Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Jeremy Byers | President Barack Obama bids farewell to Kansas as Air Force One departs Forbes Field...... read more read more
TOPEKA, Kan. - A presidential visit poses logistical challenges for the host. Between coordinating security, vehicles and personnel with the White House and Secret Service, the preparation can take weeks. The Airmen of the 190th Air Refueling Wing, Kansas National Guard, only had a matter of days.
President Barack Obama visited Kansas for the first time since 2011, Jan. 21-22, to speak at the University of Kansas in Lawrence Jan. 22. He arrived and departed the Sunflower State via Forbes Field Air National Guard Base in Topeka, Kansas, home of the 190th, in his Boeing 747-200B, known as Air Force One – the radio call sign used when the president is aboard.
“We didn't get word of the president’s arrival until (late last week),” said Maj. Joe Blubaugh, wing executive staff officer. “It was almost noon when I got that phone call, and needless to say, we went into full on scramble mode because it was Martin Luther King Jr. weekend, so we were getting ready to release everyone for a three-day weekend.”
It’s not every day that an Air Guard base plays host to the president, so the Airmen sacrificed much of their time to accommodate their commander in chief.
“A lot of people gave up a lot of their weekend to get out here and make this happen,” said Blubaugh. “I had to call people at home and ask them to come to the base for preparation and not one time did I hear even so much as a sigh of disappointment.”
Obama was shuttled to and from Lawrence, some 30 miles away, in his presidential motorcade, which consisted of nearly 30 vehicles, many of which were shipped beforehand and stored at the base. Forbes Field offered the space to accommodate various vehicles and aircraft, including Air Force One and Marine One, the presidential helicopter, in a secure environment.
“It’s easier to bring the presidential entourage, including Air Force One, to a military base because of the built-in security,” said Blubaugh.
Once notified, personnel of the 190th met internally and began coordinating with the advance planning teams of Air Force One, the White House and the Secret Service to start making preparations for a safe and smooth experience.
“The Secret Service was pleased,” said Blubaugh. “It went really well, and on more than one occasion I heard people talk about how great it is to go to an Air National Guard base. They related that to how much pride they saw in the Air National Guard.”
Obama was scheduled to come to Kansas through Forbes Field in April 2013, but that trip was cancelled due to the Boston marathon bombings. While this was his first trip through Topeka, Forbes Field has facilitated visits from Presidents Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush.
After his speaking engagement in Lawrence and before boarding his plane to return to Washington, D.C., the president greeted visitors and Airmen of the 190th.
Staff Sgt. Erin Oatley, a paralegal with the judge advocate general, 190th, was tasked with checking in members of the media and visitors.
“It was an honor to be here to be able to see President Obama,” said Oatley. “For me, it was an extra bonus to have the opportunity to meet him.”
The president was able to stick closely with his scheduled timeline, a testament to the efforts of the Kansas Air National Guard.
“I’m just absolutely amazed at our people,” said Blubaugh. “We truly have some of the best members of the Air Force right here at the 190th Air Refueling Wing and this wouldn't have been possible without the hard work that they put in.”
| Date Taken: | 01.23.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 01.23.2015 17:40 |
| Story ID: | 152634 |
| Location: | TOPEKA, KS, US |
| Web Views: | 168 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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