<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40">
<head>
<meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=us-ascii">
<meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 12 (filtered medium)">
<style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:"Comic Sans MS";
panose-1:3 15 7 2 3 3 2 2 2 4;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:blue;
text-decoration:underline;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:purple;
text-decoration:underline;}
span.EmailStyle17
{mso-style-type:personal-compose;
font-family:"Comic Sans MS";
color:blue;
font-weight:normal;
font-style:normal;
text-decoration:none none;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;}
@page Section1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;}
div.Section1
{page:Section1;}
-->
</style>
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1026" />
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1" />
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]-->
</head>
<body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple>
<div class=Section1>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";
color:blue'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>Ladies and Gentlemen,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>Recently the PGR was asked to participate in the funeral
services for PFC Matthew Ogden, recently Killed in Action in Afghanistan.
It was a great honor for us to do so and the mission was Ride Captained
flawlessly by Randy Roberts and Dewey Dyer. Those of you who were present
at the cemetery likely noticed the 2 star General who was there and presented
the flags to the family. It is not unusual to see a General Officer at
the funeral of a service member who was Killed in Action, as the military pays
its greatest respects to those who have given their lives for their
country. Without exception these high ranking officers have always sought
out the PGR and offered their thanks to us and have been genuinely kind and
gracious to us and for that we are very grateful.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>This particular General, however, was a little
different…and in a good way, I think. When he had concluded his
official business I saw him approach Randy Roberts. The General had a
slight smile on his face and I presumed he was going to shake Randy’s
hand. As the General offered his hand to Randy the General said;
“The Patriot Guard is always there.” The General introduced
himself and they spoke for a few moments and the General said he is from
Texas. Randy invited him to come and ride with us when his service was
completed. They had a nice exchange, during which Randy presented the
General with a North Texas PGR challenge coin as a memento of the
occasion. The General moved on to another rider, smiled, again offered
his hand and said; “The Patriot Guard is always there.”
Pleasantries were again exchanged and the General moved on. I watched
this occur a couple more times before I was called to something else. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>What stuck in my mind, though, was that before the General
ever introduced himself or said anything else to a rider he always said;
“The Patriot Guard is always there.” Here is a Major General,
who obviously has more than a couple of things to think about on a daily basis,
and the first thing out of his mouth to PGR riders at a funeral for a soldier
who was Killed in Action is; “The Patriot Guard is always there.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>I did not meet the General but I knew I had to find out who
this was. To the rescue comes Chief Kelsey, who often comes to the
rescue. The Chief tells me that the General is Major General Michael
“Mike” Lee Oates, the Commanding General of the 10<sup>th</sup>
Mountain Division out of Ft. Drum, NY. PFC Ogden, you recall, was a
member of the 10<sup>th</sup> Mountain Division. At the time of PFC
Ogden’s funeral, MG Oates himself had been back from the sand for only 9
days.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>So here we had the Commanding General of the 10<sup>th</sup>
Mountain Division, a Division with a long and proud history, back only 9 days
from the war zone at the funeral of a PFC from his Division and presenting well
deserved honors. He then takes the time to honor us in the PGR by
recognizing our presence and shaking hands. He further shows us the great
honor of greeting us by using the words; “The Patriot Guard is always
there.” This, even prior to introducing himself.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>I know that a number of the riders witnessed this and met
the General. I only wish more could have been there to see him and
receive the great honor he gave us by his words. I don’t think
I’m alone in thinking in terms of a bumper sticker or patch or something.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>“The Patriot Guard is always there.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal> Major
General Michael “Mike” Oates<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal> Commanding,
10<sup>th</sup> Mountain Division<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal> United
States Army<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal> June
11, 2009 – Dallas, Texas<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>I hope you don’t mind my taking up your time with this
relating of events from a recent mission, and I certainly don’t intend
for an instant to detract from the true intent of the day itself – to
honor the memory of Private First Class Michael Ogden for giving the ultimate
sacrifice for our country and our freedom. But in the grand scheme of
things, you matter. The riders of the Patriot Guard matter.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>General Oates said a lot in those 6 words. He made an
observation. He gave us a compliment. He thanked us. And I think
he gave us a charge…a duty…a responsibility. I believe that
he may be actually calling on us to be “always there.” Always
there for the service member and their family, wherever “there”
happens to be – the flight line, the funeral home, the cemetery, the back
yard building a wheelchair ramp, escorting the troops home or on their way, or
otherwise lending a hand… or a shoulder.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>Always there.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>I like it.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>Steve Lucas<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>Deputy State Captain<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>North Texas PGR<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";
color:blue'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
</div>
</body>
</html>