1
00:00:02,860 --> 00:00:05,740
- I wish I'd had the
privilege to know John.

2
00:00:05,740 --> 00:00:07,630
I stand before you this morning

3
00:00:08,700 --> 00:00:10,993
regretting not having that opportunity.

4
00:00:12,190 --> 00:00:14,973
You're stories, what you shared with me,

5
00:00:16,820 --> 00:00:19,733
makes me feel fortunate to
learn about his journey.

6
00:00:22,420 --> 00:00:23,933
John was a model son,

7
00:00:25,100 --> 00:00:26,013
a best friend,

8
00:00:28,190 --> 00:00:32,113
dedicated instructor, and
an outstanding officer.

9
00:00:35,630 --> 00:00:38,293
He poured hours into training new pilots.

10
00:00:39,380 --> 00:00:40,630
He worked tirelessly

11
00:00:41,530 --> 00:00:44,523
to be a better pilot
and instructor himself.

12
00:00:45,520 --> 00:00:49,060
He volunteered in church, in the community

13
00:00:49,060 --> 00:00:50,203
and around the base.

14
00:00:51,480 --> 00:00:53,153
Regardless of who he encountered,

15
00:00:53,990 --> 00:00:55,640
each and everyone of you told me,

16
00:00:56,650 --> 00:00:58,950
that he made you feel
good about who you were,

17
00:01:00,170 --> 00:01:03,400
and more importantly, he inspired you

18
00:01:03,400 --> 00:01:05,593
to be better than you were today.

19
00:01:09,020 --> 00:01:11,453
- I have meet a lot of
great young Americans,

20
00:01:13,310 --> 00:01:15,230
but I could tell that quality

21
00:01:15,230 --> 00:01:17,070
of his character was exceptional just

22
00:01:17,070 --> 00:01:19,470
from that short interaction
that I had with him.

23
00:01:20,740 --> 00:01:24,090
As the stories and the updates
started rolling into me,

24
00:01:24,090 --> 00:01:26,983
and reveling who he was,

25
00:01:28,820 --> 00:01:32,750
the number one instructor
pilot that strapped on his jet,

26
00:01:32,750 --> 00:01:35,230
and instructed more sorties and students

27
00:01:35,230 --> 00:01:37,660
than any other instructor that year.

28
00:01:37,660 --> 00:01:42,410
I told his dad, Tom, I
knew exactly who John was,

29
00:01:42,410 --> 00:01:45,210
even though I didn't
really know him personally.

30
00:01:45,210 --> 00:01:46,970
I knew who he was to our Air Force

31
00:01:47,830 --> 00:01:50,143
and I knew who he was to our nation.

32
00:01:51,620 --> 00:01:56,410
To illustrate, who John
was from the very start,

33
00:01:56,410 --> 00:01:57,533
as Lee mentioned,

34
00:01:59,320 --> 00:02:01,850
Tom Graziano shared a special story

35
00:02:01,850 --> 00:02:05,240
with me while he was a visiting professor

36
00:02:05,240 --> 00:02:07,753
at the United States Air Force Academy.

37
00:02:12,580 --> 00:02:13,863
Some 26 years ago,

38
00:02:15,570 --> 00:02:18,400
and his two and a half year old son, John,

39
00:02:18,400 --> 00:02:21,610
declared to him that he was going

40
00:02:21,610 --> 00:02:24,110
to become a United States
Air Force fighter pilot.

41
00:02:30,990 --> 00:02:35,563
I told Tom, that was a God given calling.

42
00:02:39,640 --> 00:02:43,433
John never steered off of
that calling his entire life,

43
00:02:45,760 --> 00:02:49,623
and what I've learned, it was his destiny.

44
00:02:51,480 --> 00:02:54,880
He set goals, he met
challenges along his path

45
00:02:54,880 --> 00:02:57,253
with courage and perseverance.

46
00:02:58,360 --> 00:02:59,830
He succeeded through his youth,

47
00:02:59,830 --> 00:03:04,470
making good decisions,
making good friends,

48
00:03:04,470 --> 00:03:06,390
being a good son and brother

49
00:03:07,380 --> 00:03:08,750
and all along the way learning

50
00:03:08,750 --> 00:03:11,653
to become an incredible, great leader.

51
00:03:13,760 --> 00:03:16,400
- We are and will continue to be grateful

52
00:03:16,400 --> 00:03:21,200
for every kind note, phone
call, gesture, helpful message

53
00:03:21,200 --> 00:03:23,330
and hug that has supported us through

54
00:03:23,330 --> 00:03:26,000
these last emotional and difficult days.

55
00:03:26,000 --> 00:03:27,530
We had read through the hundreds

56
00:03:27,530 --> 00:03:30,540
of thoughtful Facebook
messages you posted,

57
00:03:30,540 --> 00:03:33,330
shed many tears and found solace knowing

58
00:03:33,330 --> 00:03:36,220
how deeply all of you cared for John.

59
00:03:37,877 --> 00:03:40,890
John, oh our dear and wonderful son,

60
00:03:40,890 --> 00:03:43,830
John, we are so proud of you.

61
00:03:43,830 --> 00:03:45,740
The young man you have become,

62
00:03:45,740 --> 00:03:50,460
what you have achieved and
the company you have kept.

63
00:03:50,460 --> 00:03:51,770
You may be gone for now,

64
00:03:51,770 --> 00:03:54,380
but know that you will never be forgotten

65
00:03:54,380 --> 00:03:57,160
and that we will love you forever.

66
00:03:57,160 --> 00:04:01,080
As you can tell, family
is important to us.

67
00:04:01,080 --> 00:04:05,000
Some would say, family
is everything to us.

68
00:04:05,000 --> 00:04:07,240
We again would like to thank all of you,

69
00:04:07,240 --> 00:04:09,810
John's Air Force brothers and sisters,

70
00:04:09,810 --> 00:04:13,120
for the family and support
you provided him in life

71
00:04:13,120 --> 00:04:16,990
and all the generosity, kindness and love

72
00:04:16,990 --> 00:04:19,713
you have given our family since his death.

73
00:04:21,000 --> 00:04:25,120
We will be eternally grateful
and sincerely hope God blesses

74
00:04:25,120 --> 00:04:29,890
and keeps you and your families
safe each and every day.

75
00:04:29,890 --> 00:04:31,389
Thank you.

76
00:04:31,389 --> 00:04:33,260
("Taps")

77
00:04:33,260 --> 00:04:36,593
(airplane engines roar)