The family of National Guardsman Spc. Brian Skold of Sauk Rapids, Mn, is requesting the Patriot Guard to stand watch for their loved one.

Spc.  Skold, who proudlyserved with his Minnesota Army National Guard unit in Iraq from Sept 2004 and to Nov 2005, and remained an active member, died tragically in a confrontation with law enforcement on Sunday, May 27, 2007, near Osakis, Mn.  He is survived by four children, his adoptive parents and biological mother, six siblings,  and a host of other relatives and friends.

Visitation will be Sunday, June 3, at St. Michael's Catholic Church, 412 3rd St West, Madison, Mn,  from 2:00 pm to 7:00 pm, with prayer service at 7:00 pm.

Funeral services will be on Monday, June 4, also at St. Michael's Catholic Church, Madison, Mn, at 10:30 am, with internment immediately following at St. Michael's Cemetary, also in Madison.

Zohrbach Funeral Home, Madison, Mn, is the attending funeral director.

Please follow this mission report for updates and details as they are formulated.  Ride Captain for this mission is Alan Peterson.  Email marshallrc@mnpatriotguard.org

Jeff Anderson and Paul Ramsby will be assisting. 

The Mn Patriot Guard extends our sincere sympathy to the family, friends, and National Guard comrades of Spc. Skold,  and the law enforcement officers involved, during this difficult time.

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Mission Details:  To be updated as needed. Please watch mission thread for any updates concerning visitation on Sunday June 3.  (see below).

The family requests our presence specifically for the funeral and internment service on Monday morning, 4th of June.  Media coverage is expected to be heavy.  We caution all PGRs to refrain from talking to the media in any way concerning this unfortunate situation.

Mission Details for Monday, June 4

8:30 am - 9:00 am  Stage at Cenex Gas Station, corner of Hwy's 75 and 40, on south end of Madison.  Sign waiver upon arrival.  Coffee and restroom, light snacks available.  There is no "high octane" gas available, so top your tanks off if needed in neighboring towns on the way.  Attach flags for 1/2 mile procession to church.

9:00 Mission Briefing .  Strong emphasis will be made on not talking to media.

9:15  Leave for church.  We will be parking cycles on side street next to church, and flags may remain on cycles for visibility if additional flag is used for flag line. 

9:30 Family arrives.  Funeral attendance is expected to be large, with a large presence of military personel.  This will be a military service.

10:30  Funeral Service.

We will be following law enforcement to the cemetary a few blocks away, preceeding the hearse and family vehicles.  At the cemetary we will lead the procession to the far east end of cemetary, park cycles, and again establish flag line, and remain until end of internment service.  If we have enough PGR's present, we may establish a flag line at the entrance to cemetary,  in advance of arrival of funeral procession.

As usual, bring a 3x5 flag and pole, and be self sufficient.  Forecast is for highs in the 70's, with chance of showers.

Sunday, June 3  Visitation:  2:00 pm to 7:00 pm.  Prayer service at 7:00 pm

Although emphasis is put on attending the services on Monday, all those who can attend the visitation for any length of time, during the above posted hours, are invited to do so, with emphasis on the hours of 5:00 pm to the end of the prayer service.  There is ample parking in the rear of the church on 4th St West.  Please come and go quietly, and those with excessively loud bikes please park a distance away and refrain from driving past the church, which is located approx 4 blocks east of Hwy 75, on 3rd St. West.  There is no staging scheduled for the visitation--just come as you can.

--
Alan Peterson
Marshall Sector Ride Captain
Minnesota Patriot Guard