What's on your Back?

For those that ride, many set up a vest ..a "Cut" ... to show their pride and possibly, allegiances?  You know.. what brand one rides, what type of bike ... or a group or MC they may belong to.  Some are just into the 'swag' .. you know... a crazy amount of patches covering the entire vest making it look like one's grandma quilted it.  Or, covered with so many pins that it's a scary one to walk next to a strong magnet.   But what I'm referring to is .. ... the main back patch.  The one that ties one to a specific group.

Over the last decade, I've joined more than my share of groups for various reasons. Hell, I belong to the VFW, American Legion and NRA as well; lifetime member of each.   But in the motorcycle world, it tends to be MC (motorcycle club), generic riding group, or brand related riding group's patches that end up on the vest.  Me personally, my heart is tugged by two entities.  First is the Iron Indian Riders Association whom I joined almost a decade ago after buying my '09 Indian  Chief Vintage.  The second is fairly recent, though I've been contemplating it for several years; Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association.

For years I had a vest with an Eagle 'back-patch'  on it ...  I'm retired military, but rode a rice burner so ... sort of worked for me.  I also had sewed on some patches that tied back to my adventures on my bikes.   When I got my Indian, I got a vest that quickly became populated with Indian related stuff...   an embossed Chief/headdress serviced as the 'back patch' .  Then I joined the IIRA.  It was the only active group that I was aware of that tied to the Indian Motorcycle community.   I wasn't 'patch grabbing' .. but at the same time... thought  " damned that's a cool looking patch!"  Over the next few years I'd slowly become more ingrained in the group, meeting folks from around the country at diff' events, becoming aware of the overall history of the group (Est 2002).  Basically, I'm proud to wear it.  Along the way you meet folks that are patch grabbers.  You know... they join up for one year for the sole purpose of getting a patch then .. disappear.  They may claim to still be a member.  Or just say they bought the patch, so it's theirs. Hell, I've seen one guy that even put on an 'inaugural member' rocker under his small IIRA patch because someone "gave it to him," yet he was only a member for a single year ( 2009/2010 time frame).   That folks, is a poser.  When you see something like that, makes you want to kick 'em to the ground, pull out the pocket knife and remove the patch on the spot. But, you can't.  Well not legally anyways.  But hey ... they do it on "SOA?!" ... come on .. that was funny.  An interesting thing happens when you belong to a tight group that all wear the same back-patch, and believe in the 'brotherhood / sisterhood' .  You find yourself in a new family; not one you were born into but one you chose.   And for me there is a lot of pride in that.  My personality has me doing more than just sitting back .. waiting for others to get it all done ...  etc.   I soon found myself starting a chapter.  Recently found myself as part of the Tribal Council.  And as we move forward, trying to better things internally without stepping on too many toes.  Ensuring I'm trying to do things for the better of all members, and not for my own personal reasons.  There is a 20/80 rule out there in life and it applies here.   Of all the members, maybe 20% put forth some effort; attend events, participate actively with their chapter, reach out to other members.   I believe this to be true for pretty much all groups like this.   So, you're really doing things for a small group of people but yet.. have to keep the vast  majority in mind.

Earlier this year I was patched into the CVMA.   Though not an MC, they are run similar to one in many ways.  Being 100% military oriented, there is a lot of protocol and rules we abide by.  One of the first things you realize is you don't 'own' the back-patch.  You hare 'leasing' it while you are an active member. If for some reason you choose to terminate, you hand it back.   This alone minimized 'patch grabbing' by some. Secondly, you have to basically be sponsored ... vetted to some level .. to join up depending on each chapter.   After that, you have to submit your DD214 to validate your Combat Service. If you didn't serve in a Combat, there is the option to be a Support Member.  My calculations are Support members are less than 10%  of the overall member count.  Me personally, I don't differentiate between the two. We all served!  But to be fair, to be a full member.. you had to do your 'time.'.   Now, when you mention 'brotherhood', with the CVMA it's at a diff' level.  Not only do we all have the commonality of serving this great nation, but now ... 'serve' together in this great organization.  And for me, that means a LOT.

Now, where this all gets interesting.  For me, I can keep the two separate for the most part.  They don't 'conflict'.   The 'only issue' I have is with my position within the IIRA, I can not hold an officer position in another group; is what it is.  I recently took over Road Captain for our chapter, but that is not an officer or elected position.  So ... no conflicts..... but...

