Soldier has dinner with the President
It's a rare opportunity to eat dinner with the President of the United States. For one Guam resident though, that rare opportunity became a reality.
By KUAM NewsGuam - It's a rare opportunity to eat dinner with the President of the United States. For one Guam resident though, that rare opportunity became a reality. A special dinner was held at the White House hosted by the President and First Lady.
The dinner was in honor of the armed forces who served in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn and their families. Guam Army National Guard Specialist Janice Flores served in Iraq and was selected to represent the island during the prestigious event.
"My mom is excited," she said. "I wish I could have brought her, my whole family is excited they just couldn't believe it just exciting it's really an honor to be here and meet the president. Considering our geographical location we're so far away we were a big part of what happened in Iraq. We were all there as one we were all there as a team so to be selected from where we're at its just an honor to come out here and be here with all the other branches. To say we were there all together and we fought as one so it's a great honor the island is excited. The President is actually going to see a representative from Guam so it's really nice it's exciting. Its overwhelming."
During the dinner Defense Secretary Leon Panetta told America's heroes that our democracy depends on people like you that are willing to step forward to serve our country. "To Guam to my hometown Guam I'm here fixing to meet the President of the United States and its an honor to be here to meet the President and to represent the island of Guam and the Marianas island and I thank you and I thank the president for bringing us together and to the Governor of Guam we're here together thank you. And to Congresswoman Madeleine Bordallo and to my family and friends and to the unit fox trot thank for sending me here," she said.
Each of the 54 states and territories nominated a soldier and airman from their guard organizations to attend the dinner. Specialist Flores was one of only eight guard members selected to represent the National Guard at the dinner.