Flags at Arlington National Cemetery

After a meeting with the Superintendent of Arlington National Cemetery a number of issues were resolved.  One of which is the displaying of flags inside ANC and at the gravesite. Arlington National Cemetery/Fort Myer is the home of the “Old Guard”, the elite of the elite for honoring our fallen heroes.  These men and women do this with precision and professionalism. It is policy at ANC that no other flags will be displayed at the gravesite during the ceremonies other than the Flag on the casket and the military honor guard.  Therefore:

    * Flags displayed on bikes and cars during an escort into ANC to the Admin building are allowed.    
    * There is approximately a 20 minute waiting period at the Admin building.  Flags larger than 15 inches will
      be furled or stowed at this time.   
    * Permanently mounted small flags can remain displayed on the vehicles.
    * No Flag displays graveside

Flags at Ft. Myer / Old Chapel / Funeral Home

If the services include a flag line at the Old Chapel or the funeral home - we would like everyone to bring their 3 x 5 flags (and any extras they can carry) to the services.  We will do a normal PGR flag line, and then break down the flags when we fall out for escort of the funeral party to the grave side or to ANC proper.  We have time to stow the large flags as we shift into the ANC "no big flags" zone.

Loud Pipes 

There are as many as 5 funerals going on at the same time at ANC, and we have to be respectful to ANC.  We are their guests.  Please, if you plan on making missions, no revving of engines, please keep engine noise down.   We do not want to lose our right to attend missions at ANC.  Everyone has been doing an excellent job in keeping the noise level down, alleviating a major concern with the management of ANC.

"Uniform" - There is None!

ANC missions are ridden in your normal riding gear - just avoid potentially offense slogans or pictures on the shirts, etc  The exception to the "normal riding gear" comes about if part of the mission involves Ft. Myer, which usually means the Old  Chapel.  See next topic.

Ft. Myer Riding Gear Requirements

Ft. Myer is a military base and they take rider safety very seriously.  This means you must have the following:  full finger gloves, long sleeve shirt or jacket, reflective vest or belt  (during daytime they will usually OK a bright colored shirt/jacket) , helmet - sometimes they are easy on these requirements, but they often enforce strictly.

Staging Areas

The most frequently used staging area is the Marine Corps Memorial - also referred to as the Iwo Jima Memorial, or simply IWO.  If IWO is set in the mission plan, it is easy to get to and the only thing you need to know is that once on the IWO grounds, you will need to ride all the way around the perimeter of the grounds, keeping to the right when the roadway splits, and then park under the trees on the right hand side almost opposite of the steps to the monument.

Another often used staging area is the Murphy Funeral Home located at 4510 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, Virginia 22203. The Funeral Home is located just off Exit 71 of inbound I66 - take a right on N. Glebe Road, and then another right at the next light - Wilson Blvd. The funeral Home is on the left side just after the turn. If on outbound I66 use exit 71, turn left onto N Glebe Road, and then take the right at the third light - Wilson Blvd.

The staging area will be announced along with the mission plan, and if it is other than those above, directions will be given.

Maps & Riding/Driving  Directions

Click on the following link for a web page that contains printable riding / driving directions and related maps for the staging areas, and other ANC related destinations.  
PGR-ANC Information / Maps / Etc

Riding Rules / Practices

We ride a column of staggered twos using the  " 1-second 2-second"  spacing setup, and all hand signals must be passed back by each rider.  If you have flashers on your ride, use them. When we escort from the Funeral Home, we have been positioned in different places in the procession (depending on the wishes of the funeral director and the family):  immediately behind the LEO escort, immediately behind the hearse, at the end of the procession. Which location is defined at each funeral. Usually when we are part of the procession from either Ft. Myer Old Chapel or the ANC Admin. Bldg, we fall in at the end of the procession.  The RC will position the PGR riders according to the current day's plan.

Calling Hours, Memorial Services

Most ANC missions do NOT involve calling hours / visitations and/or memorial services at the funeral home - those are usually held in the home area of the Hero or his/her family.  On the occasion that such services are in order, we handle them in the normal PGR fashion. Nothing special just because they are for an ANC funeral.

After ANC Services - No "Sight Seeing"