AFA graduation notebook

Protesters miss late-arriving Bush

Air Force Academy cadets apparently are made of sterner stuff than anti-war protesters.

While the cadets and their families sat through the early morning fog and drizzle, anti-war protesters left rather than wait for a late-arriving President Bush.

By the time Bush, whose motorcade was behind schedule, passed through the North Gate, a solitary protester - carrying a sign reading, "War is not the answer" and flashing a peace symbol - was all that remained of a band of 20 people who planned to greet the president.

The rest cleared out amid slate-gray skies before the president pulled past the gate at 9:45 p.m., 45 minutes after his scheduled arrival.

South of the academy, five other protesters stood on a hillside overlooking Interstate 25 near the Fillmore exit and unfurled a cryptic message.

Their 50-foot long banner read, "Mene Mene Tekel Upharsin," an Aramaic phrase meaning, "It has been counted and counted, weighed and divided."

The biblical figure Daniel interpreted the so-called "writing on the wall" as a judgment against the king Belshazaar, determining that his acts had been weighed and found deficient and that his kingdom would be divided.

"We wanted to speak to him in a language he purports to listen to, which is the Bible," said Eric Verlo. "It was a great location for the motorcade to see us."

8-year-olds love class of 2008

The kids who ran out onto the field to collect cadets' hats after the ceremony typically found $20 bills inside, along with 8 cents, to signify the class of 2008.

Cole Crutsinger, Bryce Crutsinger and Nick Webb - all 8-year-olds from Fort Worth - were thrilled as they wore their new hats proudly after the ceremony.

They came to see their cousin Chad Smith graduate.

Cole declared the event "awesome."

‘Once in lifetime' journey to AFA

Thomas Senna had one of the biggest and most enthusiastic cheering sections at the stadium.

More than 40 of his family members traveled here from Los Angeles.

"We left L.A. and it was 85," said Ed Marquez, his cousin. "We got here in shorts. It's only once in a lifetime that we'll get to see someone we know graduate from the academy and see the president."

Wise guys were hot on chilly day

Coffee and hot cocoa were hot sellers among the graduation crowd, but things were a little lonely at the Dippin' Dots booth.

Colin Smith and Amy Hermstad - recent Air Academy High School grads - were bundled up and bored as they watched people file by. Luckily they weren't working on commission.

"We're so bored, we keep counting how many people say, ‘So, you selling a lot of ice cream?'" Hermstad said.

Then a man walked by, saying, "You guys selling a lot of that stuff today?"

Hermstad turned to Smith: "Seventy-one."

Marine colonel proud of his son

Marine Col. Jeffrey Schaf was on leave from his fourth tour in Iraq to see his son Brian graduate.

"My wife told me before I left this time that I WOULD be home for graduation," Schaf said.

The proud father also admits some worry about a son entering the military during wartime.

"Any parent that has children in the military, they're concerned," he said. "But in a time like this, everyone needs to step forward, so I'm proud of his decision."

He's also glad his son plans to be a fighter pilot, rather than on the ground: "His goal, even as a youngster, was to be a fighter pilot."

Despite a negative public perception of the war in Iraq, Schaf argues the young generation fighting this war is the natural heir to the legacy of the World War II generation.

"The torch has been passed. We had the World War II generation and their accomplishments. The young generation now are measuring up in every way possible.

"What I see overseas is a lot of brave young people doing great things."

Secret Service gets sweet assist

Joey Hoecherl, academy class of 2009, got patted down by a Secret Service agent ... to dust powdered sugar off his uniform.

"I walked out of the funnel cake stand and the wind blew the sugar all over me," Hoecherl said, as he snuggled up to a wall to hide from the breezy weather. "I'm sure as it continues to drizzle on me it will disappear."

Classmates laughed when even the Secret Service noticed his predicament.

"I'm a mess right now," he said. "This is ridiculous."

Football player is toast of the town

Gary and Sue Fowler's son, Drew Fowler, was a starting middle linebacker for the Falcons football team, and the team's defensive player of the year.

He's still hoping for a career in the National Football League, but he first must fulfill a two-year commitment to the Air Force.

Gary Fowler is a high school football coach in their hometown of Clayton, N.C., and he made every home football game in Colorado Springs this season.

He said people in Clayton are closely following his son's career.

"He's like a small-town celebrity," Gary Fowler said.

"Oh, he loves coming home," Sue Fowler said.

The Fowlers said they don't think their son fully realizes his accomplishments.

"This is something here that he'll tell his kids," Gary Fowler said. "How many people shake the president's hands at their graduation?

"This day will be even more important to him 20 years from now than it is today."