What if you belong to several Brand related groups?  I mean .. in the Indian Motorcycle community we have the IIRA, IMRG, IARG, IOA and...  a half dozen other wannabe groups that have a handful of members here and there. The IMRG is a Indian Motorcycle 'factory' related group. I joined that from day 1 and am a lifetime member.  However, I rarely ride or participate in their events.  This is simply due to location of the Dallas Chapter.  Still...  I've got no skin in the game except for writing that check to them.   But, I have belonged to the IARG ( MN based group) .  How I joined and why is spelled out in the blog elsewhere, but lets just say I never wore the patch or discussed or claimed membership with them.  I'd joined the IOA as a charter member but quickly lost interest for personal reasons.  Again, I've talked about it within this blog previously. To me, it's nothing more than a spin off of the IIRA and originated due to some butt hurt folks that started up their own. Simple as that .. hey .. it's my blog, my opinion.  That all being said, the IARG, IMRG and IOA have some good people within it's ranks. I'm not dissin' them as a whole.  I just believe you have to pick and choose sometimes ..... and this is one of those areas.   Good or Bad, the IIRA and IOA conflict at the core because of the reasons the IOA exists; how it began.  Until the day the current leadership is replaced by folks that have no skin in the game historically; it'll always be that way.   The IARG has a lot of good folks in it currently, but before it reorganized and booted out one of the folks that has historically tried to claim it,  it was a mess.  I've said for over 6 years, it existed for the sole purpose of supporting a dealership.  That dealership failed and is gone.  Sadly, they are now tainted with that history. Hell, the person booted from it still appears to have delusions of being part of it somehow. I'm surprised they haven't folded it and popped up the next day with a new name and patch so they can move forward without baggage.     Now, why bring all this up?  IMHO ... you've got to decide on  your loyalties and take a single patch, so to speak.  When I see a vest with an IIRA, IOA and IARG patch on them (sometimes all 3!), sort of makes my head hurt.  Hey, I've tried to make it work.  Hell, back about 3 years ago, I belonged to all 3 (that didn't last long though).  It doesn't work.  It doesn't because if you have skin in the game.. .actually care about the organization itself.. you've got to step back and understand the Pros and Cons , why each exist... what the history is... and .. any drama that spews from the conflicts.    I know.. I know....   sometimes folks don't get caught up in any of it. They don't care about the history.  They don't care about the supposed conflicts.   For whatever reason ... .. it just doesn't matter.   To them .. it's just a  .. patch?  It's just a medium to meet 'nice people' at events and ride.  I get it .. I honestly do.  But I don't have to agree.   To me....  whats on that back of that vest matters.  Now, it's not a GO- NO GO differentiator whether I hang with someone... but .. it sets the tone.  To me, it's more than just a patch.  It's the family name so to speak.  And to that, it shouldn't be taken lightly.  So when someone says to me ... " yeah .. I'm in the IIRA " .. but on their back is some goofy round coaster, I'm thinking .... "really...so what?".   You paid your $15 annual dues and we're instantly brothers?  No.   I realize this isn't some episode of "SOA"  or "The Mayans" .. but ...for many of us.. this matters.   The patch doesn't differentiate between 'friends' .. but to think it doesn't matter in the big picture...  who's kidding who?  If it doesn't matter ....   then.. just take it off?
 
I haven't seen any issues with the CVMA side. I'm sure there is something out there that I'm unaware of.  Other groups have ties to the military (VFW and American Legion both have riders groups), MC's are out there that tie back to their roots (ex. My dad belongs to the Vietnam Vets MC / Legacy Vets MC).  I'm sure it's not all a big hug fest.  But with over 16,000 active members, I'm pretty sure the Combat Vets Motorcycle Association is the largest by far.  I did recently see where some clown's had broke off and started their own CVMA of sorts out east... so ...  guessing I'll eventually realize we've got issues here and there, just as I'd described with the Indian Motorcycle based groups ... but for now, I'm naive and still the new guy?

The Big Picture.  I know .. I know.. we're all one happy family.  We all ride.   We all share the same road. All the same wind.  Still ...   when you throw on that vest, what serves as one's back-patch sets the tone whether one realizes it or not.  For some... its' just a purdy patch they paid a few bucks for. For some of us... it has a deep meaning. If you don't believe me ...   next time you're out and see a Bandido or Mongol , with his vest on. ....   walk over, slap 'em on the back and say something like "nice patch, get that on eBay?" or something stupid along that line.   Then....  please feel free to share with us in the comments section how that worked out?