Bob Page, aka “Pops” Page, originally heard about the Patriot Guard Riders when he lived in another state, but when he moved into NC, people in the community told him about it again.  Due to his past service in the Marine Corps, his time as a civil servant,

and the many other ways he has supported his community through his work, it was time to join.

The Patriot Guard Riders is defined as “an organization based in the United States whose members attend the funerals of members of the U.S. military and first responders at the invitation of a decedent’s family.” They ride their motorcycles in a procession in order to show respect for fallen service members in their community. Being able to join a group dedicated to “respecting service members on their final mission” helped him bring closure to his own retirement. With eleven counties, one of seven North Carolina Districts, and two hundred people locally, Bob views the Patriot Guard Riders as a great way to support a close-knit community.

When I asked him if there were people who have impacted his life that he otherwise wouldn’t have met, his answer was yes, without hesitation. He begins to describe how many people he has been able to meet through the Patriot Guard, especially through his years riding and position of leadership as a ride captain. He also describes how he is impacted by the people they ride for and their families. When a family in need reaches out to receive their service, the Patriot Guard tries to do research on the deceased and have a briefing with their team before the ride. Such planning aims to maintain respect for the family and the deceased and try to bring closure wherever possible.

When I asked Bob about the main intent of the Patriot Guard, he stated that if someone was only told one thing about them. It would be that respect was their main mission. He also stated that it was important not only to hold respect for the deceased that they were riding for but to respect the time and dignity of their families.

The Patriot Guard Riders have very few limits on who can volunteer to better their community. You can ride a motorcycle, car, or truck to be involved with the procession, you do not have to be a current or former service member, and you do not have to meet regularly or donate to their cause. “The only thing required is respect,” reads their website. In order to request support from the Patriot Guard Riders, just go to their website, patriotguard.org, and click on the “Request the PGR” button.