West Texas County Judges and Commissioners Association 93rd Annual Conference *** Tarrant County
The broad spectrum of coursework offered at this year’s West Texas Conference was complemented by two motivational presentations that spoke to the special nature of servant leadership.
Andrew Card, White House chief of staff under President George W. Bush, shared his 9/11 experience including the moment he whispered to Bush that the United States was under attack; the president was visiting with a class of Florida school children at the time.
Card connected with the 245 County Judges and Commissioners during the Opening General Session of the conference with the revelation that he also served on the grassroots level, working with a local planning board.
“I reflect on what you do, and it reminds me of the most important word in the Constitution,” Card articulated. “This most important word is the first word, and that is ‘WE.’
“The Constitution is a remarkable document, only second to the Bible,” he emphasized, and this document serves as “an invitation to be a part of the ‘WE.’ ” Card’s grandmother urged him at an early age to accept that invitation and become involved.
“When I reflect on what you do, I am also reminded that you are closest to the people,” Card observed as he made eye contact with County Judges and County Commissioners in the audience.
Card drew the audience in with his detailed narration of the hours leading up to the terrorist attacks and the days that followed. With specific scenes, sights, smells, and sounds clearly etched into his memory, Card’s firsthand account included the beauty of the morning – blue skies and bright sun – which was in stark contrast with the potent smell of fish that had washed up on the Florida beach. Bush went for a run, had his CIA briefing, and then was escorted to a limousine bound for Emma E. Booker Elementary School where he would read to second-graders. Up to that point, September 11, 2001, appeared to be a normal day.
“As we were piling into the limo, someone asked, ‘Did anyone hear about a plane crash in New York City?’ ”
Just before entering the classroom, Bush was told by Navy Capt. Deb Loewer that it appeared that a small, twin-engine prop plane had crashed into one of the World Trade Center towers. Card and the school principal were with Bush, and together the group wondered if the pilot had perhaps had a heart attack.
After the president was seated in front of the school children, Card was told that the plane was a commercial airliner. In a split second, his mind flashed to the fear the passengers must have felt.
A short time later, Capt. Loewer told Card that the second tower had been hit by another passenger plane.
“My mind now flashed to the burden I had. Does the president need to know? Yes. What do I say? He is in a classroom with second-graders.”
Card made a conscious, silent decision to remain calm and collected in order to best help the president. Card waited until the students were reaching under their desks to retrieve books, walked into the classroom, bent down, and whispered into the president’s ear: “A second plane hit the second tower. America is under attack.”
Card stepped back quickly so that a conversation did not ensue and no words would be picked up on the live microphone attached to the president.
The nation would later watch as Bush digested the unbelievable news; while his demeanor changed, Bush did nothing to translate fear to the children in front of him.
As chief of staff, Card was by the president’s side throughout the response, and his remembrances of the day that changed America and the days that followed could fill the pages of a book.
No doubt everyone can recall where they were and what they were doing the moment the reality sunk in. Card remembers the sights, sounds, and emotions from his firsthand experience as if it were yesterday.
- The innocent look on the faces of the second-graders as they watched the president work to keep his composure.
- The voices in the limo as everyone made phone calls…yet no one could get through to the Pentagon. They soon learned why.
- The sound of the plane’s engine already roaring as the limousine drove up. The engine never started before the president was on board.
- The quick, steep departure of Air Force One, which sped off and up before everyone was seated.
- The question from the captain: “Where are we going?”
- Another dreadful question: “Do we have permission to shoot down a commercial jetliner?”
- The fighter jets escorting Air Force One in such close proximity that you could see the faces of the pilots in the fighter jets.
- The unforgettable video footage of the first tower’s collapse, then the second.
- The tears, silence, and prayers.
- The sight of the smoke billowing from the Pentagon and the words of President Bush as they flew over: “That’s the face of war in the 21st Century.”
- The president’s direct question to the FBI: “What are you doing right now to prevent the next attack?”
- The National Cathedral, every seat taken. The president praying for our county and for the world.
- The flight to New York City on Sept. 14, 2001, and the solemn, empty sky as all planes were still grounded.
- The gleam on the torch of the Statue of Liberty. “She was beautiful,” Card recalled in a soft tone.
- The empty streets of New York. The pillars of black smoke. The first responders, everyone in hard hats as they performed the most difficult of tasks.
- The request of the president to speak at Ground Zero. The crunch of the shoes of the Secret Service agent as he tested the hood of a crushed vehicle to see if the president could stand on top.
- The chant. USA. USA. USA.
“I can hear you,” the president said. “And so will the whole world.”
- The fear, anger, and hope on the faces of the family members who had loved ones missing. The president’s refusal to go to a podium to speak to them collectively. He wanted to visit with each one face to face. Every single one.
- The woman sitting on a chair by a column waiting for the president to get to her. Her words as she gave President Bush her son’s badge: Port Authority Police Shield #1012.
“This is my son’s badge,” she said. “His name is George Howard. Don’t ever forget him.”
“I will never forget George Howard,” he promised.
- The moment back in the limo when the president pulled Shield #1012 from his pocket, looked at it, squeezed his hand over the badge, and shut his eyes.
Card continued to share memories, speaking of both devastation and hope.
Before he left the podium, Card personalized his message to the hundreds of servant leaders sitting in the audience who had accepted the invitation presented in the U.S. Constitution.
“You are an important part of the WE,” Card reminded them.
Service to Each Other
2021-22 West Texas President Glen Whitley, Tarrant County Commissioner was struck by the similarity in the messages of Card and of Master Chief Petty Officer Britt K. Slabinski, who spoke to a packed crowd at the conference Inspirational Breakfast. Slabinski retired from the U.S. Navy in June 2014 after 25 years of service
Slabinski was awarded the Medal of Honor from President Donald J. Trump during a White House ceremony May 24, 2018, for his actions during combat operations on March 4, 2002, while deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM.
Summary of Action:
Senior Chief Special Warfare Operator (SEAL) Britt Slabinski:
For his actions during Operation ANACONDA in 2002, to rescue teammate Petty Officer First Class Neil Roberts.In the early morning of 4 March 2002, then-Senior Chief Slabinski led a reconnaissance team to its assigned area atop Takur Ghar, a 10,000-foot snow-covered mountain in Afghanistan. An enemy rocket-propelled grenade attack on the insertion helicopter caused Petty Officer Neil Roberts to fall onto the enemy-infested mountaintop below, and forced the damaged helicopter to crash land in the valley below. Fully aware of the risks, a numerically superior and well-entrenched enemy force, and approaching daylight, without hesitation Senior Chief Slabinski made the selfless and heroic decision to lead the remainder of his element on an immediate and daring rescue back to the mountaintop…” To read the summary in full, go to https://www.navy.mil/MEDAL-OF-HONOR-RECIPIENT-BRITT-K-SLABINSKI/#action.
During the breakfast, Slabinski explained why he made the decision to lead his men back into the fiery fray to rescue their wounded comrade.
As he quickly thought through his options, these words from the Eagle Scout oath ran through Slabinski’s head three times in a row: “On my honor, I will do my best, to do my duty.”
“We took an oath to an idea,” Slabinski emphasized. “We took an oath to our Constitution. You are in trouble? I am coming.”
As Whitley concluded the Inspirational Breakfast, he encouraged County Judges and Commissioners to be unified in the “we” cited by Andrew Card and committed to the care of one another as demonstrated in Master Chief Slabinski’s story.
“Service to each other – that’s what it is about,” Whitley declared. “In today’s environment with so much that can divide us, there is still so much to unite us.
“It’s time to take care of each other.”