Wisconsin National Guard Public Affairs Office A member of the Wisconsin Air NationalGuard's 115th Fighter Wing Security Forces Squadron will be among the 78 service members attending Wednesday's (Feb. 29) White House dinner, hosted by President and Mrs. Obama, to express the nation's gratitude to - and recognize the significant contributions of - the men and women in uniform who served in Operation Iraqi Freedom and or Operation New Dawn, and the families who supported them.
Tech. Sgt. Cristian Bennett, of Evansville, Wis., a fighter team leader who has served for nine and one-half years with the Wisconsin Air National Guard, will be one of nine National Guard members - and one of only three Air National Guard members - invited to the dinner.
Bennett said words were insufficient to describe how he felt about the invitation.
"There's no bigger honor than to be invited to the White House to have dinner with the president and his wife," he said. "Ultimately, it's about everybody who served in Iraq. I'm floored that I have the opportunity to represent them, the Wisconsin National Guard and the 115th Fighter Wing."
Maj. Gen. Don Dunbar, adjutant general of Wisconsin, said he was proud Bennett was selected for this honor.
"I am pleased that he will represent the thousands of Wisconsin National Guard Soldiers and Airmen who served in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn," Dunbar said. "He represents the dedication and selfless service demonstrated every day by our men and women in uniform."
Dunbar was also grateful to the president and other national leaders for recognizing and honoring veterans of the war in Iraq.
"It's probably the most humbling experience I've ever had," Bennett said. "It's something I'll be able to tell my kids and my grandchildren about. It's one of the proudest moments of my military career - I can't think of anything that would top this."
Bennett served alongside Airmen from other Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve units in charge of the Iraqi Police Academy at the Mosul Public Service Academy from December 2005 through June 2006.
"More than anything, you really learn how to trust one another," Bennett said of the deployment. "You really learn how to come together as a team. It taught me leadership and how to effectively convey messages."
The service members invited to attend the White House dinner come from across America, from diverse backgrounds and ranks, and from all branches of service. They and their families represent more than one million Americans and their families who served and made personal sacrifices in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn.
Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Martin Dempsey and the chiefs of the five services and National Guard and Reserve will also attend the dinner.
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