Welcome Home Marines

Saturday we had a Patriot Guard Mission to welcome home the local Marine Corps Reserve Unit. They were coming home after serving 10 months in Iraq. We had to be in Billings for staging at 3:00 pm.

We actually went up to Billings bright and early on Saturday morning. We ate breakfast and then did our shopping. Can't bring back all that stuff on the motorcycle. This gave us the opportunity to find the ball field parking lot. Gary bought at new BBQ grill. We then came home and got the motorcycle out and washed it so that it was nice and clean for the mission.

We left Hardin again in the afternoon and made it to the staging area. We got to check out the new ball park that Billings had built a couple years ago, now we are going to have to see a game. It didn't take long for the other riders to show up. There were 22 of us in all and there were about 18 bikes. There were even two guys who came all the way up from Casper and Sheridan.

The reserve unit was coming home on two different flights, the first one at 4:30 and the second one at 6:30. When Robert came home, his unit chartered the whole plane and they all came home together. We arrived at the airport and received our instructions. We had just set up our flag line at the baggage area when soon the plane had landed. This one was 10 minutes early. Not very many family members were at the airport, they were told to stay at the reserve center. There were a couple family, the press was there and even a representative of Sen. Tester's office was there. Once all the Marines got off the plane, we hurried to our bikes, got our flags put away and got ready to lead the parade through town. The Marines rode a bus from the airport to the reserve center.

Our group led the parade, it was fun riding through the city of Billings, stopping traffic at the major intersections and ignoring all the traffic lights. I could just imagine what the other drivers were thinking when the group of bikers are stopping traffic. Gary and I were surprised that the local cops weren't in on the parade, but the local law enforcement did know what we were doing.

The reserve center is clear on the west side of Billings, so we had to ride quite a ways through Billings and those Marines loved it. We got the first group to the reserve center and then we had to get going back to the airport to meet the other plane.

We had plenty of time for the second plane, set up our flag line and this time the flight was 15 minutes late. Again some family meeting at the airport, but most were at the reserve center. Here came the second group. The Marines were surprised to see us there.

By the time the second plane landed it was cooling off a bit, it was almost 7:00 by the time we left the airport, again leading the parade through town. I think by now the locals knew what was going on because a few stopped and honked their horns for these guys. Must have watched the news. The Marines said that what we did for them was better than a police escort any day. They loved all the bikes and the noise.

This time as we made it to the reserve center we were able to mingle with the guys. Gary and I talked to a some that live in Idaho. Two actually are from Idaho Falls, one was from Pocatello and the other was from Twin Falls. There isn't a Marine Reserve in Idaho so these guys train in Billings. We said our good byes to the other riders as we wanted to get on the road home before it got too dark. Don't really want to ride in the dark. The two guys from Wyoming were also going home. We didn't get home until 8:45. We had enough light to see, wasn't quite dark yet.

Now I know I am getting old, as these Marines were getting off the plane, all I could think of is that they are so young. These "boys" should still be in school worrying about graduation or just enjoying their last days of school and getting ready for summer vacation. They shouldn't be half way around the world fighting a war. Of course I said that when Rob went over. I really shouldn't call these Marines "boys", they are actually young men. Still kids to me.