Richard Percival is a veteran and Farm Bureau Insurance agent in Meridian. He's also a member of the Patriot Guard Riders, a volunteer organization with thousands of members across all 50 states.

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“The Patriot Guard Riders organization” Richard explains, “was founded in 2005 when our service men and women were arriving home and they and their families were met by protestors. A group of Vietnam veterans got together and said, ‘That happened to us. We’re not going to let it happen to them.'"

 

Richard says the Riders honor veterans by performing several services. “At the families’ invitation, we honor fallen soldiers and shield their families from any protestors during these heroes’ funerals. We provide these services for free during the funeral procession and internment services."

 

The Riders also stand in flag lines at funerals, “giving honor to that veteran, whether it’s at the Idaho State Veterans Cemetery or a private cemetery.” Most of the time family members are present at the funeral. But there have been times, Richard says, “when there’s hardly any family at the service, or even no one at all. If there’s no family at the funeral, then guess what? We’re the family.”

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If requested, the Riders will form a Missing Man formation with their motorcycles to escort veteran funeral processions from funeral homes to the cemetery. “For Killed In Action veterans who come home,” Richard says,” we have done the Missing Man formation to the cemetery, then followed behind the families after the service.”

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On December 19, Richard and the Patriot Guard Riders helped Wreaths Across America lay a wreath on every veterans headstone in the state’s veterans cemeteries.

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Richard has also helped the local POW-MIA chapter raise money to buy beds and TVs for veterans at the Idaho State Veterans Home in Boise. “I’m sorry to say,” Richard adds, “that most of the veterans in these homes don’t have anybody.”

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If these veterans don’t have anyone, then guess what? Richard Percival is out there, doing what he can to show these veterans that people still care about them.

 

WORKS OF HEART

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