When Chris Frost was seven years old, Brett Favre was drafted by the Falcons (that’s the first mention – there will be three) and when Chris was eight years old, Brett signed with the Packers where he would have 275 consecutive starts. Chris spent the first 18 years of his life 100 miles south of Green Bay and 20 miles west of Milwaukee, so it is no surprise that he was a Packers fan and must have been a Favre enthusiast.

On January 13, Chris (now 24 years old) wrote in his on-line journal, “Speaking of winning - The NFC Championship game is going to be at Lambeau Field this year…Thank God. Looks like we have another good shot at getting to the Super Bowl. Who would've thought that the Packers would be this far this year? You better bet your ass I'll be up all night long watching this game next week, no matter how much coffee I have to drink the next day…”

(Because of the time difference, kick-off would be at 0300 Baghdad time.)

On January 20, 2008, Favre and the Packers lost by three points – a 47-yard field goal in overtime.

January 21^st: “I don't think there's much to say, and everyone knows why after my last journal. I'm just going to go and quietly cry to myself.”

February 1^st: “…I think I'm almost done sulking over the Packers' loss too.”

On Monday, March 3^rd, in the evening, Brett told Head Coach Mike McCarthy that he would give-up the game. Brett would be the only Packers quarterback that Chris would ever know because Airman Christopher Frost had died in a helicopter crash a few hours earlier that day.

Robin pointed-out the DOD announcement to me because the chopper went down in a dust storm near Bayji, the village where Jim was posted for the fifteen months ended four months ago. I developed further interest when I learned that Chris was a journalist and a talented photographer. Kevin Loecher had a keen interest because this would be his first Ride Captain assignment for a member of his own branch.

It was therefore appropriate that his funeral should take place under the approach to the airport across the street. This Dessault 2000 DX flew just over our heads as it landed. This model is also called the Falcon, and that is the second mention.

I don’t mean to suggest that Kevin’s interest stemmed only from the Air Force connection – he takes every mission seriously. He is a good communicator and a good organizer and he puts in long hours. Over the 29 months since the PGR came into existence, a number of members have identified with our mission. I have called them the “reliables”. Kevin is one.

John is a reliable. Few put in more hours on the flagline and no one puts more miles on his bike.

Nearly always there are first-timers, too. Sharon came down from Sheboygan. Shorty is Matthew Zindars’ cousin. Jim works for the Postal Service with Chris’ father.

Jim couldn’t stay for the whole visitation but he would return the next day for the funeral.

On both days, Kevin led us in the Pledge and then offered a prayer. I don’t take photographs during prayers.

And then we stood from 1500 until 2000 – 5 hours. Planes regularly passed overhead. Some landing, some taking-off.

The next morning, Kevin got us off to another good start with Pledge & Prayer.

I post this picture of co-Captain Scott Bengert mainly because I like the image so much even though it misrepresents him.

A short time later, Chris’ father came over to us to express his appreciation. Then Jim went over to him to express our appreciation.

This airman came over to us with the father. Reliable Annette engaged him.

I had a nice conversation with John who told me he will probably go to Iraq soon. The following photo is the only one here not taken by me. As he did at the Zindars funeral, Mark took my picture and I again post it.

Again the day was punctuated with low-flying aircraft passing over this airman’s funeral. I heard several people comment that our display of flags must be quite a sight for them.

When we stand with our flags, people passing us sometimes salute. When we parade with our flags, people we pass sometime salute. When I first started with the PGR exactly two years ago, I felt an impulse to make an acknowledgment. But that would be wrong. Those people were not saluting me, they were saluting the flag I was holding.

And sometimes they salute flags that no one is holding.

This airman approached our flags purposefully. People do not usually go out of their way to salute our flags, so I thought he might want to shake hands.

It turned out that he was only looking for Kevin’s hand. Kevin would later write: “During the visitation I was approached by SSgt Marcus Maier (sorry if I got the last name wrong) and he told me that Christopher's tour in Iraq would have been over in a month or so. Many of the soldiers in the sand know who the PGR are, and Christopher was one of them. Marcus told me that Chris had e-mailed home to make sure the Patriot Guard was there on their bikes when he came home. I think my heart stopped beating when I heard that. I'm sure the mood wasn't what SSgt Frost had in mind, but we certainly were there for his homecoming.”

And sometimes they do salute the flag-holder.

Our bikes were given the honor of preceding the hearse in the procession to the cemetery. John is shown below. He and Scott were the two lead bikes.

And there were others. Kevin had posted, “I’m extremely hopeful to have flag bikes participating.”

And so we took Chris to the Prairie Home Cemetery in good PGR style, just as he wanted.

Once there, the Air Force executed the rifle salute and Taps perfectly – and then one other honor as only the Air Force can. Kevin would write, “As usual, a group of us went ahead to the cemetery and set up flags for the arrival. The Honor Guard were rehearsing their rifle movements and playing taps, trying to get the timing perfected for the flyover. The glitch was that the Major that was to make the call to the aircraft wouldn't be able to see the SMSgt when the sequence of events started to have the jets on time. Leave it to the Semper Gumby of the PGR and this USAF Vet to provide the solution.

“It was my privilege to position myself where I could see both the Honor Guard and the Major in his vehicle. As the SMSgt came to attention, I raised my flag high so the Major could see it. The precision of the rifle squad was equaled only by the USMC silent drill team. I mean, those guys were sheer perfection, even if I am a touch biased. After the third volley, the bugler played taps. And as his final note was fading away, you could hear that most beautiful sound (biased) of 2 F-16 Fighting Falcons coming in at no more than 1500 feet! Perfect timing, right overhead. Absolutely Beautiful!!!”

And so for the third time “Falcons” figured into my story of the last day above ground for Chris Frost.

And often they do come down our line to shake hands. The Colonel doesn’t know how much Annette deserves it.

And then we packed-up.

But we didn’t go.

When I left, the only people remaining were the cemetery workers and most of the Patriot Guard.

We usually leave the cemetery at the first decent opportunity. Why didn’t we this time? Maybe it was Kevin’s call for flag bikes. Maybe it was his Air Force loyalty. Maybe his prayers.

I think it was when he told us that Chris had wanted a PGR “welcome home” mission.

my photography taken during the visitation on Wednesday*

my photography taken during the funeral Thursday morning and cemetery Thursday mid-day

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*photos 601 through 622 were taken by John Battell of the funeral home