White House Military Office

The Director of the White House Military Office (WHMO) is the principal advisor to the White House for all military support. The current director is Rear Admiral Raymond A. Spicer, who also serves as the Deputy Assistant to the President. The WHMO Director oversees the policies that affect the WHMO-wide issues or involve Department of Defense assets.

He ensures that White House requirements are clearly communicated to the WHMO Directorates and meet the highest standards of Presidential quality. The WHMO Director oversees all military operations aboard Air Force One on Presidential missions worldwide.

The Deputy Director of the White House Military Office is Mr. George Mulligan. The Deputy Director's primary focus is the day-to-day support of the WHMO.

The WHMO's operational units are the most visible element of the WHMO's support to the President. The WHMO units include the: White House Communications Agency, Presidential Airlift Group, White House Medical Unit, Camp David, Marine Helicopter Squadron One, Presidential Food Service and the White House Transportation Agency. To assure proper coordination and integration between the WHMO units and customers the WHMO Headquarters organization includes support elements such as Operations; Policy, Plans, and Requirements; 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.

History

Military representation within the White House originated with General Washington's Aide-de-camp, whose role as Personal Aide to the President has continued and is currently filled by the Military Aides to the President. These roles include a wide variety of functions from critical military command and control missions to ceremonial duties at Presidential events.

Camp David was established in 1942 to provide the President a safe and relaxing place away from the White House. That same year the White House Communications Agency was formed to assure safe, secure, and reliable communications for the President.

Two years later President Franklin D. Roosevelt called for the creation of the Presidential Pilot's Office, renamed the Presidential Airlift Group in 2001, to provide air transportation to the President and his staff.

The White House Medical Unit was established in the West Wing in 1945. The White House Mess was established in 1951 and has been run by the Navy ever since.

Marine Helicopter Squadron One (HMX-1) was created in 1957 when President Dwight D. Eisenhower was vacationing in Newport, Rhode Island, and had to return to the White House on short notice. He flew the first portion of the trip aboard HMX-1.

The White House Garage was created by an act of Congress in 1909. Over the years it was transformed into a military organization and became a regular unit in 1963 called the U.S. Army Transportation Agency (White House), and renamed the White House Transportation Agency.

External links

* [http://www.whitehouse.gov/whmo/ whitehouse.gov]

ee also

*White House Communications Agency
*Presidential Airlift Group
*White House Medical Unit
*Camp David
*Marine Helicopter Squadron One (HMX-1)
*Presidential Food Service
*White House Transportation Agency