Officer James M. Feltis III

Last weekend we did not go dancing. We went instead to the 18th Annual Candlelight Vigil at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, DC.

We went to honor Officer James Feltis who was killed in the line of duty in February 2005. I have the privilege of working with Mary Feltis, the widow of James Feltis. I only met James once when he came to the office and Mary introduced us. However, I feel that I know him well.

It is said that you can take the measure of a man by the company he keeps. This being true, James Feltis was a great man. I have nothing but the highest respect for Mary Feltis. Her strength through this last most difficult year has been extraordinary. The other officers of the Pentagon Force Protection Agency have shown great consideration for Mary and compassion for their young daughter.

It is well to remember and honor those who have given their all to protect and serve the rest of us. The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial is something that everyone should visit. Next time you are in DC, take the Metro Red Line to Judiciary Square. Go up the F Street escalators and there you are. While you are there visit Panel 59 West and pay your respects to Officer James M. Feltis III, whose name is inscribed there.

Indications

A strange and wonderful thing happened last night. We went to the Wednesday night dance at the Officer's Club on Fort Belvoir. They had their usual great buffet and dancing to the tunes of Bob Williams. The O Club brings in a mixture of entertainers for their events. On Wednesdays we've seen anything from a 5 piece ensemble down to Bob. Bob Williams is a vocalist who sings along to instrumentals and has his own renditions of songs. He usually plays a lot of foxtrot, waltzes, and the occasional ballad.

Anyway, the strange and wonderful thing was someone actually complimented us on dancing. It was wonderful because it is nice to be noticed. We don't do dance competitions. We only compete against ourselves. It is good to get an indication that our dance lessons are paying off. It was strange because we got the compliment after dancing a waltz. The waltz has never been the strongest dance in our repetiore. It has taken a while to get the feel for it. We are finally getting to the point where we can move around the floor and do more than the basic box.

So, our thanks to Agnes Bordas and Richard Benjamin, pictured below, from Studio One of Alexandria. Their patient work with us is showing results.

PWC Fire and Rescue 40th Anniversary

This a a photo of our group all dressed up for the Fireman's Ball. The Prince William County Fire and Rescue had its 40th anniversary celebration at the local VFW hall. They had a great buffet and a wonderful program to honor our local heros. They had a local band named the "Tom Cats". We danced a lot of swings and a couple of hustles.