hotp2t

Forum Replies Created

Viewing 15 posts - 1 through 15 (of 40 total)
  • Author
    Posts
  • hotp2t
    Moderator

    We were blessed with a marvelous sun-shiny spring day down in the southern AOR for AUS/PGR, where we had a solid six PGR members standing to honor Mr. Homer Negrete in Uhland today. The memorial service was well attended by Homer’s family and friends and many of them took the time to thank us each personally with hugs and handshakes. Part two of this mission was escorting the hearse and procession from the church in Uhland down to Ft. Sam Houston in San Antonio for the interment service. Four of us riders were on this portion of the mission, down the nail-biter that is I-35. I’m totally grateful for the professionalism we enjoyed from the four Hays County Precinct Two Constables who safely guided this whole group down to Ft. Sam without incident. At Ft. Sam, we stood down for an hour until Mr. Negrete’s service was scheduled to start and then we were joined by about a dozen SA/PGR members where we all stood a flag-line for that service. Thank you for your dedicated service Mr. Negrete and RIP good sir!

    Jim Callison
    R/C

    hotp2t
    Moderator

    We had a nice turnout of 9 AUS/PGR members standing in honor of Mr. Clifford McCullough today in Pflugerville. Mr. McCullough’s arriving family and friends were appreciative of our presence and quite a few voiced their thanks for all of us being there for him. I thank each of you for taking time out of your day to show your support to this family, it truly meant a lot to them!

    JimmyC
    R/C

    hotp2t
    Moderator

    On a beautiful day nine PGR riders formed a flag line at the Mission Funeral Home in South Austin to pay honor and to support the family of Marcus Z. Barron III. Several family members came up and thanked us for our service. LEO led the funeral procession for the 19 mile escort to the Cook Walden Capital Parks Cemetery for the internment service. We met up with other PGR riders at the cemetery where a total of 14 riders stood a second flag line until the end of the service. Following the striking of the flag line I thanked all the riders for their support and to have a safe trip home. Thanks to Max and Don for displaying the flags and providing water for the riders. RIP Marcus and thank you for your service.

    Gary Mayers – R/C in training

    hotp2t
    Moderator

    We had 8 PGR members standing to honor CMS (Ret.) Grady Elliott today in E. Austin on a sunny but brisk Saturday morning. The service was very well attended by Grady’s family and friends, attesting to his long-standing ties and commitment to the community. While standing the flag-line, we all had many, many thank you’s and well wishes from most all of the arriving guests. Grady’s son, Grady Jr. came over to our gathered group prior to the flag-line to shake our hands, tell us all thank you, and how proud his dad would be to see us all there for him. We really made a big statement today for this family and I thank you all for taking time out of your day to help make a difference. Godspeed CMS Elliott and thank you for your years of outstanding service to our country!

    Jim Callison
    AUS PGR R/C

    hotp2t
    Moderator

    Today we had 4 of us Austin Patriot Guard Riders in Bastrop standing in honor of Mr. Cal Cunningham. Of special note, we also had standing the flag-line with us Ben Benivedes, a former AUS/PGR member who now lives in Las Vegas, NV and rides with their group. We also had the pleasure of having Cal’s brother Mike standing the line with us. Mike lives in SE Ohio and rides his scoot with the local PGR association there. Cal was also an active member of the Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association and there was a rather large contingent of members from the various chapters at his service today.

    Cal’s wife Kim and his whole family came over to our small gathered group to thank us all one by one and shake our hands…the we’re all so very appreciative of our presence. Godspeed and RIP Cal and thank you for your years of service to our country!

    JimmyC
    AUS/PGR R/C

    hotp2t
    Moderator

    We had a really great turnout of 16 PGR members standing tall today to honor USAF (Ret.) Senior Master Sergeant Jennifer Villela on a perfect fall day in Cedar Park. Even though the temp outside was only a few degrees less today, the “cooler” fall temp was noticeable by all and a nice respite from the triple-digit days we experienced just a short time ago.

    Today’s mission was a two-parter for us, the first part was standing a flag-line before the memorial service started in Cedar Park and then the second part was 11 of us escorting the hearse and all the family & friend’s vehicles to CTSVC in Killeen where we stood a second flag-line for the interment service along with an equal contingent of Centex PGR members.

