Air Force One Pilot Who Protected President Bush On 9/11 To Speak At MGA’s Third Annual Jennings Family Distinguished Lecture

Macon, GA

Retired Col. Mark Tillman

Retired Col. Mark Tillman, the Air Force One pilot who guided President George W. Bush to safety during the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, will share his firsthand experiences from that historic day and other defining moments in presidential aviation history during the third annual Jennings Family Distinguished Lecture at Middle Georgia State University (MGA).

His talk will take place at 7 p.m. Thursday, September 10, at the Hatcher Conference Center, located in the Professional Sciences Center on MGA’s Macon Campus. This event is free and open to the public. Seating is limited and reservations are required: https://fundraise.givesmart.com/form/6tLfhg?vid=1qz8u6. A Macon Campus map is at https://www.mga.edu/about/maps.php

“This year marks the 25th anniversary of 9/11, a day that profoundly impacted our country and the world,” said Dr. Christopher Blake, MGA’s president. “It stands as a defining moment of our time, when tragedy was met with extraordinary courage, steady leadership, and a unifying sense of purpose that continues to influence how we serve and lead today. We are honored to welcome Col. Tillman to the University and look forward to him sharing his firsthand account of that pivotal day. His perspective will offer a powerful reminder of leadership under extraordinary circumstances and the responsibilities we carry forward.”

Tillman served as the 12th presidential pilot and commander of the Presidential Airlift Group from 2001 to 2009, a period that included some of the most challenging moments for the nation and the presidency. On September 11, 2001, while President Bush was visiting an elementary school in Florida, Tillman was responsible for helping move the president and his staff to secure locations as the country responded to the terrorist events unfolding in New York City, Washington, D.C., and in rural Pennsylvania.

Tillman also planned and executed one of the most closely guarded presidential flights in history when he flew President Bush to Iraq in 2003 for a surprise Thanksgiving visit with U.S. troops.

During his 30-year Air Force career, Tillman flew numerous missions for the nation’s senior leaders and transported President Bush on domestic and international trips. CBS News reported in 2009 that Tillman’s final flight as Air Force One pilot was President Bush’s return to Texas after leaving office.

Tillman began his Air Force career as a rocket propulsion engineer before being selected for pilot training. He flew the C-130 Hercules in tactical airlift missions before joining the 89th Airlift Wing, where he became one of the Air Force’s most trusted pilots. He received the Distinguished Flying Cross in 2004 for his service.

The Jennings Family Distinguished Lecture Series brings nationally recognized experts to MGA to discuss critical issues in science, technology, politics, industry, and culture. The series was established through the generosity of Genelle B. Jennings, an attorney and longtime supporter of higher education in Georgia, through a charitable trust named for her late husband, W. Mansfield Jennings Jr., a businessman who served on the University System of Georgia’s Board of Regents.

July

Air Force One Pilot Who Protected President Bush On 9/11 To Speak At MGA’s Third Annual Jennings Family Distinguished Lecture