He has also interviewed artists like Megadeth and Jennifer Lopez, handled red carpet interviews at the MTV VMAs, and covered rock icons Rush getting a star on Hollywood Boulevard for media including The Hollywood Reporter, Daily Variety, Out Magazine, IN Los Angeles and more. His byline has also appeared in Billboard, Ad Week, Backstage and Art Voice.

Currently, David contributes to over a dozen automotive websites, including Ford Truck Enthusiasts, Club Lexus, Rennlist, Chevrolet Forum, Corvette Forum, Team Speed and Harley-Davidson Forums.