The Value of Service

A father speaks of his son's death in combat in Iraq and the president's willingness to put his schedule on hold to visit with his family.

This is a worthy read that speaks to the kind of man our president really is, instead of the caricatures we see portrayed so often on the internet.

I learned a big lesson on service Aug. 4, 2008, when Eielson had the rare honor of hosting President Bush on a refueling stop as he traveled to Asia.

It was an event Eielson will never forget -- a hangar full of Airmen and Soldiers getting to see the Commander in Chief up close, and perhaps even shaking his hand. An incredible amount of effort goes into presidential travel because of all of the logistics, security, protocol, etc ... so it was remarkable to see Air Force One land at Eielson on time at precisely 4:30 p.m.--however, when he left less than two hours later, the President was 15 minutes behind schedule.

That's a big slip for something so tightly choreographed, but very few people know why it happened. Here's why.

/5rlfes

[edit on 2008/8/28 by GradyPhilpott]