Posted on 11/30/2001 4:05:33 PM PST by Norb2569
On tonight's Special Report with Brit Hume, (hosted by Jim Angle this evening), at the close of the show when they normally have some funny video clip, they showed President Bush and the First Lady on their way to Marine One to leave for Camp David for the weekend. Jim said "You will see the president notice something unusual on his way to Marine One".
As the video starts, the First Lady is leading the way into the helicopter with the spaniel dog on the leash, and the president is right behind her with the Scotty on the leash.
As the First Lady entered the chopper, the Marine at the gangway saluted and held his salute. The scottie the president was walking decided it wanted to squat right when he got to steps. The president pulled on its' leash, but the stubborn scottie persisted in squatting. The president bent down and scooped up the pooch and entered Marine One. After he entered the Marine cut his salute and returned to the position of attention.
Moments later the president reemerged from the helicopter and out onto the steps. The Marine was standing at attention, head and eyes straight ahead. The president leaned over and tapped him on the left arm. The startled Marine turned his body toward the president and received his returned salute!
I was so impressed by this true act of respect for our military people by our president! He really does get it. Most any other person of his staure would have just continued his journey, disregarding the neglected return salute. Not George W. Bush. He is earning the respect of the military community, not expecting it - as most would.
Definitely a moment to be bursting with pride. So wonderful to have a real HUMAN BEING for prez!
FYI to all: Amazon.com has set up a program so that people can give $20 gift certificates to service members stationed around the world for the holidays. You have an opportunity to include a personal message with your gift. They'll be distributed by the DoD, I think. You can find the link on their site, if you're interested.
Texas Air National Guard. So quasi Air Force. ANG conducts it's own Officer Canidate School separate from the regular Air Force one at Lackland, but they do use the same drill and ceremonies manuals and regulations. :) People slated to go directly to a Reserve unit would attend the regualar AF OCS. Undergraduate Pilot training is and AFAIK was then common, but transition training is and I think was then conducted by the ANG for at least some of its units. For example ANG conducts F-16 interceptor transition training at Kelly AFB, in Texas, (they train pilots from other states also) whereas active duty F-15 transition training is done at Tyndall, with other bases providing training for other aircraft and mission specialisations.
Bush flew the F-102 Delta Dagger, his unit converted to the F-106 about the time he was due to finish his obligation, and he was allowed to leave the unit early rather than go through the transition to the -106.
Bush Bump!
semper fi
earlybirdnj
God bless and preserve that man - and his gracious and equally classy First Lady.
A month later I was at a rally with Laura, Lynn Cheney, Condi Rice and Barbara Bush. This time I had another new camera ( I couldn't figure out the first one) and I was taking a picture of Laura, but my flash wouldn't go off. She had a secret service agent come up to me and take my camera. Then Laura asked if she could get her picture taken with me and the Secret Service agent took the picture.
That's the kind of people they are. They don't look into a crowd, they look at the people.
HE REALLY DOES GET IT !!
The military finally has a friend!
God bless George W. Bush!!
Thanks, Norb. That made my month!
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