TWENTY-THREE-a
Shelly – The Speech
Brit is my hero. His men and the whole of Thailand have deep appreciation for him. He thinks of himself as an ordinary guy. He is unselfish and forgiving. His presence makes me want to be a better person. General Green has invited him to the Academy to be the commencement speaker.
The General's introduction was longer than Brit's discourse.,
His speech was not written. He said, "I am not an advocate of war. No sane man is. I love my country like everyone here. There is evil in the world. I fight to keep that wickedness from harming my loved ones and those that cannot fight for themselves. Freedom costs dearly. We pay the price to save those who are most precious. Thank you." The graduating class presented him with a standing ovation.
What he said was not new to him, but he delivered it with complete courage, conviction and commitment. It electrified the audience. He looked at his son and me as he spoke every word.
General Green said, "The message you heard today may be the shortest commencement address at the Academy, but its message is worth a ton of gold. It comes from the heart of a man who stands with all the brave men of ages past. We want to thank Colonel Brit Matthews for being with us today."
The audience rose to their feet again and applauded for ten minutes. A warm sensation wrapped around me. My heart pounded. Excitement overwhelmed me, and my mind shifted from thought to thought like a slide projector. My man earned the right to be here.
"Are there any questions for Colonel Matthews? Yes, the graduate on the front row."
"Sir, isn't it true that rescue units are safer and removed from the war?"
"Son, that is far from the truth. Rescue teams must be prepared for combat more than frontline troops. There is a greater chance we will be killed than most ground troops. Often, we go behind enemy lines to liberate one person or a whole village. Opposing firepower kills whether we are face to face or one hundred yards away."
"The Second-Class Cadet left side row 18."
"Sir, what makes a good officer?"
"Train hard as a cadet, become a master or grand master in FF, excel in leadership and maintain superior scholarship. Care about people of every culture. Do not dote on those that are self-sufficient but assist those that truly need you."
Left side, last row seat three."
Sir, who is your ideal as an example of a great officer?"
"That is easy to answer! My Daddy, Major General James Matthews, is a man of peace. He sacrifices himself for others and is very humble. The core of my beliefs come from him. He is the reason I chose the Air Force as a career."
"Colonel Matthews will be at the reception. If any of you have a personal question, the colonel will be glad to answer them."
Dozens flocked to him at the gala event wanting to join the Southeast Asia (SEA) rescue teams. He responded, "Request it as your first choice for assignment. No guarantee, but you will be considered."
YOU ARE READING
Shadows of Shelly
RomanceHave you ever accused someone of something they did not do? Shelly did it, and it cost her years of agony. Will she be able to overcome her mistake? Will her life be dictated by that one perception where she was wrong? She is a beautiful young woman...
