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Patriot Guard Mission Procedures Appreciation Letters and News Articles
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Frequently Asked Questions |
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1. How do I join the Patriot Guard, and what
benefits do I get?
To join:
Click on the Join Our Mission button, then enter your email address, name, etc., then click submit.
Benefits:
You will be added to our e-mail list.
You will receive e-mail mission alerts for the
Fallen Soldier Funeral Missions.
* Please note that if you don't hear from us,
it is because there is no pending or scheduled mission.
We do not send frivolous emails. We do not solicit anything from you. 2. Why do I not receive e-mails about other events like welcome homes, sendoffs, parades, parties, and other funerals?
The Patriot Guard mission is to stand guard at
funerals of Fallen Soldiers of current wars, to provide a shield
between grieving families and protesters.
A Fallen Soldier is a KIA or Casualty of War of the current wars.
3. Where can I attend a
Patriot Guard meeting?
There are no meetings.
4. How do I buy a Patriot Guard patch?
We do not sell the
Patriot Guard patch.
We give a patch at no charge to every first-time funeral mission participant. If you don't have one, ask a Ride Captain for one. 5. Do I have to ride a motorcycle to be in the Patriot Guard?
No, you do not have to
ride a motorcycle. You can drive your car or truck.
6. Do I have to be a veteran to be in the Patriot Guard? No, you do not have to be a veteran. The Patriot Guard is a group of citizens who come together to support the Patriot Guard mission. The only requirement is that you love and support our nation and the soldiers who fight for our freedom. Some of us are veterans. Some of us are members of Veterans Service Organizations.
Some of us ride
motorcycles. Some of us do not belong to any sort of organization.
We're all citizens and patriots who wish to honor our fallen soldiers. 7. What do I do on a funeral mission? What is expected of me? 1. Read the itinerary prior to showing up for the mission. 2. Arrive at the staging area at the designated time so that you are present for the briefing. Staging Area Captains will direct you where to park. If this is your first time, tell them. They will direct motorcycles with flagpoles to one area, and motorcycles without poles to another. Automobiles will be directed to another area and will follow the bikes in the procession. 3. Pay attention to the Ride Captain's briefing and follow instructions. 4. If you are a first-timer and are riding a motorcycle, ride at the back of the motorcycle group. 5. Be cautious and attentive when in the procession. It is an emotional experience. 6. When standing in line with a flag, do not smoke or use your cell phone. This is a matter of showing respect to the fallen soldier. Ask someone to hold your flag, then step out of line to smoke or to use your phone. When holding your flag, be solemn and reverent. No joking or cutting up. 8. Why do you ask us to fly only one large flag on our bikes? We request that you fly only one large flag for two reasons. 1. Published Flag protocol is followed. We sometimes refer to it as military flag protocol. 2. Safety - if it is a windy day, your flag could whip around into your face, or the rider next to you. The flag could also be blown against the wheel or chain of the bike next to you. Two flags compound the problem. A single flag is easier to manage.
9. What is meant by flag
protocol?
Flag protocol means order in which flags are flown. This is not a matter of us expressing our personal preference. Flag order was established long ago. It applies to military and non-military processions. We refer to it as military flag protocol because these are military funerals with full military honors. Simply put, the US flag always leads, and state flags are next. Military branch flags, then organizational flags - all flown based on birth date. The youngest organization's flag flies last. We only fly one flag per bike, so it simplifies the flag order process. To read more about flag protocol, check our Flag Protocol page on this site.
10. When I'm holding a
flag, how do I stand at attention and salute?
When you're holding a flag and are called to attention, you stand at attention. The flag pole is held upright with your right hand. When "present arms" is called, you do not salute. You stand at attention. During prayer, and they say "uncover" you do not take off your hat. Those people not holding a flag can salute or put their hand over their heart. Veterans, Law Enforcement Officers, Firemen, for example, will salute. All others will put their hand over their heart. 11. What sort of clothing should I wear?
If you're riding a
motorcycle, wear protective clothing.
Many of us wear helmets, gloves, and leathers. The leathers will be too hot in the heat of summer. If you're driving an automobile, dress appropriately for the weather, but be sensible. Use common sense, and keep in mind that you are attending a funeral. We are all showing respect to a Fallen Soldier. We're not there to make a personal statement about anything. It's not about us. It's about the soldier and family.
12. What should I do if
the protesters jeer at us and make obscene gestures?
Turn your back and ignore them. They want a reaction from you. Don't give them one. 13. Where can I buy pins, patches, armbands, hats, shirts, and other merchandise? We do not have a merchandise store. We give the Patriot Guard patch free as stated above. The patch identifies you to LEO as Patriot Guard when you're at a mission. 14. How can I participate in Patriot Guard fundraisers? The Patriot Guard does not have fundraisers. We do not solicit donations. We gratefully accept donations, which are used to pay for the Patriot Guard patches we give away, and for US flags, the We Support Our Troops flags, the frames for the "In Memory Of" Certificates that we give to the Fallen Soldiers' families, and for materials to build casket flag cases.
15. Where can I get a
small flags to mount on my bike, and a flagpole for the large U.S.
flag?
You can buy the small
flags locally at motorcycle dealers.
If you want a standard
flagpole, you can buy 5-foot fiberglass poles at Lowes or Home
Depot.
The best choice is to
order from a website.
Here's a site that sells
standard poles and telescoping poles.
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