Send-Off Ceremony: Battery A, 1st Battalion, 151st Field Artillery

"Mustangs, Home of the Studs"

With four National Guard send-off ceremonies in one day, on April 4th, 2009, things were certainly busy for a lot of people in western Mn. The send-offs started in Marshall, for the "Mustangs," Battery A, 1st Ballalion 151st Field Artillery--affectionately known as "The Home of the Studs!" It was my privilege to be RCIC of this mission.

To help plan our PGR activities, Sgt. Tim Green of the Marshall Armory had graciously included my RC's email on his list. We all met at SW State College at 7:00 a.m. for final details. As the "old gym" is hard to find, located in the center of the campus, one of the ladies organizing things mentioned that there should be some "yellow ribbons or something" to help lead the public to the right location. I said, "Just give us an hour, and the public won't have any problem !"

After a brief ride around town and past the armory, flying the colors, I arrived at our staging point at a local restaurant, right on time, to find many PGRiders already there. We collected several more signatures for the PGR flag, and left for the college with 20 members and two motorcycles, which were then parked, flying the flags, next to the sidewalk to be used by the public. With a long distance to cover from the parkling lot to the entrance, along a curving sidewalk, we staggered our members from the street to the entrance to the building, and soon had hundreds of people walking through our flag line, having no trouble at all finding their way! The local Scouts were manning the doors, and these young citizens did a fine job ! Each time I walked the flag line along the curving sidewalk, I found more and more members had quietly joined the line, and even another motorcycle parked by the the other two, also flying the colors! Altogether, we ended up with 30 members attending, with at least two from the metro area and one all the way from Cannon Falls!

Shortly before 10:00 a.m., we entered the building and lined both sides of the balcony hallways overlooking the gym. As I looked down upon the crowd, I saw many "LTD" and "KMS" shirts, representing Lhotka, Timmerman and Day, and Koch, Miller, and Schmit, all Fallen Heroes from western Minnesota. Many others were wearing red shirts for the Red Bulls. The Jason Timmerman family supporters were well represented in the crowd as well, as Gary and Pat Timmerman prepare to send another son, Travis, off to Iraq. We could also not help but notice all the "new babies" among the young families of these soldiers.

After a wonderful ceremony with speakers Congressman Colin Petersen, MG Larry Shellito, First Lady Mary Pawlenty, Governor Tim Pawlenty, and Battery Commander Cpt. Jeffrey Nelson, the roll call of the troops took place, and assembled directly in front of the podium, and we were called upon at the end of the ceremony. I had asked Marshall PGR member and 30 year Air Force Guard veteran Myron Green, and National Guard / Iraqi veteran Chris Dunsmore, ARC, to have the honors of displaying the PGR flag, refolding it, and presenting it to Captain Nelson, while I gave the short talk, mentioning that even at the very moment that we stood there for them, another group of PGRiders were standing watch in Comfrey for the funeral of National Guardsman David Wolle. Chris received some big hugs from his former commanders, and all of us received a handshake from Governor Pawlenty and a hug from First Lady Mary Pawlenty.

We then reformed our flag line outside the building, with many National Guardsman and family members stopping to visit and thanking us for being there. Upon dismissal, many members continued on to the send-off ceremonies at Montevideo, Appleton, and Olivia.

At each ceremony, MG Shellito told the departing troops in no uncertain terms to realize how special these ceremonies are, as troops in previous years and previous wars received no such send off ceremonies. More than once I glanced up and down the flaglines, and saw many veterans wiping away tears upon hearing his words.

At each ceremony, the troops received standing ovations when Governor Pawlenty said that instead of "actors, singers, and professional athletes," the true role models should be the soldiers who have stepped up to defend our nation. No truer words were spoken at these ceremonies.

The PGR received several standing ovations throughout the day at these ceremonies, but Chris Dunsmore, in charge of the last event at Olivia, set the record straight while presenting the PGR flag, by reminding all that "It's not about us. We are here to support the troops." And then he got another standing ovation !

God Bless our Troops and Bring Them Home Safe!

The picture link below is of the Walkway of Flags leading the public into the ceremony at Southwest State College at Marshall.

(@) Pictures from mission

Respectfuly submitted,

Alan Peterson
Marshall Sector Ride Captain