Descanso Parade 2004

By Roy Cook

. American Indian Warriors Association (AIWA) has been to this mountain community parade for the past three years. We are the Honored Color Guard. Some of the AIWA members live in and about the village. This activity has continually been a satisfying experience. This is a mountain community and there is a gentle grade to gain and with the breeze whipping the flags out straight it can be seen as a bit of a challenge. American Indian Warriors Association is number one in the parade.
Of course it can't hurt to stack the deck a little, with a fine young dancer in regalia like Julian Donovan "Little Squirrel" Hessen and with a Timber Wolf like Wovoka we are ready to rock and roll! It is a real good feeling to look around and have more than the required number of members and associates to carry all the flags and banners.

AIWA group: Ron Hawkins, center US flag, Ernest Fleabotte left MIA flag. The rest,L to R, Anthony WhiteEagle, Roy Cook, Leslie Hawkins, George Hyde, Jerry Wilkerson. Cheryl Wilkerson, Storm Sivas, Carl Limping Bear.


L to R, Robert Hessen, Ron Hawkins, Lt. Flynn, Ernest
Fleabotte, Roy Cook.

Previous years we have been in very significant company: Lt. Flynn, WWII Pearl Harbor survivor and recipient of the Congressional Metal of Honor. He was the grand Marshal in 2001.

 The Descanso parade is not a flatlander's route. Many AIWA  members travel long distances and get up very early to be there at nine in the morning. Our only reward is a good feeling by representing our military veterans and tribal members of the Warrior community. I suppose these experiences are what make the Descanso parade a satisfying achievement for many of the AIWA members. That satisfaction and the smiles and expressions of pride that AIWA is representing American Indian Veterans.

No trophy or certificate nor monetary incentive. It just feels real good to complete another military mission successfully with our AIWA brothers-in-arms.
One of our AIWA members, Michael Turner Ortega, is on the Peace and Dignity Run.
He participated in ceremonies at the base of Cuchema, Tecate peak, this past weekend. He is continuing with the runners to Panama. Another of our AIWA members, Warren Brader, has just returned from Iraq and is receiving therapy. We hope to see him at this type of activity soon.

Maybe we will see you there, next year.