Ian Freeman Sergeant First Class, US Army (Ret.)
Veterans Charity Ride to Sturgis 2017 Transportation/Mentor
“ I am honored to return as a mentor for VCR. Last year’s ride reminded me that there are good people that want to help, that won’t judge me for my disability, and have been through the same experiences as I have. I look forward to helping this year’s vets to find the peace I found. ”
Ian is a 43 year old father of 3. He served in the US Army reserve for 18 years and deployed to Iraq in August of 2006. He was part of a route clearance platoon operating in the Al Anbar Province, primarily in and around Fallujah. As the vehicle commander of the lead vehicle his job was to identify IEDs, and other threats. He was personally responsible for clearing 40 IEDs. Some of them got past him, and he was hit directly by 6 IEDs, resulting in three ‘grade 3’ concussions and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). After the last blast he was airlifted to Germany for a possible brain bleed. In Germany they ruled out a brain bleed but determined that he had sustained too much brain damage to return to combat. After a 4 month stint at Walter Reed Army Hospital he was sent home to Boise, Idaho, to recover and receive treatment. He spent about 3 years in a non-deployable status until the Army retired him to the Temporary Disability Retirement List, a temporary retirement program where they don’t have to pay you.
Ian recently graduated from Boise State University (BSU) majoring in Political Science. He has been a member of the Wyakin Warrior Foundation (WWF) since 2013, and they have played a major role in his success at BSU. WWF provides mentoring and tutoring as well as people to talk to about issues involving PTSD and Multiple Concussion Disorder.
Ian has been riding motorcycles off and on for most of his life. Starting with dirt bikes and moving to sport and later road bikes. He currently rides a Yamaha V-star classic 1100. Ian is a member of the Purple Heart Riders Idaho chapter, and rides about 4000 miles a year. Ian was very excited to ride in the Veterans Charity Ride (VCR) to Sturgis 2016 last year. His friends and fellow Wyakin Warrior’s had participated in 2015, and he had been jealously cursing them ever since.
Ian is a now a permanent and welcome member of the VCR Family since joining the VCR to Sturgis 2016. He is returning as a Veterans Charity Ride to Sturgis 2017 Mentor, and has participated in the VCR Year Round MC Therapy Program, joining VCR at Arizona Bike Week 2016 as a mentor.
“I was really coming out of my shell, which is pretty interesting, because no one would ever accuse me of being an introvert, but they only see that extrovert side of me when I am out with them in public. People don’t see the staying at the house for seven days in a row, only leaving to go replenish the groceries, and since Veterans Charity Ride, it feels natural to be out among people again.”
Ian is a 43 year old father of 3. He served in the US Army reserve for 18 years and deployed to Iraq in August of 2006. He was part of a route clearance platoon operating in the Al Anbar Province, primarily in and around Fallujah. As the vehicle commander of the lead vehicle his job was to identify IEDs, and other threats. He was personally responsible for clearing 40 IEDs. Some of them got past him, and he was hit directly by 6 IEDs, resulting in three ‘grade 3’ concussions and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). After the last blast he was airlifted to Germany for a possible brain bleed. In Germany they ruled out a brain bleed but determined that he had sustained too much brain damage to return to combat. After a 4 month stint at Walter Reed Army Hospital he was sent home to Boise, Idaho, to recover and receive treatment. He spent about 3 years in a non-deployable status until the Army retired him to the Temporary Disability Retirement List, a temporary retirement program where they don’t have to pay you.
Ian recently graduated from Boise State University (BSU) majoring in Political Science. He has been a member of the Wyakin Warrior Foundation (WWF) since 2013, and they have played a major role in his success at BSU. WWF provides mentoring and tutoring as well as people to talk to about issues involving PTSD and Multiple Concussion Disorder.
Ian has been riding motorcycles off and on for most of his life. Starting with dirt bikes and moving to sport and later road bikes. He currently rides a Yamaha V-star classic 1100. Ian is a member of the Purple Heart Riders Idaho chapter, and rides about 4000 miles a year. Ian was very excited to ride in the Veterans Charity Ride (VCR) to Sturgis 2016 last year. His friends and fellow Wyakin Warrior’s had participated in 2015, and he had been jealously cursing them ever since.
Ian is a now a permanent and welcome member of the VCR Family since joining the VCR to Sturgis 2016. He is returning as a Veterans Charity Ride to Sturgis 2017 Mentor, and has participated in the VCR Year Round MC Therapy Program, joining VCR at Arizona Bike Week 2016 as a mentor.
“I was really coming out of my shell, which is pretty interesting, because no one would ever accuse me of being an introvert, but they only see that extrovert side of me when I am out with them in public. People don’t see the staying at the house for seven days in a row, only leaving to go replenish the groceries, and since Veterans Charity Ride, it feels natural to be out among people again.”
