Team Long Road travels through area

Two Marine veterans passed through the area last week while on a cross-country journey raising awareness for military-based and other charitable causes.

Coleman “Rocky” Kinzer and Justin “JD” LeHew are Team Long Road, using Historic Highway 20 as a path to go coast-to-coast from Boston, Massachusetts to Newport, Oregon.

Kinzer and LeHew served in the United States Marine Corps for a total of 56 years on active duty. Since leaving the active ranks, they have been traveling the world in search of America’s missing and killed in action, investing their own money into the process.

Team Long Road left from the USS Constitution in Boston Harbor on June 6, 2022. The length of Highway 20 is meant to represent the long journey home for the 81,000 missing United States service members since World War II.

“The rucksacks we carry represent the heavy burden carried by generations of warriors who have served in our nations ranks since 1775,” their website description reads, “as well as the weight of a nation that we carry in combat to live up to the promise that we will never surrender and never leave a fallen comrade behind.”

LeHew expressed gratitude toward Parkersburg residents and Legend Trail Inn & Suites and restaurant for hosting Team Long Road during their extended stay, and also having rooms and meals covered by residents that awaited Team Long Road’s arrival in the Legend Trail parking lot. 

Team Long Road also stopped by Austinville and the famous Austinville Bank, and passed through New Hartford, posting a photo of the “City of Gardens” sign on its Facebook page.

For more information on Team Long Road’s whereabouts and its mission, visit teamlongroad.com or search Team Long Road on Facebook.