Pentagon

Today was an extraordinary day. My boss was promoted to Command Sergeant Major for the National Guard Bureau, the highest enlisted grade in the United States Army. The ceremony was held at the Hall of Heroes, an exhibit honoring those who have won the Congressional Medal of Honor, located at the Pentagon. I, as a well as a small number of other colleagues were lucky enough to be invited to this once in a lifetime opportunity to explore the mysterious government building so many tourists dream of.

Entering the Pentagon from the visitor’s area, I was greeted by an array of strenuous security including armed personnel, metal detectors, and full body searches. The degree of protection was obviously a necessity where the attitude of the Department of Defense was nothing but indolent. Noticing the degree of protection, I saw an older man pull out a camera to take a picture of “Fort America”–a display beside the Hall of Heroes. After the flash went off, a police officer wearing war attire drew this weapon on the civilian. We were all forewarned that cameras were not to be used unless otherwise specified by Pentagon security. If a camera was in someone’s hands and the lens cap was not attached, security would do what was necessary to protect the Governments interests. They were not willing to allow anyone the capability to compromise the surreptitious reality which exists in the building.

Our group was taken to a promotion auditorium at the Hall of Heroes near the buildings entrance. After the promotion ceremony, we were then introduced to our tour guide: Donald Ellis, the SPV Program Manager for Special Events for the Department of Defense. Before he took us on a six and a half hour building tour, we were browsing the Hall of Heroes where I spotted three thousand four hundred and ten recipients of the Congressional Medal of Honor. This is an award only appointed to by a President for extreme loyalty to ones country. Afterwards we walked toward the center of the building crossing a small city of shops, restaurants, and offices used to support the twenty-four thousand civilians, soldier’s, and contractors which work in the building. I was amazed that the Pentagon workers benefited from an actual mall of businesses they could shop at daily.

The next stop was at the September 11th memorial, where a newly renovated chapel and commemorative display was placed. While browsing the chapel, I noticed something bizarre. A name which was engraved in to the chapel’s wall was Donald Ellis, our tour guide! I was then told by the newly appointed Sergeant Major that Mr. Ellis received an award because of his contributions to saving lives on the events of September 11th, 2001. The story in which I was about to be told was one I’ve heard three years ago. Once the plane crashed in to his wing of the Pentagon, he saw daylight leading him a path to escape. Instead of leaving, he waited at the exit screaming “Follow my voice” resulting in hundreds of lives being saved in the process. His story was absolutely amazing to hear again. Especially with the lack of patriotism existing in our country today, Mr. Ellis is a true patriot and I thanked him for that.

After the memorial, we then stopped at twenty other V.I.P. locations many are unable to visit including the DoD Organization, Secretary of Defense Corridor, Army Executive Corridor, Air Force Executive Corridor, Marine Corps Executive Corridor, Navy Executive Corridor, MacArthur Corridor, Military Women’s Corridor, African American Corridor, Hispanic Heroes Exhibit, and the Navajo Code Talkers Exhibit. My colleagues have taken several photographs “legally” which I would love to share with you. Once those come available to me, I will post them on the web site to show you all.