Despite all my efforts, I didn't make it to Invesco Field for the truly historic event Thursday night. I'd been in Denver all week, not as a delegate but as member of the DNC's Veterans and Military Families Council which I addressed briefly Tuesday afternoon, telling of my son's "homecoming" from war, shortchanged by a military budget cut that left room for no-bid contract payouts, but not for welcome home receptions for our troops.
I hung out with veterans all week at Coors Stadium, thanks to sponsorship by ALPA (Airline Pilots Association), VETPAC, and other organizations that played host to the constituents that ensure free speech, security for our nation, and ultimately, support of the tenets of our Constitution. On Thursday afternoon, I was about to take possession of tickets for myself and a fellow military mom to be at Invesco Field when a military spouse whose husband is deployed to Iraq as a Helicopter Pilot inserted herself into the negotiation. I couldn’t refuse her plea and we hung out at Coors Field, watching the speech on the Jumbotron, kicking ourselves for missing it.
The overarching theme of the week's events within our venue was "Team Obama/Biden" are a slam dunk in terms of National Security, Foreign Policy, Military Affairs and Veterans Affairs.
I heard tell that in his four years in the Senate, Barack Obama, who serves on the Veterans Affairs Committee, as well as the Foreign Relations Committee, has introduced or co-sponsored more legislation in support of veterans than Sen. McCain has in his entire career in the Senate. Inexplicable, when you consider McCain is a vet. When I get my act in better gear, I'll post links to the legislation.
See more about some of the high-name folks that support Obama/Biden below.
Major General Jonathan Scott Gration
Gen. Jonathan S. Gration, Retired, was the Director, Strategy, Policy, and Assessments, United States European Command, Stuttgart-Vaihingen, Germany. He was responsible for formulation and staff direction of the execution of basic military/political policy and planning for command activities involving relations with other US Unified Commands, allied military and international military organizations and subordinate commands. He was also responsible for the development of force structure requirements; conducting studies, analyses, and assessments; and for evaluating military forces, plans, programs, and strategies.
The general was raised in Africa and, no “legacy appointment,” he entered the Air Force in 1974 through the Air Force ROTC program at Rutgers University. He has previously served as a White House Fellow, operations group commander and two-time wing commander. He also served as Director of Regional Affairs in the Office of the Deputy Undersecretary of the Air Force for International Affairs.
General Gration is a command pilot with more than 5,000 flight hours, including more than 2,000 hours as an instructor pilot. He has extensive combat experience in the Middle East and served as the Commander of Task Force West during Operation Iraqi Freedom. General Gration’s aerial combat experience includes 274 combat missions over Iraq (983 hours of combat time).
Command Sgt. Major Michele S. Jones – First Female CSM of the Army Reserve.
Entered Service: September 1982
Current Command: 9th Command Sergeant Major of the Army Reserve
Command Sergeant Major Jones enlisted in the Army in 1982. She is the first woman to serve as class president at the United States Sergeants Major Academy, as a division Command Sergeant Major, and as Command Sergeant Major of the Army Reserve. Throughout her military career, CSM Jones has dedicated herself to the issues of the enlisted Soldier. This is especially true with her current position.
John L. Estrada was the 15th Sergeant Major of the United States Marine Corps. He succeeded Alford L. McMichael on June 26, 2003, becoming the 15th Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps.[ Estrada stepped down on April 25, 2007. He was the first and to date only Latino to serve in the post as the nation’s highest ranking enlisted Marine.
There're a host of other retired Generals, including Lt. Gen. Claudia Kennedy, the first woman to raise to rank of three-star General in U.S. Army and served as Deputy Chief of Staff for Intelligence, disaffected former Republican military officers, and Gen. Wes Clark.
But perhaps the most telling and critical endorsement Obama/Biden receive is that of the U.S. military's ground troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. For, according to a study by Center for Responsive Politics, those serving in those two combat zones are contributing to Obama/Biden over McCain/Palin by a ratio of Six to One.
Simply put, in Denver it was reinforced that Obama/Biden are undeniably the strongest pair to lead America through the tremendous challenges ahead. In terms of National Security, since our enemies are emboldened and some former allies are now indifferent toward America, Obama/Biden have the gravitas and broad and experienced world view that is required to draw on both soft and hard power, use all the tools of foreign policy to restore America's national security and standing in the world. In terms of military readiness, this pair will exercise far greater judgment than McCain/Palin since McCain seems to confuse Shi'ia with Sunni, Iran and Syria and favors remaining in Iraq for "a hundred years." The good Senator from Arizona had my attention and appreciation years ago, but I'm afraid it was all bluff and posturing from a third-from-the-bottom legacy enrollment at Annapolis rather than a tried-and-true leader and potential Commander-in-Chief.
And don't get me started on Palin. I wanted to reserve judgment until I knew more about her, but my Marine son, about to head back to Iraq, gave the response I'd had but was unwilling to admit. I was sitting in a rooftop cafe in Boulder Friday when he called. It was the first time I'd heard from him in more than a week since he'd been out in the field training. An unequivocal apolitical animal who wears the uniform and serves whoever his commander-in-chief may be, the disappointment I detected in my son's voice absolutely broke my heart and enraged me. My son knew this woman was a purely political choice by McCain and he was really saddened to think someone he'd admired would sink to such a low level when it comes to our troops in the field.
It is hard to believe that Senator McCain, if he truly loved our country and wanted the best for it, would name an untested, naive, unsophisticated individual as his Vice President, the person who would be a heartbeat away from the presidency. And let's be honest, McCain is no spring chicken and underwent intense rigors during his POW days and there is no telling his real physical fortitude at this advanced age.
That he thought it acceptable to have this woman as my son's commander-in-chief? It is absolutely insulting and the stark contrast between Senator Obama's courageous "putting out there" of the real issues: Abortion, Guns, Gay Marriage, with the hope we could heal America, during his speech at Invesco Field.
As for me, I’ll take personal courage, wisdom, world-view and support for our veterans and troops any day over calculating political moves. And as I said earlier, those like my son, who wear the uniform and will rely on the decisions of and answer to the next commander-in-chief, agree by a ratio of 6:1.
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