FORD FAN SPOTLIGHT – We first crossed paths with Marine Corps combat veteran Kenny Bass a few years ago at a cruise-in to the Halderman Mustang Museum in Tipp City, Oho, just down the road from Kenny’s hometown of Dayton. We recently discovered that he has rolled up nearly 200,000 miles on his 2012 Mustang GT – which would make a pretty good story all by itself. But after hearing almost all of those miles were driven with his service dog, Atlas, in the back seat as they traveled the country for VA care, speaking events, and work for a nonprofit Bass founded that provides service dogs to disabled veterans called The Battle Buddy Foundation (www.tbbf.org), we knew this story deserves to be featured on our Ford Fan Spotlight:
“Dear Ford Team: My name is Kenny Bass. I’m a United States Marine Corps combat veteran (Iraq 2003) and the founder of The Battle Buddy Foundation, a nonprofit that provides service dogs to disabled veterans. I’m also a long-time Ford owner whose life – and recovery – has been closely tied to a 2012 Mustang GT.
“In September 2011, I bought a 2012 Mustang GT 6-speed with the Track Pack from Interstate Ford near the Dayton Mall in Ohio. It had about 2,000 miles on it, technically a used car, but to me it was something more. At that time, I was living with the after-effects of traumatic brain injury and PTSD. I bought the Mustang because I needed an outlet – a way to focus my mind, quiet the noise, and be fully present.
Driving that car became therapy. The engagement of the manual transmission, the connection to the road, the feel of the car on the back roads of Ohio – those drives gave me a safe way to channel the intensity that combat leaves behind. About a year later, that same Mustang carried me from Dayton up to Syracuse, New York, where I met a German Shepherd pup named Atlas who would become my service dog, my ‘Battle Buddy,’ and the heart and inspiration behind The Battle Buddy Foundation.
“From that day forward, the car and the dog were rarely separated. Today, my Mustang is approaching 195,000 miles. Nearly 190,000 of those miles were driven with Atlas in the back seat. Together we: Drove deep into Michigan in the middle of winter without issue on our way to our service dog training facility; Traveled from Ohio to Kansas for documentary screenings about veterans and service dogs; Made multiple trips to the southern tip of Florida near West Palm Beach; Logged repeated runs to Virginia and back; Drove as far as Minnesota; and covered thousands of miles to VA appointments, speaking engagements, and community events in support of fellow veterans.
“This 2012 Mustang GT became more than transportation. It was the cockpit for my second life – a car the ‘everyman’ can afford, delivering a driving experience engaging enough to help a combat veteran manage PTSD and brain injury, while carrying a service dog who quite literally helped save my life.
“Earlier this year, Atlas passed away. Losing him was a tremendous personal loss, but something remarkable happened in the middle of that grief. Over the past decade, a large and very loyal community has grown around Atlas, my story, and The Battle Buddy Foundation – people who have followed our journey, supported our mission, and often shared how Atlas inspired them. Blue Ridge Lane Farms in Virginia had been quietly following that story for over five years. Earlier this year, after the owner of Blue Ridge lost her own German Shepherd, she watched me go through the loss of Atlas and felt an immediate connection.
“She reached out and offered an extraordinary gift: Arlo, a West German show-line German Shepherd from her program, as my next potential service dog. Not long after, our community rallied again – raising the support needed to ensure I could travel to Virginia and begin this next chapter of training with Arlo. I’m now preparing for another thousand-mile round trip from Dayton to Wake, Virginia, to bring Arlo home – and I’ll be making that journey in the same Mustang GT that carried Atlas for nearly 200,000 miles.
“My Ford story doesn’t end with this car: My second vehicle is a 2014 Ford Explorer Sport (my family car). I currently own a 1968 Mustang California Special. (my Fun car – but it’s in the shop) I previously owned a 1969 Boss 302 that I reluctantly sold a few years ago. I may not be in a position to walk into a dealership and buy a brand-new Ford today, but I am a Ford man through and through. Your vehicles have been with me through combat recovery, nonprofit work, single fatherhood, and nearly 200,000 miles of healing and service. Thank you for building the cars that have carried me through some of the hardest and most meaningful years of my life!”
Here’s How YOU Can Get In The Spotlight: For more than 20 years now, one of the most popular features on FordRacing.com and in our weekly Fast News e-newsletter continues to be "Ford Fan Spotlight," where readers can send in their own reasons why they're fans of Ford Motor Company and its vehicles. You know who they are: Ford "superfans;" grassroots Ford racers; unique Ford vehicle owners; loyal Ford enthusiasts; notable Ford club people; special Ford families; and/or any avid supporter of Ford, Ford vehicles, Ford motorsports, Ford Racing or Ford Performance who deserves a little bit of special recognition.
All you need to do to get you, your car or candidate considered is to send in a brief description (200-500 words or less) and a few photos (in .jpeg format, preferably around 1 mb in size) with the owner’s full name and hometown, please. Just tell us about the vehicle(s) and why you think Ford Racing should feature it (them) in the "Ford Fan Spotlight" for an upcoming installment of Fast News as well as for posting on FordRacing.com. Then email it to: ClubHub@Ford.com with your contact info. Your submission allows us the right to use your words and images (along with any edits) for editorial purposes; we’ll choose one submission in random order to post online. We hope to see YOU and your Ford story in our Fan Spotlight soon!
