Then, duty called.

Jamie Goethe, 22, an airman at Offutt Air Force Base in Omaha, Neb., received orders to deploy.

Instead of heading to Washington to guard the president Jan. 20, the younger Goethe is overseas-bound to guard U.S. interests.

``My son was upset because he was looking forward to going up there,'' the elder Goethe said Wednesday. ``The needs of the nation come first, and he understands that.''

Goethe, 45, a retired Marine from Tampa, will represent the highway patrol's Troop C at Bush's second inaugural. The event is expected to have the tightest security in the history of 55 presidential inaugurals.

``I think it'll be great to be part of it,'' Goethe said. ``It's a lifetime event, the chance of a lifetime.''

That he and his son were chosen to work the inauguration together was just a fluke.

Military and law enforcement personnel from across the nation are picked by their commanders to join the elite detail.

``My major called me last week,'' Goethe said.

Why him?

``We look good in the uniform,'' he said, half joking. ``Our troopers look good, and he picked some great people.''

Goethe will be bused north Jan. 17 with five others from Troop C, which covers seven counties from the Sunshine Skyway bridge to the Crystal River nuclear power plant. Besides Goethe, they are Sgt. Dennis Hobbs and Troopers Leslie Webber, Larry Kraus, Will Jarvis and Gerry Perdue.

Statewide, 20 troopers will represent Florida at the inaugural, said Trooper Larry Coggins of Troop C.

``It's pretty customary to have law enforcement from different states at the inaugural,'' Coggins said. ``We're kind of proud because our governor is the president's brother.''

Goethe, training to be a motorcycle officer, visited his son during the holidays in Nebraska. He's not sure where Jamie is being sent instead of the inaugural, he said. Military security prevents his son from saying.

The trooper identifies himself as a Bush voter, although he provided security during last year's campaign for U.S. Sen. John Kerry, Bush's Democratic rival.

The swearing-in should be memorable, he said. ``How many guys can shake the president's hand and be involved in the inauguration?''

Keyword: Inauguration, for a preview of the Jan. 20 presidential inauguration, a historical look at the event and information on how our government works.

Reporter Brad Smith can be reached at (813) 259-7365.