    On a special note, our strong presence today brought Jennifer’s husband Edwin and a little later, her father Joseph, to tears when they individually came over to where we were gathered before the service to talk with us about Jennifer’s life and to genuinely thank us all for being there for her. It was moments like this today that hit you in the feels and make what we do so important, to show respect and support to a family where a loved-one has passed…and in this case, one that was way too soon. I thank you all who took time out of your day to stand tall to honor the memory of Jennifer Villela. Godspeed and RIP good lady and thank you for your years of dedicated service to our country!

    hotp2t
    Moderator

    We had a total of 12 hearty PGR members standing in honor for Mr. Sterling Johnson today in Kyle. It was another triple-digit day outside but luckily we were able to stand our flag-lines out of the direct sun by staying under the shade of the venues covered porches. I want to express a special thanks to SA/PGR rider “Thumper” who joined us today and gets the long-distance rider nod…thank you sir, it was a pleasure meeting you!

    Mr. Johnson’s immediate family expressed their heart-felt gratitude for our attendance, his widow RoseAnn and his mother Sonya literally broke down in tears of thanks seeing our group ride in as a unit together and then stand in honor for Sterling. I thank you all for taking time out of your day and making a difference to this family. Thank you for your service Mr. Johnson and Godspeed!

    JimmyC

    hotp2t
    Moderator

    We had four AUS/PGR standing tall in South Austin today to honor SSgt Earl Gardner, USAF (Ret) and I thank Nikki, Keith, and Dave for taking time out of your day to be there. Even though we were a small group, we made a lasting impression on Earl’s arriving family and friends. His family thanked us all personally and his son’s shook each of our hands in gratitude. I’m sure Dave will agree with me on this, as we both did the escort ride up to CTSVC…I’d also like to say a big thank you and give a big atta-boy y’all to the three LEO escorts who turned what could have been a scary white-knuckle experience riding from S. Austin to CTSVC in Killeen with us two, plus a motorcade of 25+ family vehicles, into a flawless choreography of safety and order in the usual mayhem of heavy traffic between here and there…my hat is off to you guys!

    Rest in Peace and Godspeed SSgt Gardner and thank you for your years of service to our country.

    Jimmy Callison
    AUS/PGR RC

    hotp2t
    Moderator

    We enjoyed a perfect spring day to ride out in the countryside where 7 Austin PGR members stood in honor of Mr. Albert G. Arzola, Jr. today at both his memorial and graveside services in Taylor, TX. Mr. Arzola’s family were very grateful of our presence and all of his son’s and nephews walked our flagline to thank us personally and shake our hands. My thanks to Don for your artistic display of static flags at both services and to all of you guys who took time out of your day to make a difference for this family. Rest in peace and Godspeed Mr. Arzola and thank you for your service to our country!

    Jimmy Callison
    AUS/PGR Ride Captain

    hotp2t
    Moderator

    It was an overflowing parking lot and standing-room-only inside Ramsey’s chapel that 6 of us Patriot Guard members witnessed this afternoon for the memorial service to honor Mr. Donald Pfiester, Captain, USAF (Ret). We stood tall along and between each of many static flags our flag-wrangler Don had placed in the grass along the front of the building and it made for a real impressive statement for the arriving guests to walk by. There were many, many “thank you, gentlemen” given to all of us by the arriving guests and Mr. Pfiester’s family was especially grateful we were there to honor him. I thank all of you who attended todays mission and I also wish to extend a big AUS/PGR Welcome to first-time rider Tom Wallace, who rode in from Buda. Godspeed and RIP Donald Pfiester and thank you for your service to our country!

    Jimmy Callison
    AUS/PGR – R/C

    hotp2t
    Moderator

    My thanks to Keith, David, and Don for braving the early-morning cold today to stand in honor for CWO2 Earl M. Colley Jr., US Navy retired, today in Cameron and then later at the cemetery service about 10 miles east of Cameron. We might have been small in numbers but we were a huge presence to the gathered family and friends at both services. We spoke to most of CWO2 Colley’s immediate family members and they were all so very appreciative with thank-you’s and hand-shakes that we were there to honor him. Don did his usual outstanding job of placing static flags at both services and the visual they provided was perfect. We had two nice surprises on today’s mission that weren’t known to us ahead of time. 1: Cameron PD provided us with LEO escort from the church to most of the way to the cemetery and 2: once at the cemetery, we were greeted by a US Navy Honor Guard squad there to perform the military honors portion of the service. Godspeed and RIP CWO2 Colley and thank you for your years of honorable service!

