WT Forums

Got this email today and thought I would share it.

Subject: Air Force Academy Graduation

Last Wed we were in Colorado Springs for the Air Force Academy graduation; featured speaker was George W Bush. A little long winded, but the speech was punctuated with a lot of applauses, which suggested that a lot of the military brass in attendance support him. However, what was more impressive to me was the fact that he personally saluted and congratulated every single cadet that crossed the stage, my son included. There were nearly 1000 cadets and this process took 1 hour, 40 minutes. I watched him through my zoom, and he displayed the personal touch all the way through: every cadet was saluted; the men were then given a hand shake and often a pat on the shoulder with his left hand or some other personal words; the women were all given a hug and some of the women cadets also gave him a kiss on the cheek. Occasionally a cadet would ask for a "wave to my parents" and then the cadet and the president would turn to the crowd and wave in the correct direction. He showed as much enthusiasm to the middle and last cadets as to the first ones -- in fact, he looked like he was enjoying himself!



At the Academy graduation, the "top 10%" are noted as Distinguished Graduates (known as "DG's" -- the Academy doesn't have summa, magna cum laude, etc.) and they graduate first. The rest of the graduates walk across by squadron (36 squadrons). 5 years ago when Clinton was there, he only personally congratulated the DG's (takes about 10 minutes) and then he sat down. Bush was offered the same option, but refused - said he wanted to recognize every single graduate.



This is the stuff about the man that never makes the news....

It does not make the news because the media loves to hate him and the rest of his administration. Why would they show a good thing?

Smitty

hey bigvette lay off ok! they are people, they aren't robots. They have personnalities and they are letting it show through. They don't look like fools. I think they are very brave to do that. They are real. I always felt that people like that make better leaders because they are real with the people that follow them. Anyway they just went through a four years that very few people even attempt and should be given all the respect they diserve.

"VMI is a flip-flop obstacle course"

While I fully understand both of your views...I will say that you must remember Fly Boy...there is a time and place for everything. And in front of your CIC...probably isn't one of those times nor places.

DO THE PRESIDENTS ONLY GO DURING ELECTION YEARS? OR DO THEY GO EVERY YEAR?

" The nation that will insist in drawing a board line of demarcation between the fighting man and the thinking man is liable to find its fighting done by fools and its thinking done by cowards" --SIR WILLIAM BUTLER

_________________
\"Live Free Or Die\"

The President rotates through Anapolis, Westpoint, and USAFA, then takes a year off. I guess that would make it always election year when he speaks at USAFA, but just by chance.

POKE,

AUGUST 1 2005 IS LESS THEN A YEAR AWAY,<img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle><img src=newicons/anim_bannana.gif border=0 align=middle>

" The nation that will insist in drawing a board line of demarcation between the fighting man and the thinking man is liable to find its fighting done by fools and its thinking done by cowards" --SIR WILLIAM BUTLER

_________________
\"Live Free Or Die\"

I think I'm almost in the clear, Goose. No one on the horizon except for that one guy down in Intel... <img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle>

I'm kidding of course. You're gonna owe me a steak dinner! <img src=icon_smile_tongue.gif border=0 align=middle>

YES I KNOW,BUT YOU KNOW "SANTA GOOSE" WILL PUT "DEER CRAP" IN YOUR B-1 BAG IF YOU GET MARRIED THE DAY AFTER<img src=newicons/madani.gif border=0 align=middle><img src=newicons/anim_cussing.gif border=0 align=middle><img src=newicons/anim_lol.gif border=0 align=middle><img src=newicons/anim_lol.gif border=0 align=middle><img src=newicons/anim_lol.gif border=0 align=middle><img src=newicons/anim_lol.gif border=0 align=middle>


" The nation that will insist in drawing a board line of demarcation between the fighting man and the thinking man is liable to find its fighting done by fools and its thinking done by cowards" --SIR WILLIAM BUTLER

_________________
\"Live Free Or Die\"