Body of Lubbock Soldier Returns Home (Soldier's father says Patriot Guard now a part of family)

The military transport plane carrying Velez` body arrived in Lubbock just after 4 p.m. Wednesday. Family members were there to meet the plane, while a hearse transported the body to Resthaven.

Meanwhile, members of a radical religious group from Kansas plan to picket Thursday night`s memorial service for Velez. But another group has been invited to help silence the protesters` anti-war message.

The Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kansas claims the soldiers are dying because God is punishing America for tolerating homosexuality. As a result, the group travels to military funerals to protest, carrying signs that are meant to shock.

"It`s a curse when one child comes home dead. There`s no point in standing out at a funeral. It`s a patriotic pep rally," church spokesperson Shirley Phelps Roper said on Tuesday. Roper says she will be one of the protesters here in Lubbock on Thursday.

But a group of bikers hope to drown out the protest. The Patriot Guard Riders are just that, guardians. In the words of J.D. McNamara, a member of the local Patriot Guard, this motorcycle group travels the country for one very important purpose" "Our mission is to honor the fallen to shield the family from any uninvited guests, and that is about as far as we go with it."

Using their bikes, bodies and the Stars and Stripes, the group forms a barrier between the grieving family and the protesters.

"We are not there to create any confrontation," points out McNamara. "We are there strictly to pay our respects."

That`s exactly what the Patriot Guard plans on doing Thursday night at the memorial service for Velez. Andrew`s father, Roy, invited the Guards to attend the service "so that there will be sufficient privacy at the memorial."

Velez says the Westboro group has a right to voice their opinion, but says, to him, their opinion doesn`t matter.

"I want to let them know that they`re at the wrong place, because no matter what they say or what they hold up, they can`t bring my boys back," he says.

State Senator Robert Duncan, R-Lubbock, assures that there won`t be a disruption at the memorial service. A law recently passed in Texas, which was written by Duncan, states that protestors must remain at least 500-feet away from the service.

"The best approach to take is to ignore them," he says. "It`s just a handful of people who have an insane idea and all they want is attention."

Roy says he`s not worried about the protesters or what they might say, he`s just glad he now has a shield of silence and support.

"These guys are going to line up their motorcycles end-to-end. They`re going to set up at the 500-foot perimeter. Actually today, they became part of my family," he says.

A memorial service for Andrew Velez will be held at 7 p.m. Thursday at the First Church of the Nazarene at South Loop 289 and Chicago. The service is open to the public.

If you would like to ride, or stand with the Patriot Guard riders, you`re more than welcome. They just ask for you to bring your American flag.

If you would like more information on the Patriot Guard riders and what they`re all about, you can visit their website at www.patriotguard.org

After a two hour drive, I just got back home from the service. I will post details tomorrow in conjunction with the coming newspaper article. However I will say that the 1 1/2 hour service was not quite what I expected -- it was much more personal and by the end I felt like one of the family and very calm. This is a faith-based family and their faith in the Lord and Jesus Christ is not only sustaining them but uplifting them as they know that both boys are reunited in heaven in the presence of God. This Hispanic Christian congregation is unabashedly pro-America, very patriotic, believes in what our President is doing and supportive of the mission. The father, Roy Velez, spoke for about 15 minutes near the end of the service, talking about his sons, how he will miss them but knowing he will see them again. The power of prayer, collectively and individually, is sustaining them. Roy is a powerful, motivational speaker, reading from Douglas MacArthur.

Toward the end of the service, he asked military and veterans to stand and be recognized. As such we stood and received applause. He then asked us to come forward and stand in front of the coffin. The Sergeant in charge of the military detail directed us all to attention and then ordered hand salute facing the family. I was directly in front of the young wife. As Taps played she broke down, weeping inconsolably until the end. We were dismissed and returned to congregation. Prayer was a big part of the service and the family stood and received the prayers of us all. Finally, upon exiting we were meet with a 200 ft. long, quiet line of citizens and bikers holding American flags.

A very moving service to be long remembered by me and others who attended.

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.