This is a completed mission report for the mission to honor Staff Sergeant Brian John Andrews at the funeral services on August 12, 2008 as requested by the family.

Brian was 31 years old and died after a long bout with cancer. Brian served in the National Guard since January 12, 1994 as a light vehicle mechanic and was in the 134th FSB.Brian had received a long list of medals for his service to his country. He is survived by his wife Rachael and 2 young children.

We staged for the mission on Tuesday, August 12 at 10am on a very rainy day but members still showed up from several other sectors, some coming from a long way off including Rochester. We had a total of 29 bikes and 48 members and that does not count the several members who arrived later.. We staged, did a short briefing and welcomed new members in the parking lot. We notified everyone that the family had received word just the night before that Brian was not to be buried in the Veteran's Cemetary at Camp Ripley and the escort was changed to provide the escort just to the town hall building in Camp Ripley.

We made the short trip to the Chapel on Camp Ripley under the escort of the security police. We were asked to park the bikes in the front of the chapel and the cages in the parking lot.

We arrived early and spaced out the flag line on either side of the two main entrance sidewalks. As people started to come in we were somewhat overwhelmed by the sheer number of people coming to pay their respects to Brian and his family. There was a huge parking lot that quickly filled up with cars and the Chapel quickly filled up beyond its capacity as they literally had to squeeze people in.

Many people thanked us for being there and several times I heard the word awesome in describing the flagline. We did hear from some of those paying respects about what a great person Brian was. He was a hero to many and to us. Many of the people who showed up to honor Brian were soldiers from Camp Ripley.

We stood down after all people entered the Chapel and we did a short briefing to adapt to changes made by the people in charge. They wanted to make sure all of our members signed the register and that delayed members who were to leave to do the flag line for the arrival of the family and the escort at the town hall building. It was then decided all members could attend the honor guard and leave right after the honor guard finished.

Unfortunately the honor guard held up and the members to do the flag line at the town hall were asked to leave before the honor guard was finished. Someone commented that the members should have stayed until after the honor guard was done to show our respect. As it worked out the members doing the flag line were just barely in place when the escort and the family arrived. It simply was not possible to be in 2 places at once. Rachael came out before all of the guests arrived at the town hall and we presented her with a plaque and a flag. I had also made a book of all the comments on the national thread and gave her that. We gave the children little Army bears wearing vests that Yvonne brought, and Ron M. gave us pennies with crosses in them so we gave them to the kids too.

One more time we had to ask more of our members and one more time they showed their flexibility as we were asked by the family to escort the family and Brian's remains home. Since the family found out at the last minute (last night) that their plans to have Brian interred at the Camp Ripley Veterans Cemetary was not going to work out, Rachael would be carrying Brian home with her. They lived just north of Brainerd and members were asked if they would escort her home.

Despite the fact that this was an unplanned twist to the mission and that we had to wait until almost mid-afternoon our members responded and we had 11 bikes and 2 vehicles with multiple occupants escort this family right to their driveway. ARC's Roger and Louise Danielson arranged a police escort through Brainerd's west end and it made the escort get through as a group and more safely but I am also sure made it even more of a tribute to Brian in the eyes of the escort and Brian's family.

As we pulled off the side of the road at the end of Brian's driveway we could see the family taking our pictures before we left and as we said our good byes we were feeling the grief this family was going through. In light of the unfortunate events that made this even harder on this brave family, I was more proud of our members than ever for their unselfishness, dedication and flexibility to try to lighten the burden of grief on this family.

I have heard many thank you letters from families of those we served say that they cannot express how they felt about our presence. Well I know how they feel as I cannot put into words how proud I was to be standing next to our PGR brothers and sisters on this, what should have been a routine mission. I hope everyone in leadership is constantly aware of the personal sacrifices, time and expense our members make every time they attend a mission. What a difference they made today to Brian's family, friends and the many soldiers who attended and saw our flags honoring one of their own.

Rest in Peace Brother Brian....

God Bless America and Those That Serve and Have Served This Great Nation ~ Freedom Isn't Free!!

Starr Marshall
Brainerd Sector RC