Parker comes home to celebrate parents' anniversary
Jack Parker had every right to be choked up — and proud — when he introduced his son at Sandpoint’s Rotary meeting last Wednesday.
In the span of a few minutes, Navy Commander Greg Parker reminded everyone in the room that the Sandpoint area grows good kids and Sandpoint High School graduates genuine heroes.
He was also home on April 25 for his parent’s 50th anniversary.
Jack and Shirley Parker are glad to see more of their globetrotting son who has visited all of the global military hotspots.
Parker graduated first in his class at the U.S. Naval Academy in 1990.
After graduating from the Naval Academy with a degree in physics, he received a master’s degree in applied science from John’s Hopkins. He also received a master of philosophy degree in history and philosophy of science in 1993 from Cambridge University, England.
He is an accomplished pilot and participated extensively in combat operations in the Persian Gulf and Afghanistan as part of operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.
He has accumulated more than 2,600 flight hours with more than 500 carrier landings. He also has numerous achievement medals, several combat medals and unit citations.
In November 2007 he was promoted to commander of Garudas VAQ-134, based at Whidby Island Naval Base. He gave up his command at the end of April and will begin at the Brookings Institute in September.
He is married to Corinne, they have two young sons, Nicholas and Jacob.
Cmdr. Parker is a great reminder of the quality of citizens we have in the armed services.
Parker told the Rotarians that the military is in good hands with its leaders and the quality of enlistees has never been better.
He said fighting in Afghanistan will continue to intensify and that the area along the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan is rugged and formidable.
His unit was responsible for jamming enemy radar.
Many of the Rotarians remembered Parker when he was younger and used to stop by meetings with his Dad.
He was sent off with a standing ovation from an appreciative audience along with more than a few hearty handshakes.
E-mail of the week:
Blessed Idaho
On the sixth day God turned to the Archangel Gabriel and said: “Today, I am going to create a land called Idaho …
“It will be a land of outstanding natural beauty; a land of beautiful lakes, each one full of fish.
“It shall have tall majestic pines, peacefully flowing rivers, landscapes full of buffalo, tall grass, and eagles, beautiful blue skies, forests full of bear, elk and moose, rich farmland and handsome people.”
God continued, “I shall make the land rich in resources so as to make the inhabitants prosper and they shall be known as a most friendly people, people who practice being nice every day.”
“But Lord,” asked Gabriel. “Don’t you think you are being too generous to these Idaho people?”
“Not really,” replied God. “Just wait and see the winters I am going to give them.”
n David Keyes is publisher of the Daily Bee.