Not mine, silly people.
Lo these many years ago when I was but an Airman with no responsibility whatsoever, I was stationed at what is now Shriever AFB, about 13 miles east of Peterson in Colorado Springs. I recall being given a free day off if I wanted to attend the commencement proceedings at the Air Force Academy. It happened to be the day Chuck Winfree was supposed to graduate, and he apparently didn't.
Chuck was a young, handsome and smart guy whose family moved to Nacogdoches when he was in the sixth grade--and so was I, painfully shy as I was. I remember hearing through the grape vine when we were in high school that he had secured an appointment to the Air Force Academy. It meant little to me then, ignorant as I was of all things military. Less than a year later, I enlisted, went through training, and ended up in Colorado Springs. A little over two years after arriving here, I was given the day off to attend the Academy graduation. En route, it occurred to me that Chuck would be graduating today.
I remember scanning the program for his name and not finding it. I never heard his name called. I figured perhaps something had happened to prevent him graduating on time. Otherwise, I had a delightful day. Academy graduations are, in my opinion, the best show the Air Force puts on anywhere.
Oddly, I was shooting pool with friends in a favorite hangout downtown Colorado Springs several months later when I looked across the room and recognized...Chuck. If there was any doubt in my mind that it was him, there was a gorgeous young bombshell adhering to his side (Chuck always had all the hot women). I walked over and said, "Chuck Winfree?" He looked incredulous and said yes. I said, "Graduating class of 1985, Nacogdoches High School?" Yes. I introduced myself, then asked what had happened at his Academy graduation.
He replied rather passionately--apparently, the flub was still a rather sore point with him--that he had graduated that day and his family even showed up and everything, and they hadn't called his name and he hadn't been on the graduation pamphlet. He was now a pilot. If he's still in, he's Col Winfree now, I have no doubt.
At least, Nacogdochians would certainly like to think so. ;)
So today, I met a friend, Andrew, and we went to the stadium. Andrew has worked with the cadets but hasn't been to a cadet graduation ceremony. I haven't been to one since the '80s. It was a fresh and exciting experience for us both.
A word about Andrew, even though I know he's listening: he's one of the most intelligent and interesting yet politely modest people I've ever met. I'd tell you all about him, because I have that odd pride through association--as if I'm in any way responsible for who he is or what he has accomplished--but I've noticed how little information he offers others about himself, unless asked directly. I don't link his silence with shame so much as a lack of ego overlaid by a genuine interest in others. If asked, he might mention he's a graduate student and does consulting. I get the impression he wants to deflect the conversation back to the other participants, because he's far more interested in talking about them than he is in talking about himself. Thus, he won't mention that his graduate work is in international relations and law and he's pursuing his PhD through the University of Denver and Harvard Law School, or that he does international consulting in economics and law. He'll be in Moscow this Friday and probably Paris by Tuesday. He's one of those people you have to meet to appreciate, I suppose.
Back to the ceremony. Cadet graduations are inspiring, thrilling occasions. The whole thing is choreographed flawlessly, from the march of the cadets onto the field to "Class dismissed!" when the hats go into the air and the Thunderbirds do their flyby.
The Thunderbird flyby is tradition, but even when you know it's coming, the effect is awe-inspiring. The audience sits with their backs to the mountains. After the diplomas are presented, the Dean gives the oath of office to the entire group. The Academy band plays the Air Force Song, then the Dean says, "Class dismissed!"
At the precise moment the hats fly into the air--and the cadets do it justice, let me tell you--the Thunderbirds come over the mountains in formation, flying low, from behind the audience. The effect is...something you can't appreciate unless you've been there. It cannot be captured on film or explained adequately...rather like love itself.
I don't know how long they've added this touch, but it was nice: the T-birds had cockpit cameras, and introduced themselves live on the giant screen as they began the airshow. This way, we could watch the maneuvers while the pilots welcomed the cadets to the Air Force. Then they did what is probably a standard airshow: 8 point rotations, mid-air crosses, loops, flybys, and a rather cool 3 mile vertical climb. Great stuff.
Ah yes...we also had a very good commencement address by Secretary of Defense Gates. He was brief, engaging and funny, as well as thought-provoking. He mentioned how the class of 2007 (each time a speaker uttered this phrase, the entire class sent up a resounding whoop; the speakers began to time a long pause into their speeches after a bit) has learned many things. Then he listed the usual stuff about military training, academics, leadership, etc. In the middle of the list, he added, "and to not dance alone in your room when your roommate owns a videocamera."
If you know not of that which I speak, you simply must Google "cadet dancing" and watch the clip. (I promise it's work-safe.) It's also very cadet.
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