COMBAT VETERANS
MOTORCYCLE ASSOCIATION
®
History of The CVMA
®
The Very Beginning - A SCAM?
In the year 1999, the Combat Vets Motorcycle Club was introduced to the internet. Up until the first part of 2001 many of us were led to believe it was a true and established motorcycle organization. Through many turns of events, it was found out that CVMC was an internet scam to milk money from Combat Veterans. In the early months of 2001, many of the members found this scam out & alerted one another. Since we were all interested in the issues of Veterans, 45 members decided to form a Combat Veterans Association. After this was decided, the birth of CVMA appeared as a non-profit Association on or about May 1st, 2001 & we now will be able to continue with our main objective which is helping Veterans. The 2 main things that brought us together was motorcycle riding & being Veterans from Combat zones or theaters.
Did You Know?
A special patch was designed and is only worn by the “Original 45” members that started the Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association which now numbers in the thousands. So if you see one make sure to say “Thank YOU”
In May of 2001 the CVMA adopted the CVMA/VFW patch. This was done with the VFW's ok as all CVMA members were or became VFW members and entitled to wear the VFW patch. Over the next year and a half the CVMA was well accepted at Post and Division levels with the VFW. Many meetings, conversations and letters over this period with the VFW National always sounded positive but with no results of developing a relationship.
In December 2002 the CVMA membership voted to move on towards the Association it wanted to be. Along with this VFW membership was no longer required opening the CVMA up to all Combat Veterans who ride a motorcycle.
On December 15, 2002 it was voted the CVMA would wear a combination of the Combat Vets Association background and the old skull logo as a one piece patch. Membership requirements being a new member had to be a Combat Veteran and ride a motorcycle as a hobby. This patch is worn by Full Combat Members only. The Auxiliary patch is worn by spouses. The Supporter patch is worn by those who are veterans but have not served in combat, but still want to support the mission of the CVMA.
CVMA in Texas and Fort Worth
CVMA Texas History:
Texas only had a few members in the early years of the association, records indicated no more than eight members through 2004. Early communication was weak to say the least and members came and left the State. It would not be until late 2006 that a couple of members would start inquiring about the forming of a chapter in Texas. On April 29, 2007, there were 30 Combat Vets members within the State of Texas. Geographically, the membership was spread over a large part of Texas, and it was decided to have McGregor, Texas as the central location for the meeting to form the first Texas chapter. The chapter was numbered 23, being the 23rd State to host a CVMA chapter.
CVMA Ft. Worth TX Chapter History:
Several members living around the DFW area found each other and began riding together. As membership in Texas grew, Chapter 23 became the State designator and Dallas became Chapter 23-1. On August 27, 2011, the Dallas Chapter 23-1 split and Chapter 23-6 in Fort Worth "Cowtown Chapter" was born. Since then, Chapter 23-6 has split twice forming 23-20 the Glen Rose "Dinosaur Valley" Chapter and 23-30 the Carter "Wild West" Chapter.
History of the CVMA TX 23-6 Logo:
Upon its founding, CVMA TX 23-6 decided to adopt the "Cowtown" theme of its home city of Fort Worth. To that end an unofficial logo was created that incorporated a Longhorn silhouette in the colors of the Texas flag, and the "Cowtown Chapter" motto:
After a time, the CVMA registered its trademark and so Association IP could no longer be used in chapter logos. In 2022 a new "Unofficial Designee Logo" was officially adopted by the chapter. The new logo bore the same theme elements as the previous, while also more closely matching the chapter pin:
In 2023 the CVMA retired Unofficial Designee Logos for all chapters. In their place is the Official Designee Logo consisting of the CVMA "Skully" with chapter designator in the spade. Gone are the Cowtown themed elements, in favor of a more uniform logo matching the rest of the Association. The "Cowtown Chapter" still lives on though:
