Presidential Visits

[usafcap1]

What does CAP do for a presidential visit? If nothing; what could we do if this were to be a mission?


Thank you

[SarDragon]

What does CAP do for a presidential visit? If nothing; what could we do if this were to be a mission?


Thank you

Q1 - Essentially nothing. Maybe a crowd line with the right opportunity, but not likely these days.

Q2 - It's a solution looking for a problem. No mission.

[Eclipse]

Run in a circle with its hair on fire?

[a2capt]

We were notified of a chance to participate in a Presidential visit, turned out to be a lot of work for nothing because as soon as the people doing the advance planning heard "a bunch of cadets", they said "no", because they didn't want to deal with backgrounding a ton of adults to watch them.

They must have confused us with Romper Room.

[sardak]

[EMT-83]

I've been involved with 3 visits, on the public safety side. Trust me, they don't need CAP.

[Flying Pig]

Ive been involved in a couple presidential type visits on the LE side.  G.W. Bush, McCain while he was the Republican Candidate and VP Cheney and several for the CA Governor (Terminator and Moonbeam).  I really cant see where CAP would fill a role.  The president and VP come with a literal armada of weapons and aircraft and drain local LE of every possible resource and body available.  A designated candidate has their own Secret Service protection that taps local LE and public safety a governors have their own state police dignitary protection.   Its such a fast moving and rehearsed routine.   I couldn't really see where volunteers and/or cadets would fill a niche.  You arent going to get anywhere near the Pres or VP thats for sure.  Although I did manage to stand about 5 feet from Cheney and McCain with my .45 But I had the good guy pass. 

[Phil Hirons, Jr.]

NER has been involved in posting notices at the GA airports for upcoming Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFR) due to Presidential visits. You'd be amazed how many airports are effected by the President landing in Boston, Providence or Martha's Vinyard.

[SunDog]

"Sound and fury, signifying nothing" 

[Eclipse]

NER has been involved in posting notices at the GA airports for upcoming Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFR) due to Presidential visits. You'd be amazed how many airports are effected by the President landing in Boston, Providence or Martha's Vinyard.

We've done that as well.

With POTUS' hometown (for now) still being in Chicago, his holiday home visits wreck havoc with local GA.

[lordmonar]

We were notified of a chance to participate in a Presidential visit, turned out to be a lot of work for nothing because as soon as the people doing the advance planning heard "a bunch of cadets", they said "no", because they didn't want to deal with backgrounding a ton of adults to watch them.

They must have confused us with Romper Room.

When the Vice President's wife visit Nellis AFB during and Airshow....the Secret Service AIC asked for us to help with a crowd control cordon..... wanted the cadets involved.

So  YMMV.

[LSThiker]

Its such a fast moving and rehearsed routine.   I couldn't really see where volunteers and/or cadets would fill a niche.  You arent going to get anywhere near the Pres or VP thats for sure.  Although I did manage to stand about 5 feet from Cheney and McCain with my .45 But I had the good guy pass.

Depends on the tempo and wishes of the President as well.  I had a impromptu 20 minute talk with former-President Bush, Senior.  He wanted to talk with a local student and I was asked.  I was searched by Secret Service, given specific rules (no politics), and then introduced.  We had a good talk about fishing.  Somewhere I have a picture of him and me next to each other.  I was also allowed to talk with first-lady Clinton for 10 minutes.  She wanted a local student to talk with and got lucky a second time.   We talked education.

[The CyBorg is destroyed]

Maybe an honour guard...beyond that I doubt there is much we could do that he does not have already worked out well in advance.

When G.H.W. Bush was President, I remember he flew into the nearby airport for a campaign stop.

I thank God I was not anywhere nearby.  As I understand it, the local LEO's, State Police, U.S. Marshals, Secret Service and anyone else you can think of had the roadways around the airport "sanitised" to the point of creating nightmarish traffic snarls.

In retrospect I wish I could have been nearby to see Air Force One land, but I doubt I could have got close enough to the airport.

Depends on the tempo and wishes of the President as well.  I had a impromptu 20 minute talk with former-President Bush, Senior.  He wanted to talk with a local student and I was asked.  I was searched by Secret Service, given specific rules (no politics), and then introduced.  We had a good talk about fishing.

I would probably have wanted to talk airplanes with him...remember, he was a Naval Aviator and has a DFC and three Air Medals.  One of the first models I built as a kid was a TBF Avenger (which he flew).  He got his Ensign's commission three days before his 19th birthday...I cannot see how he got that without a four-year degree, except for the fact that there was a war on.

