President Ronald Reagan was in office when I entered the Air Force in 1986. He put a lot of money into the military budgets, and it was a time in the military where I can say we all really enjoyed what we were doing. I know I really enjoyed my beginning years in the Air Force because of our healthy budgets. When I entered there was 1 of me supporting 4 other personnel, by the time I got out in 2000, it was up to 1 of me for every 28 personnel. President Clinton had decimated our budgets, and spread us entirely too thin. We are still feeling the effects of his slashing today, except now, people are trying to blame it on the current administration! How quickly we forget!

I think he was a great motivator and great orator. It's a mixed blessing with his passing. As Nancy Reagan has said since 1994, his ailment was a very slow and long goodbye.

I wouldn't be suprised if the proponents for stem-cell research will try and use President Reagan's passing to their advantage. It's a very touchy subject.