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SEND-OFF MISSION - 201ST ENG BN - ASHLAND, KY/HUNTINGTON, WV - 01 MAR 2008

 STAGING / ITINERARY

 We will meet at 11:00 A.M.

 Address: 12307 Midland Trail Road 

            Ashland, KY. 41102

 Map to School:  http://tinyurl.com/23d993[/b]

 KSU and depart at 11:45 For Boyd County Middle School. 

 Flag line in place 1200 Hrs. Ceremony at 1:00P.M. Will last for 1 hr.

 Mission Complete at 2:00

SEND-OFF MISSION - 201ST ENG BN - ASHLAND, KY/HUNTINGTON, WV - 01 MAR 2008

STAGING / ITINERARY

We will meet at 11:00 A.M.

Address: 12307 Midland Trail Road

              Ashland, KY. 41102

Map to School:  http://tinyurl.com/23d993

KSU and depart at 11:45 For Boyd County Middle School.

Flag line in place 1200 Hrs. Ceremony at 1:00P.M. Will last for 1 hr.

Mission Complete at 2:00

Come one Come All I know its a distance to travel for some but, please think of the IMPORTANCE of the trip they are taking. PLEASE STEP UP NOW IF YOU HAVEN'T YET......... God Bless Our Troops.

MISSION COMPLETE 201^st ENG.BN.

Hi Everyone Follows is the ride report for the 201st Eng. Bn. for 03 March 2008, MISSION COMPLETE.  

The morning started out with a very nice 51 Degrees.  I was at the Ashland Armory, and Ghost was at the Dairy Queen in Olive Hill, Ky, The Olive Hill ky group was escorted to the Flying j Truck stop in Catlettsburs, Ky. By the Ky. State Police, The Olive Hill, Ky. Police and Grayson County Police.  The Ashland Unit was Escorted as far as the town limits, where as Joe Grubb Took over and led us the rest of the way to the Flying J Truck Stop.   

After a Short break to let the troops streatch their legs and get some items from the store if they wished we were on the road to The tri-state airport, With KY.State Police from Post 14 in Ashland in Lead along with the Grayson County Police. When we Crossed into West Virginia, West Virginia State Police from Troop 5 in Wayne, WV. Took over lead escort and took us into the tri-state airport.  

We Posted the Flag line outside of the GA gates for the busses to drive through to get to their Plane, after which we were allowed to go as far as the Grass area where it meets the tarmac and stand the Flag line, we had a real good wind this afternoon to keep the Flags waving strong 1343 the troops started boarding that big Bird for their destination, We stood the flag line until the plane had taxied and left the run way at which time we dismissed the PGR and finished another Mission.  Were were thank very much by the Family members that were there to see their families depart from the airport. They will never forget us The Patriot Guard Riders.  It was my Honor to stand with each and everyone of you on this mission.

I would like to say Thanks to PGR Members Leonard A. Hall His very First Mission, Joseph Grubb His First Mission,  Mark Ray, Dave Shaffer, Fred Reynolds, Ronald Young, John Steagall, Tracey Kinney, Terri Maggard,Phil ( Ghost ) Maggard.

I would also like to say thanks for the help of  Ky. State Police Trooper, Sgt. Donnie Shearer from K.S.P. Post 14 Ashland, Ky. Bobby Hall Chief Of Police Olive Hill,Ky. And Sgt. Marlene Stewart Grayson Police Dept.  And Last but not Least West Virginia Trooper Whittington From Troop 5 Wayne, Detachment, Right out of my town. These Men and Women need a big Thanks for their time as well.

 This will wrap up this  mission. GOD BLESS OUR TROOPS AND BRING THEM BACK HOME SAFE.

Regards;
Shadow Wolf
Ride Captain
Wayne , WV .

OLIVE HILL, Ky. (WSAZ) -- Some military families say the federal government won't cover the cost of bringing soldiers back from their training camp before they're deployed to Afghanistan.

So, the families are rushing to come up with more than 50-thousand dollars. They have until April 15th to come up with the money.

If they do not, there are only two options: they'll either have to foot the bill, or the soldiers will have to stay at their training camp and not see their families before they leave.

"They paid to get them up there we thought they would pay to bring him home, too," said Kellie Nelson, a girlfriend of one of the soldiers.

Home is eastern Kentucky -- "up there" is Wisconsin where the battalion is training. It's a standard policy in the Department of Defense for the soldiers to pay their own way home for vacation.

"The military doesn't give them a ride back to their house," said Lieutenant Clint Osborne with the Kentucky National Guard.

But the real catch is: each soldier can't just find their own way. They have to come together -- all 450 -- or choose to stay at the base.

They can't get their own ride because what happens with that many people... tracking all those people becomes a huge headache," said Osborne.

That means about 60-thousand dollars is needed to bring them all back. That money is usually donated, but this time the families of the 201st say they didn't have enough notice. So now, they don't have enough money.

"They told us that he could come home so we all got excited then they told us we had to come up with the money before they can come home," said Nelson.

"Some families can't afford a $130 donation to get their soldiers home," said Vicki Sloan, a mother of one of the soldiers.

The soldiers are expected to be in Afghanistan for one year.

"It's a lot of worry on a mom and there's a lot of wives and children that want to see their dads and moms before they go to Afghanistan."

The 201st engineering battalion has been training in Wisconsin -- and legally, the Kentucky Army National Guard couldn't pay for them to come home. And if they wanted to go home, they all had to go together.

Since our story aired, the United Way collected 11-thousand dollars for the troops, only a fraction of what was needed. But Friday, Bill Baird, a business owner in Sturgis, Kentucky, wired in the remaining 49-thousand dollars.

The United Way says any other money they collect will go to help the troops while they're deployed.