In the 2005 Army Staff Sgt. John G. Doles died during “Operation Enduring Freedom” in Afghanistan. The 29-year-old’s funeral was held October 2005 in Oklahoma. His family and friends remember him fondly.

At his funeral service, a group of protestors stood across the street picketing the funeral with signs such as “America is Doomed” and “Thank God for Dead Soldiers.” The members of the Westborough Baptist Church, an extremist organization based in Kansas, were met with a wall of American Legion Riders.

Then, for roughly 30 minutes, bikers over powered the vicious comments made during the service with their loud revved motorcycles. When the Westboro protestors finally gave up, the riders joined the family and friends at the service to honor Doles. This was not the first encounter with the WBC, but it helped spark the beginning of a new group, The Patriot Guard Riders.

Hervey Littlefield, member of the local Patriot Guard, explained that the group has evolved since then into showing families of veterans that there are supporters. “They want to know someone is there for them to honor their fallen hero.”

Littlefield was drafted during the Vietnam War, but he decided to enlist instead, because he said it was a better deal. He served in Vietnam from 1969-1970 as crypto repairman.

The PGR is a group of volunteers from across the country, most of whom are veterans themselves. They are a federally registered non-profit that shows support for fallen military heroes, honorably discharged veterans, first responders, firemen and law enforcement officers. The PGR does not solicit invitations; they have to be requested to attend funerals or memorials and they coordinate through an Internet-based system.

“We don’t care what you ride or if you ride, what your political views are, or whether you’re a hawk or a dove,” according to patriotguard.org. “It is not a requirement that you be a veteran. It doesn’t matter where you’re from or what your income is; you don’t even have to ride. The only prerequisite is Respect.”

Although the local chapter has never met with any protestors, they have attended funerals in the area and across the state.

Littlefield said that he gets the satisfaction from knowing he can help other veterans. “It’s not something you have to do, but it’s something that makes you feel good.”

Last December, the local group also escorted the Wreaths Across America trucks through Brookhaven to the next point in Louisiana on the way to Houston. Only 30 cities are chosen across America to act as relay points and Brookhaven was one of them for 2013. The organization delivers wreaths to military cemeteries across the country, including Arlington National Cemetery.

There are more than 300,000 PGR members in the nation and between 700-800 ride in Mississippi. The group not only attends funerals, they greet returning troops from overseas and perform volunteer work for veterans’ organizations.

They ride by the motto, “Standing for those who stood for us.”

The local organization is available to serve the community. To have them attend funeral or memorial mission, families may contact them through funeral homes or online at www.patriotguard.org.