Glamis Veterans: How a Flag Raising Became a Glamis Tradition

Glamis Veterans grew from a small Veterans Day gathering into one of the dunes’ most meaningful traditions.

At the 2026 Sand Sports Super Show, Dirtbag Brands sat down with Brian Crain and Erik Pedersen. Brian shared how the tradition started, why it grew, and where Glamis Veterans hopes to go next.

The story reaches well beyond one annual ceremony. It connects Glamis history, military service, public-land stewardship, family traditions, and the off-road community.

Our conversation was part of the Brands We Know interview series and our broader 2026 Sand Sports Super Show coverage.

Glamis Veterans Began Before Social Media

Brian takes the story back more than two decades.

At the time, GlamisDunes.com served as an important gathering place for the dune community. Social media had not yet changed how riders connected.

Instead, people used the message board to share information, organize rides, and build relationships.

Brian belonged to the Wash 13.5 riding group. The group regularly stopped at a flagpole in the middle of the dunes.

During one stop, Brian noticed the American flag had become badly weathered.

That simple observation eventually changed much more than the flag.

According to the official Glamis Veterans history, the flag had deteriorated by 2003. The group began discussing a replacement and a gathering to recognize veterans.

The Flag Pole Had Its Own Glamis History

The Flag Pole already carried history before the Veterans Day gathering began.

Glamis Veterans says the original pole went up in 2000 as a memorial to Chuck Boardman. The pole sat on one of the remaining metal structures from the desert’s earlier military history. Glamis Veterans

Chuck Boardman also holds an important place in Glamis culture.

He worked at a nearby rock quarry during the 1970s. Later, his family acquired about 300 acres near the dunes.

Family and friends erected the Boardmanville log cabin in 1978. Over time, Boardmanville became a destination for generations of duners.

Chuck died in 1999. His wife, Jeanne Boardman, continued operating Boardmanville afterward.

Brian said he reached out to the Boardman family before moving forward with the gathering. With their blessing, the idea began taking shape.

That connected a memorial to one piece of Glamis history with a new tradition honoring military service.

The First Glamis Veterans Day Gathering

The first formal Veterans Day celebration took place on November 13, 2004.

Riders traveled together to the Flag Pole while flying American flags. The group changed the weathered flag and said the Pledge of Allegiance.

They also observed a moment of silence and played Taps.

Veterans in attendance participated in a roll call. Each could share their branch, service dates, and other details.

The weekend also included an Oldsmobile Hill cleanup and patriotic activities for children. Glamis Veterans

Brian remembers a much smaller beginning.

Around 30 people attended that early gathering. Roughly 10 of them were veterans.

Then the idea caught fire.

Brian recalled the gathering growing from roughly 30 people to 80, then 280, and eventually about 1,000.

That growth happened largely through community connections.

There were no modern social-media algorithms driving the turnout.

Instead, people told other people.

Why the Glamis Community Embraced It

Brian believes the off-road community’s patriotism played a major role.

People invest heavily in machines, trailers, RVs, fuel, accessories, and trips.

Yet hundreds willingly stop riding to gather around a flagpole and recognize military service.

Brian described that experience with one word: “magical.”

However, the gathering also reflects something larger about Glamis.

Families return season after season. Parents eventually bring their children. Then those children begin bringing another generation.

That history creates a culture larger than any individual machine or product.

For another look at that side of the dunes, our Alldread Productions interview explores Glamis through riders, stories, and shared experiences.

A Challenge Coin Tradition Grew With the Event

The gathering also developed traditions of its own.

Since 2006, veterans attending the event have received a challenge coin.

The first coin used an existing design. However, organizers began creating a custom commemorative coin in 2007.

Since then, the annual coins have become closely connected with the Veterans Day gathering. Glamis Veterans

The collection now creates its own visual timeline.

Each coin represents another year that veterans, families, and duners gathered around the same tradition.

From Annual Gathering to Glamis Veterans

For 16 years, the Veterans Day gathering continued through the GlamisDunes.com community.

Eventually, Brian and his family wanted to protect the tradition and expand its purpose.

In 2020, Brian, Christi, Eric, and Evan Crain formed the Glamis Veterans 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Glamis Veterans

The organization could now support more than the annual ceremony.

Glamis Veterans began working to introduce veterans and their families to Glamis and off-road recreation.

The organization also expanded its focus on stewardship, safety, and responsible public-land use.

Brian described one part of that experience as “adrenaline therapy.”

That phrase fits the mission.

A day in the dunes cannot solve every problem. However, riding can create connection, shared experiences, and an opportunity to step outside everyday life.

Stewardship Is Part of the Mission

The dunes matter just as much as the machines using them.

During our conversation, Brian discussed cooperation with the Bureau of Land Management and other community organizations.

Glamis Veterans also emphasizes responsible recreation and public-land stewardship.

Its official mission includes working with industry partners, stakeholders, and the BLM to preserve recreational access. Glamis Veterans

That message fits a familiar rule throughout off-road culture.

Pack it in. Pack it out.

Moreover, protecting public land helps preserve these experiences for the next generation.

The Battle Buddy Program Could Reconnect Veterans

One of the most interesting parts of our conversation looked toward the future.

Brian discussed plans for a Battle Buddy program.

Many veterans who ride Glamis served alongside people they have not seen for years.

Sometimes those friends now live across the country.

Therefore, Glamis Veterans wants to help reconnect them.

The concept could provide an RV, transportation, and access to side-by-sides or sand rails.

Then two veterans could spend time together in the dunes again.

Brian described reconnecting around a campfire, sharing stories, and experiencing some “dune therapy.”

It is a simple idea with substantial meaning.

Sometimes the most important part of an off-road trip happens after the engines shut down.

The People Behind Glamis Veterans

Glamis Veterans remains a volunteer-driven organization.

Brian Crain serves as President and CEO. He served in the United States Marine Corps from 1992 through 1998.

His family discovered Glamis in 2003. Brian then helped organize the first Veterans Day gathering the following year.

Christina Crain serves as CFO.

Bryan Myers serves as a vice president. The organization describes him as a 52-year veteran of the dunes.

Erik Pedersen also serves as a vice president. He has supported the organization and its Veterans Day efforts for years.

That volunteer structure matters.

The organization grew from people already inside the dune community.

They were not outsiders trying to manufacture a cause around Glamis.

The tradition came from the community itself.

How to Support Glamis Veterans

The annual flag ceremony remains the foundation of Glamis Veterans.

However, the organization also works on veteran outreach, public-land stewardship, and introducing veterans to Glamis.

Its website also highlights awareness around veteran homelessness and suicide.

People who want to learn more can visit the official Glamis Veterans website.

Those who want to directly support the mission can also visit the organization’s donation page.

At Dirtbag Brands, our own connection to service members continues through our military and first responder discount.

That support and this story share the same basic idea.

The powersports community becomes stronger when it remembers the people behind the machines.

Glamis Veterans and the Bigger Glamis Story

The Flag Pole started as a memorial.

A weathered flag then inspired a small gathering.

That gathering grew into an annual tradition.

Eventually, the tradition helped create a nonprofit focused on veterans, community, and stewardship.

More than two decades later, people still gather in the dunes around that flag.

Machines change. Technology changes. Social media changes.

However, some traditions endure because people keep choosing to show up.

That may be the most important part of the Glamis Veterans story.

Frequently Asked Questions

Disclaimer: This article is provided for informational and editorial purposes. Historical details were drawn from our interview with Glamis Veterans and publicly available information from Glamis Veterans and Boardmanville. Programs, leadership, event details, and donation information may change over time. For the most current information, visit GlamisVeterans.org directly.