WEIGH
WEIGH IN.
WEIGH IN. WE WILL SHARE THOSE RESULTS
TONIGHT AT TEN.
>>> RICK KROGER IS ONE OF MANY
RIDING TO STRANGERS FUNERALS,
HUNDREDS OF THEM EVERY YEAR.
HE 4@IS A PATRIOT GUARD RIDER
SHOWING UP AT MILITARY FUNERALS
IS A SIGN OF 4@RESPECT.
THE GROUP STARTED IN 2005 IN
RESPONSE TO PROTESTERS WHO
STARTED DISRUPTING 4@MILITARY
FUNERALS.
FUNERALS.
FUNERALS. THE BIKERS WHO WANT TO PROTECT
AND PAY TRIBUTE ARE FACING
THEIR ONE CRISIS.
>> Reporter: THIS MAN AND EVERY
OTHER PERSON WITH A FLAG 4@IS 4
STRANGER.
STRANGER.
STRANGER. HONORING ONE OF AMERICA'S
FALLEN.
FALLEN.
FALLEN. >> NOBODY LIKES TO BURY THEIR
FAMILY MEMBERS.
FAMILY MEMBERS. IF WE CAN BE HERE TO SHOW T4@HE
THAT PEOPLE DIDN'T KNOW THEIR 4@
LOVED ONE ARE HERE TO PAY
RESPECT AND HONOR THEM IT HELPS
THEM.
THEM.
THEM. >>
THEM. >> Reporter: THEY ARE THE
PATRIOT GUARD.
PATRIOT GUARD. >> IT'S ONE 4@OF THE MOST
FULFILLING THINGS I HAVE DONE.
>> Reporter: THE GUARD IS A
NONPROFIT MA4@DE UP OF EVERY DA
PEOPLE 4@LIKE RICK KROGER WHO
SHOW UP WHEN CALLED TO 4@ESCORT
AND HONOR THE MILITARY WHEN
THEY 4@ DIE.
>> THEY ARE ALL A HERO TO ME.
>> Reporter: RICK AND THE 4@RES
OF THE GUARD RIDERS STARTED
TODAY'S MISSION LONG BEFORE
THIS 4@GRAVE SIDE SERVICE.
THREE DAYS AGO THEY FORMED A
FLAG LINE AT LAMBERT WHEN A
WORLD WORLD WAR II VETERAN 4@
ARRIVED FROM HAWAII.
THEY DID IT ALL AGAIN AFTER HIS
BODY HAD BEEN PREPARED BY THE
FUNERAL HOME AND WAS 4@PUT INTO
THE HEARSE.
THE HEARSE. WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THIS VERY 4@
MOMENT IS WHAT THE GU4@ARD IS
REALLY KNOWN FOR.
A LINE, MOSTLY OF MOTORCYCLES,
DOZENS OF THEM READY 4@TO LEAD
HIM TO HIS FINAL 4@RESTING PLAC
IF MADE ME CRY.
IT WAS JUST SO 4@TOUCHING.
>> Reporter: A PROCESSION THE
PFC'S GREAT NEICE SA4@ID SHE
DESERVED SO SHE CALLED THEM
ASKING FOR THEIR HELP.
>> JUST TO SEE THE 4@LINE
COMING.
COMING.
COMING. IT IS -- IT'S MAKING A
STATEMENT.
STATEMENT. A BOLD STATEMENT AND THAT'S THE
STATEMENT. A BOLD STATEMENT AND THAT'S THE@
WAY THAT EVERY PERSON THAT'S IN
THE MILITARY SHOULD GO FOR
THEIR LAST 4@RIDE IS WITH A BOL
STATEMENT.4@
STATEMENT.4@ >> Reporter: 4@THE SOLDIER'S LA
RIDE ENDED HERE AT JEFFERSON 4@
BARRACKS NATIONAL CEMETERY
WHERE THE GUARD HAS LED 4@
HUNDREDS OF HEARSES OVER THE
YEARS.
YEARS.
