Commander-in-Chief's Ball Salute to Troops

Commander-in-Chief's Ball Salute to Troops
Jan 21, 2013
President Obama addressed the attendees at his first ball of the night, the Commander-in-Chief's Ball, then shared a dance with his wife Michelle Obama to a performance by Jennifer Hudson. The couple also let two military service-people cut in for a dance.

Local soldier picked to attend inaugural ball
By SHELLEY TERRY
Star Beacon
January 21, 2013

An Ashtabula soldier was among those with a front-row seat at the inaugural festivities Monday.

Army Sgt. Jonathan Roberts, 32, was one of two soldiers stationed in Fort Meade, who attended the Commander-in-Chief Ball at Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C.

Roberts said he knows it’s a great and rare honor to represent the U.S. Army.
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Tuskegee Airmen Honored Guests at Inaugural
Jan 21, 2013
Associated Press
by Larry Margasak

WASHINGTON - They sat in wheelchairs as honored guests at President Barack Obama's second inaugural, attended to almost minute-by-minute by active duty members of the military. For these Tuskegee Airmen, members of the famed all-black unit of World War II and several years beyond, the tables surely turned.

From the terrace of the Capitol, they watched an African-American president being sworn in for his second term. And they were cared for reverently by many whites in uniform, who more than six decades ago would have had no contact with these two dozen veterans now sitting with green Army blankets across their laps. Several of them said they were at Obama's first inaugural but were just as excited to attend his second.
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Wounded honored at ‘Heroes’ ball

Wounded honored at ‘Heroes’ ball

By Karen Jowers - Staff writer
Posted : Wednesday Jan 21, 2009 17:36:05 EST

From folk singers “Peter, Paul and Ben Vereen,” to funk icon George Clinton with Sly Stone, to Latin American Idol Carlos Pena — and Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs — the thanks rolled in Tuesday night to wounded troops and their families honored at the Heroes Red, White and Blue Inaugural Ball.

About 300 troops from Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington and the National Naval Medical Center in nearby Bethesda, Md., were VIPs at the event, held at the Warner Theatre in downtown Washington.

Peter and Paul didn’t bring Mary, who is recuperating from an illness, so actor Ben Vereen filled in for her on the songs “Blowing in the Wind” and “This Land is Your Land.”

George Clinton brought on rarely seen Sly Stone with his group, and was a big hit with the troops, many of whom flocked forward to the stage.
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http://www.armytimes.com/news/2009/01/military_heroes_ball_012109w/