[StBernard] The Value of Service

[Westley Annis]

The Value of Service

Commentary by Lt. Col. Mark Murphy
354th Maintenance Group deputy commander

8/15/2008 - EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska -- I learned a big lesson on
service Aug. 4, 2008, when Eielson had the rare honor of hosting President
Bush on a refueling stop as he traveled to Asia. 

It was an event Eielson will never forget -- a hangar full of Airmen and
Soldiers getting to see the Commander in Chief up close, and perhaps even
shaking his hand. An incredible amount of effort goes into presidential
travel because of all of the logistics, security, protocol, etc ... so it
was remarkable to see Air Force One land at Eielson on time at precisely
4:30 p.m.--however, when he left less than two hours later, the President
was 15 minutes behind schedule. 

That's a big slip for something so tightly choreographed, but very few
people know why it happened. Here's why. 

On Dec. 10, 2006, our son, Shawn, was a paratrooper deployed on the
outskirts of Baghdad. He was supposed to spend the night in camp, but when a
fellow soldier became ill Shawn volunteered to take his place on a nighttime
patrol--in the convoy's most exposed position as turret gunner in the lead
Humvee. He was killed instantly with two other soldiers when an IED ripped
through their vehicle. 

I was thinking about that as my family and I sat in the audience listening
to the President's speech, looking at the turret on the up-armored Humvee
the explosive ordnance disposal flight had put at the edge of the stage as a
static display. 

When the speech was over and the President was working the crowd line, I
felt a tap on my shoulder and turned to see a White House staff member. She
asked me and my wife to come with her, because the President wanted to meet
us. 

Stunned, we grabbed our two sons that were with us and followed her back
into a conference room. It was a shock to go from a crowded, noisy hangar,
past all of those security people, to find ourselves suddenly alone in a
quiet room. 

The only thing we could hear was a cell phone vibrating, and noticed that it
was coming from the jacket Senator Stevens left on a chair. We didn't
answer. 

A short time later, the Secret Service opened the door and President Bush
walked in. I thought we might get to shake his hand as he went through. But
instead, he walked up to my wife with his arms wide, pulled her in for a hug
and a kiss, and said, "I wish I could heal the hole in your heart." He then
grabbed me for a hug, as well as each of our sons. Then he turned and said,
"Everybody out." 

A few seconds later, the four of us were completely alone behind closed
doors with the President of the United States and not a Secret Service agent
in sight. 

He said, "Come on, let's sit down and talk." He pulled up a chair at the
side of the room, and we sat down next to him. He looked a little tired from
his trip, and he noticed that his shoes were scuffed up from leaning over
concrete barriers to shake hands and pose for photos. He slumped down the
chair, completely relaxed, smiled, and suddenly was no longer the President
- he was just a guy with a job, sitting around talking with us like a family
member at a barbeque. 

For the next 15 or 20 minutes, he talked with us about our son, Iraq, his
family, faith, convictions, and shared his feelings about nearing the end of
his presidency. He asked each of our teenaged sons what they wanted to do in
life and counseled them to set goals, stick to their convictions, and not
worry about being the "cool" guy. 

He said that he'd taken a lot of heat during his tenure and was under a lot
of pressure to do what's politically expedient, but was proud to say that he
never sold his soul. Sometimes he laughed, and at others he teared up. He
said that what he'll miss most after leaving office will be his role as
Commander in Chief. 

One of the somber moments was when he thanked us for the opportunity to
meet, because he feels a heavy responsibility knowing that our son died
because of a decision he made. He was incredibly humble, full of warmth, and
completely without pretense. We were seeing the man his family sees. 

We couldn't believe how long he was talking to us, but he seemed to be in no
hurry whatsoever. In the end, he thanked us again for the visit and for the
opportunity to get off his feet for a few minutes. He then said, "Let's get
some pictures." The doors flew open, Secret Service and the White House
photographer came in, and suddenly he was the President again. We posed for
individual pictures as he gave each of us one of his coins, and then he
posed for family pictures. A few more thank yous, a few more hugs, and he
was gone. 

The remarkable thing about the whole event was that he didn't have to see us
at all. If he wanted to do more, he could've just given a quick handshake
and said, "Thanks for your sacrifice." But he didn't - he put everything and
everyone in his life on hold to meet privately with the family of a Private
First Class who gave his life in the service of his country. 

What an incredible lesson on service. If the President of the United States
is willing to drop everything on his plate to visit with a family, surely
the rest of us can do it. No one is above serving another person, and no one
is so lofty that he or she can't treat others with dignity and respect. 

We often think of service in terms of sacrificing ourselves for someone in a
position above us, but how often do we remember that serving someone below
us can be much more important? If you're in a leadership capacity, take a
good look at how you're treating your people, and remember that your role
involves serving the people you rely on every day.