No big deal,or anything, but nothing puts a reality check on an experience quite like a meeting with the Secret Service!

The meeting was primarily to cover logistics. Where to be, what time, who our civilian and military contacts were, who our military escort will be. The meeting was also inspiring. Organizers reminded us that 2,807 applications were received to be in the inaugural parade. Regardless the outcome of the election, the parade would happen and organizers have been planning for months. Like clockwork every few years the military branches in essence deploy an entire call of duty of service for our active members of the armed services! 55 entries were selected (or invited like in our case) with a parade,roster of 8,917 parade participants. It takes more than a small deployment of our military and hundreds of volunteers, 2500 port a potties, 8,917 parade participants and 600-800,000 visitors to welcome in our President and Vice Presidents second term…it takes a nation.

We are a select few. We hope to represent well.