luv2b0at
Petty Officer 2nd Class
- Joined
- Jan 21, 2009
- Messages
- 176
I wanted to write a little about an event I attended Friday and Saturday. This may be for my own emotional benefit, but you all may benefit as well.
I am a member of a couple different patriotic groups. One is the Veterans of Foreign Wars of which I have the honor of being post commander this year, and another is a group called the Patriot Guard Riders (PGR).
The PGR is a group of over 175,000 people, non-veterans and veterans alike, who honor our military members who are returning home from overseas because they were killed, injured, or are returning safe and sound, leaving for military service, or any other reason the PGR can show their gratitude by providing an escort. The police department does not always have the staffing to provide the escort these heros deserve. Most of the PGR ride motorcycles, but that is not a requirement. I do not have a bike (yet) so I drive at the back of the pack in my big red Ford F250 as a support vehicle. I carry gas, water, tools, jumper cables and emergency medical supplies ( I am a former EMT) in case anyone has any problems. The PGR typically will rendezvous at a location a short distance from the event and then all ride/drive in together. They will form a flag line which is two rows of people with or without flags and salute the person of honor as they arrive. They then provide an escort to the final destination typically with a pair of bikes up front, two directly behind the escortees vehicle, and a procession of the rest of the escort service.
On Friday, Army Staff Sergeant Sean Diamond returned home to California after being killed by an IED in Iraq on February 15th. He had served many years prior to getting out of the service, and reenlisted a few years ago. He was serving his third tour in Iraq when he was killed. He was flown into our small municipal airport in Livermore in a small jet. My Senior Vice Commander and I attended the homecoming. The Patriot Guard Riders had about 30 motorcycles and a dozen cars/trucks in the procession from the airport to the mortuary. The city police, local sheriff, the firedepartment and the highway patrol also escorted and provided traffic control. It was very moving. All but a few people we passed stood with their hand over their hearts or were saluting. A group of people from the school district offices came out to the sidewalk and stood with their hands over their hearts. It was all very moving.
On Saturday morning, the Staff Sergeant was escorted to his memorial service which was held in the next town over, Dublin. We had 40 motorcycles and 1/2 a dozen or so cars. Many of the motorcycles fly the stars and stripes on their bikes. It is quite a site to see.
The most moving site to me was this: At every single overpass from Livermore to Dublin, there was a firetruck and it's crew, lights flashing, crew at attention, saluting. At two overpasses in particular;
One had a crew of four on the top of their aparatus, dressed in full turnouts, at attention, saluting.
The other had a single firefighter at attention, saluting, with a large Flag of The United Stated of America on top of a huge ladder truck, lights flashing.
It still gets to me just trying to write about it. I don't think I can pay the picture of it justice trying to write about it.
The PGR waited for the service to be over and escorted the Staff Sergeant back to the mortuary to be cremated.
I have attended a couple dozen homecomings now, only two of which were for a service member killed in action. Many are homecomings for those returning safe and sound. A few have been for service members returning home after being at the hospital for a couple years in rehab.
Anyway, thanks for listening.
If anyone is interested in the Patriot Guard Riders, please see:
http://www.patriotguard.org/
I am a member of a couple different patriotic groups. One is the Veterans of Foreign Wars of which I have the honor of being post commander this year, and another is a group called the Patriot Guard Riders (PGR).
The PGR is a group of over 175,000 people, non-veterans and veterans alike, who honor our military members who are returning home from overseas because they were killed, injured, or are returning safe and sound, leaving for military service, or any other reason the PGR can show their gratitude by providing an escort. The police department does not always have the staffing to provide the escort these heros deserve. Most of the PGR ride motorcycles, but that is not a requirement. I do not have a bike (yet) so I drive at the back of the pack in my big red Ford F250 as a support vehicle. I carry gas, water, tools, jumper cables and emergency medical supplies ( I am a former EMT) in case anyone has any problems. The PGR typically will rendezvous at a location a short distance from the event and then all ride/drive in together. They will form a flag line which is two rows of people with or without flags and salute the person of honor as they arrive. They then provide an escort to the final destination typically with a pair of bikes up front, two directly behind the escortees vehicle, and a procession of the rest of the escort service.
On Friday, Army Staff Sergeant Sean Diamond returned home to California after being killed by an IED in Iraq on February 15th. He had served many years prior to getting out of the service, and reenlisted a few years ago. He was serving his third tour in Iraq when he was killed. He was flown into our small municipal airport in Livermore in a small jet. My Senior Vice Commander and I attended the homecoming. The Patriot Guard Riders had about 30 motorcycles and a dozen cars/trucks in the procession from the airport to the mortuary. The city police, local sheriff, the firedepartment and the highway patrol also escorted and provided traffic control. It was very moving. All but a few people we passed stood with their hand over their hearts or were saluting. A group of people from the school district offices came out to the sidewalk and stood with their hands over their hearts. It was all very moving.
On Saturday morning, the Staff Sergeant was escorted to his memorial service which was held in the next town over, Dublin. We had 40 motorcycles and 1/2 a dozen or so cars. Many of the motorcycles fly the stars and stripes on their bikes. It is quite a site to see.
The most moving site to me was this: At every single overpass from Livermore to Dublin, there was a firetruck and it's crew, lights flashing, crew at attention, saluting. At two overpasses in particular;
One had a crew of four on the top of their aparatus, dressed in full turnouts, at attention, saluting.
The other had a single firefighter at attention, saluting, with a large Flag of The United Stated of America on top of a huge ladder truck, lights flashing.
It still gets to me just trying to write about it. I don't think I can pay the picture of it justice trying to write about it.
The PGR waited for the service to be over and escorted the Staff Sergeant back to the mortuary to be cremated.
I have attended a couple dozen homecomings now, only two of which were for a service member killed in action. Many are homecomings for those returning safe and sound. A few have been for service members returning home after being at the hospital for a couple years in rehab.
Anyway, thanks for listening.
If anyone is interested in the Patriot Guard Riders, please see:
http://www.patriotguard.org/
