Armed Forces Inauguration Committee Public Affairs

Photo By Gunnery Sgt. Victor Fernandes | Maj. Chris LeCron, Armed Forces Inauguration Committee Public Affairs, facilitates media interviews with Stars and Stripes Newspaper at a warming tent for inaugural parade participants on the White House Ellipse, Jan. 20. The wind chill temperature was approximately 5 degrees fahrenheit on the day of the parade.  

UNITED STATES

01.28.2009

Story by Maj. Christopher LeCron 

Warrior Citizen Media Center (IMA)

By Chris LeCron
Warrior Citizen Media Center

The largest Department of Defense public affairs unit of 2009, an ad-hoc unit that is organized from scratch every four years called the Armed Forces Inauguration Committee Public Affairs Office, facilitated media interviews, photos, and print stories regarding the ceremonial role of the Armed Forces during the Presidential Inaugural period from Jan. 15-24.

During the inaugural period from Jan. 15-24, AFIC provided ceremonial support for "official" inaugural events. The support included marching bands, color guards, and honor cordons. AFIC public affairs documented this support through photos, videos, print stories, and facilitating civilian media interviews.

AFIC public affairs is a joint service organization with a mixture of active duty, reserve, and National Guard Soldiers, Airmen, Sailors, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen. Some members spent over a year with the unit and some only spent the few weeks of the inaugural events. The unit is literally stood up from scratch every four years. After equipment is inventoried and after action reports are complete, AFIC will turn out the lights until the next inauguration.

"We have military photographers and journalists that cover the inaugural events as well as public affairs officers that facilitate civilian media stories," stated Army Master Sgt. Ken Baer, a member of the 129th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment, North Dakota National Guard assigned to AFIC during the Inaugural period. Baer recently returned from a 15-month deployment to Iraq and other Central Command areas. His unit conducted numerous field interviews and documented combat operations through photos and videos.

On inauguration day, Baer took still photos along the parade route on Pennsylvania Avenue. AFIC photo galleries of the inaugural parade can be found on their website at http://www.afic.northcom.mil.

"This is the pinnacle of military public affairs and current history," said Navy Chief Warrant Officer Anthony Atwood, a military history professor at Florida International University and a Navy reservist assigned to AFIC during the inaugural period. Atwood is a history buff that recently received the largest community grant ever in Miami to create the Miami Military Museum and Veterans Memorial. The project has begun and is expected to complete in 2009.

Atwood was part of the AFIC public affairs team that facilitated media interviews at the Pentagon staging area prior to the parade. Al Roker of the "Today Show" was live at the Pentagon staging area prior to the inaugural parade.

"I was honored to be a part of this historic operation," stated Navy Chief Petty Officer Lucy Quinn, a Navy reservist temporarily assigned to AFIC. Quinn has a bachelor's degree in journalism and is a freelance writer. Quinn was heavily involved as a spokeswoman for AFIC public affairs during the DOD inauguration dress rehearsal on Jan. 11. The full dress rehearsal included stand-ins for then President-elect Barrack Obama and his wife Michelle Obama.

While speaking to media on Capitol Hill, Jan. 11, Quinn said, "it's important to rehearse this so it goes off flawlessly on inauguration day."

Quinn's quote was then published in news stories from various media outlets to include USA Today, Washington Post, NPR, International Herald Tribune, Army Times, Denver Post, Canada East, and MSNBC.

• Date Taken: 01.28.2009
• Date Posted: 01.28.2009 11:29
• Story ID: 29371
• Location: US