Forgive my ignorance. I am noticing in a lot of posts, many members here are affiliated with the military, either currently or in the past.

I also notice at events a ton of the vests i see, are patched up with POW MIA, Airborn, Marines, etc.

I think its totally awesome. Just found it interesting that so many people who ride, are affiliated with some branch or the other. I guess it all started with HD's involvement in WWII? Its very interesting how the relationship has continued.

Also while I have you in here ... I never served at all, but my grandfather and 6 of his brothers were in the marines. How can i represent them on my vest without appearing as if im claiming to have served?

Or does it not matter? Im just afraid with so many military dudes riding around, someone will spot a patch and question me, and ill feel like a douche saying i never served, but wear it to honor my family.

Advice on that?

 

A huge *** American flag sown on the back will do just fine.

 

 

No self respecting vet will give you crap for being proud of your families military history. But that doesn't mean you should go ahead and sew an Airborne patch on...

I think an American Flag or a support the troops ribbon of some kind would be appropriate.

 

There are lots of ways to show your support for the armed services on your vest for those who didn't serve. For example pow/mia, american flag, yellow ribbon, and countless other support patches. Personally, I would just avoid anything that would imply membership to a branch or service like "Airborn", "Seals", etc. If someone asks if you are a vet with only those support patches, they should be happy with your explaination on how you are showing respect.

 

Fyi, Harley association to the us armed service goes way back to ww2 and possibly earlier. A quick search on the internet will explain.

 

Ya I love my harley

 

Unless you served I'd avoid wearing any military patches.

There are a lot of patches you could/should wear to display your patriotism:

A Soldiers cross combined with:
Fallen but not forgotten
Freedom is never free
Support our Troops
You Are Not Forgotten
A Flag
etc....


How about 25 years earlier

In 1916, the United States was embroiled in a conflict
with Mexican revolutionary Pancho Villa. General John “Black Jack” Pershing's troops used Harley-Davidson motorcycles with machine guns mounted in the sidecars to chase him and his men.


The first American to enter Germany one day after
the signing of the armistice was riding a Harley-Davidson
motorcycle.

By the end of World War 1 I/2 (or 1/3 depending where you look) of all HD motorcycles produced (early 1917 to the end of the war) had gone to the U.S. military

in World War II Harley-Davidson supplied more than 60,000 WLA motorcycles (1/3rd of those were sold to the Russian Army)