Letter from our new State Captain:
My sincere thank you to Dave Kern for his un-failing and un-flappable leadership of the Patriot Guard Riders here in New York. I came into PGR NY in 2007 and have known no other State Captain. Over the last 9 years our participation in the military honors funerals
of our Killed In Action is our primary Mission and we have performed that mission with honor, dignity and respect. We have taken those same KIA protocols and perform them with the same unwavering dedication to those funerals of our honorably discharged veterans.
Due to our performance in carrying out our Mission, the Patriot Guard Riders of New York have been rightfully acknowledged to be a first class, professional organization. This has been accomplished, in no small measure, due to the guidance and direction of our State Captain, Dave Kern. Dave has set forth and overseen the protocols that we follow here in New York. He has worked hard with our Senior Ride Captains and Ride Captains to establish leadership guidelines that have served us well here in New York – and for that we are most grateful. I know of the personal sacrifice Dave has made. He’s got a full-time job you know and he balances those responsibilities with that of the many demands of his State Captaincy. There will be big shoes to fill.
I was privileged and fortunate to have been elevated to positions of leadership within the PGR – Ride Captain, then Senior Ride Captain and Assistant State Captain. During these last 9 years I have worked closely with Dave and have engaged the PGR in any number of worthy activities and Dave was always there to voice his encouragement and provide direction.
I am very humbled – first by even being considered for the State Captain position – and second that the Patriot Guard Riders National Board of Directors saw fit to elevate me to the position of State Captain of New York. So, I’m going to take a couple of deep breaths and then work closely with Dave to make sure the transition of leadership goes as smoothly as possible. My first responsibility is to ensure that we maintain much of the continuity we currently enjoy throughout the state. If something ain’t broke – then don’t fix it. I look forward to reaching out to and meeting as many SRC’s and RC’s as possible so that I may experience what is going on in every one of our 9 Regions. In the meantime – if anyone needs to reach me – after 10/22 – I can be contacted at
Once again, from my heart, thank you Dave for all that you have done for the Patriot Guard Riders of New York, for the grieving families of the fallen, for our Gold Star and Blue Star families, for our active duty military and for those veterans you have helped thru your personal involvement with our Help On The Homefront program. I know your desire is to take a little time off and then join us in the flag line. We look forward to seeing you there.
