CAPTAIN JACK LANG
T-38 Instructor Pilot for George W. Bush's Class 70-04

REMEMBERING GEORGE W. BUSH . . .
My memories of President George W. Bush as a student pilot are somewhat vague yet many as I was an instructor and observer of him, his classmates, and my students. Pilots were and are a little cocky; it came with the territory. The program they were in was difficult and consuming. I knew he was special because he was attending and progressing nicely in the toughest, most intensive program that I had ever been associated with. He was special because he was part of a class and even a leader in this class in UPT, class 70-04 at Moody AFB.

I was not aware until his graduation day, when his father was introduced as Houston Congressman Bush, that he even had such a relative. I cannot recall any IP taking it easy on then Lt. Bush or any student, for someday that pilot could be your wingman and hold your life or that of others in his hands.

Our President has a good memory. I corresponded occasionally with him over the years, stopped in Dallas to see him and was fortunate to visit him in Austin with my family in 1997. My wife and I were invited to and attended his Gubernatorial Inauguration in 1998, his Presidential Inauguration in 2000 and greeted him on his visit here in Buffalo in April 2004.