Guardsmen

2nd Lt. Sean Cappel

The ceremony was simple, solemn and respectful! The purpose was to honor all MIA/POW and to instill a sense of sacrifice into the assembled officer candidates. Remembering those who have given their all is a part of the heritage of all the military services. For me a simple phrase said it all, "They are not gone until they are no longer remembered." Sgt. Randy Jay Matheny's life was snuffed out Feb. 4, 2007 near Baghdad. Randy's body is safely interned back home. Sean and Randy were best friends in high school. Randy joined the Guard and was killed in Iraq. Sean went to college in Omaha. How does one honor his friend's patriotism? Well, I think that his best friend Sean has found a way! Randy's memory will forever be carried in Sean's heart as he in turn steps forth to serve our country.

Last week I flew to Tulsa and left Ann with our daughter and grands. Then I flew on to Montgomery, Ala. At Maxwell AFB, Sean Cappel, along with 123 other young men and women from across the United States were commissioned 2nd Lieutenants in the U.S. Air Force Reserve, members of the Air National Guard. I was honored to participate in a very small way in that time honored tradition.

Sean's parents Deb and Rich run the NAPA store in McCook. An older generation knows proud grandparents Don and Joan Schamel who, along with siblings, were also in attendance to celebrate Sean's achievement.

I entered Sean's life when he asked me to teach him to fly. The scrappy kid had talent and went on to earn his commercial, instrument and instructor ratings while attending college in Omaha. I have been privileged to keep in touch and encourage him along the way.

The seminal event of 9/11 and now-unenlightened policies of the present administration have put a pox on business and commercial aviation. Sean, his good friend Jake Lammers, son of a ranching couple from Hartington, Neb., along with hundreds of others have found it tough making a living as flight instructors.

The airlines aren't hiring and pay poorly when they do. Sean looked to the military, but the regular Air Force rebuffed his first advance. I recommended the KC-135's flown by the Nebraska Air Guard, and that is Jake's destination. Sean had a better idea, how about the ultimate fighter pilot's dream, the F-16 flown by the South Dakota Guard unit at Sioux Falls? Hired! Now he is well started on the two-year path to attaining that dream; a fighter pilot in the best Air Force in the world. I just know Randy would be pleased!

We as a people are blessed to be served by the caliber of young men and women that I saw commissioned into our Air Force last Friday. They were guardsmen one and all hailing from every state in the union including Alaska and Hawaii plus Puerto Rico. Black, White, Asian, Hispanic, American Indian, Melanesian, their bloodlines ran the gambit of the potpourri that is wonderfully American.

In the tradition of the Officer Training School, a large portion of this class of 124 really sharp young men and women were prior enlisted. Their seasoning while working the line will make them even better leaders. In my day we honored them with the proud appellation "Mustang."

Quite honestly, when I was a squadron commander, some of my best crew commanders were officers with prior enlisted experience. My Mustangs were also the most strict in enforcing military discipline.

In the United States, our National Guardsmen inherit a long proud tradition. They spring from the Minutemen at Concord and General George Washington's army of volunteers that birthed our country in freedom.

They have fought alongside the regulars in every military action our country has ever been involved. It was California Guardsmen, defenders of the Philippines, who suffered and died in the Bataan Death March.

All units were called up to serve on active duty during World War II. Air Guardsmen from Colorado and other states took the fight to Korea. They served with honor in Vietnam. Medal of Honor Col. Bud Day, commander of the POW's in the Hanoi Hilton, was a Guardsman from South Dakota. Guardsmen were among the first on the scene in Haiti. They are now and always have been a key part of our military.

Air Guardsmen bring a unique perspective to the table as one day they might be a policeman, engineer, farmer, airline pilot, you name the profession, and the next day they are flying the hottest fighter, bomber, transport or spy plane in the Air Force. There are hundreds of other roles other than pilot to be filled in the military. Who better to be a JAG than a practicing civilian lawyer as was our newest U.S. Senator Scott Brown?

How about an engineer in charge of repairing combat damage to a runway that makes his living designing and overseeing highway construction projects in real life? The list goes on. Their experience in their civilian jobs brings a huge benefit to the military.

It is as the OTS Commander, Col. Laura J. Koch stated to the graduates. "The Air National Guard and the Total Force needs you now, more than ever in our nation's history, to step up and stand proudly as an ANG officer, commissioned by your nation to meet the challenges of today and tomorrow."

2nd Lieutenants Sean and Jake will be attending Air Force pilot training this summer in Wichita Falls, Texas. That course is roughly 18 months long and will cost us taxpayers more than $1 million for each of them. Upon graduation and awarding of their pilot wings, they will move into specialty training, Jake to Altus AFB, Oklahoma and Sean on to "fighter school‚" at Nellis AFB, Nevada.

Once qualified as "Combat Ready," they will report back to their respective units for duty world wide. I envy them the ride and will be cheering from the corner every step of their way.

That is the way I see it.