David Bethel This is Me

 Web References

1. 1. Missileer's job far from routine - News - coloradoan.com

   www.coloradoan.com/news/storie - [Cached]

   Published on: 2/16/2003   Last Visited: 2/16/2003

   David Bethel, who lives in Loveland, is the base's intelligence officer.
   
   It is 28-year-old Bethel who will have to sort through mountains of classified information from the military and the country's top security agencies and decide what's really important.
   
   "Then I have to keep the general and wing commanders informed about in different parts of the world," Bethel said. "It could be Iraq or it could be North Korea."
   
   Bethel said he learned from the events of Sept. 11, 2001, just how important his job could become on very short notice.
   
   "I had just left home and was on my way to Warren, listening to the radio when I first heard about what was happening on Sept. 11," Bethel said. "I was actually listening to Lewis and Floorwax (103.5 FM) when I heard about it.
   
   "I raced up there and it was crazy. Everybody wanted information and I was the only (intelligence officer). I worked around the clock for several days after that.
   
   ...
   But that doesn't surprise Bethel.
   
   What does surprise him is his neighbors' attitude toward current events.
   
   "I'm really surprised by how little they understand the threat," Bethel said. "They just don't take it seriously. That's really a mistake."
   
   Originally published Sunday, February 16, 2003