Military officers solemn on plane ride

Nov. 22 began as my last day of work at a North Side Chicago business. And it was to celebrate both my mother’s and sister’s birthdays. I had not worked long at this business but still felt a bit of unease with leaving.

The day was normal until whispers began to be heard around the large office that the president had been shot. From then on little work was accomplished, as all of us were waiting quietly to hear further details.

I left work without much being said. Early the next morning on a United flight I departed on my first airplane ride to the Baltimore area to begin my two years of military service as a fresh 2nd lieutenant. Dressed in my new uniform with my shiny bars I quickly encountered an array of military officers of much higher rank with decorations and even some with stars heading into the D.C. area. I was soon wanting to just sit down in my seat and stay out of their way — at least as much as I could so I would not do something inappropriate and to not have to be continually saluting the higher-ranking military officers traveling for an entirely more solemn, different reason.

Ron Entzminger

Arlington Heights