Patriot Guard honors local Marine’s homecoming

Dubois Marine Lcpl. Nathan Merkley is scheduled to return home from a seven month deployment in Bahrain, Wednesday evening.

In honor of Merkley’s service, the Patriot Guard, a non-profit organization formed to honor military service members, is hosting a motorcycle ride from Haysville to Dubois in honor of his homecoming. The Haysville Volunteer Fire Department is also taking part in the ride.

“We have had two funeral missions in Dubois and this will be the first time this small community will see us on a welcome home mission,” Southwest Region Commander Rick Williams stated in an email today.

The public is welcome to attend and take part in the parade. Parking will be available at the Christ Lutheran Church parking lot next to the fire station on State Road 56 on Haysville’s east side and in a business parking lot across the street from the church.

Anyone wishing to join the caravan, which will lead Merkley to his Dubois home, is asked to arrive in Haysville between 6:45 and 7:15 p.m.

Merkley was deployed to Bahrain as artillery support/sniper with the Death Stalkers. Nathan and grew up with Lcpl. Alex Terwiske and Alex’s mom, Sandy Terwiske, is a second mom to Nathan, according to the press release from the Patriot Guard.

Mission Details:

The Lutheran Church is on the north side of the road just past (east) of the Volunteer Fire Department and approximately 0.4 miles from the Hwy 231 turnoff. The church has a paved parking lot but be aware that based on Google Maps, there is a narrow gravel section before the concrete.