Hey blogger friends,

As you know I have become a special American friend to the French Coalition Group here on MacDill Air Force Base.

As a result of my close friendship with my French Officer Friend (Marco or Jean’-Marc as his wife calls him) I have received a special invitation to The Bastille Day Celebration that will be held on July 10th. (Actual Bastille Day is July 14th, but this event had to occur a few days earlier as the French Commanding General will be involved in Bastille Activities in Paris with the French President along with other senior French Officers).

The initial invite list had over 480 people that the French Coalition wanted to invite, but due to size and budgetary constraints the invite list had to be reduced to 200 max.

I made the cut and will be one of only very few Americans in attendance along with the Commanding 4 star General of Central Command (Centcom) and the Commanding General of the Southern Command (Centcom) and well as all the high ranking officers from all other countries within the Coalition Village.

Also in attendance with be high level dignataries from the French Embassy as well as other select politicians from within Florida, to include the Mayor of Tampa, Florida State Senators and Congressmen.

I am very much looking forward to attending this event and feel honored to be an American Friend to the French military!

Brigadier General (FR-A) Germain Barrau, Senior French Officer at US Central Command