Joint Chiefs of Staff

November 5th 2008

Hello everyone sorry I am a little behind in my e-mails but I have been traveling a little bit. I will be sending you a couple of e-mails in the next week, don’t worry they will not be as long as the ones I sent a while back! lol

Occasionally at the bobsled track we have team sponsors, business people and or family who come up and receive bobsled rides to, in our actual race sleds. Well on this particular day we had the privilege of Meeting Admiral Mike Mullen Chairman Of the United States Joint Chiefs of Staff, and his counter parts from Germany, Italy, Great Britain and France. It was a great experience and honor to meet these men, something I never even thought of being able to say I have done.

There were security details all over the place; you had guys in really loose two piece suits (the suits are loose because it allows them to grab their guns quicker if need be) with wired ear pieces strategically placed along the track, the start and the finish dock. Also, as you drive up the road that leads to the start of the bobsled track there are little gravel side roads that maintenance trucks use on occasion. But...not on this particular day, on this day you saw black Lincoln Town cars parked off in the entrances to these roads with a federal agent sitting in them or just the empty car by itself. I understood the agent in the car but I thought it was weird that some of the cars were empty (I will tell you why later)....so I just thought oh well guess the guy is off in the woods adding to the circle of life or something! lol

My teammates and I were at the top of the hill/track talking with the security detail as we waited for the VIP's (The Joint Chief of Staffs for the various countries) to come up so they can see a full speed 4-man push-n-load into a sled. Before the VIP's came up a shuttle with members of the media arrived with about twenty reporters in it. They all get out with their cameras and note pads...they wanted to interview me, but I was like Listen People I have been doing interviews all day and my voice needs to rest.....I mean come on I am not a machine, but I signed a few autographs and they were happy! lol just playing! But the reporters were there, just not for me!

The VIP's were driven up to the track in four all black Ford or Mercury trucks with deep blacked tinted windows! I felt like I was watching a movie and the president was pulling up or something! After they watched the guys push and load into the four-man they all went down to a lower start where we could just sit them in a sled and push them off. This was do to avoid anyone from hurting themselves trying to actually load in a sled. As we place them in the sled we instructed them on how to position themselves, how to secure their head to prevent it from whipping back and forth, how to bump the driver's heading (Its usually a good thing if the driver can see where they are going), and where they can look up. We only put two people in the sled since we need a real bobsledder to drive and to pull the brakes of the sled at the end of the ride. After we had them situated in the sleds one of my teammates pushed the sled off for them.

Even though it was just a fun event, it was turned into a competition between the nations. However and surprisingly enough Admiral Mullen sled happened to have the fastest down time making him the winner! Who could have called that?!......LOL GO AMERICA!!! There was a medal ceremony set up and each country was awarded medals according to their finish. After the ceremony we had a chance to talk to the different Chief of Staffs and of course take a few pictures. Ironically the level of excitement and respect we had in meeting these men was reciprocated by their desire to meet us! Considering the world climate I could not help but think I am standing here joking and relaxing with some of the most powerful individuals on the planet as they take bobsled rides. This was probably a much needed break for these men and their staff though, and considering what they are in charge of who could really blame them.

I have posted a few pictures from the event on my site www.jessebeckom3.com under the media section if you want to take a look.

God Bless


Jesse
www.jessebeckom3.com