Lonnie Sutterfield - Marines (Rider)

Lonnie Sutterfield was raised in Manson Washington, overlooking beautiful Lake Chelan.  He enjoyed school, football, music, nature, winter sports, martial arts and spiritual formation.  As a senior, he was presented the “Semper Fidelis” award for musical excellence along with a Marine Corps sticker which quickly secured itself to an olive drab colored K2 snowboard.  Upon completion of High School, Lonnie spent six years excelling in music, snowboarding, and acclimating for life as a starving musician.  September 11th changed that.  When asked by the Marine Recruiter, Sgt Faulk, “What do you want to do for the Corps”, the future Recruit said, “Blow $=!T up!”  

As a Marine, Lonnie participated in successive combat deployments to Iraq.  During the 2002 invasion, LCPL Sutterfield deployed with Romeo Btry, 5th Battalion, 11th Marines, 1st Marine Division.  The 25-year old LCPL rained steel on every major Iraqi battlefield, including, Safwan Hill, Task Force Tripoli, the siege of Baghdad, Al Kut and Tikrit.  According to Marine Artillery Lore, 5/11 fired more artillery rounds and drove further in less time than any Artillery Battalion in Marine Corps history.  

Returning to Iraq in 2004 and attached to 1st Battalion, 4th Marines, 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit, CPL Sutterfield participated in the battel of An Najaf.  This often referred to, “forgotten battle” composed enemy combatants of the Mahdi Army lead by Muqtada al-Sadr, IRGC and Hezbollah.  Fighting occurred within the Wadi-us-Salaam cemetery, the largest burial site in the Muslim world, consisting of underground layers of tombs, tunnels and monuments.  As the Mahdi Army withdrew from the cemetery, fighting then shifted to the Imam Ali Mosque, the holiest of all Shiite Muslim shrines.  Selected by First Sergeant Patrick Wilkinson, USMC Retired, CPL Sutterfield was coined by General George W. Casey for leadership and unwavering dedication and esprit de corps.

From a young age, Lonnie self-nurtured a love of Motorcycles and the iconic biker philosophy.  He purchased his first Motorcycle, a 2013 Victory Boardwalk in 2017, quickly supplemented by a 2015 Victory Magnum in 2019.  He is an active member of the Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association, Indiana, Chapter 14-5, located in Bloomington, IN.  

Lonnie has attempted to work on his people skills since leaving military service.  Professionally, Lonnie is a VA Clinical Chaplain serving Veterans and their families throughout the Midwest.  Lonnie met his wife, Saori, in Graduate School.  The Sutterfield family now boasts two daughters, one son, two Japanese Shiba’s dogs, one Siamese cat and an increasing number of Foster Shiba’s, some of whom are presently filling forever homes with energy, joy and hair.