Patriot Guards

Thursday Pat and I made what seems like our bi-weekly trip to Minneapolis to attend a funeral. This one was for  a 51-year-old niece of Pat's.

She had been in the Army for a few years, then had received an honorable discharge some years ago for medical reasons. Interestingly, her current job was working for either the Army or the VA, I'm not sure which.

Because she was a veteran, the Patriot Guards were there to show respect for a fallen veteran. These words from their website state their mission:

"Our main mission is to attend the funeral services of fallen American heroes as invited guests of the family. Each mission we undertake has two basic objectives:

1. Show our sincere respect for our fallen heroes, their families, and their communities.
2. Shield the mourning family and their friends from interruptions created by any protestor or group of protestors."

This was the first I had observed their presence. It was rather impressive!

There were 15 to 20 members, each holding an American flag and lining the walkways from the parking lot to the church's main entrance. It was a bright sunny day, so the red, white, and blue flags couldn't help but put patriotism in the hearts and minds of those attending.

I appreciated their presence. It provided a nice touch to the service for a departed veteran.

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