My wife, Linda, and I recently watched the biopic, Reagan, in a local theater. Based on the marketing hype, I expected to be entertained by the personal story of the greatest American president of all time in my opinion. What I didn’t expect was the emotional impact it would have on me. I lived those years serving my country in a military career. I relived them in fond, yet heart-wrenching, memories throughout this exceptional movie.
My 24 years in the Air Force as a pilot and war planner during the Cold War were exhilerating. I was ready and expected to serve in the combat zones of Vietnam and later the Persian Gulf but was instead immersed in other assignments during both conflicts. Although flying was my primary duty, sometimes in non-combat support of both wars, I spent about half my career in staff duties as a war planner. In Military Airlift Command Headquarters, European Command Headquarters, and the Pentagon, I was focused on strategies to counter the Communist expansionism and militarization of the Soviet Union–the greatest threat to America’s national sovereignty. I was deeply involved in this effort every day for the first five years of the Reagan presidency.
During my time at the Pentagon, President Reagan was reshaping America’s response to the Soviet nuclear threat and global expansionism. He was bolstering our nation from an inferior military position to a strategy of peace through strength. We began building more and better weapon systems while simultaneously negotiating with Soviet leaders for a reduction in nuclear missiles and warheads. These were life-or-death years for our nation. My department was working feverishly feeding the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Secretary of Defense option comparisons and risk assessments. In my next assignment at Military Airlift Command Headquarters, I continued with their plans staff to research and develop our ability to mobilize and transport forces all over the world faster and with more fighting power than the Soviets could produce.
While the military was engaged in all of this, the State Department and Congress were pressuring the Soviets from an enormously improved position of military and economic might. Rejecting the advice of his Secretary of State, President Reagan made the famous Brandenburg Gate speech on June 12, 1987, demanding, “Mr.Gorbachev, tear down this wall!” The Soviets thrashed and threatened as the U.S. turned up the heat, then tore down the Berlin wall on November 9, 1989. At the end of 1991, Gorbachev resigned, and the Soviet Union was no more. The Cold War was over!
A few weeks after the wall came down, my major general boss flew our European Command planning staff to Berlin to witness the scene. My heart pounded as droves of East Berlin men and women were still streaming through the ruins of the wall into West Berlin with shouts of celebration of their newly-attained freedom. I will never be able to duplicate my feelings on that day. I collected a few small stones from the rubble which are now proudly displayed in my home office.
America’s perseverance and power, wielded by President Reagan, led us from a credible threat of a global nuclear holocaust and/or Communist world domination to the fall of an evil world power in eight years.
As I watched this monumental real-life warmongering play out on the big screen, I was overwhelmed with emotion. I had lived it. I had been in the thick of it. My contributions were relatively small, but it was my professional environment for several years. I was proud to have been there. The movie struck hard as I contemplated again what might have happened had this brave, bold, and resolute president not been leading our nation in those years. As the final credits were rolling, I remained in my seat for a moment thanking God that He saw fit to rescue America and the Free World from what Reagan called the “Evil Empire.”
I was also consumed by the realization that now, 35 years later, the Communist Evil Empire has risen again. Russia still has the nukes, the expansionist ideology, plus the alliance with China–an even greater threat to the Free World. America desperately needs another Reagan. We faced the enemy with unified national resolve during the Cold War. Our leader didn’t blink. I believe we are being called on at this time to do it again.
Dennis Quaid was outstanding in portraying President Reagan. But it was the pictorial collage of the real Ronald and Nancy, including his funeral procession and burial, at the end of the movie that brought me to tears. We will forever be indebted to this man. I highly recommend that you see this movie. I wish every American would see it. May God have mercy on us and patience with us.
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