[Texas Road Glide]

so yesterday i was taking a ride to no where, when i came up on what look like a toy run or local chapter run,bikes and bikes and more bikes, i had miss the first part of the group and did not know it was a funeral, as i am waiting many bikers are giving me the joing the ride wave , like come on,
with nothing better to do i joined the ride, wich lead to a funeral home,i was amazed at all the people that had turned out, as i am shaking hands meeting new people. i found out the the body was that of one Nathaniel A.Given. A U.S. Soldier killed in Iraq by a car bomb.

As i am standing talking to a few bikers,this one guy comes up, bill i think was his name. bill was one of the patroit gaurds and we were just talkin and he mentioned to me that nothing like this happened when he came home from nam. as i put my hand out to shake his, i grab him a gave him a big ole texas hug,(at first i think it scared him) and thanked him for a job that he had done years ago. then i thanked him again just for being the man he was.

as i was walking away, bill comes up to and gives me an american flag just for my tour pack,it was then and there it hit me like a ton of bricks, this was special. i was honnored to a part of it. trying to be the tough guy that i am, it was hard to hold back the tears,not of sadness but of joy.at that moment in time i was very proud to be an american, to see all these people showing respect was very uplifting.

my hat goes off to all of you guys, who served are country.
job well done, very well done, it is you guys that make me proud to be who i am, an AMERICAN!!!!!

WORDS CAN NOT THANK YOU'LL ENOUGH
HOPES MY HUMBLE HEART CAN!!!


TRG

[voodoochild]

Very well put! I wish more people felt the same way.

[mwelych]

My wife and I just joined the patriot guard. Seems like people that do not like the war protest at funerals of our fallen defenders (Thank You for keeping us free). Well the Patriot Guard shields the family and friends from the protesting. There isn't a formal chapter in NC, however there is a NC captain. We are volunteering to become the Charlotte organizer, to help out the captain... It is an honor to be able to help the families and serve the fallen heroes that help to keep us free. They normally to not hear how grateful we are for their unselfishness. Thank You, thank you for allowing my wife and kids the freedoms we take for granted. Thank you for allowing me the freedom to ride my motorcycle anywhere, anytime. Thank you!!!

[AFBombBldr]

MW, do you have an email or phone # for the NC rep? I'd like to participate if I have the opportunity.

Thanks for your support of all the troops TRG, and all of you who share the same sentiments.

Joe

[AFNurse]

You should be able to go to the PGR website www.patriotguard.org and goto contact. In that area, should be state captains listed by state. I have made 11 rides with them. EVERY ride has been worth my time and energy.

[mwelych]

Thanks AFNurse... I was going to answer. Thanks for helping out too!!!

[Slimjim]

I recently joined the Patriot Guard also. I intend to retire in the next few months and I hope to be able to join some of these rides. I am a Vietnam era veteran. Wasn't in Nam but was in the Navy during that time. There wasn't much protection from the protesters back then. I'm glad to do anything for our vets but I certainly hope there's not many more funerals that have to be held. God Bless America!

[voodoochild]

Any person who would protest at a soldiers funeral is an ******* and NOT an American in my book. Do they realize who gave them the "right" to do that?...Bastards! I don't give a **** if you're against the war, but damnit, support our men and women who give their lives to protect YOUR frredom! Thank you all veterans, from someone who truly appreciates his freedom! BTW, many of my relatives have served, but that's not the reason I am so adimant about it. (I'm very proud however, to say that my cousin was awarded several congressional medals of honor)

[GreyBear]

The Patriot Guard does a great job...one that it is truly unfortunate it needs to be done. Regardless of a persons political views some things are just NOT done...and horning in on ANYONES funeral, being a d*&k head to those that are dealing with such loss is such a classless act it should be legal to bust a cap in such vermin on sight.
It is regrettable that our returning GI's were given such a raw deal back during Nam. I saw an ad on TV last night for a group called Wounded Warriors, where people that have gone through the trauma of coming back in pieces are going into the hospitals to help the morale of the newly wounded....another great step forward.
And if anyone doesn't realize the difference in supporting and respecting our troops and disagreeing with the course our leaders may have set us on is too stupid to be in the gene pool......

Ride Free.....and thank a Vet for the priviledge of doing so.

[bikerjim1]

Just joined the PGR. What a great cause! Thank you AFNurse for the reference!

[AFNurse]

Always a pleasure!

[mwelych]

Vodooo, I am sooo supportive of your statements... Ya rah!!! And for the Veitnam vets, I regret the behaviors of our people, the ones that so many americans lost there life over in Nam. I thank you vets for keeping my family free to do what we enjoy!!! I wasn't in any action myself, but I support the troops in action now and past insurrections. I am so happy to support our men and women of the armed forces... Thank you for my freedom and the freedom of everyone else in this great country of ours...

[stevenh]

I think Grey Bear sums it up well. Just cuz you don't support the leaders has nothing to do with supporting our troops.

Somebody that could hold a protests at a fallen soldier's funeral has got to be so out on the fringes... I mean, how could they stand being themselves?

[AFBombBldr]

Thanks for the link, I believe the site was down for a bit not too long ago. I'll give it another try. I agree 100%, people should not be allowed to interfere with a soldier's funeral.

I respectfully disagree with showing support for the troops while not doing the same for our country's leaders. Don't get me wrong, I certainly don't like everything coming out of Washington. The reason VN was such a tragedy was because of narrow-minded politicians.

But I believe regarding the war effort in Iraq and Afghanistan, people need to realize that if troops are not overseas defending the nation, there will be many, many more military--and civilian--deaths here in our own front yard at the hands of terrorists.

Yes, we have lost over 3,000 troops in Iraq, and I hate that fact as much as anyone. But that is what the military does, we fight our country's wars against all enemies, foreign and domestic. All of us in the military take the same oath and I like to think we all live by the same Code of Conduct. Article I states, "I am prepared to give my life in their (our country and way of life) defense."

The 9/11 attacks claimed more lives than have been lost in the war in Iraq so far.

The war on terror will not end or even be slowed down if we leave Iraq. Terrorists who attack the US and our interests are only concerned with one thing: KILLING us. Why? Because we are free and they hate that. We have freedoms they only dream of. Religion, speech, press. So they sacrifice their lives willingly to kill us, thinking it will set them free. We can't turn our backs on that and think it will go away. We must arrange the meeting between them and God.

Shouldn't we be concerned with the stability of the region before just throwing our hands up and leaving? I'm not educated enough to know what that will take, but if we leave the job unfinished it is nothing more than a ticking time bomb. We need to knock down political walls and destroy terrorism.

I apologize for derailing this thread if I did so.

My $.02.

God Bless America. America Bless God.

Joe

[chucktx]

i think your post is just fine.......'
thanks
chuck

[Slimjim]

I agree 100%
Thanks,

[voodoochild]

Ditto!

[ironhorse]

double friggin ditto

[Sleepy]

me three

[mwelych]

Me four!!!