When I saw that General Clark was going to speak at the Officer Candidate School Graduation in Fort Benning on Oct 12th, I ran to the phone to call mom and dad. They live there – I grew up an army brat in Fort Benning, my dad’s a retired Lt.Col. – and this would be their first chance to see the General in person. It’s southern Georgia, not exactly a Democratic stronghold, and being in their late 80’s and a little less mobile, they have never had the opportunity to see General Clark in person. This meant a lot to me. They’ve been avid supporters of the General ever since my Draft days, and, more importantly, supported me all through it – even paying some of my bills when I quit my job to help full-time with the Draft here in Northern California and then relocating to New Hampshire during the primary. My life would not be complete until they had the chance to experience him in person.

They agreed to go. I immediately went into my groupie mode, advising them where to position themselves to be able to shake his hand, what to say to him if they had the chance. I wanted them to share the experience many of us have had where we shake his hand and sputter out some ineffectual phrase as we try to get out three years of admiration in three seconds. But they warned me this was an army base and he would probably be afforded a more formal entrance and exit. Sure enough, he entered the forum marching down the center isle, leading an array of army brass and dignitaries. My parents noticed that one of the elevators in the building was roped off, so they figured he came down on that one to enter the hall, probably after having lunch with Ft. Benning’s Commanding General. I mention this because it gives me great satisfaction to see General Clark given the respect and deference he deserves. I only see the side of his life where he is dissed by people who aren’t fit to shine his shoes – unprepared reporters, unqualified debate opponents, being paired-up on FOX with Oliver North or Richard Perle – so God Bless my home town of Fort Benning for giving him his own elevator and a grand entrance!

This was a graduation ceremony for those from the enlisted ranks who have been chosen to be officers. I’m an officer’s daughter, but I have a special place in my heart for the enlisted army – these are the young men and women who are so proud and brave and loyal and have a dedication that I am embarrassed to say I can’t even imagine. Thank God for them, they are a national treasure. I get a lump in my throat when I think about them. (A lump that immediately turns to tears at the keyboard when I think of the waste of this national treasure at the hands of an unnecessary war – Bush’s most unforgivable act in my opinion. But I digress. . .)) The hall was filled with 160 graduates and their families. General Clark was scheduled to speak and give out the diplomas. My parents got there early and found a seat near the isle and only five rows back. So they were able to see him up close as he entered and during the ceremony on stage. (I did make them answer the obligatory questions – yes, he looked tanned and rested, yes, he looked like he had been eating, and, as for his attire. . . red tie, white shirt, dark suit.)

The stage was simple – a large platform adorned with a single podium and a single American flag, plus two flags with army insignias. My dad noted how powerful the scene was with General Clark and a lone American flag, in contrast he said to the “PowerPoint-induced massive American flags backdrop” that Bush always uses. General Clark got on stage, stood out front rather than behind the podium, switched on the microphone powerpak in his pocket and started to speak. He used no notes. He went deftly through a motivating, five-point speech. Mom and dad have listened to almost all his speeches on the internet. Their comment on this one is that it was perfectly placed for this event. It spoke of leadership and personal conduct with no hint of Bush-bashing or partisanship (not appropriate in a military setting.) He took the audience through periods of pride, motivation, and laughter – the way only a great leader and even better speaker can do. They were amazed at his ability to switch gears between a fist-pounding barn-burner partisan speech like he did in Iowa the other day, and this non-political motivational speech – both of them vastly different, both of them superbly delivered, both of them without notes. (As they were telling me this, I again let my mind wander to that “bad place” – comparing this man with our current President who needs a cue card when he has to use a new word in a sentence – but my therapist says I have to quit focusing on the negative – so let me return. . .) Mom and dad said General Clark had the audience in the palm of his hand, including some light moments. It started off with him awarding six achievement medals. The first one, for distinguished honor graduate, went to a female officer. Clark worked for some time to pin the medal on her uniform, finally dropping it to the floor by accident. Undeterred, he picked it up and worked on it more until he got it pinned. The audience supported him the whole way to get that medal on, and he drew a laugh when the next awardee approached and Clark grinned and just handed him the medal. Another humorous point came when he told of Gert’s reaction to him going back to Ft. Benning. She said “Good, you can stop by the barber and get a whitewall.” (the term for that army haircut where the sides are buzzed so short the skin shows through). He put his hand up to his hair and said, “I don’t need to. I’ve got white all over now.” The speech ended with his last and final point to them “The chain of command is non-political. Keep politics out of it.” The audience chuckled with the acknowledgement of Clark’s role today and Clark responded with a smile, saying “I’m retired. I’m a civilian. I can do it.”

So, mom and dad called me as soon as they got back. They were giddy and inspired and talking over each other to tell me the details. They had that inspirational glow you can only get from seeing General Clark in person – the glow you don’t want to lose, but unfortunately it wears off after about 24 hours in the real world or 5 minutes of watching some shill on Fox spin how well we are doing in Iraq. Anyway, here were my near-90-year-old parents in the chatty, excited afterglow and I was jealous! They also were struck with the pride you get from being in the presence of our armed forces – the strength and handsomeness of the new officers and their families. My dad had a polite 3-year-old seated next to him who diligently colored in his coloring book, then spent the rest of the time poring over the pictures in the program. As his mother left her seat to approach the stage to take pictures of his father who was a graduate, one of the other army wives would plop down in the empty seat to make sure the young boy was cared for -- an example of the quiet, systematic and unparalleled support that exists within military families. I think the event made mom and dad proud and a little nostalgic (yes, I was once a fidgety, 3-year old at those long military ceremonies.) At first I was disappointed they didn’t get to shake the General’s hand, but then I realized that they did get what was the most valuable – that afterglow that comes from being around a true leader. (Lord, how is this man not our President!!?? How did we end up with . . ... ooh, I’m letting my mind go to that “bad place” again. . .)