Trip Tidbits....

Some final thoughts and obeservations......

Though it's never occured to me, probably the last thing I ever thought I would do in my life is to ride all over Washington D.C. in an actual by-gawd "motorcade" with motorcycle cops front and back, sirens wailing. "Motorcades" for two days delivering us to the front doors of the White House, Pentagon and Arlington National Cemetery. I tried to remember my humility during these rides; I once actually waved at a peasant when we slowed at an intersection! I have to say that "motorcading" gets in your blood and will, I'm sure, rank right up there in my most memorable experiences in life.

It is a crushing blow to ones ego to get home, have to drive your own car back to your modest home and discover that in actuality you are nothing more than a peasant yourself.

I'm continually proud of the quality of men and women we have in our armed forces today; enlisted, sergeants and officers. All of the officers and most of the sergeants have college degrees, are bright, intelligent, dedicated and capable. These young people could be advancing rapidly in the corporate world but instead chose to serve their country. For this we all should be deeply indebted.

Being from the "old army" I'm continually surprised at the large number of women serving in the army; and at the jobs they do. In talking to the diminuitive, very young appearing, warrant officer who was the bagpiper who played at our Arlington reception, I asked her how she got a "cush" job like being a bagpiper in the army, she replied, "oh no sir, bagpiping is part time, I'm a Ch-47 helicopter pilot in my real army job". A Ch-47 is a big two rotor cargo chopper. I wanted to ask her if she was old enough to drive a car.

There is a cost for so many women in the army. I had a long chat with another attractive and intelligent young woman who is a captain in the army. She lost her right arm to a roadside bomb in Iraq last year. She's in the photo spread, but I won't tell you which officer she is...if you can't tell it doesn't matter

When I was a lieutenant in the army the very sight of a full colonel was enough to start me quaking. As I grew older I ended up with two close friends were four star generals. At our event their were several four stars, many three stars and down the list. A full colonel was like a private. Funny how perceptions change.

I met many interesting people with some surprising results. One of our close group receieved the Medal of Honor in 1968 for actions in the same battle as Bruce Crandall. His daughter-in-law is a Major in the US Army and was born in Vietnam. I met another women, a Lt. Colonel who I also learned was born in Saigon. I introduced the two at the Pentagon reception and watched as they almost wept as they conversed in Vietamese. How strange, two American field grade officers, one the daughter in law of a Vietnam Medal of Honor awardee speaking Vietnamese in the Pentagon. Both were born in 1965, the year in which Bruce earned his award.

One of my four star general friends, Dick Cody, is now second in command of the army. When I introduced myself to the Commanding General, he said, "oh your Dick's friend he said to tell you he was sorry that he was out of town, can I give him a message for you." How good that made me feel. Later when a "mere" two star general told me he worked directly for Gen. Cody I asked if he would deliver a written message for me, "of course sir". I quickly wrote the message on a cocktail napkin and gave it to him. He opened it with a very surprised look on his face as I walked away. The message said, "Cody I'm gonna' kick you ass, Wallace". No telling what that two star thought. Cody emailed me later and said he'd had quite a laugh.

In the White House and Pentagon, no video equipment of any kind is allowed, however the general who briefed us on our Pentagon visit said that we were welcome to take our cell phones into the building. He also added that as soon as we stepped into the building they "mysteriously" would not work. Mysteriously was his exact word.

The Pentagon is one humongous building and if I got lost I would wish my cell phone would work so someone could find me. It is also actually quite nice inside with a floor of one leg of the building being a shopping mall with the same stores you'd see in any city. They have a good captive market, 25,000 people work in this one structure.

Houston Intercontinental aiport is one humongous building[s] and it sucks! Washington Reagan Airport is not humongous and is really one of the best airports I have experience with.

There were people I knew on the plane from Midland to Houston/Houston to Washington and from Washington to Houston/Houston to Midland. A nice feeling.

Military people, as a rule, are the finest group of people on earth.

Trip Photos