DOC, the founder of the 1776 Patriots of America MC, has had ups and downs in life. He has taken some bad situations in his personal life and turned what he learned from his experience to help others in any way possible through motorcycles. DOC went from having his own house to living out of his car. He had some great jobs to no job at all. DOC had to fight his demons with help from family, friends, and healthcare professionals to help him get back on his feet. He should inspire everyone to fight for a good life regardless of current events.
Russ Brown Motorcycle Attorneys: When did you start riding motorcycles, and what were you riding?
DOC: I started riding dirt bikes when I was nine years old. Once I turned 16, I bought a Trail 90 and rode on the streets for years. Later, I bought a Honda Shadow in 2004 and continued riding on the road. I rode on and off for years, but something clicked in the last five years, and now I cannot stop riding.
Russ Brown Motorcycle Attorneys: What are you riding now?
DOC: I currently ride a 2022 Harley Davidson Street Glide Special. I jump on my motorcycle and ride all the time. I have found that when I have a bad day or need to relax, I can depend on motorcycle riding to improve my day. My bike was expensive, but can you put a price on happiness?
Russ Brown Motorcycle Attorneys: What military branch were you in, and what did you do?
DOC: I was in the Army, and my “M.O.S.” was 13 Bravo Artillery. I trained for Iraq with Urban Warfare and was a gunner and driver on a Humvee. My unit did everything from escorting supply trucks to escorting essential personnel for meetings. We would do security while the discussions were going on. I also worked at a detainee facility where we worked with the Iraqi government on interrogations of insurgents. I was also part of the unit that guarded Saddam Hussein.
Russ Brown Motorcycle Attorneys: What did you do after the military?
DOC: I have had multiple jobs after the military, including security, photography, repo, club promoting, case management, teaching, and outreach. I got married and had three kids. I decided to attend college and get my Bachelor of Science in business management in 2020.
Russ Brown Motorcycle Attorneys: What caused things to go downhill for you?
DOC: My life started going downhill due to a miscarriage with my wife at the time. Anyone who has lost a child can tell you your mental health will be challenged. A year later, I lost a good-paying job, which sent me spiraling downhill.
Russ Brown Motorcycle Attorneys: What happened when things went downhill for you?
DOC: When I lost my good-paying job and couldn’t find a new job, I started living in my car and finding minimum-wage jobs to try and help get me back on my feet. I was barely surviving and was having difficulty paying for the basics. I went to the V.A. hoping to get some help with housing and P.T.S.D. The V.A. wasn’t willing to help as much as I wanted because I needed to meet a specific criterion. I had difficulty getting to appointments due to a lack of funds to pay for gas and get time off from work.
Russ Brown Motorcycle Attorneys: Who helped you get back on your feet?
DOC: I knew so many people, and you would think they would be more than willing to help a friend, but unfortunately, that wasn’t true. It wasn’t easy to ask anyone for help. It required me to change how I think to be able to start accepting help when I was at the lowest point in my life. Once my brother discovered I was living in my car and staying at friends’ houses occasionally, he forced me to stay with him for a few months to help get me back on my feet. After a few months, I started to get back on my feet, and my sister and her husband let me move in with them. They wanted to ensure I got back on my feet, so they turned their garage into a studio apartment and let me stay there rent-free. It took a year of support from my sister and her husband to help me save enough money to begin a new life.
Russ Brown Motorcycle Attorneys: How did you get back on your feet?
DOC: I applied for many jobs but could not get a good-paying job. I returned to school and earned a bachelor’s degree in business management using my G.I. bill. Since I was using my G.I. bill, I could get money for living expenses which helped me immensely. Once I got my bachelor’s degree, I got a job working for the department of defense as a civilian at Edwards Air Force Base.
Russ Brown Motorcycle Attorneys: Why did you get involved in the Antelope Valley Motorcycle Community?
DOC: After everything that happened to me, I realized I could help other people, especially veterans, and make a positive impact on my community.
Russ Brown Motorcycle Attorneys: How do you help the community now?
DOC: I knew I wanted to impact my community positively, but I also realized I couldn’t do it alone. I have connected with many organizations that positively help veterans and help balance their lives. So, with the help of others, we started feeding the homeless and getting veterans connected with resources. Those resources included housing, job training, clothes, furniture, and getting veterans connected with mental health services.
My main goal is to help veterans in the Antelope Valley receive the necessary services to get them back on their feet. I wanted veterans to have the American dream of owning a home, enjoying life, getting proper medical services, and a good job. I also connect veterans with other like-minded veterans to help them have someone to talk to constantly. One of the biggest things that helped me was being able to talk to other veterans that were going through similar problems. It helped me realize that I wasn’t alone in my fight, which is what I want to do for other veterans.
Russ Brown Motorcycle Attorneys: What kind of events do you do?
DOC: I have been able to be part of so many local veterans’ lives by helping their families with birthday parades during covid, birthday escorts, Vietnam wall escorts, and funeral escorts. We do community parades and car shows. Whenever someone wants a community event for veterans, I have become the “go-to guy” to bring riders together. I do these events not so people can look at me and see what I am doing, but to help veterans connect to services. Meet people at their comfort level and bring unity to the community.
I host an annual veteran’s fundraiser to support organizations already working to help veterans through their journey. Most recently, I have partnered with Project Homage to our Heroes, Vets for Success, and Vet for Veterans, all of which are non-profits that have positively impacted veterans’ lives. Our sponsors, including Russ Brown Motorcycle Attorneys, Harley Davidson, and PF Liquidations, make this annual event possible.
Russ Brown Motorcycle Attorneys: Have you ever been involved in a motorcycle accident?
DOC: I have had a few spills but nothing major. I have lost friends to motorcycle accidents. Several of my friend’s motorcycle accidents were right in front of me.
Russ Brown Motorcycle Attorneys: Did you learn anything from these motorcycle accidents?
DOC: I learned that speed kills, and most cars don’t see us. Many people on the road would prefer that motorcycles were not on the road. As motorcycle riders, we should always want to learn more and take additional motorcycle safety riding courses to refresh our skills and gain new skills.
I have taken several classes to help better myself and strongly suggest that every rider should continue their education to stay safe on the road.
DOC has gone through some severe trauma between the military and his personal life. Even though he still deals with P.T.S.D., he is making the best of his life by helping veterans. If you want to know more about David, you call follow him on the following pages:
Youtube: https://youtu.be/H_2ktSqA9L8
