Jack was a Marine. He then served 25 years with the Civil Air Patrol. He died on a Tuesday and the funeral would be Saturday morning. The PGR website posted the notice at noon on Friday.

Funerals are typically short-notice events. When the subject must be returned from Iraq or Afghanistan there are a few extra days to organize ourselves. This time, there were not even extra hours.

The SRC for the lower-right corner of Wisconsin was away, so the State Captain had to step in. Here he is with Kevin.

Denise brought the flags.

The PGR does not have even one paid employee. The national organization can exercise only loose supervision over local operations. State organizations may stray.

Wisconsin is blessed with clear-eyed leadership. In my experience, so are Illinois and Michigan. Turnover is a healthy sign in a volunteer organization. It’s not a power thing.

In some states, the leadership never changes. If that is the result of a state-level structure that perpetuates an entrenched few who view it as their personal property, then it is unhealthy and ultimately compromises our mission.

One thing that does not change is the rank-and-file. They all come for the same reasons and they all expect the same things. The blue-hats are the same in every state.

Except for being called-on to offer a few prayers, I have never had any official capacity with the PGR. I am a blue-hat. My photography and this website do not conflict with my blue hat duties. Indeed, other blue-hats often help me with them.

We all return from funeral missions with a complex of emotions and impressions. I sit down and blog, but I am not writing to the family. This is a tribute to the blue-hats – the guys who never expected or wanted anything from this at all.

They watch the PGR website. They show up. They do what they are told. They look for more to do. Then they go away.

Jack Otto had a flagline and live bugle Taps. We volunteers were glad to do it.

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