Joyce,

I am also going on my first mission next week, and like you, VERY nervous! I don't know what to expect, so I'm just going to go with the flow.

I contacted someone through the PGR website that lives in a nearby town, and said "I'm new! Help me!" and he has been very welcoming. I have also been in contact with Lisa (Lisajan) - who is a PGR Mentor for new members - and she's been VERY helpful.

So, good luck to us! I think this is going to be a great thing.

  Jenifer

Hey Jennifer and Joyce,

 You will have to let me know how your missions go. If you are going on KIA or honor mission remember it can be very emotional. Bring tissues... Remember what you do for the families by being there and standing in that flag line is priceless. 

We have a KIA mission again here in GA tomorrow and Sunday.  I will be attending both days, it will be hard but well worth it.  I spoke to a young Marine after our mission last week.  We stalked him in Chili's and he knew who we were.  While we were thanking him for his service he thanked us for ours.  He said "You guys have know idea what it means for us to drive up and see all those flags, I get all choke up most of us had tears in our eyes" (he was talking about the other Marines that he was with)  I also have had many family members say the same.  It goes back to that stranger thing just like we do here on anysoldier.  We care but we don't have too and to tell you the truth it really surprises people that we do. 

Keep me posted and Thank you for all you do.

Joyce I sent you a PM

Lisa

Best advice is to stand in respect, keep a handful of Kleenex in your pocket and depending on the weather, be prepared.  In Florida we always have one person in a car to carry bottled water in a cooler and, we keep a first aid kit complete with sunscreen.   If it's cold where you are, make sure you have gloves with Thinsulate lining and warm socks and boots. You'd be surprised how fast you start freezing in a flag line.

 Peace,

Cara

Well, today was MY first mission with the PGR.

The mission was for SFC Matthew Kahler of 2/503rd 173rd ABCT, who was KIA in Afghanistan on 26 Jan. SFC Kahler was from a small town near my hometown. You can read about him here:

It was very sad, but really such an honor to be able to show my respect for SFC Kahler and his family.

 

Jenifer_one_N:

Well, today was MY first mission with the PGR.

The mission was for SFC Matthew Kahler of 2/503rd 173rd ABCT, who was KIA in Afghanistan on 26 Jan. SFC Kahler was from a small town near my hometown. You can read about him here:

http://granitefallsnews.com/articles/2008/02/03/news/news01.txt

It was very sad, but really such an honor to be able to show my respect for SFC Kahler and his family.

 

Jenifer, I was just about to email you and ask how it went.

I'm glad you were able to go. I haven't been to my first mission yet but hopefully soon. 

You all make me so proud! 

Hey Jennifer I am so glad you were their for this soldier's family.

Thanks for all you do!

Lisa

Susan and Jennifer,

I pray that most of your missions with the PGR are welcome homes or "feel good" missions and that you have as few honor missions as possible.  I can tell you the feel goods never outweigh the sadness from the loss of a young boy or girl. The only thing about an honor mission that is positive is being able to honor someone who gave his/her life for his/her country and being able to offer some small amount of comfort to the family.

 God Bless you and the PGR, may all your missions be positive.

Peace,

Cara

Hey, this is Susan - I am in Atlanta at Lisa Jan's house!  So, that is why this is showing up under her name.

Cara, thank you so much for your kind words!  Lisa just read me what you wrote and it means so much.  Tomorrow will be the first mission for me, we are going to see the Tuskgee (sp?) Airmen in Warm Springs, GA.  I will be able to meet all of the GA PGR that I hear so much about.  OH! I will be able to meet Ashley tomorrow as well.  I am super excited to meet everyone and honor these men. 

Thank you again for the nice note, it means so much to me.  I am with you, I hope that I do not have to attend many honor missions because I know how heart wrentching it can be.  We all know though, it is not always easy and that is what makes it so special and dear to our hearts. 

 Much love and hugs, Susan and Lisa Jan too!

Hi everyone!

I'm on my way out the door for part 2, the visitation, of my first mission. They're expecting a pretty big crowd, and I'll get to meet a LOT more of the area PGR members. The funeral is tomorrow, but I don't think I'll be going. It's supposed to be in the single digits temp-wise, and possibly snowing and windy, so I'll probably skip it. But they're expecing a really big crowd tomorrow, too, so I may try to go for just a bit.

Have fun, Susan and Lisa! And thanks, Cara - I also hope I have more feel-good missions.

Everybody have a great weekend!

  Jenifer

I did part 2 of my first mission, the visitation, last night (Friday). It was cold, but there were 80+ PGR members there and the family was very appreciative.

The funeral was today, and it is bitterly cold and windy, so think warm thoughts for all involved!

On a side note, I wanted to share this: The flag that I used for the PGR mission was a gift from one of my AnySoldier contacts. I had been saving it, thinking maybe I'd get some sort of shadow box and hang it on the wall. But I decided there was no better use for my flag then to use it to honor a fallen Soldier.

SusanMK:

I am so lucky, I get to go to my first PGR mission with LISA and her family in ATLANTA GA!!!    I'll be traveling down there on Feb. 8th and we'll get to go to a PGR mission on Feb. 9th.  I am so excited. 

I'm such a goober and had to share with everyone. 

And what an AWESOME mission that was!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Truely a memorable day hanging out with all our PGR folks and the famous and extraordinarily heroic Tuskeegee Airmen!!!  Pics can be seen at the link below (and Marty, I emailed you a couple pics I thought you'd get a kick out of!!!).  Susan, it was so good to meet you today! YOu MUST come back! :) Ashleigh & Lisa, as always it was a pleasure seeing y'all... and especially at such a happy event, too!  

MamaKat in GA'

kat_orr:

SusanMK:

I am so lucky, I get to go to my first PGR mission with LISA and her family in ATLANTA GA!!!    I'll be traveling down there on Feb. 8th and we'll get to go to a PGR mission on Feb. 9th.  I am so excited. 

I'm such a goober and had to share with everyone. 

 

And what an AWESOME mission that was!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Truely a memorable day hanging out with all our PGR folks and the famous and extraordinarily heroic Tuskeegee Airmen!!!  Pics can be seen at the link below (and Marty, I emailed you a couple pics I thought you'd get a kick out of!!!).  Susan, it was so good to meet you today! YOu MUST come back! :) Ashleigh & Lisa, as always it was a pleasure seeing y'all... and especially at such a happy event, too!  

MamaKat in GA'

http://s21.photobucket.com/albums/b269/jeffskat/PGR%20MISSIONS/TUSKEEGEE%20AIRMEN%202-9-08/

It was an awesome mission.  It was such an honor and a blessing to be able to be tehre with the extraordinary Tuskegee Airmen.  It was almost like being in a movie for me.  I am truly blessed to have been there.  I'll post my pictures when I get home and have my own computer, so look for them Monday or Tuesday.

Kat and Ashleigh - you all are truly amazing and made me feel so welcomed and loved.  THANK YOU!!!  Don't worry Kat, I'll be back in a few months.  As much as time and finances allow, I will be here as much as possible.  :)

Love to all of you.  The PGR is a truly amazing thing.

 Jenifer - how is it going with you? 

Hey Kat, Susan and Ashley..

I think anysoldier was well represented today with our PGR family.  I am afraid I did not get to meet the airman but I did get to plug the PGR and Any Soldier with our documentary friends.  Looking forward to that coming out, should be very cool!!

It was a fabulous day and glad we were all together!!

Till next time,

Lisa