If you're near Central Illinois, you're cordially invited to welcome home a fallen U.S. Army Ranger to his final resting place. Sgt. Josh Rodgers died in combat in Afghanistan in recent days and services are Saturday in Normal, with burial at Eastview Cemetary in Bloomington afterwards.
Vice President Pence showed his respects as Sgt. Rodgers casket arrived stateside.
The cemetery itself is closed to the public all Saturday afternoon, which suggests the family's concerns of leftist wingnuts trying to cause some sort of disturbance or disruption of the service. A la Westboro Baptist Church shenanigans.
Bring the family. Stop by the dollar store and get some flags ahead of time to wave while you watch the procession roll by.
BLOOMINGTON — The public is being encouraged to line the procession route from Eastview Christian Church in Normal to Evergreen Memorial Cemetery in Bloomington after Saturday's service for Sgt. Josh Rodgers, the local Army Ranger who was killed in action in Afghanistan on April 27.
Public visitation will be from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at the church, 1500 N. Airport Road, Normal. There will be a celebration of life at 1 p.m. with the Rev. Mike Baker officiating.
The procession is expected to begin about 2:30 p.m.
Police said the public will not be allowed to take part in the vehicle procession, but people are encouraged to show their support by standing along the procession route while keeping out of the roadway.
On Thursday, Gov. Bruce Rauner ordered flags at half-staff in Rodgers' honor at all state facilities. Flags are to be lowered from sunrise Thursday until sunset on Saturday.
The route will go south on Airport Road from the church to East Empire Street, west to Towanda Avenue and south to Washington Street then to North Clinton Street.
From Clinton Street, the procession will travel south, jogging on East Oakland Avenue to South Clayton Street, then going west on East Lincoln Street to South Wright Street to the cemetery entrance at 302 E. Miller St., Bloomington.
The service at the cemetery is private. The cemetery will be closed to the general public from 1 to 6 p.m.
Police from several agencies will provide an escort for the procession. Street intersections will be closed along the route.
The Pantagraph printed a flag in Wednesday's paper in honor of Rodgers for people to display in windows or along the procession route. Additional free copies of the flag can be obtained at The Pantagraph office, 301 W. Washington St., Bloomington.
“Though we mourn, we must remember the good times and cherish them forever,” his family said in his obituary, also in Wednesday's edition and on pantagraph.com. “Josh loved his country, his family and his friends, the military, and especially, his fellow Rangers and regiment. Josh knew his purpose in life and was living out his dream.”
Rodgers, of Bloomington, was a 2013 graduate of Normal Community High School, where he was on the football and track teams. He also attended McLean County Unit 5's Northpoint Elementary and Kingsley Junior High schools.
Unit 5 has designated Friday as Red, White and Blue Day, asking teachers and students to wear those colors and “join us in honoring the memory of this hero.”
Rodgers, 22, and a fellow Ranger, Sgt. Cameron Thomas, 23, of Kettering, Ohio, were killed by small-arms fire during a joint operation with Afghan forces in Nangarhar Province that targeted leaders of the Islamic State Khorasan group (ISIS-K).
Feet and knees Brother. RIP
Salute
Rest now brother. Your watch is over.