    Jim Callison
    AUS/PGR R/C

    in reply to: Albert Campa, 52, USAF veteran, San Marcos, TX, 14 NOV 2021 #6201
    hotp2t
    Moderator

    What an ideal country setting all (8) of us PGR members were greeted with this evening just on outskirts of San Marcos to honor Mr. Albert Campa. This was no somber church or funeral home service we typically attend…this was a party of celebration of and for Albert Campa. The Texas Rock House event center and it’s surrounding grounds are uniquely charming in Texas rustic décor and was the perfect setting to celebrate the life of Mr. Campa as he wished to be remembered. On a funny note and perhaps perfect timing, for at least 10 minutes leading up to the formal rendering of Taps, then the 3-shot volley by a rifle squad, and then the Flag-folding ceremony by a crack Air Force Honor Guard, we were serenaded by a curious cow’s incessant mooo’s right at the fence line of the yard where everything was taking place just a few feet away. That was definitely a first in my book and not even the rifle volleys seemed to faze her in the least.

    Mr. Campa’s wife and his daughter spoke to all of us, thanking each us for being there for Albert and both were genuinely grateful for our presence. My thanks to all who attended this later-than-normal mission today and special thanks to SA PGR R/C’s Mike and Lisa Menard who rode up from the west side of San Antonio to be there with us also. Godspeed Albert Campa and thank you for your service!

    hotp2t
    Moderator

    We had (4) Patriots at the mission today in downtown Austin who stood a flag line to honor Mr. Jerry Schmidt, a former US Navy Submariner who served from 1961 to 1968. Two of Jerry’s sons (one of whom is also a PGR rider up in Nebraska) and one of his grandsons came over to where Soup and I were standing, scoping out the church pre-mission, to thank us both and to tell us how much their dad would enjoy seeing our group today. Soon after, we were joined by a number of other family members who also personally thanked us for being there for Jerry.
    I thank Max, David, and Soup for taking time out of your day to stand tall for Mr. Jerry Schmidt this afternoon…you all made a difference for this family and it was much appreciated by them. RIP and Godspeed Jerry and thank you for your dedicated service to our country!

    Jim Callison
    AUS/PGR R/C

    hotp2t
    Moderator

    We might have only had (4) Patriots standing both flag-lines in honor of MSG Billy Ray Richardson on a beautiful fall day in Pflugerville today, but along with Don’s impeccable placement of static flags at both services, we looked mighty good during the packed-to-overflowing memorial and interment service for MSG Richardson. As family, friends, and co-workers arrived at the funeral home and steadily filled the parking lot to beyond capacity, several of his Brothers and Sisters-in-Arms made it a point to stop by our flag-line positions to personally thank each one of us, salute us, and shake our hands. This distinguished group of soldiers included (2) Brigadier Generals and a whole lot of other military brass.

    My thanks go to Steven and David for taking time out of your day today to stand tall in honor of MSG Richardson and special thanks goes to Don for adding your special touch in artfully placing all the static flags, which made for one impressive statement that did not go unnoticed by all who attended. RIP and Godspeed MSG Billy Ray Richardson and thank you for your years and years of dedicated service to our country!

    Jim Callison
    AUS/PGR R/C

    hotp2t
    Moderator

    We had 9 PGR members standing in honor for Mr. Frank Ross, USMC Vietnam vet, down in San Marcos today. Mr. Ross’ family was very appreciative of our gathered group, his wife Neta, one of his sons, and a daughter came out to personally meet with us and talk to us all before the service started to thank each one of us and shake our hands.

    I thank all of you who took time out of your day to stand tall for Mr. Ross, we certainly made a good impression during this families time of grief. It was also a pleasure to welcome into our group Greg, a first-time AUS/PGR rider from Canyon Lake. Greg told us he has ridden a lot of missions with the Dallas area PGR and has recently moved to Canyon Lake.

    Thank you for your dedicated service Mr. Ross…Semper Fi and Godspeed good sir!

Viewing 15 posts - 1 through 15 (of 40 total)