Jan. 9, 2005, Washington, D.C. George W. Bush will take the oath of office for his second term on Jan. 20. And I’m in town, although not necessarily for the festivities.

I’m a Public Affairs responder from the Oregon Trail Chapter, and I’ve just arrived in town for an assignment at the Disaster Operations Center at NHQ, helping out in the aftermath of the Indian Ocean Tsunami. I’ve come all the way from Portland for my first ever visit to the new Headquarters and, because I’m working the overnight shift, will be back at my hotel asleep while all of the Inauguration Day events are occurring. At least I won’t have to fight the crowds on the Metro…

Fast forward four years…

Jan. 9, 2009. I’m going to the Inauguration!!!. This time I don’t have to work at the DOC, although I will be up most of the night before. I’m going to D.C. to march in the Inauguration Parade with the Get A Life Marching Band from Portland. Together with about 100 other assorted Oregonians (plus a few others from Washington State, Arizona, South Dakota, Ohio and Florida), I’ll march up Pennsylvania Avenue past President Barack Obama, the other assembled dignitaries, and the estimated four million visitors in town for this historic occasion.

We’re an eclectic group, the Get A Life Marching Band. Our members range in age from their 20s to their 60s. We marched in high school, in college, in the military. We come from all walks of life (our ranks include a funeral home director who is also the Mayor of Sheridan, Ore.; an airline flight attendant; and even a travel agent, who is invaluable for planning this trip). Our music ranges from rock and funk to jazz and show tunes, with the occasional Sousa march thrown in.

We’re the only group from Oregon selected from nearly 1,400 entries, and we almost didn’t get invited at all. We missed the original cut, but made the alternates list. And when another group had to cancel, the Presidential Inauguration Committee called us.

We’re staying in Philadelphia to avoid the crowds. We have to hit the road by motorcoach at 4:00 a.m. Jan. 20 for the three-hour-plus ride to D.C. We have to pass through massive security screening. We have to brave the winter cold. We have to walk about two miles just to reach the parade start line. THEN, we get to march 1.6 miles, performing all the way. BUT IT’S WORTH IT, BECAUSE WE’RE GOING TO THE INAUGURATION!!!

When you hear the strains of “We’re An American Band” and “Louie Louie” swelling up above the crowd, you’ll know we’ve reached the reviewing stand and are playing our hearts out to represent Oregon. And I STILL won’t have to fight the crowds on the Metro…