Operation Patriot Shield

In all of my life, I never thought a group such as Operation Patriot Shield (OPS) would ever be organized, need to exist, or that I would ever take part in such a matter. OPS is a group of people that gather together to create a shield between the grieving families of fallen soldiers and the Fred Phelps hate group who protest military funerals. It is a shame that this happens but the outpouring of support through OPS is something magnificent to witness.

Pictured below is a soldier with his flag, which was present on three of his tours of duty.  His three kids helped him hold it high when the hurse drove by.

This is a member of the Patriot Guard.  Patriot Guard is a group of motocycle riders that rev their engines to drown out the chants of the picketers at funerals.

On the morning of Tuesday, November 24th, I headed to Harrisonville, MO for the funeral of CPL Jacob Carver, age 20 of Freeman, MO, who was killed by a suicide bomber in Kandahar province, Afghanistan. As I drove along 2 Hwy, halfway listening to Christmas carols on the radio and thinking about what I was going to witness that day, the song, Celebrate Me Home by Kenny Loggins slightly interrupted my thoughts and stayed with me throughout the day. The words “Celebrate Me Home” seemed rather fitting in a way that I didn’t know Jacob Carver personally, but my mere presence along the roadside in the patriot shield allowed me to celebrate the things that I did know about him as a soldier, like, his heroic nature and outright show of patriotism that put him in a dangerous place, carrying out missions that I never would have had the guts to do myself. It is unfortunate that Jacob didn’t have more time on this earth to do other great things.

Jacob's family came by, shook our hands, and thanked us for our support.  It was an honor for us to be there.

Patriotism is defined as devoted love, support, and defense of one’s country; national loyalty. Thank God for the many men and women who enlist, serve in the military, and protect our country and the freedoms that are so precious to us.