President visits Phoenix; meets Luke AFB Airmen

  • Published
  • By Deborah Silliman Wolfe
  • 56th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. --  It is a rare honor to come face-to-face with the Commander in Chief of the United States of America, and some of the 51 Luke Air Force Base Airmen who attended the 110th Veterans of Foreign Wars national convention Aug. 17 had the chance to do just that.

Luke received a personal invitation from the VFW for 50 Airmen to attend the opening session of the convention, as well as hear the keynote speaker, President Barack Obama.

"I got to give the President a fist bump," said Capt. Kristen Gibson, 56th Operations Group executive officer. "I thought what he had to say was inspiring. I was supposed to go on leave Saturday, but I postponed my leave and changed my plane tickets. I wouldn't have missed this for the world."

As the Luke Airmen were shown to their seats, hours before the President took the stage, the crowd gathered for the opening session got to their feet and gave the Luke contingent a standing ovation to show their appreciation for Luke's active-duty members' service.

"I am really excited to be here today," said Alfreda Rubio, 56th Force Support Squadron career development technician, who recently returned from a four month deployment to an undisclosed location. "This is an awesome opportunity. This is something you don't get to do very often and I was glad I was chosen to attend."

Luke Airmen had the chance to hear Jan Brewer, governor of Arizona; Phil Gordon, Phoenix mayor; and Gen. Michael Hayden, former director of the NSA and the CIA; before the president took the stage, an hour earlier than planned.

"I am honored and humbled to stand before you as commander-in-chief of the finest military the world has ever known," President Obama said. "And we're joined by some of those who make it the finest force in the world -- from Luke Air Force Base, members of the 56th Fighter Wing."

The president went on to say that it's not the powerful weapons or sophisticated systems that make the United States military the strongest in the world.

"No, the true strength of our military lies in the spirit and skill of our men and women in uniform," he said. "We can never say it enough, for your service in war and in peace, thank you VFW."

President Obama also said that our men and women in uniform must always be treated as what they are -- America's most precious resource.

"As commander-in-chief I have a solemn responsibility for their safety. And there is nothing more sobering than signing a letter of condolence to the family of serviceman or woman who has given their life for our country.

"That is why I have made this pledge to our armed forces, I will only send you into harm's way when it is absolutely necessary. When I do, it will be based on good intelligence and guided by a sound strategy. And I will give you a clear mission, defined goals and the equipment and support you need to get the job done."

The president also addressed a variety of topics including increases in defense spending, the withdrawal of troops from Iraq, the new strategy to disrupt, dismantle and defeat al Qaeda and its extremist allies, fiscal responsibility and the government's responsibility to the armed forces and their families.

"Veterans of Foreign Wars, you have done your duty--to your fallen comrades, to your communities, to your country," he concluded. "You've always fulfilled your responsibilities to America. And so long as I am president, America will always fulfill its responsibilities to you."

After exiting the stage, President Obama approached the crowd, shaking hands, signing autographs and taking photos as hundreds of audience members rushed the stage.

"The experience was awesome," said Tech. Sgt. Francis Warren, 56th Security Forces Squadron military working dog section NCO in-charge. "The president said some very powerful things and things we wanted to hear. I even got to get a picture and shake his hand at the end. I'm pretty happy about that."