Mitchell Motorcoach teamed up with a Bay County Veterans group to pick up stranded soldiers in Detroit.

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STRANDED SOLDIERS: Veterans' Group, Mitchell Motorcoach Help Out

Two Dozen Soldiers Picked Up, Returned from Detroit in Style

September 11, 2016
By: Dave Rogers

The soldier's code includes the statement: "never leave a comrade behind." That byword was tested last weekend, not on the battlefield but pertinent to military culture nonetheless.

Mike Burke, chairman of the Bay County Vietnam Veterans Monument Commission, heard about a crisis involving two dozen U.S. Army Reserve Corps soldiers stranded in Detroit.

Sharon Mitchell, of Mitchell Motorcoach, Bay City's leading private transportation provider, was informed about the problem.

Both reacted to the situation; result: problem solved.

Wrote Burke: "Ms. Melissa Alex with the Bay City Armory contacted me with a request for transportation.

"The van that was to transport 14 reserve soldiers returning from deployment in Detroit was canceled with the statement 'the soldiers' families can come get them.' Some of these soldiers live as far as Cheboygan so their families would have a seven-hour trip just to pick them up.

"Ms. Alex is seeking a 15 passenger van to pick up the 14 soldiers from the Olympia Armory in Detroit this Saturday, Sept 10 at approx. 12:30 pm then return them to the Bay City Armory. The soldiers will not have weapons with them, just their duffels.

If able to assist please contact Ms. Alex at 989-670-3860 or melissa.s.alex.ctr@mail.mil as soon as possible."

Burke summarized:

"The below needs request was fulfilled, a Mitchell Lounge bus picked up the returning soldiers and brought them back to Bay City."

Burke said Mitchell Motorcoach provided the service at a vastly discounted rate. And the soldiers rode in style in a special luxury bus.

"Thank you all for supporting our future Veterans as well," said Ms. Alex.

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