President calls airman for Christmas Published Dec. 29, 2003 TALLIL AIR BASE, Iraq (AFPN) -- An airman here got an extra Christmas gift this year.Senior Airman Sean Strong, an air traffic control specialist with the 332nd Expeditionary Operations Support Squadron, received a call from a White House operator Dec. 21 informing him he was going to receive a call from the president Dec. 24.“I thought it was a prank call at first, but then the White House operator called a couple more times to make sure I knew it wasn’t, and to remind me to be by the phone,” Strong said.The phone call came at 4:45 p.m., and Strong spoke with the president about a number of things.“He started out with his appreciation for what we all do out here and [said] to have a merry Christmas and happy New Year,” Strong said. “He sounded very sincere when he expressed his gratitude (for) what we were doing out here.”After the president’s thanks, the conversation moved on to a lighter topic.Strong asked him who his picks were to make it to the Super Bowl.President Bush said New England and St. Louis.The president asked Strong to pass on a message to his co-workers thanking them for what they do, and wishing them all a happy holiday season.