Monday, May 26, 2008 had long ago been designated as the official Memorial Day holiday in the United States. Interim President Colin Powell and Interim Vice-President John McCain used that occasion to honor all the dead and wounded troops from the Iraq and Iran wars. Over ten thousand U.S. soldiers had died in these two conflicts, not to mention the hundreds of thousands of Iraqi and Iranian citizens. Tens of thousands of U.S. soldiers also came home with permanent disabilities and injuries that had maimed them for life. Arrangements had been made with the V.F.W., the American Legion, the Marine Corps League, and all other veterans' organizations to conduct a "National Parade of Honor" which would stretch from coast-to-coast. Weeks ago, Powell and McCain had mentioned this idea to Jil Adams, whose succession of celebrations and motivational events had done wonders for the sagging morale of weary O.U.T.R.A.G.E. volunteers across the country. Many had become fatigued from working 'round-the-clock after the hurricane hit the east coast and the giant earthquake demolished most of Los Angeles County. Powell stressed the need for someone with strong management and creative skills, and approached Adams to head up this new project. She agreed, under one condition: her friends, Lynn and Dana, would be recruited to assist her. Instantly, the three women hit the ground running, using private O.U.T.R.A.G.E. jets to fly around the country and meet with officials of the various veterans' organizations. Lynn, Dana, and Jil had come up with an awesome plan:
The "National Parade of Honor" would follow in the tradition of the ancient Greek Olympics, with a frontrunner who would carry a "baton of peace" at the front of each parade. The parade route would be coordinated to include all local veterans' groups who wanted to participate. The frontrunner, wearing remnants of uniforms from all branches of the military, would lead the parade, then carry the baton to the next town and lead the next parade.
Jil used her perky smile and bright blue eyes to help plead for cooperation from the various veterans' groups. Lynn used her considerable powers of persuasion and take-charge attitude to convince these same groups how time was of the essence. "We don't have much damn time to get this done," she'd say. "So let's get going!" Dana used her calm, yet demanding presence, to add a coy element of control to the negotiations. In a brilliant "good-cop, bad-cop" routine, Dana would sit by quietly while Jil and Lynn hammered out the negotiations. Only if there appeared to be some resistance to any part of the plan would Dana step in - and, in an almost militaristic command fashion, she would sternly announce, "Sorry, this is the way it has to be." Between the three of them, hardly anyone turned them down, and a pipedream became a reality in short order. Parades had been organized in one-hundred-and-eleven towns and cities. The first parade would take place on Monday, May 26, 2008 in New York City. The final parade would take place amidst the decaying ruins of Los Angeles on Friday, July 4, 2008.
Jil, Dana, and Lynn would manage the project enthusiastically, and with considerable aplomb. Of course, working with veterans' organization afforded lots of time for partying along the way. Over beers or Jagermeister 'bombs', these girls were at the top of the 'hit parade' wherever they ended up. Commanders at American Legions, V.F.W. posts, Navy Clubs, and Marine Corps Leagues welcomed them and invited them for an evening of revelry in cities and towns from coast-to-coast.
"This is the best job I've ever had," exclaimed Adams at the Navy Club in Davenport, Iowa. Lynn retorted, "Hell, this isn't a job - this a dream-come-true! I've never met so many good lookin' dudes in my life! Here's to ya' all!" She tossed back another shot and plopped herself down on the Commander's ample lap. "Here's lookin' at ya', Honey!"
Dana looked on calmly, trying to show some reserve. But, when the guy she'd eyed as soon as she walked into the place came up behind her and whispered in her ear, she shrieked in surprise - and they soon disappeared into the darkest corner of the bar, each with an ice cold Coors cupped in one hand, and their other two hands locked together. So much for reserve.....
It was now 10:00 a.m. on Monday, May 26, 2008. The parade was beginning in downtown Manhattan. Today the frontrunner would march in that parade carrying the baton. He would leave the parade at its end point, then continue on a designated route that would take him to Albany, New York by early afternoon. To allow him some rest, and to save time, once there were no TV cameras or press following the entourage, the frontrunner would be shoved into an O.U.T.R.A.G.E. motorhome to continue to journey to Albany. Jil, Lynn, and Dana were inside the motorhome, which was conveniently well-stocked with ice cold beers and a Jagermeister machine. The frontrunner, of course, had to be a man of some strength and considerable agility, if he was going to 'walk' across America in forty days. Jil, Lynn and Dana had selected a man they'd known for years, a man who could carry the load,had the endurance to walk for miles, and not become overly fatigued. His name was Ron Doctor.