Luncheon serves as power of prayer reminder

  • Published
  • By Carol O'Maley
  • 56th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. --  Retired Air Force Maj. Gen. Jerry White spoke about some of his life's defining events at Luke's National Prayer Luncheon held Wednesday at Club Thunderbolt, including the random murder of an adult son. 

General White is current chairman of the U.S. board of directors of The Navigators, an international Christian organization headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colo., where General White lives. Col. Timothy Strawther, 56th Operations Group commander, presented him with an appreciation gift from Luke -- a wood-sculpted model of an F-16. 

The luncheon program included music by the Protestant Praise team and the Luke Gospel Choir. Anita Sullivan, wife of Chaplain (Maj.) Robert Sullivan, 56th Fighter Wing Chapel, sang the national anthem. Chaplain (Capt.) Larry Kittle, 56th Fighter Wing Chapel, offered a welcome and introductions, and Chaplain (Capt.) James Claggett, 56th FW Chapel, led the audience in a responsive reading from the Bible. 

Old Testament scriptures were read by Airman David Sitthideth, 56th Equipment Maintenance Squadron Aerospace Ground Equipment apprentice, and New Testament scriptures were read by Staff Sgt. Keri Rash, 56th Mission Support Squadron Airman Leadership School instructor. 

A multimedia presentation was shown in honor of those who have been and will be deployed overseas from Luke. The presentation, prepared by an American soldier, included a song entitled, "If I Should Die Before You Wake." One of the presentation's visual images was of an Iraqi woman holding up an index finger dripping in purple ink, signifying her new-found freedom to vote using her fingerprint. 

A prayer for the nation was offered by the Rev. Dr. Tetsunao Yamamori, 56th Fighter Wing honorary wing chaplain, and Chaplain Sullivan gave the benediction. 

The Navigators, with a staff of 4,000 in 104 countries, focuses on providing people with spiritual and practical help. 

General White and his wife Mary have co-written 12 books about a variety of topics including work, ethics and parenting adult children.  They parented four children and have 11 grandchildren. 

General White also serves as board chairman of the Christian Management Association of the United States. With a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from the University of Washington, a master's degree in astronautics from the Air Force Institute of Technology, and a doctorate in astronautics from Purdue University, he taught astronautics six years at the U.S. Air Force Academy. He also co-authored
The Fundamentals of Astrodynamics, still used today as a standard reference text. 

Although General White resigned from active service in 1973, he then spent 24 years fulfilling a number of assignments in the Air Force Reserves and retired in 1997 as a major general.