YEARS. >>
YEARS. >> WE ARE THE MOST ACTIVE 4@AR
OF OPERATION IN THE COUNTRY.
WE DID 4@500 MISSIONS LAST YEAR
>> Reporter: TODAY THERE WERE
THREE RIDE 4@MISSIONS.
TOMORROW THERE ARE FIVE.
>> NORMALLY WE DO SEVEN TO TEN
A WEEK.
A WEEK.
A WEEK. IT'S EVERY WEEK.
>> Reporter: THE DEMAND NEVER
STOPS.
STOPS.
STOPS. >>
STOPS. >> ST. LOUIS IS A GREAT CITY.
PEOPLE HONOR THEIR VETERANS.
>> Reporter: THESE RIDES OF
HONOR ARE AT A BREAKING POINT.
>> IT IS A CRISIS.
>> Reporter: A MANPOWER CRISIS.
>> OUR MEMBERS AGING.
THE GUARD WAS 4@STARTED BY
VIETNAM VETERANS AND WE ARE
GETTING OLDER.
GETTING OLDER. >> Reporter: IT'S ALREADY 4@
HAVING ANA EFFECT.
HIM HAVE YOU DONE FUNERALS BY
MY SELF.
MY SELF.
MY SELF. >> Reporter: THEY NEED HELP.
>> WE ARE GOING 4@TO HAVE TO S
NO AND WE DON'T WANT TO DO
THAT.
THAT.
THAT. WE
THAT. WE DON'T WANT TO SAY NO.
>> Reporter: YOU DON'T NEED A
MOTORCYCLE TO 4@RIDE WITH THEM.
ANY CAR WILL DO.
YOU ALSO DON'T HAVE TO BE 4@A
VETERAN.
VETERAN.
VETERAN. YOU ONLY NEED ONE THING.
>> YOU JUST HAVE TO HAVE A
COMMITMENT TO HONOR THE
VETERANS AND THE FIRST 4@
RESPONDERS.
RESPONDERS. >> Reporter: IT'S ALL VOLUNTEER
AND THERE IS NO TIME
REQUIREMENT.
REQUIREMENT. >> IF YOU CAN COME ONCE A
MONTH, ONCE A YEAR THAT'S 4@FIN
WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE YOU.
IF YOU COME YOU WILL PROBABLY
GET INVOLVED MORE AND WE WILL 4@
SEE YOU MORE.
IT'S SO FULFILLING.
>> Reporter: RICK CALLS MOMENTS
LIKE THIS.
LIKE THIS. >> 4@ YOU WERE PERFECT AND HELP
ME SO MUCH.
>> IT'S OUR HONOR.
>> Reporter: 4@AN 4@EMOTIONAL
PAYCHECK FOR GIVING THE GIFT OF
OUR TIME AND GIVING 4@THE
MILITARY ONE LAST RIDE.
RICK ALSO THINKS THAT THE
REQUEST FOR GUARD ESCORT IS
HIGHER HERE TH4@AN ANYWHERE ELS
IN THE COUNTRY BECAUSE WE 4@HAV
JEFFERSON BARRACKS.
JEFFERSON BARRACKS. HE CALLED IT ONE OF THE MOST
BEAUTIFUL CEMETERIES IN 4@THE
COUNTRY.
COUNTRY.
COUNTRY. IT BECAME A MILITARY POST IN
1826 AND IS A BURIAL PLACE 4@FO
ARMED FORCES FOR PEOPLE FROM
ALL WARS.
ALL WARS.
ALL WARS. IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN
VOLUNTEERING 4@4@GO TO WWW.PATR
GUARD.ORG.
GUARD.ORG. >> IT'S NOT JUST THE FUNERALS.
I COVERED WOUNDED SOLDIERS
COMING BACK AND THEY ARE THERE
AND IT MEAN A LOT.
>> IT MEANS SO MUCH TO THE
RIDERS TO 4@HELP THE FAMILIES A
THEY DON'T WANT TO 4@TURN THE
FAMILIES AWAY WHO WANT THEM TO
BE A PART