Teens join Gathering of
Eagles this weekend

The Gathering of Eagles in Washington, D.C. on Saturday isn't just for veterans. Teens, too, will be joining the group to make sure anti-war protesters don't make a mockery of the Vietnam War Memorial, the men who fought their country's wars, or the veterans guarding the Wall.

"We cannot allow protesters to damage the Wall," 17-year-old Justin Higgins said from his home in Ohio. "The protesters will march to the Pentagon. I might follow them and see what's going on afterward, but the main objective is to guard the memorial."

The Eagles are a group of veterans, veteran supporters, active military members and everyday Americans who will be in Washington to make sure anti-war protesters don't damage the war memorials, particularly the Wall. The group has a history of inflicting damage to U.S. icons, as well as cursing, spitting and taunting America's military.

Higgins became aware of the gathering when he received e-mails about the event.

"I knew I had to attend," he said. "Some people doubt America's bravery is intact. I'll be standing up for the soldiers and the vets. I hope people will see this isn't just dominated by war protesters, but also by people who want to stand up for something. What's right is right."

This won’t be Lane Owen Sampley’s first demonstration. The son of Vietnam veteran and MIA/POW advocate Ted Sampley, young Sampley attended his first protest when he was 5. He has a special attachment to the Wall. His grandfather’s name is on it

Army Green Berets SSGT Robert D. Owen and SFC Glen O. Lane, went missing in Laos on May 23, 1968. The teen's mother named him in honor of his grandfather Owen, his grandfather’s buddy Lane, and his dad Theodore Lane Sampley, also a former Green Beret. That’s some heavy military history!

The 14-year-old has visited every memorial in Washington, but says the World War II memorial is his favorite design.

"It represents every state," Sampley, from North Carolina, said. "It's the kind of place you can go to enjoy your time."

He's looking forward to the Washington trip. It isn't every day young people get the chance to participate in something as important as the Gathering of Eagles, he said.

Both young men are familiar with the Jane Fonda-Cindy Sheehan mentality that guides the war protesters. Both feel strongly that America's troops should be defended against their type of leftist rhetoric.

"My dad has told me stuff, but I'm old enough to form my own opinion," Sampley said. "I think it's wrong to be protesting against our people in Iraq. We should be supporting them. If their country isn't behind them, who is? We might not have wanted to get in (the war), but we're there now and we might as well get the job done. If [terrorists] hadn't gone after the Twin Towers, they would have done something else. We would never have been safe if we hadn't gone in. Imagine sitting in Iraq and having hundreds of thousands of people protesting. It destroys morale."

This will be Higgins' first national protest. He joined about 100 others at home when he believed a fellow student was suspended unjustly for allegedly being disrespectful when speaking at a school board meeting.

"It was a free speech issue," Higgins said. The suspension was reversed.

LTJG Terry Rivera, commanding officer of the Palmetto Sea Cadets, will accompany some of the teens who want to visit the Wall during the gathering. The cadets, ages 14-18, will be in Washington for other business, but plan to be with the Eagles as civilians during free time.

"We are part of a special committee that planned/organized the Dignity Vietnam Wall that traveled to (Columbia, S.C.) in October. We got to know many Vietnam vets, and feel very strongly about supporting and paying tribute to them and their fallen comrades," Rivera said in an e-mail message.

More than 10,000 people visited the Wall while it was in Columbia, and the cadets provided traffic control.

"This detail was made up of kids between the ages of 11-16," Rivera said. "They did a phenomenal job, standing duty for 12 hours (one day in the pouring rain!) These kids are training to stand up for our country and to become the leaders of tomorrow. … I'm very proud of them."

Lane Sampley's father will be there supporting the troops and guarding the Wall, but Higgins' parents will not. Higgins' parents are against the Iraqi war.

"But they've become pretty supportive of me," he said. "They believe nothing should happen to the war memorial."

Higgins is organizing other friends to attend. He expects some to arrive from Maryland.

Getting out news about the gathering has been easy for Higgins, a blogger. He has promoted the event on his site, www.rightontheright.com, and raised money to finance his trip.

"My parents are taking me, but I want to pay for this through online work, my blog," he said recently. "Donations are coming in. I'm trying to pass $200 mark to get some T-shirts made. They'll say, 'Freedom doesn't die … only the will to fight for it does.' "

The young men realize protesters could instigate a confrontation with the Eagles. Higgins said he initially was concerned about the possibility, and will have a video camera to document whatever occurs.

"Since we'll have people standing by the Wall, I can't see anybody having the cajones to confront them," Higgins said. "When we stand up and unite, the days of spitting on veterans are over."

Sampley is confident any confrontation that might develop will come from the anti-war protesters, the same group that spray-painted the Capitol steps. Eagles will protect themselves, he said, but will not provoke.

"Our people won't turn violent," he said. "I've been to enough protests to know our people are pretty much in control. If I see my dad's getting beat up, I'll jump in. If it's something going on in the distance, I'll get out of the way."

For more information, visit the U.S. Veteran Dispatch Eagle message board.