All-City Rotary Luncheon at the Inn at 835 -- April 25, 2019

Major General Mark Pillar, United States Airforce (retired), will address the five Rotary Clubs of Springfield at the annual All-City on Luncheon from 11:45 a.m. to 1:00 on Thursday, April 25 at the Inn at 835 in Springfield. Local Rotarians will celebrate Rotary in Springfield, and Major General Pillar, who is also a distinguished Rotarian, will share his story. On September 11, 2001, Mark Pillar, then an Airforce Brigadier General, was participating in a homeland security exercise at Offutt Airforce Base, near Omaha, Nebraska.  He was unexpectedly summoned to watch the 9-11 events in New York City and Washington D.C. unfold on a large-screen television. After the second plane flew into the World Trade Center, the military leaders at Offutt recognized that the country was under attack. President George W. Bush arrived at Offutt Airforce Base later that day.  Pillar found himself helping field questions in conference calls with leaders such as Vice President Dick Cheney, Secretary of State Colin Powell, and National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice. Mark will share his story of the events of that day and provide us with an inside view of how our leaders handled the crisis our nation faced.