Patriot Guard Riders
American nonprofit organization / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Patriot Guard Riders (PGR) is 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.[2][3][4][5]
Abbreviation | PGR |
---|---|
Founded | 2005 |
Founded at | Mulvane, Kansas |
Type | 501(c)(3) registered |
Region | United States of America |
Membership | 329,696 (2011)[1] |
Website | www.patriotguard.org |
The group forms a voluntary honor guard at military burials, helps protect mourners from harassment and fills out the ranks at burials of indigent and homeless veterans. In addition to attending funerals, the group also greets troops returning from overseas at homecoming celebrations and performs volunteer work for veteran's organizations such as Veterans Homes.
The organization is open to any persons, regardless of political affiliation, veteran status, or whether or not they ride motorcycles, as long as they have "a deep respect for those who serve our country".
Some media reports have referred to the PGR as a motorcycle club.[6][7][8] Patriot Guard Riders' representatives state that they are "not a motorcycle club", but an "Internet-based organization" and "communication system" by which members are informed of funeral events.[9][10][11][12]