Van of Valor

Commentary by Dr. Kevin Wallace
Van of Valor

SLATER, Wyo. – If you’ve followed our journey for long, you know the Van of Valor has seen its share of roadside naps.

But this time, it’s not a mechanical gremlin or a flat tire that has us pulled over on the lonely stretch of I-25 between Casper and Cheyenne. It’s the wind.

Right now, 45+ mph gusts are howling across the high plains, shaking the van with a fury that demands respect.

To push on would be foolish, a risk we cannot take with the sacred cargo of stories and names we carry. So, we’ve heeded the warning.

We’re hunkered down, riding out the storm, a temporary island in a river of wind and asphalt, just outside the Mantle Ranch Wild Horse Adoption and Training Center.

This is the reality of our mission. It is not always glamorous. It is often unpredictable. But it is never abandoned.

The names that cover this van’s exterior — hundreds of them, each a life story of courage, sacrifice, and patriotism — deserve more than a reckless gamble with a Wyoming windstorm. Our solemn promise to them, to the heroes we’ve interviewed, and to you, our followers, is that the mission continues. Regardless.

And continue it will.

You might have noticed we’ve been a little quieter about our itinerary lately. That’s because this isn’t just another leg of the journey. This is the voyage home.

We are, quite literally, limping the Van of Valor back to its final resting place in North Port, Florida, where it will become a permanent memorial and museum — a static, hallowed space to honor our nation’s veterans. We’re excited to share the full details of this transition with you after December 18th.

But for now, the old girl is showing her age. Every mile is a hard-fought victory. Which is why, in the spirit of the great George Strait, we’re clinging to a little hope: “If [we] hurry [we] can still make Cheyenne.” The problem is, we’re not headed for a show; we’re headed home, one careful mile at a time.

To ensure the mission doesn’t stall, we’ve had to make a tough but necessary decision. For the remainder of this journey, we will be conducting over 80% of our scheduled interviews by rental car, while the van is transported with the care it deserves.

This, of course, means the added, significant cost of rental vehicles and hotel stays — which are NEVER cheap.

This is where we have to be vulnerable and ask for your help.

We have gotten the Van of Valor this far on grit, determination, and the incredible support of people like you. Now, we need your help to get her across the finish line.

Your donation, no matter the size, will directly fuel the final mission:

Covering the cost of reliable rental vehicles to reach our scheduled interviews.

Funding safe lodging for the team as we traverse the country.

Contributing to the careful transport and final establishment of the van in its permanent museum home in North Port.

We are so close. The promise of a lasting sanctuary for these stories is within reach. Help us honor our promise to the hundreds of names on the van and the thousands of stories they represent.

With gratitude from the windy roadside,

The Van of Valor Team

Donate to the Final Mission Here: www.HelpVoV.com

P.S. The wind is scheduled to finally starting dying down at about 6 p.m., here, local time. Time to see if we can, in fact, still make Cheyenne. But, tonight it’s onward to Colorado Springs for us, so it will be an early morning arrival.

Onward.

For them.