Reservist selected for historic presidential Troop Talk

  • Published
  • By Capt. Bernie Kale
  • 512th Airlift Wing
DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. --  Staff Sgt. Connor Cooney, a 512th Airlift Wing loadmaster, had the opportunity to ask the President of the United States a question Friday via satellite, during a live-streaming webcast here.

President Barack Obama answered questions from service members in an unprecedented, live, worldwide televised Troop Talk on the 14th anniversary of 9/11, Pentagon Spokesman Peter Cook said.

Cooney is a traditional reservist, who works full time at the State Department in Washington, D.C. He said he picked his phone up after work Wednesday and had more missed texts and phone calls from his reserve unit than he could count.

Event organizers had been trying to reach him through his military unit.

After he confirmed his availability, he said he immediately began texting and calling his family.

"This was a monumental opportunity in my career," Cooney said. "The reason I decided to join the Air Force Reserve was after the September 11th attacks, so to even have the chance to speak to my commander in chief on the day that means so much to me and our country was worth it."

He said his family couldn't be more proud.

"My mom was even on the phone with my grandma trying to teach her how to get online and watch the webcast on the computer," he said.

By the show's end, Cooney's family didn't get to watch him ask his question to the president. He and other military members had been cut due to the show running over it's time limit.

"It was still a great experience, listening to the president in my left ear waiting to be called on," Cooney said. "I was honored to have been selected for the opportunity, representing the 512th Airlift Wing and Air Force Reserve during this historic first event."