The Entrance
Wow! That is really the only word to describe the last couple of days I spent with the Air Force – Special Operations Team as part of the Salute to Our Troops Project with the rodeo. Much like their purpose in the Air Force, they had a very specialized task at the performance. Their task was to make The Entrance with the flag. This was not your typical entrance though as they were not marching in carrying the flag. Instead, they were making The Entrance from 300+ feet straight up. That’s right. I said 300+ feet straight up. The Special Ops crew rappelled down from the top of Reliant Stadium escorting a 35’ custom United States of America flag. Two of the team members rappelled down with the flag while being flanked by two other team members whose role was to hit the ground first in preparation to receive the flag as it came down.
As the lights went down, spot lights came up and shined up to the top. You could see the flag hanging down, but I’m still not sure the audience knew what was going on until the announcement came. As the team was introduced, they started the drop. The entire crowd was on their feet watching as four of our finest men in uniform began their drop to the floor. The noise and applause was overwhelming. About two thirds of the way into the drop, the two outside team members started a rapid descent to the floor. The crowd got even louder at this point. Once the two were in place along with two other ground support team members to receive the flag, the other two operators began a rapid descent with the flag, which prompted another round of cheers and applause from the audience. A few minutes later, we are walking off the dirt with the flag in hand. Now that is what I call an Entrance.
Thanks to Ernie and Nora from Electra Link, I was able to take the team up to the Sky Suite for a while at which point they made another Entrance. As the team walked in, you could see the overwhelming look of Wow on the faces of the people in the suite. There was lots of good conversation, a few cold ones, some pictures, and just an overall great time.
There was yet a third Entrance that had occurred as part of this event. It was the Entrance of a group of strangers into each other’s lives. I had never met the Special Ops Team before, but I know this is not the last time I will see them. I know the people in the suite will be talking about the Entrance the team made in the stadium and in the suite for a while. As we were leaving, the team commented about what they were going to remember the most about this drop. It was one little word: hospitality. They said they had never been treated so well and met so many nice people.
People enter our lives each day. Sure it may not be with all the hype of rappelling down from the roof of a stadium, but it is still an Entrance. Be aware and appreciative of the people entering your life or you entering their life. There is indeed a reason for the Entrance.
PS – they want to take me on a tandem jump out of a perfectly good airplane, and yes you betcha…I’m gonna do it.
Rodeo Rod - Special Operations Cowboy Unit - Rappelling Down From My Saddle To Rescue A Beer!
Wow! That is really the only word to describe the last couple of days I spent with the Air Force – Special Operations Team as part of the Salute to Our Troops Project with the rodeo. Much like their purpose in the Air Force, they had a very specialized task at the performance. Their task was to make The Entrance with the flag. This was not your typical entrance though as they were not marching in carrying the flag. Instead, they were making The Entrance from 300+ feet straight up. That’s right. I said 300+ feet straight up. The Special Ops crew rappelled down from the top of Reliant Stadium escorting a 35’ custom United States of America flag. Two of the team members rappelled down with the flag while being flanked by two other team members whose role was to hit the ground first in preparation to receive the flag as it came down.
As the lights went down, spot lights came up and shined up to the top. You could see the flag hanging down, but I’m still not sure the audience knew what was going on until the announcement came. As the team was introduced, they started the drop. The entire crowd was on their feet watching as four of our finest men in uniform began their drop to the floor. The noise and applause was overwhelming. About two thirds of the way into the drop, the two outside team members started a rapid descent to the floor. The crowd got even louder at this point. Once the two were in place along with two other ground support team members to receive the flag, the other two operators began a rapid descent with the flag, which prompted another round of cheers and applause from the audience. A few minutes later, we are walking off the dirt with the flag in hand. Now that is what I call an Entrance.
Thanks to Ernie and Nora from Electra Link, I was able to take the team up to the Sky Suite for a while at which point they made another Entrance. As the team walked in, you could see the overwhelming look of Wow on the faces of the people in the suite. There was lots of good conversation, a few cold ones, some pictures, and just an overall great time.
There was yet a third Entrance that had occurred as part of this event. It was the Entrance of a group of strangers into each other’s lives. I had never met the Special Ops Team before, but I know this is not the last time I will see them. I know the people in the suite will be talking about the Entrance the team made in the stadium and in the suite for a while. As we were leaving, the team commented about what they were going to remember the most about this drop. It was one little word: hospitality. They said they had never been treated so well and met so many nice people.
People enter our lives each day. Sure it may not be with all the hype of rappelling down from the roof of a stadium, but it is still an Entrance. Be aware and appreciative of the people entering your life or you entering their life. There is indeed a reason for the Entrance.
PS – they want to take me on a tandem jump out of a perfectly good airplane, and yes you betcha…I’m gonna do it.
Rodeo Rod - Special Operations Cowboy Unit - Rappelling Down From My Saddle To Rescue A Beer!
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