White House Military Office
Agency overview | |
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Formed | 1957 |
Preceding agency |
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Headquarters | White House |
Employees | 2,600 |
Agency executive |
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Parent agency | White House Office |
Website | White House Military Office |
The White House Military Office (WHMO) is a department within the White House Office that provides military support for White House functions, including food service, presidential transportation, medical support, emergency medical services and hospitality services. The White House Military Office is headed by the White House Military Office Director.
History
Military representation aiding presidents predates the construction of the White House and originated with General
The
On May 8, 2009, Louis Caldera, the Director of the White House Military Office, resigned amid controversy over the Air Force One photo op incident.[1][2][3] His successor was announced on October 16, 2009, as George D. Mulligan Jr.
Operations
The White House Military Office is an
- Marine Helicopter Squadron One(HMX-1)
- Presidential Airlift Group
- White House Communications Agency
- White House Medical Unit
- White House Mess
- White House sentries, four Marine Corps non-commissioned officers who act as a ceremonial guard outside the West Wing of the White House.
- White House Transportation Agency
- NSF Thurmont (Camp David)
Structure
The WHMO is headed by a Director who oversees the policies involving
The Social Aides, of whom there are 40-45 at a time, are uniformed officers of the rank of 1st lieutenant / lieutenant, junior grade and up to major / lieutenant commander, and have a purely social role, taking care of visitors to events held at the White House. They are volunteers, serving perhaps two to four afternoons a month.[4]
The (permanent) Military Aides are majors / lieutenant commanders and lieutenant colonels / commanders, one from each of the five armed forces, and have the task of carrying the President's emergency satchel, the so-called nuclear football.[5]
The White House Military Office also includes staff dedicated to Operations, Information and Technology Management, Financial Management and Comptroller, WHMO Counsel, and Security. Together the WHMO's entities provide essential service to the President as well as help assure the continuity of the presidency.
Most uniformed personnel assigned to the WHMO are eligible to wear the Presidential Service Badge after "a period of at least one year."[6][7]
Past directors
Image | Officeholder | Term start | Term end |
---|---|---|---|
Richard Trefry | January 11, 1990 | February 1992 | |
Michael H. Miller | November 2002 | ||
Mark I. Fox | January 2005 | October 2006 | |
Raymond A. Spicer | March 2007 | January 20, 2009 | |
Louis Caldera | January 20, 2009 | May 22, 2009 | |
George D. Mulligan | October 16, 2009 | 2013 | |
Dabney Kern | |||
Keith Davids | September 6, 2017 | March 9, 2021 | |
Maju Varghese | March 9, 2021 | January 21, 2022 | |
TBD | 2022 |
Other notable White House Military Office personnel
In popular culture
The White House Military Office is the subject of an episode of Major Dad titled "General Disturbance", which originally aired on April 9, 1993. In it, General Marcus Craig (Jon Cypher) becomes the new Deputy Director of WHMO and his whole staff, including Major John MacGillis (Gerald McRaney), is transferred to Washington, D.C., with him.
See also
- Presidential Service Association
- Bill Gulley
References
- ^ "Aide resigns over NY plane scare". BBC News. May 8, 2009.
- ^ "White House aide quits over New York City flyover". japantoday.com. Retrieved 19 March 2018.
- ^ http://www.timescolonist.com/news/White+House+official+quits+over+Force+flight/1578111/story.html[permanent dead link]
- ^ a b Bohn, Michael K. (6 February 2014). "State dinners: these people have a ringside seat to history — and gaffes and wardrobe malfunctions". Retrieved 19 March 2018 – via www.washingtonpost.com.
- ^ Military aides still carry the president's nuclear 'football', USATODAY.com
- ^ "Executive Orders". National Archives. 2016-08-15. Retrieved 2024-02-15.
- ^ History of the Presidential Service Badge http://www.worthpoint.com/blog-entry/presidential-service-badge