Kaylan Harrington, US Air Force, Army & Army National Guard (active)
Kaylan was born and raised in San Jose, California. She comes from a long line of incredible veterans from WWI to present. She joined the Air Force just 2 days after the towers fell on 9/11. After 8 years in the Air Force as an Intel Analyst and Interrogator, deploying 3 times to Iraq. She transferred to the Army in 2009 and deployed Iraq. In 2013 she moved to the Army National Guard and deployed to Afghanistan serving as a female engagement team member in austere locations throughout eastern Afghanistan. It was here she discovered her love and passion for the women children of the country. In 2017 she returned to Afghanistan as a member of the NATO Special Operations Detachment and continued her work with the local children, working to build schools, expand educational opportunities for girls, and treating battered and abused Afghan women at local clinics throughout the country.
Kaylan has been passionate about riding since before she can remember. She bought her first bike on her 16th birthday and rode her Ninja religiously, never going a day without heading somewhere along the California coast. Along the Pacific Coast Highway, she discovered the feeling of absolute freedom and happiness that the bike gave her. She’s ridden religiously for the past 20 years, completing multiple advanced rider clinics throughout the country. In 2018, she was selected as the American Legion Auxiliary Servicewoman of the Year. Kaylan’s experience as a rider for Veteran’s Charity Ride in 2018 was life changing. Not only did she come home and purchase her first Indian, she was deeply inspired by the experience overall. “I was left speechless at the kindness and gratitude of complete strangers we met. It reminded me again and again how truly amazing this country is! I came home re-energized, realizing that motorcycles and riding, something I’ve always loved, can be used as this incredible platform to help Veterans here at home!” Kaylan is honored and humbled to return this year as a mentor. She hopes to share her own VCR experience with the new riders and continue to learn from other Veterans ways to help. We are very proud to have her on our team! She currently lives in Maryland with her husband, Ret. 1SG Gregg Harrington, and her three German Shepherds: Rommel, Stuka and Panzer. |