AARP – Colonel Makes Powerful Honor Ride to His Soldiers’ Graves

In 2007, U.S. Army Col. Chris Kolenda commanded a unit of 800 paratroopers in Afghanistan. During their deployment, six of those troopers were killed in action. As the 15th anniversary approached, Kolenda wanted to do something to honor their memory. He decided to bike 1,700 miles from Spalding, Nebraska, to Arlington National Cemetery visiting the graves and loved ones of the fallen soldiers. Kolenda’s Fallen Hero Honor Ride raised money for his charity, the Saber Six Foundation, which supports members of Kolenda’s unit and their families with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other combat-related difficulties.