GOD BLESS AMERICA
GOD IS STILL IN CHARGE!
We knew there was a dinner planned with Ambassador Bremer and LTG
Sanchez.
There were 600 seats available and all the units in the division were
tasked
with filling a few tables. Naturally, the 501st MI battalion got our
table.
Soldiers were grumbling about having to sit through another
dog-and-pony
show, so we had to pick soldiers to attend. I chose not to go. But,
about
1500 the
G2, LTC Devan, came up to me and with a smile, asked me to come to
dinner
with him, to meet him in his office at 1600 and bring a camera. I
didn't
really
care about getting a picture with Sanchez or Bremer, but when the
division's
senior intelligence officer asks you to go, you go.
We were seated in the chow hall, fully decorated for Thanksgiving when
aaaaallllll kinds of secret service guys showed up. That was my first
clue,
because
Bremer's been here before and his personal security detachment is not
that
big.
Then BG Dempsey got up to speak, and he welcomed ambassador Bremer and
LTG
Sanchez. Bremer thanked us all and pulled out a piece of paper as if to
give
a
speech. He mentioned that the President had given him this
thanksgiving
speech
to give to the troops. He then paused and said that the senior man
present
should be the one to give it. He then looked at Sanchez, who just
smiled.
Bremer
then said that we should probably get someone more senior to read the
speech.
Then, from behind the camouflage netting, the President of the United
States
came around. The mess hall actually erupted with hollering. Troops
bounded
to
their feet with shocked smiles and just began cheering with all their
hearts.
The building actually shook. It was just unreal. I was absolutely
stunned.
Not
only for the obvious, but also because I was only two tables away from
the
podium. There he stood, less than thirty feet away from me! The
cheering
went on
and on and on. Soldiers were hollering, cheering, and a lot of them
were
crying. There was not a dry eye at my table. When he stepped up to the
cheering, I
could clearly see tears running down his cheeks. It was the most
surreal
moment I've had in years. Not since my wedding and Aaron being born.
Here
was this
man, our President, came all the way around the world, spending 17
hours on
an airplane and landing in the most dangerous airport in the world,
where a
plane was shot out of the sky not six days before. Just to spend two
hours
with
his troops. Only to get on a plane and spend another 17 hours flying
back.
It
was a great moment, and I will never forget it.
He delivered his speech, which we all loved, when he looked right at me
and
held his eyes on me. Then he stepped down and was just mobbed by the
soldiers.
He slowly worked his way all the way around the chow hall and shook
every
last
hand extended. Every soldier who wanted a photo with the President got
one.
I
made my way through the line, got dinner, then wolfed it down as he
was
still
working the room. You could tell he was really enjoying himself. It
wasn't
just a photo opportunity. This man was actually enjoying himself! He
worked
his
way over the course of about 90 minutes towards my side of the room.
Meanwhile, I took the opportunity to shake a few hands. I got a picture
with
Ambassador Bremer, Talabani (acting Iraqi president) and Achmed
Chalabi
(another member of the ruling council) and Condaleeza Rice, who was
there
with him.
I felt like I was drunk.
He was getting closer to my table so I went back over to my seat. As
he
passed and posed for photos, he looked me in the eye and said, "How
you
doin',
captain." I smiled and said "God bless you, sir." To which he responded
"I'm
proud
of what you do, captain." Then moved on.
------ End of Forwarded Message
--- Begin Message ---
>>> "Mac" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> 12/03/03 06:42PM >>>
Unbelievable.
-------Original Message-------
From: Bob Hockanson
Date: Wednesday, December 03, 2003 6:27:45 PM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; rclower; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; Mitch T Usery; Jackie
Cox;
Ellen Power; [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: Fw: FYI-A Capt. in Iraq
-------Original Message-------
From: June Revell
Date: Wednesday, December 03, 2003 08:03:55 AM
To: Bob Hockanson
Subject: Fw: FYI-A Capt. in Iraq
GOD BLESS AMERICA
GOD IS STILL IN CHARGE!
We knew there was a dinner planned with Ambassador Bremer and LTG
Sanchez.
There were 600 seats available and all the units in the division were
tasked
with filling a few tables. Naturally, the 501st MI battalion got our
table.
Soldiers were grumbling about having to sit through another
dog-and-pony
show, so we had to pick soldiers to attend. I chose not to go. But,
about
1500 the
G2, LTC Devan, came up to me and with a smile, asked me to come to
dinner
with him, to meet him in his office at 1600 and bring a camera. I
didn't
really
care about getting a picture with Sanchez or Bremer, but when the
division's
senior intelligence officer asks you to go, you go.
We were seated in the chow hall, fully decorated for Thanksgiving when
aaaaallllll kinds of secret service guys showed up. That was my first
clue,
because
Bremer's been here before and his personal security detachment is not
that
big.
Then BG Dempsey got up to speak, and he welcomed ambassador Bremer and
LTG
Sanchez. Bremer thanked us all and pulled out a piece of paper as if to
give
a
speech. He mentioned that the President had given him this
thanksgiving
speech
to give to the troops. He then paused and said that the senior man
present
should be the one to give it. He then looked at Sanchez, who just
smiled.
Bremer
then said that we should probably get someone more senior to read the
speech.
Then, from behind the camouflage netting, the President of the United
States
came around. The mess hall actually erupted with hollering. Troops
bounded
to
their feet with shocked smiles and just began cheering with all their
hearts.
The building actually shook. It was just unreal. I was absolutely
stunned.
Not
only for the obvious, but also because I was only two tables away from
the
podium. There he stood, less than thirty feet away from me! The
cheering
went on
and on and on. Soldiers were hollering, cheering, and a lot of them
were
crying. There was not a dry eye at my table. When he stepped up to the
cheering, I
could clearly see tears running down his cheeks. It was the most
surreal
moment I've had in years. Not since my wedding and Aaron being born.
Here
was this
man, our President, came all the way around the world, spending 17
hours on
an airplane and landing in the most dangerous airport in the world,
where a
plane was shot out of the sky not six days before. Just to spend two
hours
with
his troops. Only to get on a plane and spend another 17 hours flying
back.
It
was a great moment, and I will never forget it.
He delivered his speech, which we all loved, when he looked right at me
and
held his eyes on me. Then he stepped down and was just mobbed by the
soldiers.
He slowly worked his way all the way around the chow hall and shook
every
last
hand extended. Every soldier who wanted a photo with the President got
one.
I
made my way through the line, got dinner, then wolfed it down as he
was
still
working the room. You could tell he was really enjoying himself. It
wasn't
just a photo opportunity. This man was actually enjoying himself! He
worked
his
way over the course of about 90 minutes towards my side of the room.
Meanwhile, I took the opportunity to shake a few hands. I got a picture
with
Ambassador Bremer, Talabani (acting Iraqi president) and Achmed
Chalabi
(another member of the ruling council) and Condaleeza Rice, who was
there
with him.
I felt like I was drunk.
He was getting closer to my table so I went back over to my seat. As
he
passed and posed for photos, he looked me in the eye and said, "How
you
doin',
captain." I smiled and said "God bless you, sir." To which he responded
"I'm
proud
of what you do, captain." Then moved on.
------ End of Forwarded Message
--- End Message ---
