Richard Shafer

Richard Shafer was born in Ypsilanti, Michigan in 1971. He has an older brother, a half brother and a younger sister. In 1989 Rich graduated from Dundee High School, Dundee, Michigan. One week later, he left for Army Basic Training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina. After Basic Training, he was trained in aviation electronics… MOS – 68Q. After training he was sent to Mainz Finthen Army Airfield in Germany. His time in Germany was momentous in that he was there when President Reagan went to the Berlin Wall and prompted its destruction. Rich remained in Germany throughout the Gulf War.
Eventually, Rich was transferred to Hunter Army Air Field, Savanna, Georgia. He was then deployed to Somalia during the Somali Conflict and while there he served with the 10th Mountain Division.

The situation in Somalia was intended to be a humanitarian mission but it turned into a war. It was yet another example of how politicians use our military for temporary strategies. If we are going to send our finest to conduct war, then declare it. And follow through with one objective a complete and total victory. Anything less is a waste of American lives… our young military people who step up and serve. Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, Somalia, Afghanistan… every conflict since WWII has been the same… as Rich says it, “they chew us up and spit us out”. A Vietnam Veteran is writing Rich’s story on his behalf and the issues and emotions Rich was forced to deal with are exactly the same as the authors… 20 years later our politicians military abuse and walk away when things get tough has not changed a thing.

When Rich returned people asked him where he had been and when he said “Somalia”, he was faced
with blank stares. People have no idea there had been a war. Nor could they relate to what had
happened there. Rich would have to reference the movie, “Blackhawk Down” in order to help people to
understand what war he was speaking of. How ironic is that, we send our finest to fight a war which
required many of them to pay the ultimate sacrifice, and we need to reference a Hollywood movie to
help the public understand. A ‘movie’ becomes the frame of reference for the public instead of the war
and the Veteran. It is not right nor is it fair to do this to our military, but remote often undeclared war
continues to take place… maybe someday the politicians will stop their irresponsible and corrupt
governing. But, in the short term it is the great people like Rich Shafer who responded when called.
There was a time when the individual soldier went to war for “God and country”. Now every military
action experienced since WWII, the solider now goes to war out of concern for his ‘Brothers in Arms’…
they take the risk together and for each other… not for the incompetent ones in Washington. Because
of the walk away actions by our politicians. Our soldiers are left to try and understand why they went to
battle and to try to explain it to others. A war that is neither… understandable nor explainable. They
respond, however, because they are ‘servers’ and we, the American people, owe them far more than we
could ever pay… thus, this IS why Bucket List Dreams exists… we are trying to recognize and celebrate
these great people… the Rich Shafer’s of America.

Rich was discharged in 1994 and went on to serve 3 years in the National Guard.
Rich currently lives in Maybee, Michigan. He has two children… a daughter and a son. He is also blessed
with two grandchildren. Rich hopes to retire soon from Ford Motor Company. He enjoys riding his
motorcycle and volunteers a great amount of time to Foundation 14, a non-profit that raises money and
provides custom built motorcycles to disabled Veterans.

Rich’s Bucket List Dream

Rich is a huge motorcycle enthusiast. His dream has always been to go to the Isle of Mann to attend the TT Motorcycle Races. Bucket List Dreams intends to see that Rich will fulfill his Dream. We at Bucket List Dreams encourage you to, from time to time, check in on Rich’s ‘story’ for updates. And, please donate or purchase Bucket List Dreams merchandise so that we can continue to celebrate ‘Bravo Zulu’… “a job
well done”.