Seriously, I would not want to talk politics with any sitting or former President.  Inevitably there are going to be points of disagreement (I am all over the map politically) and I would rather not spoil such an occasion.

[Garibaldi]

Its such a fast moving and rehearsed routine.   I couldn't really see where volunteers and/or cadets would fill a niche.  You arent going to get anywhere near the Pres or VP thats for sure.  Although I did manage to stand about 5 feet from Cheney and McCain with my .45 But I had the good guy pass.

Depends on the tempo and wishes of the President as well.  I had a impromptu 20 minute talk with former-President Bush, Senior.  He wanted to talk with a local student and I was asked.  I was searched by Secret Service, given specific rules (no politics), and then introduced.  We had a good talk about fishing.  Somewhere I have a picture of him and me next to each other.  I was also allowed to talk with first-lady Clinton for 10 minutes.  She wanted a local student to talk with and got lucky a second time.   We talked education.

My experience with this sort of thing was when I was not active in CAP. I went down to Little Rock to the opening of the Clinton Library for a journalism class assignment. The two girls I was with were kind of timid about being in a room full of high-powered folks like Hilary and Bill and a LOT of celebrities. They were wanting a picture with Hilary and I said I would arrange it. I just walked up to Madame Senator and said "Madame Senator, I have two young ladies who would like a photo with you." She didn't say a word, just turned and smiled and the two girls got a picture of a lifetime.

This was the first time I was introduced to the Secret Service, as well. They do not want their picture taken or being included in video. I was warned...once. I complied. No, it had nothing to do with me approaching her. This was way before we were allowed on the property.

Got to meet Bill again, Hilary, George Stephanopolous, Judge Reinhold, Morgan Freeman (who fussed about my female companion's choice of footwear for the cold, rainy day), Bono, got my photo taken with Robin Williams...saw John Kerry from a distance and I swear that man is 9 feet tall. Didn't see Dubya because we were asked to not be in the area when he was travelling back to AF1. Also, my female companion (she is going to remain nameless)'s ex boyfriend is the Soldier who accidentally bopped Hilary with an umbrella when she was speaking.

[THRAWN]

When I was with DHS, I was assigned to a JTF doing protection details during the 08 elections. Got to meet the then Senators Obama and Clinton, Senator McCain, and Governor Palin. It was a great way to spend a few months, and hear vastly different speeches each time they appeared. Now, I live about a mile from the sometimes home of AF2. My son loves when it flies over my house...

[usafcap1]

Couldn't it go under a HLS mission?

[LSThiker]

I would probably have wanted to talk airplanes with him...remember, he was a Naval Aviator and has a DFC and three Air Medals.

If I recall correctly, I think that was on the list of please do not ask.  Either way, fishing was what he wanted to talk about.  Fishing would not have been my first choice subject.  Since it was entirely unexpected to be asked, I think I was going to ask him about leadership.

Barring what you thought of him as a President, he seemed pretty down to Earth really.  Also on the list of rules was "do not call him President or Former-President".  Call him Mr. Bush or sir.

Seriously, I would not want to talk politics with any sitting or former President.

Neither would I (unless it was journalistic piece or something).  The Secret Service were probably just sick of people being stupid and asking.

[NIN]

NER has been involved in posting notices at the GA airports for upcoming Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFR) due to Presidential visits. You'd be amazed how many airports are effected by the President landing in Boston, Providence or Martha's Vinyard.

Actually, no, I wouldn't

Depending on where they center the 30nm arc, my DZ's airspace sits *just outside* [ETA: "when the boss comes to Boston"]:
http://www.skyhavennh.com/_sky-pics/tfr-bos-030811.jpg (upper left, our parachute symbol is right on the edge)

As long as our pilot climbs to altitude towards Nashua and north, we're good.

And when Dubya would fly into PSM to visit dad?  Those poor guys at Skydive New England were hosed.

(until they got permission to continue flying as long as they let a secret service guy fly right seat.. Serious!)

[SarDragon]

I worked a crowd line as a cadet at the 1964 Democratic convention in Atlantic City. It was excruciatingly boring, hot, and physically demanding because we didn't get to sit down the whole time we were there. It made similar details at air shows seem like parties.

Such duty would be even less of a fit for today's cadets than it was 50 years ago.

[EMT-83]

Had a conversation with Bush Sr. about how a centrifugal fire pump works, at a campaign stop at our firehouse. He actually seemed interested, but I was never sure if he was just being a real good politician or if he enjoyed the distraction during an exhausting campaign. Either way, it was pretty cool.