Personnel at Hickam AFB, Hawaii, got to break bread—or toast—during breakfast with the President and First Lady when Mr. and Mrs. Bush stopped over in Hawaii on Nov. 21 on their way back from Southeast Asia. In remarks, President Bush said: You belong to the finest Armed Forces the world has ever known. I appreciate the fact that you have volunteered to wear our uniform in these troubled times. … It’s an incredible country when people of character stand up and say, I want to serve something greater than my self interests.”
The U.S. military is maintaining a beefed-up presence in the Middle East, including fighters and air defense assets, following the U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities June 22 and subsequent retaliation by the Iranians against Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar.
