General News
RCs Needed Everywhere
We’re at a critical time. We are running more and more missions without Ride Captains as those who have been bearing the load for many years are facing burnout and it’s been too much of a drain on their lives, jobs, and families. It’s more than that.
National will not allow us to send plaques to a funeral home to be presented by someone who is not a member. If no one steps up as RC, we cannot express our gratitude with a plaque. There’s a more important aspect though. We recently had a family ask us to join them in respect of a veteran. A few members showed up but there was no one to tell them what to do, where to go, etc, so they left and there was no PGR presence at the service.
If we had more RCs we could all get away with doing, maybe, 1 or 2 or 3 missions a year. As I’ve said before, everyone on earth needs times in their lives to say, at the end of the day, “I made a difference today.”
When there is no RC
When the PGR first started we had no idea what to do, as our organization hadn't yet organized, so we did what comes naturally (sort of). That’s exactly how a mission should be when there’s no RC (and that can be due to availability, vehicle problems or other unplanned events). You may want to help prepare yourself in advance by reading up on various frequently asked missions questions.
Be Prepared
Every member should have a flag they can bring to missions. There is information here on flags: Flag Setup
Make sure you are dressed appropriately.
Weather can change in hours or minutes. If there is any chance it will get ugly, prepare for the worst.
Stage early
This is always good, especially if you have questions from etiquette to how to rig a flag on a bike. If there’s no RC, take time to discuss what should happen and perhaps ask someone with experience to act as RC.
Stand the line
Set up the Honor Guard line at the main entrance to the service. Remember, no cell phone use, no chit chat. While many of us aren’t veterans, we must do what we can to show the greatest respect, in a manner befitting the fallen.
Take care of your selves
Take water breaks, time to warm up or cool down or stretch your legs. We don’t want to lose members because they thought they had to stand 6 hours in the sun or snow.
Stand down when the service starts
Give them a few minutes as there is always one or two rushing in at the last second. The fallen gave us years of their lives, give them a few extra minutes.
Just do what you can do
We say it over and over but remember, if you can come for an hour, that’s great. Having 30-40 for an hour or two each is better than 4 who can stand the whole time.
Great mission stories
I just added a post on National where I’ve asked those who have experienced something great to share it with us. Do NOT include names or dates that could identify the specific mission. (P.S. you will need to be "logged in" to the National site in order to view the above linked post)
HOTH
As many of you are aware (and heads up to those who weren’t) we have a program called Help On The Homefront. Its purpose is to provide support to our heroes and their families here at home. We have, for the past few years, concentrated on veterans in recovery programs and supporting those for who the war is over but the battle rages on. They are the homeless and those who struggle with daily life. We need help to keep these programs going and the great advantage is that much of the work can be done when you have time and on weekends. Contact me if you can help.
Honor Flights
We’re at a quiet time for Honor Flights but I assure you, these are one of the greatest things we can do. It is unfortunate but we have done a number of services in the past 2 years for veterans who had just made the flight and the families tell us over and over what a great experience it was. If you want to chat with WWII veterans who show up at 4 a.m. in uniform (yup, itchy woolen 1942 uniforms) ready to “report”, you’ve just gotta get up before them and head on over.
And So We Wrap Up The Year
In 4 ½ years we went from 450 members to just short of 3,000 in Wisconsin and are at about 250,000 around the world. We attended 97 missions this year. Remember when you’re on the line, the most important mission is the one you’re doing that day.
