Modern heroes

Ann Trail and Capt. Chesley Sullenberger III. (Courtesy photo)

Ann and I recently spent a week in Colorado Springs enjoying events at the Air Force Academy.

Ann's proudest moment? Hands down it was meeting Chesley Sullenberger III, better known as "Captain Sully"! She'd touched his arm and squealed "Oh I'm so happy to meet you! You have done such a wonderful thing!" His response, "Yes but remember there were five of us!"

Ann asked to take his picture and he summoned the clerk and asked her to picture the two of them together. "Now let's check and see if it was a good one" he responded after the flash. It was. Ann then handed him one of the ribbon crosses that she hand crafts to send to our soldiers fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan and explained a bit about her passionate ministry. He urged her to keep up the good work and then asked "Now what is your name?"

She replied thanking him again and once more his modest response, "Remember there were five of us!" Ann did mention that she was also married to an Academy Grad but she failed to mention that she was proud to be pictured there with him the world's second best pilot!

Capt. Sully was at the academy to receive the prestigious Jabara Award. It is awarded each year by the Air Force Academy to honor a graduate that has performed an outstanding feat of airmanship. I think he eminently deserves that honor.

A couple of hours before encountering him in person, we had been privileged to watch a formal military parade in his honor. My class of much older grads was also honored, but Capt. Sully stood front and center alongside Lt. Gen. Regni, the current Academy Superintendent. By coincidence both are 1973 graduates of the Academy. With the Wing Staff "front and center," the announcement was made and the superintendent presented a handsome plaque to the honored guest. Then the Cadet Wing, some 4,000 strong formally passed in review. What a feat of aviation, ditching an airliner and saving 155 lives, what a man, and what an honor! It made us proud to be a part of the presentation honoring him.

Speaking of proud, Ann is like a new grandma showing pictures of the newborn. She carries her picture with Capt. Sully everywhere. She flashes it at a moments notice and I'm intrigued that so many people instantly recognize the face. It seems that all America is proud of "our hero" Capt. Sully.

Actually this week has been a good one for heroes with great news coverage of the hometown ceremonies honoring ship Capt. Richard Phillips. Phillips saved his ship's crew from being taken prisoner by Moslem pirates by presenting himself as hostage.

Capt. Phillips, just like Capt. Sully, was self-effacing and protests at every point that he isn't the hero. He contends that it was the U.S. Navy and particularly the Seals who rescued him who are the true heroes. Just watching and knowing such men exist makes one proud to be an American.

One sour note from our visit to the Academy is the personal impression that the Cadets are struggling with faith in Christianity.

In the not too distant past, charismatic Christianity was big at the school but no more. Memory serves to remind me that some graduate serving as an Air Force officer brought suit against the school for "religious persecution" or some such foolish concern.

The guy was Jewish and evidently thought Christianity was being rammed down his throat. Possibly it was, but a squad of lawyers and a fuzz-headed judge brought judgment against the school and the current powers-that-be now steer a wide path around any pretense of encouraging personal faith.

Fifty years ago weekly attendance at a chapel service was mandatory for all Cadets. The superintendent and his family also attended. I enjoyed singing in the Chapel choir. There was no conflict, we all attended and I think we were better for the experience.

It is a shame that encouraging a personal faith in young men and women who will be our future military leaders is now discouraged.

I note that Billy F. Shafer has died. I was proud when Billy, a common man with good sense, ran for McCook City Council. I always thought that the elitist members of the council at that time treated Billy badly, probably due to his lack of a college education, and I felt their comments contributed to him losing the election. As I remember Billy's bid for a seat happened just prior to the council buying the old airbase and that Billy didn't think that purchase was a good idea. What a debacle that decision to buy turned out to be! May he rest in peace.

That is the way I see it.