Beginning on the 23rd anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 tragedy and ending on the 45th annual National POW/MIA Recognition Day, retired U.S. Marine Corps Sergeants Major Justin “JD” LeHew and Coleman “Rocky” Kinzer will continue their “Long Road” journeys with a 120-mile trek across the Florida Keys. Their purpose is to support the U.S. mission of recovering the remains of the more than 81,600 of America’s military who are missing or killed in action from all wars and conflicts. The Long Road hikes also raise money and awareness for Gold Star families and other charitable causes.
LeHew and Kinzer both served in the U.S. Marine Corps for a combined total of 56 years on active duty. Having survived multiple combat tours to the Middle East, Southwest Asia and Iraq, they are two of America’s most highly decorated combat veterans since the end of the Vietnam War. In retirement, LeHew now serves as the chief executive officer, and Rocky, the Pacific regional operations officer for History Flight Inc., one of the most successful MIA/KIA search and recovery nonprofit organizations worldwide. History Flight Inc. has recovered nearly 400 missing service members previously deemed non-recoverable during past American conflicts and wars. The organization, formed in 2003, has conducted over 140 missions from 15 different countries worldwide, with 165 of these recoveries identified by name.
To promote and advance patriotic allegiance and fidelity to the U.S. Constitution, to maintain popular support for civil liberties and the permanence of free institutions, LeHew also leads America’s oldest veterans service organization, the Legion of Valor, as national commander. Established in 1890, the legion is composed of the holders of our nation’s most senior level awards for valor in combat, the Medal of Honor, the Distinguished Service Cross, the Navy Cross and the Air Force Cross.
Their journey for this third mission began Sept. 11 on U.S. 1 along the Florida Keys Overseas Highway in Key Largo and was to end at the Key West Cemetery monument to the victims of the battleship USS Maine on Friday, Sept. 20.
The roadw incorporates 42 bridges leapfrogging from key to key over waters of the Atlantic Ocean, Florida Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, highlighting LeHew’s and Kinzer’s maritime roots as United States Marines and the Naval traditions being “soldiers of the sea.”
With this third mission, The Long Road continues the tradition of service and self-sacrifice by carrying rucksacks representing the heavy burden carried by generations of warriors who have served in combat since the nation’s founding 248 years ago. More information is available via email to bwanderson@historyflight.com.
