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<div class=Section1>
<p class=MsoNormalCxSpFirst><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";
color:windowtext'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormalCxSpMiddle><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";
color:windowtext'>Ladies and Gentlemen,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormalCxSpMiddle><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";
color:windowtext'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormalCxSpMiddle><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";
color:windowtext'>This evening I attended a Board meeting for the City of
Gainesville’s Medal of Honor Celebration on behalf of the North Texas
PGR. We have been invited to participate in this year’s event.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormalCxSpMiddle><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";
color:windowtext'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormalCxSpMiddle><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";
color:windowtext'>Each year since 2001 the city of Gainesville has hosted
recipients of this, the nation’s highest award for valor that can be
bestowed upon a member of our armed forces for action against an enemy of our
nation. While these recipients are in Gainesville their money is no good
anywhere in town. They participate in a number of events, including
speaking to school children, a book signing, a parade, a banquet, tree
planting, etc. They are flown in at the expense of the organizers and
stay at a local hotel. Please refer to: </span><span style='font-family:
"Times New Roman","serif";color:windowtext'><a
href="http://www.gainesville.tx.us/Historical/MedalofHonor.html"><span
style='color:windowtext'>Click here: History of Medal of Honor Host City
Program</span></a> for more information about the event itself.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormalCxSpMiddle><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";
color:windowtext'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormalCxSpMiddle><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";
color:windowtext'>This year’s event will begin on Wednesday, April 1,
2009 with the recipients’ arrival at DFW airport. As the recipients
arrive (within a 2-3 hour time frame) they are taken to the USO area where they
visit with the incoming and outgoing troops. They are then put in
limousines or other appropriate transportation and, with police escort, taken
to Gainesville. They return to DFW Airport on Sunday morning to leave for
home. The parade is scheduled for Saturday morning.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormalCxSpMiddle><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";
color:windowtext'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormalCxSpMiddle><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";
color:windowtext'>I think you may be able to see where some of this is leading,
but there is more. Yes, we have been asked to be in the parade. We
will also escort the recipients from DFW airport to Gainesville on Wednesday
and back to the airport on Sunday. There are tentative plans, if rider
interest is sufficient, for us to not only ride as an entry in the parade but
to have riders escort the individual open cars of the recipients as they ride
in the parade. In other words, a PGR rider at each corner of the
recipient’s car as it goes along the parade route. A great honor.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormalCxSpMiddle><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";
color:windowtext'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormalCxSpMiddle><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";
color:windowtext'>The aforementioned book signing is currently scheduled for
right after the parade. It is tentatively planned for the PGR attendees
and some other dignitaries to have a little private face time with the
recipients prior to the general public being allowed into this event.
There is a particular book, I understand, that is being sold at this event for
the recipients to sign, as well as shirts and other items, and I understand
that perhaps one “outside” item might be allowed in for autograph.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormalCxSpMiddle><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";
color:windowtext'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormalCxSpMiddle><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";
color:windowtext'>Twenty-four Medal of Honor Recipients have been invited to
the event. I am told that only 2 have sent their regrets. I am also
told that approximately 15-18, or perhaps more, are expected to attend.
This number is expected to include 100 year old John Finn, who was awarded his
Medal of Honor for actions at Pearl Harbor. Each year during the book
signing a person is assigned to each recipient to assist the recipient as
necessary and when the Medal of Honor book, for example, is placed in front of
him, to know where the recipient’s story is found in the book and turn
quickly to that page so the recipient can sign next to his picture and
bio. The PGR has been volunteered for this duty. PGR volunteers
will be assigned to individual Medal of Honor recipients and assist them for a
couple of hours during the book signing, getting a chance to be up close and
personal with these distinguished heroes.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormalCxSpMiddle><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";
color:windowtext'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormalCxSpMiddle><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";
color:windowtext'>It is a rare event when multiple Medal of Honor recipients
are gathered in one location. There are less than 100 Medal of Honor
recipients alive today. Recipients of the Medal of Honor (they are not
“winners” of the medal – it’s not something you can
compete for) invariably insist that they wear the Medal on behalf of those comrades
who paid the ultimate price for our freedom. In that way, the PGR and the
recipients are a lot alike. A large part of our mission is to honor those
who have paid the ultimate price for our freedom. And we do that without
hesitation. It’s what we do. When you read the citations of
the individuals who have been awarded the Medal of Honor, it is obvious that
they were willing to pay that sacrifice, also without hesitation. It just
wasn’t their time to be called “home.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormalCxSpMiddle><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";
color:windowtext'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormalCxSpMiddle><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";
color:windowtext'>Comrades in arms on the same battlefield, non-commissioned officers,
field officers, military investigators, Generals, Admirals, Congressmen,
Senators and Presidents of the United States have determined that these
recipients are worthy of the highest award for valor that can be bestowed on a
military person by our nation. And now the North Texas Patriot Guard
Riders have been specifically asked to honor these individuals by participating
in this event. I consider this a great honor and privilege and I was
proud to accept this invitation on behalf of the men and women of the North
Texas PGR. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormalCxSpMiddle><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";
color:windowtext'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormalCxSpMiddle><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";
color:windowtext'>Please mark your calendars now and plan to participate.
More information will be posted as plans for our parts of the celebration firm
up. </span><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:windowtext'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormalCxSpMiddle><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";
color:windowtext'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormalCxSpMiddle><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";
color:windowtext'>Thank you.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormalCxSpMiddle><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";
color:windowtext'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormalCxSpMiddle><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";
color:windowtext'>Steve Lucas<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormalCxSpMiddle><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";
color:windowtext'>Deputy State Captain<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormalCxSpMiddle><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";
color:windowtext'>North Texas PGR<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormalCxSpLast><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";
color:windowtext'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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