Meet Brian Rider: A Veteran Air National Guard Reservist Who Brings Inspiration to the USO and Partner Harris Teeter

By USO Staff

For more than 20 years, Harris Teeter has supported the people who serve in the U.S. military — and their families — through their annual Round Up campaign, which benefits the USO. The retailer, which has more than 250 stores in seven states and the District of Columbia, has raised more than $13.6 million since 2012 through their successful Round Up campaigns. Harris Teeter proudly distributes those donations to local USO Centers, where they make a tangible impact on the surrounding military community.

Harris Teeter is proud to support U.S. military service members and their families. The company recognizes that many of its valued associates have close connections to the military, whether through family members, active service, or veteran status. Brian Rider is a Harris Teeter associate specializing in transportation and logistics who experienced the USO’s support firsthand during his 22 years in the Air National Guard Reserve. Brian and committed service members like him inspire the USO and Harris Teeter to be by the sides of the people who serve, wherever the mission takes them.

Brian clearly remembers the first time he felt the warmth and reassurance of the USO. He was about to travel home to West Virginia after completing basic training and technical school in San Antonio, Texas. As he and his fellow service members arrived by bus at the airport, they received unexpected news: they were informed that some of them would be diverted to meet up with their units, which had been called up to respond to Desert Storm. They were instructed to gather at the USO Airport Center and await orders.

To take a bus from basic training straight to a plane that would lead to a front-line deployment could be an alarming experience for any new reservist — which is why having such a welcoming environment at USO Centers can make a huge difference in morale for service members.

“I remember there were a lot of games, like foosball and arcade games, and things like that. But what I remember most were these little biscuits, and I don’t know if they were freshly made, but they were the best-tasting thing,” Brian recalled.

“I joked with the women there. They were like close aunts or mothers. It was comforting. I guess that’s one of the biggest things, because there was a lot of uncertainty. You have just come out of what some would consider a stressful six months with basic training and tech school, and now you’re being told you might be activated to a war theater, and you go into the USO — and it was just comforting. It was almost like you walked into your grandmother’s kitchen.”

After a six-hour wait, Brian was told he would be returning home to the 167th West Virginia Air National Guard.

That was the start of his life as a “citizen soldier,” as many reservists are called. It can be challenging to balance a civilian career with military service. Reservists must report one weekend a month and two weeks per year, but they can be called to duty at any time, leaving behind their loved ones at a moment’s notice. Brian deployed to Spain for three months in 2005 and 2010 to manage logistics supporting U.S. military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Reservists are also often called to duty in response to natural disasters. For Brian, that included reporting to Morefield, West Virginia, almost annually to assist in clean-up efforts following seasonal flooding. As part of his military training, Brian’s broad skill set includes the ability to drive “just about anything you’d find on a base.” That experience came into play when the natural disaster clean-up required forklifts, front-loaders or other heavy machinery, but Brian jumped in to do whatever needed to be done.

That’s the can-do and will-do attitude of reservists, no matter what their backgrounds may be.

“I remember going on a couple of exercises, and our colonel was a dentist. During my time in the Guard, I became very good friends with architects, doctors, lawyers, entrepreneurs and police officers. They all do their separate thing, but when they all come together as a unit, you realize, ‘Wow. There is a lot of talent in this room.’”

The ability to contribute your individual talents to come together for a greater purpose played a large role in Brian’s decision to join the military after four years of playing baseball at the collegiate level.

“I’ve had family members that had served … grandfathers that had served and great uncles. So being in the military was part of our family. But more than anything, it was the team. I missed that sense of being part of the team.”

A close friend who was already serving in the Air National Guard had encouraged Brian to specialize in logistics when he joined, which he later pursued outside of the military as well. This ultimately led to positions in transportation logistics for several major companies, including his current role at Harris Teeter as Senior Manager of Transportation and Fulfillment Center Operations.

Shortly after joining Harris Teeter in January 2022, Brian learned about the company’s commitment to strengthening the people who serve in partnership with the USO.

“One of my first interactions was the annual sales meeting in Charlotte, North Carolina. Five buses of Harris Teeter employees and volunteers came together at the Bank of America Stadium to stuff USO Care Packages. I was blown away,” Brian said.

“No one saw this as work. The spirit was, ‘Our soldiers need this. Wherever this bag goes, it’s going to someone who needs it.’”

Although Brian retired from service in 2015, he still connects to the military community through his passion for letting service members know they have someone by their side. And his memories of the USO support remain ever-present in his mind.

“I still do some traveling, and when I pass a USO in an airport, there’s a little warmth that comes over me. It was a sign that regardless of where you were, you had friends — somebody who’s got your back.”