BENSON, N.C. — The Liberty LongEars Drill Team travels North Carolina presenting the American flag at the opening of events as a unique way to say thank you to veterans.
What You Need To Know
- Liberty LongEars is a mounted drill team on muleback
- They present the colors at events all over the state
- Their goal is honoring God, their country, and those who fought for freedom
This mounted drill team is not only all women but also all mules rather than horses.
They’ve taken on the challenge of training the mules as a tribute to their vital role in developing America.
“It takes a lot of training for a mule, but once they hook up and bond with you, they’re your friend as well as your partner,” said Marty Wood, the founder of the team. “It grew from a kind of united dream that we had that we wanted to honor mules and at the same time, honor our country, fly Old Glory, honor our military.”
Wood started the group in 2016 and has slowly been inviting more and more people, like her friend Cheri Scott, to join.
“I think most of us here, we grew up on horses, all of a sudden, I don’t know what happened to us, but we got the mule fever,” Wood said. “We discovered the magic of the mules and once we did, there was no going back.”
They said logistically, riding a mule isn’t all that different from riding a horse, but these ladies on the Liberty LongEars Drill Team are quick to tell everyone mules really aren’t as stubborn as people make them out to be.
“Mules are tremendously smart. They will out-think you,” Scott said. “So when you start riding a mule, it’s not like a horse where you can pretty much lead them where you want to go.”
The drill team makes a dozen appearances each year around North Carolina at events like the state fair, parades and memorial services.
None of them are veterans, but they care deeply for those who have served.
“When we come in the arena and the music’s playing and flags are flying and we’re honoring the veterans, and if you see one of the elderly veterans in the crowd, with his veteran’s cap on and he has tears in his eyes, it’s all worth it,” Wood said.
