[…] said, “Hi Barry, I’m Jon.” Hesitating but happy and relieved, I raised his right hand and firmly grasped Jon’s and our eyes met and a bond was formed that day that only the few who have experienced it can comprehend. But that wasn’t the end of the Special Inspection. Jon then opened and held out his left hand, which had been grasping a dulled-silver dollar, a rather old vintage coin that held some significance to Jon. He explained its significance to me. Jon had received the silver dollar from a graduating cadet when he was a Plebe, at a […]
[…]Colorado Springs and a visit to the AF Academy. Later, we attend Mass in the Cadet Chapel, kneel and pray together. We spend some time just talking about things. Later, Brian and I talk about the week. “We need to do this again, Dad. This was fun, and it was……special. I really did enjoy this,” he tells me. Yes, we both did. Lieutenant Colonel Phil Tilly, USA, is an OCF member. He leads the University of Cincinnati Army ROTC Battalion. He and his wife, Jeanne, also have a daughter, […]