Peabody native earns trust at highest levels
Peabody native and former Marion medical professional Rebecca Ediger has one of the most important jobs in the nation, one of the most demanding, and one of the most interesting.
A feature article in the current issue of The Shocker, official magazine for Wichita State University, told how the loyal WSU alumna serves her country in the important assignment of protecting both president and first lady, George and Laura Bush.
Upon graduating from Peabody High School she started radiologic technology training at St. Francis Hospital, Wichita. She worked at Hertzler Clinic, Halstead, while attending Hutchinson Community College.
She then studied two years at Wichita State University to become a physicians' assistant, P.A., in 1976. She then worked in the office of T.C. Ensey, M.D., at Marion.
Next, she was on the surgical staff at the Wichita VA Center in Wichita. One of her friends on the staff was a nurse whose husband was a Secret Service agent.
Becky Ediger liked that idea.
The decision to leave the health field wasn't easy, she said, but she flew to Dallas to take the test; a four hour examination. She passed with highest honors.
She was a Secret Service agent at Oklahoma City from 1983 until 1987. Later, she returned to Oklahoma City in 1995 following the Murrah Federal Building bombing, the building in which her office had been located. The entire staff in her office had been killed.
She said nothing in her career as a PA prepared her for the carnage. Her medical career proved invaluable.
The article tells of her career advancements and lists accomplishments.
She is committed to her job, others say, and truly worthy of the trust and confidence of that position
In December President Bush presented her with the Distinguished Service Award and four days later she was promoted to be deputy assistant director for the Office of Protective Research.
Ediger says there are many disadvantages of being an agent, like missing birthdays, anniversaries, and such, She says "You'll never become rich working for the government. However, in the Secret Service you will go and see places millionaires never do."
