Presidential Inauguration Parade, January 20, 2005, by Kurran Ochwat
From MemoryArchive
Who: Kurran Ochwat What: Presidential Inauguration When: January 20, 2005 Where: Washington, DC
Presidential Inauguration
When I was growing up in Columbus, Ohio I never saw myself living in Washington, D.C. or getting a college education at American University for that matter. All I ever wanted to do was become a soldier and serve my country. I joined the military the day that I graduated from high school in 1997. Clinton was in office for most of my time spent in the Army. At the time, I did not even know the difference between a Democrat and a Republican. I didn’t even care and mocked those who followed politics. I felt that a soldier had no place meddling in politics because they are too destructive and biased. You are in a way giving up some of your freedoms when you join the military for a soldier must engage in any conflict that an administration decides to partake in regardless if you believe in it or not. This is the job of a soldier, to support the national security policies of the United States and to carry out his orders. If soldiers had a choice to engage in those conflicts that they only support then this country would not be where it is today.
When I left the military after my first contract was up, I felt that I wanted to learn more about the foreign policy that I vouched to enforce. What better place to come to and learn about United States Foreign Policy than the American University. As my education progressed I began to understand world events from a strategic standpoint. My experience in the Army worked side by side with my education. I began to take a strong stance on an aggressive foreign policy after learning about how the Clinton administration failed to act on several international atrocities such as certain “genocides” in various parts of the world. I also learned how President Clinton failed to act aggressively on terrorist acts committed against the United States such as the Kenya and Tanzania Embassy bombings. These events solidified my stance on an aggressive foreign policy. President Bush has defiantly taken a conservative stance on foreign policy with the War on Terror and the invasion of Iraq as perfect examples. The reelection of President Bush in 2004 comforted my fears of a weak democratic president such as John Kerry from being elected. I felt it necessary to go to the January 2005 Presidential Inauguration and pay my respects. It was a very cold, windy, and wet day. I was standing in line waiting to go through security to see the parade. My friend and I waited in line for over and hour. After security, we sat in our cold wet bleachers watching the parade go by. All I really remember was that it was extremely uncomfortable and the Presidential Secret Service detail team was half women. That didn’t sit right with me knowing that President Bush’s bodyguards were women. I hope that this was not some sort of foreshadowing for President Bush’s second term. Nevertheless, I’m glad that I have had the opportunity to sit on the Inauguration of President Bush on 20 January 2005.
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