The group was formed in 2005 Although initially founded by motorcyclists, the organization is open to anyone, regardless of political affiliation, veteran status, or whether they ride or not. The only prerequisite is "a deep respect for those who serve our country; military and first responders. The Patriot Guard was established in
Mulvane,
Kansas, at
American Legion Post 136 in 2005. The founder members incorporated the organization as a
501(c)(3) non-profit in the State of
Oklahoma on February 21, 2006. After resigning, Brown filed a trademark request, but this was rejected since the PGR had submitted its own request. PGR contacted all its members asking for donations to establish a defense fund for the lawsuit. the
Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB) rendered its decision to Brown's opposition of the PGR, Inc's registration. They stated: "The record further reflects that during Brown's tenure as Executive Director, despite his use of personal funds, he was acting in his official capacity when ordering the collateral merchandise to sell on the online store. Consumers who bought the goods prior to Brown's departure and the subsequent creation of "Twister's Store" were led to believe the goods originated from the PGR. Hence, Brown cannot prevail on his claim of priority since he cannot show by a preponderance of the evidence a prior proprietary interest in the word mark PATRIOT GUARD RIDERS for collateral merchandise. Decision: The opposition is dismissed."
Defending their trademark After successfully registering multiple trademarks, the Patriot Guard Riders (PGR), Inc., began taking steps to enforce and defend its marks from unauthorized use. A group in Michigan split from the PGR but continued to use multiple marks while conducting fundraising activities, most notably adopting the name "Michigan Patriot Guard" (MPG). The PGR made multiple requests of the MPG to
cease and desist utilizing the name and trademarks. When the MPG failed to comply, the PGR filed a lawsuit in US District Court of
Flint, Michigan. Before the lawsuit went to trial, the PGR and MPG reached a settlement. As part of the agreement, the MPG will change its name. The organization's new name is Michigan Bikers Helping Veterans. ==References==