Keith Shoulders, Sergeant First Class, Retired, US Army

​Retired Sergeant First Class, Benson Keith Shoulders was born and raised in the small town of Silsbee, Texas. Keith started riding dirt and motor bikes when he was nine years old and in high school he played football and basketball, and loved outdoor activities. He then joined the military right out of high school, looking for change, a new life and greater opportunities. He enlisted in the Army in August of 1993. Keith attended Basic and Advanced Individual Training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. After completing training to become a 88M (Motor Transport Operator) he was assigned to his first duty station, in Fort Hood, Texas, where he later met his wife, Wendy. They have been married for twenty years and have three, children, two sons and one daughter. Keith served over twenty-one years in the US Army, retiring in March of 2015. His duty stations included Fort Hood Texas (2), Heidelberg, Germany, Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, Bosnia, and he did several tours in Iraq. He served in a variety of different positions, from Squad leader to truckmaster, and even one tour as part of the Military police doing detainee operations in Iraq.Keith has received many decorations and medals for his outstanding service, including awards for Meritorious Service, Army Commendation and Achievement, Good Conduct, National Defense Service, the Armed Forces Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Humanitarian Service, and many more.Keith is currently focusing on a program called the Teen Summit, which involves a panel of experts ranging in different fields such as mental health, law enforcement and school officials. The summit allows teens to address issues that are affecting them in our world of today.He still loves riding his motorcycle, thoroughly enjoying his time alone out on the open road. Keith heard about the Veterans Charity Ride (VCR) to Sturgis from his good friend and VCR veteran James Felix. He was thrilled to be nominated for participation in this years 2018 ride, and he can’t wait for it to begin, ready for a new perspective, and ready to connect with other veterans who have similar military backgrounds and military experiences.