Home >
Government >
White House Military Office
History of White House Military Office
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.
Over
the years, the White House Military Office has adapted to the evolving
role of the President in American society, providing the highest
quality service to meet the requirements of the Commander-in-Chief.
|